Not seeing results...not sure why
carly0287
Posts: 4
Hi all,
So I don't know if my body works differently or what, but I literally do not see results of any kind no matter how much "work" I put in. I'm a 5'10" female, 27 y/o, and weigh approx. 155 lbs. I want to lose 10-15. I'm currently sticking to a 1200-1300 daily caloric intake diet, which seems to only help me maintain my weight. If I go over this calorie amount at all, I gain weight...and FAST. For instance, this past week, I shed 4-5 lbs by sticking to my diet. I went out to eat twice this weekend, and weighed myself this morning...FOUR of those pounds are back. It's so frustrating! I don't feel like I ate super unhealthy. I ordered salads, lean meats, and lots of veggies. It's just very frustrating to have to "starve" myself to see any weight falling off, and then gaining it all back when I live a semi-normal life and eat what all of my friends/family are eating! Anybody struggling with similar problems!? Tips!? Advice!? I'm starting to feel like it's not worth it.
Carly
So I don't know if my body works differently or what, but I literally do not see results of any kind no matter how much "work" I put in. I'm a 5'10" female, 27 y/o, and weigh approx. 155 lbs. I want to lose 10-15. I'm currently sticking to a 1200-1300 daily caloric intake diet, which seems to only help me maintain my weight. If I go over this calorie amount at all, I gain weight...and FAST. For instance, this past week, I shed 4-5 lbs by sticking to my diet. I went out to eat twice this weekend, and weighed myself this morning...FOUR of those pounds are back. It's so frustrating! I don't feel like I ate super unhealthy. I ordered salads, lean meats, and lots of veggies. It's just very frustrating to have to "starve" myself to see any weight falling off, and then gaining it all back when I live a semi-normal life and eat what all of my friends/family are eating! Anybody struggling with similar problems!? Tips!? Advice!? I'm starting to feel like it's not worth it.
Carly
0
Replies
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You can get morbidly obese by just eating salads.
Its not what you eat, its how much of it.
I can easily go out to eat and get a 2000 calorie salad.
Weigh your food and track your calories.
Its the only way.0 -
I have the same problem, it's so frustrating!!0
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on top of this, realize that most of that 4 lbs gain is water weight. its not uncommon for me to gain 5+ lbs from one night of drinking, but its all gone within a few daysYou can get morbidly obese by just eating salads.
Its not what you eat, its how much of it.
I can easily go out to eat and get a 2000 calorie salad.
Weigh your food and track your calories.
Its the only way.0 -
I have the same problem, it's so frustrating!!
Then do something about it!0 -
I understand that. I feel like I'm pretty careful about how much of it I'm eating, and how nutritious it is for me. I do everything right it seems...ordering the dressing on the side...only using half of it, portion control, etc. It just feels like it shouldn't take THIS much effort. I have friends who all they did was cut out pop (which I NEVER drink) and lost 15 lbs by just doing that. It doesn't make sense why some have such a hard time with weight loss and others can lose all kinds of weight without even really trying.0
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You can get morbidly obese by just eating salads.
Its not what you eat, its how much of it.
I can easily go out to eat and get a 2000 calorie salad.
Weigh your food and track your calories.
Its the only way.
on top of this, realize that most of that 4 lbs gain is water weight. its not uncommon for me to gain 5+ lbs from one night of drinking, but its all gone within a few days
Yes absolutely! However by her claiming "oh hey I eat healthy" it insinuates she is not tracking what she eats.
You can get huge off of lean meats, veggies, "healthy foods"0 -
I definitely track what I eat. Every last bit. Lol.0
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Hi all,
So I don't know if my body works differently or what, but I literally do not see results of any kind no matter how much "work" I put in. I'm a 5'10" female, 27 y/o, and weigh approx. 155 lbs. I want to lose 10-15. I'm currently sticking to a 1200-1300 daily caloric intake diet, which seems to only help me maintain my weight. If I go over this calorie amount at all, I gain weight...and FAST. For instance, this past week, I shed 4-5 lbs by sticking to my diet. I went out to eat twice this weekend, and weighed myself this morning...FOUR of those pounds are back. It's so frustrating! I don't feel like I ate super unhealthy. I ordered salads, lean meats, and lots of veggies. It's just very frustrating to have to "starve" myself to see any weight falling off, and then gaining it all back when I live a semi-normal life and eat what all of my friends/family are eating! Anybody struggling with similar problems!? Tips!? Advice!? I'm starting to feel like it's not worth it.
Carly
Your body doesn't work differently than anyone else's. The majority of the 4-5 lbs you shed were water weight, and the majority of the 4 pounds you put back on were also water weight. Fat doesn't fluctuate that much in the span of a few days. Wait one full month before making any determinations about the efficacy of your current diet.0 -
I understand that. I feel like I'm pretty careful about how much of it I'm eating, and how nutritious it is for me. I do everything right it seems...ordering the dressing on the side...only using half of it, portion control, etc. It just feels like it shouldn't take THIS much effort. I have friends who all they did was cut out pop (which I NEVER drink) and lost 15 lbs by just doing that. It doesn't make sense why some have such a hard time with weight loss and others can lose all kinds of weight without even really trying.
In its simplest forum, weight loss is extremely simple. Its calories in vs calories out. Create a deficit and you will lose weight.
However, we all like to make weight loss much harder than it is. We don't track what we eat. We overestimate how much we burn. We forget that one binge meal. We are all guilty of it, including myself.
Log what you eat. Write it down, use this site, whatever helps you do it.
You will see the weight come off. Unfortunately, you are eating more than you think.0 -
That's probably true. I weigh myself daily because I'm terrified of gaining weight and not realizing it. Maybe I should weigh myself bi-weekly, or even monthly. Hmm...0
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I definitely track what I eat. Every last bit. Lol.
Then make your diary public.0 -
OMG I know exactly how you feel! I am literally the same exact way! What it really comes down to is your excersise routine. Its essential to do high cardio activities and weights. I find that when I work out a lot, thats when I lose weight. But if I just eat normal like normal people do, I will gain. Like last week I was 145 and I went out twice this weekend and just had regular meals but I did not work out at all, and this morning I weighed myself and I am now 147.6. Just keep going and don't give up!0
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The 4 pounds you gained were probably from water weight from all the sodium. You're eating so little, unless you ate 5000 calories of food, I highly doubt you gained any fat.0
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OMG I know exactly how you feel! I am literally the same exact way! What it really comes down to is your excersise routine. Its essential to do high cardio activities and weights. I find that when I work out a lot, thats when I lose weight. But if I just eat normal like normal people do, I will gain. Like last week I was 145 and I went out twice this weekend and just had regular meals but I did not work out at all, and this morning I weighed myself and I am now 147.6. Just keep going and don't give up!
Diet is for weight loss
Exercise is for fitness.
You cannot out exercise a bad diet.0 -
Either your friends were drinking gallons of pop, they were very active...or they're exaggerating. (Or they're guys. Sad fact: most guys have an easier time losing weight once they get started than most women do.)
Also, keep in mind you're not clinically overweight, you're trying to lose when you're already at a reasonable weight for your height. It's recommended to lose slowly when that's your goal, like .5 lbs a week. You may be pushing too hard and then sabotaging yourself.
Log your food carefully and be patient.0 -
At your height and weight you are in the healthy weight range (on the lower end). You may want to reconsider the amount of weight you want to lose. This can be a big reason your body doesn't want to lose more weight.0
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My weight on Friday and my weight on Monday can vary by 2-4 lbs. By Friday I'm low again.
I swear I'll only weigh on Mondays, but ... I just can't... stop! I do only weigh 1x a day though.
Sodium
Alcohol
Eating outside of the home ANY food0 -
As others have said, you're at a good weight for your height. If you don't like the way your body looks, why not try doing some strength training? Yeah, the scale won't say what you want it to say, but your body will look a lot better! Do some searching on girls that have put on 10lbs on the scale, but look so much leaner because of the muscle they built.0
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For instance, this past week, I shed 4-5 lbs by sticking to my diet.
No you didn’t. You can’t lose 4-5 lbs of fat in a week when you’re in the normal weight range. You may have dropped 2 lbs, but I doubt it. It’s more likely that you fluctuated with your water weight.
As for your 1200-1300 diet, unless you’re sedentary, you’re probably eating more than you realize. Try weighing and logging everything you eat for a few weeks. I mean everything- cooking oils, nuts, salt, everything.
After that, if you’re eating X calories and you’re maintaining, it’s time to create a larger deficit. If you’re already eating under 1300 calories a day, I recommend creating a larger deficit through exercise, not further dietary restriction.
As for eating healthy food… you can become morbidly obese eating anything in too great a quantity.0 -
At your height and weight you are in the healthy weight range (on the lower end). You may want to reconsider the amount of weight you want to lose. This can be a big reason your body doesn't want to lose more weight.
makes a good point...0 -
I definitely track what I eat. Every last bit. Lol.
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/872212-you-re-probably-eating-more-than-you-think
Edited to add everything below
I went to this link: http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/
I calculated your BMR based on your stats given and assumed your activity is "desk job with little exercise" to get a baseline. (Any more activity will increase your numbers, not counting your BMR so long as your weight is static.)
Your BMR is 1524 - basically what you'd need pumped into your body if you were comatose
Your TDEE is 1829 - basically what you'd need to consume to maintain your weight
A 5% calorie reduction would mean you should be eating 1738 calories/day.
You are eating very, very little --- assuming you are actually eating 1200-1300/day. I'm going to guess you're eating more than you think though (see the first link I provided).
Weigh your solids, measure your liquids.
At your height/weight, your goal weight may or may not be possible without starving yourself. You're already at a healthy weight for your height.
If you want to "tone up," rather than looking to lose weight, you should look into heavy lifting. You won't get bulky or look like a bodybuilder, trust me. You may even gain a few pounds, but you'll look awesome:
http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2011/07/21/meet-staci-your-new-powerlifting-super-hero/0 -
In all honesty, I would eat at a smaller deficit and lift weights.
You will love what it will do to your body.0 -
Are you eating a lot of salt? You could be retaining water.0
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Hi all,
So I don't know if my body works differently or what, but I literally do not see results of any kind no matter how much "work" I put in. I'm a 5'10" female, 27 y/o, and weigh approx. 155 lbs. I want to lose 10-15. I'm currently sticking to a 1200-1300 daily caloric intake diet, which seems to only help me maintain my weight. If I go over this calorie amount at all, I gain weight...and FAST. For instance, this past week, I shed 4-5 lbs by sticking to my diet. I went out to eat twice this weekend, and weighed myself this morning...FOUR of those pounds are back. It's so frustrating! I don't feel like I ate super unhealthy. I ordered salads, lean meats, and lots of veggies. It's just very frustrating to have to "starve" myself to see any weight falling off, and then gaining it all back when I live a semi-normal life and eat what all of my friends/family are eating! Anybody struggling with similar problems!? Tips!? Advice!? I'm starting to feel like it's not worth it.
Carly
Looks like you did see some results, just not as much as you expected. Last year I tried to lose a pound a week and managed to only lose a few pounds after a couple of months. Just too much work for too few results. And I was always hungry. This year I decided to try to lose just half a pound a week. It's going much better. I am not hungry all the time, the weight is coming off slowly but surely. I also looked up my TDEE and I figure as long as I eat below that I am winning. And I don't eat back all my exercise calories, maybe only half of them. Your TDEE is about 1829 calories, assuming you're sedentary.
Your BMI is in the normal range. Maybe instead of losing weight what you really need to do is get fit and put on some muscle. Muscle is denser than fat so you'll look slimmer. Also, exercise can buy you several hundred extra calories a day, depending on what you do.0 -
Restaurant tend to add lots of salt to the food to enhance flavor and do the same with fat. Our brain loves it and ghe restaurant wants us to come back for more :0)
water weight0 -
dmenchac isn't helping. But Carly, there are several factors that come into play at this point for you. You said you only have a little bit of weight to lose, and I'm sorry to tell you that those last few pounds are the hardest to come off. Since you're doing just about everything the way that you should, the only thing that will take away those pounds is time. Another thing is to ask how much sodium you are consuming per day, and how much water you are drinking. High sodium levels will lead to water retention which is extra weight. In order to offset this, you have to drink more water per day and get enough potassium to balance out your body levels and keep the water weight off. I personally consume high amounts of sodium, but I drink my weights worth in ounces of water (200 ounces) per day and I get plenty of potassium. I have no bloats, and any water weight I gain is gone in no time at all. Another factor is, are you exercising? Are you constantly changing your calorie amounts even by 100 calories before giving it a month? If the answer to these two is yes, then you must decide on one set of calories and one specific exercise program and give it time to see if it still works. If you are constantly changing around, your body is going to be doing all sorts of things to get accustomed to your new ways of doing things. I know that this is the last thing that you want to hear, but you must give it time. Be patient, the weight will come off if you stick to one routine and give it time. Don't give up, you can do this!!0
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dmenchac isn't helping. But Carly, there are several factors that come into play at this point for you. You said you only have a little bit of weight to lose, and I'm sorry to tell you that those last few pounds are the hardest to come off. Since you're doing just about everything the way that you should, the only thing that will take away those pounds is time. Another thing is to ask how much sodium you are consuming per day, and how much water you are drinking. High sodium levels will lead to water retention which is extra weight. In order to offset this, you have to drink more water per day and get enough potassium to balance out your body levels and keep the water weight off. I personally consume high amounts of sodium, but I drink my weights worth in ounces of water (200 ounces) per day and I get plenty of potassium. I have no bloats, and any water weight I gain is gone in no time at all. Another factor is, are you exercising? Are you constantly changing your calorie amounts even by 100 calories before giving it a month? If the answer to these two is yes, then you must decide on one set of calories and one specific exercise program and give it time to see if it still works. If you are constantly changing around, your body is going to be doing all sorts of things to get accustomed to your new ways of doing things. I know that this is the last thing that you want to hear, but you must give it time. Be patient, the weight will come off if you stick to one routine and give it time. Don't give up, you can do this!!
I probably gave the most sound advice in this thread. Its probably not the answer she wants to hear but I don't beat around the bush. Thank you for your concerns though.0 -
In all honesty, I would eat at a smaller deficit and lift weights.
You will love what it will do to your body.
+10 -
I'd for starters make your diary public so we can take a look and help you out. Odds are you could be over-estimating portions and forgetting things like butters and oils. When you go our for example, restaurants like to add butter to your veggies which adds calories.
Also remember the scale is not your report card and should not be used as a weekly or daily indicator of success. Weight yourself once a week and watch the trends over 4-6 weeks.0 -
In all honesty, I would eat at a smaller deficit and lift weights.
You will love what it will do to your body.
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