Officially lost and confused and unhappy...

kittykat22459

So its official..I am lost and don't know what I'm doing anymore. I am no longer losing weight (in the long picture, not talking about only day to day). I haven't lost anything in the last 4 months. I fluctuate so much. I will lose one day and then the next 4 days I will keep gaining weight. The lowest I been in the last 4 months was 227.2 for one day and the highest is 235.6. I mostly fluctuate between 229 to 233 for all 4 months.
I am completely desperate which is why I am coming forward in posting and risking looking like an idiot or a joke. I have been in this lifestyle change for 1 year and 2 months. I have lost over 100 lbs. I have stayed in the same 1200 calories limit area (1500 when I work out). I did have a few random weeks where I would adjust my calories to try to see any new results. I also understand I'm not really the cleanest eater all the time because that is not my life style and my family dictates some of my meals. I do also have a food scale. I also understand that weight fluctuates and water weight happens. I also really don't work out as much as I should but I know I am screwing up something more in my eating habits right now.
I did go on a vacation from October 18-25 and did indulge (tried not to go to crazy and stay within raised calories bout 1600) but even now when i went back to my old eating ways I am unable to actually lose any weight.
I do tons of research that I can think about through books and myfitnesspal and other credible websites. I can no longer figure out what I am doing so horribly wrong. I have tried focusing on proteins, potassium, sugars, sodium, etc... I have tried many different strategies and trying to find the problem in many different ways. I am not trying to get pity from any of you for not losing weight. I am really just so lost and confused on what I am doing wrong and am unable to find that answer by myself.
I come to you all begging to help me understand what I am doing wrong and to help me get back on track. I am extremely unhappy with where I am currently at and will not give up trying to get to my goal or wherever I feel happiest in my body.

any stats anyone might need
sw:350
cw:231.4
gw:140-126

height:5'8
age:23

my diary should be public
I drink between 115 and 190 oz of water daily (tracked in a different app)

please be kind and helpful...I'm lost

LitheVixen

There is only one reason you're not be losing weight, and it's that you're eating too many calories. I had a quick glance at your diary. You're probably underreporting your calories or overestimating the portions (if you're not weighing). Either that, or there's calories in something else you're consuming but not putting in (flavoured coffee or tea,...).

I'm not really sure what it is, but again: no weightloss means you're consuming more calories than you're currently aware of.

(On an entirely unrelated note: how the eff are the 4 tortillas in your diary only 200 calories? The lowest calorie tortilla wraps in my supermarket are at least 100 calories a piece... o.O)

Lasmartchika

If you're eating only 1200 then it's because you're eating too little. You need to raise your calories to feed your body. This page can explain better how you can raise your calories and still be able to lose weight. Mfp had me at 1240, and following the things I read here I am able to raise my calories to 1680 and I'm still losing. It will really help.

http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/group/3817-eat-more-2-weigh-less

peachyfuzzle

If you're fluctuating between 229 and 233 for an extended period of time, you're currently ingesting calories right at your maintenance level. You need to decrease the amount of calories you're ingesting. Don't eat back your work out calories, and be more careful about how you log your calories. You're likely ingesting more than you realize.

Remember, everything counts, liquid intake as well (soda, alcohol, etc.). No calories are free, and you even need to log stuff you put into your meals like butter, oils, garlic, etc.

kittykat22459

corn tortillas are only 50 cals

Lasmartchika

LitheVixen wrote: »

(On an entirely unrelated note: how the eff are the 4 tortillas in your diary only 200 calories? The lowest calorie tortilla wraps in my supermarket are at least 100 calories a piece... o.O)

Those are corn tortillas, and yes they are that amount. Your wraps are made with flour tortillas, if I'm not mistaken, and those do have a higher calorie count.

emdeesea

The simplest answer is usually the correct one, and that is you're eating more than you think you are and it's likely you're not logging everything honestly.

I looked through your diary and I see a lot of fast-type foods, lots of sandwiches, lots of chips, etc. There's nothing wrong with those from time to time but they're loaded with salt and not always accurate calorie wise.

The absolute best thing you can do is to make your own meals from scratch and weigh them out carefully. Only eat out maybe once a week and even then, keep it reigned in.

TropicalParaMonster

Hi! Please try not to be disheartened, but I can understand why you feel that way. I hit a "plateau" before although a lot of people don't think it exists. But when that happened twice for me I tried a completely different mechanism.

I've tried intermittent fasting, which really did re-shift my weight loss journey and took it to a whole other level. Then when I finished intermittent fasting, I went back for a few months (currently there) on the 5 meals a day shenanigans. I don't like to eat that often so it's a little hard. But changing your bodies routine helps.
**Also look into carb-cycling, I've heard amazing stories about it. I tried and saw results but I just couldn't keep up with it.

Additionally, I did a 3 day juice cleanse, and I'm not telling you to try it, but I did learn that often we don't include much fiber or veg/fruit in our diets as we should. Maybe try making a green drink (some kale, spinach, and any fruit) and have it instead of a heavy dinner.

Now in terms of the exercise portion;
Have you tried strength training? Or are you more of a cardio person?
I was all about cardio and HIIT, I still am with my running but I incorporated strength training. Even if you can't afford to go to the gym, you can do the same I did and just purchase some resistance bands which catapulted my metabolism.

You've done phenomenal already. Everyday you wake up you should start it with positive thoughts about your success rather than this dragging plateau. Stress can affect your weight loss too, I'm a big believer in yoga to help!
We're here for you!

GaleHawkins

peachyfuzzle wrote: »

If you're fluctuating between 229 and 233 for an extended period of time, you're currently ingesting calories right at your maintenance level. You need to decrease the amount of calories you're ingesting. Don't eat back your work out calories, and be more careful about how you log your calories. You're likely ingesting more than you realize.

Remember, everything counts, liquid intake as well (soda, alcohol, etc.). No calories are free, and you even need to log stuff you put into your meals like butter, oils, garlic, etc.

peachyfuzzle it sounds like she is just at her "set point" that is currently computed by her brain. I find until I can get my "set point" to adjust down I see the same same thing myself.

Cutting calories is the best way to insure no net weight lose long term. Yo Yo dieting is a killer of good health in my view/experience. This is why most Americans (95%) are better of not dieting. We just end up fatter 10, 20, 40 years down the road 95% of the time.

The set point issue just means if we cut calories the brain will slow our metabolism even more than the amount of the calories we cut putting us in starvation mode often.

pkw58

Ugh, the dreaded plateaus! We have all been there! I just upped my steps (I use a nike fuel band, but a pedometer or fitbit does the trick) added more water, and did yoga or bare 3 every day for at least 15 minutes. Figure out a way to eat more protein within your calorie limit, it worked for me.

peachyfuzzle

GaleHawkins wrote: »

peachyfuzzle wrote: »

If you're fluctuating between 229 and 233 for an extended period of time, you're currently ingesting calories right at your maintenance level. You need to decrease the amount of calories you're ingesting. Don't eat back your work out calories, and be more careful about how you log your calories. You're likely ingesting more than you realize.

Remember, everything counts, liquid intake as well (soda, alcohol, etc.). No calories are free, and you even need to log stuff you put into your meals like butter, oils, garlic, etc.

peachyfuzzle it sounds like she is just at her "set point" that is currently computed by her brain. I find until I can get my "set point" to adjust down I see the same same thing myself.

Cutting calories is the best way to insure no net weight lose long term. Yo Yo dieting is a killer of good health in my view/experience. This is why most Americans (95%) are better of not dieting. We just end up fatter 10, 20, 40 years down the road 95% of the time.

The set point issue just means if we cut calories the brain will slow our metabolism even more than the amount of the calories we cut putting us in starvation mode often.

Being at a caloric deficit is the only way to lose weight...

Yo Yo diets are largely caused by an extreme deficit like juice only diets where the weight will come right back on once you start eating the same way again at a caloric surplus.

Our brains cannot break the 2nd law of thermodynamics no matter how hard it tries, or you how strongly you want to believe. Calories in < calories out, period.

snowflake954

I looked at your diary, and only you can say if it's honest. If it is, I find it strange that you're not losing---I would melt away eating so little. You could exercise more, and perhaps you should try that---even walking, if you don't like the gym. That would be my recomendation, and to really control and weigh what you're eating. It's true that you should eat what you like, but more veggies, would also be a thought. Good luck, and hope you can pull out of this stall. Chin up and try a few new things--something will shake loose.

PokeyBug

If you're reporting accurately in your diary but aren't getting the results most of us would expect, I would suggest seeing a doctor. It might be a hormonal imbalance of some sort (hypothyroidism, autoimmune disease, insulin resistance). If it is, seeing a doctor is going to be your best bet for setting things right.

gabrielleelliott90

What you need to do, is get someone on here to workout how many calories you should be eating. And do not eat exercise calories back.

GaleHawkins

peachyfuzzle wrote: »

GaleHawkins wrote: »

peachyfuzzle wrote: »

If you're fluctuating between 229 and 233 for an extended period of time, you're currently ingesting calories right at your maintenance level. You need to decrease the amount of calories you're ingesting. Don't eat back your work out calories, and be more careful about how you log your calories. You're likely ingesting more than you realize.

Remember, everything counts, liquid intake as well (soda, alcohol, etc.). No calories are free, and you even need to log stuff you put into your meals like butter, oils, garlic, etc.

peachyfuzzle it sounds like she is just at her "set point" that is currently computed by her brain. I find until I can get my "set point" to adjust down I see the same same thing myself.

Cutting calories is the best way to insure no net weight lose long term. Yo Yo dieting is a killer of good health in my view/experience. This is why most Americans (95%) are better of not dieting. We just end up fatter 10, 20, 40 years down the road 95% of the time.

The set point issue just means if we cut calories the brain will slow our metabolism even more than the amount of the calories we cut putting us in starvation mode often.

Being at a caloric deficit is the only way to lose weight...

Yo Yo diets are largely caused by an extreme deficit like juice only diets where the weight will come right back on once you start eating the same way again at a caloric surplus.

Our brains cannot break the 2nd law of thermodynamics no matter how hard it tries, or you how strongly you want to believe. Calories in < calories out, period.

The Second Law of Thermodynamics states that when energy is transferred, there will be less energy available at the end of the transfer process than at the beginning. Due to entropy, which is the measure of disorder in a closed system, all of the available energy will not be useful to the organism. Entropy increases as energy is transferred.

peachyfuzzle did you mean to prove a calorie is NOT a calorie? It is known more energy is lost in the transfer process of one calorie of protein vs one calorie of carb or fat. In a lab setting a calorie can be a calorie but when talking about dieting the Second Law (not the first) of Thermodynamics applies and we know that is a very different result that varies from human to human.

http://biology.about.com/od/biologydictionary/g/thermodynamics.htm

emdeesea

This is the calculator I recommend to people when they're starting out. It's the one I've been using and I've been steadily losing weight over a year now. You just plug in your stats and it estimates the calories you need to eat daily. There's no need to eat back exercise calories because it takes your activity into consideration.

Eating 1,200 is way too low for most people, so they tend to cheat and binge because they're hungry. Being hungry isn't necessary to lose weight.

http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/

Cielazul

Dear Kitty Kat:

I am sorry you are in a tough period, especially since you have done magnificently so far. Early on in my weight loss journey I went and had my body fat percentage and my basal metabolic rate tested. It might be worth it for you to do that, just so you can get some firm numbers. Depending on your height, your BMR is higher than 1200, so you should be losing weight even without any exercise at all. I had my numbers done at a lab which uses the Bod Pod (a capsule that fills with air in which you sit for a few seconds) and a sort of mask thingie to measure BMR, with the person just laying down on a table for 40 minutes. I found it very relaxing, and it confirmed for me how much I could eat and lose weight.

This might reassure you that your metabolism is normal for your height, weight, and age, and encourage you to redouble your efforts at logging every calorie you consume and keeping within your calorie budget.

Best of luck, stay strong, Sweetheart!

bwogilvie

Congratulations on your loss so far! That's impressive.

If you haven't lost scale weight in about 4 months, either you're retaining water or you're eating at your maintenance level. Was your weight loss from 350 to 230 linear, or was it going fairly slowly toward the end, 4 months ago? If the latter, then you've found your new maintenance level for ~230 lb. (It's almost certainly not 1200 calories; if this is the case, you've probably been systematically underestimating.)

If you were still losing weight at a reasonable rate before you hit this plateau, is there anything that changed in your diet about 4 months ago? If you're eating food prepared by others, maybe the cook(s) started using more fat or sugar in their cooking. Or maybe a restaurant changed the way it prepares one of your favorites.

If you're like me, you may also have slipped a little with your logging. I started out using my food scale all the time, and then figured I was OK at eyeballing portions. I was at first, but they slowly got bigger. Now I find it's helpful to use the scale every now and then, to recalibrate my eyeballs (so to speak).

Good luck getting started again!

PikaKnight

After looking at your diary

You need to use your food scale more. I see a lot of cup type measurements and you could be eating more than you think. This incudes items like nuts, pretzels, cole slaw, powders (don't rely on the scoop), and liquid/syrups etc.

Are you also recording everything you drink? All gum, candy, vegetables, fruits, etc?


Also, these recipes that show up now and again - are you weighing out the ingredients and using the recipe builder to log them?

kittykat22459

my weight lose was fairly constant even with few slow periods through out from 350 to 230 but once i hit about 235 i have been having bad fluctuation issues. i have normal fluctuation periods but have never been as weird./extreme/long as this
i log as accurately as possible or try to over estimate. i cook 85% of my meals from scratch (my family makes the rest or few eat out occasions)
my bmr is 1800
my 20% lose on scooby is 1612

kittykat22459

i only drink water and i don't use many logging besides grams now (besides my coleslaw from today) or i have a converter apple between oz and grams to keep it all accurate as possible

TimothyFish

Based on what I see in your diary, I suspect you are underreporting your portion sizes. I would suggest that you ask a good friend to measure your portion sizes for a day or two. That would give you a better understanding of what you are actually doing.

PikaKnight

kittykat22459 wrote: »

i only drink water and i don't use many logging besides grams now (besides my coleslaw from today) or i have a converter apple between oz and grams to keep it all accurate as possible

Are you still losing inches by chance?

But back to the logging - is the food scale recent? Because the further I go back (even just into October), there is a lot of cups/tbsp/non-scale measurements (basically) which, again, could mean you've been eating more calories than you realized.

Just keep logging everything and weigh it all out as much as possible.

You might consider talking with a doctor if you are still not losing the scale number or inches after another 4-6 weeks.

kittykat22459

i have had the scale for a while but like i posted i was on vacation for a period of time in October and wasn't able to use my scale.... i haven't seen much change in my body as well but thanks will for sure see a doctor if this continues to much longer

Francl27

If you ate, let's say, an average of 1350 calories for a year, that would have put you at a deficit of 1000 to 2000... (assuming that you're exercising 1-3 hour a week only) so you should have lost way more than 120 pounds in those 14 months... Probably close to 150-160.

So something isn't adding up. If you're 100% positive that you're not underetimating your food intake (are you logging EVERYTHING?), then my (possibly unpopular) opinion is that it's way too big a deficit IMO to have for 14 months (assuming again that you're weighing everything) and I would eat a good 2000-2200 calories for a few weeks to get your metabolism going again.

Either way, I'd go see a doctor and try to have my BMR tested.

bloodlett

looks like your counting of calories is ok IMHO you need to replace the processed food with fresh fruit and veggies your protein looks good by the way only by trial and error can we find what our body wants and needs to many calories the body gains too less the body gains the wrong type of foods it can't process and get the nutrients it needs exercise will help internet is full of free 10 minute ab workouts I do a 12 min. standing ab workout 3 days a week plus my bike ridding your water intake is great too many here forget about hydration feel free to add me and I wish you all the best

Francl27

I looked at your diary and can't even imagine how you're not starving.

emdeesea

I'm somewhat confused because I plugged in your stats into Scooby's calculator and got different numbers. I got your BMR as 1865 and your 20% calorie reduction (assuming you're mostly sedentary) as 1791. That's a difference of almost 200 calories a day. And you say you're only eating about 1,200 a day (or less according to your calculator). So something isn't adding up.

kittykat22459

im 5'8 231.4lbs sedentary 23years old...i got 1612 from scooby

Cortneyrenee04

Have you taken many breaks where you eat at maintenance for a few days or a week? Maybe you should try a break and then dropping down to the 1600. It seems like 1200 calories is a great start but it can only take most people so far. You can't really lower your calories when you're already so low.

Congrats on your loss so far! That's so amazing. Don't forget how well you're doing. You can definitely make your goals

FatFreeFrolicking

You said you have a food scale but do you use the food scale? Weighing your food is essential when it comes to weight loss.