Feeling a bit down.
dixiebelle31
Posts: 11
I've been using MFP for about a month now and I also got a FitBit about a month ago. I want to get down to 150 then try for 130. I am a 5'5" woman 45 years old. I was pushing 180 and had enough. Until I hit 30 years old I never weighed more than 120. So far I've lost a little over 7 pounds. But it seems the last week my body has been stuck at 172 give or take a few ounces. I stepped on the scale this morning and it read 173.1. I've cried about this. Nearly every day I am logging 1300 calories or less of food. And I pretty much cook every day so I am watching the types of foods I eat. I exercise at least 6 days a week. I've been doing the Shaun T Beachbody Rockin Body workout set and sweating for 30 to 45 minutes each day. It is a really good cardio workout. On Sundays I tend to get on our Tony Little Gazelle for a few hours each night while watching TV. So, my FitBit says I am burning typically around 2500 calories a day. So why why why am I not losing weight anymore? Why is my body stuck at this point? The math says I should be losing and I am getting very dejected. Any suggestions will be greatly welcomed. Thanks! Monique
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Replies
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No suggestions? Anything I should be doing differently?0
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Just one week, just one pound. Relax; one pound gain probably is NOT from fat. I'd place my bet on water weight fluctuation, or even your bowel contents if you haven't been regular.
Are you eating 1300 total, or netting 1300?0 -
Hmmmmm...I'm new here so probably not the best source of info but it sounds to me like you need to maybe eat more. Do you eat back your exercise calories? Can you open your diary so we can have a look and help you tweak it?0
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I've been having the same problems. I have been on MFP about 5 weeks. So far I'm down 7 pounds. I try to eat clean at least 85% of the time and fit in 4-6 wirkouts each week. I was getting really stressed,thinking that I was not doing something right But after I sat down and really thought about it....7 pounds is nothing to frown about. Keep on doing what you're doing, keep a positive outlook, and "just keep swimming"! Good luck!! :happy:0
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Thank you all for some replies. I am eating typically 1300 or less. I am not adding in the extra for the exercise because I thought that would be counter active to what I am doing. The FitBit site says I should be burning at least 1000 calories more than what I eat in order to lose 2 pounds a week. So, I try to stay within their graph. If I added eating extra calories I've "earned" through exercise, wouldn't I just stay the same weight?
I've opened my diary. I didn't realize it was set to friends only. I use emeals.com for meal planning and have just switched to a low carb diet. So I will be reducing a lot of carbs and trying to also keep the fat intake minimal.
Thanks for ALL the help.0 -
I've been having the same problems. I have been on MFP about 5 weeks. So far I'm down 7 pounds. I try to eat clean at least 85% of the time and fit in 4-6 wirkouts each week. I was getting really stressed,thinking that I was not doing something right But after I sat down and really thought about it....7 pounds is nothing to frown about. Keep on doing what you're doing, keep a positive outlook, and "just keep swimming"! Good luck!! :happy:
You are right, of course, but when the scale seems to keep staying the same and you know you are working your best, it just gets so dang frustrating. Thanks!0 -
No suggestions? Anything I should be doing differently?
Trust me, I know you want it to come off yesterday. But just keep with it - remember - it didn't come on overnight and it won't come off overnight either. Just stick with your program girl. You can do it.0 -
Just one week, just one pound. Relax; one pound gain probably is NOT from fat. I'd place my bet on water weight fluctuation, or even your bowel contents if you haven't been regular.
Are you eating 1300 total, or netting 1300?
I've been really regular, and I try and weigh after my first "movement" in the morning. My hormones have been fluctuating a lot due to that lovely womanly change we tend to hit in our 40s. It's evil evil!
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When we are a bit older (ugh - I'm 47 for 2 more weeks), Its just harder, not fair, but the facts are the facts. I try to stay around my recommended and "eat back" my calories. Change your goal, try for 1 pound a week. It is not how fast you get to your goal weight, but that you are progressing to it. I have my goal for one pound a week, some weeks, I have hit it, others not, others closer to 2 pounds, but with the changes I have made, it has come off. I started at 172, and have dropped 22 pounds, mainly just walking and Bob Harper's Weight Loss Yoga for exercising. Us "older" (young) girls can do it, we just have to do more than the young chick's.0
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I jump up and down all the time. But usually I will jump up and then drop good. Watch your sodium it could cause fluid retention. Drink lots of water. 12-16 cups a day. And give yourself time. I do think you need to increase your calories a little with that much exercise. And are you exercising every day? You should have at leas 1 rest day a wek.0
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Sounds to me like water weight or you're overdoing it with your exercise. Burning 2500 calories a day but only eating barely 1300? I feel like you're sabotaging yourself. I won't nitpick your exercise but I will say something that I feel like other people haven't.
Drink more than a gallon of water a day. Initially, you'll feel bloated and you'll be in and out of the bathroom a few times an hour but the ONLY way to cut water weight (without pills and caffeine) is to drink PLENTY of water. I know that a gallon sounds extreme and more sounds like murder but trust me, it's good for you. I drink a gallon a day AT LEAST and it keeps my whole body moving smoothly. Nothing gets stopped up and I don't retain water weight.
GIve it a try. Feel free to add me if you'd like to keep in touch. 0 -
I Love that you said "just keep Swimming". I know the feeling of being stuck while working your butt off and that just made my day
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I've been having the same problems. I have been on MFP about 5 weeks. So far I'm down 7 pounds. I try to eat clean at least 85% of the time and fit in 4-6 wirkouts each week. I was getting really stressed,thinking that I was not doing something right But after I sat down and really thought about it....7 pounds is nothing to frown about. Keep on doing what you're doing, keep a positive outlook, and "just keep swimming"! Good luck!! :happy:
You are right, of course, but when the scale seems to keep staying the same and you know you are working your best, it just gets so dang frustrating. Thanks!
I have learned that the scale is the devil :devil: I would get on almost every morning, and then cry :sad: It became really hard to keep on going. So, now I only measure. It seems to work better for me. 5 weeks = 6.2 inches lost so far!! Maybe try measuring instead of the evil scale.0 -
Last week I went through the same thing and was disappointed when I barely dropped a pound. This week, however, if things stay consistent I should be down 3 lbs by the time I do my official weigh-in. I didn't do anything different, I'm just chalking it up to water weight. I know it's frustrating and discouraging, but keep up with what you're doing and you'll see and feel the changes.0
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Relax - I quickly lost 20 lbs in a month and then nothing, for 3 weeks! I was a bit frustrated too but kept going. This week 3 lbs lost! I think our bodies go through phases and even though we are 'starving' and should be losing because lord knows, it's there to lose - it doesn't always happen. Many times throughout the week my weight can change 2-3 lbs + or -. As women, our hormones mess with our weight and retention of water. Stay focused and stay on course - it will come off! Also, aside from the scale, are you measuring your waist/hips? I started doing this because I could tell my clothes were much looser, even though the scale did not show it.0
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You're putting way too much thought into these numbers. You have to relax and give it time. Seven pounds in a month is great progress; a lot of people here would be thrilled with those results.
You have to realize that weight loss is not a linear process. It stops and starts, sometimes the weight goes up and other times it goes down. Get comfortable with "eventually." If you eat right and maintain a deficit, you will eventually see the results you want. It just isn't going to happen on your terms.
Your body runs on a different timeline than you do. From your perspective, a month is a really long time; to a body capable of living a hundred years, it's next to nothing. Our bodies are built to resist change; you have to give enough time for it to recognize that the changes are permanent and adapt accordingly.
If you want it, then it shouldn't matter how fast it happens. Relax, stick to your plan, and wait for the results. If it's worth it to you, you won't care how long it took when you see that goal number on the scale.0 -
Ok I just looked over my food diary for the past week or so... and some days I've been under 1000 calories. And working out 7 days. The Shaun T Rockin Body has different workouts that he combines in variation and says to rest on Sundays but I haven't been. In my mind I think "eat less, exercise more and it will come off faster." Reading everything you guys/gals are saying is completely different than what I have been doing. So, I should make sure I get those 1200 - 1300 calories in and rest at least one day? It just didn't make sense to me that if I earn extra calories because of exercise that I should eat more. Sounded like if you burn 2000 calories but eat 2000 calories you will stay the same as you have been.
I pretty much only drink water but not nearly a gallon a day. I'll try and do more. I have been taking a caffeine shot (Stok) in the morning because I seem to have developed some sort of asthma/wheezing thing over the past 6 months. I don't want to start using an inhaler. So, I've read that caffeine is a natural bronchial dilator so I do the Stok to help clear the wheezing first thing in the morning. Very little calories and not quite as much caffeine as a lot of other things. I just wouldn't be able to make it through my workout without it.
You all have been VERY helpful. Thank you.0 -
I think I expect it faster because 2 years ago I did Nutrisystem for 2 months and lost 22 pounds. But, in 2 years I gained it back. This time I wanted to learn to do it the right way as a lifestyle change and not a diet. I want to learn how to eat properly with my own food (not prepackaged portions) and exercise. So, I just thought it would be faster like the Nutrisystem. I am learning new tools and I thank you all for the positive words.0
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Also you may be putting on muscle mass from your exercise. I put on 10 pounds of muscles mass and lost a total of 20 pounds. That means I've lost 30 pounds of fat. Look at your body fat% and your measurements as well. You should see some changes there even if the scale doesn't move.0
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I think I expect it faster because 2 years ago I did Nutrisystem for 2 months and lost 22 pounds. But, in 2 years I gained it back. This time I wanted to learn to do it the right way as a lifestyle change and not a diet. I want to learn how to eat properly with my own food (not prepackaged portions) and exercise. So, I just thought it would be faster like the Nutrisystem. I am learning new tools and I thank you all for the positive words.
Quite the opposite. Eat properly and you will lose slower...which is the RIGHT way to do it. If you lose a pound...or even less...a week, as long as its consistent, you are doing it right. As you said, this IS a lifestyle change...you will be doing this for the rest of your life, so don't worry about a timetable. You have plenty of time. 0 -
like the others. keep your fluid intake high. also, you may want to graph your cycles & weight gains. Week of my cycle I hold onto at least 3-5 lbs. just by "being". if i get discouraged & eat, its worse.I actually gain "real" weight. for funsies. try a female hormone supplement. I have good luck with this: http://www.vitacost.com/vitacost-herbal-hormone-complex and I"ve had good luck with one made by Great Earth, but I no longer live near one of their stores. These supplements help a lot of hormonal issues (cramps, short tempers) I'm 52. Also I stopped having my period several months ago. before I joing mfp & thought somethign like this, HOLY MOSES! NOW I"LL NEVER LOSE THE WEIGHT! and started taking DHEA and CoQ with several others (glutimine and lcystene are some I can remember righ tnow) and my periods are back & i'm slowly losing weight. Not due to the supplements alone, I joined mfp & started watching what I eat & you kow, exercising? those little things? but the point is, weight is coming off, albeit slowly. I know the supplements are doing something because my periods are back. not that I missed that part of it. but it means my hormones are working, the down side, i'm getting pimples again.
but again. the weight IS coming off. 0 -
You should also think about the water and muscle in your body. For ever 5lb u lose you get 1lb of muscle. Also look at your portion sizes for your meals. I also learned that instead of weighting every day measure your arms, waist, legs, neck and chest once a week and you should realize that you might weight the same or a lil more but your toning up a lil bit at a time. Losing weight may sound easy but it takes time. Just keep thinking every lil thing you do is for YOU. And you are for a new future. 0
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After reading everything here I am beginning to think I've slipped into the old "starvation mode." Fearing overeating has caused me to eat not enough. On the FitBit site they have a pie graph. Blue means you need to eat more (it tells the approximate calories you need to eat). Green means you are right on point for your goal. And red means you've eaten too much (and tells how many more calories you should burn.) Whenever I get into the red I really pound out more exercise to get back into the green. Perhaps I have set my goal too high. Since someone else here mentioned her cycle, mine has been so wacky for about a year now. I can't predict anymore when I will start. Sometimes it is twice a month.
I am thinking as many of you are saying that I shouldn't touch the scale every day. I did measure my tummy, hips and thighs when I started here and except for a little on my thighs, the numbers aren't really getting lower. Unless I am not putting the tape in the same spot as I did initially. I think I should get my mom or hubby to help me with those measurements.
You all are a great and helpful group. I've learned a lot today. Mostly, that I NEED to eat. Not eating to avoid calories will hurt me more in the long run.
Thanks again!0 -
Just my two cents. There doesn't seem to be a lot of fruit or vege in your diet, and a fair bit of processed stuff...........stick to the 1300 cals a day, exercise (between 300cals and 500cals a day but don't eat them back) and fill your diet with nutritious food - not processed stuff. Eat 5 small meals a day and track everything that goes in your mouth. That combined with at least 8 cups of water should see you steadily dropping weight.0
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Ditto, ditto, ditto. My loss has gone back on and I am flying on holiday tomorrow to spend a week bulging out of my swimsuit. Truly gross and I am sooooo mad at myself. I just don't understand why it is so hard to lose weight in one's forties. I look forward to reading other people's recommendations but in the meantime, good luck and keep going! x0
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I've been where you are, trust me, and numerous times. I say wait it out a couple more weeks, maybe sure you get enough water.
Then if you really don't see it budging you have to change something -- you probably shouldn't eat less given the amount you are exercising, so why not try to eat 100 cals more per day? or every second day if you are uncomfortable with that?
If that doesn't work, then you need to change something else up, you will find the perfect balance that works for you, but it can take time.
And time is going to pass anyways, so keep to it, this won't hurt you it will only better you.
Keep your chin up!0 -
take meaurements of your stomach and thighs now so you can compare after a month of not giving up!0
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If you are doing a tough workout like that 6 days a week you are not eating enough. I have lost approx 80 pounds and have been pretty much in maintenance mode for a few years. I ate and still eat consistently 1600 to 1800 calories a day. And when i do.a hard workoit i eat back some of those calories as well. And i am only 5'3"weighing in at 125.
You might need to find out what your bmr and tdee is to determine where you need to be.0 -
For me it wasn't until I introduced more veggies and frutis that I saw even more weight loss.I only drink water and 6 oz of coffee every other morning. I also started paying attention to what the worth of my cals were ,what I mean is I was eating like a grilled chicken burger from Mc Donald's and small fries( have not had Mickey D's in like months) because it was still in my calorie allowance.However when I paid attention to my macros (sodium,sugar,fat,protein etc) it completely changed my body and weight loss.Best of luck to you doll! xo0
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You're not eating enough. Eating 1200-1300 calories a day, then burning upwards of 2000? You don't have that many too burn! Your body is in starvation mode, and is holding on to everything it can just in case you don't feed her again (which you don't).
This is how it was explained to me when I did WW a few years ago. You must have balance.0
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