Getting so frustrated with no weight loss!

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Hi. I'm 5'6, 220. I started January 1st at 245 and want to lose 100 pounds total.
Before this, I never exercised at all, but I made a commitment on New Year's to become more active and lose the weight. So I began in earnest: 2 days of low-impact aerobics (bad knees), 5 days of stationary bike (55 minutes each time), 2 days a week of swimming (45 minutes at a time doing laps) and walking 6 miles a week. I've been eating between 1370-1650 calories a day. Sometimes, but only occasionally, do I eat enough to go into the calories I earned from doing exercise. Keep in mind, this exhausts me, as I did nothing (I didn't even run to the bathroom, that's how sedentary I was) beforehand.

But it's been 3 weeks with no weight loss at all. I want to achieve my goal and I'm working super hard, but what am I doing wrong? My profile (food intake) should be open to all. Advice would be appreciated. :smile:

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Replies

  • Maxematics
    Maxematics Posts: 2,287 Member
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    297ed6d1829fbe5bf22e8d97be46a847.jpg

    Courtesy of @lemonlionheart
  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,261 Member
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    It looks like your diary is closed.
  • AmyWebb2
    AmyWebb2 Posts: 69 Member
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    Ok--I tried to make sure everything was public. The diary, profile, etc. Hopefully now you can see what I am doing.
  • MaryLouiseHand
    MaryLouiseHand Posts: 14 Member
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    That does sound frustrating. If you are eating good your body will adjust and you will start loosing again. Just make sure you log everything you eat. Keep it up. Sounds like you are doing a great job.
  • rankinsect
    rankinsect Posts: 2,238 Member
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    How often are you weighing? If you're doing weekly weigh-ins, you're declaring yourself stalled because of only three data points. Fluctuations can easily mask two weeks of losses.

    Look at it this way - you've lost 25 pounds in a little over 9 weeks, that is actually very fast weight loss. Even if the past few weeks are slower, that happens, weight loss isn't linear.
  • nutmegoreo
    nutmegoreo Posts: 15,532 Member
    edited March 2016
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    AmyWebb2 wrote: »
    Hi. I'm 5'6, 220. I started January 1st at 245 and want to lose 100 pounds total.
    Before this, I never exercised at all, but I made a commitment on New Year's to become more active and lose the weight. So I began in earnest: 2 days of low-impact aerobics (bad knees), 5 days of stationary bike (55 minutes each time), 2 days a week of swimming (45 minutes at a time doing laps) and walking 6 miles a week. I've been eating between 1370-1650 calories a day. Sometimes, but only occasionally, do I eat enough to go into the calories I earned from doing exercise. Keep in mind, this exhausts me, as I did nothing (I didn't even run to the bathroom, that's how sedentary I was) beforehand.

    But it's been 3 weeks with no weight loss at all. I want to achieve my goal and I'm working super hard, but what am I doing wrong? My profile (food intake) should be open to all. Advice would be appreciated. :smile:

    You've lost 25lbs in just over two months, that's great! I realize that you are frustrated because you seem to be stalled, but has it actually been no loss, or just slower than it had been at first?

    Other possibilities: close to TOM will cause water retention. All this exercise can cause water retention. Both of those will mask weight loss temporarily, but that doesn't mean it's not happening.

    If you are weighing all solid foods (including prepackaged, those can be off by enough to slow losses), and you have chosen the correct entry in the database (most are user entered, and there are a lot of inaccurate ones), then keep doing what you are doing.

    Have patience. This is a long process. I am just over halfway through 100lb loss, it takes time. So make sure you are able to accept that temporary stalls, slow downs, and even the occasional gain will happen.

    ETA: your diary is not public when I checked. If you want more specific advice, that would be helpful.
  • AmyWebb2
    AmyWebb2 Posts: 69 Member
    edited March 2016
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    Okay. While I admit that, in the last two days, I've not done as well as in previous days, I still haven't lost weight from when I posted originally. I have had a hysterectomy, but still have ovaries. I'm trying to be good, so help me God, but one pound or two would make me feel so good. Any other ideas? Yes, I am weighing food. And boy, does a cup of something look like very little! : :/

    ETA: My diary ought to be open, now.
  • queenliz99
    queenliz99 Posts: 15,317 Member
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    I don't think you are weighing everything. I see measures with cups and spoons but no weighing in grams.
  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,261 Member
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    AmyWebb2 wrote: »
    Okay. While I admit that, in the last two days, I've not done as well as in previous days, I still haven't lost weight from when I posted originally. I have had a hysterectomy, but still have ovaries. I'm trying to be good, so help me God, but one pound or two would make me feel so good. Any other ideas? Yes, I am weighing food. And boy, does a cup of something look like very little! : :/

    ETA: My diary ought to be open, now.

    If you're weighing your food why are you putting it in a measuring cup?

  • AmyWebb2
    AmyWebb2 Posts: 69 Member
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    jemhh wrote: »
    AmyWebb2 wrote: »
    Okay. While I admit that, in the last two days, I've not done as well as in previous days, I still haven't lost weight from when I posted originally. I have had a hysterectomy, but still have ovaries. I'm trying to be good, so help me God, but one pound or two would make me feel so good. Any other ideas? Yes, I am weighing food. And boy, does a cup of something look like very little! : :/

    ETA: My diary ought to be open, now.

    If you're weighing your food why are you putting it in a measuring cup?

    Well, I don't know, exactly. Sometimes, like if I'm having a bowl of cereal, I put it in a measuring cup because the serving size measures in cups. I guess what I mean to say, is that I'm putting in an effort to weigh my food, or at least portion it correctly, whether it be a scale or measuring cup or teaspoons, or what have you. :-)

  • emdeesea
    emdeesea Posts: 1,823 Member
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    Definitely use a food scale and weigh everything. It makes a difference. Cups and measuring spoons are so very inaccurate.
  • ridge4mfp
    ridge4mfp Posts: 301 Member
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    Items like cereal are usually also expressed in grams, if you look closely. For example, the serving size for the raisin bran I have at home is 1 cup, but it also shows it as 53 grams. I put the bowl on the scale, tare it, and pour until I have 53 grams.
  • meritage4
    meritage4 Posts: 1,441 Member
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    You have lost over 20 lbs. Keep at it and more will come off. Maybe change your fitness routine a bit as your body may be adapting to it. Up your biking to 60 minutes or alternate slow riding with quick riding. Try your bike rides outside you get the idea.
    Up your swimming speed. How far do you go in 45 minutes? Make it further. Sprint one lap, then 2 slower to recover then another fast lap.
    You can do this!
    I'm 5 6 and was 207 at my highest. I'm now 185 and no longer obese-just overweight.
  • BinaryFu
    BinaryFu Posts: 240 Member
    edited March 2016
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    SAFE weight loss = 2lbs per week. So you've had (roughly) 10 weeks and lost 25lbs = 2.5lbs per week, which is within tolerances.

    Now, this also begs the question - when you dropped 10lbs, did you readjust your goals in MFP? Every 10lbs you need to readjust your goals according to your *new* weight - otherwise, you'll wind up hitting a plateau eventually...kind of like you are now.
  • Rick_Nelson81
    Rick_Nelson81 Posts: 205 Member
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    First, congratulations on your success to this point. The fact that you are still here puts you ahead of many people who have given up on their "resolutions." I took a peek at your diary and I saw a pattern jump out very quickly: Most of your diet seems to be carbs followed by meat (including some red meat) with some dairy products and some fruit. There is virtually no vegetables at all. My advice would be to take it to the next level. You haven proven to yourself you are committed to your goal, now it's time to ramp it up. Switch out some of those carbs for some veggies at least 3x per week. Raw is better (more fiber and vitamins) but anything will be an improvement. Do some research online and get some meal ideas ready for April, and then say goodbye to your plateau!!!
  • Derelicht1576
    Derelicht1576 Posts: 2 Member
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    Hey Amy, just reiterating what some of the others are saying. 2.5 - 3 lbs of weight loss a week is healthy weight loss, some might even call it excessive. Now you have stated that you have reached a plateau in your weight loss. You may try to HITT [High Intensity Interval Training] which is known to be a very good cardio source for burning calories fast because of the frequent changes in the heart rate. Good thing is they don't last as long as regular cardio because they are so intense, but they are known to burn more 2 - 3x more calories as stationary training. If you are biking on a stationary bike, try doing something like 1 minute low intensity biking and 1 minute high intensity more resistant biking for a total of 20 minutes. You can do this with running, biking, swimming, etc.
  • JeromeBarry1
    JeromeBarry1 Posts: 10,182 Member
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    It will help that you get calories from vegetables and protein rather than bagels, white rice, dinner rolls, and irish potatoes.