Really getting irritated... No weight change in weeks...

squirmmonster

Also, let me clarify that I don't think you should be eating as little as 1400 calories a day. I just don't actually believe, by any stretch of the imagination, that you're actually eating 1400 right now. I think you THINK you're eating 1400.

BigBrewski

I told myself I wouldn't do this, but.... well I am...

I've been stuck in the "two-teens" of my weight now for nearly 2 months. I was 219 for a LONG time, joined MFP and within a week lost 5 pounds. I've fluctuated between that weight - 214 - and 216 ever since. It's been another 4 weeks.

I'm doing a combination low-carb, low-calorie diet. I'm avoiding heavy breads, but will occassionally have a tortilla shell or a hamburger bun, but never in excess.

I've done PRETTY well staying in my 1,400 calorie range. Every once in a while I go over when the wife craves a dinner out or family comes to visit, and that's always when I pick up a pound or two. I can always lose it again, but can never seem to drop below 214.

I exercise when I can, which isn't very often. I work two jobs as I'm preparing for our first child to be born. During the day I work a 9-hour stationary desk-job. In the evenings and weekends I work at an auto parts store, staying on my feet the entire time, lifting parts, puting batteries in cars, etc.

When I have a free evening and I DON'T have a ton of work to do at the house, I'll either run on a treadmill or use our rowing machine. I try to lift weights at the office, I try to get up and move around, but sometimes I get swamped and aren't able to...

Anyways, I can't figure out why I can't lose anymore weight. I've tried switching up exercises. I've tried eating more calories, I've tried eating less calories. I've been using GNC weight-loss supplements (Cinnamon, CLA, Fish Oils, Extra B vitamins, etc.) with no real evident changes.

I haven't made my diary public because I don't think it's what I'm eating. I haven't changed my diet much since April and it's gotten me this far. I've just been cutting back on overall portions and things like cheese to drop my calories. Suffice to say it's been a lot of salads, meats, fish, and eggs.

I'm this close to saying "F-it" and eating a big fat juicy McDonalds cheeseburger. I just don't care anymore - it's not worth the disappointment to me on top of everything else that's kicking my a&& on a daily basis.

All I know is I've lost around 35 pounds, I still have 35 pounds to go, and at my current progress, I might get there before I'm dead...

So, with all that information, discuss... Looking for REAL advice here, not just "you can do it."

This has been my september except I don't have a wife. I have lost about 32lbs and have been floating around 214 for all of September. I dropped to 210 at one point but then had some vacation time and shot back up the scale today had me at 215. I lost the 30lbs eating around 1200-1400 calories but I admit I was tired at times and so in September I tried hard to up the calories to 1600 beacuse I knew I should be eating more beacause I burn about 3000 caloreis a day (I have a bodymedia fit to measure it) What I am doing to try and "fire" it up again is I am trying hard to eat 1600-1800 calories and will be making sure I drink lots of water daily. I changed up my lifting routine on Mon, Wed, Fri and I started the c25k for my cardio on Tue, Thur, Saturday. For me, I realized that I was just phoning in the excercise in September. I am hoping that the shake up will get me refocused and raise the intesnity some.

Sorry I don't have any real answers but just wanted to let you know there are others of us out there in the same boat and the reality is just keep on keeping on.

marienaegele

everytime i am stuck with my weight and there seems to be no weightloss at all (evethough i eat right and exercise right ) i start fasting (just water and unsweetend tea) for one to three days and when i start eating again its like my metabolism got a huge boost and i loose weight again. it has the good sideeffect of detoxing your body because theres no ''bad nutrition'' coming in and all the toxins that are left in your body from previous meals get flushed out by the big amount of liquid youre taking in instead of food

hope this was helpfull

Prahasaurus

Without looking at your diary and the numbers, and blah blah blah, my guess is that you are underestimating your portion size.

This.

The idea to eat more is crazy. It's based on zero science. In fact, if you eat more - everything else being equal - you'll gain more.

You may *think* you're eating 1400 calories, but you're not.

--P

Colli78

I pretty much eat homemade dinners with fresh meats and vegetables. I don't really even do any frozen stuff except the occasional bag of vegetables. Nothing canned.

I have seen some other sites that suggest I might need more calories. I've been trying to increase slowly, but my biggest fear is I'm still not getting enough exercise.

I have no idea what a macro minimum is...

Dude, am 5'3 and weigh 108 lbs and I eat 1700 cals a day plus my exercise calories back. You need to raise your calorie intake. I promise you will not gain weight but eating more.
I was on 1200 per day for a long time and went no where, then I upped to 1400, then 1500 then 1600 and kept losing. I promise if teeny tiny me lost at 1600, then you will not gain eating that amount

Go to this site and caculate your total daily energy expenditure, and yes, it is going to be much higher than you think it is going to be. After you get that number, subtract 500 from it and that should be how many calories you eat per day.

I mean come on, its worth a try right? Its way better than saying eff it and going to McDonalds.

http://www.fitnessfrog.com/calculators/tdee-calculator.html

^^^^ this ^^^^

She is absolutely correct. In every post. Even those that are saying there is no way you can lose weight eating 2500 calories a day. I'm eating 2300 a day and losing weight after I bumped mine up from 1600. I simply wasn't eating enough.

campbellcjdm

Lots of good advice here .... MFP is great eh? Where else can you have 20 people tell you to eat more !! AWESOME

mbagradstudent

I've been stuck since I started this site. In 2011 I started grad school at night (work a full time desk job during the day)...and I gained 15lbs in my first year of grad school. I've been trying to lose 10lbs for months now. I eat healthy. I work out 6 days a weeks. And still I weigh 130lbs. On a good day maybe I lose a lb but the next time i weigh myself it's back to 130. My clothes are tight. And I just don't feel good about myself at this size. I'm getting tired of myfitnesspal saying I should weigh 125lbs in 5 weeks when 5 weeks later I weigh exactly the same.

yo_andi

Try shocking your system:
b'fast 1 apple
lunch 1 apple
mid afternoon snack 1 apple
dinner 4 oz lean steak (filet or sirloin)

tons of water

Uh, no.

Everyone telling you to eat more... that's good advice.

4S3v3N4

There is a LOT of great advice here and as a newbie to MFP, I cant personally advise you on the best choices to make. My 2cents here would be to point you to the following two articles.

http://www.reshapethenation.com/blog/comments/breaking_through_the_plateau/

http://www.marksdailyapple.com/weight-loss-plateau/#axzz28AVBUb7x

These are nice, quick and informative reads from two sources that I hold high regard for because following their principles have yielded me some good results thus far.

Two fairly different schools of thought "carb cycling vs. primal" but they seem to be a close fit to how you say you eat.

I really hope this helps and best of luck breaking that plateau.

LivingInPuglia

The concept of not eating enough is really scary to me ...... I'm so afraid of eating too much ... but the reality is it works. I've started to eat more, better balanced meals .... more than I have eaten in years and the weight is coming off.

I agree with others 1400 calories for you sounds too low ..... follow all the useful info and up your food consumption to a decent level.

I'm not an expert but, contrary to my fears, it is working for me

TrishBH

Bump

Mrsbrandnewmeslimandtrim

bump

careyannal

You need to up your calories, 1400 is what I eat and I'm female

TheViperMan

Wow... I've got some reading to do...

I'll take a look at some of these sites and come up with a plan. The truth is that I DID lose weight without counting pretty much anything at all - just being smarter with what I ate, cutting out sweets and beer (my sweet, precious beer...) and just trying to move around more. When I joined MFP and started counting - and reducing - my calories, I lost weight quickly but not for very long... So maybe I need to slowly work myself back up to where I was (which frankly wouldn't be hard) and see what happens. I guess the worse that could happen is I go back to being stuck at 219. :-)

BUT, soon after I made this post my employer had a company-wide meeting and laid off a ton of people. Then it told us that we were all taking pay cuts... SO I kinda have some new priorities right now!

Thanks for the responses, friend requests and private messages. I'm processing right now, and I'll get back to ya.

Jeff

LivingInPuglia

Wow... I've got some reading to do...

I'll take a look at some of these sites and come up with a plan. The truth is that I DID lose weight without counting pretty much anything at all - just being smarter with what I ate, cutting out sweets and beer (my sweet, precious beer...) and just trying to move around more. When I joined MFP and started counting - and reducing - my calories, I lost weight quickly but not for very long... So maybe I need to slowly work myself back up to where I was (which frankly wouldn't be hard) and see what happens. I guess the worse that could happen is I go back to being stuck at 219. :-)

BUT, soon after I made this post my employer had a company-wide meeting and laid off a ton of people. Then it told us that we were all taking pay cuts... SO I kinda have some new priorities right now!

Thanks for the responses, friend requests and private messages. I'm processing right now, and I'll get back to ya.

Jeff

Good luck with everything Jeff .... don't let things get you down too much

TheViperMan

Just thought I'd revive this thread with an update.

I change my MFP goals from 2 pounds a week to 1 pound, and it added 500 calories to my daily intake - about 1900. I started aiming for that and was surprised to see myself quickly fall back to the 214 range. It hovered there for a little bit, so I started aiming for 1700 calories, and the weight has begun falling nicely. Down to 211.8 this morning!!!

I REALLY want to hit 199 before Christmas...

I just wanted to say thanks for the advice and support.

ejha77

Well done! And you get to eat more, you lucky thing.

quiltingducky

Just thought I'd revive this thread with an update.

I change my MFP goals from 2 pounds a week to 1 pound, and it added 500 calories to my daily intake - about 1900. I started aiming for that and was surprised to see myself quickly fall back to the 214 range. It hovered there for a little bit, so I started aiming for 1700 calories, and the weight has begun falling nicely. Down to 211.8 this morning!!!

I REALLY want to hit 199 before Christmas...

I just wanted to say thanks for the advice and support.

I'm so happy for you!! It does sound kind of scary when everyone tells you that you have to eat more to lose weight, but it seems to have worked for so many. Glad you took the chance

TheViperMan

Another half-pound gone this morning! I'm really starting to enjoy mirrors lately...