REALLY need some advice :/

erulasse

So, I don't know where to start;
Initially, MFP set my goal to around 1,700 and in the first 6 months, I lost a good deal of weight... Yay! :bigsmile:

Then it stopped, for a longg time, so I lowered it to 1,500.. Still nothing...
I'm now on 1,270 a day and I'm hungry. A lot.
It's only been a little while at this new lower number, but it doesn't seem to be making much difference and I've been hovering around the same 4lbs since June.

I'm 99% sure that I'm totally accurate with my calorie counting, but even if I was out, I'd have to be out by a helluva lot for 1,270 (or even 1,500) to not be working. I'd get it if I was near my goal, but I'm still a good 100lbs overweight!
I know I'm not a snowflake and it's probably something I'm doing wrong, I just can' figure out what it is!

I don't eat the healthiest foods perhaps, but I always stick to my calories, if I go over one day, I'll make up for it the next day.
I know the scale isn't the only factor, but at this size and weight, you'd think it'd at least be moving in the right direction :ohwell:

McGruber03

I think that everyone goes through a plateau. It's so hard, mentally, when you do everything right and nothing is happening. My advice is to just power through it. Keep counting calories and keep excercising. Eventually, you'll break through the plateau. That's been my experience. I do think that being overly hungry can sabatoge your goals though. Good luck!

beachlover317

(sensible deficit + exercise you love) x patience = success.

This is the only way. Go back to your original plan (that was working!) and be patient. You will start to lose again. I have had many weeks like that over the last 16 months. I just kept with the plan and did start losing again. Good luck!

eblakes93

Hey! Can you give us some info like height, weight, age, and open your diary? People will be able to give you much better advice then.

jeffpettis

Are you logging exercise calories at all? If so try not logging them at all for a couple of weeks and see what happens. I have seen this happen quite a few times. Most people overestimate calories burned. MFP overestimates calories burned as well.

erulasse

Hey! Can you give us some info like height, weight, age, and open your diary? People will be able to give you much better advice then.

Yeah, sure, sorry... I'm 5'5, 232lbs and 22 years old. Diary opened now.

(I've not logged for the past two days, due to frustration, which is why I've needed to ask for help)

erulasse

I only ever eat back about half my exercise calories anyway, as exercise is difficult for me and I don't do it as often as I'd like.

jonnythan

What good is a 1270 calorie goal when you don't log your food consistently? I see 2-3 weeks of mostly consistent logging, then a missing day here or there, then another few days, then nothing for the past week or so.

Also, do you weigh the stuff you do log? I see a lot of stuff like a "teaspoon" of butter or exactly 1 serving (150 grams) of pork, exactly 1 serving (50 grams) of stuffing, etc.

jeffpettis

What good is a 1270 calorie goal when you don't log your food consistently? I see 2-3 weeks of mostly consistent logging, then a missing day here or there, then another few days, then nothing for the past week or so.

^^^^This^^^^

I noticed this as well. How do you know you are in a deficit if you are not logging everything?

erulasse

As I said, I have been off the wagon for a while due to being totally demotivated... Any missing days before that, I just haven't eaten on that day.

I measure/weigh everything, to as exact as I can make it, (my OCD means it has to be at an exact number) if it is somehow mis-weighed, it could only be by a tiny margin.

This 'plateu' has been since June, not a few weeks. Unless I'm somehow consistently miscalculating by a couple of hundred, for the past 3 months, I don't understand what's going on.

FlaxMilk

Why are there days where don't eat at all?

Take a week off and eat at maintenance. Get back in the game mentally and physically after that by following the deficit that MFP recommends.

Koldnomore

So, I don't know where to start;
Initially, MFP set my goal to around 1,700 and in the first 6 months, I lost a good deal of weight... Yay! :bigsmile:

Then it stopped, for a longg time, so I lowered it to 1,500.. Still nothing...
I'm now on 1,270 a day and I'm hungry. A lot.

I started out where you are at and was netting 1800. You are younger and an inch shorter. 1700 PLUS exercise should work but as jonnythan pointed out, you need to be consistent and get a scale. If you want to try not eating back excercise or only eating back some that would be fine also but I would caution against going any lower than 1700 honestly. With 100 lbs to go something is definitely off - I doubt it's your calorie goal.

Jump back on the bus and make a real effort, spend the 10 bucks and buy a scale. There’s a great you tube video on the differences between weighing and measuring food here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JVjWPclrWVY and also read this: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/872212-you-re-probably-eating-more-than-you-think

You CAN do this, but it is going to require work.

Stage14

As I said, I have been off the wagon for a while due to being totally demotivated... Any missing days before that, I just haven't eaten on that day.

I measure/weigh everything, to as exact as I can make it, (my OCD means it has to be at an exact number) if it is somehow mis-weighed, it could only be by a tiny margin.

This 'plateu' has been since June, not a few weeks. Unless I'm somehow consistently miscalculating by a couple of hundred, for the past 3 months, I don't understand what's going on.

If your eating has been as sporadic as your logging (by eating at all on some days, for example), that may well be part of your problem. Anytime you change your eating, it takes a few weeks for your body to adjust and relearn what kind of fuel it can count on, so to speak. If you hit your plateau in June, lowered your calories after that, and then started eating sporadically due to frustration, your body may be holding on to what it has because it is unsure of how much fuel it will get tomorrow.

Weight loss slows the closer you get towards your goal. I'd personally recommend logging and eating consistently for a month, and see if that doesn't help.

Stage14

As I said, I have been off the wagon for a while due to being totally demotivated... Any missing days before that, I just haven't eaten on that day.

I measure/weigh everything, to as exact as I can make it, (my OCD means it has to be at an exact number) if it is somehow mis-weighed, it could only be by a tiny margin.

This 'plateu' has been since June, not a few weeks. Unless I'm somehow consistently miscalculating by a couple of hundred, for the past 3 months, I don't understand what's going on.

If your eating has been as sporadic as your logging (by eating at all on some days, for example), that may well be part of your problem. Anytime you change your eating, it takes a few weeks for your body to adjust and relearn what kind of fuel it can count on, so to speak. If you hit your plateau in June, lowered your calories after that, and then started eating sporadically due to frustration, your body may be holding on to what it has because it is unsure of how much fuel it will get tomorrow.

Weight loss slows the closer you get towards your goal. I'd personally recommend logging and eating consistently for a month, and see if that doesn't help.

luckydays27

As contradictory as it may sound, you need to eat more. 1270 is not enough, and by your own admission, you havve days when you eat little to nothing. That is not how to make your machine (body) work,

You need to eat more, probably at least 1800-2000 cal EVERYDAY to lose weight.

I use the number that MFP gives me at a 1 lb a week weight loss (comes out really close to my TDEE-20%) and eat back most if not all my exercise cals every day. Comes out to around 1700-2000 cals a day depending on my fitness levels. I eat any food I want also just 500 cals less than I burn that day.

And I have lost 1 lb a week since doing this. It really does work.

Eat your food (and log it), exercise at a moderate level, and watch the weight slip away into nothing.

jonnythan

As I said, I have been off the wagon for a while due to being totally demotivated... Any missing days before that, I just haven't eaten on that day.

You didn't eat for the entire month of June and first week of August?

erulasse

As I said, I have been off the wagon for a while due to being totally demotivated... Any missing days before that, I just haven't eaten on that day.

You didn't eat for the entire month of July and first week of August?

Not really sure what you're talking about, there are logs all throughout July :huh: It's only recently, I've not been as up on it. There are no excuses, just getting extremely depressed with eating next to nothing and seeing no results.



But thanks so much, guys, I think I'ma try putting the calories back up and seeing if that helps. I just needed some advice before I totally gave up on it all. You lot are awesome! :flowerforyou:

FaitheSoler

This is what I do if I was in your position.
Go back to your calorie goal. It was working and I believe it will again. Start logging everything again so you can see what is going on.
I see there is time you do not eat breakfast. I am not a breakfast person either but I always eat something. Do not miss a day of eating that is no good for your body it needs fuel to burn fat. Also watch your sodium levels. Try to add more healthy foods and one treat a day. Some days you have two pudding cups I would only do one. Everything needs to be in moderation. You do not need to cut everything out but you got to limit your unhealthy foods.
Print out a month chart or buy a calender write what exercise you will be doing. Make rest days on a day you got a lot of things to do. Try to do 3 days of cardio and 3 days of strength training. Do not over do your self make goals that fit your body. Once more weight comes off and you start building muscles you will be able to do more. I give your self 30 minutes a day of some kind of exercise.
As I said this is what I would do if I was you. I know how hard it is and it does take time to reach goals, but if you do this as a life changing plan and not just a diet you will feel more better about your self and get to do anything you want.
You are young by doing this you should see 2 or 3 lbs a week come off. Give your body time to adjust to your new way.

MinnieInMaine

I would recommend going back to eating 1700. 1270 is way too low for you. As you are finding out by experience, eating far too little can be as detrimental to weight loss (and health) as eating too much. I plugged your numbers into Scooby's workshop (link below) and even at your next goal weight of 200, your BMR would be 1721 so that right there shows you're eating far too little. If you don't know, BMR is your basal metbolic rate - that's the number of calories your body needs just for basic function like blood circulation, digestion, etc, as if you were in a coma.

http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/

I personally have been having some success with setting my daily calories at my goal BMR and then eating back exercise calories. I use an HRM for exercise calories so it's fairly accurate but even if you go by MFP numbers, try to eat back at least half of what you earn.

Try not to be too obsessive about the numbers. Overeating one day doesn't mean you starve yourself the next day. You still need to eat, just try to eat lighter on those days. If you go over or under by 100 or so, it's not that big of a deal in the long run.

Take care of your body by fueling it properly and it will reward you with progress.

FaitheSoler

This is what I do if I was in your position.
Go back to your calorie goal. It was working and I believe it will again. Start logging everything again so you can see what is going on.
I see there is time you do not eat breakfast. I am not a breakfast person either but I always eat something. Do not miss a day of eating that is no good for your body it needs fuel to burn fat. Also watch your sodium levels. Try to add more healthy foods and one treat a day. Some days you have two pudding cups I would only do one. Everything needs to be in moderation. You do not need to cut everything out but you got to limit your unhealthy foods.
Print out a month chart or buy a calender write what exercise you will be doing. Make rest days on a day you got a lot of things to do. Try to do 3 days of cardio and 3 days of strength training. Do not over do your self make goals that fit your body. Once more weight comes off and you start building muscles you will be able to do more. I give your self 30 minutes a day of some kind of exercise.
As I said this is what I would do if I was you. I know how hard it is and it does take time to reach goals, but if you do this as a life changing plan and not just a diet you will feel more better about your self and get to do anything you want.
You are young by doing this you should see 2 or 3 lbs a week come off. Give your body time to adjust to your new way.

FaitheSoler

This is what I do if I was in your position.
Go back to your calorie goal. It was working and I believe it will again. Start logging everything again so you can see what is going on.
I see there is time you do not eat breakfast. I am not a breakfast person either but I always eat something. Do not miss a day of eating that is no good for your body it needs fuel to burn fat. Also watch your sodium levels. Try to add more healthy foods and one treat a day. Some days you have two pudding cups I would only do one. Everything needs to be in moderation. You do not need to cut everything out but you got to limit your unhealthy foods.
Print out a month chart or buy a calender write what exercise you will be doing. Make rest days on a day you got a lot of things to do. Try to do 3 days of cardio and 3 days of strength training. Do not over do your self make goals that fit your body. Once more weight comes off and you start building muscles you will be able to do more. I give your self 30 minutes a day of some kind of exercise.
As I said this is what I would do if I was you. I know how hard it is and it does take time to reach goals, but if you do this as a life changing plan and not just a diet you will feel more better about your self and get to do anything you want.
You are young by doing this you should see 2 or 3 lbs a week come off. Give your body time to adjust to your new way.

jonnythan

As I said, I have been off the wagon for a while due to being totally demotivated... Any missing days before that, I just haven't eaten on that day.

You didn't eat for the entire month of July and first week of August?

Not really sure what you're talking about, there are logs all throughout July :huh: It's only recently, I've not been as up on it. There are no excuses, just getting extremely depressed with eating next to nothing and seeing no results.



But thanks so much, guys, I think I'ma try putting the calories back up and seeing if that helps. I just needed some advice before I totally gave up on it all. You lot are awesome! :flowerforyou:

I meant June. I corrected it.

You're not logging very consistently.

What was your weight at the beginning of July? What about the end? What about now?

LilRiver

Like the others have mentioned: log log log. I don't mean to be a jerk about it and jump on you/the bandwagon, but the act of logging can be both informative and inspiring. I've had days, weeks, and even months where I stopped logging for whatever reason (occasionally frustration). And, not surprisingly, I stopped seeing results & feeling motivated.

All bodies are different, yada yada, but when I was your weight (and I'm only 5'3), I was aiming for at least 1400 calories and wasn't upset if I would hit 1800. (my exercise at the time was solely walking, usually 2-3 miles a day). I really think, especially since you're feeling so hungry, that you should try eating a bit more.

The "eat more!" crowd always annoyed me. But, I guess I've reached the stage where I'm joining in their chorus. Sigh. One of them. One of them. (I'm now ~50 lbs lighter and aiming for 1700 and not upset if I hit 2000. And I'm losing.)

erulasse

What was your weight at the beginning of July? What about the end? What about now?

232lbs
232lbs
232lbs

I did not put on any weight during the time I didn't log, as I wasn't going overboard, I was just on holiday (certainly wasn't the entire month) and since then I've not gained nor lost. This is my point. I'd understand if I've put on weight this week as I've just said 'eff it' and eaten like a fat kid at a buffet. But when I'm eating so little at such a heavy weight, it didn't make sense to me...

HOWEVER, everyone else has been really helpful and there seems to be a general consensus that I should eat more, so I'm going to try it and see if it helps. Like I said, I know I'm no snowflake and I'm probably doing something wrong, which is why I've posted this thread.

jonnythan

What was your weight at the beginning of July? What about the end? What about now?

232lbs
232lbs
232lbs

We can't help you if you don't give us accurate information.

If your scale said exactly 232 on July 1, July 31, and September 11, it's probably broken.

Vivian06703188

You really do have to log everything you put into your mouth. There is no way to accurately track your food if you are not logging it. Especially when eating food you do not prepare yourself. When you lower your calories as MFP does for you if you do not start eating whole healthy foods you will not get much volume in your food and will be hungry. Do you have a food scale? My calories too have been cut drastically since I started. But I do exercise to increase my calorie goals and never eat them all back though some I do. I also always fluctuate my calories eating 1200,1300, 1400 calories a day. Calorie Cycling it helps avoid plateaus. Drink plenty of water. If you are drinking soda stop until you start losing again. These are just a few hints that I hope will help you get back on track but the biggest one is track what you eat and drink your water.

reoskit

I think you're really hungry, not just because you're only eating 1200 per day, but because you spend those on empty/processed foods. Have you tried bumping up your fiber and protein? I know "lean meat and vegetables" is a boring answer, but you may find that your calories go a lot further if you spend them on things like that. More bang for your buck. Go to youtube and search for "asapscience 200 calories" to see what I mean. You'll see how you can really spend calories. Check out the amount of broccoli; there's no way you'd be hungry after eating that. And, not only will you be full, but my guess is you'll drop weight if you start mixing in stuff like that. Best of luck.

erulasse

We can't help you if you don't give us accurate information.

If your scale said exactly 232 on July 1, July 31, and September 11, it's probably broken.

I'm very sorry, I didn't mark down the half/quarter/freaking millionth pounds, but I can assure you, give or take maybe up to a pound on certain days, I stayed the same weight.

jonnythan

We can't help you if you don't give us accurate information.

If your scale said exactly 232 on July 1, July 31, and September 11, it's probably broken.

I'm very sorry, I didn't mark down the half/quarter/freaking millionth pounds, but I can assure you, give or take maybe up to a pound on certain days, I stayed the same weight.

Do you keep a daily log of your weight somewhere?

What number did you log on July 1? July 31? August 15? September 1?

erulasse

Do you keep a daily log of your weight somewhere?

What number did you log on July 1? July 31? August 15? September 1?

Not sure if you're trolling, or are just trying to be mean. But good luck with that... Have a flower :flowerforyou:

jonnythan

Do you keep a daily log of your weight somewhere?

What number did you log on July 1? July 31? August 15? September 1?

Not sure if you're trolling, or are just trying to be mean. But good luck with that... Have a flower :flowerforyou:

I'm trying to help you. I asked you for your weight on those exact days, and you did not give me an accurate answer.

Did you weigh yourself on July 1? Did you log it? What was the number you logged on that exact day?