Getting Frustrated....

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sapphire1166
sapphire1166 Posts: 114 Member
in Motivation and Support
So in the 6 months leading up to my wedding I was diligent on MFP and lost an average of 1.5-2 lbs a week by just eating 1350 calories a day. I ended up losing about 30 lbs total.

I got married in April and went into happy eating mode and promptly gained 10 lbs back. So two weeks ago I decided to get back on MFP and be diligent and also add exercise (which I haven't done in YEARS). I've been watching my calories (1270) like a hawk, eating healthy foods (except for this weekend when I indulged in a cheeseburger and fries) and have been going to the gym 3 times a week for one hour each time. I focus mainly on cardio but have done some light strength training as well. I'm super out of shape but have been working hard.

I haven't lost a single pound! Not only that, but I've gone up a few ounces. I don't get it. I haven't been strength training enough to gain enough muscle to offset any weight loss and I've been very strict on calories, so what's the deal? My clothes aren't fitting better and I'm not noticing any health changes. I'm getting extremely frustrated and starting to feel my mind slip into the mode of thinking of "it's not working...you might as well eat 4 cups of Ben and Jerry's".

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  • Discoveri
    Discoveri Posts: 435 Member
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    Did you take measurements? Sometimes the scale may not be moving but you could be losing inches. Check out this post: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/580019-the-scale-is-a-lying-torture-device-i-m-proof?hl=scale+is+a+liar

    The other thing is if you just started an exercise routine, you could be retaining water. Everytime I add something new to my exercises, I gain for a week or so. If you open your diary, people who are more knowledgeable than I could give you some ideas on ways to improve your nutrition.
  • kelseyhere
    kelseyhere Posts: 1,123 Member
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    Give it some more time. If you're up for it, why not try to increase those weights? If your muscles get bigger you weight will go up initially, but bigger muscles mean a more efficient metabolism. Also if you are not using an HRM for your cardio I really suggest getting one. It will give you a more accurate picture of how hard you are working. Sometimes when I'm on the treadmill I feel like I cannot run another second, but I know I'm not working that hard because of my heart rate. Sometimes stress at work or just being tired makes me move slower, and it's really hard to notice those subtle differences without the HRM.

    Another approach you may want to try is adjust what you eat. I know you said you are diligently eating 1270 calories a day, but of what? Go for higher protein foods, and try to cut out anything that is processed. I do much better and lose weight faster when I don't eat grains (bread, pasta, oatmeal, etc). I find I can eat more on a high protein diet and not gain than I can on a more carb-based diet. I'm not saying cutting all grains will work for you, but it's definitely worth it to do some experimenting.

    Finally the other poster is right, take measurements. I was working hard for a month and the scale hadn't really moved, but I had actually lost 6 inches mostly in my thighs. I would have given up sooner thinking all that hard work was for nothing if I hadn't been measuring.

    Any new plan will usually take about a month to see real results, so just be patient. Try incorporating new strategies every two weeks and stick to them long enough to see if it works or not. You will get there! Congrats on getting married :)
  • sapphire1166
    sapphire1166 Posts: 114 Member
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    Thanks both of you for the words of encouragement! I went to the gym yesterday and worked out very hard, trying to get this frustration out. Even did 2 more reps of weights than usual and then came home and ate baked tilapia, broccoli, and corn on the cob. I'm going to stick with this is until I see results.

    I'll look into getting a HRM. I really hope I've been working out hard enough because my pulse feels like it's going to explode out of my neck when I'm on the treadmill and elliptical, but it would be great to gauge it. The pulse readers on the machines consistently read 150 or above so I'll cross my fingers!

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