No reason to continue

kristinwalker

when I say free day I basically don't count calories that day. i am cautious but I allow myself to indulge. Things like pizza for dinner or if I am at a family event, birthday party, ect. I still try, but not as hard. I do some sort of exercise every day even if it is a short walk to the pool or with the dog...something. Sometimes I don't log the shorter ones.

kristinwalker

Sorry, one more thing I use a heart rate monitor to track my calories and heart rate. I try to stay within range as much as possible in workouts (usually stay in it aroundd 70% of the time). It also accurately tracks my calories burned too.

jojoworks

Hi Kristin,

I took a quick peak at your diary. I would first of all encourage you to track sodium....if you have to give up a tracked item to fit it in give up sugar (unless you're a diabetic). Sodium can really represent an issue in the weight-loss game. MFP sets your "goal" at 2,500mg, but really that is too high and most experts now counsel you to keep it at or around 1,500 mg. If you are eating processed foods several times daily, you need to know how much sodium you're consuming. The more you make your own food the less sodium is hidden in it.

I would also encourage you to eat more "whole" foods. More whole grains, substitute millet for rice, etc. If you have to buy a processed item read your label, look for something with fewer ingredients.

Good luck, we're all cheering for you!

ZebraHead

OK This is April Fools right?

Your breakfast today is part of the joke.

Your diary looks good (what do I know) before today.

Your funning us right???

Just1forMe

I am really looking for a reason to not give up, because I am right there wondering why I should keep going.

I understand your frustration...really I do! I have had several major plateaus over the years and it STINKS! However, here's a reason to keep going. I was where you are at a few years ago... a 3 mos plateau while doing everything right. So, I gave up. I didn't start binge eating or anything...just stopped tracking what I was eating and ate normally...what the rest of the family ate. I ate a cookie here, a plate of lasagna there and within 3-5 months, I had regained almost 40 lbs! I will NEVER make that mistake again....as frustrating as it is, you are making progress in inches and in health, whether you see it or not. And, the best part of all, you are NOT GAINING! My theory is this: If this is a lifestyle, there is no "giving up". You are learning to eat this way, hopefully forever. Time is going to pass one way or another, so I would rather see it pass losing or even maintaining than gaining!

Don't give up...be patient and stick it out. I agree about opening your diary so people can see what your eating and give you input.

deverez

You should consider lowering your carbohydrate intake substantially. Perhaps try 100 grams or less!

JPayne53

HOLY MOLY! Don't give up... Number 1 Reason... Look at all the support and friends who are trying to encourage you to STICK WITH IT!! We may not all know each other on a personal level but we are ALL here for similar reasons... To lose weight, get healthy, tone that sexy body... whatever it is WE ALL HAVE A GOAL and none of us are there yet.. and we are still here working HARD to stay at it!! If we don't give up you shouldn't either. I understand doing what everyone says you should do is very frustrating.. so don't focus on that, maybe look at what worked for you in the past.. what did you do to lose the 14lbs? Then take what works for you and modify it all the while getting your encouragement from everyone and anyone who is willing to help keep you motivated but above all stick with it! YOU WILL GET THERE and time is your friend!

perrytyra

I know you said you use a heartrate monitor, but I think part of the problem may still be overcalculated the calories burned. I am amble to eat 1470 calories a day(that puts me at one pound a week loss) and mfp rarely tells me I can eat more than 2000 calories and still lose weight. On days I exersice, I am usually allowed to eat 1800, or 1900. I started at 190, and now weight about 184.

Mindful_Trent

You might consider focusing on non-scale goals. For me the following non-scale goals are just as important as the scale:

-How long of a distance/time I can run without stopping
-Average running speed
-Body measurements (hips/waist/chest/legs/neck/etc.)
-How long I can row on the rowing machine without stopping
-How heavy of weights I can lift
-Increased muscle definition (hellooooo tricep muscles!)

You can make fitness related goals for whatever it is you like to do - elliptical, stairclimbing, walking, swimming... whatever

Also, Try focusing on how you *feel* - I know that I feel a million times better mentally and emotionally (and physically!) when I am eating healthy (quality AND quantity) and exercising regularly.

-It might help to keep a journal, if you don't already, so you can reflect on some of the emotional/mental aspects to weight loss and fitness - it's not an easy journey and you have to dig inside if you really want to make lasting changes.

beeruin

I just glanced at your food diary, and I don't understand why your calorie goal is so high. Is that because of exercise? My CW is 210 and MFP set my calorie goal at 1340 per day. If I ate more than 1340 per day, I wouldn't lose. Maybe your settings are off?

Perthwolf

I know it's really hard. I've been there, getting up to work out at 5 in the morning for an hour so I have it done for the day. One thing about me is I am NOT a morning person and I really don't find the rush of working out, but I did it for TWO months and didn't lose a pound. I got frustrated and quit. That was from Oct to Dec of 2010.

Here it is March and I started on this program, because really we want to lose the weight, we want to wear the cute summer dresses, and just feel comfortable in our bodies. Today was my first weigh in after one week on here and putting 10 miles on my treadmill. Guess What, I gained 1.5 pounds!! I just got back from a cruise where I didn't gain a thing and here I am trying and I gain 1.5 pounds GO FIGURE!! I really want this tho.

Ten years ago I did Atkins and lost 23 pounds, that worked for me and I kept if off for 4 years, until I started letting Lucky charm his way back into my cupboards, calling the pizza man a few too many times a week to make dinner easy, and all the other bad habits. I may find that I go back on Atkins to give me a jump, but working out is a good way to do this. Right now I'm thinking my body just hasn't caught up to my legs that are 10 miles up the road. :-)
You can do this and you really don't want to give up, it just does get frustrating at times. It sounds like you're doing great, keep it up and your body will catch up and hopefully when it does it's lost a few pounds while doing so. :-)

Qarol

Man, it sure is hard losing weight. But one thing I had to accept...you will NOT lose every week. Heck, sometimes you might go 2-3 weeks without any weight loss. First, you might want to meet with your doctor to make sure there's nothing going on. And I've found with some plateaus that pushing yourself even harder without results is not always best. Just stick to moderate exercise and don't cut your calories too low. Or try researching other types of diets to see if something else might work better for you. Your body is being stubborn, but you can't give up! And don't gloss over that 14 lb loss. And don't expect the weight to come off quickly. You're much more likely to keep it off if it comes off slowly. A lb a week is great, but you might not even lose at that rate. Hang in there. It will eventually work.

amfmmama

I am at work, but would like to respond later... DONT GIVE UP!

fireflyangel22

Make an appointment with you physician. Have your thyroid tested, and an overall physical. Maybe there is something physically wrong that is keeping your weight loss at bay. DON'T GIVE UP!!!

Dafrog

dont quit. you need to change something. are you eating enough, too much? drinking enough water?

girlruns

Okay, first DO NOT GIVE UP!! We are here for you, and as frustrating as things can get, it is better to keep trying. I looked at your diary for the past two weeks, here are a few suggestions (my only 'expertise' is in doing it myself)

It looks like you frequently have meals and snacks that are healthy, homemade, organic, etc. THIS IS GREAT! Please keep it up. However, just as frequently, you are eating out. I fully support making a lifestyle change vs. a diet, and as part of that lifestyle, eating out will probably stick with you, however, I wouldn't trust Starbucks, Pizza Hut, or Burger King to do anything to help you beat a plateau, even if it is still under calories. I am not judging, but your best bet is to probably try and cut out the eating out as much as you can. Can you make those Starbuck breakfasts from home? Or burgers, fries, or pizza from home?

Also, calorie cycling has been a great tool for many people (1800 1 day, 1200 the next, etc) but it looks like you might be swinging a little too far on the cycling. Being at 900 calories total, or net (both of which I saw) combined with cheat days is too much variance for your body to know what to do so it is deciding to do nothing.

You can always try low carb, high carb, low fat, high fat, protein, or whatever, but the first step should be to try and gain some consistency in what you eat and how much you eat. Eat all of your calories, make them as healthy as possible, and drink lots of water.

I know none of this is a quick fix, but losing weight is almost never easy. Sadly, maintaining it isn't easier either. But the rewards are SO SO worth the work.

Good luck, and please stick with us!

arodriguez24

Don't give up, this is for a better life and you are still young. Looking at your diary you should drink more water and consider a better exercise program, good exercise will start shedding those pounds quickly. you got to mix it up don't just run or bike all the time.

pammbroo

Everyone here has such great advice and are so supportive!! Its such an individual thing to figure out what you have to tweak to make it work. Its taken me 3 months to lose 8 lbs. So I feel your pain! For me, I've been playing with the number of calories I eat (because I workout alot) and am finding that increasing my cals is starting to get things moving again. I'm also using the glycemic index to help with food choices. Still experimenting with the numbers, but am hopeful. Eventually, hard work and perserverance will pay off.

Hang in there and keep tweaking!! Everyone here is happy to help you find what works best for you. Good luck!

knittnponder

I was just looking at your diary and have a few opinions.

My first suggestion would be to eat a real breakfast. I see a lot of Starbucks Frappucino's and while tasty they are not really going to give you a good nutritional start to your day. Something with more protein, complex carbs and even a little fat will set you up better than tasty fluff.

Second, the person who suggested lowering your carb intake is spot on IMO. I see a lot of processed foods and many of them are carbs. Carbs aren't evil but yours are pretty high. Try reducing them and making sure that the ones you do eat are as clean as possible (i.e. from whole foods).

Try planning your menu ahead if time is an issue. Bringing foods that you make at home for lunch and eating breakfast at home will give you cleaner, lower sodium, more nutrient dense foods that will fuel your body instead of just filling you up. I'm not a big fan of eating out all the time.

If you don't have a HRM that calculates calories burned you may want to consider investing in one. I was using MFP's numbers and wasn't seeing a loss after several weeks of doing everything "right". My husband bought me a HRM that calculates calories burned (Polar FT4, FYI) and now I track those numbers instead. MFP's calculations were MUCH higher than the HRM reads and now I've actually begun seeing the scale move again.

Remember, if you are exercising hard it's very important to eat good quality food that fuels your body! Many people in the US eat tons of calories but are actually not nourished because they're just eating junk. I

C_Bran

I think you are doing a wonderful job. I'm sure it took you longer to gain this 14lbs than it did to loose them.

Hang in there. Keep swinging, it takes time. If you want to speed it up and do it the right way (correcting your diet) then let us know and I'm sure someone on this site can direct you to a diet that will allow you to eat and still loose weight.

Main point........ Don't give up. Don't EVER give up!!!!

From:

Your Friend in Weight Loss. :flowerforyou:

deeharley

I would rather stay this weight and enjoy my fatty crappy foods again than work my butt off to stay this weight. I am really looking for a reason to not give up, because I am right there wondering why I should keep going.

I don't know much about weight loss, but I do know a thing or two about weight gain, and if you go back to eating the fatty crappy foods, you are not going to stay this weight. You are going to wake up in a few years, and discover you have even farther to go than you do today. Don't DO it!!

Someone just posted a great article yesterday (I think yesterday) about how she broke a plateau. You should read it - and hang in there. Someone smart on here will help you out and you'll get the scale to move again. :flowerforyou:

seadog1

I have hit a plateau after loseing 73 lbs, and from what research I have done, I am actually increasing my calories.. Heres some tips that I think might help me.

1. Dont go under by more then 20 percent the calories you need to maintain your weight.
2. Drink two glasses of water befor meals. (Studies show people that do that lose 1/3 more weight.)
3. Eat between meals, about at a hundred calories mid morning, mid afternoon, evening.
4. Low carb diet, if your over weight it more likely then not that your is not processing carbs efficently.
5. Eat foods that fill you up, with out lot of carbs. Omlets with sausage, cheese and egg beaters.
Cornbeef and cabage is another favorite.

Read this article and see what you think. " Understanding Weight Loss Plateaus
Obstacles to Strength, Endurance and Weight Loss"

http://exercise.about.com/cs/weightloss/a/weightplateaus.htm

Heatherbelle_87

I have to agree with tracking your sodium intake.

I looked at your past days and I would say if you really want to get past this plataue, cut out the processed foods for a few days! And consider cutting out your starbucks all together. Im not perfect I still have my daily coke which always pushes me over my sugar limit (feel free to check out my diary) but I will admit I saw my weight fall of drastically before MFP when I stopped putting the pre-processed stuff in my mouth and started cooking things on my own.

greeneyed84

Hey. I just wanted to tell you I was in a plateau as well. For 3 weeks! It was frustrating. But I finally decided to switch things up. I upped my calories from 1200 to 1500, I used to eat alm oi st all if my excercise cals back but that didn't work anymore. Now I eat 1500-1600 a day, excercise 300-400 cals off a day. I lost 2 lbs this week doing that!
I'm also watching my sodium more. I did an online search & it's recommended to stay under 2300mg a day. Plus I drink 12-14 cups of water a day and plenty of fiber.
So.... Switch things up, do it for a week and see if there's a change.
Good luck!

jojoworks

dont quit. you need to change something. are you eating enough, too much? drinking enough water?

@ DaFrog: OMG, I love your pic: "don't forget you are what you eat" response: "I need to eat a skinny person"
ROFL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

millymoozie

kristen ,dont give up if you do then yes you will be able to eat the crappy foods but you will put back on the weight you HAVE lost ,im too new to this & wouldnt be much help with the tweaking but the other guys are right lose the privacy on your diary & let some help come your way ,it will come off just we all need a little helping hand sometimes ,take it from the people that know lovie & hang on in there ,dont be a failure story ,success all the way ,cheering you on & adding you ,feel free to accept if you fancy another friend

modernmom70

Good for you for losing 14lbs! Don't give up!

Having looked at your food diary, I see your problem, it is too many processed foods and Starbucks. Go for whole foods 90% of the time at least and you will definately see a difference in not only your weight loss but also how you feel. If you exercise alot then your body needs real food, not processed chemicals pretending to be food. Avoid foods with health claims and any food that is enriched as that means the nutrients have been processed out so they had to be re-added.

Kraft dinner is not food, it is something pretending to be food!

'Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants.
And by food Michael Pollan means real food not the kind in a package.

Good Luck and don't give up!

schmanna22

Have you seen a doctor and gotten blood work done? It's possible you may have a thyroid or metabolic disorder. That's what happened to me. I inexplicably gained about 60 pounds, despite feverishly working out and eating healthy. Turned out I have PCOS. Thankfully, I've lost over 40 of it, with proper meds. Good luck to you.

jazzman48

I understand your pain ....I stayed at 181.6 pounds for 2 months and nothing moved......suddenly it went down a large 3 pounds and its been sitting there for 2 weeks. My problem was I wasn't eating enough.....I was trying to come in under my alotted calories and my body said nope...not giving up any weight.....
I increased my calorie intake only 100 calories per day but it seemed to make the difference.

Check your food diary....make sure your amounts are accurate, make sure you are eating enough and make sure you are drinking enough water for your body weight!!!

DONT QUIT!

jazzman48

I understand your pain ....I stayed at 181.6 pounds for 2 months and nothing moved......suddenly it went down a large 3 pounds and its been sitting there for 2 weeks. My problem was I wasn't eating enough.....I was trying to come in under my alotted calories and my body said nope...not giving up any weight.....
I increased my calorie intake only 100 calories per day but it seemed to make the difference.

Check your food diary....make sure your amounts are accurate, make sure you are eating enough and make sure you are drinking enough water for your body weight!!!

DONT QUIT!