Need advice on not losing.

emartin949

Hello! I am by no means new to this fantastic website, so I'll get right to it.

I have been losing very slowly- much more slowly than I should be. I have been eating between 1200-1350 calories daily except for short periods of time when I eat between 800-1200 calories due to stress nausea. There is nothing I can do during those times to get myself to eat more, and calorie dense foods during those times make me vomit.

Anyway, my diary is set to lose about 2 lbs a week, and I'm maybe seeing 1/4 at the most. Yes, I weigh and measure and log everything that's going into my mouth. Yes, I'm getting plenty of water, about 3 liters or a little less daily. Yes, I am getting enough sleep. I am also watching my sodium intake (just not for the last few days as I've been ridiculously busy with school, but a few days won't make a difference). I get exercise when I can, and have been meaning to get to the gym but keep making excuses or get busy. I walk to and from home/school/between classes daily (at least 5000 steps a day) and occasionally do not log it. I watch my sugar intake and aim for less than 50 grams a day.

Another odd thing that I have noticed is that when I temporarily increase my calorie intake/ease up on weighing and measuring, I lose when I return to my normal calorie goal. This has been happening for months.

All in all, I have lost about 40 lbs, but a lot more slowly than I should have. I'm very dedicated and self-disciplined so this is frustrating for me. Wherein does my problem lie, do you think?

emartin949

Ah, and just in case - I'm 5'3, 169.6 lbs as of this morning, and 23 years old. Lightly active.

LoraF83

Can you open up your diary?

higgins8283801

weight loss if isn't linear. you may want to lose 2lbs a week but that may not be possible for you. As long as you're losing, I don't really see the issue. I set out wanting to lose 2lbs a week and for the majority of the time it just doesn't happen for me. As long as I'm losing something I don't care. Slow and steady wins the race...

emartin949

@LoraF83 Yes, I will temporarily open my diary.
@higgin8283801 I know that weight loss is not linear- obviously I am very patient as this has been happening for months. The problem is that it's not catching up to itself- I have been eating to lose 8 lbs a month and am lucky if I hit 2 or 3... for months in a row. I doubt this is a 'plateau.'

cgrose

Hi there, well done for losing the 40lbs. What time of day do you exercise? i normally find that if I dont do it first thing in the day (before my brain realises what I am up to) then I start to find excuses not to do it as the day wears on. Even if you just pop out for a 20 min walk first thing, it helps. Exit front door walk for 10 mins (time it) then turn around and come back home.

caracrawford1

emartin949 wrote: »

Ah, and just in case - I'm 5'3, 169.6 lbs as of this morning, and 23 years old. Lightly active.

Are you sure you're "lightly active" ? You say you average 5000 steps (or less) a day which is...sedentary. I have mine set to sedentary, though i average well over 10,000 steps a day (3-5 mile dog walk AFTER an hour of cardio at the gym, mind you) while I don't suggest you go below your cal level,something is amiss. Open your diary and we may be able to assist more.

emartin949

@Caracrawford1 Like I said, I would open my diary. It should be open now. I am definitely 'lightly active' and even if I wasn't, I probably shouldn't make it a goal to lower my calories.
@cgrose I walk to class in the morning, walk from class to class throughout the day (I attend school on one of the nation's largest campuses) then walk home in the afternoon. I normally do not log these walks.

brizzeem

first yes congrads on the loss. A couple things to remember is if you solely rely on your diet to lose weight it will be slow and most of the time not as fast as you'd like. You do mention you workout on occasion but remember, all the caloric numbers/goals etc are theoretical and are guidelines that are not set in stone and vary quite often.

I would increase your activity level, set a goal for yourself with an activity that you can do daily and give it a month and go from there.

Good luck!

emartin949

@brizzeem I was under the impression that the system relied on calories in vs calories out. I used to work out quite often (4-5 days a week for at least an hour) and only eat back half of my exercise calories. Same results. I would love to increase my activity but don't see that consistently happening until after Thanksgiving. Even now I am typing here and typing my homework simultaneously.

caracrawford1

brizzeem wrote: »

first yes congrads on the loss. A couple things to remember is if you solely rely on your diet to lose weight it will be slow and most of the time not as fast as you'd like. You do mention you workout on occasion but remember, all the caloric numbers/goals etc are theoretical and are guidelines that are not set in stone and vary quite often.

I would increase your activity level, set a goal for yourself with an activity that you can do daily and give it a month and go from there.

Good luck!

Good advice. I am losing at two pounds a week,weigh less than you do, but I also do two hours of overall exercise a day. While I dont suggest you do that (I am training for a marathon and mine is on sedentary because I'd rather add my cals in and have the extra cushion to insure loss) you could increase your overall activity which might speed up your loss if you don't want to lower your cals.

emartin949

Even when I have increased my activity levels (ex. cardio/strength training 5 hours a week) I have had the same problem and even gained weight. And yes, I did give it a few weeks to even out or for my body to adjust to any changes. No differences made.

wilsoncl6

Outside forces may be impacting your bodies ability to function properly. Stress is a big problem that doesn't get addressed very often and can kill your weight loss program and slow down you progress. Make sure your eating the right foods high in vitamins and nutrients, take vitamin C that is supposed to help reduce the impact of stress on your body and be very careful to track your food intake properly. As others have said, a consistent exercise routine will help you achieve your goal in the time frame that your wanting. Find something that fits your schedule that you find enjoyable, a dance class, karate or martial arts, Zumba dance, anything as long as you are moving. Also, you have to be careful not to constantly eat too few calories as that could really screw up your metabolism, eat the recommended amount, or get as close as possible.

AliceDark

The fact that you have regular periods of stress-induced nausea is a little bit of a red flag. Some people are super sensitive to stress and can retain a ton of water because of it. (I only bring it up because I'm very sensitive to stress. I could do everything 100% correct, but if it's a week where my stress level is cranked up to 11, I won't lose a d@mn thing). Based on what you've said, and assuming your logging is in good shape (that's always a big assumption, because everyone makes logging mistakes), you should be losing more than 1/4 pound a week. Maybe it's time for bloodwork? Do you have any insulin resistance or reason to think you could be at risk for it?

emartin949

@AliceDark I don't think I'm insulin resistant - I have extremely stable blood sugar levels. I do intermittent fasting as well, which I forgot to mention. Unfortunately, I don't have health insurance currently and could not afford tests at the doctors. We do have free clinics here, but they're few and far between and I can't afford to spend a school day in a waiting room. Bah, frustrating.

And I am very sensitive to stress - anxiety disorders and panic attacks run in my family. I've had to deal with my own work + family issues and pressures + my fiancé's very rocky path to finishing his master's degree + job hunting to ensure we'll have income to pay off student loans. It's a lot.

CariJean64

>>>Another odd thing that I have noticed is that when I temporarily increase my calorie intake/ease up on weighing and measuring, I lose when I return to my normal calorie goal. This has been happening for months.<<<

Maybe this is your key? I've noticed this too. When my weight loss slows down, I have a day of 2500-3000 calories, then go back to normal, and I tend to drop a little more than usual for the week. I have no idea why this works, but it does seem to give my metabolism a bit of oomph.

I only do this about once a month, POSSIBLY twice. Any more often than that and I might get back in that habit and make NO progress. ;-)

emartin949

@Wilsoncl6 I'd love to find a fitness class along the lines of what you described once I have the money to. In the meantime I might look into something like a Kinect fitness game that I can do at home in free time. I do have issues with meeting my calorie goal, but I thought anything along the lines of 'starvation mode' is a myth? I've lurked around other threads where people have asked questions about it and they're always told to STFU. Can I really hurt my metabolism by eating too little?

Also, I take a full women's multivitamin and calcium supplements daily. I never miss taking them.

AliceDark

Believe me, I understand all that! In that case, I would make working on your stress level priority #1. That always ends up at the end of my to-do list, but it can't be optional. Nothing else is going to work if you're so stressed that you're vomiting. Personally, I enjoy meditation and have found that it really helps me, but things like stretching or yoga are good too. It doesn't have to be a huge commitment -- maybe 10 minutes, twice a day? Even 3 minutes of deep breathing can help, as long as you do it consistently.

emartin949

@AliceDark Thank you for your advice! I will try to incorporate something like meditation/yoga into my daily routine. I will try to find intro videos on YouTube and do them before bed. It should help that things should start slowing down in the next month or so.

galprincess

Congrats on the loss I think you are trying to lose too quickly but its obviously working don't forget to change your goals every 10lb as your weight decreases your goals change.

LeslieB042812

I agree, it sounds like you're really more averaging at .5-.75 lbs per week, which is very reasonable at your height and weight. I'm 5'2" and 149 lbs at a similar calorie setting to you and when I'm diligent, I can lose the same amount as you're reporting. Losing 2 lbs/week is more realistic for taller people/men/people who are further from the "normal" weight category (I'm guessing you're maybe about 25 lbs over the recommendation for your height?). At our height/weight range, there just aren't enough calories to cut. Keep with it, though, and eventually those 2-3 lbs/month will add up. Just be patient and good luck!

yoovie

emartin949 wrote: »

I have been losing very slowly- much more slowly than I should be.

I have been eating between 800-1200 calories due to stress nausea.

I get exercise when I can, and have been meaning to get to the gym but keep making excuses or get busy.

I'm very dedicated and self-disciplined so this is frustrating for me.

Wherein does my problem lie, do you think?

emartin949

@yoovie Really? Many people eat less than I do and still lose weight. I am not actively trying to eat under my calorie goal, as I've stated. I do get out and exercise daily, but it's only walking back and forth from classes and home. 3.5 mph vs 5 mph that I'd do at the gym, same general amounts of time. The answers are not as simple as you're making them out to be, or whatever else you're attempting to point out.

maidentl

I am short also. The 2 lb/week setting on here will give you 1200 calories, as that's the minimum. But you'll notice, the projected loss is probably about one pound per week. The only way around that is to move more. You don't have to hit the gym. Can you find the time to just walk some more and get those steps up to around 10K?

caracrawford1

maidentl wrote: »

I am short also. The 2 lb/week setting on here will give you 1200 calories, as that's the minimum. But you'll notice, the projected loss is probably about one pound per week. The only way around that is to move more. You don't have to hit the gym. Can you find the time to just walk some more and get those steps up to around 10K?

That's how I lose 2 a week at 5'2 140. My exercise outpaces what I can keep up on, cal wise. I eat between 14-1500.

caracrawford1

emartin949 wrote: »

@yoovie Really? Many people eat less than I do and still lose weight. I am not actively trying to eat under my calorie goal, as I've stated. I do get out and exercise daily, but it's only walking back and forth from classes and home. 3.5 mph vs 5 mph that I'd do at the gym, same general amounts of time. The answers are not as simple as you're making them out to be, or whatever else you're attempting to point out.

Actually the extra 1.5 miles beyond 3.5miles is not the same. depending on how fast you are walking it adds up to 25-30 extra mins a day. Project that over the week (5-7 days) and its an additional 2.5-3.5 extra hours of exercise a week. It could make a difference.

yoovie

emartin949 wrote: »

@yoovie Really? Many people eat less than I do and still lose weight. I am not actively trying to eat under my calorie goal, as I've stated. I do get out and exercise daily, but it's only walking back and forth from classes and home. 3.5 mph vs 5 mph that I'd do at the gym, same general amounts of time. The answers are not as simple as you're making them out to be, or whatever else you're attempting to point out.

well, here is what I was pointing out.

1) You are losing slower than what you believe to be the proper rate based on the results of other people who aren't you and aren't following your program or diet. So that right there sets up with a goal that is already skewed.

2) eating that low, combined with an exercise deficit, probably nets you at about 2-300 calories a day. That's not enough to help burn fat and lose weight I dont believe, and is probably impeding your progress. Yes other people can lose on less. Are they in your body? Are you the same height, weight, medical background physical activity background, age and diet as you?

I also pointed this out because stress is a big reason why people can hold on to weight they want to lose, and undereating and over-cardioing can increase that stress.

3) You keep making excuses to skip the gym and have reduced your exercise to walking and walking slower and possibly not as far? I don't know as you haven't explained your current program. But even though you admit this, you say that...

4).. you revery dedicated and self-disciplined. If this is true, then you can turn this toward your workouts. Those who are dedicated make the time needed in order to meet their goals. They work consistently and don't stop and move toward progress across the board, not just on the scale. They balance their healthy nutrition, their cardio and endurance efforts with their strength training and their rest and recovery. They research and study and learn for themselves what works and what doesn't, through trial and error and endless determination. They don't say, well I know this is what is universally accepted as a healthy calorie goal for me, but Im special and don't really care about that part. They work with it and tweak it and understand that they need fuel for their activities and don't throw real advice out the window in favor of what seems more pleasant.

I hope this helps!

yoovie

When what you are doing is no longer working, you have to try harder, do something more complicated, go for a longer period of time or increase your difficulty somehow.

If you get to the point where what you are doing no longer challenges it, it will no longer change you, either.

wkwebby

emartin949 wrote: »

Even when I have increased my activity levels (ex. cardio/strength training 5 hours a week) I have had the same problem and even gained weight. And yes, I did give it a few weeks to even out or for my body to adjust to any changes. No differences made.

Sounds like you have a lot of stress right now and have had in the past. Stress (whether outside or self inflicted) can make your body do weird things as well.

89Madeline

CariJean64 wrote: »

>>>Another odd thing that I have noticed is that when I temporarily increase my calorie intake/ease up on weighing and measuring, I lose when I return to my normal calorie goal. This has been happening for months.<<<

Maybe this is your key? I've noticed this too. When my weight loss slows down, I have a day of 2500-3000 calories, then go back to normal, and I tend to drop a little more than usual for the week. I have no idea why this works, but it does seem to give my metabolism a bit of oomph.

I only do this about once a month, POSSIBLY twice. Any more often than that and I might get back in that habit and make NO progress. ;-)

Exactly the same here. Is there anyone who has the answer why this seems to be working?

wilsoncl6

maddymaddy89 wrote: »

CariJean64 wrote: »

>>>Another odd thing that I have noticed is that when I temporarily increase my calorie intake/ease up on weighing and measuring, I lose when I return to my normal calorie goal. This has been happening for months.<<<

Maybe this is your key? I've noticed this too. When my weight loss slows down, I have a day of 2500-3000 calories, then go back to normal, and I tend to drop a little more than usual for the week. I have no idea why this works, but it does seem to give my metabolism a bit of oomph.

I only do this about once a month, POSSIBLY twice. Any more often than that and I might get back in that habit and make NO progress. ;-)

Exactly the same here. Is there anyone who has the answer why this seems to be working?

Hard to answer a question like this because everyone's body is different and reacts differently to certain stimulus. There are a lot of factors that play into it. We can only make guesses, you have to analyze what you are doing and eating to determine the effects and see what works. For example, if I have a meal that is high in sodium, I am guaranteed to gain at least 1-2 pounds overnight but then those pounds plus some will come off over the next day or two. Some people may not experience the same effect. Wish I could help but only you know your own body.