6 months later and...nothing. Help!

Vermilla

Six months ago I weighed exactly 2 pounds less than I do now. Six months of working my butt off and two pounds increase to show for it. I need some serious help.

I started off at a 1100-1200 calorie diet with 300-500 calorie exercise. I gained weight RAPIDLY. About ten pounds worth. Since then, I've gotten some helpful suggestions, and this is what I changed:

1) I tend to eat a bit more and average 1300-1500 a day and exercise more to about 500-900 a day. I take breaks but don't go over my calories.

2) I decreased my massive sodium intake and increased water from 1-2 cups a day to 5-6 cups a day (I hate water so I'm still working on this one)

3) I've moved from doing all my workouts all at once to spreading it throughout the day. Along with this, I try to incorporate cardio, aerobics, and light weight training on various days.

4) I used to get 2-3 hours of sleep. Before you point fingers, this is natural for me and has been so for about 7 or so years. However, I've taken to trying to sleep at least 4-6 hours to rest my body.

Now, with that said, I am 26, female, 5'11'' and weigh 159 at the moment. Any suggestions to help me actually get somewhere rather than spending the next six months in weight hell would be greatly appreciated. Thank-you.

islandjumper

Have you been taking measurements?? Are you clothes fitting any different?

Helloitsdan

Whats your:

Age
Height
Body Fat%
Weight
Waist measurement
How often do you work out

I'll help you!

hollyberry2012

You are almost six feet tall and weigh 159?

LPinTheD

Get Jillian Michaels' book "Master Your Metabolism"... It's full of great info on how your metabolism works (or doesn't) and how food/chemicals affect your endocrine system and weight loss/gain. It's my bible. Good luck to ya!

PositivelyFlawed

Are you measuring all your food choices to make sure calories in are as accurate as possible? With that, do you use and HRM to ensure calories out is accurate. I generally eat about 70% of exercise calories because i don't yet have an HRM and i like to allow for error. You could be sitting in maintenance and you're 2 lb gain is water.

That being said, if you have been truly committed to doing all you said in your post (only you will know). I would recommend seeing a doctor to have a checkup. Particular your thyroid. 6m with no progress doing all you say your doing seems odd to me. At the very least you ought to have seen a 1-2 lb loss/month. You probably don't have as much to lose as you think (5'11 and 159), but still ought to have seen some changes.

Also, have you taken measurements, your weight might have shifted from fat to lean mass. Hence the lack of change on the scale.

islandjumper

1) I tend to eat a bit more and average 1300-1500 a day and exercise more to about 500-900 a day. I take breaks but don't go over my calories.

Does that mean you eat a total of 1300-1500? Or is that your net calories number?

jjmcahill

How much weight do you want to lose...if you are 5'11" ideal body weight I believe is around 140-170 and you are at 159?

LPinTheD

I agree, 159 seems like an ideal weight for someone who's 5'11"... I'm 5'6" and looked great at 150 (my current GW). But, everyone is different.

Aerohead21

You are at a healthy weight. Consider switching to maintenance and adding strength training to tone up unresolved areas. By doing that you'll have to net many more calories than you are currently getting. Give it a try and if that doesn't help, you can stop and go back.

MMarvelous

Get Jillian Michaels' book "Master Your Metabolism"... It's full of great info on how your metabolism works (or doesn't) and how food/chemicals affect your endocrine system and weight loss/gain. It's my bible. Good luck to ya!

I need to check this book out.

twynzmom

I can't give you any suggestions because I'm having the same problem..weight going up rather than down. But I'm so proud of myself for looking forward to exercise, eating right and drinking more water I could do a happy dance! I know one day I will look back and see the reward for my efforts It won't be a matter of "where did the weight go?" because I now know what it takes to get it off! I made this quote up at the beginning of my journey "the scale is never the best indcator of our efforts" Hang in there!

123jn

What type of food are you eating? maybe you eating too little and your body is in starvation mode?

01divey

just to clarify, you are trying to put weight ON, as in build muscle right?

Tmarinari

Has your body got any smaller? I mean did you losse inches. I have a similar problem. My weight does not change very much but I shed inches and get more tone and definition. I have people telling me I look like i lost a bunch of pounds, but i have not. did go down to pants sizes and from an xl **** to a medium. I alsways go by inches, not pounds. Remember muscle is much more dense than fat a pound of muscle occupies less space than a pound of fat. In addition, because a pound of muscle burns more fat than a pound of fat, even at rest, by increasing your lean muscle tissue mass, you're helping your body burn more calories.

FinallyFitAce

Have you been taking measurements?? Are you clothes fitting any different?

my Thoughts exactly. not losing scale weight DOES NOT equate to not shed'n whatever few pounds that there are to shed on You. if You fit into the smaller jeans...You are on the right path. forget the scale, focus on the inches!

hollyberry2012

Well it's hard to say without you opening up your food diary for us to look at, but I'd say you're body seems to know better than you what is healthy, because your body is maintaining your weight for you.

cygnetpro

I'm not sure I understood the exercise calorie thing-- are you saying that you "eat back your exercise calories"? If not, that may be an issue.

Also, (not pointing fingers, mind you) the sleep thing may still need a bit of increase, if you can. You're young enough that your body surely needs more than 4 hrs, especially with all of that exercise. I have a problem in that area myself-- I'm a lifelong nightowl, and my sleep has been very short for several years (3-4 hrs). Now that I'm trying to make myself sleep 6-8 hours, I really do feel better. Even thought it was my normal, it wasn't very healthy for me.

mommy2girlies

I'm not going to be to helpful as I'm kinda in the same spot....Except I'm going to start trying (as this is what others told me) Try to fill up mostly on fruits, veggies and protein... Try to eat as many healthy carbs as you can. Oh and for the water, I am the same way! I would only drink 2-3 8 ounces of anything a day...Now I'm trying to stay around 4-6 water, and I wont let myself have juice or a pop unless I'm at 5 glasses of water for the day, and usually by then I'm to tired I don't want any. Oh something to try for water, I used to drink it all the time, but stopped now I just bought a few again...Vitamin water, they have flavors to them, and are pretty good. One container is equal to about 3 glasses, they do have calories but only 50 (and Im sure some other things) but at least finishing 1 is helping you get closer to drinking enough water??

Anyways, I know I'm not much help, but thought I'd tell ya what Im gonna try

Hearts_2015

How much weight do you want to lose...if you are 5'11" ideal body weight I believe is around 140-170 and you are at 159?

I believe her goal is 130 according to her ticker. Which I agree is a bit low for nearly 6 foot. That might be why you body is hanging on to the weight, you may have already hit your healthy weight. To tone up though you can do as some have suggested on here, weights etc.

Good Luck and remember it's not ALL about the scale!:flowerforyou:

Sabresgal63

Are you eating back those exercise calories or are you under or at 1000 cals per day????? If that's the case, that could be your problem. I am 5'7", started Jan. 9th. at 187lbs. I try to do 1 hr water aerobics 2x per week. I have lost 21lbs. MFP tried to get me to intake only 1200 after the weight started coming off, but I have kept my calories at 1390 and eat back most of my work out calories. I also have a cheat day a week and the weight is still coming off. Feed yourself:bigsmile:

Princessbrene

I'm sorry you feel frustrated. That part I do understand all too well. I wish we could see a pic of you because to be honest, 5'11" and 159 seems to me like you're probably already thin-ish. I'm 5'2" and weight 160. My goal is 130. If you're not losing weight, maybe your body is where it's supposed to be.

thechubner

I would definitely look at my measurements as well. Muscle weighs more than fat and if you've gained any muscle it could mean you're reducing inches faster than you're losing pounds because you're growing leaner and healthier. Also, I'm not sure what you look like, but remember that at 5'11 unless you have an extreamly slender frame / small bone structure you're healthy weight is going to naturally be a little higher than someone who is 5'5 or even 5'8. You could easily weight 10 - 20 lbs more than someone at a shorter height and still have an equal or better BMI. I would definitely check my BMI as well - at a certain point it's not about what the scale says it's about how you look / feel. You're doing great. Try not to get discouraged by the number on the scale. It's good to have a goal weight in mind (and if it's a weight you've been at in your adult life it's most likely acheivable) - but, for me, I try not to set my goal weight so low that I would have to chop off a limb to reach it.

autumnk921

I hope that these topics helps you some...I have just found them myself & some of it is hard to wrap your mind around until you read it all....Especially eating so many more calories to lose more weight but it is working for a lot of people...Good luck!!


http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/506349-women-who-eat-more-than-1800-calories-a-day


http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/10589-for-those-confused-or-questioning-eating-your-exercise-calo




Created by MyFitnessPal.com - Free Weight Loss Tools

carolafye

Six months ago I weighed exactly 2 pounds less than I do now. Six months of working my butt off and two pounds increase to show for it. I need some serious help.

I started off at a 1100-1200 calorie diet with 300-500 calorie exercise. I gained weight RAPIDLY. About ten pounds worth. Since then, I've gotten some helpful suggestions, and this is what I changed:

1) I tend to eat a bit more and average 1300-1500 a day and exercise more to about 500-900 a day. I take breaks but don't go over my calories.

2) I decreased my massive sodium intake and increased water from 1-2 cups a day to 5-6 cups a day (I hate water so I'm still working on this one)

3) I've moved from doing all my workouts all at once to spreading it throughout the day. Along with this, I try to incorporate cardio, aerobics, and light weight training on various days.

4) I used to get 2-3 hours of sleep. Before you point fingers, this is natural for me and has been so for about 7 or so years. However, I've taken to trying to sleep at least 4-6 hours to rest my body.

Now, with that said, I am 26, female, 5'11'' and weigh 159 at the moment. Any suggestions to help me actually get somewhere rather than spending the next six months in weight hell would be greatly appreciated. Thank-you.

I am 5'11" and with your goal weight, you'll be stick skinny. Believe me. I've been there. My goal is 150 lbs. It's within our "norm" and what I feel comfortable at. Maybe you feel comfortable at 130, but I sure didn't. Your body is only going to allow you to lose so much before it says "Okay. Stop." If you have been checked out by a Doctor, eat well within your range, exercise AND eat back those calories (or at least most of them), then I would chalk it up to you having higher standards for your body are too high and it's trying to tell you that. Work on strength training and I'm sure you'll lose inches if you need to.

Vermilla

Ok to clarify. I was asked my height and weigt and stuff. That's in my original post. Yes, my ticker says my goal is 130. It's not really. It's actually 145 but I put it at that to motivate me. I try to not eat too much of this or that., evening out between the food groups. My calories don't come from cake, lol. I mean that my intake is 1300-1500, not my net. No I am not trying to gain weight or muscle. The weights are light for toning purists. I used to weigh 140 before my leg injury and fit in a size 3 (American) and was utterly happy. I can finally fit into "old" 5 because they are strtched. Store ones have to be bigger. I had my thyroid checked and it was off but not enough that it was "a major concern" so insurance won't pay for medicine.

thechubner

Ok, well i'f you've been 140 in your adult life it's definitely reasonable. If your weightloss is going slow - one thing you might check (not to be gross) is your colon. I know someone who couldn't figure out why she wasn't losing weight / feeling bloated all the time - and she went to the dr. and a quick xray / colonoscopy later the dr. confirmed what I already knew she was full of *kitten* - literally. They scheduled her in for a single treatment (I forget the correct term, but I dubbed it the "Sonic enema") she dropped 5 or 6 lbs on the spot from the subsequen bowl movements and then had no trouble dropping an additional 5-10 within the next few months because her "plumbing" was functioning properly. (she wasn't really over weight to begin with but she, like you, was bigger than she had been before) Again not to be gross - but if it's not your thyroid - it could be something like that. This girl had never been one to eat vegetable and 20-something years on a low fiber diet.... anyway just a thought. Good luck!

love22step

You probably look pretty good at your present weight, considering your height. I'm envious of your height. Since you're a mortal human, you still need a minimum amount of sleep, and 4-6 hours is still too low. I know you can get by on that while you're young, but you're not doing your body any favors by being sleep-deprived. It will affect your weight, and, eventually, hasten the appearance of bags under your eyes. Try lifting heavy weights, versus light weights, to increase your metabolism. God bless you!

islandjumper

If 1300-1500 calories is the total number of calories you eat and you burn 500-900 a day you're eating far too little. Your calorie intake should be at least 1200 NET (After taking out workout calories). Try upping your calorie intake...from 1700-2100 a day depending on how much you work out that day and see if that helps.

Vermilla

I'm trying to sleep more but all my life I've slept very little, very light, and wake up several times a night. I take sleeping pills here and there but I dont want to rely on them. I'm a single mom and still have a mommy tummy as well. Sadly, my stomach is larger than my chest hehe.

susannamarie

*shrugs* maybe you're running too big of a deficit for someone who's trying to lose those last 15 lbs.

Even when I put no exercise/sedentary into a calculator, I get over 1800 for your calorie needs. Throwing in your exercise, that's a pretty huge deficit, and even if your calculations are a bit off, you should still be under. You might try running at a bit less of a deficit for a while -- since what you're doing now isn't working, what have you got to lose?