So frustrated. Help?

Depplover28

I've been been exercising and eating right since about October, and I have lost 14 lbs so far. But since the begining of January, I've been stuck between 155 and 156 lbs (I'm 5'5"). I would eat around 1200-1300 calories each day, and I would go on the eliptical for an hour 2-3 times a week and have ultimate frisbee practice 3-4 times a week. I would also lift weights at the gym 2-3 times a week. But three weeks ago, I started eating my burnt calories back, and I feel better and have been losing inches. The problem is I'm still stuck at 156 lbs! I have no idea what to do anymore. I'm so frustrated. I know losing inches is great, but I really want to start losing weight again. Can anyone please offer me some advice?

erickirb

There is your problem. You are not eating enough for how much exercise you get. Try eating 1200-1300 plus the calories you burn during your exercise. Calories (food) is fuel, your engine will not run right if it is always running on empty. If you eat 1200 and burn 400 calories your body is operating as if you only at 800 calories (1200-400) which is not enough.

PS, I had a chance to look at your diary, you are eating much more than 1200 some days 2000. So your Net calories are 1200-1300 which is good. That being said, how are you calculating your calories burned? If you are not using an HRM you may be over estimating the calories you burn, and if you eat all of them you may be eating too much.

JayneWilson1963

I agree with erickirb. Need to eat more calories. I did the same thing but when I ate more calories, the weight started coming off.

Depplover28

But that's the problem. For three weeks, I have been eating between 1500-2000 calories every day (depending on how many calories I burn working out each day), and I am still stuck at the same weight.

RTricia

Drink your weight in ounces of water. It's hard but at least try...

erickirb

But that's the problem. For three weeks, I have been eating between 1500-2000 calories every day (depending on how many calories I burn working out each day), and I am still stuck at the same weight.

Give it some more time, if you were eating less then all of a sudden started eating more you may even put weight on first. If prior to this increase in intake you were not eating enough your metabolism may have slowed down, so now that you are eating more you burn less than most would at your height, weight and gender. After a few weeks of eating more you will reset your metabolism and your body will get use to the higher intake. Give it time (4-6 weeks) before you make any additional changes.

fuhrmeister

Drink your weight in ounces of water. It's hard but at least try...

I thouhgt it was 1/2 your weight in oz of water. I don't think I could drink 230 oz. that's 29 cups of water. But I do drink 115oz about 14 cups.

Depplover28 - If the inches are still coming off you are on the right track. The weight will come off soon. But you are already at a realativly low weight so it won't come off as fast as it was. Try to not focus on the number but on how nice your clothes fit

butlersoft

I just had a look at your diary too .... the thing I noticed most is that "snacks" seem to be a huge portion of your daily calories (often around 750-800 calories with those hershy kisses seemingly a favourite !!). By contrast - your main dinner can often be 300-400 calories.

Whilst I can be "bad" with snacks - I try to ensure that most of my calories are taken up with the 3 main meals of the day.

triptiu

I am having the same problem - I went from 160 lbs to 150lbs but now am stuck at 150!! I am watching what I eat and exercising but the weight just does not drop. My friends tell me, it might take a couple of months for the results to show. I try to replace my normal snacks with carrots, cucumbers, fruits or a granola bar! Maybe that'll help!

erickirb

I just had a look at your diary too .... the thing I noticed most is that "snacks" seem to be a huge portion of your daily calories (often around 750-800 calories with those hershy kisses seemingly a favourite !!). By contrast - your main dinner can often be 300-400 calories.

Whilst I can be "bad" with snacks - I try to ensure that most of my calories are taken up with the 3 main meals of the day.

spreading the calories out evenly is the best for weight loss, large dinners are not so good. I would keep up with the multiple snacks but maybe change what you are snacking on.

Julieash

I'm having the exact same problem... and my diet coach keeps telling me that I'm not eating enough (I always thought loosing weight had to do with eating less LOL) anyway I also started in October at 170lbs and 2 weeks ago I was at 151lbs which I was very happy about.. and ever since I'm at 154lbs ( which is soo frustrating...

scagneti

I started off at 5'5" and 156 lbs in the beginning of January and am down to 144 now. My main suggestion is to get off the eliptical for a little while and do your cardio in other ways. Dancing (especially Zumba) has been fantastic for me. I walk a lot, but outside where there unexpected steps or obsticles -- I think your body gets used to a certain motion and doesn't exert itself as much. When you start doing different exercises (yoga, pilates, weight training, dancing, lunges/push ups etc) it just seems more willing to burn calories to keep up.

Plus I tend to underestimate the calories burnt. I see people here my size burning 800+ calories in an hour, I don't see how that's possible. My HRMs all say around 200-300 for an hour for different exercises and I'm covered in sweat and can feel my muscles worked.

mutleyreid

I started off at 5'5" and 156 lbs in the beginning of January and am down to 144 now. My main suggestion is to get off the eliptical for a little while and do your cardio in other ways. Dancing (especially Zumba) has been fantastic for me. I walk a lot, but outside where there unexpected steps or obsticles -- I think your body gets used to a certain motion and doesn't exert itself as much. When you start doing different exercises (yoga, pilates, weight training, dancing, lunges/push ups etc) it just seems more willing to burn calories to keep up.

Plus I tend to underestimate the calories burnt. I see people here my size burning 800+ calories in an hour, I don't see how that's possible. My HRMs all say around 200-300 for an hour for different exercises and I'm covered in sweat and can feel my muscles worked.

Like this

amehrkens

I started off at 5'5" and 156 lbs in the beginning of January and am down to 144 now. My main suggestion is to get off the eliptical for a little while and do your cardio in other ways. Dancing (especially Zumba) has been fantastic for me. I walk a lot, but outside where there unexpected steps or obsticles -- I think your body gets used to a certain motion and doesn't exert itself as much. When you start doing different exercises (yoga, pilates, weight training, dancing, lunges/push ups etc) it just seems more willing to burn calories to keep up.

Plus I tend to underestimate the calories burnt. I see people here my size burning 800+ calories in an hour, I don't see how that's possible. My HRMs all say around 200-300 for an hour for different exercises and I'm covered in sweat and can feel my muscles worked.

I totally agree! Do something different , you need to keep your body guessing!

scagneti

I started off at 5'5" and 156 lbs in the beginning of January and am down to 144 now. My main suggestion is to get off the eliptical for a little while and do your cardio in other ways. Dancing (especially Zumba) has been fantastic for me. I walk a lot, but outside where there unexpected steps or obsticles -- I think your body gets used to a certain motion and doesn't exert itself as much. When you start doing different exercises (yoga, pilates, weight training, dancing, lunges/push ups etc) it just seems more willing to burn calories to keep up.

Plus I tend to underestimate the calories burnt. I see people here my size burning 800+ calories in an hour, I don't see how that's possible. My HRMs all say around 200-300 for an hour for different exercises and I'm covered in sweat and can feel my muscles worked.

I totally agree! Do something different , you need to keep your body guessing!

Thanks -- I even tried pole dancing! Not for me and I have a massive bruise on my inside thigh from smacking my trailing leg against the pole, but I know I worked muscles that don't normally get worked. I want to try kick or regular boxing and snow shoeing! I just want to try everything!! :happy:

myofibril

I've been been exercising and eating right since about October, and I have lost 14 lbs so far. But since the begining of January, I've been stuck between 155 and 156 lbs (I'm 5'5"). I would eat around 1200-1300 calories each day, and I would go on the eliptical for an hour 2-3 times a week and have ultimate frisbee practice 3-4 times a week. I would also lift weights at the gym 2-3 times a week. But three weeks ago, I started eating my burnt calories back, and I feel better and have been losing inches. The problem is I'm still stuck at 156 lbs! I have no idea what to do anymore. I'm so frustrated. I know losing inches is great, but I really want to start losing weight again. Can anyone please offer me some advice?

Read this thread:

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/113609-relatively-light-people-trying-to-get-leaner

Listen: if you are maintaining a suitable calorie deficit, exercising regularly including weights and generally eating well then you are losing fat. It may not be at the rate you like or want but it is happening. The fact you are losing inches supports that.

My scale weight fluctuates by about 5lbs over the course of the day due to my hydration levels. Let's say I was losing fat at the rate of a reasonable 0.5lbs per week. It would take 10, yes TEN weeks for the scale number to change to unmask that change. I would look slimmer, my clothes would be looser during that time but the needle would be stuck.

I suggest you use your scale for frisbee practice instead as in isolation your scale weight is pretty much meaningless...

scagneti

I just went through your diary. I'd suggest cutting the carbs back a little and upping the protein. There are a lot of carbs there, and not all from green leafy veggies! :flowerforyou: I have my piece of chocolate every day too, but I try for a somewhat balanced split of carbs & protein. Don't cut them out all together, but maybe closer to 40-35-25 (or start off at 50-30-20 until you get the hang of it!)

ShrinkinMel

Yes if you were eating too few it probably is going to take more than 3 weeks to get your body's metabolism back into burn mode. Slow and steady replacing fat with muscle will give you lasting results over quick weight drop.

Inches is great if you are weight training you may not be able to go by how you felt at a certain weight because you may weight more at a smaller size if you are building muscle.

My weight is dropping slower than I would expect as well but the inches keep flying off from all the exercise. I'm eating between 1800-2000 calories as well and slowly I'm going back into burn mode. Weeks 1 and 2 I did great 2 lbs each. Then I had two small gains(.4 and .8) before it started dropping again. That is the body making changes to composition which is way more important than what the scale tells you.

I also agree about switching up your cardio. It couldn't hurt.

poptastic

You could try cutting out cookies, chocolate etc - it seems like there is quite a lot of sugar in your diet?

Depplover28

Thanks for all of the tips everyone! I'll start changing things up a bit today or tomorrow. I'll try changing up my workout routine, eating less carbs and chocolate (sigh...), and eating more protein :]