I've Tried Almost Everything For 8 Months
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I broke a long plateau by eating at maintenance for 3 weeks, which seemed to restore my metabolism to a normal rate. Have you tried intermittent fasting? If you are not familiar with this eating pattern google 5:2 intermittent fasting. Also I recommend calibrating the calories burned from exercise machines to a HRM, if you eat them back.
I recently discovered that the machines at the gym were inflating the calories burned. My new HRM says my typical cardio workout (65 minutes on the elliptical targeting a HR of 140, using 20 second sprints whenever necessary) is 580. The machine itself says 780 and the MFP database says 930. I suspect that I am still eating back too much if I eat back all of my exercise calories because I should subtract an hours worth of sedentary TDEE from the calories burned.
I do hope you don't have serious medical issues.
Wow that is very eye-opening. The differences between actual calories burned and what MFP says can be huge!
I never tried intermittent fasting. I guess I'll have to google that. I kind of shy away from anything with the word "fasting" in it, but I've heard it doesn't really mean what it sounds like.0 -
I broke a long plateau by eating at maintenance for 3 weeks, which seemed to restore my metabolism to a normal rate. Have you tried intermittent fasting? If you are not familiar with this eating pattern google 5:2 intermittent fasting. Also I recommend calibrating the calories burned from exercise machines to a HRM, if you eat them back.
I recently discovered that the machines at the gym were inflating the calories burned. My new HRM says my typical cardio workout (65 minutes on the elliptical targeting a HR of 140, using 20 second sprints whenever necessary) is 580. The machine itself says 780 and the MFP database says 930. I suspect that I am still eating back too much if I eat back all of my exercise calories because I should subtract an hours worth of sedentary TDEE from the calories burned.
I do hope you don't have serious medical issues.
Yes, my first thought is that if you are accurately measuring calories with a scale, it might be the workouts that are skewing the results.
When you said you do strength training, do you mean machines at the gym? Or are you doing free weights? Are you doing cardio on the same days?0 -
In your first post you said that you are not doing any one thing consistently. That made me wonder, are you taking days off between the different things you are trying? For example if you are trying to stay within 1400-1600 calories for a month, and it doesn't work, are you then going off the rails a bit before attempting the 1200-1400 calories?
I am a binge eater so I know I can easily eat 3000-4000 calories in one day. Just one weekend can basically negate an entire month of working out and limiting calories.0 -
If you want a good laugh and you want to learn about fasting look up the hodge twins also they post videos a all week on all they YouTube channels and will certainly motivate you and make you laugh at the same time good luck and keep us updated. I'm currently experimenting with IMF because I run the wellness and fitness program at the company I work for and I want to make sure it's worth advocating before I mention it to any employees. I'm a week and a half in and I just dropped from 18% bf to 17% at 210 without much effort only three or four days a week in the gym. So far it's seems like its working I wish you good luck if you jump in the rabbit hole.0
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Hi - I'm really sorry to hear you're having such trouble. It must be miserable. I think you've got a lot of good advice there, and I'd concur with most of it. I too have heard that diet drinks trick your body into an insulin response similar to that caused by sugar. I've found that the sweeteners in diet drinks play havoc with my bladder if I have too much, so I stick to fizzy water with lemon or lime, or I have a well-diluted cordial such as lime or elderflower with ice and lemon - it seems like a real treat yet it's relatively low in calories.
I do a lot of walking (hiking), often with an audiobook on my MP3 player. Our UK national treasure, Stephen Fry, did this and lost a lot of weight. Brisk walking is pretty good at fat burning.
Finally - I hesitate to suggest yet another fashionable diet (ultimately most of these don't work because they're not easy to maintain long-term), but a number of people I know are trying the 5:2 diet (or the Fast Diet) where you eat a quarter of your normal calories for two days a week. Lots of people are doing it because it apparently has really good health benefits (including reducing cancer risk), but lots have lost weight too. You'd need to make sure that this is medically feasible for you - but I have a friend with rheumatoid arthritis and her doctor encourage her to try it. The author, Michael Mosley, lost 19lbs on it, and he wasn't particularly overweight. Anyway, more info here: http://thefastdiet.co.uk/0 -
You're not alone!!!!
I haven't lost weight in OVER A YEAR!!!! :sad: I'm 32, 5'10" and stuck at 220. I count my calories, moderate my carb intake and in addition to running 3-4 times per week I weight train 2-3 times per week. I've taken a metabolic assessment and learned how to do heart rate training, but the scale is soooo stubborn. :grumble:
Here's the good news. You're doing the right things (apart from the diet drinks). I drink ONE cup of coffee at breakfast (light cream, no sugar or sweetener) and stick to water only until dinner - when I have 1.5 cups of skim milk. I don't do sodas or smoothies or even fruit juice except on very rare occasion. Weight loss isn't always about the scale. Luckily the scale at my gym has a body fat analyzer as well and while my weight has been stuck, my body fat has been decreasing. I'm essentially trading fat for muscle. It's frustrating not to lose pounds, but at least I know I'm making myself healthier despite the number on the scale...
What my trainer thinks about the scales not moving.....stress and lack of sleep. :yawn: Both are major causes for weight gain and make it very hard to lose weight. I run a household with two pre-teen kids, I work a stressful 45+ hour/week job, I'm the director of a charity race, and I start school full time online in June while working full time. I've got stress up to my eyeballs!!! :noway: and that stress is making that scale stick.
Just don't give up! Keep doing the right things and forget about the number on the scale. The weight will come in time if you're doing the right thing. :drinker:0 -
You said it yourself the thing you haven't tried is being consistent. Try one thing for a few months without changing. why not go back to basics and start over. Plug your numbers and goals into MFP eat the baseline calories it suggests then when you log your exercise it will increase your calories, you are to eat those back also. Give it a few months at least.0
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I hear your frustration - I've been 'stuck' for 2.5mths at 176lbs.
I log EVERYthing, I use digital scales/measuring tools etc - it is NOT due to 'lying' in my diary and my intake hasn't changed from what I was eating when I lost the first 56lbs, so none of those 'reasons' are feasible.
I fully admit I do not drink enough water, but then I never have so it's not like its something that started only when weight-loss stalled.
I spoke to a dr on Friday - he said my biggest aim now is to maintain until my body accepts that this is its 'new normal'. He said that can take about 6mths and during this time my body will do its damndest to creep back up towards where it used to be, so maintaining (for now) is actually quite an achievement. He said that after a time, once the body accepts that this is where it's meant to be now, I should be able to start losing again.......you have no idea how much I'm hoping that's true, lol.
I'm not unhappy where I am but I definitely aren't finished. I've only just managed to get to creep down to 'overweight' on the BMI for petesake! My body fat is 25.6%. I have HEAPS to lose. Beats me why my body has decided that this is where it's comfortable - it needs a bloody good smack
Coincidentally 5yrs ago, after doing Weight Watchers for several months, I also got down to where I am now and did exactly the same thing - stalled. NOTHING I did made those damn pounds come off so, of course, in the end I got tired of paying for something that wasn't working so I gave up............the difference is that THIS time I'm not going to quit and I'm not going to put ANY of the weight back on. If 176 is where I have to stay for the rest of my life then that's a bit *kitten* but it's sure as hell a lot better than the 230 I started at.
Good luck (to ALL of us) :flowerforyou:0 -
Yes, my first thought is that if you are accurately measuring calories with a scale, it might be the workouts that are skewing the results.
When you said you do strength training, do you mean machines at the gym? Or are you doing free weights? Are you doing cardio on the same days?
Yes! Now that I know what a huge difference it can make I think investing in a HRM would be worth it.
For strength training I'm either lifting 15-20 lb each dumbells at home (mostly combination lifts using upper & lower body simultaneously) or also doing body weight training exercises. Right now the 2 20 lb ones are a lot for me, and that's all I've got atm. I used to have a lot of success with jogging and interval running, but I haven't done it in a while due to problems with my feet & ankles, but I think I need to stop being a wimp, buy better shoes, and get back to it when I can.
Personally I can't seem to lose ANY weight without exercise no matter what I eat. I can get the eating right down and even the calorie counting part, but sometimes I slack off and get wimpy with the workouts.
And I'm not really consistent in a set workout plan right now. Sometimes I only do cardio. Sometimes I only do strength. Sometimes I do both on the same day... usually cardio first, though I've heard that's not the best way.
Recently I've been just trying to be consistent by working out more often but for shorter periods of time. Before I might do an hour 3 times a week, 4 at the most. Now I do 30 min 6 times a week, and if I'm feeling up to it, more than 30 minutes...0 -
Have you had a good physical lately?
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Ok. That would suck. My guess is you've messed up your metabolism or something. Definitely get a full blood screening done. Go see a GYN as well. I would eat at maintenance for 2 weeks to start off, then go back to eating whatever MFP tells you to and eating your calories back (personally I think it's more accurate than the TDEE -20% thing... but just because I laugh when it says that 30 minutes of exercise every day is considered active). I'm guessing it will tell you 1500-1600 a day, plus exercise calories. And yeah, get rid of the diet soda. I hope you figure it out!0
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I would definitely book an appointment with an OB/GYN asap to see if you have PCOS. You've described a lot of the symptoms and problems arising from it. PCOS causes too much insulin in your bloodstream and insulin resistance, which is why women with PCOS gain weight and have trouble losing weight.
Maybe until you can get an appointment, try following a diet tailored for PCOS. It certainly can't hurt at this point. Maybe start here.
http://www.pcosdietsupport.com/diet-tips/pcos-diet-vs-normal-diet/0 -
It definitely sounds like you may be dealing with PCOS and possible insulin resistance. Have you had your triglycerides checked? Even if your blood sugar is in range now, if your triglycerides are high, then diabetes is right around the corner.
Many women with PCOS have had good results on a low carb/higher healthy fat diet. Myself included. We also generally have to eat a bit lower than the BMR calculators tell us, to lose weight. And consistency is the key. Some people can have cheat days or meals and be fine, and some of us have to stay consistent every day.
There is a PCOS group on here that might be able to give you some ideas.
I understand the frustration, but hang in there and you will figure it out.0 -
Your BMR is over 1600 calories in a day. You need to eat more. Try eating 1600 calories every day plus your exercise calories as in the MFP log. If you were using a HRM, I'd suggest BMR+100+exercise calories.
Aim for 120-140g protein daily.
That's my opinion fwiw...0 -
Intermittent fasting is just extreme calorie cycling. The 5:2 protocol involves eating very little (500 cals for women) two days a week and at TDEE the other days. I know a couple of people who broke plateaus with this protocol. I was losing better on this eating plan myself, but I found it quite tough.
Just borrowing a HRM to calibrate what your typical workout is in relation to a machine reading or MFP number would probably do. I couldn't find anyone to lend me a HRM, so I ended up buying one.0 -
^^^^ this^^^^Do you have any symptoms of anything like PCOS or other similar hormonal issues? Do you take any medications?
I don't really know much about PCOS. Even when reading about it online right now I don't really get what the symptoms are. My understanding is that it means there are many tiny cysts on your ovaries. I have had problems with ovarian cysts before, but I mean big ones, not little ones. On two occasions in the past year I have been in the hospital because a rather large one ruptured and caused infection. The reason I mention this is that perhaps there's some kind of hormonal imbalance if that's pertinent, and it also means I've had a few vaginal ultrasounds of my ovaries so wouldn't they have been able to see right away if I had PCOS?
I was taking birth control, but I can't seem to take any of it without awful side effects. Each kind of birth control I have tried has its own lovely set of miserable side effects. I've tried every pill and I don't want to try the shot or ring.
I also recently found out that sometimes my blood sugar levels fluxuate more than they should... but not enough to be considered diabetic. So I don't know if maybe there's some kind of insulin resistance going on? Or am I just hoping for an answer?
Even if I go back to the doctor I know I've got to find a new one. The one I had been going to is a... well, I don't like him and he doesn't help me.
Not every woman with PCOS will have the little cysts. I would really suggest talking to your gyno or an endocrinologist at this point rather than your PCP about treatment. If birth control won't work for you, there are a few other options that a gyno or endocrinologist can recommend. Based on the information you reported in your response to my post, that's the first place I would start for help on your questions about weight loss and why it won't work for you.
Thanks. I feel as if something isn't right with me. Perhaps a specialist is the way to go. My GP is no help at all. I didn't know hormonal imbalance could cause such an inability to lose weight. It seems the only logical thing I haven't already thought of and pursued.
Other symptoms are facial hair, acne, insulin tolerance and tiredness. My daughter was just diagnosed with PCOS.
She just started on Metformin. She is an "apple" at 5'6" and over 200 pounds. If not treated, PCOS can cause problems with infertility and cause miscarriages.
There have been recent topics on PCOS and Metformin in the past week.
I would definitely find another doctor and pursue the PCOS route.
good luck!0 -
This may be something you already know but I'll give it a shot. You say you're using a digital scale AND measuring cups/spoons.
Well, measuring cups and spoons can be very inaccurate. I find depending on what you are measuring you can easily add 10-15% to a serving if you're using measuring cups, and that's even if you level it off. Measuring spoons can be similar. I know if I try to measure peanut butter or something in a tablespoon I could probably get nearly 1.5 servings and have it look reasonable. A "full" measuring cup or spoon does not look full, it looks skimpy. A 10-20% error could be enough to negate your calorie cutting, depending on what you're measuring.
On the same note, exercise calorie counts can also be quite off. My sister recently broke through a plateau by starting to wear a heart rate monitor to get more accurate calorie counts. She had been getting readings from the arc trainer that were nearly DOUBLE the actual calories she was burning, and it was enough to get rid of her deficit entirely. Sometimes it is that simple.0 -
Find out what your BMR is...
Then use this site to determine your goals.
http://www.freedieting.com/tools/nutrient_calculator.htm
I have used this tool many times to help people. It works if you eat within your grams/macros0 -
IF - 16/8 + up your cals progressively to 2000 for a month at least... then create a low deficit. Do strenght training; don't kill yourself doing cardio.0
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First let me say that I admire you for "sticking with it" that is very difficult to do. Aside from any medical conditions that you may have it is really important that you focus on being healthy, not just on losing weight.
Make sure that you are eating frequently enough, every 1 to 2 hours, and stat by eating back only 40% of what you exercise off. Also make sure that you are varying your workouts. Just cardio will leave burning calories , but not over a long period of time. In order to accomplish that you must build muscle. Instead of doing cardio , and strength training separately try doing cardio twice a week, and circuit training twice a week, so that every time you work out you are raising your heart rate.
Also, be sure to stay away from hidden sugar in foods like vinaigrette dressing, fruit juices, milk, and sweetened drinks (including creamers). My saving grace is unsweetened almond milk, but when i'm craving something sweet vanilla almond milk is awesome!
Good luck!0 -
Hang in there! I have tried several approaches over the years after having kids and several responses on this list hit home:
My mother lost 60 pounds on NutriSystem because she didn't have to count calories or worry about meal prep (took her about six months), but I know that can be pricey. Jenny Craig did not work for me because the pre-packaged foods contain more sodium than I can handle. I lost 18 pounds in six weeks on Medical Weight Loss, which doesn't count calories but gives you the number of portions you can have daily (such as three proteins, four fruits, etc.) But I think the main reason it worked was because I had to limit my sodium intake o 1500 mg per day, you buy "nutrients" which are basically high protein high fiber foods, I cut back drastically on my sugar intake, and I eliminated artificially sweetened drinks altogether. Turns out diet drinks make me crave more sugar. MWLC was expensive too but I kept the weight off for three years by having a protein shakes every day and a fiber drink. And exercise 5 times per week.
I like this site because it's been a reality check for how much I've actually been eating. And I've returned to the aspects of Medical Weight Loss Center that worked for me: 1-2 protein shakes per day, 1 glass of fibersure after meals, and an eye on sodium and sugar (which includes not overdoing it on fruits). I also have to admit that I have to exercise -- hard (45 minutes to an hour of cardio) -- at least 4-5 times per week to shake weight. I guess that's how I'm made....
From a medical standpoint, I would suggest an A1C test for you, too. it can't hurt. Most of all, don't quit trying. In my plateau phases I tell myself "at least I'm not gaining!" and I look for ways to spice up my routine. Good luck to you!0 -
Stats: I am 5'5" and 200 lbs. I fluctuate between 198 to 202. I am 25 years old. My high weight was 240, but that was several years ago. I haven't lost anything in at least 6 months.
^^^ Your stats are almost exactly like mine.
I'm also "STUCK" between 198-203, going on 4 months now. I've also tried a variety of ways to get through. But one thing I've just noticed is I'm not sticking to any one plan for more than a month. I get so frustrated and change everything all over again.
So this time I made a plan to eat my minimum BMR+100 (1760 calories) and on workout days eat 50-75% of those calories back. I will stick to this 6-8 weeks before giving up on it. I'm a pretty healthy and a well rounded eater, my marcos are now set at 40/40/20.
I hope you find your nitch, it's tough sometimes.
Just don't give up, you're worth the fight!
Good luck!
Created by MyFitnessPal.com - Nutrition Facts For Foods0 -
Do you measure your food with a scale? And do you track your calories burn with a reliable HRM (Heart rate monitor)? Myfitnesspal overestimates calories burns by A LOT, by sometimes over 50%. if not more Also measuring food using cups or your eye is never accurate, you could be over cals and not even know it, I have a friend who didn't have either and once she got both she realized she was overeating and the calories burnt was nowhere near to what she actually burnt, she burnt half of what MFP was saying.
Also what is eating clean for you? I have friend who think they eat clean but it's far from it, you need to make sure your body is getting proper nutrition. I eat two giant container worth of veggies, and eat GIANT bowl of good green salad (not lettuce) and I eat a plate of fruit and 1 1/2 serving of meat, I don't touch bread, eggs, red meat or preservatives, and try to eat as organic as possible, I am at similar weight and lose 3-4lbs a week without exercise (I now just started exercising again). It seems you are doing things right but get a scale and HRM and continue to kick *kitten* and eat clean, and if there is still no change in your weight or inches than it's probably a body problem and you would need to see a doctor to figure out what it is.
Also look up diet for your blood type, certain foods are bad because of your blood type and can affect your metabolism, I used to get rash/pimples all over my butt and arms, and ever since I took chicken out (I used to eat it every day) and limited my tomatoes intake, all those rashes and bumps went away, I had them for years, chicken and tomatoes are some of the worst foods for my blood type. Just google "Blood Type A Diet", click on first page and scroll down to lil image, it will take you to a page with all the foods that are good and bad for you. I am definitely losing weight faster this time around (I lose 65lbs before in 5 months) by eating by my blood type and I feel so much better 0 -
I had another account a while back and I was very strict, logged for a bout 200 days straight and lost maybe 3 pounds in that whole time. There's many factors that could go into it but seeing a doctor could be your best bet. Don't get too hasty and try diet pills or fasts.0
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Sorry but eating for your blood type is absolute rubbish there is no science behind it at all. You may as well eat for your star sign.
Also look up diet for your blood type, certain foods are bad because of your blood type and can affect your metabolism, I used to get rash/pimples all over my butt and arms, and ever since I took chicken out (I used to eat it every day) and limited my tomatoes intake, all those rashes and bumps went away, I had them for years, chicken and tomatoes are some of the worst foods for my blood type. Just google "Blood Type A Diet", click on first page and scroll down to lil image, it will take you to a page with all the foods that are good and bad for you. I am definitely losing weight faster this time around (I lose 65lbs before in 5 months) by eating by my blood type and I feel so much better0 -
I TOO WAS CONCERNED ABOUT YOU STATING THAT YOU WERE CONSTANTLY THIRSTY.
I drink more water than anyone I know. I'm constantly thirsty. and constantly drinking.
Being constantly thirsty is a big sign of diabetes, you might want to get your glucose and A1C tested (I'm in the medical field, FYI).
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AMEN! (I was 219 and now 196)If 176 is where I have to stay for the rest of my life then that's a bit *kitten* but it's sure as hell a lot better than the 230 I started at.0
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I can understand your frustration & appreciate your honesty. A few tips... first of all DO NOT eat only 800-1200 cals. Your body will actually go into starvation mode, hold onto the fat as defense & u'll start burning muscle. I'm 5'4 150lbs & have to eat at least 1800 daily. The important thing is to find a workout you enjoy, so u'll stick w/ it. I lost 23.5 inches in 2 months w/ Insanity, but it's not for everyone. Also, Shakeology has truly helped me to fuel my body. I have a ton of energy & my cravings for junk food disappeared. Good luck w/ your fitness journey!!!0
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I plan to net between 800 and 1200 calories in the mean time and get in to see a doctor ASAP and perhaps a specialist or two.
Please don't net below 1200 calories. 800 net calories is far too low. But seeing a doctor or specialist soon is a great idea! Also, I think you should have your Vitamin D levels checked. Adequate Vitamin D is essential for weight loss and many people are Vit D deficient. A short dose of sunshine daily is very important for adequate Vitamin D.
I never understood the Vitamin D-weight loss connection before MFP. A friend of mine was eating correctly (not to much, not too little) and exercising moderately but not losing any weight. Her doctor tested her Vit D levels and it was off the charts low. A supplement was all that she needed. It was like turning on a faucet! She lost all the weight that would have been expected given her food and exercise levels.
I'm just adding it to the list of other possibilities people have suggested.
Best Wishes! I admire your determination and perseverance!
Yep, I had my vitamin D levels checked and they were also off the charts low. I started taking vitamin D supplements around the same time I started dieting and the weight flew off, whereas I could never lose weight in the past. I think there might be something to that. It was a complete coincidence that my doctor found this issue right when I started to try and lose weight, but I think it really worked. The vitamin D also seemed to help my mood.0 -
Chiming in again here, but I did see that someone mentioned sleep. Are you getting enough? I have kids and their activities and a very crazy job, so I work a lot from home. As a result, I tend to burn my candle at both ends -- and it ALWAYS shows up in my weight. If I get less than six hours of sleep in a night, my weight creeps up about half a pound the next day. Several days of that and I'll be five pounds heavier in 10 days. But, on the weekends my kids are with their dad, the first night they're gone and I can sleep in more than 8 hours, I'll be at least 1-2 pounds less that next morning. Everybody's different, but that's how my metabolism works. I've finally stopped fighting it. My user name is Wonder Woman to remind me that I'm not. Hope you find what works for you soon.0
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