SO FRUSTRATED!

krickie3

I've been on this journey for 18 months now and have lost 78 pounds. I typically eat 1200-1400 calories a day as well as exercise 4-5 days a week doing both strength and cardio. Afrer being plateaued for more months than I can count, I went to my doctor for advice. She suggested meal replacement shakes as a short term boost. I did my research and ordered Ideal Shake. I was thrilled with the results. I lost 8 pounds in the first week, but for the past 10 days I haven't lost a thing. NOTHING! I eat breakfast and lunch with healthy snacks in between and then I do the shakes for dinner. I average about 1000 calories a day and still exercise regularly. (This is approved byy doctor. I eat very nutritious foods and take a multi vitamin, I'm NOT starving) WHY am I not losing weight? Even before I started the shakes I couldn't eat more than 1500 calories a day without gaining weight and now it seems that I can't do more than 1200. If I'm just maintaining at this super low calorie intake am I ever going to be able to eat normally again? The only thing that has kept me going through this weight loss period is the knowledge that someday I would be able to enter the maintenance phase and be able to eat like a normal person. I'm very afraid that restricting my calories for so long has taught my body that it doesn't need anymore than that. Help!

Zinka61

How close are you to your goal? You look really fit in your photo. I wonder if you are just at the point when weight loss slows down because you are just about at your ideal weight? You've done so beautifully, but at this point, maybe maintaining for awhile and reassessing where you want to go would give your body a break from dieting.

l8knut

Congratulations on your 78lbs! I was in your shoes once (on my way back down). I lost 65lbs and was at my goal weight. It seemed like if I looked at food, I would gain weight. I think your body is adjusting to your new size somewhat. If we believe what other posts say, CICO, then your eating what your body needs. That said I think going too low might not be the best either.

StaciMarie1974

How do you determine calories in? If not using a food scale, that could be the answer. When you had 80+ to lose accuracy was not as important as it is now that you have just a little left.

HamsterManV2

Recalculate your TDEE every month and update your caloric limit. Also shakes are a lot of water weight. Do you weigh yourself in the morning or the evening? I weigh 3 lbs lighter in the morning after a big meal at night. You can tweak your amount you eat by a 100 calories and see if that changes anything.

Also are you exercising? There is a chance you are just losing body fat while gaining muscle, so the number on the scale does not change but your overall BF% is decreasing / your muscle mass is increasing.

Slow and Steady wins this race.

krickie3

I currently weigh 150 lbs. My goal is 135. Everyone tells me that I look great now and don't need to lose anymore, but I just really want to make it to that goal. I've basically been maintaining (really losing and gaining the same 5-8 pounds) since November even though I've been trying to lose so I'm scared to death to try to maintain! I do use a food scale and typically overestimate everything if I'm not sure to be on he safe side.

madhatter2013

Eat at maintenance for a week then go back down. I know it's scary but it works for me.

999tigger

Im suprised considering you are a very experienced dieter that you are fretting over a 10 day slowdown. Weight loss isnt linear and id suggest just checking your loogging is accurate and keep on doing the same for longer. If nothing changes then yo are either eaing more thna you think or burning less. Weight loss just slows down the less you have to lose and it could eb for any variety of reasons such as fluctuations time of the monh. Be patient and relax.

krickie3

Well I'm fretting because I've just started something new and cut out a significant amount of calories. I am pretty meticulous with my counting so I'm fairly certain that I am not overestimating my intake and it doesn't matter what I burn because I never eat those extra calories anyway. I am just so done with the weight LOSS process and want it to be done already! But I'm afraid that I won't ever be able to eat what an average person my size can in order to maintain their weight. I'm afraid that I will have to eat 1200 a day for the rest of my life and that STINKS!

SezxyStef

Let me start by saying congrats on the weight loss.

As for the stall a few questions for you...do you use a food scale for solids? measuring cups/spoons for liquids? log accurately and consistently using the correct entries??? I suspect the answers are no.

If not that is the issue.

Eating 1k calories is not healthy...and yes I know your doctor recommended those shakes but to be frank doctors who don't specialize in nutrition have no business delving out advice on it. They on average (including specialists) get on average 23 hours of nutrition course during their course of study...which is higher than it should be because it does include specialists...typically only about 6-8 hours.

xLoveLikeWinterx

I pretty much second the "up your calories" statement. But I also really want your gym shirt in your pic- it's awesome!

SezxyStef

xLoveLikeWinterx wrote: »

I pretty much second the "up your calories" statement. But I also really want your gym shirt in your pic- it's awesome!

If she isn't losing weight on what she is logging how is upping her intake gonna help her lose weight?

krickie3

Yea I use a food scale and measuring cups. I measure and weigh everything. I also log daily. Thanks for the compliment on the shirt. I got it at Kohl's.

krickie3

Also, my doctor did not say it was Ok to keep up this super low calorie diet long term, but it was supposed to be a way to finally get off these last few pounds quickly. Which is why I'm frustrated I guess.

losergood2011

Sorry your frustrated! That frame of mind sucks. I agree with trying Maint for a week or two ( try not to panic. Eating food is necessary!) and reframe your mind to this is the lifestyle I can expect. Explore good options. Clean eating more fresh vegs fiber protein and relax. Then hit it again.

Ninkyou

All I can say is weight loss isn't linear. It's been 10 days since you lost weight? That could be any number of things, all of which are temporary.

xLoveLikeWinterx

SezxyStef wrote: »

xLoveLikeWinterx wrote: »

I pretty much second the "up your calories" statement. But I also really want your gym shirt in your pic- it's awesome!

If she isn't losing weight on what she is logging how is upping her intake gonna help her lose weight?

NVM, I'll go back to staying on the one thread. It's been explained way more in depth by more scientific people than me and you know the answer already since you've been on here forever.

IF she is eating 1200-1400 and being accurate, which she asserts she is, and IF her maintenance cals are higher than 1200-1400 (given her stats, they probably are), then upping a small bit can help compensate for the little bit of adaptive thermogenesis going on.

WinoGelato

krickie3 wrote: »

Also, my doctor did not say it was Ok to keep up this super low calorie diet long term, but it was supposed to be a way to finally get off these last few pounds quickly. Which is why I'm frustrated I guess.

What kind of doctor was it? I'm kind of surprised to hear that a doctor would recommend a meal replacement shake, a VLCD, for someone already at a healthy weight who just wants to get rid of the last few pounds, and who wants to do so "fast". Those are a lot of red flags...

VeryKatie

Could you perhaps try a reset (check with your doctor) but check out the Eat More to Weigh Less group... they might have some info you can bring to your doctor.

blankiefinder

Have you seen any change in your measurements? Maybe the initial 8 pounds was water weight, and the stall just a gain in water but a corresponding loss in fat?

Plus, 8 pounds in 17 days is a lot.

allaboutthecake

Did doc do bloodwork? make sure your electrolytes, thyroid gland, hormones, etc all functioning correctly? Just wanted to rule that out.

htimpaired

Perhaps not eating back your exercise calories could be the problem? Dunno, just throwing ideas out there.

blink1021

I drink the Ideal shake too I love it. I have mine for breakfast and then I eat 4-5 small meals after that. Like some said before your calorie count may not be accurate so you may be eating over the calories you think you are. Sometimes I have my shake twice a day like have it at breakfast and lunch and I would eat a mid morning snack and afternoon snack then dinner and maybe an evening snack. I try to stick between 1200-1400 cal. I have a lot more weight to lose than you and I measure and weigh everything even if its prepackaged like yogurt.

999tigger

krickie3 wrote: »

Well I'm fretting because I've just started something new and cut out a significant amount of calories. I am pretty meticulous with my counting so I'm fairly certain that I am not overestimating my intake and it doesn't matter what I burn because I never eat those extra calories anyway. I am just so done with the weight LOSS process and want it to be done already! But I'm afraid that I won't ever be able to eat what an average person my size can in order to maintain their weight. I'm afraid that I will have to eat 1200 a day for the rest of my life and that STINKS!

I understand the being done thing, but as its a lifesyle change then you are going to have to be mindful from now on anyway.

If you pass the not eating more than you think, fine.

I would say again just be patient and see. Maybe even go to maintenance for a few weeks to give yourself an rest. Ten days still isnt enough and fretting doesnt get you anywhere , it just eats away from you hence I try and avoid it. Youve come this far, you know how it works, other people have lost and unless you are some sort of scientific curiosity then the same principles apply to you. The last bit of weight is just stubborn as many people will attest to.

MireyGal76

Great loss. But you are not fat anymore. And you're not a midget. There is no reason, in my mind, that you should be consuming 1000 cals a day MINUS exercise cals.

That is way too low. Dangerously low.

How much more do you need to lose?

If you are on your last few pounds, you should be eating MUCH MUCH MUCH closer to maintenance and learning what eating normally is like.

I think your doctor is an idiot.

TavistockToad

Open your diary

999tigger

TavistockToad wrote: »

Open your diary

This and maybe those who look can see things that you cannot.

DoreenaV1975

I'm having the same issues! I just started a thread pretty similar to yours, yesterday. IDK if you can search for it but its under "General Diet and Weight Loss Help" it's called: "I Think I Need to Eat More...Expert Advice Needed."
The sad part is although I learned a lot from that thread, I actually concluded I may actually need to eat less, to get to my goal weight but I'm still trying to figure that out!
I too am afraid I will never get to eat like a normal human being again!
Good luck!

999tigger

Doesnt look like you are using scales though. If you arent losing but you arent controlling your deficit accurately then its much easier to believe you are in deficit, when in fact you are at maintenabce= avoidable frustration

katkorab

Way too few calories. I always plateau when I am burning a significant more than my intake. Weekends for me are the worst because I am running around and forget to eat. Losing weight is not as simple as calories in and calories out. Your metabolism is in shock and your body is going into "reserve mode". Throw away the shakes. You have to EAT MORE.

GeekdGirl

So, if you're eating so low and you're not losing weight, what could it hurt to up your calories a little? The worst thing, the absolutely worst thing that could happen is you gain a little weight. That happens go back to what you're doing now. I'm wondering if your body isn't just compensating for that dramatic 8 lb loss you had. The Eat more to weigh less thing actually works, seriously. But, you're experienced in this, you know it takes time. Just my opinion. Don't be hard on yourself; you've done awesome!