What am I doing wrong????

scrapbooklady

I have been tracking calories and working out for 7 weeks. The first 2 weeks Iost 2 lbs. and then in the next 3 weeks another lb. After that 2 more. But then I gained 1 back. 7 weeks and I lost only 4 lbs. I thought for sure I was losing inches which is what kept me motivated. I am doing Jillian Michael's 30 day shred (on day 13) cardio 5 days a week (30 mins on treadmill or elliptical - really pushing myself). What am I doing wrong???? Why are inches not coming off? It is not even about the scale at this point.

I am 5'6 1/2 weigh 156 I started out eating about 1300 calories a week and when I wasn;t losing people on here suggested I eat 1500 so I upped it. I eat back most of my exercise calories so I do net 1500 a day. I calculated my BMR to be 1467 and TDEE 2014.

WHAT SHOULD I BE DOING DIFFERENT? Someone who knows please help me. I am so disappointed.

wingsabr

In the same boat...frustrating for sure

Also, that's 12 lbs since 2012, not since I started up 3 months ago.

leilamarchi

It sounds like you're doing the right things - it might be time to talk to your doctor if they're not working. Your body might be trying to tell you something.

chicpeach

I am 5'6" too. I typically eat between 1500-1700 cals a day, but I'm doing far less intense exercise - two 15 minute miles 4 days a week, three 20 minute miles 3 times a week. I haven't plateau'd yet and I think it's because I eat a high protein, low sodium diet and try to contain my carbs. My diary is open, you're welcome to take a look and see my food and exercise to give you a sense of my days. I recently went back to work and am working for a weight loss center, which is why you see the recent addition of those products as a I sample them to see how they work. Just know 36 of my pounds, I lost before going back to work.

Sagastu4

I've gained inches in my thighs and butt...my jeans are super tight now and I actually have gained weight. Hubby is thrilled....I'm furious! I don't care so much about the scale, as long as my clothing fits. But my jeans are like WOA! Either I have had NO muscle mass for the past 3 years OR I am grossly mistaking my caloric intake. (Which is why I came back on this site).

Antlady69

It might perhaps be something very simple: the weight of your newly-gained muscles. Muscle tissue weighs more than fat tissue. If you say you lost inches (are your clothes looser?), then you probably have lost fat tissue - which is so much more important than those stupid pounds. A very smart woman once told me to not become a slave of the scales; instead, measure your waist, your hips and your thighs. This is a much clearer indication of whether you lost any weight. Scales are your biggest enemies, as they lie to you.

turquoise_elephant

Unfortunately it's not just about the number of calories we eat. We also need to think about the types of foods we are eating. Looking at your diary you are often over your sugar goals, and not just from eating lots of fruit, like with some people. You have waffles, cookies, ranch dressing, 4-cheese pizza, fudge brownie and so on. Cut these out and you'll see a bigger difference.

Are you drinking enough water? You seem to get around 6 glasses a day- try upping it to 8 glasses, and more on the days you're working out.

Stick with it- and try not to analyse things too much. Essentially all you need to do is eat healthily, get regular exercise, get plenty of sleep and drink lots of water. You're ticking off the exercise with the 30-day shred, tweak the diet a bit as above to tick off the eating healthily, add a couple of glasses to tick off lots of water, and get at least 8 hours sleep to tick that off too! You can do it

aljojo

me too! I think mine is the heat as it makes me swell up and retain water. I also think stress has alot to do with it. I have alot of it on a daily basis and it makes me hate myself

annoz

Bump- I need to go to work but want to post later. I posted similar post today. Hang in there!

Carol_L

Three things you might want to consider:

1. You're currently eating at 75% of your TDEE. Your body might be feeling like it has to hold on to everything. Try upping the calories a bit more. Remember, your BMR is just what your body needs to stay alive - it can't really build anything off of that, and it's unlikely that it's going to want to shed weight or build muscle if it has what it feels to be insufficient material to work with.

2. How much of your intake (proportionally) is protein vs carbs and fats. You may want to look at your macro balances and tweak them a bit.

3. You may be over exercising. Your body needs to have recovery time to rebuild the muscle that is broken down in a vigorous workout.

In my own case, I'm eating around 1 gram of protein per lb of body weight, keeping my macro ratios around 40% protein, 40% fat and 20% carbs. I work out 4 days a week, and I do not do cardio at all. I do a lot of very basic exercises, work with kettlebells, weights of various sorts, and use a TRX. Squats, lunges, deadlifts, rows, push ups, planks and burpees aren't glamorous, but they work.

Since I changed my macro balance and upped my calories (around start of June) I've dropped around 20 lbs and a couple of sizes.

lavieboheme1229

Maybe it is time to have your PCP refer you to a nutritionist? If you were losing inches and not weight, I would jump on the muscle build up wagon. Have you taken before and after pictures at all? Those might help you see the change your body since beginning 30DS.

Wait to finish 30DS, give your body another 2 weeks, and then, if you still haven't at least lost inches, I would think about seeing a nutritionist. All it is going to cost is a co-pay, and I think that is worth the piece of mind.

Also, do you have a scale that measures body fat percentage as well? I know scales aren't necessarily "right" all the time, but they can give you a general idea of if you are moving in the right direction.

Good luck my friend. Don't hesitate to send me a message if you need to Bri

cjosenga

It is healthy to lose 1-2 lbs per week. Rememer as a women you body goes through it's monthly cycle. There is typically weight gain, which is usually water weight, during part of the cycle. Instead of worrying about the scale so much, observe how you are feeling and how your clothes fit. Don't give up.

Faintgreeneyes

It could be you over estimating the amount of calories you are burning and therefore actually eating back more calories then you need.

jargabright11

I am 5'5" and feel like I plateaued at 146...I'm now down to 136 and I think the big difference was my exercise - I obviously track my calories here and like you - often eat back my exercise calories - I don't like to be hungry! I am doing far less cardio and more weightlifting. Weight lifting (low weights, high reps) 3 times a week & cardio and/or abs 3 other days. Also keep in mind, you don't really have ton to lose (which is where I was at) it is likely going to be a slow process. Took me 90 days to lose my 10lbs - you aren't going to put up a big loss # week in and week out like you see on Biggest Loser, but if you stick with it, it will add up!!

Ke22yB

I think you might want to talk to someone about your macro nutrient balance I think your carbs at almost 300 is higher than you want my nutritionist told me to cut back on my % of carbs cut out processed foods or cut back and I would see some difference I was retaining more fluids because of sodium and higher carbs
You have alot of breading and extra carbs sugars with the creamers try cutting some of that back and maybe your body will drop some fluid and give you some of the pounds lost you are looking for

emkohler77

Yeah be patient... I know it's hard when you want to see results. Time of the month plays a bigger role for me than I want it to- I have to disregard a whole week basically.

I'm 5'5" and I exercise every day, and i eat between 1500 and 1700 calories a day, sometimes 1800+. I eat back some but not all exercise calories.

In addition to my workouts I have a Fitbit and it helps me keep an eye on my general activity level, or NEAT. I get 10,000 steps in most days by taking walks in my neighborhood and by trying not to sit down for very long at any given time. I think it makes a big difference for me.

DonnaLeeCattes

You are taking in way to much sugar, get that down and I think you will see a different

MonkRocker

Three things you might want to consider:

1. You're currently eating at 75% of your TDEE. Your body might be feeling like it has to hold on to everything. Try upping the calories a bit more. Remember, your BMR is just what your body needs to stay alive - it can't really build anything off of that, and it's unlikely that it's going to want to shed weight or build muscle if it has what it feels to be insufficient material to work with.

2. How much of your intake (proportionally) is protein vs carbs and fats. You may want to look at your macro balances and tweak them a bit.

3. You may be over exercising. Your body needs to have recovery time to rebuild the muscle that is broken down in a vigorous workout.

In my own case, I'm eating around 1 gram of protein per lb of body weight, keeping my macro ratios around 40% protein, 40% fat and 20% carbs. I work out 4 days a week, and I do not do cardio at all. I do a lot of very basic exercises, work with kettlebells, weights of various sorts, and use a TRX. Squats, lunges, deadlifts, rows, push ups, planks and burpees aren't glamorous, but they work.

Since I changed my macro balance and upped my calories (around start of June) I've dropped around 20 lbs and a couple of sizes.

Everything she said, plus:

Your macros (carbs/fat/protein) need some changing. From your diary, you are VERY carb heavy. Try 40/30/30 for carbs/fat/protein percentages.

Make sure you are using an actual food scale to measure things. Eyeballing doesn't cut it. Even measuring cups are dicey for anything that's not a liquid. Use grams/ounces whenever possible and weigh everything. You might be grossly under- or over-estimating what you're actually taking in.

I know that eating more to lose weight sounds counterintuitive, but it works. You have to give your body something to work with, or it tries to hold on to every little calorie it can.

And perhaps most importantly - give it time. Your body has to learn new things too. It doesn't adjust instantly.

Bronx_Montgomery

I hate the scale. People rely too much on the scale when there are a lot of factors that show that you are losing weight. Here are my ideas.

1- instead of checking your weight on the scale, check your measurements instead. You could be packing on muscle. Losing weight does not mean you are healthy. Being fit, strong and building muscle is healthy. Your current weight for your height could be what your weight should be as you tone and build muscle.

2- You are probably over training. Doing intense cardio 7 days a week is not a good thing. If your body does not rest you will not see any beneficial gains (weight lost muscle toning). Rest for at least a day or two. Do not over do it

3- Try switching up your routine. Our bodies tend to adapt to exercises if we do the same thing all the time. Switching it up will have different body parts working and making your body work at different intervals.

animatorswearbras

It could be you over estimating the amount of calories you are burning and therefore actually eating back more calories then you need.

This was what I was thinking do you use a heart rate monitor or just use MFP's guesses? Maybe just eat back half your exercise calories (as MFP can be way off for some people), try to cut out some of the processed sugary stuff (on top of nutritional drawbacks it makes you crave more food) and drink more water. Well done though still a good loss.

entersandlady

I have to agree with a previius poster - what is your diet looking like. You may be eating within your calories but the way your macros are split could be causing you to plauteau / stall & sometimes gain weight. I think you should keep you calories at 1500, but change up your macros.

I'm currently carb cycling with my low days being 25% Carb, 30% Protein & 45% Fat. The fat keeps me saited, but during the week I also have a medium carb day & a high carb day.

WendyTerry420

Are you using a tape measure? When I stalled on the scale, the tape measure reminded me that I was still getting smaller. The scale could say 500 on it if it wants, so long as I am becoming smaller and feeling healthier then I'm good.

WendyTerry420

Yeah, and I have to disagree with the anti-carb folks. My carbs are 50% of my diet and I haven't stalled yet. I'm also seven weeks in. Thirty pounds gone and six inches off my waistline.

If it's food intake, it is more likely that the number of calories logged are inaccurate or exercise burns are over-estimated. Otherwise, it's simply water retention from repairing muscles used during the workout.

larnsperger

I looked at your diary and I can say for myself I would not be able to lose eating that much sugar or processed foods. However we are ALL DIFFERENT and some people can lose as long as they are within their calorie range. Weight loss is simple math so you probably are not burning as many calories as you think.

I worked for WW for years and saw many many many members who would come to the scales very disappointed bc they stayed within their points but weren't losing. Most of them were eating lots of processed foods high in sugar or sodium. I also saw lots of really overweight people who ate processed food s within their points range and they lost big. However I think the bigger you re the more your body responds to the smallest of changes. The less you have to lose, the harder it is to see big changes.

Try eating as many non processed foods (grilled chicken breast, fish turkey, egg whites and fresh fruits and veggies) and see if it helps after a couple of weeks. I also try to cut as much bread out as possible while trying to lose and add it back in a little here and there while on maintenance.

Good Luck! Hang in there!

calitravelingal

What I have found is that it's very important to find other ways to track your goals than just using a scale. Many people have suggested taking your measurements, that's a good way to start. Also find one piece of clothing (jeans work best) that you can try on periodically to see if they fit better or worse. Keep in mind though that when you work out hard you build muscle and that will change the way clothing fits you in general. IE: i have a pair of jeans that i have not been able to button in some time, the waist now fits but the thighs and calf are are very tight. I have been training for a 5K run, my legs are very firm, so those same jeans don't fit quite right for my new body with muscle. Another way to track is to have your body fat % calculated. This will tell you if you are trading fat for muscle even if you haven't lost any weight. Many gyms have the device to do this, and some fancy bathroom scales can do it to. And lastly as women our bodies are very tempermental when it comes to water weight. If I don't lose any weight, I up my water and weight again in a day or so. You may find that the pound you think you gained is not a real pound of fat but rather of water (which is way easier to get rid of!).

lavieboheme1229

Yeah, and I have to disagree with the anti-carb folks. My carbs are 50% of my diet and I haven't stalled yet. I'm also seven weeks in. Thirty pounds gone and six inches off my waistline.

If it's food intake, it is more likely that the number of calories logged are inaccurate or exercise burns are over-estimated. Otherwise, it's simply water retention from repairing muscles used during the workout.

However, you have a lot to lose. When you have a lot to lose, what consists of those 1500 calories a day doesn't matter as much as it does when you have 10 to lose. I'm not judging, I have quite a bit to lose too. Just saying.

NewChristina

Unfortunately it's not just about the number of calories we eat. We also need to think about the types of foods we are eating. Looking at your diary you are often over your sugar goals, and not just from eating lots of fruit, like with some people. You have waffles, cookies, ranch dressing, 4-cheese pizza, fudge brownie and so on. Cut these out and you'll see a bigger difference.

Are you drinking enough water? You seem to get around 6 glasses a day- try upping it to 8 glasses, and more on the days you're working out.

Stick with it- and try not to analyse things too much. Essentially all you need to do is eat healthily, get regular exercise, get plenty of sleep and drink lots of water. You're ticking off the exercise with the 30-day shred, tweak the diet a bit as above to tick off the eating healthily, add a couple of glasses to tick off lots of water, and get at least 8 hours sleep to tick that off too! You can do it

I agree with this 100%, even though my diet is not good either. So, I know that if I've eaten junk, I'll be retaining water. I have to lay off the junk, straighten out my diet and increase my water and that weight (water) comes right back off. Try it for about 3 days in a row to see if there's an improvement in the fit of your clothes AND the scale.

haleydself

Most everyone who does strength training while "dieting" doesn't lose as much as quickly as you would if you were only doing SOME cardio 3 or 4 days a week. It takes longer to see results when you are doing what you're doing, especially since you are a taller woman, and not very overweight.
But, on the up side, you're muscles are getting stronger, and tightening up your skin so that when you DO lose the weight, you won't have any baggage or loose skin.
I would keep doing what you're doing for another few weeks. Don't weigh or measure for a whole month. Then in a month, record it and see the results. If it's still not what you want, I'd try not to do as much strength training, and just stick to some cardio.
What you are doing now is great, whether you are losing as quickly as you would like, or not. You are taking care of your body, and you are not treating your body as a trash can! (Eating unhealthily). Focus on different goals, like running for 30 minutes by the end of the week, getting in 150 minutes of exercise in one week, no carbonated drinks for one week, etc. Those are goals you can use until it's time to weigh/measure next month!
Good luck, hope this helped!

kimpossible5

This is a great thread. I'm going through something similar. I joined a 5am boot camp 3 times a week back about 5 weeks ago. I did 4 weeks of it, lost 4.5lbs - but almost 4 of it was week 1. I was doing boot camp MWF and Bikram Yoga TR. I noticed my upper body is more toned just a couple weeks in, but my middle is still horrendously flabby (4 kids....).

Week 5, I decided to drop the yoga and do boot camp 5 days this week to see if that made a difference. I got on the scale this morning and haven't lost an ounce. OK fine it's only been 4 days.

I'm a little frustrated, but I know it takes time... I need to figure out a good balance with my workouts. I can do something 5 days a week in the morning (except on work travel days) but I don't know what the right mix is.

1250 calories is doable, but I'm typically just a little over. I have realized through these 5 weeks that I really need to watch the sodium and that I (still) don't drink NEARLY enough water.

Anyway! Just my own rant here - wanted to let you know that you're not alone and that I am not giving up either!

scrapbooklady

Thanks everyone! I am trying to only change one thing at a time to see what it is that works. I am going to play with my macros for the next week or 2 and see if that helps. I am hesitant to up my calories any more as some have suggested. I went up from 1300 to 1500 and nothing changed though so maybe going to 1700 will do it? I may try that and also looking into getting some type of monitor to be sure I am not overcalculating what I am burning!

At least this gives me some other options to try. In a month if I see nothing, I'll go see a nutritionist.

Thanks again!

corrinnebrown

I was the same way.. Try just eating 1200 calories a day. Thats what I had to do. I still work out and just eat 1200....ok you will hear this "blah, blah, blah starvation mode..." but this is what works for me. I tried a YEAR of eating back exercise calories and lost nothing..