Spreadsheet? and plateau

katimorris87

Still can't add my weight to the spreadsheet under the April column. I have no idea what I'm doing wrong. Lol
It was a gain, but I'd still like to post.

I'm kind of getting down in the dumps with this plateau. September 16th 2013 I got in the 180's and I've fluctuated the same 5 lbs since then. I know it's my own problem. I lack the consistency and the constant motivation to break through this thing. It's just disheartening.

1crvygrl

I know how you feel!! I start out in Nov. '13 at 204, was down to 194 at New Years but have since gained and lost 5-6 lbs.

With my age(51) I think it's hormonal, at least partly. The weather until recently was snowy most the Winter and cold and dreary the rest. I think the nicer weather will help with energy and motivation. The thought of wearing the more revealing clothes of summer has had me putting in more effort in recent days. Even though I too gained in this last weigh in, I've since lost it back and am looking forward to keeping it off and trying to lose more.

I'm sure it's something you can overcome soon!:flowerforyou: We all have those days.

Rianne90

I'm sorry about the plateau you're struggling to break, I don't have any real advise about that as I'm inconsistent with logging food as well... Maybe someone else has something useful to say about it

As for the spreadsheet, on the bottom of the page you find a couple of tabs: summary, april, may, june, july en BMI. You can't make any changes to the summary tab, only the maker of the table (shmuly) can make changes there.
You put your weight in the april tab, for last friday you put it under 4/11/2014. It then automatically calculates the % you lost (or didn't lose) and adds it to the summary tab.
Hope that helps!

mulecanter

Rianne,

If you keep up this constant helpful advice on the spreadsheet you will find yourself being appointed Deputy Group Moderator--just a warning.

Kati

As for plateaus. Ditto. I'm enjoying the view from mine. As we all know--they are self-induced. I have been suffering some weakness as of late--there is Easter candy in my house waiting to be dispersed (and tested). There is also this terribly evil hard shell ice cream topping that has some sort of weird mind control on me. It needs to be gone.

Going forward, I plan to give myself some strong medicine in the form of a few days each week of significant calories left on the table---insurance against poor logging and demon possessions. I will also work a bit harder at the gym. For me, plateaus are broken with the acceptance of some temporary discomfort. (No pain, no gain). Some will find this a bad strategy. It has worked for me thus far. It's trial and error for most everyone.

randomtai

I broke my 4 month plateau by eating less and moving more.

katimorris87

Thanks all! You're great!
I figured out the spreadsheet! I hadn't been clicking on the tabs at the bottom, I'd just been trying to enter it into the April row in the summary. I thought those were the 'tabs' everyone was talking about lol, didn't even notice the ones at the bottom! Thanks Rianne!

I'm going to cut back (at least 2 days a week) to a greater calorie deficit as well and try try try to stay consistent with getting in the cardio. I like to lift way way more than cardio so I struggle with making myself do it. :P Thanks everyone I'm feeling somewhat better.

bm1409

I have been bouncing the same 2 pounds for over a month now. Before I started MFP I lost 20 pounds by eating a very light, early dinner such as veggies, a salad or a protein drink. I think I am going to have to do that again. Its frustrating to be at a stand still....but I guess it could be worse....I could be gaining. Stay with it, and try to be more constant in what your doing while your losing those five pounds, because then it will lead to a 10 pound loss. ( I need to take that advice too).:flowerforyou:

mspoopoo

Would you mind opening up your food diary? We might be able to help there.

Like others said, measure and weigh everything you eat. Make sure to count everything you drink too like juice, coffee, alcohol as they can really add the calories fast.

kawookie

Poor logging and demon possessions. The latter seems to cover the cake I ate last night :devil: And my husband was shocked with how few calories I logged it for --- so I guess both in my case.

My plateau is born of inconsistency. Too much eating out and "guessing", too much sodium, and of course adding weight training to the mix doesn't help with the scale (although it does with the inches).

I won't say that I am not trying. I log everything I eat and I am averaging 5 miles a day of movement. The issue is what I am eating or more correctly how much I am eating. I need to get back to eating salads for lunch every day. They seem to help prevent the issue of me grossing 2200 kcals.

katimorris87

I do awesome at work for the most part and then get home and just quit. I maybe complete 1 entry a week. I'm terrible. I'll open it up for sure, but I know it's a calories in/calories out problem so I'm just not logging correctly or eating junk. Sigh. It's my fault!

mulecanter

I do awesome at work for the most part and then get home and just quit. I maybe complete 1 entry a week. I'm terrible. I'll open it up for sure, but I know it's a calories in/calories out problem so I'm just not logging correctly or eating junk. Sigh. It's my fault!

The weight plateau is a calories in/calories out problem.

Logging problems and poor choices is a commitment problem. As with many of us, you need to periodically reinvent yourself in terms of your self-image, goals and attitude. When you get down to a new level of weight it's easy to feel content and the motivation to keep going lags. This is when you need to "reset your baseline" in terms of self. If I was 250 and now I'm 200, great. Then at some point I should say, I am a 200 person and I want to be a 160 person. It's a new 40 pound loss goal and everything in the past doesn't count. (By the way, I'm speaking to myself and to you here.) I've seen people go so far as to skip logging on purpose in order to reset their streak clock on MFP. They are starting over and re-energizing their weight loss program "batteries".

Smug lecture concluded.

Mule

mspoopoo

I do awesome at work for the most part and then get home and just quit. I maybe complete 1 entry a week. I'm terrible. I'll open it up for sure, but I know it's a calories in/calories out problem so I'm just not logging correctly or eating junk. Sigh. It's my fault!

You have identified the issue and you can solve it. That is a key to success. Plus you have all of us who want to help you achieve your goals.

Thanks for opening up your diary. Can you add some veggies to a meal?