Very discouraged

Options
24

Replies

  • Me48Plus2
    Me48Plus2 Posts: 73
    Options
    Hi...I would look at how many calories you are consuming each day...you maybe eating too fewer calories then you should be and are in starvation mode... thats when the body holds on to every little bit of food because the body feels it is not getting enough to sustain itself...check online how much you should be eating for your weight and how much you want to loss...this system told me I should eat only 1200 calories a day...that is not safe for anyone...(adult women). i now eat 1600 calories per day and have been losing consistently...if I am hitting a plateau I up my exercise intensity :) I weigh myself every other day...but once a week would be good.

    Also if you find you are fluctuating in weight... check the food you eat...you could be bloated because of what you eat...check out Dr. OZ. he talks about food allergies that can make your weight fluctuate (gain).

    Best of luck :)

    THANK YOU !!!!
  • bellagirl125
    bellagirl125 Posts: 4 Member
    Options
    You are not getting enough calories....this site does not count calories correctly.

    Here is a site I Googled for how many calories a person should eat per day.

    http://www.freedieting.com/tools/calorie_calculator.htm
  • Me48Plus2
    Me48Plus2 Posts: 73
    Options
    Okay time to BREATHE! Don't be discouraged, you've reach a little road block...no biggy! Wet food make you feel fuller longer...try switching out some of your calories with ones that include wet foods. Hit the reset in your mind don't weigh yourself for a week and don't obsess. Its just a little bump just push through it!

    What are wet foods ??
  • ValerieMomof2
    ValerieMomof2 Posts: 530 Member
    Options
    I just briefly read through the replies but don't think I saw this mentioned. Don't look at the scale. Take measurements and go based on that. Get your body fat % tested and see if that changes. There are too many variables with the scale so take a look at the bigger picture. I have been back at it for a month and haven't lost a single pound although I am working my tail off and eating sooooo much better. But even the husband said he can see a huge difference in how I look. The scale is not the best way to determine success ;)
  • Me48Plus2
    Me48Plus2 Posts: 73
    Options
    What weight are you? Because I'm around 140 and I've stopped losing weight. I measure my waist, bust and hips to track my progress now, because the scales don't reflect the difference in my body (which is, frankly, bangin' at the minute compared to a month ago!).

    I'm at 142. Exercise definately helps with lost inches for sure !! I found that this is the weight my body wants to be at because every time I lose 10-15 pounds, the hungry level escalates until I'm back in the 140s AGAIN !!
  • akaMrsmojo
    akaMrsmojo Posts: 762 Member
    Options
    The OP led me to believe that you are under your 1200 calories goal. I know so many people who don't go over 1200 and so many people on here who get so discouraged and complain. This is always a common theme. You never hear anyone say. Hey I am making my 1480 calories I am suppose too and eating all my calories and not losing weight.

    My thought is your calories maybe too low. I had that problem awhile back when my calorie limit was 1280 and I changed it to losing 1/2 a week and started dropping right away.
  • Me48Plus2
    Me48Plus2 Posts: 73
    Options
    I just briefly read through the replies but don't think I saw this mentioned. Don't look at the scale. Take measurements and go based on that. Get your body fat % tested and see if that changes. There are too many variables with the scale so take a look at the bigger picture. I have been back at it for a month and haven't lost a single pound although I am working my tail off and eating sooooo much better. But even the husband said he can see a huge difference in how I look. The scale is not the best way to determine success ;)

    I never was a scale user before. Since I started here, I thought it would keep me on track better, so I started. I used to say the same things as you. Guess I should be taking my own advice now too .
    Thanks !
  • jbbrannon
    jbbrannon Posts: 167 Member
    Options
    I have the same question "What are wet foods?"
  • ChristyRunStarr
    ChristyRunStarr Posts: 1,600 Member
    Options

    INTERESTING. This site says for me to get to my goals weight (120 pounds) I need to eat 1,200 calories. I'm already half way there with just breakfast today - which only consists of yogurt with blueberries, raspberries, grapes. coffee and orange juice !

    Helloitsdan's post said you should be eating 1200 calories for your TDEE? :grumble: What?
  • Capt_Apollo
    Capt_Apollo Posts: 9,026 Member
    Options
    no one should ever be at 1200 calories.

    http://theskinnyequation.blogspot.com/p/weight-loss-calculators.html

    use this to figure out your BMR and TDEE.

    your BMR is the bare minimum that you should be eating for your age, height, and weight. it is your basal metabolic rate, which is the bare minimum of calories you need if you were just laying in bed.

    Your TDEE is your total daily energy expenditure. it is what you burn on a daily bases based on your activity.

    i like to take my TDEE that is at lightly active and subtract 20-10% for weight loss. i don't add exercise calories, but i don't worry too much about going a few hundred calories over my daily goal, because it all balances out.

    your body works on a weekly basis, rather then a day-to-day basis. this means that if you go over your calories by 500 on monday, and then on tuesday and wednesday you are under by 250 each day, it all balances out.
  • alimarie53
    alimarie53 Posts: 102 Member
    Options
    Don't be discouraged! You're body needs time to adjust. Make sure you up your calorie intake on days that you work out. I find that I drop a few ounce on days these days where as on days I don't eat extra I don't budge on the scale.
  • Siege_Tank
    Siege_Tank Posts: 781 Member
    Options
    ROFL, not to laugh at new people, but they just don't get it. I lost 30 pounds in two months, and then despite my caloric reduction and exercise I stayed near 180 for almost 45 days! Talk about stick-to-it-iveness!

    This is a marathon, not a sprint. While it would be nice to have constant reassurance from the scale that you are on the right track and making progress, we are talking about WEIGHT, which is the total weight of everything you have eaten, your bones, your muscles, and your fat. As we drop fat our bodies like to retain water. As we train muscles our bodies like to retain even MORE water.

    Do this, go fill a gallon jug with water and weigh yourself holding the jug, and then not holding the jug. One gallon of water weighs 8 pounds.

    You aren't going to get a beach body in a month or two, and those 90 day transformations you see show people who were "soft" building their muscles to look "hard".

    You've been at it a week, why stop now? You've put in a week's worth of calorie cutting.. keep going!!
  • LittleMiss_WillLoseIt
    LittleMiss_WillLoseIt Posts: 1,373 Member
    Options
    EAT MOOOAARRRRRR!!
  • kikokateyy
    kikokateyy Posts: 136 Member
    Options
    What weight are you? Because I'm around 140 and I've stopped losing weight. I measure my waist, bust and hips to track my progress now, because the scales don't reflect the difference in my body (which is, frankly, bangin' at the minute compared to a month ago!).

    I'm at 142. Exercise definately helps with lost inches for sure !! I found that this is the weight my body wants to be at because every time I lose 10-15 pounds, the hungry level escalates until I'm back in the 140s AGAIN !!

    It's because you are eating not enough calories... If you still have a deficit youll lose weight. If your 'goal' is 2 pounds a week change it to .5 or 1 pound a week.
  • leannems
    leannems Posts: 516 Member
    Options
    Then eat more than 1200 calories (http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/654536-in-place-of-a-road-map-2-0-revised-7-2-12) You joined this month so I"m guessing it hasn't been a lot of time right? It takes longer than 11 days to lose weight, just like it took longer than that to gain weight. You'll get there, take before pictures and then during, they speak a lot more than the scale will, also, do measurements. DOn't be discouraged, you'll get there.

    I can't agree with this more. You need to look at monthly progress - yup, every 30 days. If your monthly progress isn't working, then switch things up, but you must give every new "setting" at least a month.

    It's easy to get discouraged, and that's ok - just rely on the people here to push you through it. Browse the success stories - they frequently help me.
  • Burlesque12
    Burlesque12 Posts: 177 Member
    Options
    Increase your calories! Especially if you work out and are hungry still. Thats your body telling you it needs fuel. Try increasing in small increments, and wait 2 weeks to weigh yourself.
  • Tandelayo
    Tandelayo Posts: 1
    Options
    Congratulate yourself on all you have done. Even at a plateau, you are living a very healthy lifestyle.

    I would try ensuring you eat all 1200 calories. You may also want to try a smaller meal at night, or more veggies at night.

    Best wishes to you, you are doing all the right things, including reaching out for help.
  • yoovie
    yoovie Posts: 17,121 Member
    Options
    no one should ever be at 1200 calories.

    http://theskinnyequation.blogspot.com/p/weight-loss-calculators.html

    use this to figure out your BMR and TDEE.

    your BMR is the bare minimum that you should be eating for your age, height, and weight. it is your basal metabolic rate, which is the bare minimum of calories you need if you were just laying in bed.

    Your TDEE is your total daily energy expenditure. it is what you burn on a daily bases based on your activity.

    i like to take my TDEE that is at lightly active and subtract 20-10% for weight loss. i don't add exercise calories, but i don't worry too much about going a few hundred calories over my daily goal, because it all balances out.

    your body works on a weekly basis, rather then a day-to-day basis. this means that if you go over your calories by 500 on monday, and then on tuesday and wednesday you are under by 250 each day, it all balances out.
  • sneakyjean
    sneakyjean Posts: 15 Member
    Options
    Don't get discouraged. Sometimes you need to adjust what you're doing. Things that have worked for me:

    Don't go under 1200 calories. And if you're significantly overweight, you can even afford 1300 or 1400. If you starve your body you will not lose weight. But make the calroies count. If you crave pasta, have whole wheat pasta. Cut way down on fat and sugar. Try to avoid processed foods. Flavor things up with salsa and garlic instead of salt.

    Switch up the exercise. Add some weight or resistance training. Muscle burns more fat. Sometimes a "plateau" is really putting on muscle, and if that's the case it will pay off soon. If you're walking on a treadmill, add some incline to burn more calories and stay in the "fat burn" zone rather than aerobic.

    And before you get overwhelmed with changes, just pick one at a time and incorporate that before you try to add another thing.

    Above all, be kind to yourself. Weight loss is hard, no matter what anyone says about how it should be simple. Forgive yourself, but resolve to try harder. Don't give up.
  • MinnieInMaine
    MinnieInMaine Posts: 6,400 Member
    Options
    I would suggest taking another run at the "IPOARM" calculations. It seems really odd to me (and others as I've seen previous similar responses) that you're still getting 1200 using that.

    Another option is to change your weekly weight loss goal to 1/2 pound per week. With less to lose, that's a very realistic and healthy goal and should give you a bit more wiggle room in your calories.

    OR set your daily calorie goal at your BMR and eat back your exercise calories.

Categories