Can't seem to lose more than 5 pounds...

firesoforion

Alright. Here it goes. I've read all about plateaus and why we have them, and I've adjusted accordingly, but a lot of what I read talks about plateaus at your last 10 pounds, or, at least 20 to 30 pounds in. I was at 163 ish before I joined MFP, and came down to about 158 around the time I joined, and called it 160 because it was hovering around there. Then I managed to get down to 156, and I just stayed there. December 23 I finally came down to 155, but then it was Christmas, and Christmas to New Years I gained about 4 pounds back. I quickly lost to get back down to ... 156! I've bumped up my exercise levels, added some strength training (not a whole ton, but really going for it when I do), done a lot of running (more than I ever have in my life), and here I am. I know that there are some ways where I don't eat the absolute healthiest, but should I just be stagnated here? Repeatedly? General info I'm 5'4", so am looking to get down to about 110ish (though the number was a generic one I chose which is not as important to me as much as size and general fitness). I only recently started tracking my water, because I was confident I was meeting or exceeding the recommendation every day, and I am and have been.

ETA, if you're looking at my exercise log, I want to clarify that I've been doing my mile in intervals of increasing intensity (actually that's one thing I'm very pleased with is how much better I can do now than even January 1), but I chose the generic one that I log as the closest approximation to distance and calories burned, to make logging easier.

firesoforion

Bump?

firesoforion

Well bump again. I was just wondering if someone else had encountered this, and what you did to get over it. :flowerforyou:

castaliavt

I tend to struggle at 5lbs down and I don't know why either. A few months ago, I cut out all added sugar and lost 5 lbs, but nothing more. Then over Christmas, I gained it back. Now I've lost 5 more lbs and haven't lost any more. No clue what's going on.

firesoforion

Well, at least we know there's at least one more person out there with this problem! :huh:

ginnylee74

I'm wondering why I have only 8 pounds since I started in Dec. I realized that the first 5 was probably water weight but now nothing. I'm exercising. At least more than I had been. I had my knees replaced. I have a stationary bike and started out at 10 min and am now up to 30 min's and want to get to an hour. I hope someone has some suggestions. I'm trying to eat my required calories. I only had one day that I blew it. Oh well, maybe I'm expecting too much.::grumble:

Bump

firesoforion

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/468922-advice-wanted-anyone-with-similar-experiences

I posted this under a different title and I just started getting some advice on the other thread. I thought I'd spread it here for you guys. At least hopefully there's something helpful there. *sigh. It really is frustrating! I've been waiting a few weeks for it to go down now and it just hasn't. :grumble:

amandabcdefg

i'm having this same problem. i started earlier this month, and i got down about 8 lbs two weeks in, and now its paused completely. i roam back and forth the same two lbs no matter what i do! i've tried upping my exercise, taking days off, tweaking my diet... i just don't understand what happened and how to restart my loss!

beckysweetpea

i know for me previously when dieting i tend to get stuck around the 7kg mark, i dont do a lot of exercise, but im super religious on my calories. have you check ur BMR compared to current calories eaten??? do you eat the calories that you have burnt??? i have been told, even though some personal trainers would disaggree on this comment, that if u exercise too much then its not the muscle that gets bigger or whatever but its the fat!! i dont know how true this is, but with my cals my BMR is 2000-ish but my daily intake allowed is 1490 but on average i prob eat less than 1100-1000 cals per day. how much alcohol do u drink??? cause thats all empty calories

plus when u have a blow out it takes ur body 2-3 days to get over it

hope some of this helps

beckysweetpea

amanda do u get really bloated before the monthlys??? maybe some of it is water retention???

amandabcdefg

amanda do u get really bloated before the monthlys??? maybe some of it is water retention???

i keep trying to pass it off as that! but i had a mishap with my cycle, and havent even gotten it yet, so i'm impatiently waiting for it to come to see if that does change anything!

also, i know its awful, but i had my husband pick me up some diurex to try to help with my bloating/water retention because i was feeling really puffy and uncomfy that day, and it didnt do any good either

dovesgate

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/61706-guide-to-calorie-deficits

http://www.nhlbisupport.com/bmi/

Firesoforion, I posted in your other thread before I saw this one. Basically, you can't set your weight loss goal to 2lbs a week when you're so close to a normal weight/BMI. Lower to .5 and while it may take some time, you can and will get there. Also, you may increase in weight right after you start eating what you are supposed to. DON'T get discouraged. It is perfectly normal.

I really recommend reading the first link for anyone who is in a plateau and/or having trouble losing weight and the second link is so you can check your BMI.

firesoforion

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/61706-guide-to-calorie-deficits

http://www.nhlbisupport.com/bmi/

Firesoforion, I posted in your other thread before I saw this one. Basically, you can't set your weight loss goal to 2lbs a week when you're so close to a normal weight/BMI. Lower to .5 and while it may take some time, you can and will get there. Also, you may increase in weight right after you start eating what you are supposed to. DON'T get discouraged. It is perfectly normal.

I really recommend reading the first link for anyone who is in a plateau and/or having trouble losing weight and the second link is so you can check your BMI.

Thanks, I'll definitely consider that. I've already upped mine a bit. Eating just 1000 feels comfortable for me...and I don't feel any energy loss or anything, so I've been reluctant to raise it to even more than what I feel like I'm eating even if I'm not trying to lose weight. :indifferent:

xanthochroid

i read this yesterday maybe this might be a help... http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/406319-a-different-way-to-set-up-mfp-goals-that-works

firesoforion

Dovesgate, I just looked at your post on the other thread, thanks for the 110 info. Perhaps I'll change that tonight actually. I just put it there because, as you said, it's the low end of normal. I have absolutely no idea what I'll weigh at my ideal physical condition, too much personal variation and stuff, so I wouldn't be surprised at all if mine was much higher than that. I just figured, well, if I estimate on the low range, I'm bound to hit my goal along the way. Perhaps that's the wrong approach.


And xantthochroid, very nice thread. I think I'll try that way of setting up my goals that way for a while and see how it works. Seems very sensible.

xanthochroid

hopefully it might kick start that weight lose again....i was a bit confused with all the information....so i sent the op a message with my weight and my bmr and she kindly gave me the exact figure to use

BethieBoops

Have you taken measurements? I'm in the same boat (been down 4 pounds for 4 months) SO frustrating. But I've noticed my clothes are a wee bit looser. Also, I'm not eyeballing my portions any longer, hoping that being a food nazi will jump start the scale loss.

My tactic:
- more water
- weighing my food for most accurate calorie level
- more activity

Good Luck!

firesoforion

I haven't yet but I'll start tomorrow. I'm never sure if my clothes are looser or if it's just my imagination or not having dried them fully so they're stretching or any number of other things, lol. The weighing food exactly is another good idea that I should definitely do, I'm pretty careful (hey, if I'm as careful as I think I've been being, it'll just mean I get to eat more, right? :laugh: ). Good luck to you as well!!