HELP! I'm stuck :(

smantha32

anniecate747 wrote: »

Thanks Philly and need2move... I just need some encouragement... I don't want to starve myself. I feel like I am already eating the right amount, and don't always even reach the 1300 calorie mark, especially since the elliptical adds at least 400 calories for 40 minutes, sometimes a bit more depending on how hard I go. Shulerjs, maybe you are right about my body getting used to the "new" me... I have just started doing more exercise. Is it possible that I am just gaining muscle mass??? So frustrated...

No, you can't gain muscle on a deficit. It's probably water retention and your body adjusting to the changes.

25agirard

I would add weights or try something different! Take a class you've wanted to try (kickboxing or something?) just to change it up and keep your body guessing.

tbright1965

tinak33 wrote: »

Start taking measurements.
You might be seeing a different number go down instead of the scale number.

I was going to say the same. If you are trading fat for muscle, your overall weight value may stay the same, while your body fat is dropping and your lean muscle mass is rising.

The scale is just one of many numbers. Muscle is more dense than fat, so you could be losing inches of fat while adding lean muscle mass. On average, muscle is 1.06g/ml volume. Fat is 0.9g/ml volume. This means muscle is 18% more dense than fat.

You will see this change in the loss of inches such as waist, belly, etc. Weight can stay the same while you burn fat and build lean muscle.

Check what has been suggested AND start taking additional measurements.

anniecate747

Thanks for all of these suggestions.. will get a food scale today. I have been using measuring tools, but maybe time to take a step further. How do I open my food diary? I am 37, (not that I'm using that an excuse), but could age be a factor? I am fitting into size 8 jeans and dresses, so I'm already down 3 clothing sizes. Maybe I should just be happy where I am? I just find it so confusing. I am definitely NOT eating back all of the calories I burn. If anything, at the end of the day, it usually says I have 300 or 400 calories left, so I don't think that is the problem, even if it is overestimation... it is a Schwinn eliptical that I have in my home. I don't really have access to weights, and am really not interested in joining a gym. I don't like exercising around other people. Maybe this is just where I am and I have to accept that...?

diannethegeek

You can open your diary by going to Settings > Diary Settings > and then choose Public.

As we get smaller our bodies need less food to maintain our weight, so if you've lost weight but haven't made any changes to your food plan then it might be time to do so. You can't keep eating at the same levels and expect the same rate of loss.

If you're interested in doing some strength training without a gym, you might check out You Are Your Own Gym or Convict Conditioning. Both are good routines that just use your body weight instead of gym weights.

kimny72

anniecate747 wrote: »

Thanks for all of these suggestions.. will get a food scale today. I have been using measuring tools, but maybe time to take a step further. How do I open my food diary? I am 37, (not that I'm using that an excuse), but could age be a factor? I am fitting into size 8 jeans and dresses, so I'm already down 3 clothing sizes. Maybe I should just be happy where I am? I just find it so confusing. I am definitely NOT eating back all of the calories I burn. If anything, at the end of the day, it usually says I have 300 or 400 calories left, so I don't think that is the problem, even if it is overestimation... it is a Schwinn eliptical that I have in my home. I don't really have access to weights, and am really not interested in joining a gym. I don't like exercising around other people. Maybe this is just where I am and I have to accept that...?

Before you make any decisions, get the food scale and make sure your calories are on point.
Water weight is just a fact of life, for women especially. It's not something you have to do anything about, just something you have to learn how to see past.
Your goal weight is perfectly acceptable, no reason to "settle" if you don't want to. But ultimately we all have to decide how much precision and thought each additional 5 lbs is worth to us. I have been using a food scale for years now and I find that level of effort acceptable in order to maintain my weight. Others might make a different choice. Be patient and good luck

try2again

anniecate747 wrote: »

Ok, well I read that chart. Not seeing anything helpful. I still feel sad and terrible.

Why did you brush off the chart if you were not, in fact, using a food scale? That's probably the single biggest point on the chart

LivingtheLeanDream

anniecate747 wrote: »

what chart? Would love to see! I have definitely been exercising every day for the past 27 days. I was not doing that before... was only doing about 3 days a week. I just really wanted to kick it up a notch. I will say, I do feel like I look better, and people have really noticed a difference, but I just hate that the scale is not budging... I am not a daily weigher... should I be? I am not on any meds currently that cause weight gain. I did just end my cycle two days ago, so could be retaining water from that still? I just don't know... I'm so sad right now

There you go then, that's your most likely answer! Your body is holding on to water for muscle repair. This can affect the scales for a few weeks. Plus you need one rest day at least. Over working your body won't help either.

anniecate747

I think the food scale is not going to make all that huge of a difference. Most of the foods I eat are portioned by cup or have EXACT calories per slice/piece. (cooked quinoa), black beans, non fat greek yogurt, frozen blueberries, wheat bread. When I do eat meats, which is not a lot, they come with weight already on the cut. Salmon, for example, will say on the package at the store where I buy it, how many ounces it is. This is the same with the very small baked chicken strips I eat twice a week (Springer organic). It tells you how many calories per serving. There are VERY few things (none that come to mind) that I eat that don't already tell me exactly how many calories are in them. This is why a food scale seems assinine to me right now. Sorry if that is upsetting, but these foods have become normal to me and I don't see what, other than exercise, has changed. Thanks though.

anniecate747

Thanks, LivingtheLeandream... I think that might be what it is also, seeing as to how I have recently upped my exercise so much. That is what I am reading in several online articles.. I think you are right... How many weeks do you think this will last?

try2again

anniecate747 wrote: »

I think the food scale is not going to make all that huge of a difference. Most of the foods I eat are portioned by cup or have EXACT calories per slice/piece. (cooked quinoa), black beans, non fat greek yogurt, frozen blueberries, wheat bread. When I do eat meats, which is not a lot, they come with weight already on the cut. Salmon, for example, will say on the package at the store where I buy it, how many ounces it is. This is the same with the very small baked chicken strips I eat twice a week (Springer organic). It tells you how many calories per serving. There are VERY few things (none that come to mind) that I eat that don't already tell me exactly how many calories are in them. This is why a food scale seems assinine to me right now. Sorry if that is upsetting, but these foods have become normal to me and I don't see what, other than exercise, has changed. Thanks though.

Food labels are allowed to be off 20% by law. I'm guessing the beans & quinoa are going to be eye-opening. That being said, I really do think it's a combination of factors at work here, but the biggest issue may be that you just need to understand & become more accustomed to weight fluctuations.

diannethegeek

I'll just drop these videos here and see myself out if we're just going to ignore that labeling laws allow those serving sizes on packages to be off by, what? 20%? The nutrition information is based on the weight given on the nutrition label. The cups/spoons measurements added is just a nearest approximation for home cooks who don't use scales.

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

https://youtu.be/vjKPIcI51lU

http://youtube.com/watch?v=XpHykP6e_Uk

kimny72

anniecate747 wrote: »

I think the food scale is not going to make all that huge of a difference. Most of the foods I eat are portioned by cup or have EXACT calories per slice/piece. (cooked quinoa), black beans, non fat greek yogurt, frozen blueberries, wheat bread. When I do eat meats, which is not a lot, they come with weight already on the cut. Salmon, for example, will say on the package at the store where I buy it, how many ounces it is. This is the same with the very small baked chicken strips I eat twice a week (Springer organic). It tells you how many calories per serving. There are VERY few things (none that come to mind) that I eat that don't already tell me exactly how many calories are in them. This is why a food scale seems assinine to me right now. Sorry if that is upsetting, but these foods have become normal to me and I don't see what, other than exercise, has changed. Thanks though.

The food scale will be an eye opener for you if you have been assuming that the info on the label is "exact".

The grams on the label are basically accurate for the number of calories. How many cups/slices/strips are equivalent to the weight is estimated and often WAY off.

For example, lets say the package says there are 4 strips in a serving, a serving is 50g and 100 cals. It's likely when you put those 4 strips on the scale, they won't actually weigh 50g, which means they aren't 100 cals.

anniecate747

Ok, I will get one, but I still don't think it will be that huge of a difference considering how little I am eating of these things. I am fairly certain it is retention of water from increase of exercise... here's hoping...

anniecate747

I will get a food scale today though!

DomesticKat

What do you have to lose by trying a food scale except, if your measuring is off, more weight? I was resistant for years about using a food scale. I spun my wheels for 7 years and insisted it was everything else except my portion sizes and calories. I only took off a little weight on my own,
mostly by trying to cardio it away every day. Then I relented, bought that food scale, and lost 70 pounds. So I say give the food scale a try if what you're doing isn't working anymore.

YvetteK2015

anniecate747 wrote: »

I think the food scale is not going to make all that huge of a difference. Most of the foods I eat are portioned by cup or have EXACT calories per slice/piece. (cooked quinoa), black beans, non fat greek yogurt, frozen blueberries, wheat bread. When I do eat meats, which is not a lot, they come with weight already on the cut. Salmon, for example, will say on the package at the store where I buy it, how many ounces it is. This is the same with the very small baked chicken strips I eat twice a week (Springer organic). It tells you how many calories per serving. There are VERY few things (none that come to mind) that I eat that don't already tell me exactly how many calories are in them. This is why a food scale seems assinine to me right now. Sorry if that is upsetting, but these foods have become normal to me and I don't see what, other than exercise, has changed. Thanks though.

You have to measure even the things that are packaged. I'll just give you an example. I had bought a package of rolls one time. The package said they were 85 grams. I could have assumed they were and logged that. But I threw it on the scale and the roll was 165g!!!! It was like 120 calories more that was it said it was. Never ever assume that just because a label says something is supposed to weigh this much so it has this many calories means that is a true statement. You cannot know that until you put it on a food scale and weigh it for yourself.

ETA: These were bakery rolls, so that's why they were more than 20% off, but the example still applies

tbright1965

One other thing to consider is how you are getting your calories.

If you are getting the bulk of your calories from carbohydrates, for every gram of glucose your body stores, it also stores 3-4g of water.

You said you are consuming 1300 calories/day. At an extreme, if you were getting all of those calories from carbs, that's 325g/day of carbohydrates.

I'm not suggesting a low-carb keto diet. I am on a carb limited diet to see if I can avoid/mitigate Type 2 diabetes. I'm allowed 2250 calories/day, I don't eat into my exercise calories, and my dietitian has me on 225g/day of carbs, making up 40% of my caloric intake. The other 60% is split between fats and protein.

You may want to look at your macros and see HOW you are getting your calories.

You have to be in a carb deficit if you want your body to start burning any fat.

I do know last week was a carb heavy week for me. (My Blood Glucose readings will attest to that.) Even though I maintained a calorie deficit, I gained 5 pounds. I certainly didn't consume 17500 more calories than I burned over the course of the week.

I'm guessing water, because I was consuming more carbohydrates. My blood glucose, prior to spring break, had been running below 110mg/dL. I was in the 120mg/dL after a weekend in San Antonio. It dropped on Tues-Thurs when I was back home and them back up when I spent a weekend in Memphis. Too many (spelled 3) beers on Beale Street Friday night, and similar on Saturday night.

Back to the gym and bike this week. Less beer and potatoes and more green veggies and workouts.

Half the 5 pounds is gone, likely due to getting rid of the extra glucose I packed into my system over the two weekends and more workouts.

Point being, it's not just calories, but how you get them that will affect your weight. Please note, I'm not saying anything about the fat in my body. I could have lost fat, but stored a pound or two of water as I added 1/4 pound of glucose to my system. The body is able to store about 500g (over 1 pound) of glucose in the form of glycogen in your muscles.

If you deplete that, if I understand correctly, you will also lose the associated 3-4g of water with every gram of glucose not stored.

This is why ketogenic diets can see sudden weight loss and drastic gains when going off the plan. Putting that sugar back in your body calls for the associated water and the weight associated with the combination.

drea2011

I’m plateauing too...I’ll eat less

hannahfpoole6952

It could be that your body is so ised to you eating the same foods everyday. For awhile it would work but after a long time your body needs change so maybe try switching up your food choices.