Never thought I'd post a "poor me" thread...

butterfli7o

I see people post all the time how they only lose .5 lbs a week, or that they've only lost five pounds, etc. Is there anyone else that really hasn't seen any change at all? Like in months??

I eat about 1,600-1,700 cals a day. While I'm in no way perfect, I try to make healthy choices with those cals, and drink more water than I ever have.

I am doing Stronglifts5X5 2 or 3 times a week. I aim for cardio 3 times a week, but most of the time it's twice and not super hardcore. About 15-20 mins of HIIT.

Like I said, my food choices are not always perfect. But really, does anyone seriously always make perfect choices? Even on the weekends when I have a few drinks, I know I can't be completely derailing my whole week. I'm not going to boo-hoo about how I'm going to just quit, because this is more of a lifestyle change for me. But I thought I would have seen more progess, especially in how my clothes fit.

...Sigh...okay, pity party over.

sarahrbraun

yup. I have lost almost nothing...like seriously maybe a lb a month, for the last 2 months. According to my stats, I should be losing 1.5-2lbs per WEEK. It all came to a screeching halt in September when I started taking a daily allergy pill.

In the beginning, it took me 3 months to lose 7lbs, then I tweaked a few things, and was losing really well--6-8lbs a month.

victoriavoodoo

yup. I have lost almost nothing...like seriously maybe a lb a month, for the last 2 months. According to my stats, I should be losing 1.5-2lbs per WEEK. It all came to a screeching halt in September when I started taking a daily allergy pill.

In the beginning, it took me 3 months to lose 7lbs, then I tweaked a few things, and was losing really well--6-8lbs a month.

Do you know what "tweaks" made the most differnce/care to share? =]

n0ob

Unless you haven't gotten stronger, then you are not at a point of no progress.

petechiae

I'm in the same situation. I lost a little bit but it's a very slow progress... I'm looking forward to the answers to your question.

kenazfehu

PLEASE IGNORE THIS ENTRY! I WASN'T REMEMBERING ACCURATELY AT ALL. My ticker is correct; I have lost 7 pounds since I joined.

My weight isn't whiz-banging off, either. I lost 9 pounds the first month on my own, then I joined MFP and gained 3 pounds. Finally after a month I lost 3.8. Therefore, I'm only 0.8 pound down from my starting point. For one month, that's just pitiful.

Since this is a life-style change for me, too, I'm going to hang in there and keep doing what I'm doing. I'm trying to eat only half of my exercise calories back to create a little margin for error. AND I'm struggling to consistently stay within my calorie count each and every day. I've been having days when I don't even log it, thinking I'm staying within reasonable bounds, but not being sure.

sarahrbraun

yup. I have lost almost nothing...like seriously maybe a lb a month, for the last 2 months. According to my stats, I should be losing 1.5-2lbs per WEEK. It all came to a screeching halt in September when I started taking a daily allergy pill.

In the beginning, it took me 3 months to lose 7lbs, then I tweaked a few things, and was losing really well--6-8lbs a month.

Do you know what "tweaks" made the most differnce/care to share? =]

for me, it was going lower carb. When it took me 3 months to lose 7lbs, I was eating 200-250g of carbs a day ( whatever MFP allotted me). I cut down to 100g net ( total carbs minus fiber) and lost 5lbs the first week...a total of 8 lbs the first month...2nd month of low carb I lost 6lbs...3rd month was like 4lbs...4th month was like 3lbs... then I went on the allergy meds and only lost 1lb per month for 2 months.

butterfli7o

I have definitely gotten stronger, and I see the changes in my arms...but stomach, hips and thighs are still the same. :frown: I have seen so many amazing successes with heavy lifting, I just really want to be one of those success stories!

butterfli7o

I was actually debating going lower-carb myself... :sad:

victoriavoodoo

for me, it was going lower carb. When it took me 3 months to lose 7lbs, I was eating 200-250g of carbs a day ( whatever MFP allotted me). I cut down to 100g net ( total carbs minus fiber) and lost 5lbs the first week...a total of 8 lbs the first month...2nd month of low carb I lost 6lbs...3rd month was like 4lbs...4th month was like 3lbs... then I went on the allergy meds and only lost 1lb per month for 2 months.

Thanks, carbs are something I forget about(always been more of a calorie counter) maybe what helped you will help me =]. And that's so odd about the allergy meds, sorry. It must be frustrating. =[

KatRamsay

i am in the same boat, however i was thinking that i worked hard at the week and relax a bit at the weekend. However if you select your reports tab and look at your nutrition/cals over 90 days you can see clearly where your calroies are lying. i was pretty appalled at how i would sabotage a great week by 1-2 days of heavy eating. i wasn't aware i was doing it and was to an extent kidding myself on. So i have started aiming to reduce days where i relax and hit within my calorie goal. Make an effort to fill in each day and cut down my 'bad' days. So my aim is to give myself better aims each week.

I think if you look back at some old threads there are good topics on metabolic rate. Where your body can go into a famine mode and your metabolism slows and fat storing goes into overdrive. However i am not sure how to fix that or the whole science behind it. A bit more research is required i think.

Good luck and if anyone has the answers then please share

Kat

butterfli7o

What allergy med was this??

RosaC773

Taking measurements is key if you are lifting weights! I only have lost 2lbs, but I have lost 2.5inches from my waist.

I am getting stronger, but I am not losing.

Worry about the measurements, not the scale! Good luck and keep doing what you are doing!

XXXMinnieXXX

I had this issue...dripped the carbs to 25-30% of my diet and boom... Moving again x

heatherloveslifting

I have definitely gotten stronger, and I see the changes in my arms...but stomach, hips and thighs are still the same. :frown: I have seen so many amazing successes with heavy lifting, I just really want to be one of those success stories!

Well, I lose very slowly too and and am lifting. It has basically taken me 9 months to lose 25 lbs but I've gone from size 12 to size 6. Something else odd I've noticed- people start asking me if I've lost weight whenever I haven't lost for a few weeks. Really while I'm dropping no one notices, but then a month with no change and suddenly people ask if I've lost more. Our bodies are just strange!

Be patient, go by how you feel, appreciate the small positive changes and know they will add up. Take pictures!- It's harder to see in yourself every day!

Lennox497

All keep in mind that weight is subjective when you are strength training. What you really should ask yourself is how you feel with your 5x5 progress.

I am also participating in the SL 5x5. I add a few extra exercises just for kicks and mix in cardio sometimes on off days and sometimes after my lifting.

When you build more muscle your body does require more fuel, so keep that in mind. Sometimes the answer to lose "weight" is to increase your caloric intake. Make sure you body is fueled for your workout as well for the post workout repair time.

laceybrobie

I have definitely gotten stronger, and I see the changes in my arms...but stomach, hips and thighs are still the same. :frown: I have seen so many amazing successes with heavy lifting, I just really want to be one of those success stories!

keep in mind that you are only trying to lose 15 lbs. other people are losing 100+ sometimes. check your food intake.. are you over on fat and sodium every day?

also, try bumping up more cardio for now. thats a better burn. once you get half way through your 15lbs then start toning with the weights. the weights are helping you build muscle so you are not going to see a loss on the scale most of the time.

LMick1986

Taking measurements is key if you are lifting weights! I only have lost 2lbs, but I have lost 2.5inches from my waist.

I am getting stronger, but I am not losing.

Worry about the measurements, not the scale! Good luck and keep doing what you are doing!

This is a good point....considering muscle weighs more than fat. You may just be transferring fat to muscle right now. So you may not see the numbers dropping on the scale for a while.

Rockdrop

When I started at the beginning of September, I quickly lost 7 pounds and then stalled...for weeks. Three weeks ago I changed up a few things, but unfortunately that means I can't quite pinpoint what made the difference. Here's what I'm doing:

1. Working out in the morning for 60 minutes, 4 times a week...on an empty stomach.
2. Reduced my carb intake to <100g per day.
3. Shifted my calories so that I'm eating higher amounts earlier in the day, and only saving about 200 for an after-supper snack.
4. Added in some exercise (walks and heavy lifting) on the weekends, when I'd normally take those days off from exercise.

For all I know, my plateau would have broken on its own after those weeks of nothing happening. I've lost an additional five pounds in the past 2.5 weeks (since implementing these changes), so I'll keep doing it until I stall again. (Worth noting: I still relax majorly with my eating on the weekends, and still have good results.)

Good luck! I understand how frustrated you must feel!

pinktina27

I've seen gains the last two weeks, despite sticking to my calories and working out. It is so frustrating! I keep thinking that at some point my body is going to have catch up to my hard work. I'm going to lower my carbs as well, looking at some of the glycemic index stuff out there and I'm pounding the water. Something has got to give to get me out of this rut.

sarahrbraun

What allergy med was this??

I was on Claritin for 3 weeks, then my respiratory therapist told me to switch to Zyrtec because I was still having issues that were causing asthma flares. I have been on Zyrtec for a month.

mightdomightnot

I'm so glad you posted this.....I lost 9lb before I joined MFP and 2lb when I first joined here but since then zilch...I have a lot of weight to lose and I would feel so much more encouraged if the scales just showed something in the right direction. I also can't understand how I lost weight before I joined here...I wasn't counting calories so I cant tell if there is any change in how much I'm eating. I have started exercising more though and I know that can affect weight. I also have an underactive thyroid so am also wondering if that's playing up again.

I'm not about to give up...like others here I want this to be a lifestyle change...but I have to admit I feel very disheartened at the moment.

thektturner

What allergy med was this??

I was on Claritin for 3 weeks, then my respiratory therapist told me to switch to Zyrtec because I was still having issues that were causing asthma flares. I have been on Zyrtec for a month.

That would be odd if that was the problem. I have also been taking Zyrtec (albeit a generic version) for 3 weeks. Before that I had lost about 3-4 pounds over the course of 3 weeks. And now I have lost about .5 lbs in the last 3 weeks. Hmmm.... I really have no idea if that could be the problem, or why it would affect things. But I may just need to find out.

hughtwalker

For those of us in the northern hemisphere our bodies will be preparing for Winter. This doesn't help.

some people are like a dormouse - they use up every calorie scurrying around and HAVE to eat else they'll fall over faint and weary.

As for me, my metabolism is miser, however little I give it, once it catches on that there isn't the "usual" more coming it will put a llttle way for "later" . Once the first couple of weeks of meteoric weight loss were over it ground to a halt - just persist and it eventually catches on that it is just going to have to use some of those fat reserves it has been so painstakingly squirrelling away for so long - but it isn't happy.

It is a battle of nerves between my body and my mind. One day I shall be thin - one day <sigh> (If I live long enough)

jchrisman717

Yep been on here about a year and actually have gained a pound. I'm still here and still trying to figure it out but it is frustrating. I know a lot of mine over the last year is not having will power where I should have. But I work out hard and am very active, I would have thought that would have still gotten me some results. The only time I have lost is when I cut all of my processed foods and ate a ton of salads, protein and fruit.

rinnismom

it's okay, i had this same "talk" with my husband a couple of nights ago...

i've been with mfp since august 2, 2011 and i had lost 14 lbs. by nov. 2011. i gained half of it back by the spring. i hate the cold and i was hiking and biking hardcore during the fall. in the winter, i wasn't as active.

i had a total-loss of 15 lbs. in august of this year. three weeks of not being "exact" each and every night and now my ticker isn't reflective of my true weight. i'm tired of being up 5, losing 1. up 3, down .3. i stopped changing it because of this weekly fluctuation.

the three weeks that i wasn't hardcore was because i was: week 1, getting the last-minute prep-work done for my wedding: week 2, still wrapping up last-minute and actually getting married: week 3, i was on my honeymoon. we spent a week hiking and camping in north carolina, eating apples and granola, a sandwich once, etc.... we were super-active, "roughing it" (no hot water, no power, no shower, over 35-minute drive to the nearest town, no restaurant meals, no gorging, no binging....). i came back to find that i gained 9 lbs. in those three weeks, 9!!!!!

i go months without seeing even an ounce of a change. i have checked my scale. i have cleaned up my diet more and more (still not perfect, though). i've adjusted a lot! i see a forum or a blog and i reflect and change. i try new things. i recheck my numbers. i alter my calorie intake. i keep drinking liters of water a day.

i see these folks post about how they lose so much weight in just months. what in the hell...

i go months starting at a weight, gaining 4-5 lbs., dropping 2 of those lbs., gaining 1 back, etc... i don't know what i'm doing wrong. i'm not taking pills, on a special "diet", drinking magical shakes, none of that. my weight just stays stagnant.

i'm going to have to get to a doctor, i suppose, and see what the issue is. people tell me it has to be something with my thyroid. i don't know. i figured that between blood work and a nutritionist, someone can tell me what i'm doing wrong. i'm constantly learning but whatever the right thing is for my body, i'm just ignorant to it.

i guess what my "poor me" story reflects is that i get where you're coming from and i sympathize with your frustration. i get discouraged after a time of "failing" and wonder why i bother. i slip up but keep going. one day i hope starts to work. *sigh*

chubbygirl253

are you measuring? I THOUGHT my progress had halted in Sept because I went from losing 3 lbs a week to losing ZERO lbs for 2 whole weeks. Only lost 7 lbs the whole month of Sept when I had lost double that in July and Aug. But when I took my end-of-month measurements I realized I had still been making lotsa progress. I may have only lost 7 lbs in Sept but I lost 19 inches from all over my body in one month. the scale isn't the only tool to track your success.

if you are not losing inches either you may be eating too much or too little or not getting enough exercise to compensate for your little indulgences. hard to say. I think you know your body best and you might just have to make some hard choices about food and exercise and stick to it.

cnelson1974

Speak with a nutitionist to make sure you getting exactly what you need to support your activity level. It worked for me.

PomegranatePriestess

You're the second person who has posted about this issue in the past week or so; both times I've gone to the diary and seen the same issue: too much sugar. You're not tracking yours, but I can tell by what you're eating that your sugar is too high.

The last time, I responded to the person privately; this time, I'm posting because I'm thinking this is more common than I thought.

Counting calories works, but if you're staying within your calories that are set for loss and you're not losing, there's an issue, right? Can we agree that maybe not all calories are created equal? Basically, if your diet is high in sugar (naturally occuring sugar or otherwise), your body has to send insulin into your blood stream to balance your blood sugar level. Overproduction of insulin brings weight loss to a halt. This is one of the foundations of low-carb dieting. I'm not saying you should go low carb. I'm just suggesting that you cut back on your sugar for ten days, and see if the scale budges.

Bigfla

Hi, I hope this helps, I've lost 28 kg (62lbs) in 10 months. MFP is the single most important factor in how at age 65, I am lighter than I have been for 50 years...and I feel great!.

Indeed there have been periods in the last 10 months when my weight has plateau-ed and I've been despondent; I'm just coming out of a three wek week one right now....

In the end though MFP has worked so I am now convinced that;

1. Plateaus are normal
2. You must use MFP all the time - every day, every meal, every walk, every run, every swim.
3. You must be absolutely accurate, don't kid yourself, but if anything, over-estimate the food calories, under estimate the exercise.
4. Weigh yourself every day but only log in MFP when your weight is less than the last recorded weight ( this keeps you VERY focussed and gives you good data on how your weight changes normally),
5. Try not to eat your exercise calories so that you always have a decent surplus at the end of each day (coz it ain't that simple!)
6. Trust MFP coz it works...

Cheers

Rho_Ro

Well I'm one of the fortunate ones. I am just a few pounds from being half-way to my goal, but I usually manage something each week, even if it's only 0.1 kg for a week.

Sweet tooth. I used to think I had a sweet tooth so would have one or two sweet items per day (one in the am and one in the evening) whether it be a small piece of cake sliced in half or two biscuits or some lollies. This def killed the cravings.

Habits. Then I watched Dr Phil last week and he commented that you must replace an old habit with a new one otherwise the old habit will eventually creep back. So then I figured that maybe I hadn't really taken care of my sugar cravings. I head for sugar when I'm frustrated or angry so I've decided to go for a walk or paint my nails or put some eyeliner and lip gloss on (I'm a stay-at-home) or head into our spare room and sort thru some boxes as an alternative to downing sugar when I'm frustrated or angry!

Activity level. I have my level set at sedentary so ANYTHING I do challenges my weight. I log going for walks; mowing the lawn; long afternoons cooking or baking; gardening; vacuuming the house. BUT I DON'T eat the exercise calories if I can possibly help it. I have had the odd goof but I think you could count them on one hand.

Food. I did the healthy thing years ago and found it expensive and awkward as I still had to cook for the family. AND I put on any weight I lost PLUS more. So this time I am eating what the others eat and I am watching portion size. Now that the warmer seasons are here I can see me eating lots of salads which the boys aren't keen on - for example last night I grilled pork sausages, prepared mashed potato and the plan was to have broccoli. I had one sausage, 1 cup mashed potato, lettuce, 1 T Greek Yogurt, beetroot and tomato YUM. I use Greek Yoghut in place of butter and margarine as a spread and also as a dressing. I try to keep away from cheese coz it kills the calories.

Motivation. I've finally found a reason that works. I'm doing this for ME. That's it, full stop. Yes I have health conditions but they were never enough to get me too far on the weight loss cycle. Yes they are improving but that's not what it's about. It's entirely for me.

I hope this helps you guys in some way. It's a really nice feeling when it all comes together. Take care and if I can help any of you at all, just give me a yell.