I've been stuck for 6 months and just want to quit.

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tmarple93
tmarple93 Posts: 75 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hello, so first of all I'm a 22 year old female. I'm 5"8' and 143 pounds. I first started trying to lose weight last April and started at 160 pounds. So in a little over a year I've lost about 20 pounds. (which seems really slow to me) but I reached 143 back in November and no matter what I do I just fluctuate between 140 and 145. I try to work out at least 4 to 6 times a week and also have a fit bit and strive for 10,000 steps a day which is kinda easy since I'm a Barista at a cafe. I count calories and really have no idea how much I'm suppose to be eating and it seems like it doesn't matter no matter how much I eat. If I eat 1200 I don't lose weight and I've read that I should be eating around 1700 a day which I tried for three weeks and ended up at 148 at the end the month and it took me about a month and half to get back to 143. But I just can't seem to lose anymore fat. Currently I'm trying to eat around 1500 calories and I try to eat a lot of vegetables and drink lots of water. I stay away from junk food for the most part. I still like cookies and ice cream occasionally lol.

Also I just want to say I do not think I'm fat. I really am just trying to lose vanity pounds. I have a lot of fat around my mid section (the spare tire) and pretty chubby thighs. I just want to be comfortable with my body and it just seems no matter how hard I work or what I try I'm just never gonna lose this last bit if fat.:(

Somebody please help. Any advice would be soooo helpful.

Replies

  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
    edited June 2015
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    143 is low for a 5'8 woman ...I'm the same height and at my goal weight range of 158-163lbs (we have a scale weight range not an absolute weight due to water weight fluctuation)

    You are clearly logging at your maintenance level and I would assume issues with your logging as you will not be eating as low as 1700 calories and not lose weight as a barista

    Sounds like you need to go for body recomp and start a heavy lifting programme to me
  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
    edited June 2015
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    On calorie logging
    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10012907/logging-accuracy-consistency-and-youre-probably-eating-more-than-you-think/p1

    On recomposition
    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10177803/recomposition-maintaining-weight-while-losing-fat/p1

    The difference muscle makes over time
    978w3atbetde.jpg

    It's all about the muscle - Staci rocks
    http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2011/07/21/meet-staci-your-new-powerlifting-super-hero/

    A good bodyweight programme
    http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2009/12/09/beginner-body-weight-workout-burn-fat-build-muscle/

    A good compound lift programme
    http://stronglifts.com/5x5/

  • Orphia
    Orphia Posts: 7,097 Member
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    Can I just say kudos for including your stats and time stalled in your post? And welcome to the forums! :)

    Jillian Michaels' BMI calculator says, "Congrats, you're at your optimal weight. Congratulations, you are in a healthy weight range! I recommend your training should consist of a mixture of strength training, cardiovascular activity and flexibility work. If you want to maintain your weight, but reduce your bodyfat, you will need to reduce the amount of fat in your diet, and increase your lean protein intake. I would also recommend increasing the amount of strength training you do to stimulate muscle development. Keep up the great work!"

    @rabbitjb you should be charging for your advice! :)

  • whmscll
    whmscll Posts: 2,254 Member
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    I weigh 141 and am three inches shorter than you. Maybe you just need to reduce bodyfat and build muscle, not lose more weight.
  • MamaBirdBoss
    MamaBirdBoss Posts: 1,516 Member
    edited June 2015
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    You're 5'8". If you don't like how you look, DO WEIGHTS! They'll help you lose inches and look lean and sleek.

    You might lose weight. You might not. Who cares?
  • blankiefinder
    blankiefinder Posts: 3,599 Member
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    Of course you want to quit after being at a plateau for that long! This is when you really need to look at what you are doing, because clearly there is a discrepancy. Take a really good hard look at your logging. Are you using a food scale and weighing everything? Are you using generic database entries like homemade mashed potatoes, or using the recipe builder and your food scale? Are you eating back exercise calories and what percentage?

    Do all of this, and if you're still not losing, go see your doctor.

    And start lifting weights to build muscle mass so that you look good when you hit your goal weight.
  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
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    Orphia wrote: »
    Can I just say kudos for including your stats and time stalled in your post? And welcome to the forums! :)

    Jillian Michaels' BMI calculator says, "Congrats, you're at your optimal weight. Congratulations, you are in a healthy weight range! I recommend your training should consist of a mixture of strength training, cardiovascular activity and flexibility work. If you want to maintain your weight, but reduce your bodyfat, you will need to reduce the amount of fat in your diet, and increase your lean protein intake. I would also recommend increasing the amount of strength training you do to stimulate muscle development. Keep up the great work!"

    @rabbitjb you should be charging for your advice! :)

    @orphia. Thank you ..just passing it on :)
  • zekni
    zekni Posts: 25 Member
    edited June 2015
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    Stop focusing on the weight on the scale. Its taken me since nov of 2013 to drop 60lbs. Im 5'9", and 33. I just hit 195lbs. Now, sure there's still some to go, but im pretty close to my goal weight. That being said, something you should consider is this: when i look in the mirror, all i still see is my old fat body. To counteract this skewed perception of myself, i regularly take pics and measurements so i can actually see the progress. What I cannot see in the mirror, i can see in digital form and in numbers. 195lbs sounds like a lot. But i look pretty good. I cant imagine trying to drop another 45lbs though. 53jwuhgb4d74.jpg
  • tmarple93
    tmarple93 Posts: 75 Member
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    Thanks everybody! I'll look into a weight training program and see if that helps. :)
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 27,982 Member
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    tmarple93 wrote: »
    Hello, so first of all I'm a 22 year old female. I'm 5"8' and 143 pounds. I first started trying to lose weight last April and started at 160 pounds. So in a little over a year I've lost about 20 pounds. (which seems really slow to me) but I reached 143 back in November and no matter what I do I just fluctuate between 140 and 145. I try to work out at least 4 to 6 times a week and also have a fit bit and strive for 10,000 steps a day which is kinda easy since I'm a Barista at a cafe.

    I wonder if you are double counting exercise burn, for example, setting your activity level as Active and also counting your steps at work?

    I put myself at Sedentary so I can log everything.

    Also, people suggest to just eat back 50% of your exercise calories.
  • editorgrrl
    editorgrrl Posts: 7,060 Member
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    tmarple93 wrote: »
    I'm a 22 year old female. I'm 5"8'. I reached 143 back in November and no matter what I do I just fluctuate between 140 and 145.

    I try to work out at least 4 to 6 times a week and also have a Fitbit and strive for 10,000 steps a day which is kinda easy since I'm a Barista at a cafe. I count calories and really have no idea how much I'm suppose to be eating.

    Your Fitbit burn is TDEE—the number of calories to maintain your current weight. You can learn more in the Fitbit Users group: http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/group/1290-fitbit-users

    You got smaller—congratulations on your loss! And you've successfully maintained your weight for more than six months—yay, you!

    Now you need to get stronger. Switch your focus from losing weight to increasing lean body mass—aka recomp.

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