The Weight WILL NOT Come Off - No Matter What

lacyjaneb

This is going to sound like a lot of other posts. I've been on every diet known to man over my 56 years. Good or bad, it is what it is. So last year (2012), after many trials and challenges in my life the past few years, and gaining weight out of control, I started taking a bootcamp class and decided to track my food and keep a journal - trying to stay within 1200 calories. The weight seemed to come off easy - which NEVER happens for me. I'm typically a very slow loser. I lost 25 lbs. WELL, life happened again and I started gaining the weight back late last year. So I started again in January this year. Journaling my food again and working out again - not boot camp this time - but cardio classes, pilates, and yoga. I do something 5 days a week. The weight is not coming off this time. Stress is high in my life (like everyone else's), as I'm raising my 6 year old granddaughter, and my body is not responding to anything. After reading and researching foods and diets, I decided to come off sugar (except for special occasions (only twice so far this year where I have birthday cake) and aspartame and started eating more whole natural foods, organic where I can, and track my sodium. I looked at the aspartame and Splenda, and found that it was in many many food and drinks that I consumed. Once I became more aware and stopped consuming it and eating natural and organic, I actually FEEL a lot better, BUT THE SCALE IS STILL NOT MOVING. Some say eat more - eat your calories back that you burn through exercise, that you might be starving your body (I doubt it), and some say don't eat them back. I've tried both and the scale will not budge. It's actually going up now since I started eating more. The pilates and yoga make me feel great - strong. I do personal training once/week - weights mostly. I do cardio and weights on my own on other days. I feel I'm doing everything I can possibly do. I'm so frustrated I just want to give up. It's overwhelming me now to track this food and exercise every day and getting nowhere. It's taking control over my life, where all I think about is what I'm putting in my body, is it healthy, is it not healthy, do I work out more, do I continue what I'm going. It's driving me crazy, because I have to focus on other things in my life. I feel guilty because I take the time to focus on my diet and exercise, but if I don't, I'll be back where I started and the scale will tip. I need to be healthy now for my granddaughter, and be strong, because she's going to need me now and for years to come.

Sorry for the long post, but I know many of you are going through the same thing and I'm hoping someone can enlighten me as to what they think is going on here.

TavistockToad

you say you started again in january - and you have tried eating more and less. well january was at most 8 weeks ago - so that isnt really long enough to have tried both!

set MFP to lose 1lb per week, and NET that figure, getting plenty of fruit and veg and lean protein. if that doesnt work after 6 weeks... then come back!

MrsK20141004

If you're sticking to 1200 calories still then you may need to increase your cals to see any loss. I know it sounds counter-intuitive but it should shock your body enough to see some progress!

adamalle

Have a read of http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/654536-in-place-of-a-road-map-2-0-revised-7-2-12

Also, there's nothing wrong with aspartame. Its one of, if not the most, tested food product out there.

concordancia

Boot camp classes usually involve cardio and weights - you need to find a way to add those strength exercises back in!

I am not saying lift heavy, but something - resistance bands, ten pound dumbbells, something that builds strength needs to come back into your routine.

Also, when you say 1200, are you eating back your exercise calories? Your body needs fuel to function at its best!

trogalicious

Have a read of http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/654536-in-place-of-a-road-map-2-0-revised-7-2-12

yup.

Ge0rgiana

I think the best thing you can for yourself is be CONSISTENT with something for a while. Give yourself, say, 2 months. Go over the roadmap and do it just like Dan says. Do it for 2 months. Or, even better, 3. Don't weigh during this time. Tell yourself this is your body's recovery time. Good luck.

spaingirl2011

I'll agree with what most people have said-- though I will say one other thing that you should take into consideration. When you lose and gain the way you have (and it happened to me, too), it's harder the second or third time around to get your body to respond to lower calories and exercise. It's by no means impossible, but it is harder. Choose ONE method-- eat 1200 and net 1200 or try to eat more than that. Do it for at least a month before you totally give up on one of those. Measure your food. Portions can very slowly creep up. Do some resistance training so that you're building lean muscle mass while you're losing fat.

gaylelynnmc

First off thank you for sharing...I have been going through the same thing...although throughout the past year I have stuck to it. I have been stuck at the same weight...I don't loose nor to I gain...so after asking for some sound advice from some of my wonderful pals on here I listen...they all adviced to start eating more...which for me is very hard...I don't want to go backwards not a single ounce!! Well much to my surprise I have managed to loose a little in just a week...so it is slowly starting up again....I am so happy...I was so worried it would not work but it is. I am pretty much watching every bite I take but still I am not holding back...I will have a little of most anything...so don't be hard on yourself....just surround yourself with lots of support...I am here if you want to add me...hugs!!

Mcmilligen

Track your progress with photos, measurements and body fat if you can. I was gaining weight a while ago, and was devastated. Until I compared photos, I didn't realize I was losing body fat AND gaining muscle mass! The number on the scale can be deceiving if it's the only number you are tracking. Stay with it, it sounds like you are making good changes in your life!

Cheeetah13

Have you tried Dr.Moreno's 17 day diet? It is a 4-cycle plan... each plan is 17 days and his main goal is to "trick" your metabolism. It is very interesting... the hubby and I gave it a shot after having done atkins and many other fad diets... this seemed to really do the trick for us.... and it helps in knowing how to limit yourself - portion control, etc... and he gives some very interesting info in his book. It was like 8 bucks on Amazon.

Kellzaleo

On days you work out increase to 1400 cal and see how that goes. It worked for me. On days I don't exerise stay at 1200. Also increase your protein to at least 100g a day, which is a minimum of what the normal women should be having.

Maddalen101

MPF says I should eat 1800 cals a day.
I tried dropping them to 1500 and GAINED.
I raised them back up to 1800, and have lost 20 lbs.
You NEED enough calories so that your body doesn't think you're starving.
Yes, you'll lose weight more slowly, but you'll lose.

lbesaw

Start over---ditch all the sugar and artificial stuff. Concentrate on only good nutrtious food. Berries , yogurt, LEAN meat, vegetables and limit carbs for a few weeks. You sound like you are battling some food demons---believe me I've been there, done that and came to the conclusion that if I didn't get control of my eating habits I would die years before I was supposed to. The first few weeks on MFP I just concentrated on my diet and controlling my calories and fats. I lost weight every week even though I was not doing ANY exercise......then when I started my exercise program (water jogging) the weight has continued to fall off every week. You can do this---ONLY YOU. Good luck

Sharon_C

I stopped losing for about 6 weeks. Nothing. Nada. No gain, no loss. Then I found this link (http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/654536-in-place-of-a-road-map-2-0-revised-7-2-12), followed the instructions and gave it some time and the weight started coming off again. The key, I think, is to give it time and to be consistent.

auddii

Looking through your diary, there are some entries like "birthday cake one slice" (I know it's hard to estimate stuff like that, and I just try to find random equivalents too) or "strawberries half a cup." Measuring with cups can be incredibly inaccurate, and you might be consuming way more than you think you are. Fruit might not be so bad, but with rice or other carb or fat based things, it can add up quickly.

Give this entire thread a read including the comments. Make sure you watch the video on inaccuracies of measuring cups. I've taken to weighing most everything.

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/872212-you-re-probably-eating-more-than-you-think

cwolfman13

you say you started again in january - and you have tried eating more and less. well january was at most 8 weeks ago - so that isnt really long enough to have tried both!

set MFP to lose 1lb per week, and NET that figure, getting plenty of fruit and veg and lean protein. if that doesnt work after 6 weeks... then come back!

This^^^ and net meaning you need to eat your exercise calories back. You need to have more patience and give it some time and be consistent...if you go on again off again, of course it isn't going to work.

LucyT4dieting

Every body is different and weight loss is not quick for some people. People over 50 need patience because it takes even longer. You need to find what works for you and stick to it! If you keep changing too quickly from lower calories to higher calories, you won't see a result, and even if you do, you won't know what got you that result. Whatever one you choose, give it time to work! Sometimes when adding calories, you will see a weight gain in the beginning. Don't let that scare you into starving yourself. If you stick with it, the weight will eventually come off. Give yourself at least a month to six weeks before you come to a conclusion. If the weight STILL isn't coming off, I would see a doctor. There may be a medical issue that is preventing you from losing the weight. Good luck!

bcattoes

you say you started again in january - and you have tried eating more and less. well january was at most 8 weeks ago - so that isnt really long enough to have tried both!

set MFP to lose 1lb per week, and NET that figure, getting plenty of fruit and veg and lean protein. if that doesnt work after 6 weeks... then come back!

This ^^

Additionally, if your exercise routine is making you feel better and stonger, why would you consider giving up even if you never lose weight? Isn't how you feel as important as how you look? Especially with a stressful life, and especially as we age, exercise is as important as diet.

AnarchistFitness

Have you considered that maybe you don't have a weight problem, but a stress and fatigue problem, instead?

The situation you have described, even the tone in your post, seems frantic with worry and rigid with frustration. You seem like you have a lot on your mind and you might want to think about how a sense of a loss of control in your life in general is causing you to ratchet down tight on something you think you can control--food, exercise... your weight. When for whatever reason (stress, repeated dieting, hormones, whatever) you are not able to move the needle on the scale, this may be compounding your feelings of helplessness.

I'm sorry to say this, but take it from someone who has been there, no amount of diet advice from friends, family, or social networking will help you at this point. I think that you should do a couple of things, instead. 1) Talk to a therapist: you need someone who will just listen to you, and you need to be able to trust that someone is going to hear you and not let you down. 2) Stop dieting: If pilates makes you feel strong, DO IT! Feel strong! If eating whole foods instead of fake sweeteners makes your body feel better, DO IT! Feel better! But put away your scale and stop torturing yourself. You need love right now and all you are giving yourself is complex excuses to deny yourself love.

I was in a similar situation ten or fifteen years ago when my marriage was ending. I went to a nutritionist and she told me two of the most awesome things. I've kept them in my heart for stressful times. First, she said, "Fat thoughts are never about fat." If you are obsessing about fat, step back and ask yourself what is really on your mind and address that thing, instead. Second, she said, "A woman is more than her dress size." You are a good person and a strong person and you are lovable and deserving of love no matter how much you weigh.

Please, take these ideas and spend some time thinking about them. Then give yourself a break; you deserve it!

lacyjaneb

Wow - to AnarchistFitn - I believe you hit the nail on the head - you read between the lines of my post - amazing. Worry, frustration, and stress rule my life. The ONLY thing I feel I can control is my diet, but that's not working either, obviously because of these other things. I have talked to a therapist in the past, but probably need to go back due to the circumstances surrounding the reason we have custody of our granddaughter. Pilates and Yoga make me whole - feel strong. I will continue these. Thank you so much for your inspiration. I will contemplate on what you said and might be giving myself a break and not worry about my size - but will continue on my inner strength. Thank you.:flowerforyou: