frustration

caarsen

So incredibly frustrated. Been logging for five weeks. When I first started logging again, MFP had been saying that if I keep eating this way, I would, in five weeks, have lost about 4 pounds. This shows up in practically every diary entry except for the few that I went over - which I balanced out by going under the rest of the week. Over that period of time, I've gained 2 pounds. I can't quit because if I did I hate to think how much I would weigh!!! I'm perfectly healthy. Just had a full physical. I exercise etc and don't eat lots of junk. Hardly any in fact. I'm just very disheartened.

Branstin

Your gain could be from a few things such as water weight, a calorie surplus from eating more than you think, or hormonal changes and what not. You shouldn't be disheartened because this is a trial and error process. Do you know your BMR and TDEE? Are you tracking everything (food, water, exercise, and measurements) as accurately as possible including using a food scale if necessary?

caarsen

Thanks, Branstin. And yes, I am very meticulous about logging. Sometimes I just put in an extra calorie count to make sure I've covered all my bases. My BMR is 1373 and figuring in exercise 3 - 5 days a week my TDEE is 2128. I've heard so much about calories in/ calories out I can't believe I'm not losing weight with the numbers I've been posting.

Branstin

What about water? My weight loss was very slow until I added plenty of water. Have you ruled out any medical issues? What kind of exercises are you doing?

4life78

Well done for staying with it. I got frustrated after 3 weeks of tracking with nothing to show for it but a slight gain and quit tracking. People always say it is a simple equation of calories in vs calories out, I think sometimes it is not as simple as that.

All I can say is just stick with it. I am back again after a few weeks of not tracking and plan to stick to it long term. We all have to eat every day, better off making healthy choices for those meals and snacks, whether the weight comes off or not. It is really frustrating when you feel all of your hard work has been in vain but at least you will feel healthier. I know that when I was tracking I may not have been losing weight but I did have more energy and felt healthier than now.

caarsen

Thanks for the encouragement. I pretty much have to stick with it because if it's not going down with me watching what I do and exercising, it can only go up. So I'll stick with it. I do know I have to weight myself regularly and that can be an exercise in frustration as well, but this is the path I chose. May as well keep walking down it. The alternative doesn't seem a good idea right now.