Frustrated

jenhmmngsn

I am new to MFP for the second time. I used it last year but wasn't very diligent in my logging but now I am serious about trying to lose 15-20 lbs and have been logging everday for the last 2 1/2 weeks but I not seeing any results!! I recently sent my logs to a trainer and he said in a nice way it was a disaster and I will not get where I want to be with logs like that! Talk about a big let down after thinking I was doing well with staying within my calorie goal of 1200 and working out 4-5 days a week. I teach a circuit class and do some running as well. Since starting my weight seems to be up and down a pound each day and I used to eat way more than I am now and it didn't flucate as much as it has been in the last 2 weeks. Going on vacation with friends in February and would really like to be down 10-15lbs by then. My goal is to get down to 150 to start and ultimately 140 but would be completely satisfied with 150. Not sure what more I should be doing besides maybe cutting out carbs. I have not taken my measurements yet either and I know muscle ways more than fat but I just can't seem to bust through this plateau that I have been at for months now! I do weigh at the same time every day, first think in the morning after going to the bathroom and naked. Any advice??

peuglow

If you open your diary we can possibly help a bit. If you're only eating 1200 calories, you may be cutting them back too far.

jjj1988

You might not be eating enough -- make sure you aren't netting less than 1200. As someone who used to have an eating disorder, I realize how hard it is to eat more than 1200, but since upping my cals to 1400-1500 cals on light days and 1800-1900 on heavy workout days-- I have seen better results with this than only eating 1200. Just a suggestion!

TammySchumacher

I really think you aren't eating ENOUGH! at only 1,200 calories a day, and with all the strength AND cardio that you are doing, your body is holding on to every calorie it can. I was stuck for 4 weeks at 164, and last week I took a week of and over indulged... I'm talking 2k to 3k calories daily! and i didn't exercise at all. (That probably isn't recommended, and it probably a disaster waiting to happen) However, I'm back at it again this week, 1,200 to 1,500 daily intake 3 days cardio, 3 days strength... and it really seems that week off was enough to throw my body off and get past the plateau. I'm only 3 days into this week and I'm down 3lbs. I lost .5lbs last week while over eating, and 3 lbs this week... so who knows. Sometimes you just have to feed your body, and throw it off it's routine. A dietitian that I worked with years ago told me that if you are going to do a calorie diet, your body needs one cheat day a week. It's not for your mental well-being (although it does help that way too), but it's so that your body doesn't get used to have restricted calories every day and accept that as the new "Norm" to work with.
I also think you NEED to start taping! without it you have no clue what's going on... weight is just a number, if you don't tape to see your waist shrink of course you will be frustrated. hang in there. Lots of protein, especially if you are strength training, and be sure to feed your body enough.