Fed up

cazbit

I have been stuck at 13 10 for the past two weeks. I have stuck to my diet completely. Weighing everything, logging everything. Not my TOM. So at the beginning of this week on Monday I was 13 9 and then yesterday I was 13 8. Today I am back up to 13 10 again.

It's so frustrating to feel like you are doing everything right and the weight is just playing silly buggers!

The only thing I have done differently is as of Saturday I have made sure I have walked at least 10000 steps each day.

I just don't understand what is happening.

FitJulian

if you are measuring weight loss then there is absolutely no point in doing it daily...
weigh your self weekly (on same day , at same time of day after same routine.) (mine is 7:45 monday morning , get up have a #1 and #2 and then weigh myself )
daily fluctuations in weight are normal based on water retention etc .. (and you have suddenly changed your daily regime which may also affect things )

keep plugging away - it will get there....

Ironic title for a weight loss thread BTW

ladyreva78

Don't compare your weight to yesterday, compare it to one month ago. If after 4 weeks you have no loss, then it's time to go over the books: check the logging (entries used, logging everything (including that itsy bitsy piece of cake swipped in passing), etc.), eyeballing or weighing food, check that there's been no portion creep, check that the calorie goal is still appropriate (as you lose weight you need less energy to maintain your body - less mass to feed), check that the calories burned in exercise added are appropriate, etc.

Especially for us ladies, hormones will mess with the scale even outside of TOM (ovulation can do that too). It also helps to use a weight trending app (e.g. Happy scale on IOS and Libra on Android).

Higher sodium/carbs than usual can add water retention.

New exercise or increased intensity can add water retention.

So all in all, if you're certain you're doing everything right, just keep going. If after another 2 weeks you still don't see a result, then it's time to start acting.

cazbit

Thanks for your feedback folks. I shall keep at it. I guess I am not overly confident at the moment with it all.

LivingtheLeanDream

We fluctuate all the time, if you use a trending weight app you will be able to see the overall trend and that it is going in the right direction.
I could be 4lbs heavier on a Monday (after weekend eating) than I am on Friday. That's how it goes. The average trend is what's important.

crb426

If you upped your steps then you may be retaining from water from that. Give it another week.

cazbit

Another follow on question. I have been using happy scale for four weeks now. Two of those weeks it stayed static at 13 10 then it dipped down to 13 9 then 13 8 then went back up to 13 10.

Is there any way I am at maintenance? I eat what fitnesspal tells me to eat 1440. However I sit all day for work. Is there any chance this is my maintenance calorie intake?

Thanks all x

LivingtheLeanDream

With you having four weeks of data it does look like you are eating at maintenance but also next week you COULD see a drop.
Are you doing anything differently than you had been?
I know I used to only see a loss once a month, then would fluctuate up and down again until the next month, then would see a further loss. The months I didn't see a loss it was because there was extra snacks creeping in. I was going by my Fitbit and eating most of my exercise calories back - I was eating just a tad more than I should.
If you are logging your food accurately/using food scale etc then all should be well. Monitor everything for another few weeks and see how it goes. Hopefully you get a whoosh

LivingtheLeanDream

by the way, these 10k steps, is this a new steps goal?? if it is, then you could be retaining water as your body gets used to the extra activity.

Francl27

When I was losing, I would lose a lot in one week (after my period), then nothing for 3 weeks. Rinse and repeat, lol. Is your period due soon? Women tend to retain water before their period.

VintageFeline

I regularly go weeks with a straight line trend the whoosh whoosh whoosh. And my trend will show something crazy like a weekly loss average of 2lbs+ (aiming for 1lb). Then I "maintain" for a bit again.

I get it, it's frustrating but you need more long term data, weight fluctuates for everyone and it can be more frustrating for some people. Based on my personal experience I actually advise giving it 6-8 weeks to get enough data to see what's happening.

Here's my 90 day trend (haven't logged for a week or so). The red was a true gain so disregard that but you will see the definite rollercoaster of my weight. I changed nothing over those periods it's just water weight spikes.

cazbit

The 10,000 is a new step goal. I have been considerably over that some days like yesterday it was 16500 and Sunday it was almost 18000.

My period has come and gone, I was hoping that was the reason I stayed at 13 10 for a fortnight and the recently drop at the beginning of this week I assumed was from my period finishing last week. However back up to 13 10.

Could the walking be making me retain water. I'm not power walking just walking really at a moderate pace.

I won't give up I just don't know if I am doing something wrong and would rather get it fixed now than carry on expecting to lose weight.

I hate seeing that 10 on the scale I feel like it mocking me ☺☺☺

VintageFeline

It's totally normal for weight to bounce around for many reasons, more steps than usual, more carbs or salt, hormonal (not just during your period), just the body doing its thing. You need to focus on the long term trend not 3 days or even 3 weeks. You're just going to drive yourself crazy.

cazbit

You are all very correct. I am taking too short a view and it is driving me crazy.

I will keep on with what I am doing and look at a more long term view. I guess as long as I am down from 13 10 this time next month I will be going in the right direction.

It's just hard sometimes when your motivation is based on the results you see. I can be weak willed at times and have fallen off diets so many times and really want to do this properly this time.

Thanks to all those who took the time to reply I really appreciate it

C x x x

VintageFeline

Try using other metrics too. Take your measurements once a month, look at how many steps you've taken/fitness goals. Are those things getting easier as time goes on. It will help distract you from focusing on the scale.

ladyreva78

The hardest thing by far with this whole weight loss business is learning to be patient. The body does what the body wants to do.

I've been stuck at +/-84kg for nearly 3 months now. Logically, I know what I need to do - eat less. Practically, my hormones and my stomach have something against it. But I keep trying anyhow because giving up means regaining 30+kg and that is not an option.

But during those 3 months, I've lost an average of 2cm all across the board. My jeans fit better and I've realized that I only have 4 t-shirts that fit now, including gym tops... (if that's not an excuse to go shopping...). The rest look like circus tents on me.

Keep going. One day at a time. But keep your eyes on the horizon - going both ways. Looking back to see where you started and going forward to see where you're going.

lthames0810

I needed to see several months of success before I trusted the numbers. Now I can just keep on eating my calorie budget confident that it will result in weight loss over time and not worry about fluctuations or the occasional flatline.

OP, I understand that you may be concerned that you're "wasting time" by stalling in your weight loss. I mean, why continue on this path if it gets no results, right? First, you're not wasting time. At a minimum you're practicing the good habits you have adopted. Second, as others have said, you need more time (more data) to determine if you are truly stalled. It is natural for this to happen over time, because as you get lighter you're maintenance calories will decline untill eventually they match your intake. At that time, an adjustment may be necessary.