Feeling frustrated--any suggestions?

streamgirl

I am 5’7” 193lbs. I am set to lose one pound per week, which has been working out to be about 3lbs per month for the last 4 months (1490 calories). I exercise 45mins or so about 4 days a week and I eat my exercise calories. I am a mother of two very young children and am not realistically able to add more workouts at this point. I have a sedentary job, but otherwise keep very busy (no TV, mostly running around with kids/cleaning at home). I am very careful about tracking everything I eat and being sure of portion sizes, and eat a good variety of fruit, veggies, meat, grain with few processed foods and few sugars. I have not changed anything that I am doing, but I went from 190 to 193 over a couple of days last week and have not dropped back down. I have not had this gain other months so I can't tie it to my period or anything. This feels really frustrating. Any suggestions?

arlenem1974

I am also set at 1 LB per week I started 2 months ago and I have lost 16 LB. I don't eat my exercise calories. my calories are set at 1280.

kristy6ward

Your calories may be set too low as a base and your body is just now rebelling. Try setting your base calories to at least your BMR and continue to eat back most your exercise calories. When I first started i was set to around 1450. I did great for about two months and then I started feeling like I didn't have energy. I upped to 1700 and my energy went through the roof and I started losing again. Sometimes we need a switch up to get things going again.

kellicci

As you get closer toyour goal sometimes you have to lower your weekly goals and up your calories a little so for you upping to right around your BMR would be a good plan.

Also don't eat back all of your exercise calories if you're just going by the mfp etimates thay can be as much as 50% off so unless you use a HRM only eat back 50-75%.

kenazfehu

Maybe tweak it a little and only eat back half your exercise calories. I like to create a little margin for error in my plan. (but not right now; can't exercise)

Koldnomore

I am 5’7” 193lbs. I am set to lose one pound per week, which has been working out to be about 3lbs per month for the last 4 months (1490 calories). I exercise 45mins or so about 4 days a week and I eat my exercise calories. I am a mother of two very young children and am not realistically able to add more workouts at this point. I have a sedentary job, but otherwise keep very busy (no TV, mostly running around with kids/cleaning at home). I am very careful about tracking everything I eat and being sure of portion sizes, and eat a good variety of fruit, veggies, meat, grain with few processed foods and few sugars. I have not changed anything that I am doing, but I went from 190 to 193 over a couple of days last week and have not dropped back down. I have not had this gain other months so I can't tie it to my period or anything. This feels really frustrating. Any suggestions?

Did you go out for dinner or have a meal out or high sodium? Normally I will gain a few false pounds when I do this. The last time took me 3 weeks to flush it out. How much water are you drinking? If it isn't a lot try drinking more. Unless you ate 6000+ extra calories over the past week you did not actually gain 3 lbs.. it's likely water retention.

mulderpf

As you are nearing your goal, you should also consider increasing your calories (and decreasing your expected weight loss).

bodyrollin

More than likely it's just water weight, there are multiple reasons why this could happen, but to really see the change that you're looking just try for one week drinking ONLY water...no milk, no sodas, tea, coffee, etc...you'll probably be quite surprised...there's quite a bit of sodium in most drinks so the solution to excess water weight?...more water lol...seems wrong but it works, not to mention that on a cellular level metabolism happens faster and more efficiently in a properly hydrated cell...even the slightest amount of dehydration slows metabolism drastically and leaves more byproducts in your system.

LauraDotts

You did not gain 3 lbs of fat in a couple of days. It can easily take a week to drop back off. Drink more water.

kenazfehu

Oh, and forgot to mention that I gained 3 pounds soon after joining here, and it has taken a month for nearly 4 pounds to come off. I'm not sure why it would happen that way, but I decided to keep the faith in doing what I was supposed to be doing. I wish the fat would come off quicker, of course.

kristy6ward

Did you start exercising when you joined here? New exercises that your body isn't used to will cause water retention.

I started doing a push-up program where I was working towards being able to do 100 at a time. My forearms gained an inch! and that inch hung around for a good 5 weeks, and then it magically disappeared. There's no way I gained and lost muscle in that amount of time, the only explanation is water.

I have to admit that watching the scale has made me insane. I still have an official weigh day but I don't put so much stock in it anymore because so many things cause it to fluctuate. I measure now and go by how clothes are fitting.