Getting so frustrated with no weight loss!

AmyWebb2

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.

Maxematics

Courtesy of @lemonlionheart

jemhh

It looks like your diary is closed.

AmyWebb2

Ok--I tried to make sure everything was public. The diary, profile, etc. Hopefully now you can see what I am doing.

MaryLouiseHand

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

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

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.

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

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

I don't think you are weighing everything. I see measures with cups and spoons but no weighing in grams.

queenliz99

http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1234699/logging-accurately-step-by-step-guide/p1

jemhh

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

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. :-)

queenliz99

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JVjWPclrWVY

emdeesea

Definitely use a food scale and weigh everything. It makes a difference. Cups and measuring spoons are so very inaccurate.

ridge4mfp

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.

7elizamae

Here is a link to Amazon's food scale selection.

http://amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_c_0_10?url=search-alias%3Dgarden&field-keywords=food+scale&sprefix=food+scale%2Caps%2C314

meritage4

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

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

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

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

It will help that you get calories from vegetables and protein rather than bagels, white rice, dinner rolls, and irish potatoes.

queenliz99

Rick_Nelson81 wrote: »

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 wrote: »

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.

Nope to both! In accurate logging is your problem. Fix your logging and all will be good, honest

ClosetBayesian

JeromeBarry1 wrote: »

It will help that you get calories from vegetables and protein rather than bagels, white rice, dinner rolls, and irish potatoes.

No. For weight loss, the source of the calories does not matter. What matters is that they are tracked accurately.

AmyWebb2

Thanks all for your help. I just ordered a food scale and hopefully that, in addition to eating some more green vegetables, will help. I'm also going to try to ramp up my walking and my bike riding. One of these days I'm going to lose more weight I can't put all this work in and get nothing out of it. It's just going to take more time than i thought. I guess I need to be more accurate and continue to work hard. sometimes though I wish that candy was the good food and carrots for the bad food.

cerise_noir

I'm glad that you've ordered a scale, OP!

Have you adjusted your calories since losing the 25lbs?

JeromeBarry1 wrote: »

It will help that you get calories from vegetables and protein rather than bagels, white rice, dinner rolls, and irish potatoes.

The source of calories for weight loss doesn't matter. None of the food mentioned in the quote will hinder weight loss. You can definitely have candy as well as highly nutritious foods, just as long as you log it accurately and fit it into your calories.

Rick_Nelson81

[/quote]Nope to both! In accurate logging is your problem. Fix your logging and all will be good, honest[/quote]

What good is it to fix your logging if what you're logging is not balanced?

kimny72

Rick_Nelson81 wrote: »

What good is it to fix your logging if what you're logging is not balanced?

Or, what good is logging a balanced diet if your logging is inaccurate?

OP didn't ask for help to have a more "balanced" diet, she asked for help losing weight. And all that matters for losing weight is calories, regardless of what types of food they are from. Once she is logging more accurately, she may decide she has been eating too many calories and getting more veggies will help her eat less if she needs to. But getting her calories accurate and at goal is the priority for weight loss.

BinaryFu

AmyWebb2 wrote: »

Thanks all for your help. I just ordered a food scale and hopefully that, in addition to eating some more green vegetables, will help. I'm also going to try to ramp up my walking and my bike riding. One of these days I'm going to lose more weight I can't put all this work in and get nothing out of it. It's just going to take more time than i thought. I guess I need to be more accurate and continue to work hard. sometimes though I wish that candy was the good food and carrots for the bad food.

Weight loss doesn't come from hard work. It comes from willpower, portion control and accurate measuring of your intake vs. output.

A toned body, muscle gain and improved endurance comes from hard work.

I can burn 4,000 calories a day, but if I'm eating 300 calories more than I burn, I'm going to gain a pound a week.

My nephew in the Navy just went through this. He started hardcore weight training (6 days a week) and he was really excited that he was gaining weight quickly.

Until I pointed out that he was gaining weight due to him taking in 5,000 calories a day, not from strength training. The pudge around his middle was a clue.

You haven't mentioned if you'd readjusted your weight goals after dropping 10lbs two different times. It's critical to do so. I can't stress that enough. That can be the difference between losing weight and maintaining right there.

Rick_Nelson81

Ya, there's no reason to eat healthy if all you want to do is lose weight... Just log your cheeseburgers accurately and watch the weight fly off.

Marilyn0924

Rick_Nelson81 wrote: »

Ya, there's no reason to eat healthy if all you want to do is lose weight... Just log your cheeseburgers accurately and watch the weight fly off.

I include cheeseburgers, cake, ice cream, popcorn in my diet. Overall, I eat a very healthy diet and still lose weight. Just because someone is trying to lose does not mean they have to give up everything and eat celery.
Along with accurately measuring your intake, moderation is key. Full out deprivation leads to failure.

Scamd83

I always look out for comments like this: Sometimes, but only occasionally, do I eat enough to go into the calories I earned from doing exercise. as it can often suggest some miscounting somewhere. Exercise calories tend to get over estimated so maybe that's where things are going wrong. If indeed things are going wrong at all, because it seems like you're doing fine. But if after a bit longer you aren't getting the results you want (make sure the results you want are realistic first) then that might be somewhere to look at.