starting to get frustrated HELP!

crzykatladee

Hi,
I have been just observing and getting inspired on the boards but now I need help.
I have made some serious lifestyle changes, have lost 9.5 pounds in the first 25 days I have been on MFP and also wearing a fitbit.
The frustration is most of the 9.5 pounds I lost were in the first 10 days and I have stalled since. I have been staying at 1600 cal per day or less and have been getting 300-1000 + in exercise calories almost daily.
Everyday I get up hopeful that the scale has dropped, but today is so sad because I ate only 600 cal yesterday and did 1 hour of zumba fitness and my weight is actually up .6 of a pound.

This is my second try to lose weight. I am 5'11", weighed 252.5 to start on 1/14/2015 and weigh 243 today. The last time I was on Atkins and the weight came off quickly. I lost 40 lb in about 6 months. Then I sort of got bored and gained the weight back, +2.5# extra. Now I am eating low carb, no more than 100 gr a day and the weight is loss is so slow.
I bought a nutribullet and have been making spinach smoothies for lunch with a small portion of fruit in them and I am wondering if the small amount of fruit is my problem? Fruit is supposed to be healthy right? The nutribullet smoothies make my lunch so easy, I hope I do not have to give that up! I also make a mid morning snack smoothie with almond milk, berries and a few almonds, what is the concensus on almond milk? I am using the one that is unsweetened and 30 cal a cup.
I have also been using a lot of stevia in ice tea and in the smoothies, any input on that?
I have seen so many inspiring stories on the boards about large amounts of weight loss, what am I doing wrong? I have a scale and do weigh my foods.

I just want to achieve a "normal" weight of 180, that would make me so happy! Atkins is not the answer for me long term.
HELP!

fearlessleader104

Breathe... weight loss is not linear

NinjaoftheBeastAjah

Don't get discouraged! Take the bad days in stride and celebrate the good ones. Also I noticed you ate 600 calories. Maybe you are falling below your minimal caloric intake and your body is going into starvation mode which will cause you not to lose. I too get desperate sometimes and eat as little as possible so I understand. Just keep going! Don't give up!

TavistockToad

fearlessleader104 wrote: »

Breathe... weight loss is not linear

This...

What exercise are you doing to burn 1000 cals?

Mycophilia

crossfitninja179 wrote: »

Don't get discouraged! Take the bad days in stride and celebrate the good ones. Also I noticed you ate 600 calories. Maybe you are falling below your minimal caloric intake and your body is going into starvation mode which will cause you not to lose. I too get desperate sometimes and eat as little as possible so I understand. Just keep going! Don't give up!

This is not how physics works. Look at pictures of starved people and tell me they're fat.

tygresstwin

If you're doing a lot of exercise, you'll gain muscle which is excellent for long term weight loss because it burns at rest calories, but this process won't budge the scale as quickly. Keep doing what you're doing and it'll come.

TavistockToad

tygresstwin wrote: »

If you're doing a lot of exercise, you'll gain muscle which is excellent for long term weight loss because it burns at rest calories, but this process won't budge the scale as quickly. Keep doing what you're doing and it'll come.

No

crzykatladee

I did high intensity zumba fitness class yesterday am which was for 1 hour with 5# weights in each hand. According to MFP, I burned 966 cal doing that at my weight.
Really interested in whether you all think eating fruit is a problem or stevia or almond milk? Is low carb working for you? Can fruit be a part of my weight loss plan?

TavistockToad

crzykatladee wrote: »

I did high intensity zumba fitness class yesterday am which was for 1 hour with 5# weights in each hand. According to MFP, I burned 966 cal doing that at my weight.
Really interested in whether you all think eating fruit is a problem or stevia or almond milk? Is low carb working for you? Can fruit be a part of my weight loss plan?

Eat in a calorie deficit, you'll lose weight, regardless of whether you're eating fruit, stevia or almond milk.

crzykatladee

so you don't think carbs matter?

TavistockToad

crzykatladee wrote: »

so you don't think carbs matter?

If you have no medical problems then no.

acmanna

Generally, MFP will over estimate calories burned.
It is all about calories in vs out, weighing (with a food scale) and properly logging all of your food will help. Fruit, stevia and almond milk won't make you gain weight unless you go over your calorie limit.
9.5 pounds in 25 days is excellent, you shouldn't be frustrated. Also, you could be retaining water weight, (time of month, too much sodium, muscles retaining water from working out etc..)
Just remember it isn't a sprint, it is a long term thing. If you aren't seeing results it is most likely needing to tighten up with logging your food intake.
Don't get discouraged, you've made changes towards a better life, things will come together!

meritage4

eating fruit is not a problem. Almond milk is not a problem. Eat all your calories-don't screw with your body. 9.5 lbs in a month is REALLY GREAT progress. Keep at it and have patience. It's really just calories in (80%) and calories our (exercise -20%)

999tigger

I wont go into all the other stuff, but you need to get a handle on your expectations and just how long getting from A to B will take. Slow down and start pacing yourself so that you are still there at the end and reach target instead of getting bored and giving up.

crzykatladee

Ok, thanks that is encouraging. You are right, this needs to be a long term commitment, not an easy fix if it is going to last. How many times a week do you all weigh yourselves? Maybe everyday is not a good idea if I get discouraged not seeing a loss?

meritage4

I weigh everyday but don't log it all the time-do log it at least weekly. It is really up and down but then when I look at reports and see the downward trend I'm encouraged. I've lost 11 pounds since early December- and I'm still losing. I'm about 50 lbs lighter than you. It is hard work-and takes discipline to stay within my calories but it is working and I will keep at it.

crzykatladee

Thanks for that. I am feeling better about things now. Will try to set my expectations to be more realistic and long term.

crzykatladee

Here is a follow up to yesterdays conversation, I dropped 1.2 pounds this am.
Thanks for talking me down off the ledge yesterday!

sahead710

Hey there I have seriously felt the same way! For 3 months I walked 2-3 miles a day briskly and did weight machines at least 45 minutes to an hour and nothing. It started to feel like a waste of time since no weight was coming off (and I'm 50+ lbs overweight!) but I started to notice something, I had more energy I felt happier and stress free, I kept seeing little muscles pop up here and there, and finally after 4 months the weight is slowly starting to creep off. Sometimes it just takes a while that's why a lot of people find diets like the Atkins diet, don't work for them because ultimately it's a temporary thing. (Not everyone of course many have found that they can live normally reducing their carb intake) no matter what you know that what you're doing for your body is healthy and maybe you're like me it's just taking a little while. If you look at my profile I've only lost 6lbs!! Some might really get discouraged if they only lost 6 lbs in 4 whole months but I'm not sweating it! I know how I feel and that it will come even if it takes a year or two! Don't give up feel free to add me so we can support each other!