I'm stuck - please help!

EmmaM2211
EmmaM2211 Posts: 536 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I never thought I'd post one of these threads but here we are...

I'm stuck! My weight tracking app officially switched from losing to gaining this morning :( I'm back to where I was over a month ago! I don't know what I'm doing wrong! I try to hit my goal every day and when I go over I don't go that far over, usually within 100cals which shouldnt make a big difference....maybe my attitude of "if its close I'm not worrying" is wrong....maybe I need to be more strict with myself? I'm pretty good with my fruit and veg *most* of the time and I always drink LOADS of water! (usually between 2 and 4 litres but I dont track it on here)

I've checked back over my tracking data and I've been hovering between 151 and 153 for 5 weeks now :-( was 152.8 this morning. I'm very careful with my sodium most of the time. Its been since I upped my cals from 1200 I think...I went up to 1400 for 2 weeks before I dropped it back to 1300... my BMR is 1440 so almost always eat above that because I eat my exercise cals. It's definitely not because I'm close to goal - I've still got another 20-30lbs to go and could lose 40lbs and still be in the healthy range for my height!!

I dont think it's muscle - I've been tracking inches too and I've gained half an inch from my lowest also :-(

I havent been drinking alcohol for 2 months now.... ok I admit I think I've had maybe 3 nights out but not a drop inbetween...

I'm only 5'2" and I have a desk job so spend 9hours a day sitting on my backside! I dont know if I'm eating too much or too little! I've opened my diary and I'm ready for some tough love!!

I do like to eat out with friends quite a lot - probably once a week, and although sometimes I offer to cook instead (which we never used to do at all) and when we do go out I always get the lighter option and fit it into my calories it could be a factor...? I really dont want to give that up though :-( (if you do look at my diary, Sunday I was out all day...I dont usually eat that badly!! Also I know the sodium figures on Sunday are WAAAY out)

My stats are - I'm 23, 5'2", 29% body fat, 152lbs and sedentary all week (I'm pretty active on a weekend but usually log a bit of walking or something so I'm not netting too low)

Any suggestions?

Replies

  • EmmaM2211
    EmmaM2211 Posts: 536 Member
    bump?
  • EmmaM2211
    EmmaM2211 Posts: 536 Member
    :sad: no-one wants to help me :sad:
  • Toumani
    Toumani Posts: 78 Member
    Hi Emma, boy I hear your pain. I'm also a long-lurker who reads a lot but posts nothing, so here goes! ... First off, I nothiced there's tons of broscience on this site, i.e. people who "swear" this works because it worked for them and their cousin Tony at the gym, so it's GOT TO work for you. There's also a lot of inane bunk that floats around here, like your body going into "starvation mode" after on day, ridiculous theories about spot reduction and so on. You know what I'm saying. People mean well, but you've got to do what works for you.

    I looked at your diary (I'm 157cm, so near your height) and I think it basically boils down to: eat less, move more. I know it's ****e to hear, but you got to do something to change your routine. If it's not helping, change it, right? I see you said that one culprit to your weight was snacking - I had this issue as well. So now I've been taking a a more drastic approach to get myself back in discipline. When I was your age, I was working my *kitten* off and thin (about 57kg) - how did I do it? I didn't snack. What worked for me was 2 or 3 proper meals and in the evenings a cider or two at the pub, crisps - this was all ok. I also never ate breakfast - starvation mode? What bollocks...

    On the weekends and occasionally in the evenings I swam for an hour. Find something more aerobically challenging and do it for about an hour. Some people like jogging, some swimming, some tennis. Whatever works.

    Have a look at this site: Leangains: http://www.leangains.com/2010/04/leangains-guide.html. It's written by a Swedish bloke who's got body fat reduction down to a science (no assumed crap - he actually *reads* the articles critically). He of course, like many with low body fat %, urge heavy weight liftingas part of the programme. He's also for intermittent fasting. You want to see lean bodies? Check out http://www.bodyrock.tv/ - they also have shorter more intense routines you can do at home.

    Have a read - and remember what it boils down to as annoying as it is: eat less, move more. Find a form of exercise that you enjoy.

    EDIT: spelling
  • vegancakelady
    vegancakelady Posts: 24 Member
    sorry - no wise words. I know how you feel though, if that's any consolation :drinker: :yawn:
  • Orient_Charm
    Orient_Charm Posts: 385 Member
    Did you weight in yesterday ?

    I mean may be for some reason you had this wrong read, may be tomorrow you can read another value.....

    For me you are doing perfect work, the only small issue that I find your calorie goal is very close to BMR, If 1200 calories suggested to you by system so it's better to follow it.
  • EmmaM2211
    EmmaM2211 Posts: 536 Member
    Did you weight in yesterday ?

    I mean may be for some reason you had this wrong read, may be tomorrow you can read another value.....

    For me you are doing perfect work, the only small issue that I find your calorie goal is very close to BMR, If 1200 calories suggested to you by system so it's better to follow it.

    I wish that were the problem but I weigh every day and track it on another app (libra) so small fluctuations dont bother me. Just the general trend is no longer downwards!

    I think you're confusing BMR with TDEE - you should eat between BMR and TDEE to lose weight so I eat between my BMR of 1440 and my TDEE which is usually around 2000.

    The system suggested 1270 for me to lose 1lb a week which is too far below my BMR for my liking. xx
  • EmmaM2211
    EmmaM2211 Posts: 536 Member
    Hi Emma, boy I hear your pain. I'm also a long-lurker who reads a lot but posts nothing, so here goes! ... First off, I nothiced there's tons of broscience on this site, i.e. people who "swear" this works because it worked for them and their cousin Tony at the gym, so it's GOT TO work for you. There's also a lot of inane bunk that floats around here, like your body going into "starvation mode" after on day, ridiculous theories about spot reduction and so on. You know what I'm saying. People mean well, but you've got to do what works for you.

    I looked at your diary (I'm 157cm, so near your height) and I think it basically boils down to: eat less, move more. I know it's ****e to hear, but you got to do something to change your routine. If it's not helping, change it, right? I see you said that one culprit to your weight was snacking - I had this issue as well. So now I've been taking a a more drastic approach to get myself back in discipline. When I was your age, I was working my *kitten* off and thin (about 57kg) - how did I do it? I didn't snack. What worked for me was 2 or 3 proper meals and in the evenings a cider or two at the pub, crisps - this was all ok. I also never ate breakfast - starvation mode? What bollocks...

    On the weekends and occasionally in the evenings I swam for an hour. Find something more aerobically challenging and do it for about an hour. Some people like jogging, some swimming, some tennis. Whatever works.

    Have a look at this site: Leangains: http://www.leangains.com/2010/04/leangains-guide.html. It's written by a Swedish bloke who's got body fat reduction down to a science (no assumed crap - he actually *reads* the articles critically). He of course, like many with low body fat %, urge heavy weight liftingas part of the programme. He's also for intermittent fasting. You want to see lean bodies? Check out http://www.bodyrock.tv/ - they also have shorter more intense routines you can do at home.

    Have a read - and remember what it boils down to as annoying as it is: eat less, move more. Find a form of exercise that you enjoy.

    EDIT: spelling

    Thank you - I will have a look at that site tonight! xx
  • DeTaart
    DeTaart Posts: 93 Member
    Your calories are great and you stick to them really well.

    But I'd say where they're coming from needs work - try for less simple sugary carb and go for more vegetable. If you cut out the bread, doughnuts, icecream your carb count should drop below 100 and you're more likely to shift those last stubborn pounds.

    I was eating 1200 for a while and nothing was happening but my 1200 came from cereal, sandwiches, cakes and sugar heavy fruit. Eating 1500 from eggs, meat, cheese and veg is more effective and I feel better.

    For example, watch out for the tesco low fat yoghurt - full of sugar. Go for total 0% instead.
  • suej20
    suej20 Posts: 21 Member
    I agree with Bexilon, watch the sugar e.g. muffins, granola etc., go for fruit and veg which give you enough sugars. Hope it helps.
  • EmmaM2211
    EmmaM2211 Posts: 536 Member
    hmmmm you're probably right...maybe I need to start tracking sugar again.

    Thanks!! xx
  • agent99oz
    agent99oz Posts: 185 Member
    Ok had a quick look at your food diary - I think you need to mix it up a bit - I am guilty of this too!

    Breakfast - choose a better starter - Maybe a porridge, quick oats made with water and have the Greek Yogurt with that - the granola is high in sugar.
    The soups at lunch - ok but maybe grab something with a little more protein
    Also those sticks you are having as a snack I would cut out all together - choose a better protein snack - yoghurt with CC mixed in and an apple is a better option

    Also try eating a lot over your cal's one day (with good food not a binge) then cut it back to your normal range

    Also add in some HIIT training - so 20 mins really hard on the treadmill

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High-intensity_interval_training

    I am also stuck on a plateau - have been here since Feb this year! I am currently eating more cals and cutting back!

    Anyway hope this helps

    D
  • Christi6604
    Christi6604 Posts: 247 Member
    I found this article helpful too: http://fitnesswithnatalie.blogspot.com/2011/05/most-dreaded-word-in-weight-loss.html

    Good luck! :smile:
  • zerbe6982
    zerbe6982 Posts: 68
    For those that mentioned high sugar, do you know what amount of sugar is acceptable?
  • smilesalot1969
    smilesalot1969 Posts: 392

    Have a look at this site: Leangains: http://www.leangains.com/2010/04/leangains-guide.html. It's written by a Swedish bloke who's got body fat reduction down to a science (no assumed crap - he actually *reads* the articles critically). He of course, like many with low body fat %, urge heavy weight lifting as part of the programme. He's also for intermittent fasting. You want to see lean bodies? Check out http://www.bodyrock.tv/ - they also have shorter more intense routines you can do at home.

    Have a read - and remember what it boils down to as annoying as it is: eat less, move more. Find a form of exercise that you enjoy.

    EDIT: spelling

    I'm the same i've been cutting calories for 6 weeks now and lost a pound then gained 5 despite weight training and cardio 6 days a week and was getting frustrated. I started Intermittent Fasting 3 days ago ( on16/8) and am upping my already heavy weight training and have already lost a pound and my bloated tummy has deflated. Try it, its really easy to get into and i already love it!!
  • SparkleHorse224
    SparkleHorse224 Posts: 98 Member
    Hi Emma - I took a look at your diary and here are my observations.

    A LOT of carbs from bread - rolls, buns, muffins.

    A bit more candy and sweets than maybe is very good for someone cutting calories.

    A lot of processed meats and cheeses - ham, pepperoni sticks, etc.

    A lot of processed foods in general which means a lot of salt.

    If this was me, I'd cut out the breads almost entirely. I let myself have one "bread" a day. No candy. NO CANDY. : ) Cut way back on the processed foods.

    I work a desk job, too, and the best thing I've found is just to drink a ton of water because then I have to at least get up and go to the loo.

    Takes courage to open your diary to strangers. Keep working at it. We are all in this together. :flowerforyou:
  • anacapenados
    anacapenados Posts: 13 Member
    this is my actual case... I've been going from 151 to 153 for 2 months now... but untill las week I added some minutes to my routine, I'll see how that goes, at least my bmi did change 1% :)

    good luck

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