NOTHING works!

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bethkrusac
bethkrusac Posts: 45 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I have been trying to lose weight since February 7, that's exactly 2 months and 1 day. With going up and down on the scale, I've lost a NET of about three pounds. THREE. 2 months and all I get is about 3? That doesn't seem right.

I increased my calorie intake to my TDEE minus 20% as recommend and all that stuff, but it hasn't worked. I've decreased my calorie intake back down and nothing works.

I'm getting VERY discouraged her and really need some help!

Do you think I should join a gym and visit a trainer to discuss exercise opportunities? I'm battling a knee injury and can't do much exercise as it is intensely painful. Should I join a gym and speak to a professional? I need to lose weight and nothing it working. I need help!
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Replies

  • btsinmd
    btsinmd Posts: 921 Member
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    Maybe talk to your doctor. Find out if there's some reason you don't know that is preventing you from losing.
  • fluffykitsune
    fluffykitsune Posts: 236 Member
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    I see that your cal goal is currently set to 1300.
    What were you eating at TDEE -20%?
    What is your height / weight / goal weight & activity level? You said you have a knee injury but what does your job/day consist of?

    Are you honestly counting every little calorie? I used to use a bunch of teriyaki sauce on my rice, but I didn't know. I thought I was using 2 Table spoons (70 cal per table spoon) but when I measured it I was actually using 5 Table spoons!
    Same with butter, cooking oil, spices.. they can add up.
  • DirtyTrickster
    DirtyTrickster Posts: 202 Member
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    Have you been tracking measurements as well as weight?
  • xxcooneyxx
    xxcooneyxx Posts: 221 Member
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    If you are honestly counting every single calorie that goes past your lips, and not having free for all cheat days where you are not counting, then you need to get blood work done. Talk to a doctor. Check your thyroid.
  • Meaganandcheese
    Meaganandcheese Posts: 525 Member
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    Some of the changes you're talking about having made can take 6 weeks or more to really sink in. How long have you given some of this stuff before you've thrown in the towel?

    And besides, any loss is a good one. Would you prefer gaining 3 pounds?
  • rosebarnalice
    rosebarnalice Posts: 3,488 Member
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    I would definitely encourage you to up your activity level--some way, some how.

    I have a really bad knee and ankle, but find that the recumbent stationary bike and the eliptical are two pieces of gym equipment that I can handle that don't put any strain on my bad joints.

    If you're thinking about talking to a professional anyway, I'd encourage you to do so.
  • mrsmarit
    mrsmarit Posts: 229 Member
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    I have been trying to lose weight since February 7, that's exactly 2 months and 1 day. With going up and down on the scale, I've lost a NET of about three pounds. THREE. 2 months and all I get is about 3? That doesn't seem right.

    I increased my calorie intake to my TDEE minus 20% as recommend and all that stuff, but it hasn't worked. I've decreased my calorie intake back down and nothing works.

    I'm getting VERY discouraged her and really need some help!

    Do you think I should join a gym and visit a trainer to discuss exercise opportunities? I'm battling a knee injury and can't do much exercise as it is intensely painful. Should I join a gym and speak to a professional? I need to lose weight and nothing it working. I need help!


    1) You have to realize that this is a marathon not a sprint. You only need to lose about 30 lbs so 3 pounds is a good start. You didn't put on the 30 pounds in 2 months.

    2) I looked at your diary and your calories are all over the place. Some days it's almost 1700 and others you don't even hit 700. Your body needs consistency (and not at 700 calories.) You need to try and eat the same amount every day... consistency is key.

    3) Even with a knee injury there should be some types of exercise you can do. Do you have a doctor you can talk to about it? That would be a better choice than a PT at the gym.
  • xxcooneyxx
    xxcooneyxx Posts: 221 Member
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    Also, I bought a food scale and I weigh everything. Like my bag of potatoes says it's 100 calories a potato, but i found out some potatoes were twice the size of others, so now I always go by the weight listed in the nutrition facts. I NEVER eyeball ANYTHING.

    I saw a study a loooong time ago, but i think they had people guesstimate their portion sizes, like 1/2 a cup of this or a TBS of that, and found that people tend to guess portion sizes at 30% larger than they actually were. That means a TBS of butter (that they were counting at 100 calories) was really 130 calories. A cup of rice (260 calories) was really 330 calories. If you do that all day, at the end of the day, you have eaten your previeved caloric deficite without even realizing it.
  • concordancia
    concordancia Posts: 5,320 Member
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    You have tried three different plans in two months? You haven't given anything a chance!

    Pick a plan and stick to it for six weeks. If you choose MFP's goals, eat back the calories you burn through exercise. If you choose TDEE-20%, that is your total goal.

    Weigh your food, measure your drinks and log everything.

    If, at the end of six weeks of being consistent you haven't lost five pounds, then you might want to consider making an appointment with your doctor.
  • ami5000psu
    ami5000psu Posts: 391 Member
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    It's only been two months. Looking through your diary things seem a little inconsistent. Why are you only eating ~600 calories on some days? Are you not logging everything?

    ETA: Why are your carbs set so low and your fats set so high??
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,867 Member
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    Usually this means that you are eating more than you think you're eating. Common pitfalls are not logging everything that goes into your mouth, not weighing and measuring your food and ingredients (especially important with calorie dense foods like nut, cooking oils, etc), not logging sauces or toppings, etc.

    If you are truly doing everything 100% to a T, you should be seeing progress...this would also suggest that perhaps you have a medical condition, are vitamin D deficient, or perhaps taking medications that mess with your metabolism. Barring any of those things, it's all basic math and science and does work.
  • nmcintyre220
    nmcintyre220 Posts: 1 Member
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    I feel ya! I have been attempting to lose weight for 4 months now and lost a total of 6 lbs! Between arthritis, plantar fascitis, and asthma, I get in as much exercise as possible and am on at 1300 cal diet but not much is helping.

    My doctor believes a big part of my issue is my birth control and stress. And it's an endless cycle bc I stress about the weight loss (among other things) and the stress is what is hindering the weight loss! Could that also be part of your problem?

    Also, in the beginning, even though I was sticking to my calorie goal most days, I was going over in sugars which wasn't helping at all!

    Good luck in figuring it out...I know how frustrating it can be!
  • joleenl
    joleenl Posts: 739 Member
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    1. Are you recording everything? I mean absolutely everything? Do you weigh or measure your food?
    2. You said you were eating at TDEE -20% but thats not what your diary suggests, it looks like 1300. You have to do this consistantly for a while. Be Patient. It does work.
    3. I looked at your exercise a day or two ago. These things sound like they should be included in your TDEE not extra eat back calories IMO. TDEE is calories for an average day of cooking, cleaning, working, and walking and such. Eat back calories should be at least 20 mins of consistant exercise (IMO anyway) that is not part of your normal routine.
  • Hellbent_Heidi
    Hellbent_Heidi Posts: 3,669 Member
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    Joining a gym and getting a trainer can't hurt and exercise is important, but weight loss is mostly related to your diet, not your exercise...so odds are, you're doing SOMETHING wrong. You might be overestimating your calorie burns, or underestimating portion sizes, or maybe you're just simply being too impatient before you change up your methods.

    It really wouldn't hurt to see a doctor to get a check up at this point...there could be something that's hindering your ability to lose...
  • mryak750
    mryak750 Posts: 198 Member
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    your going over on your cals
  • iWaffle
    iWaffle Posts: 2,208 Member
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    Sunglasses don't work.

    tumblr_inline_mjxw3jSFEw1qz4rgp.gif

    Cutting bread with a door stopper doesn't work.

    tumblr_mcir1uXrfH1rjadewo1_250.gif

    Sitting down doesn't work

    tumblr_min2qw5VTb1rnoiqoo1_400.gif

    Tape measurement doesn't work

    tumblr_mk6fxbNidC1rozztto1_400.gif

    Cleavage doesn't even work.

    tumblr_mglj69BHjq1qdlh1io1_400.gif



    THIS IS THE ONLY THING THAT WORKS.
    You must buy this thing.

    tumblr_inline_mfpg124JCt1qjar37.gif
  • valeriemcmichael77
    valeriemcmichael77 Posts: 69
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    Yes, I would check to find what exercises I CAN do despite your injury.
  • valeriemcmichael77
    valeriemcmichael77 Posts: 69
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    What is that exercise equipment called?
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
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    I agree that seeing a doctor to check for thyroid or other medical reason is a good idea.

    Also, it's good remember that those TDEE calculators do not measure your TDEE. The results they return is the TDEE for the average person using the stats you entered. Every calculator I tried overestimated mine, some by as much as 300 calories, which was a good % of my deficit.

    If you are eating TDEE - 20% and not losing, I'd suggest dropping your calories a little more to allow for miscalculation.
  • difabu
    difabu Posts: 143
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    @ iWaffle -- Thanks for the laugh! I needed that right now. =)

    @ OP: What they said.

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