Am i doing to much???

tibbg83
tibbg83 Posts: 9 Member
edited November 18 in Health and Weight Loss
I am frustrated. I have been on my weight loss journey for almost a year now and have lost 43 pds but, i feel as if i am stuck! I work out 6 days a week. I power walk anywhere from 2 miles -4 miles a day and i use my excercise bike for 30 mins. I watch what i eat and always stay under my calorie goal but, i am barely losing 3 pds a month! HELP what am i doing wrong???? I feel like i am killing myself for no reason ugh! Am I doing to much? Ps i also drink 100 ounces of water a day.
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Replies

  • tibbg83
    tibbg83 Posts: 9 Member
    Well currently i still have about 60 or so to go, but my current goal is 150 and i am 184.2 now. I started at 230 and i am proud of what i have accomplished so far but i feel as if i am working out every single day with less results as i was before. Idk if maybe working out 6 days a week is to much? I hear of friends doing 30 mins a day for 3 days a week and losing more than i do ( if that make sense)
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    tibbg83 wrote: »
    Well currently i still have about 60 or so to go, but my current goal is 150 and i am 184.2 now. I started at 230 and i am proud of what i have accomplished so far but i feel as if i am working out every single day with less results as i was before. Idk if maybe working out 6 days a week is to much? I hear of friends doing 30 mins a day for 3 days a week and losing more than i do ( if that make sense)

    are you still doing the same workouts as you did a year ago?

    your number 1 concern for weight loss is your calorie deficit - if you're not losing as much weight as you expect its because you're not in as large a deficit as you think.
  • tibbg83
    tibbg83 Posts: 9 Member
    No when i first started i could barely walk a mile or do 30 mins of activity before i felt like i was going to die HAHA. Now i do anywhere from an hour to an hour and half 6 days a week. I currently try to stay around 1520 cals ( per fitness pal) i have to admit... There are times i go over the 1520 but not by much. I am still power walking though . i did added more miles and i added an excercise bike to my routine as well
  • tibbg83
    tibbg83 Posts: 9 Member
    Have you recalculated your calorie goal? And how are you determining your intake and exercise output?

    Slowing your rate of loss is probably a good idea as you're close to your goal, so it may be a case of also changing expectations

    I have not recalculated in a while? Maybe this is what the problem is? How often should you do this? I have been at 1520 since like last oct?
  • trigden1991
    trigden1991 Posts: 4,658 Member
    How many calories are you eating?
    Do you weigh all your food?
    Have you had a diet break in the last 6 months?
  • lemonychild
    lemonychild Posts: 654 Member
    If u have been eating in deficit for a whole year, might be time to eat at maintenance for 2 weeks and start up again with deficit after that
  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,267 Member
    tibbg83 wrote: »
    Have you recalculated your calorie goal? And how are you determining your intake and exercise output?

    Slowing your rate of loss is probably a good idea as you're close to your goal, so it may be a case of also changing expectations

    I have not recalculated in a while? Maybe this is what the problem is? How often should you do this? I have been at 1520 since like last oct?

    possible...but if you are going to check that make sure you are no longer at 2lbs a week as I suspect you might need to slow it down now anyway.

    And make sure you are using a food scale and logging accurately and consistently using the correct entries.
  • tibbg83
    tibbg83 Posts: 9 Member
    How many calories are you eating?
    Do you weigh all your food?
    Have you had a diet break in the last 6 months?

    Currently eating around 1520 cals . i do not weigh, i usually just by calories alone and eat the same foods because i know they worked in the past??? As far as a diet break, i really haven't taken one or atleast not long one ( maybe a day here and there) i am sorta afraid too. I afraid that if i take a break that i will give up
  • L1zardQueen
    L1zardQueen Posts: 8,753 Member
    You have to eat at maintenance at some time, don't be afraid. This kind of mind set is not good at all.
  • CricketClover
    CricketClover Posts: 388 Member
    I agree with others about taking a break. I was staying at the same weight, while a healthy weight, for a few months. I was obsessing about every bite and every calorie during this time and probably stressing myself out. I took a logging break but still ate what I would if I was logging and what do you know I dropped a couple lbs that week. I did this for a couple weeks and I am now back to logging.
  • snowflake954
    snowflake954 Posts: 8,399 Member
    Get a digital scale and start weighing your food for a while just to see if you're on track--you'll need to tighten up your logging anyway as you get closer to goal.
  • CaffeinatedRats
    CaffeinatedRats Posts: 20 Member
    I think you should tighten up your logging. Using a food scale for the first time shocked me at the size of an actual serving of pasta, for example. You might be eating more than you think you are without realizing it.

    Also remember that exercise is for health and fitness. You don't have to exercise every day to lose weight, but it does help with keeping your body in shape. Personally, it also helps me with my mental health.
  • tibbg83
    tibbg83 Posts: 9 Member
    I agree with others about taking a break. I was staying at the same weight, while a healthy weight, for a few months. I was obsessing about every bite and every calorie during this time and probably stressing myself out. I took a logging break but still ate what I would if I was logging and what do you know I dropped a couple lbs that week. I did this for a couple weeks and I am now back to logging.

    I think i going to take a small break. I find myself stressing as either over cals or over pushing myself to work harder or more excercise
  • tibbg83
    tibbg83 Posts: 9 Member
    Your workout routine sounds like a normal day for an active, healthy person who wants to live the rest of their life with a fit lifestyle. Congratulations for your growth in what you are capable of doing, for entrenching these awesome habits in your day to day life, and also for your considerable weight loss! This is something to be very proud of.

    For the weight you are at, as others have mentioned above, 3 lbs a month is a great rate. It doesn't compare to what you were losing initially, but the lighter you get, the more strict you have to be with your calories in in order to lose. You can continue to cruise along at 3 lbs a month, which is perfectly respectable, or if you want to lose more, tighten up your logging and start to weigh and measure things more accurately. Don't worry about your friends; "comparison is the thief of joy." What YOU Have accomplished is awesome.

    You know, since you are currently focused on light cardio, you might want to consider adding some resistance training to your routine 2-3 days a week. I did not learn about the marvelous effect weights (including bodyweight) has on one's physique until I had already been losing for half a year. Dang it! I am still kicking myself. Maybe to shake things up a bit and keep it interesting, replace 3 days of biking with something like the first level of 30 Day Shred, which you can easily find on Youtube, or any variety of other weighted programs. At 184 you still have a lot of muscle just from carrying your own bodyweight around, and you want to be sure to maintain it while you lose so you don't just become skinny fat. You will also want to tighten up your logging to ensure you are getting enough protein, if you decide maintaining some muscle is important to you so you look shapely at 150 lbs. (Recommendations vary, but at .08 grams per lb of goal weight, you would want to strive for 120+ g protein a day).

    This thread is filled with people who can offer you extremely valuable advice and encouragement if you decide you want to pick up some weights and add in some squats, planks and push-ups.

    Just to give some personal perspective, last summer I reached 140, 5 lbs from my goal weight (and at the medium-high end of my healthy BMI range) and stopped losing weight, basically going into maintenance 5 lbs early. Since I am now focused on recomping, I'm not concerned so much about the numbers on the scale, and have been shedding clothing sizes without losing pounds. The overall fit, healthy lifestyle is more important to me than what the scale happens to say.

    If I wanted to start actively losing weight again, I know I am going to have to be full-on draconian with my logging just to pare off an ounce here or there. At some point maybe I will do that, but in the meantime I am just enjoying the journey and making sure I am instilling habits that will still be with me when I am 80.

    Thank you! I am proud myself that is for sure! I went from a size 20 to a 13 (depending on brand) i feel better i have in years so that alone it worth it! 3 years ago i never would have thought i would be going through this. I have always been around140 my whole life and then i quit loving myself! I can now say i love me again..... So i shouldn't that hard on myself..... The non-scale goals definitely outweigh the struggle of the weight not coming off as fast as would like!
  • sllm1
    sllm1 Posts: 2,130 Member
    I disagree about the break. I'm not sure what good that will do (aside from mentally), and it's a slippery slope into weight gain.

    I would tighten up logging and use a food scale.

    You could add some weight training to your routine.

    And recheck your calorie goal since you've lost weight.
  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,267 Member
    sllm1 wrote: »
    I disagree about the break. I'm not sure what good that will do (aside from mentally), and it's a slippery slope into weight gain.

    I would tighten up logging and use a food scale.

    You could add some weight training to your routine.

    And recheck your calorie goal since you've lost weight.

    Yah breaks don't make sense to me...I went 18 months to lose about 65lbs and no breaks taken save vacation time where I couldn't log....but that was a week and I was at my then goal.

  • Machka9
    Machka9 Posts: 25,617 Member
    edited May 2017
    tibbg83 wrote: »
    How many calories are you eating?
    Do you weigh all your food?
    Have you had a diet break in the last 6 months?

    Currently eating around 1520 cals . i do not weigh, i usually just by calories alone and eat the same foods because i know they worked in the past??? As far as a diet break, i really haven't taken one or atleast not long one ( maybe a day here and there) i am sorta afraid too. I afraid that if i take a break that i will give up
    tibbg83 wrote: »
    Have you recalculated your calorie goal? And how are you determining your intake and exercise output?

    Slowing your rate of loss is probably a good idea as you're close to your goal, so it may be a case of also changing expectations

    I have not recalculated in a while? Maybe this is what the problem is? How often should you do this? I have been at 1520 since like last oct?

    Yes, do this!

    I recalculate every 2 or 3 months.

    Also tighten up your logging and definitely use a scale. Be really meticulous about your calorie intake.

    Only eat about half your exercise calories back.

    And stick with it for the next 2 months. Then see where you are and decide whether or not you want to take a weekend break.

  • CricketClover
    CricketClover Posts: 388 Member
    SezxyStef wrote: »
    sllm1 wrote: »
    I disagree about the break. I'm not sure what good that will do (aside from mentally), and it's a slippery slope into weight gain.

    I would tighten up logging and use a food scale.

    You could add some weight training to your routine.

    And recheck your calorie goal since you've lost weight.

    Yah breaks don't make sense to me...I went 18 months to lose about 65lbs and no breaks taken save vacation time where I couldn't log....but that was a week and I was at my then goal.

    I don't suggest taking a binging break, that would be a bad idea and could put someone on a bad track. I just know for me taking a "number obsession" break really helped me. I still ate what I would while logging and was still "dieting" (I hate that word), and getting in my normal workouts.
  • Tacklewasher
    Tacklewasher Posts: 7,122 Member
    sllm1 wrote: »
    I disagree about the break. I'm not sure what good that will do (aside from mentally), and it's a slippery slope into weight gain.

    Don't discount the mental side, but diet breaks (where you eat at maintenance) can be helpful for both the physical and mental part of weight loss.

    I'll try to find the link to the good article on them. I took one in March and it really felt good at the time.
  • cheryldumais
    cheryldumais Posts: 1,907 Member
    I know what you are going through. I have lost 76 and am fighting to lose a pound a month. It is totally the reduced calories it takes for your new body to maintain. For me I am on 1350 calories a day to lose .5 a week. I don't know how tall you are but I'm 5'5" tall and 156 pounds but I'm 60 years old. 1500 will be maintenance for me :-(
  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,267 Member
    SezxyStef wrote: »
    sllm1 wrote: »
    I disagree about the break. I'm not sure what good that will do (aside from mentally), and it's a slippery slope into weight gain.

    I would tighten up logging and use a food scale.

    You could add some weight training to your routine.

    And recheck your calorie goal since you've lost weight.

    Yah breaks don't make sense to me...I went 18 months to lose about 65lbs and no breaks taken save vacation time where I couldn't log....but that was a week and I was at my then goal.

    I don't suggest taking a binging break, that would be a bad idea and could put someone on a bad track. I just know for me taking a "number obsession" break really helped me. I still ate what I would while logging and was still "dieting" (I hate that word), and getting in my normal workouts.

    you took a logging break which is different then what we are talking about.

    a break is eating at maintenance and not exercising as much...otherwise you aren't really taking a break...you are on a diet just not logging it....and lots don't do that anyway...
  • trigden1991
    trigden1991 Posts: 4,658 Member
    tibbg83 wrote: »
    How many calories are you eating?
    Do you weigh all your food?
    Have you had a diet break in the last 6 months?

    Currently eating around 1520 cals . i do not weigh, i usually just by calories alone and eat the same foods because i know they worked in the past??? As far as a diet break, i really haven't taken one or atleast not long one ( maybe a day here and there) i am sorta afraid too. I afraid that if i take a break that i will give up

    If you don't weigh your food, you don't know how many calories you are eating. I would highly recommend starting!

    Also if you've lost a lot of weight and never taken a week off, I would recommend that as well.
  • kimny72
    kimny72 Posts: 16,011 Member
    tibbg83 wrote: »
    I agree with others about taking a break. I was staying at the same weight, while a healthy weight, for a few months. I was obsessing about every bite and every calorie during this time and probably stressing myself out. I took a logging break but still ate what I would if I was logging and what do you know I dropped a couple lbs that week. I did this for a couple weeks and I am now back to logging.

    I think i going to take a small break. I find myself stressing as either over cals or over pushing myself to work harder or more excercise

    This is my suggestion, for what it's worth. Take a week or two to just take a deep breath, because it sounds a little like you're panicking :wink: Don't eat the whole barn and lay on the couch but just do what you've been doing without getting on the scale or stressing about if you are being good enough.

    Meanwhile, make sure your stats are correct in MFP and switch your goal to 1 lb per week. Then hop on Amazon or head into Walmart and buy yourself a digital food scale. Commit to using it for one month. Then for that 4 weeks, log everything - every vegetable, beverage, condiment cooking oil. And weigh as much of it as is humanly possible - fruits, veggies, packaged food, nut butters - all of it. Log accurately and consistently for the whole month. This will give you an accurate picture of what and how much you are eating and I bet it will shine a light on what's going on.

    Having said that, take a moment to pat yourself on the back for the weight you already lost, which is awesome, and for the fact that you are still losing weight (slow as it may feel) and are still putting in the effort (which not everyone manages to stick with). Good luck :drinker:
  • ad28517
    ad28517 Posts: 27 Member
    tibbg83 wrote: »
    Well currently i still have about 60 or so to go, but my current goal is 150 and i am 184.2 now. I started at 230 and i am proud of what i have accomplished so far but i feel as if i am working out every single day with less results as i was before. Idk if maybe working out 6 days a week is to much? I hear of friends doing 30 mins a day for 3 days a week and losing more than i do ( if that make sense)

    I started at 196 and am now at 173. I work out 4 times a week for 40 minutes and consume around 1200 calories a day. Seems like we are close to the same size...how many calories are you consuming? Awesome on the water (I suck at that). Maybe try some whole body exercises (as opposed to a bike where you are sitting) or adding resistance, or increasing your speed. Sometimes the body just needs to have the routine shaken up a bit!
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