GRRR! 3 weeks into my diet and not a pound or an inch lost!!

BR00KE

I have been sticking to my 1200 calories for the most part - only going 100-200 calories over some days and I haven't been eating my workout calories. I have been stuck at 135 for YEARS...ever since I lost my initial baby weight after my son was born 2 1/2 years ago. The scale is not budging and I'm very, very frustrated at this point. I'm only going for 1 pound lost per week and I've got nothing to show for my 3 weeks of work! Any suggestions??

Thanks!
Brooke :ohwell:

tig3rang3l

Honestly? Eat more. Try it for a week or two, eat your excercise calories... if you don't come down, go see the doc and make sure it isn't thyroid/hormone related.

Good luck!!!

manda1111

What kind of work outs are you doing? Becasue strength training will build muscle but not loose weight. Also are you drinking enough water? Being dehydrated can also effect your weight loss. If you do cardio do you break a sweat? If not your intensity level maybe too low. Meaning your not pushing your metabloism (sp?) to work harder so its just maintaining. Do you switch off what you are doing like strenth one day and cardio the next so that your muscles can rest? Over working can be just as bad as not working at all and can lead to injury.

These are only guesses at things that I have seen effect me. I hope that you find your balance.

mrsyac2

1200 calories may not be enough for you- I don't know how people ONLY eat 1200 calories- why not increase them. I know people that eat 2000 calories a day and lose weight- This other fitness site ripped me a new one when I told them how many calories I ate- And these are all fitness junkies with rockin bodies men and women. Mind you I was eating 1600 calories a day- They said I needed more.

They even have a blog talking about people that "diet and eat very little calories" So you know I heard it.

But anyway- Try upping your calories go for 1400-1600 and see how that works.

What was your caloric intake like before you started counting calories?

kristinareid

Hmmmm....how long and how intense are you working out? Why aren't you eating your work out calories??? YOur body needs that hun! If you don't your body will think it is survival/starvation mode and you WONT lose anything. I'm new here...one week in and I have lost 2lb. I work out 60-90 min a day and I eat more that 1/2 of my work out calories....try that=0)

BR00KE

Thank you for all of the advice! So, to answer some questions: I have been doing "the surge" workout for about a month now where I walk for one minute, run for one minute and alternate for 15 minutes. I do break a sweat and I am very winded...I'm not a runner so it's pretty tough for me. I have been doing weight training for years so I don't think I'm all of a sudden gaining muscle. I don't feel like I'm in starvation mode at all. Some days I actually feel full and bloated. There are plenty of days where I probably get to 1400 calories. At first I was eating my workout calories but after a couple of weeks I stopped since I wasn't feeling or seeing any results. Before starting this diet, I was probably eating 3000 calories a day for all I know. I have a 2-year-old and I would eat his leftover snacks without even thinking about it. I also have learned that I probably eat twice as much as the normal serving size for most foods.

Question about "starvation mode": I understand that the body will hang on to food when it senses that it isn't getting enough, but that can't last forever, right? Not that I am suggesting this, but if a person stopped eating, they would lose weight. I just don't feel like I'm starving myself at all and I am a person with NO will power.

My husband says I'm getting frustrated way too quickly and he's probably right. I think I will try to increase my calories a little and wait a few more weeks. It's just hard when there's no progress :ohwell:

Thanks, everyone!
Brooke

tig3rang3l

Hey Brooke,

Don't give up! It is so frustrating, and we know because most of us have been there.

My understanding of starvation mode is this... you will still lose weight, but it is harder, and it becomes very easy to regain the weight if you slip up at all.

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/10665-newbies-please-read-me-2nd-edition

The links on this page are ones that I've found pretty helpful. I realized I was overestimating what I was eating, and underestimating what I was burning... I bumped the calories from 1200 to 1400, started eating my exercise calories, and voila.... plateau broken.

Keep us updated, and good luck!