My body refuses to lose weight. HELP!

Happymelz
Happymelz Posts: 536 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I am 34 and struggled with eating disorders in high school, which I know can affect hormones & metabolism.
I am currently overweight.
Last summer I worked very hard for 4 to my 1200 calorie plan AND worked out at least 3-4 times a week.
And I lost 2 bls.

2 LBS!

I gave it a few more weeks and the scale stayed the same.

I drank my water, I ate protein, fat, and fiber like I'm supposed to.
I switched up my cardio between biking, jogging/walking.
I lifted weights some...but not enough to add muscle weight.
I weighed myself first thing in the morning...with out clothes.

It was very discouraging.

I gave up. :(

So...now I'm back on the horse again...and wanting to know what I can do differently this time.
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Replies

  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,427 MFP Moderator
    Probably eating too little. Why don't you try to increase your calories by 200 every other week. For example, eat 1400 calories daily for 2 weeks and then 1600 the week after. Most women I know lose around 1700-2100 calories. Second, I would add more weight training and less cardio. Cardio burns a ton of calories and will require more food. And then start eating more protein and fats and less carbs.

    Also, do you weigh and measure your food?
  • jwdieter
    jwdieter Posts: 2,582 Member
    Eat a sustainable amount of food and keep active.
  • phillrn
    phillrn Posts: 338 Member
    I feel your pain!!!! Same thing happened with me last year during a "biggest loser contest" at work.... :sad: But I refuse to quit trying...Have some very motivated friends on MFP that have just recently broken through plateaus...So keep doing what you know to do...Our bodies will get the habg of it ....evnetually!lol
  • bf43005
    bf43005 Posts: 287
    Not sure what your weight is but 1200 calories a day might be too little. MFP should be able to help you set up a more realistic daily calorie goal that will slowly decrease as you lose weight. Also not sure about your person life, but I have heard a lot about how stress can cause you to gain or inhibit weigh loss. Try not to focus too much on the scale and instead focus on how you feel. After weeks of biking/jobbing/walking you must have felt better physically. Best of luck!
  • Binkie1955
    Binkie1955 Posts: 329 Member
    are you sure you are even overweight? the phote you attached looks like you're ok. you know your body has its own wisdom as to how much you should weigh. don't think your plan is better than God's plan for your body.
  • jbronowski
    jbronowski Posts: 5 Member
    I would stick with 1200 and ensure it's more 'natural' foods - lots of fruit, veggies (but not too much fruit since its high in sugar). Stick with lean meats - tuna and chicken. Eggs for protein. Stay away from packaged foods with lots of preservatives. I would also increase your workouts to 5-6 a week until you see results at least 60 minutes per workout. Perhaps talk to a trainer at the gym to analyze your workouts.
    I've been doing this for a month and am down 8 pounds. I also try and stay away from most carbs.
    If this doesn't work after a few weeks I would encourage you to speak with your physician.
  • Emprawrting
    Emprawrting Posts: 10 Member
    I think you just dropped your calories too fast and now ur metabolic rate has gone to crap. Go on a very slow bulk for a a couple of months and cut back down to 1200. I'd cut down about 150cal a week when ur back on ur cut.

    Go with very slow calorie increases each week. When I say slow, I mean SLOW. Add about 50 calories each week (primarily carbs, maybe a gram or two in fats). This way your body will be able to readjust your metabolic rate. You will also notice a minimal weight increase if an increase at all :). If you notice a significant weight increase, then slow down the rate at which your adding calories back to your diet.

    I'm having the same problem, but at higher calories. I wanted to cut down to about 10-12 %BF, but I only got to 14-15% when I dieted down to 1900. I'm currently on my slow bulk, and I've been getting a good response. I'm currently at 2050cal/day while maintaing more or less the same bodyweight as I had eating 1850-1900cal.

    Also take a look at what Layne Norton says on metabolic capacity/damage. I think about of people here on MFP are having a hard time hitting the last few pounds because of the lack of a large metabolic capacity and are cutting too fast (encouraging metabolic dmg).

    Let me know how it goes! :)
  • Happymelz
    Happymelz Posts: 536 Member
    My profile pic is when i was like 4 lbs away from my goal weight....I am now 16 lbs away from my goal weight.
    For my height/age I am technically overweight.
    I weigh 165 currently....and want to be at 149...which isn't too small for my build.
  • Happymelz
    Happymelz Posts: 536 Member
    I don't weigh/measure every thing..but I've been food obsessed for sooo long that I know what 3 oz of meat or 1 oz of cheese looks like.

    1200 calories is what MFP suggested...I even upped it for a while...nothing changed.
  • AlexisJ330
    AlexisJ330 Posts: 97 Member
    Since you have a history of an eating disorder, I would suggest seeing a nutritionist. She/he would know best for you.
  • vharding7
    vharding7 Posts: 48 Member
    Up the calories. Just do it. I know it seems scary, and perhaps counter-intuitive but I was in the same boat as you 1200 calories, working out 4-5 times a week, and I wasn't losing at all. Then I did some reading and asked some questions and decided to up my calories and start lifting heavy. Within a week I started losing again, and although I'm not at my goal weight yet, I don't even care because my body looks better than it did when I weighed less. Seriously, give it a try! Good book to read to start out with: New Rules Of Lifting for Women.
  • Happymelz
    Happymelz Posts: 536 Member
    Well..we've had a lot of stress in the past year...including now. (working as a temp since January) so I've tried not to beat myself up about it...but I finally think I'm ready to focus on me.
  • Happymelz
    Happymelz Posts: 536 Member
    Thanks everyone! :D
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,427 MFP Moderator
    I don't weigh/measure every thing..but I've been food obsessed for sooo long that I know what 3 oz of meat or 1 oz of cheese looks like.

    1200 calories is what MFP suggested...I even upped it for a while...nothing changed.

    MFP has it designed to tell you calories pre workout. So if you workout, you are supposed to eat back your exercise calories.
  • Bekahmardis
    Bekahmardis Posts: 602 Member
    I don't weigh/measure every thing..but I've been food obsessed for sooo long that I know what 3 oz of meat or 1 oz of cheese looks like.

    1200 calories is what MFP suggested...I even upped it for a while...nothing changed.
    Yeah, up the calories. My BMR is 1205 and I typically eat around 1450 calories per day with my sedentary desk job and I'm still losing around .25 to .5 a pound a week...
  • mrsriisky
    mrsriisky Posts: 129 Member
    PPs have great advice. On a side note, I was extremely weight and calorie obsessed in highschool, so I know that upping your calories is scary when you are trying to lose weight, but it's working for me! The mindset of eating less to weigh less is hard to kick, but I now view my food intake as fuel for my body. Getting through workouts has become easier, I'm seeing muscles poking through the fat that I haven't seen in years!

    Also, don't be afraid of weights. It is very, very difficult to gain enough muscle to look bigger. Instead, lifting weights makes you stronger, helps your body burn fat, and makes you look sleeker all over. Not to mention the feeling of accomplishment when you realize how much stronger you have become!
  • Happymelz
    Happymelz Posts: 536 Member
    PPs have great advice. On a side note, I was extremely weight and calorie obsessed in highschool, so I know that upping your calories is scary when you are trying to lose weight, but it's working for me! The mindset of eating less to weigh less is hard to kick, but I now view my food intake as fuel for my body. Getting through workouts has become easier, I'm seeing muscles poking through the fat that I haven't seen in years!

    Also, don't be afraid of weights. It is very, very difficult to gain enough muscle to look bigger. Instead, lifting weights makes you stronger, helps your body burn fat, and makes you look sleeker all over. Not to mention the feeling of accomplishment when you realize how much stronger you have become!

    Thank you! :D It really is hard to get my head wrapped around eating more and losing. My brain rejects it. lol..so I need to ALLOW myself to eat more for a week or so and see what happens.
  • Happymelz
    Happymelz Posts: 536 Member
    I don't weigh/measure every thing..but I've been food obsessed for sooo long that I know what 3 oz of meat or 1 oz of cheese looks like.

    1200 calories is what MFP suggested...I even upped it for a while...nothing changed.
    Yeah, up the calories. My BMR is 1205 and I typically eat around 1450 calories per day with my sedentary desk job and I'm still losing around .25 to .5 a pound a week...

    Thank you! :D I am going to "allow" myself to up the calories. I have to trick my brain that way.
  • SideSteel
    SideSteel Posts: 11,068 Member
    You should get a food scale and use it meticulously for at least two weeks before trying to draw conclusions about your metabolism or any hormonal downregulation/etc.

    It is probable that you are simply eating more calories than you believe you are eating.
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/872212-you-re-probably-eating-more-than-you-think
  • Happymelz
    Happymelz Posts: 536 Member
    I don't weigh/measure every thing..but I've been food obsessed for sooo long that I know what 3 oz of meat or 1 oz of cheese looks like.

    1200 calories is what MFP suggested...I even upped it for a while...nothing changed.

    MFP has it designed to tell you calories pre workout. So if you workout, you are supposed to eat back your exercise calories.

    Also, I had NO IDEA you were supposed to eat the calorie back if you exercise....I thought it was 1200 plus exercise...so that is probably why my body refuses to lose.

    I really appreciate the help!
  • chandanista
    chandanista Posts: 986 Member
    I wonder if you could focus on just getting stronger? Ignore the exact calorie count for a bit, and make fitness goals. Run a 10K all the way through without stopping for breath is a good goal to train towards. Lifting progressively heavier weights, going longer times on the elliptical; whatever you want your goal to be. In the end you will most likely work off your fat. Even if you still weigh a bit more than you like, you will be healthier.
  • ilovefitness36
    ilovefitness36 Posts: 31
    For the longest time I was at 1200 cals per day (since I thought that MFP automatically calculated it, I figured thats what I was supposed to eat!) boy was I wrong. I was ALWAYS so hungry and often ate either the wrong things, or ate good things, but went over my cals. I didn't budge in weight. Instead, I GAINED weight. Some of that might be muscle, but my inches DID NOT CHANGE.

    So, I've recently increased my caloric intake to 1600. So, at 36 years old, 127lbs, and a body fat percentage of 28%, while weight/cardio training 4x/wk, I'm gonna see how it goes.

    As long as you eat adequately and you don't find yourself STARVING all the time, listen to your body, treat it well, and it will respond the way it should in order to meet your fitness goals.
  • BOYBLUE2013
    BOYBLUE2013 Posts: 4
    I am sorry but I am personally not 100% convinced into the eating more calories to lose weight and the bodies adaptation to starvation mode and holding on to its fat ect.
    How is it then that peeps go on highly restrictive non heathly diets ie lighter life 600 cals a day and the weight flys off them.
    I am sure its true for a limited time but over a prolonged period the weight should literally fall off should it not.
    The law of physics energy in = energy out etc.
    Less food more exercise we lose.
    More food less excercise we gain
    Im of the second persuation which is why im typing here at fat class.
    Adios
  • gravity357
    gravity357 Posts: 5
    I had the same issue till I started to gradually cut down on the carbs. Every body is different and the "one size fits all" approach to dieting doesn't appear to work for me.
  • etoiles_argentees
    etoiles_argentees Posts: 2,827 Member
    sigh... your ticker says you have only 3 pounds to lose?
  • etoiles_argentees
    etoiles_argentees Posts: 2,827 Member
    You should get a food scale and use it meticulously for at least two weeks before trying to draw conclusions about your metabolism or any hormonal downregulation/etc.

    It is probable that you are simply eating more calories than you believe you are eating.
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/872212-you-re-probably-eating-more-than-you-think

    yes. Your hpa axis doesn't become screwy for quite a while. I don't know your background so I can't offer any help there. Sorry.
  • Lift_hard_eat_big
    Lift_hard_eat_big Posts: 2,278 Member
    It sounds like classic metabolic damage to me. You'll need to eat at a surplus for several weeks to several months to allow your body to heal. If you want more info listen to what this pro body builder/coach/PhD in nutritional sciences has to say about it.

    http://www.biolayne.com/nutrition/biolayne-video-log-9-metabolic-damage/
  • TigerBite
    TigerBite Posts: 611 Member
    Go to the doctor and get your hormones tested (thyroid specifically ... Free T3, Free T4, and TSH ask for these tests specifically) ... To low of a calorie intake can affect thyroid function (also if you are deficient in minerals such as iodine, selenium, zinc, and iron ... which is usually the case when calories are to low because you aren't eating enough to get sufficient quantities of said nutrients) ... You having come from an ED background, plus your current efforts, this is a real possibility ... also have them test your adrenal function (cortisol levels preferably saliva test ... the adrenals and thyroid play of of each other so you might as well get both checked) ... stress can make things worse btw.

    EDITED BECAUSE: I can see for *kitten*, nor can I type for it ... no, reallly, I'm legally blind.
  • SideSteel
    SideSteel Posts: 11,068 Member
    It sounds like classic metabolic damage to me. You'll need to eat at a surplus for several weeks to several months to allow your body to heal. If you want more info listen to what this pro body builder/coach/PhD in nutritional sciences has to say about it.

    http://www.biolayne.com/nutrition/biolayne-video-log-9-metabolic-damage/

    Layne is great but the context in which he's aiming this video is contest bodybuilders who are lean and in a prolonged and severe caloric deficit with high amounts of physical activity. This context doesn't seem to fit the OP.
  • amonkey794
    amonkey794 Posts: 651 Member
    The 1200 calorie diet is what led to my eating disorder and now medical complications.

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