I always get stuck in the 330s... Help?
Replies
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HeliumIsNoble wrote: »CharlieBeansmomTracey wrote: »Do you have an activity tracker?
I kept losing the same 20 pounds, gaining and losing multiple times. I got an activity tracker and realized I was under eating. I upped to 2400 calories (burning 2900 a day) and have been losing a pound a week, slow but steady.
nope if a person isnt losing weight eating more isnt going to cause weight loss,if you are undereating youre still going to lose weight albeit dangerously and with lean mass/muscle being burned as well.
I wonder if what's happening is that at the lower calorie intake they end up reducing their activity level to compensate, without noticing.
usually it is and when they increase calories they increase activity. more food for many means more energy. or they could have ended up with adaptive thermogenesis and eating more reversed it.0 -
This post was written with the extremely slow weight loss that happens when a person is close to goal in mind, but the principle is true for everyone:
https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10662287/the-goal-is-the-process/p1
Make your goal the little things you need to accomplish each day to achieve a calorie deficit and then go about your life and let the weight take care of itself.5 -
BuffyBourbon wrote: »I'm in a similar boat as far as weight & goal rate - something that i've found to be helpful to myself is to look at the calories i need to eat to maintain my current weight and keep it in mind as i go. Right now my goal is 1730, but to maintain my current weight i need to eat about 2350. I've promised myself i will log honestly, and log everything i eat, and know that even if i blow past my 1730 goal for today, if i eat under 2350, i'm still doing SOMETHING toward losing, however slow it may be. I don't know if that will help you, but knowing that number helps me.
I agree with this 100%!4 -
Try something different this time. Keep at it.
A three week stall is not the end of the line (especially if you happen to be a menstruating female, in which case water retention as a result of hormonal fluctuation can mask fat loss in the short term). If you are stalled at the same weight in 2 more weeks, shave a hundred or so calories off your daily intake. The whole calories in/calories out thing works, but one issue that comes up is that both sides of that equation are basically estimates.4 -
🤗 How are you doing today, @emmylootwo? Are you feeling any better? I know it’s hard, but you can do this. Stick with it! Tons of good advice here. The scale has been kind of cranky with me this week, but I’ve decided that given up is not an option.2
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witchaywoman81 wrote: »🤗 How are you doing today, @emmylootwo? Are you feeling any better? I know it’s hard, but you can do this. Stick with it! Tons of good advice here. The scale has been kind of cranky with me this week, but I’ve decided that given up is not an option.
Doing a little better today. I appreciate everyone's kind words of advice. I decided to keep on trying... even though the scale still stays the same today.
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emmylootwo wrote: »witchaywoman81 wrote: »🤗 How are you doing today, @emmylootwo? Are you feeling any better? I know it’s hard, but you can do this. Stick with it! Tons of good advice here. The scale has been kind of cranky with me this week, but I’ve decided that given up is not an option.
Doing a little better today. I appreciate everyone's kind words of advice. I decided to keep on trying... even though the scale still stays the same today.
the scale wont always move, weight fluctuates all the time and sometimes it stays the same. its normal. you wont lose every day it doesnt work that way. some days it may go up due to water retention,waste,that time of the month and so on. you gotta keep going. the body can only burn so much fat at a time. be patient and it will happen trust me. some days my weight is the same,some days its up, sometimes its down. its life and its what happens. you want to look for the downward trend in weight over time. give it a month or two and see if it goes down even if its a little at a time.you should start to see something happening soon.2 -
Having also done this a few times, I sometimes feel like my body wants to settle into "preferred" weights that also coincide with a 3- or 4-week mini-plateau and intense cravings for the things I used to eat a lot more of. Around 330 lbs is one of them for me (5'11" M, s: 416, c: 320). So is 285 lbs and 240 lbs.
The correct answer of course is that if you're in a deficit, you have to lose in the long run, and if you're not losing over the long run, then you're not in a deficit. Make sure you have your calorie target set correctly and you're logging your food and activity accurately.
But how long is the "long run?" I recently was stuck at 332 lbs from 12/10 to 1/6. Then in consecutive weeks I dropped to 326 lbs and 320 lbs. Of course, I didn't really lose 12 pounds in two weeks (as far as meaningful body mass is concerned), and aside from a couple of Christmas cheat days, I wasn't greatly out of whack with my target calories. It's almost like my body was stubbornly hanging onto everything it could while shouting "Hey man, feed me!" And then finally gave up fighting.
I also feel like the psychological aspects of trying to lose a lot of weight are often greatly underappreciated. Being in a prolonged deficit sucks. I've been in one for six months, and I have maybe 15-20 more in front of me. I'm always at least a little tired and sore and resentful. Seeing the numbers on the scale go down and my clothes fitting more loosely is a "reward" for something that doesn't really make me feel better in and of itself. When I'm not being rewarded, it's like, "This sucks. What am I doing this for?"
At times like those you have to find whatever motivates you to keep going, and -- to borrow a term currently popular in the world of pro sports -- trust the process. There are many things in life where the payoff for your effort is uncertain. This is not one of those things. Make an effort to do the things you need to do to lose weight, and you will lose it, whether you see the payoff today or tomorrow or a month from now.
Good luck.10 -
emmylootwo wrote: »witchaywoman81 wrote: »🤗 How are you doing today, @emmylootwo? Are you feeling any better? I know it’s hard, but you can do this. Stick with it! Tons of good advice here. The scale has been kind of cranky with me this week, but I’ve decided that given up is not an option.
Doing a little better today. I appreciate everyone's kind words of advice. I decided to keep on trying... even though the scale still stays the same today.
That sucks. Mine is showing that I gained 2.4lbs this week and it sucks too. I was kind of expecting my weight to fluctuate up and I know without a doubt it is water retention but it would make everything so much easier if this didn't happen for anyone. I definitely lost ~2lbs of fat this week and it will certainly show up on the scale but usually I have to wait for 3 weeks to finally see it. My wife usually has to wait even longer.
Please try and remember that stress can increase water retention and I believe that can include the stress over the scale.7 -
Just hold on a bit longer. My weight loss comes in one week out of every month so I guess it’s hormonal. Then the rest of the month I have to struggle to keep the motivation to keep the scales at the same weight. It’s worth it if you can just wait. I also usually have one very hungry day during that time where I just eat a bit more but don’t go overboard.3
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Hang in there @emmylootwo. I decided to ignore the scale for about three months. It was depressing to look at. One evening, I was headed to a party and went to put my favorite jeans on (the ones that I loved, but that had been too small to look good) They were so big, I was able to pull them down over my hips without unbuttoning them. Literally. It had been about 14 weeks since I started tracking. I had no idea what my weight was, but holy cow. That was way more gratifying than seeing a number.
Incidentally, I have since taken on fitness goals (nothing like powerlifting competitions or anything, just being fit enough to do what I want to do, when I want to do it). My weight says it's 10 pounds higher than my lowest, but someone at work this morning told me how "thin" I look. Hmm, nope. But strong. I'm hitting my workouts consistently, and it's paying off. I'm not sure what to make of the scale. There's still fat to lose, but my clothes fit well, I can do what I want physically, my workouts are good, what more is there? (Well, getting rid of that extra fat...)
You can do this. Keep coming back here. People will encourage you. Put the work in. Reevaluate in 6 months or a year. The time will pass anyway.5 -
Thanks everyone. I really appreciate the encouragement!
I've decided not to do daily weigh-ins anymore. I thought I could handle it -- especially with the help of a weight trend program -- but I can't. It is absolutely driving me nuts.
Clearly, I'm doing something right despite what the scale currently says because I have lost 13 lbs in a month! I'll come back on 2/6 and check in with you guys. If the scale still hasn't moved by then, I might need some more advice...18 -
Make sure your scale has fresh batteries in it.
Mine will continue to give the same weight day after day when it needs a new battery - and I know it's not possible to keep weighing the same every day regardless of what else I'm doing.3 -
emmylootwo wrote: »Thanks everyone. I really appreciate the encouragement!
I've decided not to do daily weigh-ins anymore. I thought I could handle it -- especially with the help of a weight trend program -- but I can't. It is absolutely driving me nuts.
Clearly, I'm doing something right despite what the scale currently says because I have lost 13 lbs in a month! I'll come back on 2/6 and check in with you guys. If the scale still hasn't moved by then, I might need some more advice...
I think it's like was previously mentioned... if it's only been a month, you dropped a lot of water weight initially that has been masking your ongoing fat loss the last couple of weeks. It will even out soon... hang in there!1 -
Hang in there and flex those patience muscles. Would you expect to gain knowledge in a matter of weeks? Or would you expect this to take months and years? Why would weight be any different?
Your weight is an output of behavior and behavior doesn't change overnight, but man is it worth it.6 -
girlwithcurls2 wrote: »Hang in there @emmylootwo. I decided to ignore the scale for about three months. It was depressing to look at. One evening, I was headed to a party and went to put my favorite jeans on (the ones that I loved, but that had been too small to look good) They were so big, I was able to pull them down over my hips without unbuttoning them. Literally. It had been about 14 weeks since I started tracking. I had no idea what my weight was, but holy cow. That was way more gratifying than seeing a number.
Incidentally, I have since taken on fitness goals (nothing like powerlifting competitions or anything, just being fit enough to do what I want to do, when I want to do it). My weight says it's 10 pounds higher than my lowest, but someone at work this morning told me how "thin" I look. Hmm, nope. But strong. I'm hitting my workouts consistently, and it's paying off. I'm not sure what to make of the scale. There's still fat to lose, but my clothes fit well, I can do what I want physically, my workouts are good, what more is there? (Well, getting rid of that extra fat...)
You can do this. Keep coming back here. People will encourage you. Put the work in. Reevaluate in 6 months or a year. The time will pass anyway.
if the scale has went up and you are working out more its water retention because your muscles hold onto water to repair themselves. and increase in exercise will cause water retention as well.
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That's true! Why do I remember this when other people ask, but forget it for myself?? Thanks, @CharlieBeansmomTracey ! And they are working hard, getting rest, and getting repaired1
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girlwithcurls2 wrote: »That's true! Why do I remember this when other people ask, but forget it for myself?? Thanks, @CharlieBeansmomTracey ! And they are working hard, getting rest, and getting repaired
youre welcome. I mean it is discouraging to say the least lol but at least we know that its needed !0 -
emmylootwo wrote: »Thanks everyone. I really appreciate the encouragement!
I've decided not to do daily weigh-ins anymore. I thought I could handle it -- especially with the help of a weight trend program -- but I can't. It is absolutely driving me nuts.
Clearly, I'm doing something right despite what the scale currently says because I have lost 13 lbs in a month! I'll come back on 2/6 and check in with you guys. If the scale still hasn't moved by then, I might need some more advice...
I think this is a good idea. Stick with it and give the scale a break for a bit.1 -
@emmylootwo I also think you've made a sensible choice to stop weighing yourself daily, at least for the moment. For a long time I was checking weekly but, like others have mentioned, realising that my clothes were looser was a much bigger boost. I only check my weight once every couple of weeks now. I also have a good idea as to what my maintenance calories are so that, on days when every number on my MFP page is red, I can at least ensure I should still be losing a little bit.
You've lost 13lbs, which you can rightly be proud of yourself for doing, so you're doing the right things - keep at it and concentrate on logging / weighing all your food and drink.1 -
Running2Fit wrote: »Weight loss is a long journey. It’s a marathon, not a sprint. You know why you keep getting stuck, you keep giving up when the weight loss slows. But if you keep giving up it takes even longer! You just have to keep going and the weight will come off.
I used to always get “stuck” at the same number too. I’d stick with it while the weight loss seemed easy/fast and as soon as it slowed, I’d get frustrated and quit. Then in a couple months I’d be back where I started and I’d be starting over. But last year it finally clicked for me that if I just kept with it, I wouldn’t have to keep starting over. Yeah, maybe I’d be stuck at one number for awhile but at least I wouldn’t be right back at square one and of course I never really got stuck because when I stuck with it - through weeks with no loss or even weeks with a gain - the overall trend was down. I’m now at a weight I haven’t been at since college (10 years ago!).
It takes patience but you will get where you want to be if you keep at it.
This needs to be posted in every gym in America.1 -
cmriverside wrote: »Make sure your scale has fresh batteries in it.
Mine will continue to give the same weight day after day when it needs a new battery - and I know it's not possible to keep weighing the same every day regardless of what else I'm doing.
I discovered the same thing. Couldn’t figure out why it seemed “stuck” at the same weight, despite my analog scale showing steady decreases. Then my battery suddenly died. Got on a balance scale at my gym, and it showed the identical weight to my analog.
I now use just an analog and the gym scale. They match, so that’s enough precision and accuracy for me. I don’t need to know my weight to the .2 if it’s just going to fail randomly.1 -
collectingblues wrote: »cmriverside wrote: »Make sure your scale has fresh batteries in it.
Mine will continue to give the same weight day after day when it needs a new battery - and I know it's not possible to keep weighing the same every day regardless of what else I'm doing.
I discovered the same thing. Couldn’t figure out why it seemed “stuck” at the same weight, despite my analog scale showing steady decreases. Then my battery suddenly died. Got on a balance scale at my gym, and it showed the identical weight to my analog.
I now use just an analog and the gym scale. They match, so that’s enough precision and accuracy for me. I don’t need to know my weight to the .2 if it’s just going to fail randomly.
And the bad news is that it doesn't accurately reflect weight gains when they are happening either.
I had to lose a few extra pounds one time when I just kept eating for a month during one of the malfunctions/low battery times.1 -
emmylootwo wrote: »What am I doing wrong?
You are expecting rapid gratification. That's wrong.
Weigh your food honestly. That's right.
Log your food honestly. That's right.
Log your exercise honestly. That's right.
Maintain a calorie deficit, adjusting your mfp user profile as your weight declines. The calorie budget to lose weight from 350 lb is different from that to lose weight at 330.
Be patient. This takes the rest of your life.7 -
Another thing to remember. Not GAINING weight is a victory! Staying the course during plateau phases - it is rough - but we must celebrate the fact that we are not gaining as we might have been prior to this lifestyle change.
Also, try a significant increase in water intake. The cleanse, full feeling and very basic “reset” (even if only in my head) always seems to help.
Take one day, one meal, one bite at a time!3 -
As Dr. Now says - if you’re not losing, you’re gaining so you have to decide which way to go.0
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I was thinking in bed last night, just how long this is taking and how long the road ahead of me is still, then I thought of this quote I had heard before:
“Never give up on a dream just because of the time it will take to accomplish it. The time will pass anyway.”
― Earl Nightingale
A year from now 12 months will have passed, whether I reach my goals are not. I'd rather use that time making changes then waiting for regrets2 -
Crafty_camper123 wrote: »One thing that kept me going this go around: Think about where you could be a year from now if you don't give up today. Would you rather look back a year from now and think " I should probably start up again" or would you rather look back and think "Wow, look how far I came?"
Think about this. If you stick with the process <---(Key words here) What is the worst that could happen in a year's time? What if you lose less then what you were going for? It's still MORE then what it would be if you stop now. It's still progress. It still gets you one step closer to where you want to be. Chances are you'll lose more then you think if you just stick with it. Within 1 year, You'll mess up. You'll want to quit. You'll get frustrated. This is all normal and happens to us all. BUT You'll also continue to learn what works for you. You'll learn what doesn't work too. You'll adapt. You'll evolve. If anything a year from now you'll have gained a knowledge base you didn't have before if you stopped now. All which adds progress to your goal.
Another quote that keeps me going:
Perfection is the enemy of Progress
So the scale is being a jerk this week? Focus on the other areas you are making progress. The Non-Scale victories. (A thread I HIGHLY reccomend checking out BTW) Counting your calories (even after a big meal), meeting your calorie goal, Getting in your workouts, these are all things within your immediate control that you can continue to work on even if the scale is not moving at the moment.
Best of luck. You've got this! :flowerforyou:
GREAT post! Weight loss is so slow, and my scale rarely shows progress. Now to keep myself motivated I write down every change in my body that I see or feel and when I get discouraged I refer to that list to assure myself that they ARE hard fought victories I have won already...even if they are small.
Some examples from my list:
My jawbone is starting to feel boney
My thighs: I used to have to stand a yardstick apart for my thighs not to touch, now it's just about 18 inches (now 4 inches as of 1/2019)
Can now feel my skull again at my temples
Can feel my butt bones
Can now feel my entire ribcage outline, back and front. I used to not feel my ribs, they were hidden in fat
My "Neck hump" of fat is gone from my neck/shoulders
I can now cross my legs again2
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