2 1/2 mos higher cal, scale STILL WON'T MOVE :( Help Please

Have you had your thyroid checked??
I struggle with the same type of situation-I am a healthy eater, I workout 4x a week...however I feel like I am not getting anywhere, but I am new to MFP so I am hoping it helps.
I ask about your thyroid because Hypothyroidism runs in my family and it affects your metabolism...HYPO can slow it down and make it very difficult to drop any pounds, can even cause weight gain. HYPER is the opposite.
Its just a thought since it sounds like you are doing what you should be doing. Have you spoken to any personal trainers or even a nutritionist-maybe they would have suggestions?
Good Luck!!

Do you see an Endo sweets?
I've been borderline hypo thyroid for a while now (even though #'s are within normal range) but combined with PCOS and my weight, the doctor prescribed medication - saying it may help with insulin resistance and weight loss...

How tall are you?

I believe there is a PCOS group on here you could check out for info and that people with PCOS have more trouble with loosing weight so it may be the cause. Yes you should not have to work out 2 hours a day to loose weight. You really only have to use diet to loose but of course it's not as healthy that way. Good luck!

I completely agree with Chris. I'm 5'3" and I lost 32lbs by netting around 1,200 cal/day- sometimes lower. Right now I'm on 1,400ish per day and I'm still losing but a lot slower. I'm very nearly at my goal so I'm slowly working my way up to eating maintenance calories (which for me is about 1650).

I am hypo thyroid , diabetic and several other health issues. I lost 8 pounds in 2 months then out of the clear blue sky I have put back on 4 pounds. today at the Dr. I was 185 lbs .up from 181lbs 3 weeks ago. I kmow exactly how you feel. I try to stay between 1200 and 1300 cals a day and I exercise 5 to 6 days a week. The Dr said it will balance out dont worry and whats more important is the good I am doing for my health even if I dont lose fast I am healthier. I know he is right but, really ! I want to lose too , friend me!!

Posted this in the IPOARM group, but I never seem to get any responses in the groups, so maybe this would be a better place.


Hey everyone!

I don't know what is going on or if I am doing something wrong, but I just can't get the scale to budge. I started this approach (IPOARM) about 2 1/2 months ago, and though I have lost some inches, I find it very frustrating that the scale has not moved at all! I know the inches are what is important, but staying over 200lbs is never going to get me to a healthy fit person, so what gives? Also, I have PCOS and last week lowered my carb intake to netting under 50, thought this would give me a jump start also, but no. Still here and I am actually up a few pounds. I get weighed and measured on Thursday and if I still have no change, I just don't know.

I feel like I am doing everything right, but I am thinking there has to be something wrong. Most people I see on here don't drop pounds for a couple weeks, but they eventually do start lowering on the scale, I have been at this almost three months and not a single pound I eat healthy, no processed or convenient food (majority of the time), and make sure I get in a lot of veggies. Could this method possibly not work for me? I also do cardio 3 times a week and strength 3 days, one day rest. My cals are set at 1839.

I am not crying poor me in any way but I feel if I keep doing the same thing with not much result, nothing much will change and I will never move forward. Help please flowerforyou

I felt this way especially when I started this journey. Amazingly I still feel this way at times even in maintenance when everyone tells me I shouldn't. We are all human. We have good days and bad days, all of our lives. The tools you find and use to get out of a funk will serve you the rest of your life, and you will always need them. I call it sharpening your sword for battle and you will always need to keep your blade sharp for the rest of your life. We may get to relax at times for a few moments, but life is a bit of work until the end.

Your BMR could be lower than you think. You could go to a lab and have this tested. It's the only way to know for sure.

There is no mystery to weight loss, everyone thinks something is wrong, their metabolism is broken, they have low thyroid, they have menopause or whatever issue, they are as unique as a snowflake, whatever. I thought a lot of these things once too but once the doctor helped resolve the health issues for me I learned there is still no magic pill. Most people eat more than they need to and are not at good at estimating calories as they think they are. Most people have a lower BMR than they think they do. The only way to know for sure is to go to a lab and have it tested. It doesn't seem fair to have to eat less and feel a little hunger. It's hard to face the truth of it, very hard. It's not fun. It's drudgery at times. But if you learn to enjoy your smaller amounts of food (necessary to lose weight, since the reason we got fat in the first place was eating too much whether we knew it or not), and rejoice in your victories it can be done.

All I can do is share what worked for me. I achieved my goal at age 50 after beating my head against the wall for 15 years. Yeah anyone can do it, but I can tell you that you are up against a lot when you are older and I believe females have some unique issue to face with hormones and such. The sooner you can get a handle on it the better. DO NOT GIVE UP. As I got older and the weight piled on (and I didn't feel I was eating too much!) everyone kept telling me to give up, this is what happens when you get older. I'm small, and I didn't realize how small I was until I lost the weight. Everyone said I had big bones. I looked hefty because I worked out. Once I lost the weight I realized how small I really was and that small people don't need to eat as much as big people. HINT: If you are short you are probably small.

Your body loses weight in chunks, not linear. I have found that you can do everything right and your weight loss seems to plateau but if you are patient and keep exercising and eating at a deficit (however slight) you will lose it, it will suddenly "whoosh". There are so many variables for the scale; water retention, digestion, hormones, allergies, sodium, carbs, water intake, DOMS, inflammation, the list goes on. People mistakenly think they lose or gain weight when they eat more or less because of these fluctuations.

Losing weight requires tremendous patience. You will not lose it when you want it or where you want it. The body does its thing. Some apparent plateaus can last a month or so. You cannot make it happen faster. You must focus on two things; calories and exercise. Nothing else matters. Scales and metrics don't matter. The day in and day out grind of exercise and calories are all that matters. It is not very exciting until things fall into place. You get your victories and you ride one victory to the next.

The scale is a trend tool. The scale is good but put it away and only check once a week and only use it as a trend tool. It will fluctuate, it does not matter. Take front side and back progress pictures at least once a month. You will see differences that the metrics won't tell you and it's that little bit of NSV that will keep you going until the next victory.

To say eat more is wrong.

To say eat less is wrong.

To find the exact calories needed for YOU to be in a healthy sustainable calorie deficit is the right answer. Wait, if you need to adjust by 100 do it, wait, adjust, wait, adjust, wait. The tortoise wins this race.

All that matters is calories. A healthy balanced diet within a calorie budget for a deficit that is right for YOU is all that matters for weight loss. Don't make it complicated.


Also people play mental accounting games with calories just like with finances. Make steps to make sure you are making accurate measurements. Packaged foods can have MORE than they say but not less (they get in trouble if less so they would rather error with MORE).

If you typically intake sodium at a certain rate your body adjusts, but if you make a sudden change then you will see a spike.

Exercise is for making your lean body mass pretty (especially lifting weights) for when the fat is gone. Losing fat with no muscle is ugly and cardio alone will not make you pretty. You cannot out exercise too many calories.

It really is about calories. I tell people this all the time and they say "Well if calories are all that matter why do you eat so clean???!!" Well, because it makes me feel better, sleep better, and perform better at my sports.

Too many changes at once can be hard on some people. I've always eaten healthy so it easy for me to simply eat less. Eating at a calorie deficit is hard on people; even a small deficit puts your body in a state of flux with hormones and such. Everyone is different. Some people can handle a deeper calorie deficit than others, this is not right or wrong, it just is. Stress in your life affects your hunger hormones; lack of sleep, fatigue, job stress, family stress, financial stress, etc. Add in emotional eating issues and it gets even more complicated. Most people can only handle so much change/stress at once, they try to do too much and fail. Sometimes it might be a better strategy to eat at maintenance and make some small changes first, it really depends on how much stress you are taking in at the moment.

What is the exact number of calories for you?

We’ve been trying to figure out an exact NUMBER of calories that everyone should be eating, without recognizing that everyone is slightly different. In truth, the calories aren’t the end game. Your body is. So the EXACT amount of Calories that are right for you is the EXACT amount that will allow you to maintain your ideal bodyweight no matter what some calculator or chart says.

In other words, an online calculator might tell you that you need to eat 2,500 calories
per day to maintain your ideal bodyweight. But the only way to know for sure if this is
the right amount for you is to test it out. If you gain weight or can’t lose weight eating
that much, then you know you need to eat less to lose weight no matter how many
calculators and text books say otherwise.

This doesn’t mean your metabolism is broken, it just means the estimate of your needs
was just a bit off.

-John Barban (The Body Centric Calorie Guide from the Venus Index and Adonis Index Manuals)

The good thing is you don't have to worry about the starvation mode myth if you are fat. Only skinny people have to worry about starvation mode. It does not mean you have the capability to eat at a large calorie deficit if you have emotional eating disorders or other issues going on, but at least you don't have to be afraid of it anymore.

The Theory of Fat Availability:
•There is a set amount of fat that can be released from a fat cell.
•The more fat you have, the more fat can be used as a fuel when dieting.
•The less fat you have, the less fat can be used as a fuel when dieting.
•Towards the end of a transformation, when body fat is extremely low you
may not have enough fat to handle a large caloric deficit anymore.

At the extreme low end, when your body fat cannot ‘keep up’ with the energy deficit
you've imposed on your body, the energy MUST come from SOMEWHERE. This is
when you are at risk of losing lean body mass during dieting (commonly referred to
as ‘starvation mode’). This happens at extremely low levels of body fat, under 6% in
men and 12% in women [Friedl K.E. J Appl Phsiol, 1994].

-Brad Pilon and John Barban (from The Reverse Taper Diet in The Adonis Index and Venus Index manuals)

Lifting weights is KEY. I recently had my DXA scan done and at 51.5 years of age I have the bone density of a super athletic 30 year old. That is a direct result of lifting for over 30 years. Now if that is not scientific proof that lifting weights keeps you younger I don't know what is! Also I believe it is why most people think I look much younger than I really am.

Start lifting now, lift heavy and change it up often, find a lot of weight routines with free weights, make it fun, embrace it, make it part of your life. Only 3 days a week is all it would take. Crank up your tunes and learn to love it, because your body will love it and it will make your quality of life better in many ways, especially when you get older like me.

Because of this I don't have to worry about osteoporosis. If you wait until you are older and your bones start to deteriorate it's a bit too late, you can't get back what you lost, and you can only start a resistance routine that will prevent further damage.

If you are female you don't have the hormones to get big naturally. I lift heavy and I'm still really tiny. My lean body mass is only 104 lbs and that is fairly heavy for a 5'1" female, and quite a bit of this is due to my having very dense bones from 30 years of lifting, not all muscle, and I'm still quite tiny.

My muscles really are not that big, but they show a lot of definition because I'm quite lean. If I gained some fat then I would have a softer more toned look (which is OKAY too!). Then if I gained more fat I would look bulky and hefty like I did most of my life until last year. YOU CAN HAVE WHATEVER YOU WANT. Lean and ripped, soft and toned, or hefty, it all depends on how much fat you leave on your body. Calories are the only thing that changes fat. Exercise is for changing or maintaining your lean body mass only. Lifting weights will give you the best bang for your buck for shaping your body. I finally changed my shape by putting lifting first and cardio 2nd. You cannot out exercise too many calories.



There is nothing easy about this journey. Don't give up. Keep your eye on the prize. You do not have to be perfect to do this. You just have to have more good days than not. A bad day is not the end of the world. Tomorrow is a new day. Just pick it right up again. Be kind to yourself at all times and never beat yourself up.

Being on a calorie deficit is hard. You can't do this journey on will power alone. You must set up your environment for success. Have a team around you in your real life, not just online. Get trigger foods out of the house. It will take some sacrifice and it's not easy. You might have to say no to some social events sometimes.

Too many changes at once can be hard on some people. I've always eaten healthy so it easy for me to simply eat less. Eating at a calorie deficit is hard on people; even a small deficit puts your body in a state of flux with hormones and such. Everyone is different. Some people can handle a deeper calorie deficit than others, this is not right or wrong, it just is. Stress in your life affects your hunger hormones; lack of sleep, fatigue, job stress, family stress, financial stress, etc. Add in emotional eating issues and it gets even more complicated. Most people can only handle so much change/stress at once, they try to do too much and fail. Sometimes it might be a better strategy to eat at maintenance and make some small changes first, it really depends on how much stress you are taking in at the moment.


For me it's all about a calorie budget. I had less of a budget available when I was losing weight, more to spend now that I'm maintaining and all the tools I used for weight loss come into play for the rest of my life maintaining.

When you have accumulated excess fat, you have accumulated a debt. It is hard to pay off the debt (you have less calories to spend). If you are sitting next to someone your same gender and height and they are not overweight and you are, they get to eat more than you (have more calories to spend) because they are debt free. You have less calories to spend because you are paying off your debt.

Wishing you the best! -Bobbie

Have you been stressed alot lately?? I've noticed that I could eat 30% under my TDEE and if I was stressed I would not lose a pound but gain!!! It drove me insane!! Actually the not losing weight can stress you out and cause you to not lose!

FITNLUVINIT may be on to something about you eating too much at 1800 calories. Maybe you should take her up on her offer to look at your diary.

So note that the following is based on assuming that your current caloric intake is correct for weight loss....



Our bodies cherish fat and does everything possible to resist losing it. You have already lost a large amount and now your body is doing what it has been programed by thousands of years to do in times of limited food....slow the metabolism to save the fat ....thus the plateau.

There arent too many ways to boost the metabolism other than to build muscle or eat more (let's keep it simple). At this time you dont have enough muscle and because your body is hoarding fat, it is sacrificing the muscle you do have for fuel.

I suggest you add a few extra daily (200 - 300) calories for 3 - 4 days and eat some fatty junk, then cut back to your deficit level and see what happens.

Californiagirl hit the nail on the head when she said losing weight is not linear but comes in chunks. She also was on the mark when she said you need to find your very own specific caloric needs.

Good luck and dont give up your current lifestyle and dont take a break; persevere.

I agree with Chris too. it's not the popular way to diet around here, but my diary is open if you want to get any food ideas. I get plenty of protein and fiber and i can't say I NEVER feel hungry, but I do eat a fair amount of food.
I'm just about the same height and weight as you, but i'm older. 1800cals would probably be around my maintenance level. My aunt and mom are both quite thin (have been their whole lives) and probably eat around 1200 cals a day (i'm guessing, but they eat like birds).

As someone else suggested, maybe try lowering your cals by 100 or 150 per day for a few weeks and see if that helps.

Bellamarie I missed the part of your original post in which you stated that you were working out and currently losing inches. I hope Im not coming across as condescending and apologize if I do; but sometimes we are guilty of assuming more than we should.

Im not sure what your workout entails, and I hate to state the obvious, but you are aware that lifting weights will cause weight gain even though you are losing fat & inches? (And that is a good thing. More muscles burn more fat.)

If youre losing inches it's all good as youre replacing fat with lean muscle and your fat to muscle ratio is improving. That's called progress!

Also dont get burned out in the gym. 1 hour daily workouts 4 times weekly can do the job. Recovery days are as productive as the hump days. Find what works for you and with your lifestyle; and dont forget to reward yourself, this will be along journey and you need to enjoy life along the way.

Aside from playing with your calorie intake, also make sure you are getting enough water, keeping sodium low, and get at least 7 hrs. of sleep every night. I also found upping my protein helpful when I hit plateaus (on the advice of a dietician). Good luck!