Going to need help with this one.

JennetteMac

I have been on MFP for almost 2 years, losing plenty on the way and becoming far more body/ health aware. I have a reasonably active life, with 2 jobs, a family and a dog to keep me on the move. I walk at least 40 mins most days in addition to waitressing in the evening and teaching full time.

I seemed to plateau about 3 or 4lbs from my goal, although just before Christmas I did make my target for a few fabulous days. I gained about 7lb over the holiday, and have now shifted that, only to stick around 3lb off target again.

Having read lots on this site I thought I could try adjusting my profile slightly and re set my weekly loss, up my calorie goal slightly and hopefully get my body to shift into a new gear.

So today I took the plunge. Upped calorie goal to 1290 (was 1200) and am thinking seriously about how to change exercise. This will be tricky, as I am genuinely very short of time, and at least walking gets the dog exercised as well as me.

What I'm hoping for is some support, advice comments, motivation and sharing to keep me on this new track. I have to be honest, I am bricking it. I am so used to keeping to 1200, with guilt trips on days I fail, that I actually feel frightened at the idea of intentionally going higher.

Plus, the exercise thing is a problem. I know I should do more, but really will struggle to fit it in to the days.

Any thoughts/comments/advice? If you friend me my diary is open.
Thank you.

suejonestx

I also gained about 7-8 pounds during the Thanksgiving/Christmas timeframe, right after getting to a low of 15 pounds from my goal weight. Now, I'm stuck with "getting back to where I was so I can really start the diet again!" There are a lot of good folks on this site that have more to lose than me, but it's still a struggle when your goal changes from 15 pounds away to about 25 pounds away in the span of 2 months! The key is finding something that motivates you. I recently saw pictures of my cousin looking very skinny after being pretty heavy the last time I saw her (about 2 years ago). This motivated me and I'm now back on track, even though the path is now longer than it was before the holidays. I think the trick is patience and dedication. It's not going to come off in a few weeks but it will eventually come off if I stick to a healthy plan. Good luck with your journey. Upping your calories is probably the right thing to do...just look for the many articles on this subject in the MFP Community. Feel free to friend me and keep up the great work!

japruzze

Took a look at your food diary. Rather than up the total calories, consider changing where the calories are coming from. You can change the macros (% carb/fat/protein). I find that using 30/35/35 I stall less with my weight loss. I'm big on protein. Every time I eat, there needs to be some protein included.

therealangd

You'll do fine. Up them 100 at a time for a few weeks and see how it goes. Your metabolism will adjust.

MinnieInMaine

First of all, I can tell both of you that said you gained weight over the holidays that you're both pretty much in the average and you're definitely not alone with the stalling. I read an article a little while back that said the average woman gains 5-7 pounds over the holidays. That made me feel a little better about my 5 pound gain - at least I wasn't alone! And I've also had a tough time getting back on track. It doesn't help that this time of year, social events tend to be unplanned at least in my life, so I've had a couple of rough weekends that I didn't quite expect.

There's nothing wrong with starting over. Re-set your old goals or set some new goals to help get your motivated towards something specific.

Now, I'm nowhere near that close to my ultimate goal but from what I've read around here, sometimes it helps to shift the focus from the number on the scale to inches and/or body fat %. Which leads me to your question about exercise...

The body does become accustomed to the same movement after a while so it is good to mix things up. Walking is a great exercise but you need to switch things up - how about trying to include some jogging intervals or change your path so you're walking more hills? Adding a little strength training is good for us women as it helps keep our bones stronger. There's plenty of things you can do at home using your own body weight (push-ups, sit-ups, tricep dips, squats, lunges, etc). And once that gets easier, buy some 5 pound hand weights at WalMart/Target and add some new moves.

There are tons of exercise DVDs out there and most can be found at WalMart/Target for $10 or less. If you're not sure about spending the money, check our your local library (and any libraries they can loan from) and videos online. Also, if you have Netflix, they have some exercise DVDs there too.

Have fun!

JennetteMac

OK.
Posted started this post on Thursday, it's now Thursday. On Friday (first day of new regime) I ate my exercise calories and my new 1290, well, nearly managed. I had a couple of treats, ate lots of protein and thought I'd done a pretty good job for my first day.
Total horror this morning. I have put on 2.5lbs. So I am now thoroughly depressed, and have returned to my previous format.
I am guessing people will tell me to give it more time, but there is no way I can watch a 2lb increase every day even for a week while I "give it time". I would be nearly a stone heavier in a week and it would take a month to lose.
So my experiment has failed. Or I have.
Hey ho, back to the plan.:sad:

Faye_Anderson

You wouldn't be putting on 2lb every day, I'd say it's you who has failed and not the plan this time as you can't give something 24 hours and expect to see results, sorry if that sounds harsh x

formersec

OK.
Posted started this post on Thursday, it's now Thursday. On Friday (first day of new regime) I ate my exercise calories and my new 1290, well, nearly managed. I had a couple of treats, ate lots of protein and thought I'd done a pretty good job for my first day.
Total horror this morning. I have put on 2.5lbs. So I am now thoroughly depressed, and have returned to my previous format.
I am guessing people will tell me to give it more time, but there is no way I can watch a 2lb increase every day even for a week while I "give it time". I would be nearly a stone heavier in a week and it would take a month to lose.
So my experiment has failed. Or I have.
Hey ho, back to the plan.:sad:

Jennette, because you are so close to goal, the last few pounds may be difficult to lose. You are not alone. This happens very often to even the most diligent.

May I offer a few suggestions? One is, don't weigh yourself every day. You posted in Thursday and expected to see results by Friday. That's not enough time. Besides, weighing yourself every day does not give you an accurate assessment of your progress. Weight goes up and down every day and even from hour to hour. Try weighing yourself once a week and at approximately the same time of day each week.

Another thought: How is your sodium intake every day? If you are consuming more than 2400 or 2500 mg. of sodium every day, you are,getting too much and that could cause you to retain water, which means more pounds. And be sure to drink plenty of water to help your kidneys flush out the excess sodium.

Don't give up. You are almost at goal. You've come this far, and I know you can go all the way.

JennetteMac

Thanks for the support, people. I know in my head that you are right. One day is not going to give me a chance to change anything. I know I have to stick to stuff. But emotionally my mindset means that I feel guilty when I eat over 1200, I feel failure when I put on weight, and I feel insecure when I don't weigh in the morning. As I said at the start. I'm going to need support on this one.

JennetteMac

Thanks for the advice on sodium formersec. I just checked my reports on sodium. Over the last month it seems to be averaging around 1000mg. Highest was 1800mg one day, lowest is about 400mg several times. I do try with the water, but tend to take it as tea. Does that count? I do drink a lot of tea.!
I am thinking I'll keep trying on 1290, and have vowed to speed up my walking. Someone also suggested more strength exercises, so I'll see what I can do there.
Thanks