Havent' lost in 2 weeks!!!!

lynnymcc

I am so frustrated! No NOTHING on the scale for over 2 weeks...the only thing i have done differently is go down in calories!
I used to eat 1800 (plus 200 extra for breastfeeding).
I now eat 1700 but don't always eat the extra 200 for breastfeeding.
Do you think by cutting cals, that is the reason for the stall?
I realize i am not going to lose EVERY week, but jeez...0.2 would even be nice!!! And I have 50 or so more lbs to lose, so it's
not like I am a skinny minny and not have weight to lose...i DO!!

mudonthetires856

The scale can be a liar. Don't get frustrated. There can be a lot of reasons for it. The main cause is water retention. There are times that the scale doesn't move for 4 weeks, but then 4 or 5 pounds down the next week. If you started a new workout routine, it can stall weight loss, but not fat loss.

Monthly pictures and measurements are much more motivating to me than seeing that number on the scale. Even when the scale isn't moving, I can see differences in my body.

lynnymcc

I know...it's just so frustrating. I work hard at counting all my calories, exercise 3 x a week (not lots, but it's what I can do with baby, older child, etc).
I think when i decreased my cals, i just assumed that I would have a huge loss...NOPE!
So do i just stay put with what I am doing now? or do I increase my cals back up to 1800 like previously?

trogalicious

you may not be eating enough. if you're breastfeeding, working out 3 times per week, and decreasing your intake.. that could be the issue.

LoraF83

you may not be eating enough. if you're breastfeeding, working out 3 times per week, and decreasing your intake.. that could be the issue.

Agreed. Your body is trying to do a lot - taking care of a your kids, feeding a baby, exercise, etc.

Feed your body to get results.

MacSkillz

I say wait it out and be patient. 2 weeks is nothing. I just had 4 weeks where my scale fluctuated between the same 3 lbs. But I still stuck to my schedule and kept at it because I could see/feel changes elsewhere - my clothes were looser, and my muscles were getting more defined.
It happens to everyone and you just need to be patient. It will move again. Just stick with what you are doing.

ILiftHeavyAcrylics

If 1800 plus breastfeeding calories is working then why change?

That said, two weeks is not enough time to make a determination. Weight loss happens in fits and starts. Try to be patient.

lynnymcc

It's not been one week...it's actually been 3 as i weighed myself 2 weeks ago and then again today...so 3 weeks of no weight loss.
And the only reason I went down in cals is b/c MFP readjusted my numbers and i just figured it should do it!

trogalicious

It's not been one week...it's actually been 3 as i weighed myself 2 weeks ago and then again today...so 3 weeks of no weight loss.
And the only reason I went down in cals is b/c MFP readjusted my numbers and i just figured it should do it!

so you just randomly dropped to 1700 a day sometime in the two weeks that you didn't weigh?

Cutting your intake by 100 calories isn't likely the reason for the stall, eating 1700-1800 calories per day is more likely the culprit. Also, 3 weeks with no loss (or two, or whatever) isn't a plateau. Have you measured any? Lost any inches?

and wait, MFP doesn't automatically adjust your numbers if there's no loss.

lynnymcc

it's often 300 cals less a day b/c I havent' been eating my 200 that i allot for breastfeeding

lynnymcc

"so you just randomly dropped to 1700 a day sometime in the two weeks that you didn't weigh? "

And the answer to that is "no". MFP adjusted mine prior to that...and since then i haven't had a loss.
Am I not being clear enough?

trogalicious

it's often 300 cals less a day b/c I havent' been eating my 200 that i allot for breastfeeding

then I stand by my original response. You probably aren't eating enough

"so you just randomly dropped to 1700 a day sometime in the two weeks that you didn't weigh? "

And the answer to that is "no". MFP adjusted mine prior to that...and since then i haven't had a loss.
Am I not being clear enough?

No. "Used to" isn't honestly a clearly defined date range.

If MFP adjusted down (I still don't know why the app/site is so adamant about eating less).. and you stopped losing, why not go back to eating what you were.. when you were losing.

It really sounds like you're not hitting the goals you need to be hitting, intake-wise.

savithny

The "exatra 200 for breastfeeding" was a bit off, I found.

How old is your baby? How often does s/he nurse?

I looked up how many calories a formula fed baby would be getting at one point, and it was WAY MORE than 200 calories a day. All being pulled directly from my body. Plus, it takes metabolic energy for your body to turn the food you eat into milk. I have no idea how much, but definitely some.

An older baby who isn't taking any solids may be eating more than 500 calories a day. ANd I was never so aware of how hormones affect weight and hunger as when I was nursing. I got down to my high school weight and it was like my body defended it tooth and nail -- I'd find myself in front of the fridge eating meat and eggs and cheese... I'd get back up above that "lowest point allowed" and that would stop. I grew my daughter from 10 pounds at birth to 28 pounds before she would eat solids, and all that baby growth had to come from me. I ate like a horse (a healthy, well-balanced horse) and lost all the baby weight plus 20 pounds off my pre-pregnancy weight.

So you've dropped your calories AND you're not eating extra for nursing? Unless your kid is now weaning, your body is reading this as "uh-oh. Food is in short supply and we've got a baby to feed." Your body is finely tuned to try to protect you and that baby in every way it can, and rapid weight loss sends it into panic mode.

I think you'll probably do better increasing calories again and making sure to eat the extra for nursing.

lynnymcc

Thanks all!
I kinda new it was the drop in cals...or so i thought. And that's what the second part of my question was....do i wait it out? or just go back to my eating 1800 cals PLUS the 200 i allow for breastfeeding? I will increase them and see what happens.
My baby is almost 10 months old and eating solids now...BUT, I nurse or pump 4-5 times a day and still producing a lot of milk.
I may be burning more calories than 200 but you just never know. I would allow for way more cals if i was strictly nursing a younger baby.

JoanB5

You should increase cals for nursing...the baby needs those. But, you should still be losing weight. Sometimes, the baby will require more of you than others. I could tell a distinct difference in the consistency of the milk in some weeks. I agree with all the above:

1. MEASURE (those post pregnancy, seeing the results takes a lot of time, muscle tone, and patience, wear spanks to help your stomach muscles retighten and not "hang")
2. WALK often day...get the stroller out and enjoy time with baby....legs, arm, and glutes can make up for slowness in abs to refirm.
3. NURSE: If your baby still young, be sure to get a well balanced diet so that the baby will continue to want to nurse. Nursing alone helps a TON with weight loss from pregnancy.

savithny

With a 10 month old who nurses (or for whom you pump five times a day, you're almost certainly using far more than 200 calories a day to produce milk. On average, milk has about 20 calories per ounce. Every single one of those calories has to come from you. Plus your body has to create that milk.

So every 4-ounce bottle you pump is 80 calories . Except I know that at 10 months my babies were taking way more than 4 ounces at a time. I actually think that time from about 6-11 months was my daughters peak volume -- even though she was taking some solids, they were almost nothing, calorie-wise, and she was grwoing so fast.

A lot of weight calculators seem to really discount breastfeeding. I've seen more articles writing it off as "an excuse" and implying that women should all be able to eat 1200 calories a day and nurse their babies exclusively and live happily ever after. But in reality, our systems are focused around makign this process work, and protecing this process from danger.

Long story short: I'd go back to what you were doing before, if it was working. IF you pump you're more aware of your output, and you can start to taper down more slowly as you're producing less.

calibriintx

it's often 300 cals less a day b/c I havent' been eating my 200 that i allot for breastfeeding

300 calories is a huge difference and could definitely be the reason for your stall. And I agree with the person who said that MFP can underestimate BF calories. I wasn't logging while I was BFing (b/c I hadn't found MFP yet or counting calories) but I did add up the calories of the "extras" I would eat while BFing and I always tried to hit AT LEAST 400, sometimes up to 600. I think I was pumping 20 oz/day and who knows how many oz she was getting when she was on the breast.

I would check out this post and see how many calories you come up with. If you're comfortable with trying it out, change your goals under custom so MFP will stop changing your calories on you. You can continue to add in your BF calories manually. http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/912914-in-place-of-a-road-map-3-2013

Or if you're comfortable with what you're doing, stick with it, but be sure to eat all of your BF calories. Good luck!

calibriintx

go back to my eating 1800 cals PLUS the 200 i allow for breastfeeding

^This



*Edited for clarity

lynnymcc

I completely agree with everyone's advice with increasing calories! So i ate 2000 cals (1800 plus my 200 extra for nursing) and guess what???? I lost 3.5 lbs in one week!!! ANNNNNNNNNdddd, my period is due tomorrow...(normally I can put on 5 lbs of water with that)!
I am sure all my years of yo yo dieting makes my body cringe when I restrict too much (even at 1700 cals..which is alot). Its so crazy that you don' t need a HUGE deficit for your body to let go of weight.
I am ecstatic right now as the last month has been so frustrating staying at the same weight.
Thanks again everyone