Need some motivation- stuck in cave girl metabolism!

jennifersews

So hello, I'm new. Lol. My husband and I have been working out an hour a day 3 days a week for 2 months now. I joined MFP 2 weeks ago in a desperate attampt to figure out why I have lost nothing, neither pounds nor inches. After tracking my food diligently for a bit I realize there is no way in heck I can eat just 1200 calories a day. I tried but was hungry all the time, and I mean stomach pain and growling belly hungry. SO I am backing off and trying to focus on the fact that I am getting healthy, if not thin.

But I know my body pretty well after 37 years. I have worked out before and I know very well if I quit working out right now and continue my (generally 1600 calorie) intake, I will lose 10 pounds very quickly. People will comment and congratulate me on how great I look. On the other hand, if I do that I am right back where I am now in another 4 months. But aside from losing some weight I really wanted to get healthy. I don't want to be one of my patients, prematurely old and falling apart with multiple serious medical conditions mostly related to lifestyle and diet.

How do I keep motivated beyond the health aspect when I am not losing at all? I get it that I could buckle down and force myself to restrict calories further, but why? If I have to give up food and be hungry all the time, there's no way I will continue to work out. But I've gained strength and endurance along with the inches of muscle on my thighs and butt that make my clothes even tighter. I feel like I am rewriting my body image ideals as I go. Are there any women out there who have kept going with their workouts even when the scale isn't your friend and your clothes are getting tighter? I keep trying to tell myself strong is sexy. But I started this journey 2 months ago at 135 and now most days the scale says 140. Don't even get me started on the measurements, they are the same as January! I lost 10 pounds from January of this year through April (don't worry though, I found it all by summer.) I've always eaten healthy and I'm happy to continue, but I need some kick in the butt goals to keep me going to the gym. Help!

AZKristi

Eating 1200 calories a day is not sustainable for me either. I eat about 1800 and try to burn 600-100 through exercise. You may be overestimating your workout calories if you aren't losing weight.

mbmorse1011

Well since 135 is my goal weight I would say good for you for keeping it stable without seeing any loss. I did cut my calories down to 1200 and it took me a bit to get used to. You have to make those 1200 calories count. Make sure what you are eating is healthy and nutritiously filling. I have done a lot of research on what to eat when and what's best. Breakfast should be the biggest meal of the day and decrease meal calories as the day goes on. Snacks are ok if they are healthy. Things with protien really help fight those hunger pains. I have found an exercise that I love doing, zumba. I feel silly sometimes but it's fun and addicting, I go 3 times a week and do yoga/pilates the other days. I have also been using the wii fit and other games to mix it up. Keep plugging away. Sometimes just changing a few things will get you off the plateau.

slimkitty

I would die if I ate 1200 calories a day either. My intake is usually pretty close to 1800 sometimes less, sometimes more. I didn't see any weight loss for about 3 months after starting this journey. Then all of a sudden my clothes started feeling looser, people started commenting, so when I weighed myself I was surprised to find out I had lost 23 pounds and 4 inches of my waist and hips. The only thing I can say is - stick with it. It was pay off in the long term. Push yourself through your workouts, eat a diet of healthy, natural unrefined foods with an occasional treat. Eat enough to support your body, don't starve. It will be worth it. You are not doing this, just so you can lose a few pounds quickly. You are doing this so you can make lasting positive changes for your health. It will take time, but it's worth it.

ruststar

I've been on MFP for more than 6 months now, and I've lost a total of 13 pounds. That's it. And yet, I come here every day, I track all my food and i continue to exercise. Why? Because the alternative is to keep gaining weight as I get older and finding it more difficult to tasks I used to be able to do easily. That's not the life I want to live. If you're not losing any weight yet, at least you aren't gaining any either.

My weight loss actually started more than 2 years ago and I've lost a total of 33. When I started tracking my food on MFP and increasing my exercise it helped me get out of the 200's and into the 190's (a place I hadn't been since 1997). I've accepted the fact that this will be slow because I want the weight to stay gone and I'm trying to shape the way my life will be from now on. I will work out every week lifting weights and doing high intensity intervals plus the occasional long walk or a zumba class for fun. I enjoy exercise now, so it's not a problem. Honestly, exercise was never my problem - it's always been about the food.

So here's the deal with food. I don't want to live a life that has me trying to survive on 1200 calories a day. After doing a ton of research on caloric needs I learned that 1200 is too low for me anyway. Thanks to the weight training I actually need far more - between 2000 and 2200. I don't worry about eating my exercise calories because I go for a consistent number on a daily basis based on my activity level, but I will eat a little more on lifting days.

I wanted to respond to you because I know how you feel. I tried the ridiculously low calories and stalled quickly. When I upped my calories I continued my slow, incremental weight loss, developed a love for intense exercise, and I am pleased to see my muscles show up every week. Most importantly I can still eat like a normal person, I just make smarter choices and I'm far more knowledgeable about what my body needs to do what I want to do.