I give up!!

Just started this 2 weeks ago and thought it would be good as I have heard so many great things about it...Years of neglecting my diet has totally buggered up my metabolism I am sure this is where the problems lie...I can eat nothing and lose maybe 2 pounds at the most ..as soon as I eat normally the very next day a pound is straight back on...after years of this misery I decided to do it properly and healthy...I am on 1200 calories a day and have been logging my food in every day for the last 2 weeks the first week I went on holiday and was very careful but still weighed the same when I came back so I wasnt too dissapointed however the last few days I have started to put on weight I feel like giving up nothing seems to work no matter what I do..Has this happened to anyone else should I stick with it or could it be I am having to many calories in a day should I cut back I only want to lose 7 pounds...but it seems no matter what I do they wont budge..Also would like to say I am always slightly under and when I had ate nearly 1200 I wake up and find I have put on a pound????????? I have been so strict and havent cheated totally confused anyone out there with any answers?
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Replies

  • hormones?
    I know mine make me put on like 5 pounds for no reason.
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    you need to keep going for waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay longer than 2 weeks...
  • RockaholicMama
    RockaholicMama Posts: 786 Member
    you need to keep going for waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay longer than 2 weeks...

    This.
  • scorpiotwinkles
    scorpiotwinkles Posts: 215 Member
    Don't weigh yourself every day. Give your body a chance. If you give up now you will have to start again and again, keep at it and you will make your goal sooner. Don't weigh yourself every day (!) Good luck.
  • You will get lots of advice here. I'm not going to offer any because I feel I'm still learning. But don't despair! xxx
  • girl_afraid82
    girl_afraid82 Posts: 178 Member
    If you're only on 1200, that is definitely NOT too many. I'd advise finding a BMR calculator online, working out what your BMR is (which is the number of calories your body needs to survive in a coma) and never eat below that amount. You need to give your body enough fuel to run... stoke the furnace and it'll burn more!

    And give it a lot longer than 2 weeks! Your weight can fluctuate throughout the month for loads of different reasons. You need to give your body time to get used to your new regime. My weight has always fluctuated about, but I've been doing this for nine months now and it's been a downward trend all the way, despite the blips. It may not come off as fast as you'd like (I'd hoped to be at my goal by now!) but it will come off, and stay off if you have patience and don't give up at the first hurdle.
  • fannytoot
    fannytoot Posts: 87 Member
    But if I am starting to put on weight does this mean its not going to work?
  • NeverGivesUp
    NeverGivesUp Posts: 960 Member
    Stop weighing every day. That number doesn't define who you are and do it the right way. When you are down to your last 7lbs that is the hardest to lose. You will keep gaining if you give up. Diet and exercise is the only way. 2 weeks is not nearly enough time to see any results anyway. Slow and steady persistence is the name of the game.
  • Fozzi43
    Fozzi43 Posts: 2,984 Member
    I only have 4 pounds to lose and am finding the same thing is happening to me. The last bit of weight is always the hardest to one off.

    Last year I went through a bad time and lost loads of weight by eating VERY little with NO exercise....try to do it properly and it just doesn't shift??

    I know how you feel :flowerforyou:
  • charl2712
    charl2712 Posts: 38 Member
    Same thing happened to me! First 2 weeks on here I was on 1200cals and was working out 3-4 times a week for like 90 minutes each session. I lost like 10lbs in the first 2 weeks and then all of a sudden the weightloss just stopped, but I actually then put 3 lbs, even though I was still eating 1200cals. I felt like iving up. Actually I did kind of give me, didn't go to the gym for a week, but realised from other peoples' comments on here for similar things, it seems my body might have gone into starvation mode. So I upped my calories to my BMR which is around 1400 cals and realised that weightloss is a slow process, I can't rush it. So now I've changed my plan to eating 1400 cals and working out for an hour 3-4 times a week instead. Without exercising and just upping my calories, my weight has gone back down and I feel loads better, have more energy and don't feel head achey like I did on 1200 cals. So hope this helps.
  • ChristineDiet
    ChristineDiet Posts: 719 Member
    Your probably not eating enough - when people go on a 1200 diet, they end up eating under to be 'under their daily calorie goal' but then you are eating way too less. Even trying to up it to1300 so you 'are' eating a 'minimum' of 1200. I found that helped me. drink tons of water too. Also the reason why you might be heavier is because you are building up some muscle or and probably most likely are retaining water, if you are exercising and not eating much your body will hold onto water to protect your muscles and also to rehydrate you etc - it's probably just water weight.

    My weight can go up and down 7lbs in a week, I weigh every ay I know I shouldn't but I'm hoping to see a pattern of some sorts (so far none) but I only log my weight once a week.

    You need to measure and also see how your clothes are fitting. If you only 7lbs left to lose you may not actually lose that weight but lose the weight in inches etc.

    good luck. x
  • girl_afraid82
    girl_afraid82 Posts: 178 Member
    But if I am starting to put on weight does this mean its not going to work?

    Not at all!
    Put it this way... I have put on 2lbs this month. Does this mean I should give up and quit the whole thing because it's not working? That would be a total waste.

    Keep going... if you're honest about your logging, stick to your goals and work out, it'll come off.
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    But if I am starting to put on weight does this mean its not going to work?

    you're not 'putting on weight' your weight is fluctuating.

    i would suggest you change your calorie goal to losing 1/2lb per week, as you only have 7 to lose, and then get yourself a decent strength training routine. and be patient! do this for at least 6 weeks to see if you get results!
  • NeverGivesUp
    NeverGivesUp Posts: 960 Member
    oh and you need to take care of your body for life, there is no quitting involved unless you want to keep putting on the 7lbs and eventually more. Nip it in the butt now, form good habits at this very moment when you only have 7lbs to lose, then you will never have a problem with your weight once you get older.
  • Frood42
    Frood42 Posts: 245 Member
    set to 0.5 lbs per week come back to the forums in 6 months to say not working you will get better responses mfp is long haul
  • fannytoot
    fannytoot Posts: 87 Member
    OK sorry to bug you people but I am so dissapointed because I thought with me just starting to use this I would lose weight straight away I am eating 1200 and its the most I have probably eaten in years reguarly so I am panicking that I am eating too much after years of an eating disorder behind me this is such a big thing...Can anyone tell me how to work out my BMR ?
  • Kalynx
    Kalynx Posts: 707 Member
    If you were on vacation, chances are you gained a lot from water retention, too. Its very hard to eat natural foods on vacation without tons of sodium unless you are aware of how it all works. I also agree with above posters re: not eating enough. You don't want to burn muscle and only burn fat! Natural fats are necessary to help nutrients reshape, mend, and create an even more awesome you!

    I just posted this to one of my MFP's tonight via blog, so your subject line caught my eye. Best of luck!! :flowerforyou:

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/Kalynx/view/top-ten-reasons-stillthesamegirl-should-keep-trying-411841

    TOP TEN REASONS STILLTHESAMEGIRL SHOULD KEEP TRYING (Edit post)
    Posted on 08/23/2012 by Kalynx
    10. You're so close to 200 lbs!!
    9. Hot Before and After shots (naked!!) LOL
    8. You're a pretty girl no matter what, but when you're healthy you're a rock star!!
    7. If it were easy EVERYONE would be as awesome as you are!
    6. What would Oprah do?
    5. Vacation is near, you want to show off to your family and take a break - work hard this week so you can do that!
    4. Chocolate, cheese and butter!! 'nuff said!
    3. Girl, you know better...JUST DO IT!!
    2. Lists are HOT!
    1. If I can do this so can you!! To steal from a new friend - Suck it up buttercup!! :)
  • HappyStack
    HappyStack Posts: 802 Member
    I always despair when folks talk about losing 1lb/2lb or gaining 1lb/2lb. Everyone's weight fluctuates about twice that much, give or take, every single day... the difference between thinking you've gained or lost a pound could be as simple as stepping on the scales an hour later than usual.

    I gain at least one kilo (2.2lbs) - usually two - every single day, but by the morning (when I usually weigh myself, before breakfast) I'm back to my usual weight. That kilo or two is the difference between my BMI reading 'normal weight' and 'obese,' yet my fitness has never been better and I actually look forward to cooking healthy meals.

    Even if you're not seeing a change on the scale, remember that you're starting to make positive changes in your life that will persist and eventually result in the losses & fitness goals you want and deserve.
  • set to 0.5 lbs per week come back to the forums in 6 months to say not working you will get better responses mfp is long haul

    This. I've messed up my body over the last 20 years, it's not going to come good overnight for me. I anticipate at least a year to get to my goal. IT might be longer. But in it's simplest form, if you eat fewer calories, you WILL lose weight, you cannot gain from eating too few calories. But fluid etc might cause fluctuations.
  • lisamerrison
    lisamerrison Posts: 90 Member
    Your probably not eating enough - when people go on a 1200 diet, they end up eating under to be 'under their daily calorie goal' but then you are eating way too less. Even trying to up it to1300 so you 'are' eating a 'minimum' of 1200. I found that helped me. drink tons of water too. Also the reason why you might be heavier is because you are building up some muscle or and probably most likely are retaining water, if you are exercising and not eating much your body will hold onto water to protect your muscles and also to rehydrate you etc - it's probably just water weight.

    My weight can go up and down 7lbs in a week, I weigh every ay I know I shouldn't but I'm hoping to see a pattern of some sorts (so far none) but I only log my weight once a week.

    You need to measure and also see how your clothes are fitting. If you only 7lbs left to lose you may not actually lose that weight but lose the weight in inches etc.

    good luck. x

    I agree. I have been dieting all my life! I started this a few weeks ago. I was on 1200 calories per day. I lost 2lb in the first week and was disappointed because I normally lose a lot in the first week. I went on hols and put on 1lb - not to bad. This week I have increased my calories to 1640 per day and have cut my exercise back from twice a day to 3 times this week and I have still lost 2lb. So maybe you should try uping your calories as your body may have put you in starvation mode. I checked my BMR (basic metabolic rate, as someone said early the calories you need in rest/coma status) and TDEE (total daily energy expenditure, how many calories you need to do your normal daily routine) after advice from one of the members on this site.

    http://www.bmi-calculator.net/bmr-calculator/

    http://www.bmi-calculator.net/bmr-calculator/harris-benedict-equation/
  • midschool22
    midschool22 Posts: 1,267 Member
    You can't microwave it off. It's a crock-pot.

    Patience.
  • Kalynx
    Kalynx Posts: 707 Member
    OK sorry to bug you people but I am so dissapointed because I thought with me just starting to use this I would lose weight straight away I am eating 1200 and its the most I have probably eaten in years reguarly so I am panicking that I am eating too much after years of an eating disorder behind me this is such a big thing...Can anyone tell me how to work out my BMR ?

    I have struggled with weight my entire life (ok maybe after age 3!!). I have tried the fads, the crazies, been forced to do things I would never want to see my best friend do. I have been heckled, laughed at, lost my hair, cried tears and screamed in frustration.

    I understand what you are going through. Please do not give up. I have had many doctors recently tell me to my face "baby steps!" Do what you can today. Try for a better tomorrow. Love yourself. Be Happy. Love life, want to live!
  • javagsd
    javagsd Posts: 82
    Use a food scale. It's very easy to grossly underestimate the size of the portions we're eating when we start.
  • zen82
    zen82 Posts: 81 Member
    Eat more, move more. Look up a post called "In place of a roadmap" if you want to know more about how to work out your total daily expenditure and how to eat a bit more and lose weight. Your body will be struggling on 1200 especially if you're exercising -- this seems to happen to a lot of people. I eat between 1500-2000 depending what I am doing that day and I have lost 7lbs in about 3 months. At first it stayed the same for ages, went down a bit, went up, then slowly down. Water weight and all that does play a factor, especially when you're only trying to lose a little it becomes more noticeable. It seems like all kinds of changes to what you do with the body can cause it to do weird things with water!
  • tridiv
    tridiv Posts: 47 Member
    Its not as bad as you think is, this is what has been working for me, i have lost about 45 pounds as of now, have another 80 to go atleast

    1. Exercise everyday (about 45 min of strength training / 15 min of cardio to begin with). You may feel ravenous when you start doing this how eventually this will balance out and you will actually feel energetic despite eating lesser calories, I started with as much as 3000 to 4000 calories per day (wont recommend eating so much) and now I am at about 1900 calories per day and yet feel more energetic than before.
    2. Note down your calories everyday religiously, try not to miss this as much as possible (i don't recommend dieting, eat normal as per your hunger, just try to pick a fruit than any junk, a banana or an apple are much better than a bag a chips any day)
    3. Weigh yourself every 15 days only, choose a day and measure the same day
    4. Don't worry about weight as much as the inches, your weight weight may increase / reduce subject to too many things.
    5. Remember how you feel after working out or eating just right enough to feel full yet light on your stomach, use these feelings as an anchor every time you feel like letting go

    Please remember that working out and following a decent food pattern is way better than not doing anything at all
  • fannytoot
    fannytoot Posts: 87 Member
    Ok thanks for everyones replies I will try and be patient and give it time I dont excercise just running around after a crazy toddler so I dont think I should up my bcalorie intake..I think the main reason for panic is that after years of an eating disorder then not eating properly I panick..It usually goes that I decide to eat well weigh myself the next day see a gain starve myself then back to the begining its mad I know but I am hoping mfp is going to help me be healthy !
  • The key to lose weight is not on depriving yourself from food, that's the mistake that so many people make, in order to lose weight you need to boost your metabolism, and by only eating fewer and less meals a day you are slowing your metabolism, that is why you may feel that you are loosing weight but once you stop you gain it right back, don't think of it as a diet, but as an change in your style of life, instead of depriving yourself from food, replace them with foods that are going to help you speed up your metabolism, don't eat 3 heavy or even worse, low meals, try to eat 5 small meals trough out your day, and don't forget to excercise, because that is the key to success. Don't stop now, keep going, just remember you are stronger than what you think you are. "Don't let anyone tell you that you can't" SPECIALLY YOURSELF!!
  • you need to keep going for waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay longer than 2 weeks...

    This.



    ^^^^ This... and give it time... 7lbs isn't a lot to lose and its definitely harder shifting them.. Keep doing what youre doing and exercise for 30 mins min three times a week and you will get there xx
  • chantabelle
    chantabelle Posts: 31 Member
    Dont give up!! Its hard but its worth it, I started on 23rd April and was 238lbs im now 194lb so its working but honestly it started slow!!! Im also on 1200 calories and I eat as close to this as possible. I also find it doesnt hurt to go over by a few one night and make it up another night within the same 7 days. Try to get weighed every week on the same day and around the same time, mine is Sunday mid morning as its my only day off work and I use Boots scales. Also try to use the same scales. I also did Slimfast for breakfast and lunch for the first 4 weeks and lost just under 9lbs before continuing at 1200 cals but not on slimfast. I lost more off the slimfast but occasionally I still have one for lunch just to keep my metabolism on its toes. I also drink a minimum of 2litres of water a day. Please dont give up it is worth it, to see those scales going down is reward enough in itself!
  • Maurice1966
    Maurice1966 Posts: 419 Member
    Eat more, move more. Look up a post called "In place of a roadmap" if you want to know more about how to work out your total daily expenditure and how to eat a bit more and lose weight. Your body will be struggling on 1200 especially if you're exercising -- this seems to happen to a lot of people. I eat between 1500-2000 depending what I am doing that day and I have lost 7lbs in about 3 months. At first it stayed the same for ages, went down a bit, went up, then slowly down. Water weight and all that does play a factor, especially when you're only trying to lose a little it becomes more noticeable. It seems like all kinds of changes to what you do with the body can cause it to do weird things with water!

    Very much this^^^^

    Here is the link for road map. I've brought the water, it's up to you if you drink it or not. Hope you do cause it tastes wonderous