Please help. I'm becoming very discouraged.

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SR1986
SR1986 Posts: 92 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Hi. I've been back training hard for a month today. The tape measure and the scale have not moved. My fitbit tells me I burn at least 2,995 upwards of 3,000 calories a day. I eat 1200-1500 calories a day. I work out HARD. FOR AT LEAST AN HOUR. I do cardio and lift light weights (5-10) doing P90X3 6 days a week. I'm 30 5'3" and 119. What gives. I feel so discouraged right now. I didn't even have this much trouble losing 40 pounds. I feel likewise doesn't even matter if I work out or count calories anymore.

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  • Pack100
    Pack100 Posts: 13 Member
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    The closer you are to goal weight the harder it will be to lose. So losing when you have 40 lbs to lose will seem easier. You are one month in. Are you being honest with your food? Are you weighing it or eyeballing it?
  • deannalfisher
    deannalfisher Posts: 5,600 Member
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    what is your goal weight? are you eating back exercise calories?
  • deannalfisher
    deannalfisher Posts: 5,600 Member
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    can you open up your diary
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
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    How much weight are you trying to lose?
  • _incogNEATo_
    _incogNEATo_ Posts: 4,543 Member
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    You're on the low end of normal body weight for your height as it is. I wouldn't be discouraged if you're maintaining. Just my 2 cents
  • VintageFeline
    VintageFeline Posts: 6,771 Member
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    What is your goal here? As said, you are already at the low end of the healthy BMI range. Is this an aesthetic goal that could perhaps be better achieved with recomp?

    Also as said, you're at a low weight, getting lower is going to be long and slow with barely movement on the scales for weeks due to natural fluctuations of water weight masking losses.
  • tomorrowistoday0000
    tomorrowistoday0000 Posts: 125 Member
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    Like everyone said, the smaller or closer you get to your goal weight, the harder it gets. I'm an inch shorter than you, 5 years older and around the same weight, looking to lose another 10 lbs. I was able to dip to 110 lbs about a year and a half ago but it took time (at a rate of 2-3 lbs/month and daily calories of 1400-1500) and a "change" in my normal workout routine. It takes time for the scale to catch up so be patient and persistent because you will eventually get there.
  • SR1986
    SR1986 Posts: 92 Member
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    deannalfisher wrote: »
    what is your goal weight? are you eating back exercise calories?

    HI, for years, even after my daughter was born in maintained 108-111 (fluctuated from water, too much salt I'm super bad about salt.) C couple years ago I just didn't feel like counting calories to maintain and quite frankly I didn't want to work out for an hour to 2 hours a day anymore, I'd been doing it since I was 16. From 16-18 I lost the 40 pounds. The weight came off easily after my daughter was born (I only gained 25 pounds because I'd had morning sickness the entire time). Took me about 4 months to get back down to my normal Weight. I decided tilt since I couldn't zip my pants anymore I needed to get back on track so I did. I log everything correctly. Weigh and measure, count out serving sizes etc. I'm very meticulous and organized in nature. I don't cheat on calories or forget to log. I'm super disciplined. I do eat back about 200-300 calories that I've burned a day, mostly because I'm hungry. My diary doesn't vary much from day to day. I'm not sure how to open it to you :/ I don't know if my metabolism has slowed to a halt or what, I had some hormonal issues stemming from having my tubes tied at 23 (1 child was enough for me, pregnancy was awful) that I took progesterone for, but that was over a year ago. I've never had trouble losing weight before. Granted I've never gone 2 years without working out before,and I was very muscular before, so I suppose my muscles atrophied badly. However, I don't think I'm lifting enough weight or lunging and squatting enough to have put on enough muscle mass to account for the scale not moving. I've lost an inch in my waist. Gained about an inch in my hips and bottom. But that's it. I'm not physically seeing a difference in the mirror either. I know that weighing can be unreliable, but no weight lost, no significant fluctuations but 2 or 4 ounces +/-. I'm sure some people think I'm crazy complaining at such a low weight, but I'm just not comfortable myself at this weight. I'm carrying 10 more pounds than I'm used to and it's just not me. I feel like I've been putting myself through the ringer, sweating,dealing with DOMs counting,measuring and weighing food for nothing at this point. It's where I was when I was eating whatever,whenever I wanted. While I didn't over eat I promise I was probably eating 2000 calories a day easy (I have a problem with carbs, specifically donuts and bread). I just need to figure out what I'm doing wrong. If I was leaning up and the weight gained or not changing was muscle that would be fine. I'm a little girl, but I'm not a "skinny" girl. I've always had a big bottom half. The difference between my waist and hips is about 12 inches. 32-25-37. I'm not trying to be skinny you guys. I'm trying to be more proportionate. I carry my weight in my hips and legs. And lose it there. Maybe I'm driving myself insane for nothing. Who knows.
  • kkelly1223
    kkelly1223 Posts: 22 Member
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    You may have hit a plateau. Keep going!
  • subcounter
    subcounter Posts: 2,382 Member
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    SR1986 wrote: »
    Hi. I've been back training hard for a month today. The tape measure and the scale have not moved. My fitbit tells me I burn at least 2,995 upwards of 3,000 calories a day. I eat 1200-1500 calories a day. I work out HARD. FOR AT LEAST AN HOUR. I do cardio and lift light weights (5-10) doing P90X3 6 days a week. I'm 30 5'3" and 119. What gives. I feel so discouraged right now. I didn't even have this much trouble losing 40 pounds. I feel likewise doesn't even matter if I work out or count calories anymore.

    Try to eat back 80% of what your fitbit says you are burning. Say, you are burning 1000 calories, eat back 800. See the results at the end of the week, and adjust accordingly. The HR monitors and calorie counters are nice tools but of course not 100% accurate.
    Don't panic either. Sometimes its simple water retention too. You can do this!
  • deannalfisher
    deannalfisher Posts: 5,600 Member
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    sounds like recomp might be the way to go for you - its a slower process and you'll eat more at maintenance while focusing on BF loss and muscle gain
  • Hello_its_Dan
    Hello_its_Dan Posts: 406 Member
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    SR1986 wrote: »
    Hi. I've been back training hard for a month today. The tape measure and the scale have not moved. My fitbit tells me I burn at least 2,995 upwards of 3,000 calories a day. I eat 1200-1500 calories a day. I work out HARD. FOR AT LEAST AN HOUR. I do cardio and lift light weights (5-10) doing P90X3 6 days a week. I'm 30 5'3" and 119. What gives. I feel so discouraged right now. I didn't even have this much trouble losing 40 pounds. I feel likewise doesn't even matter if I work out or count calories anymore.

    You're eating less than half your TDEE....
  • Machka9
    Machka9 Posts: 24,932 Member
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    SR1986 wrote: »
    Hi. I've been back training hard for a month today. The tape measure and the scale have not moved. My fitbit tells me I burn at least 2,995 upwards of 3,000 calories a day. I eat 1200-1500 calories a day. I work out HARD. FOR AT LEAST AN HOUR. I do cardio and lift light weights (5-10) doing P90X3 6 days a week. I'm 30 5'3" and 119. What gives. I feel so discouraged right now. I didn't even have this much trouble losing 40 pounds. I feel likewise doesn't even matter if I work out or count calories anymore.

    Trying entering your info into MFP. Select sedentary as your activity level. Select that you want to lose 1 lb/week.

    Now add your exercise when you do it and eat about half those exercise calories back. Set the fitbit aside for right now ... 3000 calories a day, even including what you burn just existing, seems very high.

    Stick to the calories MFP gives you + half your exercise calories for the next month.

  • mgalovic01
    mgalovic01 Posts: 388 Member
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    119lb at 5'3" really ain't bad. As we age it might get a little harder to keep the weight down. It looks like you work out enough. Additional diet modification might be your best course of action. Just make sure adequate nutrition is factored into your calorie counting. Sometimes, it seems like some people don't see a difference between eating 2000 calories of ho-hos and 2000 calories of fruits and vegetables. Switching to whole grains is good. I don't do donuts.
  • AliceDark
    AliceDark Posts: 3,886 Member
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    SR1986 wrote: »
    Hi. I've been back training hard for a month today. The tape measure and the scale have not moved. My fitbit tells me I burn at least 2,995 upwards of 3,000 calories a day. I eat 1200-1500 calories a day. I work out HARD. FOR AT LEAST AN HOUR. I do cardio and lift light weights (5-10) doing P90X3 6 days a week. I'm 30 5'3" and 119. What gives. I feel so discouraged right now. I didn't even have this much trouble losing 40 pounds. I feel likewise doesn't even matter if I work out or count calories anymore.

    What do you do on a daily basis to get this kind of calorie burn?
  • GrayRider61
    GrayRider61 Posts: 337 Member
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    Try changing up your workout routine. But sounds like you're doing great.

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