Frustrated

dustidawn

Today is weigh in day. I stepped on thinking, "okay, Dusti, hasn't been the best week but hasn't been terrible either. You've eaten decent (not as good as past weeks), exercised. You are probably going to stay the same this week and that's okay." I'm back to where I started?!?! What?! Any suggestions???? Yesterday was my worst eating day by far, lots of salt I'm sure, so should I weigh again tomorrow? I'm frustrated....

Here's what I know:
-I have my calories at 1500/day because I feel like I'm starving on 1200.
- I have been doing cardio/strength at least 3x/week and burning up to 530 calories per workout according to my HRM.
- I do usually eat the calories I've burned but I don't often go over what MFP suggests so I should still be losing.
- I haven't worked out in a looong time, especially strength. Could that be factoring in to slow weight loss and possible gain because I'm gaining muscle I've not had in....well...forever?? That can't be all of my issue.
- About two months ago I stopped drinking soda, even diet, and not had any artifical sweeteners other than one diet soda a couple weeks ago (and it was not worth it) and a Mt Dew Kickstart a while back (also not worth it)
-I have coffee every morning with about 1 1/2 teaspoon of sugar and half and half
- I do have a sweet tooth so I know that's an issue

Jestinia

You could easily be carrying 5 pounds of water weight, even a little more maybe. So the best thing is to get on track this week and enjoy the precipitous drop on the scale next week.

gypsy_spirit

Because your diary is not open, I will make a guess. Are you weighing & measuring your food (solid foods with a scale)? Do you log every single bite you eat?

If not, start there. The way to lose weight is to be in a calorie deficit. But, you have to be SURE you're eating at a deficit. Guessing/estimating will not work.

Eating at a deficit, you probably have not gained any muscle.

Finally, patience is key. As women, our weight fluctuates every day/all day.

SnuggleSmacks

I've had exactly the same problem for the past couple of weeks. I initially dropped a few pounds, now I'm back at square one, even though I'm eating the right amounts and exercising almost daily. But I'm not sweating it.

Even though the scale isn't budging, my body is. My jeans fit just a little looser, and I can see definition starting in my shoulders, thighs and calves. My BF could see it too, so I know I'm not imagining it. Also, I'm finding some of my workouts (30 Day Shred, Zombies, Run!) easier now than when I started.

I figure those rewards are better than a number on a scale, and the scale will catch up later.

ottergrl83

In addition to drinking more water to help get rid of water weight, until you're at your goal weight, do not eat your calories burned. If you are set at 1500, eat that 1500, burn 500, eat that 500, your essentially burning no calories. You have to be at a deficit to lose weight. My fitness instructor told me to not even log my calories burned so I wouldn't be tempted to use them. Stick to your 1500 goal, try to spread it out to 5-6 meals/snacks per day. Higher protein items to feel full longer, lower fat, lower carbs. Try to stick to around 300 calories each time you eat/snack and eat every three hours.

SnuggleSmacks

In addition to drinking more water to help get rid of water weight, until you're at your goal weight, do not eat your calories burned. If you are set at 1500, eat that 1500, burn 500, eat that 500, your essentially burning no calories. You have to be at a deficit to lose weight. My fitness instructor told me to not even log my calories burned so I wouldn't be tempted to use them. Stick to your 1500 goal, try to spread it out to 5-6 meals/snacks per day. Higher protein items to feel full longer, lower fat, lower carbs. Try to stick to around 300 calories each time you eat/snack and eat every three hours.

Actually, if your goal is 1500 calories per day, then that should already be subtracting a 500 calorie deficit from your TDEE (or 10%, or whatever deficit you decide to go with) That means even on days when you don't work out, eating your goal in calories still puts you at that deficit. Working out creates an even greater deficit. You should be eating those calories back, at least to some extent. Many people try to eat back only half, with the assumption that the calories consumed are often underestimated, and the calories burned are often overestimated. But if you don't eat them back, then by burning 500 calories, you're actually at a 1000 calorie deficit for the day, since your goal is already at a 500 calorie deficit.

He1loKitty

I hate to tell you this but I finally cut sugar out of my coffee (kicking and screaming!!!!) and I think it has made a difference. It was probably one of the hardest changes for me to make. I used to drink two or three coffees with a teaspoon of sugar each and skim milk. My morning coffee was basically a carb-loaded, sugar-loaded treat every day, and I do think it hindered my progress because it was truly just empty calories. Now I drink it with unsweetened vanilla almond milk and no sugar. It's basically like 30 calories, no carbs, no sugar. I don't enjoy it as much, but it still wakes me up and isn't that the whole point of coffee? I would recommend you try cutting the sugar out because I do think it helped me, and I think not having it in the morning has made me less likely to experience sugar cravings later in the day. I have a huge sweet tooth too, and the less sugar I consume, the less tempted I am to eat dessert or need sugar in my coffee. I hope this makes sense!