Why is it so hard for me to loose wait but not --> them? Help pls!

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I'm in a bunch of motivational weight loss groups on here and on FB.
I find them great because they make me accountable. Love that!

My only quam is that I find I work so HARD at loosing weight, loose very little to nothing some weeks ( even gain?! ), but yet I see these other ladies who do way less, cheat way more loosing 10 lbs per week! I'm supper happy for them!! I am, but I'm super upset for myself at the same time. Yes it gets a fire going and I work even harder to still hardly loose and they are still dropping!

I eat 1200 cals a day. I'm a religious cal counter. I'm really good at it now. I weight everything right down to almond snacks!

I work out 4 days a week at the gym ( something always comes up that I can't do 5) during my lunch hour at work. this consists of 20 mins of cardio ( sweating really bad and my face chest turns red, I work it!) and then 20 mins of weights. I don't just do light! I have doubled almost all my weights in the last month. I don't waste my time there.

I do 4 days of supreme 90 workouts ( a lot like P90 workouts). this is often on top of my gym days at around 6:00pm.

I walk 15 mins during my two work breaks.

4 days a week I walk 30-45 mins with my teen daughter at around 7:30pm.

I never go under 10K steps a day. I have a desk job that keeps me seated a lot.. boo.

I have one cheat a week. which often falls into my calorie intake for that day anyways. I MIGHT go over my calories for the day maybe once ever 2 weeks.


Yet, I'm lucky if I loose 2 lbs a week! Some weeks I've GAINED a lbs! It's so frustrating!

Do you guys see anywhere I could tweak? add? Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

Lots of love!
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Replies

  • michaelafoor916
    michaelafoor916 Posts: 710 Member
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    I'm no expert but just passing along knowledge that I've learned... is 1200 calories where MFP set you at?

    Also, if you are doing workouts like that, you might be gaining muscle which is heavier than fat so you might not see the results on the scale. maybe try measuring yourself for a couple months and see if you see progress that way?

    just a few ideas to help :)
  • majigurl
    majigurl Posts: 660 Member
    edited July 2015
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    Michaela, I should have added that I'm 4 feet 10.5 inches tall and about 125 lbs.

    I'm NEVER hungry. If I feel hunger, I eat. I used to eat lots of chips and coke and chocolate! and I didn't work out. It's an easy recipe to gaining weight :/

    I don't measure, no. I find I can measure myself 5 times back to back and I get different measurements lol. I'm useless at it.

    Hopefully it is muscle building. FX it is!

  • LeanButNotMean44
    LeanButNotMean44 Posts: 852 Member
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    majigurl wrote: »
    I'm in a bunch of motivational weight loss groups on here and on FB.
    I find them great because they make me accountable. Love that!

    My only quam is that I find I work so HARD at loosing weight, loose very little to nothing some weeks ( even gain?! ), but yet I see these other ladies who do way less, cheat way more loosing 10 lbs per week! I'm supper happy for them!! I am, but I'm super upset for myself at the same time. Yes it gets a fire going and I work even harder to still hardly loose and they are still dropping!

    I eat 1200 cals a day. I'm a religious cal counter. I'm really good at it now. I weight everything right down to almond snacks!

    I work out 4 days a week at the gym ( something always comes up that I can't do 5) during my lunch hour at work. this consists of 20 mins of cardio ( sweating really bad and my face chest turns red, I work it!) and then 20 mins of weights. I don't just do light! I have doubled almost all my weights in the last month. I don't waste my time there.

    I do 4 days of supreme 90 workouts ( a lot like P90 workouts). this is often on top of my gym days at around 6:00pm.

    I walk 15 mins during my two work breaks.

    4 days a week I walk 30-45 mins with my teen daughter at around 7:30pm.

    I never go under 10K steps a day. I have a desk job that keeps me seated a lot.. boo.

    I have one cheat a week. which often falls into my calorie intake for that day anyways. I MIGHT go over my calories for the day maybe once ever 2 weeks.


    Yet, I'm lucky if I loose 2 lbs a week! Some weeks I've GAINED a lbs! It's so frustrating!

    Do you guys see anywhere I could tweak? add? Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

    Lots of love!

    Losing (not loosing, sorry) 10lbs/week is not safe or sustainable. Losing 2lbs/week (depending on how much you have to lose) is MUCH safer and sustainable. Don't compare yourself with others, especially when comparing apples to oranges. Weight loss is not linear - look at your overall trend. You're on the right track!

  • LivingtheLeanDream
    LivingtheLeanDream Posts: 13,342 Member
    edited July 2015
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    You're doing great workouts, 1200 is low to fuel all those... have you calculated your predicted TDEE with an online calculator such as scooby workshop? it would let you see how much someone your height and activity level could eat to maintain and then you just eat at 10-20% deficit of that figure and you will lose. I realise that you are petite (so am I although I have a few inches on you, I'm very active and lose eating 1800 cals gross/maintain on 2200)
    Do you track your weight trends on an app? the overall trend could be downwards overall which is really the main thing. Some people do lose weight very slowly, it took me over a year to lose 21lbs, but I just kept on going, tracking my food, weighing/measuring my portions and moving as much as possible and I got there. If I can, anyone can :smile:

    ps no one loses 10lbs a week, if they do they are extremely overweight and are losing mostly water from it being the first week of eating at deficit. A good loss to expect is 1/2 to 1lbs per week when you don't have much to lose. 2lbs a week if you have more than 25lbs to lose.

    I average 20k steps, thats what it takes to get my TDEE to 2200-2400. If I averaged 10k steps my TDEE would be 1900 - so there'd be less room for error when logging my food.
  • majigurl
    majigurl Posts: 660 Member
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    the one that had to correct my grammar. .I didn't even read beyond you correct me. I didn't ask for an English lesson, I asked for advice on weight loss. I'm French and I think I do darn well in English to be well enough understood, thank you.
    Sorry, but that was asinine of you. Just because you CAN correct someone and possibly make them feel stupid, doesn't mean you should. (sorry)
  • auddii
    auddii Posts: 15,357 Member
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    Um, my guess is misperception. If someone is losing 10lbs per week (steadily and not just water weight), they are likely 3-4 times your size.

    In addition, if these are people in your real life (as opposed to MFP where you can diary creep), you may think they eat a ton more than you, but they may not. I go out to eat with my friends and drop about 2/3 of my daily calories on dinner because I save up my calories and "splurge" on something that will be tasty but still fits in my calorie goal.

    You're short; it sucks. You will never have as high of a metabolism as me (I'm 5'8"). I will always be able to eat more than you, and I weigh a hell of a lot more. Because of both of those things, I can lose eating a lot more than you. Again, it sucks.

    At some point you're going to have to stop comparing yourself to other people. They aren't you.

    YOUR EXPECTATIONS ARE UNREASONABLE!!!!! You have what, maybe 20-30lbs to lose? You should not be aiming to lose 2lbs per week, more like one. A good estimate is 10% of your current weight (so 1.2lbs per week) as a maximum.

    In addition weight loss is not linear. Some weeks you will lose, some weeks you won't.

    Calm down, keep plugging, and the weight will come off.
  • auddii
    auddii Posts: 15,357 Member
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    majigurl wrote: »
    the one that had to correct my grammar. .I didn't even read beyond you correct me. I didn't ask for an English lesson, I asked for advice on weight loss. I'm French and I think I do darn well in English to be well enough understood, thank you.
    Sorry, but that was asinine of you. Just because you CAN correct someone and possibly make them feel stupid, doesn't mean you should. (sorry)

    Shame you couldn't see past the correction, she was encouraging you to keep at it.
  • MakePeasNotWar
    MakePeasNotWar Posts: 1,329 Member
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    2lb a week is actually considered the upper limit of safe weight loss. Losing 10lb in a week, unless it's a first week (water weight) is not safe, and is absolutely not fat loss.

    To lose 10lb of fat in 1 week would require a 5000 calorie deficit. You count calories, so you know that's not possible. Whatever they are losing, it ain't fat.

    2lb a week is very fast weight loss. That's over 100 lbs a year. I would love to be able to lose 2lb in a week.
  • LivingtheLeanDream
    LivingtheLeanDream Posts: 13,342 Member
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    auddii wrote: »
    majigurl wrote: »
    the one that had to correct my grammar. .I didn't even read beyond you correct me. I didn't ask for an English lesson, I asked for advice on weight loss. I'm French and I think I do darn well in English to be well enough understood, thank you.
    Sorry, but that was asinine of you. Just because you CAN correct someone and possibly make them feel stupid, doesn't mean you should. (sorry)

    Shame you couldn't see past the correction, she was encouraging you to keep at it.

    ^^ and this, overall it was an encouraging reply.
  • majigurl
    majigurl Posts: 660 Member
    Options
    auddii wrote: »
    Um, my guess is misperception. If someone is losing 10lbs per week (steadily and not just water weight), they are likely 3-4 times your size.

    In addition, if these are people in your real life (as opposed to MFP where you can diary creep), you may think they eat a ton more than you, but they may not. I go out to eat with my friends and drop about 2/3 of my daily calories on dinner because I save up my calories and "splurge" on something that will be tasty but still fits in my calorie goal.

    You're short; it sucks. You will never have as high of a metabolism as me (I'm 5'8"). I will always be able to eat more than you, and I weigh a hell of a lot more. Because of both of those things, I can lose eating a lot more than you. Again, it sucks.

    At some point you're going to have to stop comparing yourself to other people. They aren't you.

    YOUR EXPECTATIONS ARE UNREASONABLE!!!!! You have what, maybe 20-30lbs to lose? You should not be aiming to lose 2lbs per week, more like one. A good estimate is 10% of your current weight (so 1.2lbs per week) as a maximum.

    In addition weight loss is not linear. Some weeks you will lose, some weeks you won't.

    Calm down, keep plugging, and the weight will come off.

    You are so right. I have to stop comparing. I find these groups make it hard not to. Often there are " weight loss winners" for that week. I never win those no matter how hard I try, and dang I do! lol

    I guess that 2 lbs number sticks with me.. it's the max you are suppose to be able to lose a week so I aim for that and I work really hard for it and I get frustrated when I hardly ever do lol.

    calm down. check
    keep plugging. double check
    weight will come off. Praying lol

  • LivingtheLeanDream
    LivingtheLeanDream Posts: 13,342 Member
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    ^^ thatta gal...thats the right attitude :) slow and steady wins the race :smiley:
  • editorgrrl
    editorgrrl Posts: 7,060 Member
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    A healthy, sustainable loss is .5 lbs. per week for every 25 lb. you're overweight. And weight loss is not linear. Some weeks you do everything right but maintain—or even gain. Others you lose a whole lot in a "whoosh."

    Weight loss is like yoga. Do not compare yourself to anybody else. Compare yourself today to you yesterday, last week, last month, last year. Take measurements and progress photos, and have other metrics like strength and endurance.

    You mentioned steps. If you have a Fitbit, find some friends in the Fitbit Users group and do Fitbit challenges. They're great motivation—and fun! You can learn more in the Fitbit Users group: http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/group/1290-fitbit-users
  • majigurl
    majigurl Posts: 660 Member
    Options
    You're doing great workouts, 1200 is low to fuel all those... have you calculated your predicted TDEE with an online calculator such as scooby workshop? it would let you see how much someone your height and activity level could eat to maintain and then you just eat at 10-20% deficit of that figure and you will lose. I realise that you are petite (so am I although I have a few inches on you, I'm very active and lose eating 1800 cals gross/maintain on 2200)
    Do you track your weight trends on an app? the overall trend could be downwards overall which is really the main thing. Some people do lose weight very slowly, it took me over a year to lose 21lbs, but I just kept on going, tracking my food, weighing/measuring my portions and moving as much as possible and I got there. If I can, anyone can :smile:

    ps no one loses 10lbs a week, if they do they are extremely overweight and are losing mostly water from it being the first week of eating at deficit. A good loss to expect is 1/2 to 1lbs per week when you don't have much to lose. 2lbs a week if you have more than 25lbs to lose.

    I average 20k steps, thats what it takes to get my TDEE to 2200-2400. If I averaged 10k steps my TDEE would be 1900 - so there'd be less room for error when logging my food.

    Yes, i've calculated a bunch of times and to get a 500 cal deficit I need to eat around 1200-1300 cals a day. I'm very short :/

    I check my weight trend on here. It is usually down with some spikes up :/ I hate those lol.
    I had no idea 2 lbs was for more than 25 lbs I have about 20 now to get down to my goal. I used to be able to loose 2 lbs a week and it has gotten harder even though I've added a weight belt while walking and i've added more workouts to my weeks. good to know!

    I could never reach 20k steps. The highest i've gotten is 18k. I work at a desk job, but try and keep moving as much as possible. the steps are really just a goal. I don't rely on it for my weight loss. I do a lot of "push yourself to your limits" cardio, and weights.

  • majigurl
    majigurl Posts: 660 Member
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    auddii wrote: »
    majigurl wrote: »
    the one that had to correct my grammar. .I didn't even read beyond you correct me. I didn't ask for an English lesson, I asked for advice on weight loss. I'm French and I think I do darn well in English to be well enough understood, thank you.
    Sorry, but that was asinine of you. Just because you CAN correct someone and possibly make them feel stupid, doesn't mean you should. (sorry)

    Shame you couldn't see past the correction, she was encouraging you to keep at it.

    I can be a jerk sometimes lol. I know I will get 100% encouragement without the shaming, so I don't worry too much about it. MFP has SOOO many amazing peeps on it that I don't feel I'm missing out if I refuse any negativity. :)

  • majigurl
    majigurl Posts: 660 Member
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    2lb a week is actually considered the upper limit of safe weight loss. Losing 10lb in a week, unless it's a first week (water weight) is not safe, and is absolutely not fat loss.

    To lose 10lb of fat in 1 week would require a 5000 calorie deficit. You count calories, so you know that's not possible. Whatever they are losing, it ain't fat.

    2lb a week is very fast weight loss. That's over 100 lbs a year. I would love to be able to lose 2lb in a week.

    This is what I was under the assumptions of also. Often I see them dropping that much weight weekly. I think I need to drop these groups :(, that or learn to settle the muck down and not be so competitive.

  • LivingtheLeanDream
    LivingtheLeanDream Posts: 13,342 Member
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    @majigurl we all get spikes, even in maintenance my weight bounces around by a few pounds, hormones/sodium etc which is natural. I have a desk job too, but I get up at 6.30 so I can run 5 -6 miles and then I walk when I get home - its just part of my routine now, been doing this for a few years.
    2lbs a week is perhaps setting the bar too high, why not be content with 1/2lb or 1lb a week? weight loss isn't a quick process and I always find when it goes off slow it stays off, which is what we all want.
    Keep focused and keep on going and you will get there :smile:
  • LivingtheLeanDream
    LivingtheLeanDream Posts: 13,342 Member
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    and are you taking measurements? you could be losing inches and dropping clothes sizes even if the scale isn't going down as much as you'd like :smile:
  • majigurl
    majigurl Posts: 660 Member
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    @majigurl we all get spikes, even in maintenance my weight bounces around by a few pounds, hormones/sodium etc which is natural. I have a desk job too, but I get up at 6.30 so I can run 5 -6 miles and then I walk when I get home - its just part of my routine now, been doing this for a few years.
    2lbs a week is perhaps setting the bar too high, why not be content with 1/2lb or 1lb a week? weight loss isn't a quick process and I always find when it goes off slow it stays off, which is what we all want.
    Keep focused and keep on going and you will get there :smile:

    Great job Ruth! I'm hoping to start running in the fall when it gets cooler again. Will be trying the C25K. Did you use an app for running? I just one foot infront of the other?

    and you're right. I guess I got obsessed with a number. 2lbs. I was figuring that wasn't much to ask of myself if these other awesome weight loss ladies could loose 5-10lbs a week! But it's not about that...

    Why is it so easy to get obsessed and "unfocused' like that? ugh.


  • majigurl
    majigurl Posts: 660 Member
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    and are you taking measurements? you could be losing inches and dropping clothes sizes even if the scale isn't going down as much as you'd like :smile:

    I'm rubbish at taking measurements. I've tried often but I can't seem to be consistant :/ I'll get 5 different measurements back to back lol

    I'll have to just pay more attention to my clothes and how they fit. Maybe look at month per month instead of week per week. Some days I get so obsessive I weigh myself daily. not healthy mentally.



  • msf74
    msf74 Posts: 3,498 Member
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    It just is.