Help! Im stuck!

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MassiveDelta
MassiveDelta Posts: 3,311 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I'm 35, male, and 283lbs. Ive been on since Jan 12th. I have meticulously logged everything I put in my mouth and generally I come in 200-300 calories under goal. Goal being 2000/day. I have lost 12 lbs since the 12th. That first week I lost about 7 so that was the majority. Over the past 10 days Ive gained and lost a half a pound every day. I'm stuck. Everyone keeps telling me I'm doing something wrong or I'm not working out enough or give it time it will come or Its not about the weight loss your getting healthy.

I cant take it. Before when I would go on Fad diets to lose weight I could drop 15-20 lbs in the first week and 5 lbs every week after with NO Exercise. Now I decide to truly change my life and do everything right and I get no results. I'm exercising and eating right and I cant make progress. I shouldn't have plateaued so early whats happening?

Ive dropped 2000 plus calories from my daily diet. I was easily eating 4000 cal and it wasn't good stuff. How come I'm not dropping weight like crazy?

Replies

  • teebear1985
    teebear1985 Posts: 13 Member
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    If you have started working out you will be gaining muscle which in turn causes you to lose inches but not always weight. Keep working at it if you are doing it the right way with eating healthy and exercise it might come off a little slower but it will stay off in the long run. Don't get discouraged. Make sure you are getting plenty of sleep and lots of water. If you aren't drinking enough your body can start retaining water which can make the numbers on the scale not drop. Good luck and keep working at it. It will come off. My husband has the same problem. Although the numbers aren't dropping he can tell a difference in the way he feels on a daily basis! You can do it!
  • cvtga
    cvtga Posts: 118
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    It can be incredibly frustrating. Almost to the point where you don't want to step on the scale in fear of disappointment. Take a week or even two and don't get on the scale. Continue what you're doing and then see after a period of time where you are at. Try not to stress the results will come.
  • BobbieJo_1977
    BobbieJo_1977 Posts: 197 Member
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    Hang in there!! remember this is a journey :smile: I know what it is like, I've gone through the same thing! First stop weighing yourself everyday. Pick one day (the same one each week) and weigh yourself. Our bodies can weigh one thing in the am then another in the pm. Just remember it isn't just about the weight, it is also about the inches!! I have only lost 141#, but I've lost over 200 inches!! I still have about 80# to go and I've only lost 5# since last July. Talk about discouraging!! So I totally know how you feel. Take a before pic, that way when you start to get discouraged later you can pull it out and see how far you've come. Stay at it, with the dedication you've already shown, you can do it!!!!
  • Dom_m
    Dom_m Posts: 336 Member
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    Can't say I understand exactly, but if you've dropped >2000 calories from your diet, your body may be waiting to see if things are going to stay that way. I suspect if you were eating so much and it was unhealthy (at I guess, I assume that included lots of fast food?) your body's internal organs are probably in a process of repairing themselves from the war of attrition you've put them through. It may take a bit of time before they're ready to start functioning properly. Once they're back in a normal state, you may find weight starts coming off pretty steadily.

    Either way, what you're doing is surely better than what you were doing, and you shouldn't stop being healthy just because your weight isn't changing! At the least, I'd say stick with it for 3 months and if you don't see any change on the outside at all, try visiting a nutritionist who can assess your MFP diary and tell you what's up.
  • bukozki
    bukozki Posts: 60
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    The first week is mostly **** and water weight. You went from 4000 calories coming in to 1700ish calories coming in. That's 2300 calories less food, ergo 2300 calories less **** every single day. You're losing less because you have less to lose, a slow down means you're getting to the point where you're working against the problem you set out to defeat and not the superficial fluctuating scale numbers. That's a good thing. The water issue mentioned is important too, but just continue to do what you're doing, maybe cut a few more calories, maybe drink a little more water, maybe tweak your food types, but don't abandon a healthier lifestyle because of a slowdown less than a month in.
  • bukozki
    bukozki Posts: 60
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    They edit the word ****, it means poop.
  • AnneElise
    AnneElise Posts: 4,221 Member
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    You have lost a lot of weight already. Did you gain all of your weight in a couple of weeks? NO... you won't loose it all in a couple of weeks. At least not the healthy way.
  • MassiveDelta
    MassiveDelta Posts: 3,311 Member
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    Thanks for the responses. I don't plan on quitting. I quit smoking 3 years ago and losing weight getting healthy was the next goal. I haven't smoked since the day I started to quit and I don't plan on on ever going back to being Fat (once I get unfat).
  • MassiveDelta
    MassiveDelta Posts: 3,311 Member
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    It finally started coming off again and I'm below that threshold that I couldn't break through. It sure does feel good to finally be losing again. I know the loss shouldn't be the only motivator as I'm eating healthier and living a healthier life.
  • stormieweather
    stormieweather Posts: 2,549 Member
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    By the way, it's highly unlikely that you'll gain muscle while at a major calorie deficit, but I encourage you to use measurements to help gauge your progress/success. My scale never cooperates with my weigh in days...it stubbornly stays the same for weeks sometimes (even months once), then BAM!! a few pounds disappear. As long as you feel good, then you'll be likely to stick to this and it will work!

    Hang in there :)
  • junipuni
    junipuni Posts: 264 Member
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    Unfortunately you have experience with fad diets where you lost quickly. But, they don't work in the long run so it is not a really good comparison to this. You may have lost quickly and continued but I am guessing you gained it back just as quick as soon as the fad diet was over.

    I would strongly suggest not weighing daily. Going up and down 1/2 a pound day after day does not constitute a plateau. Your body fluctuates from day to day and checking every day will only frustrate you if it is going up and down and that will not help with the weight loss.

    I agree with PP - your body is probably just shocked because of the way you have cut your calories and on the fence about wether or not to hang on to it. Sounds like you're already back in the game and on your way down! Good for you! Remember to drink lots of water and I would also suggest getting lots of fiber!

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