FRUSTRATED!!!!!!!!!!

Pakitalian85

So, finally did it... yup... broke down into tears yesterday because I have not lost a single pound in 2 weeks! I have been busting my butt and nothing to show for it. About 6 years ago, I weighed 297. Got on Weight Watchers and got down to 135lbs. Then I got married and put 50lbs back on. October 2010 I weighed 185... got serious in about november, got back on weight watchers, found fitness pal about a month or so ago, and I am now down to 170. I got down to 169 last week, but now back up to 170

WHAT IS GOING ON????? I have been watching what I eat, I am under my calorie goal daily, which is 1200 a day. I have been running on a treadmil (about 2.5 miles) or doing the eliptical for 30 minutes a day at about 75/80 strides per minute. Started doing some weight lifting as well... and NOTHING!!!!!!! NOT A SINGLE THING!!! It's all I think about. I think about it so much I have become obsessed with weight loss. I don't know what else to do... cut back my food? I need to try to work in more excercise, but with my work schedule, its difficult.

I can't stop obsessing over the fact that I can't lose anything, I am starting to get really depressed about it. The first go around from 297 to 135 the weight just fell off. Its SOOO much harder this time. And I didn't even do much excersice last time!!



Please help!!! Words of encouragement, advice, ANYTHING!!! I am about to go crazy!!

dlaplume2

I tried to view you food diary, if make it public that might help. If you are eating 1200 cal and exercising, you might not be eating enough. You should be eating 1200 calories after your exercies. The other thing, you are getting closer to your goal, you might want to make sure you have you setting to lose 1 lb a week and no more. You deffinitly want to make sure you are feeding your body what it needs.

Best wishes

AnneElise

I agree with the first poster. Are you eating your exercise calories?

AmyW4225

Yes, it's possible that you aren't eating enough. Try upping your calories and drinking atleast 8 glasses of water and see how that works for you.

froglegjack

I can only say I agree. Make sure you are getting 1200 calories with your exercise and watch your sodium. Drink plenty of water.
Don't stress too much. I know it is frustrating but the scales don't take into account everything. I mean they don't say what part of that number is water fat muscle or bones. :flowerforyou:

patricepeop

You really need to eat 1200 calories! I found that anytime I tried to kick it up and lose by not eating 1200 calories I just stopped losing! Eat:)

hpsnickers1

So, finally did it... yup... broke down into tears yesterday because I have not lost a single pound in 2 weeks! I have been busting my butt and nothing to show for it. About 6 years ago, I weighed 297. Got on Weight Watchers and got down to 135lbs. Then I got married and put 50lbs back on. October 2010 I weighed 185... got serious in about november, got back on weight watchers, found fitness pal about a month or so ago, and I am now down to 170. I got down to 169 last week, but now back up to 170

WHAT IS GOING ON????? I have been watching what I eat, I am under my calorie goal daily, which is 1200 a day. I have been running on a treadmil (about 2.5 miles) or doing the eliptical for 30 minutes a day at about 75/80 strides per minute. Started doing some weight lifting as well... and NOTHING!!!!!!! NOT A SINGLE THING!!! It's all I think about. I think about it so much I have become obsessed with weight loss. I don't know what else to do... cut back my food? I need to try to work in more excercise, but with my work schedule, its difficult.

I can't stop obsessing over the fact that I can't lose anything, I am starting to get really depressed about it. The first go around from 297 to 135 the weight just fell off. Its SOOO much harder this time. And I didn't even do much excersice last time!!



Please help!!! Words of encouragement, advice, ANYTHING!!! I am about to go crazy!!

Because you are not eating your exercise calories and staying under 1200 calories a day. If you aren't that overweight to begin with your body will want to protect your fat reserves and will slow down your metabolism and eat into your lean muscle mass instead.

http://www.hussmanfitness.org/html/TPAdaptation.html

Working With Your Body - The Basic Strategy
By John P. Hussman, Ph.D.
All rights reserved and actively enforced.


The goal of this site is to help you to transform your physique by walking you step-by-step through everything you need to know about exercise physiology and nutrition. I know that a lot of you have “tried everything,” and because there are so many approaches that have failed you, there's a real risk that you'll quit again and again if you don't see results immediately, or if you don't fully understand why your fitness program should work. Worse, there may be some missing pieces in your program, which could lead to slow progress even though you're hard at work. My hope is that this information will help you to stay on track - to turn effort into results - and to reach your goal.

Want to change your physique? Start by realizing that whatever shape you're in right now is your body's way of adapting to the lifestyle you're living. It's your body's attempt to survive. So the strategy is simple. We're going to give your body a very specific “environment” – a particular mix of activities, nutrition, and recovery – and your body is going to adapt by becoming leaner, stronger, and healthier.

Every change you throw at your body triggers a response. The problem with many diet and exercise programs is that they can accidentally encourage your body to defend fat, shed muscle, increase appetite and even lower its metabolism. The key to fast results is to know exactly which actions will cause your body to adapt by becoming fitter.

Maybe you've tried before to get in shape. But for some reason, you didn't get the results you wanted. If you're like I used to be, you've repeated that cycle year after year to no avail. Maybe you've failed so many times that you think of yourself as a “special case.” You've started to believe your entire metabolism consists of a little turtle on a treadmill. You wonder whether you've got the fat gene. You're convinced that no matter how hard you diet, your cells can still be seen eating Twinkies when viewed under a microscope.

Look. You're not a special case. Even if you had the fat gene (common among Pima Indians but rare otherwise), you'd only be burning 50-60 calories a day less than anybody else. Even if you've been diagnosed with a metabolic difficulty such as diabetes or hypothyroidism, you can still be successful with proper medical support. Most probably, other approaches failed you either because they were missing important pieces, focused on the wrong things, or produced results so slowly that you just gave up. What you need most is good information. You're in the right place.

The law of unintended consequences
Your body is an amazing feedback system aimed at balance and survival. Humans are at the top of the food chain because they are able to adapt to their environment. Every action produces a reaction. Every change in its environment triggers a survival response. It's important to keep that in mind when you plan your fitness program. If you treat your body as an enemy to be conquered, you'll produce unintended results.

For example, if you severely cut off the supply of food to your body, it will defend itself by slowing down its metabolism to survive starvation. The body will shed muscle mass the same way that you would throw cargo from a plane that was low on fuel, and it will reduce its thyroid activity to conserve energy. The body will also actually defend its fat stores. In anorexia, muscle loss can be so profound that fat as a percentage of body weight actually rises. Extreme carbohydrate restriction also causes muscle loss, dehydration, and slower metabolism, which is why even successful Atkins dieters can have a significant rebound in weight after they stop the diet (don't worry – the advice on this site will prevent that from happening).

As another example, if you put your body under stress through overexertion and lack of sleep, it will respond by slowing down, reducing muscle growth, and increasing your appetite for junk food, carbohydrates and fat. If you feed your body excessive amounts of sugar and quickly digested carbohydrates, and it will shut off its ability to burn fat until those sugars are taken out of the bloodstream.

This website will show you how to work with your body to quickly produce the changes you want. In order to do that, you need to take actions that push your body to adapt – to build strength, burn fat, and increase fitness. You need a training program, not an exercise routine. You need a nutrition plan, not a diet. You need a challenge, not a few good habits you usually try to follow except when you don't.

Setting the right goal
John Dewey once said that a problem well-stated is half-solved. If you want to reach your goal, you have to define it correctly. See, a lot of people say “I want to lose weight.” Well, if losing weight is your goal, go on a no-carb diet. You'll lose a lot of weight – some of it will be fat, a lot of it will be water, and a dangerous amount will be muscle tissue. You'll lose weight quickly, but you'll slow your metabolism and gain fat more quickly once you go off the diet. Trust me on this. I've been there, done that.

The problem is that you've set the wrong goal. If you want to look better, have more energy and enjoy better health, the goal is not simply to “lose weight.” The goal is to improve your fitness level and body composition. That means losing fat, improving your aerobic capacity, training your strength and defending your muscle tissue. You can't do that with a no-carb diet. You will do it using the approach you'll learn on this website. Trust me on this one too. I know what it's like to feel fat, tired and helplessly out of shape. The whole point of this site is to help others avoid that, by sharing lessons that I had to learn the hard way.
Ready to change?

Right this minute, your body is the way it is because it has adapted to the lifestyle you've thrown at it, in an attempt to survive. Ever seen the directory at the mall with the little red arrow that says “you are here”? Well, fitness is the same way. You are here. You can't start anywhere else. So be kind to yourself. Don't beat yourself up. Don't worry about how much there is to do. Change your self-talk from “My body is my enemy” to “My body is my partner.” Accept where you are right now as the starting point, and start moving.

Changing your body requires more than just “going on a diet” for a few weeks. If you want to change your body, you have to make some changes to your lifestyle (which requires some discipline, but isn't as hard as it sounds). If you create the right environment, your body will adapt to it by becoming leaner, stronger, and more energetic. You can do this.

It also takes about a month for your body to adapt to changes thrown at it.

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/8977-your-body-s-thoughts-on-calories
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/TrainerRobin/view/myth-or-fact-calories-in-versus-calories-out-3500-calories-one-pound-and-should-i-eat-my-exercise-calories-62012

MphsThomas

get a new scale, sounds like to me your working hard at it.

princesslmc2

Sometimes the body just does crazy things... I generally only have one week of real progress on the scale each month... And that's primarily because TOM messes with me for two weeks before/after. Sodium could also attribute to it (while I was under my calories Tuesday, I ate sushi for lunch which put me way over on sodium). Lots of things...

It IS hard to keep going when you're not seeing those results on the scale. Are you also keeping track of your measurements?

You just gotta keep plugging along, and results will happen. Maybe not on your timeline, but it will happen.

I'm getting ready to wrap up my one-year healthy lifestyle... my goal was to lose 52 pounds, but I think I'll "only" get to the 40-mark. But hey - 40 is still gosh-darn impressive!!!

You're doing great - keep it up!!

HDurow1018

I don't have a whole lot of advice on why what your doing isn't working but from what I have read in other posts, make sure you are eating back your exercise calories, getting enough water and (since your lifting weights) take your measurements since muscle weighs more than fat. I only know what I have read on MFP but that seems to be alot of the advice that has worked for others.

Try to take a deep breath and step back for a minute! You have done ALOT and need to realize that it will happen just not as quickly as the first time. But you know you can do it! I haven't been doing this very long but it takes a while to get in the groove. Have confidence...you'll get it figured out :happy:

:flowerforyou:

WarmFuzzy

I just read a blog post by Newmeat30 who put up pictures of herself before & after a 2 month fitness program.
She only lost 12 scale pounds. BUT her body looks like she lost 50 pounds!!! In her face, midsection, buttocks, arms, breasts.... it was amazing!

you mention that you are doing daily cardio & adding in strength. It could be that your body needs to adjust, & is making exchanges - burning off fat as fast as it is replacing with muscle.

remember, weight is only one measurement we have of how we are doing healthwise - nutrition facts, size, muscle tone all add into the total picture.

Also, because you have lost a significant amount of weight once, & then put it back on, your body is going to fight harder to keep it...

Give it some more time (I've plateaued after only 4 days, I KNOW how hard that can be!) and don't stop working out or eating right... things will change, & you will love the results! =-)

Pakitalian85

Thank you so much everyone. Just made my food diary public... I didn't know it was private

I haven't been eating my excercise calories

Drinking 8+ glasses of water

Do you think I need to excercise more?? This used to be a piece of cake for me... I have lost 162 lbs before for crying out loud! Without excercise!!!

Thank you all... I need this help badly

Looking to make some more friends too... Its nice to be able to share experiences with everyone....

tnford

I think it's natural to be frustrated. I've read in the past that if you don't eat enough food to support the amount of exercise you're doing, the weight will be slow to come off. It's almost like you're body thinks you're starving your self and it will preserve fat. So try to eat more. Not sure if you are opposed to taking supplements, but fat burners have helped me in the past when I hit a platuea. Good luck!

KaseyWB

Been there done that. Here is a quote from this site "too much exercise and not enough food= plateau". You need to eat more. Eat back your exercise calories. Your body needs fuel. Try not to go under 1200 net calories a day. When I started eating my exercise calories back I started losing again.

Jackie0127

Hang in there!! It took 4 weeks for me start seeing results! :noway: But, now its starting to come off, slowly but surely. Drink lots of water. If you know you will be excersicing that day, push for 1400 calories that day instead. It is hard, but remember you are doing it on your own and the natural way. Instead of thinking of a diet, think lifestyle change, so that you always make healthy choices for yourself. Fill your day with fruits and veggies. And if you need to fill those calories, try making a proten shake/smoothie. We are all different. But, somehow we do end up with the same results, some of us later than sooner, but the weight does come off.

Good Luck! :flowerforyou:

coolani

It is hard when you are working so hard and feel that you arent seeing the benefis. How often do you weigh yourself? Try not to get on he scale more than once a week as a previous poster said, the scales dont tell the whole story and fluid, ups and downs, etc. You said that you would like to fit in more exercise but it it hard. Is there a way you could fit in walking while on break? even 20 minutes...?? starting a walking club at work?? Dont know the situation. Remember that it is a process and there are never any quick solutions...unfortuantely. Believe me, I know, I am 58 and have been working at keeping my weight down all my life! Now with MFP tool, I think it will help me as I am a very visual person who needs to see things in black and white..

hpsnickers1

Thank you so much everyone. Just made my food diary public... I didn't know it was private

I haven't been eating my excercise calories

Drinking 8+ glasses of water

Do you think I need to excercise more?? This used to be a piece of cake for me... I have lost 162 lbs before for crying out loud! Without excercise!!!

Thank you all... I need this help badly

Looking to make some more friends too... Its nice to be able to share experiences with everyone....

Add more calories first. Adding more exercise will just make it worse. Too much exercise - especially cardio - can have a detrimental effect on weight loss. Incorporate some strength training into your routine to help preserve that muscle mass - this is what makes your metabolism. You won't get bulky. It's almost impossible on a calorie restriction and being female you won't get muscles like a man.

http://www.sparkpeople.com/mypage_public_journal_individual.asp?blog_id=3926473&SPShared=TRUE

This link shows what can happen if you lift weights.

The reason you lost so much weight before is you lost a lot of muscle mass along with that fat mass. You will see the scale number go down much faster than if you lost only fat mass. And you slowed your metabolism doing it so when you went off the diet your body gained weight more quickly than before you lost it.

katberz

I agree with what everyone else has said, our bodies are quite good at ensuring we don't starve to death lol. I tried to kick-start my weight loss a couple weeks ago by eating less than 1200 cals (bad Kat!) and not eating back my exercise cals as well. Did I lose any weight? NO! And I still have quite a bit to lose too! I've upped my cals and although I haven't officially input a loss this week, I sneaked onto the scales this morning and I've already lost a pound.

BflSaberfan

Bump your calories up to 1400 or 1500 and see waht happens (I lost 4 lbs in 1 week when I did it)

Pakitalian85

I know what you mean! I have been tempted to cut back calories... but I don't think that will help. Understand your frustration!

Pakitalian85

Thanks again everyone. I have read all of the articles everyone has posted. Thank you for sparing a few minutes for me. I have really needed the encouragement. I think I have to find a way to work more fruits and veggies in my diet as well. Im not big on veggies, but I LOVE salads!

Thanks again everyone. All of the kind words and encouragement were exactly what I needed!

tycola32

Girl I feel your pain the same thing happen to me... I was 185lbs almost three years ago, so I join tidewater weight loss and got down to 147lbs in no time. I stop going to the clinic and went back up 155lbs and now I’m 153lbs trying to get to 145lbs and it has been a struggle. I have done everything and have only been able to maintain, so I really hope I can get it done this time. I'm going on a cruise for my 10th wedding anniversary in Aug and really would love it if I can look my best…

ANewLucia

Hi, yes it can be so frustrating...I will tell you I truly agree with most of the other posts. I don't believe you are eating enough and you should eat at least half your exercise calories. I actually tried something this last week and lost 2 lbs...I increased my calories from 1330 to 1550 and lost. So it may be that your body is in starvation mode and needs more fuel.

morrfaith

Be encouraged. I went through a similarly shocking experience and committed to change on May 1st. I've lost 42lbs. Select the plan that is right for you. Custom Healthy Eating, Exercise and consistency has been the key to weight loss for me. Good luck!

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AnvilHead

Zombie thread from over 6 years ago.

InkAndApples

The zombie thread makes my head hurt, I wondered why all the hinting at starvation mode posts hadn't been "woo"ed

Good to see the quality of advice has drastically improved over the last six years.

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krael65

It's kinda funny to read through. THIS was the prevailing 'wisdom' when I first joined MFP in 2011! I took a break for a couple of years... When I came back ~1.5 years ago, CI<CO was/is the prevailing message. I must say, the CI/CO equation makes much more sense than "you're not losing? EAT MORE!"

gabriellejayde

ha... I clearly remember back then and every time someone said they weren't losing, EVERYONE jumped on the "you're not eating enough" bandwagon. I had so many arguments with people about it that it made NO sense. I was going to make a post about it now, how trends have changed.
Because also back then, a lot of people would insist on not eating after dinner, or intermittent fasting.

carolinelanewa

Hang in there. I feel your frustration. I trained for a triathlon for 4 months. We are told if you eat well and exercise off it comes. I was eating 1500 cals a day. Nothing processed. 4 pt sessions a week. Cycling 80km a week. Swimming twice a week. Walking due to a stress fracture 3km everyday. Lost nothing. Zip. Just as well i loved the training. After tri my pt said you got your goal and finished the tri. Now no more than 30 mins 5 days a week. What!!!! Was my rsponse. To much exercise can increase cortisol and stop losing weight. Went against everything i knew. Have cut out sugar. Not that i eat much. Just in coffee. Now no sugar in coffee. Just under 4 weeks in have dropped 3kg. Whole thing seems nuts but its working. My weight is on my pooch. Have toned legs and arms. Have weigh in and measurements on monday and for first time in a long time i cant wait. Just hang in there. Also depending on your age it can make it harder. Im in menopause and they say its nearly impossinle to loose weight.