I'm close to giving up.

Psyb3r

Could someone please help me? I've come so far, but to not reach my goal is killing me, and I am getting so discouraged. I'm 5'5", weigh 167lbs, and my BMR is 1484. I was eating approximately 1530 for about 6 months, and only lost about 10lbs. The last 2 months of that I barely lost any at all, so I decided to cut back on calories again. I tried eating 1200 again, and GAINED 3lbs!!! So, yeah I panicked and was ticked off so I was ready to give up again and decided to just try a week at maintainence calories. I GAINED another 2lbs!! So now all the hard work for the past 4 months is pretty much gone. I am literally in tears every night over this. I just want to get to a healthy weight for my height (150lbs). My workouts consist of walking almost every day (30 minutes). I started doing P90X for 2 months, then switched to Insanity which I've been doing for the past week. I'm really at a loss of what to do in order to lose these last 17lbs. I feel like giving up. Please help me!!!!:sad: :sad: :sad:

Psyb3r

Bump. Anybody?

Psyb3r

Seriously? No one will help?

redtalent

I would love to help but I am in the same boat! I've been working for over a year and I've only lost 18 pounds! I've tried Insanity, 30DS, C25k, Turbo Jam, and now I'm going exercise classes times a week. Still nothing. I would like to see others responses as well!

klafrancis

I know how it feels to be stuck! I have been gaining and losing the same 3 pounds for months now. All of this while I have increased excercise and making sure most of my caloric intake is good and healthy. Not sure what the problem is...just have to keep plugging away. I am trying to think of it as less about weight more about a lifestyle that I can maintain and feel good about. Hopefully if we keep it up, in a year we can reach goal.

For now, I am staying as far away from the scale as possible. Good luck to you!

embeck79

don't give up its just a blip, when i have ever changed my calorie intake i gain a few lbs but then these do come off, i have noticed that with strength/circuit training a huge difference in my body not so much lbs lost but inches. i am a lover of jillian michaels dvds, she can kick butt. i found myself stuck in a rut and this has really helped me and lifting dumbells too, also just started kettlercise and its amazing for fat buring whilst toning.

dont give up you have come so far :flowerforyou: x

BryGuy2

Hi there. I am close to your height and weight, but being different genders I don't know if this will make a difference, but here is my experience. I was working out to p90x previously, weighing at 164 lbs, eating 1600-1800 calories a day, every 2-3 hours, eating 50% protein, 30% carbs and 20% protein. I was only doing p90x for the first month and lost 8 lbs. After that I started doing CaridoX every morning on top of my afternoon workout. I continued to lose weight and after 2 months saw results on my body. I gained the weight back because I started working so much and got busy. But it worked. It seems like you may just not have enough calories. but also check your protein/fat/carb ratios.

sammys1girly

I think you need to eat more.

Sheila_Ann

Hang in there! Try to throw in some strength training. If all that you are doing is walking, your body has gotten used to it. You need to mix it up. Please feel free to add me if you'd like.

You can do it!
Sheila :flowerforyou:

bcattoes

Are your counts for calories eaten net or gross? If you are only eating 1200 - 1500 total calories a day and doing Insanity or P90X, then you probably need to up your calories.

You should give any changes you make, whether to lower or increase calories, at least 2 weeks to see if it's working. You may have flucuations (including gain) at first as your body adjusts.

katilynnegray

1200 calories is not enough for where you are at right now. Search the Eat more to Weigh less group on MFP and join it. Go out and buy a tape measure and take some body measurements, then after a few weeks of insanity check them again. The scale is not the only thing that can show progress.

Most importantly, do not give up. Just keep the saying "Slow and steady wins the race" in your mind. Set small goals for yourself. Example: In the next two weeks I will lose 3lbs. Then keep a journal, plan out meals and don't get discouraged if something comes up and you find yourself at a picnic with nothing but junk food. Just remember moderation and try to do really well with the calories over the next couple of days. Drink plenty of water and get the bulk of your calories from lean proteins (chicken, fish, nuts, beans) fruits, and veggies.

Something that I find very motivational is the Success Stories thread on MFP and the one we're on now. Maybe make it a habit of reading a few postings each morning or when you are feeling really discouraged.

chachita7

I can only tell you what has worked for me...

I visited the following: http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/ - filled out the info and placed myself in sedentary... I eat back my calories when I workout... On MFP I have it set tot he number given to me by the mentioned website and at 0 mins of exercise...

Before doing this I was eating an average of 1800 per day - still was losing -- I also have my nutrients set to 40% protein, 40% carbs, 20% fat...

susanna060408

Ever heard of zig zagging your calories? You eat the same number of calories per week as you would normally, but you have high days and low days. I've been doing it for 2 weeks and it got me out of a month long plateau. Here is the site I used to figure my calories:
http://www.freedieting.com/tools/calorie_calculator.htm
I entered in that I exercise 5 days a week so I do NOT eat back my exercise calories since it figures those into my totals.
Good luck!

ltaylor_11

Are your clothes fitting differently? As I put on lean muscle my weight didn't change as much as I expected but I am more compact than I used to me. I have lost 20 pouns in the last year but someone who saw me prior thought I lost 60 pounds. I know it's hard but don't always focus on the numbers.

BryGuy2 also has a good point, at some point you have to make sure you are feeding yourself correctly. If your calorie count is too low your body will start metabolizing your muscle which ultimately slows down your metabolism.

Keep trying things and try not to get frustrated, remember you are not failing - you are finding out what does not work for you!

A_New_Horizon

Ok...I have a few ideas due to my past experiences: First of all, I fully believe you aren't eating enough. If you are only consuming 1200 calories and doing Insanity - your body is in starvation mode which will cause you to "gain" weight. Try upping your calories, but give it a few weeks for your body to adjust to the new calorie intake (like 3 or 4 weeks) - put the scale away for that time.

Also, check your measurements - the scale will lie but the tape measurer won't. How is your clothes fitting?

Also, if you have recently changed workout , your muscles are probably sore from water retention and your muscles holding water to repair them. Make sure to get your water intake - also watch your carbs/sodium intake - they have a part in all of this too.

I easily lost 40+ lbs with just couting calories. I recently put on 15 lbs due to a new med, and I am struggling to get it back off. It will happen. I have recently changed things to see what happens. Take a deep breath girl - you have done an amazing job so far. I know how frustrating it can be. I was like that on Friday, so I took a "break" this past weekend - no logging or exercising. I didn't do too bad either - the scale was up a little, but it would have been alot worse in the past.

Also, remember, I know people who weigh 150 lbs that wear a size 12 and others who wear a size 6 - your body is probably getting toned - focus on your measurements and clothes.

bjshields

Consistent actions over a long period of time equals success, including in weight loss. Do NOT -- repeat -- do NOT give up on your journey or yourself. I have gone through this, too, and it's just a matter of figuring out what works for your body. There are also other factors that contribute to weigh gain/loss (if you've ever watched Biggest Loser, you'll remember this happens) other than just food and exercise -- sleep, salt and stress are three major factors that can stall you.

Insanity has a lot of interval work, which is great for weight loss; P90X has a lot of weightlifting, which is also great for weight loss. Take a minute, look at the quality of your food and not just your calories, and then look at those other three factors. If you are totally stressed & upset, you are sending a lot of cortisol into your body (the hormone that puts fat on your belly).

Good luck to you, and again do NOT give up!! Feel free to add me if you'd like.

Dr229

WOW U CAN NOT GIVE UP PLEASE REQUEST ME AS A FRIEND AND I PROMISE TO SUPPORT U THROUGH THIS JOURNEY.

denmark979

I gave up once upon a time and put on the same 40# that I'm trying to lose again. So save yourself some of the stress and drama and keep on moving. 80% diet 20% exercise. watch what you putting in your mouth.

Napjeeper

What kind of calories are you taking in? Upping your protein intake, say using a shake or supplement, can help kick start and overdrive your metabolism. Even adding 300-400 cal/day with a 30-40gm Protein uptake can help. Watch out for sugar content in what you choose though.

Overall though, keep it up, and start taking measurements of muscle and such. You may not be losing weight right now and your body is putting on muscle tone and definition that you're not seeing yet. A scale that measures body-fat percentages might help too (I'm in the market for one).

Good luck and keep up the hard work!

SashaMegan

Seriously? No one will help?

First, there are many posts on this forum. So yeah, it might take more than 20 minutes before someone answers! :noway: :huh:
Second, there are also people likeme who won't answer because they don't have an answer to your question...
Third, I hope you find the help you arelooking, for; I had more or less the same problem, losing extremely slowly, and lowering the calories just wouldn't work. I'm on a special diet now, but I'm not here to advertise for it or recommend it to people without medical advice.

But I'mpretty sure you will lose weight eventually. You just need to find what works best for you. Good luck!

jones137

Just my observation from looking at your food diary :

-In the last 14 days, you had 7 days you went over your daily goal......On day by almost 1000 calories.
-You eat a lot of processed food.......the Chinese Buffett you listed had 950 calories but didn't listed sodium. I bet there was 2000-2500mgs of sodium in that meal. Won't cause you to gain fat, but I bet you are retaining lots of water weight.
-You ate at City Barbecue alot in the last week.......again, once a week isn't bad but you are getting a lot of processed, high sodium food.

You need to find a way to stay at or below your daily goal 99% of the time........and drink lots and lots of water.

Not trying to be hard on you, but I think it's time to recommit to the process. Adding some strength training will help a lot as well.

Freyja2023

It can get really frustrating when you are so close but feel like you are so far away. In the last three years I have lost 90 pounds yet find that I am fighting the last 15 myself. I have noticed that at this stage of the game it is best to keep up with your water and bump up your strength training. Now your body wants to hold on for dear life no matter how good your diet is, so you need more muscle to ramp up your metabolism. At first you won't see a big difference in the scale but you will see the inches in your tape measure coming off. That is good as it means that you are building lean muscle and with that the last 15 pounds or so will start to melt off too. They always say the last 10 pounds is the hardest to lose, but I am finding that by uping my strength it is coming off now. For the first few weeks all I saw was the inches going and the scale being the same, but now the scale is moving down again. If you want to keep walking as a your strength then try doing longer intervals or more times a week. I now walk about 1 to 2 hours a day, not always at the same time, I go in the morning and again in the evening. Or you could try a 20 minute workout and then an half hour walk on your exercise days. Also a food journal is very important now, even more so then when you started. Keep your calories to whatever you have set for yourself and chart everything. Once you have reached maintance again then you won't have to keep such a strict journal, but for now it is best. A real pain in the butt I know but seems to be working for me. Whatever you do don't fall into the temptation of trying on of those fad quick lose diets they have out there, it may seems like the answer now, but will come back to bit you in the rear later. Good luck

Eleisabelle

It is impossible to gain two pounds of fat in one week if you're eating at maintenance. You gained water weight because you changed the way you were eating. The same thing happened when you cut down to 1200.

Most people (not all) have to give things longer than one week for them to work. Usually you have to wait a month for your body to accept changes in the way you eat and work out.

Don't give up. Instead, put away the scale for two weeks and focus on being healthy, not on weighing less.

You can do it!

sjmgde

Do not give up. If you keep going you can do this.

jlwbeans0823

Don't give up. I try not to let the scale rule my life. I'm not as far in to this process as you are, but I usually float between 1-3 pounds of weight loss/gain during any given month. Most of the problem is probably lifestyle for me. I agree with the above poster BryGuy2, you may want to look at your calories to ensure you're eating enough and the right kinds of food to sustain those workouts. Additionally, while you may not see the transformation in pounds you may see it in inches. Do you take measurements? Good luck and I wish you well!

laceybrobie

I read the success stories EVERY SINGLE DAY. I find little motivation verses all the time. I have had to deal with the I want this weight off right now effect for a while. I have come to the conclusion that this weight didnt come on over night, it sure is not going to come off over night.

maybe you should see a doctor to see what is going on. Or maybe you are not buring enough calories during your workout. MFP cals I have found are way to high for me. I used them before I got my HRM and now I am seeing a different loss.

Measure your self today. Take some photos of you today. I stick to about 12-1400 calories a week. If I am going to do a crazy bike ride or something I bump it up. Try to stay away from high sodium. that will make you retain water.

I gained a few pounds when I started Insanity, but I think that was my body saying HOLY MOTHER what did you just put me through type of thing.

Try to stick with a workout program and see it through the end. I really think you should invest in an HRM though.. BEST THING I EVER DID.

carriem73

I got stuck too after about 6 months- I was doing 1200 calories a day, 1800 exercise day- About a month ago I saw a nutritionist who was SHOCKED that I had lost anything since I was eating far too few calories- he said that after 6 months, my body had gone into starvation mode (I know, I know- very controversial here, but it makes sense to me) and that is why I stopped losing. I have been ill for the past few weeks, so I haven't been able to test his theory properly, but I have been eating around 1800 and not exercising, and I haven't put any back on....

Just a thought, maybe it's time to talk to your dr or a nutritionist?

Good luck, and feel free to friend me if you want more support!

bpetlock

The scale is not the only thing that can show progress.

I am learning this! It's not easy! I have only been on here for three weeks but I feel like I should be seeing more results as well. I haven't lost a single pound but I have lost inches which makes me realize that I things are changing just gradually. Good luck to you and don't give up! Never ever give up! Look at it this way, eating healthy and exercising has never really been a bad thing for anyone so even if you don't see instant results it's still better for you. Feel free to add me if you like!

DixiedoesMFP

Hey! I'm not sure I have the answer, but I live right up the road .

Looking back thru your diary....your calorie totals have been all over the place. What has worked best for me is picking one calorie goal and NOT eating exercise calories back. For me, that's 1800 a day. Some days I burn 550 doing cardio, some days I strength train, so my deficit is different every day but it's easier for me to stick too.

Also, you eat a lot of sodium. So do I, but that can affect the numbers on the scale with water retention. You would've had to eaten 7000 extra calories to actually gain two pounds!

Slow and steady! Sometimes it takes a while to figure out what works for you, and you have to give each "experiment" four to six weeks. Best wishes.

jenbridges

I lost 10 pounds really quickly when I first started at 1430 calories and some walking (about 30-45 minutes 4x week), not eating back exercise cals and then plateaued. I lowered my cals and kept up with the walking and lost 2 more pounds (still not eating back exercise cals), then plateaued again! So I lowered my cals again to 1220, eat back some exercise cals, walk less and added 30DS. Still haven't really lost any pounds- BUT I have lost inches! So I guess my point is to measure as well. I was getting very discouraged lately, and taking measurements gave me the motivation to keep going! Good luck! :flowerforyou:

Francesca3162

Over estimate your calories eaten, and under estimate your calories burned for a few weeks unless you are measuring and weighing everything you eat, and use an HRM for your calories.
Cut sodium packed foods. Eat healthy.. if man made it- don't eat it.....

Just a quick review of your diary shows alot of sodium and some days you eat over--- mostly on days where you do not prepare your meals but eat out. It is hard to know how restaurants prepare your foods, so if I eat out, I try to order foods that are void of sauces.... that are grilled.... or steamed etc.

I have had some plateaus as well and generally it is either I was not fueling properly or I was eating more than I thought.
You have to make changes subtlely then wait a few weeks to see what works.