HELP- I'm not loosing this weight!!

I need help!! :)
I'm 41, about 150, and I usually run/walk, or I do stationary bike in high resistance, or alternate resistance toning and aerorbics for 30-40 minutes 6 days a week. ( My treadmill gives me a calorie burn of 340 usually any 30 min period but I'm not sure it's right)

My calories that I EAT range about 1100-1200. Ususally Fruit/yogurt in Am, Salad with hardboiled egg for lunch, and some sort of protein and veggies at night or all else fails a lean cuisine and then a Snack like 1/2 cup cottage cheese and a Special K Bar etc... And YES I track everything I eat and I'm Faithful at working out.

ANYWAY ON to my problem!! I started 8/1 and I my loss only fluctuates in the 5lb mark- some days only 2 lbs loss like I GAIN from day to day a pound or so....

WHAT am I doing wrong?? about 2 yrs ago I was even lower weight after loosing 40lbs doing the exact same thing.
Am I just not eating enough calories?? I can't work out any longer or more than I am....

HELP!!!
«1

Replies

  • Could be that you are not eating enough, especially if you are also working out. Your body needs fuel to burn!! Your food choices look good, though. Just more... And make sure you are drinking a lot of water &/or non-caffeinated beverages (like herbal tea). Good luck!!
  • MissTomGettingThin
    MissTomGettingThin Posts: 776 Member
    Eat more :O)
  • cheryllynneh
    cheryllynneh Posts: 7 Member
    Anybody have any ideas of how much I should be eating based on my workouts?? 1300 ?? 1400 ?? I have an office job so I sit most of the day doing nothing... my 30-35 at night 6/wk is all I get basically
  • rs32820
    rs32820 Posts: 10 Member
    How's your water intake? DRINK!!!!
  • cramernh
    cramernh Posts: 3,335 Member
    http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/
    Run your numbers here on what you should be targeting for a caloric goal

    But you are definitely not eating enough
  • arewethereyet
    arewethereyet Posts: 18,702 Member
    Anybody have any ideas of how much I should be eating based on my workouts?? 1300 ?? 1400 ?? I have an office job so I sit most of the day doing nothing... my 30-35 at night 6/wk is all I get basically

    Hi! If you log your food and exercise into MFP, it will give you the calories you should be eating. I know it feels wrong to eat more, but I lose much better eating most of my calories for the day.

    MFP sets you up with the minimum. If you are 150 and put in 2 pounds, look to see, but you probably are set at 1200 for 1 lb a week. Then when you exercise, it adds in those calories. So 1200 plus 350 or 1550 a day. Sounds counter productive, but here is how most other sites work:

    You tell it you will exercise 6 days a week for 1 hour at 350. It spits out a number of 1550 for you to eat each day. You don't question it, and stick to these calories. Then you have a week where you don't exercise. Poof there goes your deficit.

    I LOVE MFP because I can see exactly what I need to eat and workout. If I don't I get 1200.If I do I get 1500.

    I lost 36 pounds this way at age 48, and am now losing 1 lb a week again at age 51.

    Hope this helps. Any questions I am ready to answer!! (oh and I had 3 wks were I was so sick I could only eat 600-700 calories, and did not lose ONE pound! Only when I started eating again did I drop weight)

    Jeannine
  • beachlover317
    beachlover317 Posts: 2,848 Member
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/654536-in-place-of-a-road-map-2-0-revised-7-2-12

    Read this. You're not fueling your body. This will make you understand why working out all the time and only eating 1100 cals a day is a recipe for weight loss failure. Good luck!
  • StefPayne
    StefPayne Posts: 126 Member
    If you just started back Aug 1st you could be retaining water, until your body adjusts to its new changes. Make sure you are drinking plenty of water, for me it is normally 10 to 12 glasses a day especially if I work out outside. I have a desk job also, but I stay pretty busy after work and on the weekends, mostly outside. My advice is to adjust your calories at what you are comfortable with. I don't eat if I am not hungry, but I eat if I am hungry, so most of the time my calories fluctuate based on how hungry I am. Best of luck!!
  • dpure
    dpure Posts: 18
    really boils down to calories in/out. try dropping it another 100 cals and see if that makes a difference. realistically though you should be losing at the calories you are eating now. are you sure you are tracking everything down to a "T"?
  • 2hobbit1
    2hobbit1 Posts: 820 Member
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/654536-in-place-of-a-road-map-2-0-revised-7-2-12

    Read this. You're not fueling your body. This will make you understand why working out all the time and only eating 1100 cals a day is a recipe for weight loss failure. Good luck!

    ^^^^^^^ THIS!!!!! ^^^^^^^
    You need to work through the links and find out how much your body needs to fuel itself. If you follow the post and chose the activity level that reflects your current exercise program, your exercise and your deficit will be built in and you will have a daily calorie target. On the days you don't work out, you use the extra cals to rebuild, on exercise days you get your deficit for the week.
    Be sure that you are taking rest days - your body needs it to repair and reboot. If you over train and under eat you will not lose!
  • beachlover317
    beachlover317 Posts: 2,848 Member
    really boils down to calories in/out. try dropping it another 100 cals and see if that makes a difference. realistically though you should be losing at the calories you are eating now. are you sure you are tracking everything down to a "T"?

    NO! Not good advice for a 41 year old woman. Tracking? Yes. Cutting more cals? No.
  • tannyasawyer
    tannyasawyer Posts: 106 Member
    Also, are monitoring your sugar intake, etc?
  • k6670
    k6670 Posts: 1 Member
    Your calorie consumption is way to low! Your body is in starvation mode. The body fat that your body has left is holding on for dear life! Up your calorie consumption to around 1400...you'll give your body extra energy to work with.
  • golferd
    golferd Posts: 400 Member
    Here is my take. Many call for eat more others say eat less. Everyone is using their own success to base their opinion. Don't be afraid to modify and keep changing. I tried to go higher and had no luck. So, I have opted to go lower. Currently, it has helped, but I might have to change in the future.


    Even if the scale moves slow your benefiting on your overall health.
  • cheryllynneh
    cheryllynneh Posts: 7 Member
    yeah not drinking so much....
  • dpure
    dpure Posts: 18
    really boils down to calories in/out. try dropping it another 100 cals and see if that makes a difference. realistically though you should be losing at the calories you are eating now. are you sure you are tracking everything down to a "T"?

    NO! Not good advice for a 41 year old woman. Tracking? Yes. Cutting more cals? No.

    i've cut at 1200 cals and tossed in 300 additional cals burned via cardio. shed 3lbs a week consistently, then ate at maint. for a couple weeks, followed by ramping up for a clean bulk.

    sometimes that additional 100cals will make a difference. if you're already at 1200, 1100 isn't far off.

    OP what are your daily carbs at approx?
  • BluthLover
    BluthLover Posts: 301 Member
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/654536-in-place-of-a-road-map-2-0-revised-7-2-12

    Read this. You're not fueling your body. This will make you understand why working out all the time and only eating 1100 cals a day is a recipe for weight loss failure. Good luck!

    I agree.
  • AmyRhubarb
    AmyRhubarb Posts: 6,890 Member
    Anybody have any ideas of how much I should be eating based on my workouts?? 1300 ?? 1400 ?? I have an office job so I sit most of the day doing nothing... my 30-35 at night 6/wk is all I get basically

    Yes - to answer this, read the thread below - I was about to post the exact same thing! :bigsmile:
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/654536-in-place-of-a-road-map-2-0-revised-7-2-12

    Read this. You're not fueling your body. This will make you understand why working out all the time and only eating 1100 cals a day is a recipe for weight loss failure. Good luck!

    I have been there, done that - meaning working out hard, eating my 1200, and not losing the weight, but just gaining and losing the same few pounds over and over. Frustrating! Read that thread, get your numbers worked through it and find your BMR and your TDEE, then fuel your body accordingly! Don't give your body a reason to store fat - fuel it!

    Edited to add: I'm 44, 5' 8", and I eat around 1800 calories a day, and I'm losing the fat. :smile:
  • LoraF83
    LoraF83 Posts: 15,694 Member
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/654536-in-place-of-a-road-map-2-0-revised-7-2-12

    Read this. You're not fueling your body. This will make you understand why working out all the time and only eating 1100 cals a day is a recipe for weight loss failure. Good luck!

    Yes! This made all the difference in my life. Read it, use it, join the group Dan created.
  • 126siany
    126siany Posts: 1,386 Member
    I need help!! :)
    I'm 41, about 150, and I usually run/walk, or I do stationary bike in high resistance, or alternate resistance toning and aerorbics for 30-40 minutes 6 days a week. ( My treadmill gives me a calorie burn of 340 usually any 30 min period but I'm not sure it's right)

    My calories that I EAT range about 1100-1200. Ususally Fruit/yogurt in Am, Salad with hardboiled egg for lunch, and some sort of protein and veggies at night or all else fails a lean cuisine and then a Snack like 1/2 cup cottage cheese and a Special K Bar etc... And YES I track everything I eat and I'm Faithful at working out.

    ANYWAY ON to my problem!! I started 8/1 and I my loss only fluctuates in the 5lb mark- some days only 2 lbs loss like I GAIN from day to day a pound or so....

    WHAT am I doing wrong?? about 2 yrs ago I was even lower weight after loosing 40lbs doing the exact same thing.
    Am I just not eating enough calories?? I can't work out any longer or more than I am....

    HELP!!!

    Couple of things:

    -if you only have 15 pounds to lose (judging by your ticker) your goals should be set to lose .5 or 1lb per week. Hopefully that's how you set it.

    -if you've lost 5 pounds in 23 days, you are not "stalled". You've lost more than .5 to 1lb per week.

    -You are not eating enough, no. Your daily deficit was already calculated by MFP when it set your Daily Calorie Goal. Eating your exercise calories just maintains the deficit that was already set by MFP.

    -For the running and walking, estimate that you burn 100 calories per mile.

    -Everyone's weight fluctuates daily from many things--how hard you've been working out, hydration level, when you last had a bowel movement, hormonal changes, etc. It's fine to weigh every day IF it's not going to freak you out, but log your weight once a week.

    -If you keep undereating and exercising, your going to lose much more muscle than was necessary.
  • lizziebeth1028
    lizziebeth1028 Posts: 3,602 Member
    Too low of a calorie intake can cause plateaus. Eat more, it does work!!! Also make sure you're getting enough protein. I try to hit 100g a day. MFP has theirs set way too low, it's definitely OK to go over. Good Luck!
  • Dudagarcia
    Dudagarcia Posts: 849 Member
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/654536-in-place-of-a-road-map-2-0-revised-7-2-12

    Read this. You're not fueling your body. This will make you understand why working out all the time and only eating 1100 cals a day is a recipe for weight loss failure. Good luck!

    Yes! This made all the difference in my life. Read it, use it, join the group Dan created.


    I agree :)
  • indigochilds
    indigochilds Posts: 69 Member
    How tall are you?
  • jesz124
    jesz124 Posts: 1,004 Member
    Why don't you just chuck the scales out and measure yourself instead?
  • dpure
    dpure Posts: 18
    also OP stated she has been dieting since 8/1 so it has only been a tad over 3 weeks. she would have not have plateaued that quickly.

    weigh yourself at the same time, same conditions once a week to get a better idea of you weigh.

    if you are still not losing eat at maintenance for 1-2 weeks and taper down again from there until you start losing.
  • cheryllynneh
    cheryllynneh Posts: 7 Member
    I lost 4lbs the 1st week August 1 started and weighed august 7th. From there it went down 1lb but since then the past 2-3 weeks I've gained a pound and lost a pound but never more than 5 total at any given point.
    I made my food journal public now- I'm probably eating too many carbs and not enough protein and not drinking enough OR eating enough calories.
    I didn't work out yesterday or today to try to freak my body out... but I feel LAZY for not doing ANYTHING..
    I will have to use everyone's links and see how I"m set up on MFP.
    Somone asked my height- here's my stats again: 5'7" 41yrs old, female and 150 now.. i want to loose at LEAST 10 but I'd prefer 15lb loss.
    I SOOOO appreciate everyone's help!!! :)
  • cheryllynneh
    cheryllynneh Posts: 7 Member
    Ok just calculated my numbers:
    BMI 23.5
    BMR 1429.7
    TDEE 2206.

    So where should my calorie intake fall on any given day ??
    THen If say I burn 250 on the treadmill, I need to eat that in addition correct??
  • LoraF83
    LoraF83 Posts: 15,694 Member
    Ok just calculated my numbers:
    BMI 23.5
    BMR 1429.7
    TDEE 2206.

    So where should my calorie intake fall on any given day ??
    THen If say I burn 250 on the treadmill, I need to eat that in addition correct??

    TDEE-20% so, you should eat 1765 a day. That gives you a deficit of 3087 a week, so you will lose just under a pound a week (totally appropriate for how close you are to your goal). You DO NOT eat the exercise calories - those are calculated in your TDEE. Just eat the same amount every day, regardless of whether or not you are exercising or taking a rest day.

    Also, I'm guessing rather than the number on the scale, you're more worried with what your body look like right? You might be able to lose 10lbs and not even tell a difference in how you look/feel right now. But what if you stayed the same weight but lost fat and went down clothing sizes? The reason I'm saying this is that you should consider lifting heavy weights. That will give you the body composition you want - whether or not you lose the 10-15lbs to your goal. Just a thought!
  • cheryllynneh
    cheryllynneh Posts: 7 Member
    THANKS!! WOW 1700 calories seems like ALOT!! I don't even think I was eating 1700 when I started!! I'm just wondering if my metabolism is shot from the low calorie dieting I had done the past 2 yrs?? when I lost the 40+ lbs. I was doing about 5 days of 30 minutes and around 1200 calories. When I put on the 10 lbs I think I was eating 1500-1600 and not excersizing.

    As far as the " Number" on the scale. i won't lie.. i SHOULD say a number doesn't mean anything- but it's both.. i want to see that number go down AND I want to be at LEAST a size smaller in my clothes. 15lbs would do the trick.

    As far as weights. I don't really have access and can't join a gym. I've been doing some ankle weights and hip/leg excersizes ( B/c my hips and thighs are really my problem areas ) and some Biggest Loser " Bob" beginner workouts with light hand weights and I do feel the "burn" in my thighs.

    Thanks!!!
  • LoraF83
    LoraF83 Posts: 15,694 Member
    THANKS!! WOW 1700 calories seems like ALOT!! I don't even think I was eating 1700 when I started!! I'm just wondering if my metabolism is shot from the low calorie dieting I had done the past 2 yrs?? when I lost the 40+ lbs. I was doing about 5 days of 30 minutes and around 1200 calories. When I put on the 10 lbs I think I was eating 1500-1600 and not excersizing.

    As far as the " Number" on the scale. i won't lie.. i SHOULD say a number doesn't mean anything- but it's both.. i want to see that number go down AND I want to be at LEAST a size smaller in my clothes. 15lbs would do the trick.

    As far as weights. I don't really have access and can't join a gym. I've been doing some ankle weights and hip/leg excersizes ( B/c my hips and thighs are really my problem areas ) and some Biggest Loser " Bob" beginner workouts with light hand weights and I do feel the "burn" in my thighs.

    Thanks!!!

    You might have metabolism problems, but most people are just eating more than they realize. Meh, moot point.

    The easiest way to increase your cals is through healthy fats (olive oil, sunflower oil, full fat dairy, etc), less lean cuts of meat, nuts, and carbs. You can greatly increase the number of calories you eat without feeling like you are actually eating more.

    Maybe you should try increasing your calories by about 100 a week until you are at your goal? Also, there is now a group of people who do TDEE-20%, it's called "In Place of a Road Map". Maybe you should check it out: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/forums/show/7965-in-place-of-a-road-map

    Everyone's fitness goals are different - and there is nothing wrong with what you are doing now. I was only offering it as a suggestion since a lot of times people get fixated on a number but really want a certain body type.