Frustrated

bskaggs88

I have been actively trying to loose weight since the middle of May. After a couple weeks nothing, so I busted out the MFP app to get serious. In the past 60 days, I have tried 1200, 1400, 1800 calories, IF and eating every three hours. I have lost 5lbs. I do admit, I do not really workout but I have a very active job. I work as an RT in the hospital. 12-14k steps, lifting patients, pushing heavy equipment, def gets the heart going, but again, I do not work out on my days off. I even tried to see a dietician and she told me after 2 weeks, there was nothing she could do for me. I will admit, we did kinda butt heads. She wanted me to have 3 servings of carbs per meal and being celiac and at high risk for diabetes, she assured me to just eat fruit and drink milk.

Back in January, I was 305lbs and was down to 280ish by March. I was following a program called "eat like a bear", basically 1200-1500cal consumed in one meal. So in IF term 23 hrs fasting, 1 hr eating. I fell of the wagon as that is when Covid hit the US and working in healthcare was and still is stressful. I initially Gaines 10lbs but once I cut out the ice coffee, I got to 285. I am currently 280.
I weigh and measure everything I eat. I believe I made everything public. I do not give myself back exercise calories. I do have celiac and earlier this year when my PCP checked my tsh, it was normal. I do get it checked every year as I do have a goiter.

Any advice?

Shortgirlrunning

Weight loss takes patience. Try ONE thing consistently for 60 days and see how you do. Also MFP will tell you how many calories you need for weight loss. There’s no need to jump around so much with your calorie goal.

bskaggs88

MFP states 1800 calories as my goal, which I have been doing the last 2 or 3 weeks, with nothing happening.
I have never had to do something for 60 days before seeing results. Usually 2 weeks is more than enough time for me to see if what tweeks I need to make.

upoffthemat

Hope you find something. That sounds extremely frustrating. At least you aren't gaining and making things worse.

LovelyYogaPants

I wasn’t losing at 1200. I went on 1000 or 1100 that’s the lowest safe number for an adult to consume (I’ve read, and the app will allow). It takes feeling hungry and miserable. Neither I enjoy. I spread my calories out in mini meals and don’t waste them on just anything. Protein keeps you full so use the calories on that. Also homemade veggie soup was amazing and filling!

Shortgirlrunning

You probably have your activity level set too high or aren’t weighing everything then.

I don’t think you need to wait 60 days to see results. But your jumping around a ton and seem to be making this entirely more complicated than it needs to be.

bskaggs88

I already have my activity level set to sedentary. It has been set there this entire time.
As previously stated, I do weigh and measure everything I eat. I am not quite sure what you mean by "making things too complicated". I even reached out for professional help and after 2 weeks, the nutritionist told me I need to see an endocrinologist (which I made an appointment for) and told me something must be wrong with me.

sarahkatzenelson452

Very frustrating! Even if you do have hypothyroidism, caloric deficit will show up in the end as weight loss. I can only suggest adding some exercise and keeping on counting those calories strictly. A certain amount of hunger is unavoidable. Not miserable but yes some hunger.

yirara

How do you measure your food intake? Are you weighing and logging everything, also those ice coffies and other drinks with calories?

88olds

The calculators aren’t infallible. Based on statistics and averages, they are not exact. And no one is exactly average. Add to that, calorie counting is also inexact. So like all human undertakings, there’s a margin for error. And a learning curve.

And a small variation can have a big impact over time. Using the 3500 calorie per lb rule of thumb, eating just an extra 100 calories per day will result in an almost 1 lb gain in a month. Putting on 10 lbs in a year isn’t all that difficult.

But there’s good news. Calorie counting works. We just need to find the number. If 1800 calories is your maintenance number, try 1700 for a few weeks. You should lose about .5lbs. Just keep testing using test periods that are long enough to get a handle on the math.

Now the hard part. Can you live like this? Will your brain leave you alone while you figure out the numbers? Don’t let your brain jump to the conclusion that it’s not working. If you’ve found your maintenance calories at 1800, that’s very valuable information. Don’t let your brain drag you to a different system. If you are using a food scale whenever possible, and tracking everything in good faith, you will find a number that works.

When you have your number again consider can you live with it? If you have a downward trend that you can live with, you have found the sweet spot. Ride that trend. If it quits working adjust. It’s always a matter of solving problems and making our plans better. Trust the process.

Last- don’t let your brain wreck you over the time issue. Read this board much and you’ll see how often that happens. The calendar is not a weight loss tool. Look out for thoughts about “too slow” or “abnormally slow” or “can’t do this that long.” If you have control of the process time will be on your side. Calorie counting works. But it takes persistence. Good luck.