Please tell me I am making a mistake by doing this...
em3120
Posts: 154 Member
…but I am 5’4” 123 lb with a goal of 115. I have a small frame and feel much better at that size. Anyways, I lost a lot of weight by myself 2 years ago but have gained some of it back. I joined MFP at 136 lb and MFP put me at 1200 calories. I lost weight and inches quickly combining this with doing the 30 day shred and cardio. Then my weight loss stalled and I realized with the advice of some other MFPers that I needed to up my calories to 1400. My weight loss started again up until the beginning of November. However, I have not lost a pound or an inch since November 8. I am desperate to lose these last few pounds! I went out to eat last night and am up another 2 pounds! My goal was to be under 120 by Christmas but I can’t even lose half of a pound! I really feel like I should be eating at 1200 calories again, but I’m afraid I will mess up my metabolism or something. Anyone else experience this problem? How can I be eating in between my BMR and TDEE and still not be losing weight?
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Replies
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if it was from one night, it's probably water weight. Give yourself a break. Stop stressing about the last couple of pounds.0
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Your TDEE calc could be off…but I am 5’4” 123 lb with a goal of 115. I have a small frame and feel much better at that size. Anyways, I lost a lot of weight by myself 2 years ago but have gained some of it back. I joined MFP at 136 lb and MFP put me at 1200 calories. I lost weight and inches quickly combining this with doing the 30 day shred and cardio. Then my weight loss stalled and I realized with the advice of some other MFPers that I needed to up my calories to 1400. My weight loss started again up until the beginning of November. However, I have not lost a pound or an inch since November 8. I am desperate to lose these last few pounds! I went out to eat last night and am up another 2 pounds! My goal was to be under 120 by Christmas but I can’t even lose half of a pound! I really feel like I should be eating at 1200 calories again, but I’m afraid I will mess up my metabolism or something. Anyone else experience this problem? How can I be eating in between my BMR and TDEE and still not be losing weight?
You could be retaining water (added cals and carbs could increase glycogen in the muscles which retains water)
You may be eating more than you think you are (should weight all solids and measure liquids)
May be burning a lot less than you think you are.
BMR may be over estimated
etc.0 -
I don't have advice about what your calories should be, but don't worry about those 2 pounds. Restaurant food tends to have more sodium than you need for an entire day. I've gained 5 pounds overnight from Panera! Drink lots of water and watch the sodum the next few days, and those 2 pounds will disappear.0
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Ignore the scale. Measure your body and take pictures to compare. If your clothes are getting looser and you look better in the mirror, what difference does it make what the scale says?0
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I go by..... trial and error.
I've been counting now for 184 days straight and have gone weeks with changing my calories. I tried 1800 for awhile, 1500 for awhile, now Im at 1300. I have gone up and down with my calories to see what works better for me. At 1300 I consistently lose and that is what works for me.
Although I will see 2-3 weeks with NO drop in lbs., I will drop 5-6 lbs toward the end of the month, every month. So strange. So now I am used to it and expect thats what happens every month.
Everyone's advice is clearly helpful and can sometimes point us in the right direction, but not one particular things works for everyone. Good luck girl.....
( PS why did you want to lose it by Christmas though? I think that you should just focus on not losing weight so fast cause its not healthy and committing to this being a life style change and not a fast, easy, way out - just stay patient & persistent )0 -
Are you making sure that you are drinking enough water every day? Seriously - no less than 8 glasses. You might also want to try a detox bath. Hot bath, add 2 cups of epsom salt, 2 cups of baking soda, as much ginger as you can stand (fresh is better, but I also use ground ginger - I just use more of it when it's ground and less when it's fresh). Sit in the tub for 40 minutes. You are going to sweat. After the 40 minutes get out and wrap yourself in a nice warm robe and slippers and keep sweating.
Make sure you are drinking water during the whole thing, you want to sweat out the toxins but not dehydrate yourself. For some people, this will break a weight loss stall.
Other things you can try -
Eat nothing all day until dinner time. Eat a large, lean steak and an apple. (make sure to drink water all day)
Have an apple day - eat nothing but apples and drink water all day.
One explanation I got for stalls was that your body has rid itself of the excess fat in the cells, but has replaced it with water. You will stay in a stall until your fat cells release the water - so these are a few ways to get the water to release - but they don't always work for everyone and it's said that when the stall breaks it was usually going to break anyway.
The first time I did the bath I had a 2 lb. weight loss. The 2nd time I did it I didn't have any. So, who knows, but it doesn't hurt to try.
Good luck. Let us know how it goes!0 -
I never weigh myself after eating out at a restaurant b/c their food is always OVERLOADED with sodium something my home food is NOT. You cannot gain 2 lbs in one evening out 2 lbs = 7,000 calories....so unless you had 7,000 more than what you burned yesterday...you didn't actually gain 2 lbs...just water from all the sodium intake. Don't sweat that or maybe you should "sweat it" literally...go get some exercise and you'll be rid of those extra 2 lbs of water in an hour.
The other part...I cannot say; try adjusting your calories a bit. Drop them 50 and then give it 5 weeks. It can take time for your body to adjust to calorie intake. The other thing you can try is calorie zig zagging:
Monday: 1300
Tuesday: 1300
Wednesday: 1500
Thursday: 1300
Friday: 1300
Saturday: 1500
Sunday: 1300
Per the a dietitian on a paid site...this is supposed to rev your metabolism and get it going again and help you get over a plateau. It has worked for me in the past.0 -
You may also not be losing weight due to adding some muscle from working out. From the sound of it you are pretty small already. It's always harder to lose the last few pounds and you are very close to your goal weight. I find that a good way to reduce sodium bloat is to drink lots of aloe vera juice. it's a natural diuretic and will help flush the excess sodium out of your body quickly. I lost an inch off my belly overnight after a high sodium meal, from drinking lots of aloe (the sugar free kind) You can get it in most grocery stores in the International foods aisle, or a Korean grocery store--it's very popular with Korean people, in all sorts of flavours.0
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I'm not sure what your exercise routine is like or your age, but I am the same height and weight and with a moderate level of activity, my TDEE is 1950. It may seem backwards but I would say up your calories again if you are regularly exercising. You may not be giving your body enough fuel! I workout 5 days a week, eat around 1800 most days and am maintaining at 115. With as little as you want to lose though, it's going to take time and patience. Those last few pounds are the hardest, especially if you want them to stay off.0
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First, if anyone says you are gaining muscle, you are not. You are on a calorie deficit and doing cardio which makes it 100% impossible to gain muscle. You need a surplus and heavy weight lifting to create new muscle.
Second, as you get closer to your goal, you need to eat more. Upping your calories worked once, it will probably work again. Your estimated BMR alone is 1402 and you are lightly active with 30DS. That alone will put you around 1600 calories a day (if you want to see the math let me know). If you are active outside of your workout, then you will need more calories. I woudl recommend eating 1600-1700 and adjusting your maro's to around 35% carbs, 40% protein and 25% fats.
Also, there is a reason you failed and stopped doing 1200 calories. So why would you go back to something that in the end didn't work?0 -
If your body is like mine it WANTS to keep some of that fat! Every time I gain and lose weight I get a higher set point (where I stop losing). Try changing up your activity or zig zagging diet (does not work for me, I do better with more consistent calorie counts). Be patient and don't let it get you down, you are in a better place now than you were 33# ago.0
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The two pounds are most likely water weight from the amount of sodium in restraunt foods. Drink tons of water today and flush it out :-)0
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Also, if you are really concerned with fat loss, then you should start a weight training program and drop the cardio based workouts. HIIT is good for sustaining muscle during cardio, but it's not as effective at fat loss as weight training.0
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Look at your shape rather than the scales. Are you happy with your shape? If so, who cares if you're 2 tonnes overweight.0
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^ThisFirst, if anyone says you are gaining muscle, you are not. You are on a calorie deficit and doing cardio which makes it 100% impossible to gain muscle. You need a surplus and heavy weight lifting to create new muscle.
Second, as you get closer to your goal, you need to eat more. Upping your calories worked once, it will probably work again. Your estimated BMR alone is 1402 and you are lightly active with 30DS. That alone will put you around 1600 calories a day (if you want to see the math let me know). If you are active outside of your workout, then you will need more calories. I woudl recommend eating 1600-1700 and adjusting your maro's to around 35% carbs, 40% protein and 25% fats.
Also, there is a reason you failed and stopped doing 1200 calories. So why would you go back to something that in the end didn't work?0 -
Are you making sure that you are drinking enough water every day? Seriously - no less than 8 glasses. You might also want to try a detox bath. Hot bath, add 2 cups of epsom salt, 2 cups of baking soda, as much ginger as you can stand (fresh is better, but I also use ground ginger - I just use more of it when it's ground and less when it's fresh). Sit in the tub for 40 minutes. You are going to sweat. After the 40 minutes get out and wrap yourself in a nice warm robe and slippers and keep sweating.
Make sure you are drinking water during the whole thing, you want to sweat out the toxins but not dehydrate yourself. For some people, this will break a weight loss stall.
Other things you can try -
Eat nothing all day until dinner time. Eat a large, lean steak and an apple. (make sure to drink water all day)
Have an apple day - eat nothing but apples and drink water all day.
One explanation I got for stalls was that your body has rid itself of the excess fat in the cells, but has replaced it with water. You will stay in a stall until your fat cells release the water - so these are a few ways to get the water to release - but they don't always work for everyone and it's said that when the stall breaks it was usually going to break anyway.
The first time I did the bath I had a 2 lb. weight loss. The 2nd time I did it I didn't have any. So, who knows, but it doesn't hurt to try.
Good luck. Let us know how it goes!
Absolute rubbish.0 -
Maybe this is where your body is most comfortable. You're already in the lower end of a healthy BMI for your height.0
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You're already at a healthy weight for your height, which makes it even harder to lose more. Personally, at this point I'd focus less on the scale and more on body composition with more resistance training.0
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Because your goal weight is stupid. No offense. You decided on it without taking into account overall body recomposition.0
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Try switching up your calories intake (zig-zagging) . You trick your body in thinking you are going to feed it . Eat 1,200 calories for 7 days . Next week add 200-300 calories more the second week . 3 rd week add 200-300 calories more . Don't load up
On processed foods or fast foods . High sodium context . You will see results . But you must stay on track. Start the processed all over again . I wish you the best .0 -
Assuming you are set for .5-1 lb a week, I'd go back to what MFP tells you to do. 1200 + (reasonably calculated) exercise calories.0
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Are you making sure that you are drinking enough water every day? Seriously - no less than 8 glasses. You might also want to try a detox bath. Hot bath, add 2 cups of epsom salt, 2 cups of baking soda, as much ginger as you can stand (fresh is better, but I also use ground ginger - I just use more of it when it's ground and less when it's fresh). Sit in the tub for 40 minutes. You are going to sweat. After the 40 minutes get out and wrap yourself in a nice warm robe and slippers and keep sweating.
Make sure you are drinking water during the whole thing, you want to sweat out the toxins but not dehydrate yourself. For some people, this will break a weight loss stall.
Other things you can try -
Eat nothing all day until dinner time. Eat a large, lean steak and an apple. (make sure to drink water all day)
Have an apple day - eat nothing but apples and drink water all day.
One explanation I got for stalls was that your body has rid itself of the excess fat in the cells, but has replaced it with water. You will stay in a stall until your fat cells release the water - so these are a few ways to get the water to release - but they don't always work for everyone and it's said that when the stall breaks it was usually going to break anyway.
The first time I did the bath I had a 2 lb. weight loss. The 2nd time I did it I didn't have any. So, who knows, but it doesn't hurt to try.
Good luck. Let us know how it goes!
Seriously? Do not take this advice! What does this really accomplish long-term? Nothing.0 -
You're looking at a projected eight pound loss. That's relatively insignificant. Less than 10lbs, and you're not even overweight, you need to start looking at a measurement other than weight to determine your goal. Maybe body fat percentage.
Bodies change, and sometimes we need to reconfigure our expectations. Just because you're finding it hard to get back to 115 doesn't mean you can't have a better body at a different weight. Focus on recomposition and training your body to do new things, and stop looking to the scale to define your success.0 -
YOu mentioned 30DS and cardio. . .for the intial weight loss. What are you doing NOW? If you aren't doing at least as intense as you were doing then, you may need to look at upping your activity level before you worry about dropping food from your plate.
And, the folks talking body composition are on to something. . . if you are lean and fit, then maybe 120ish is good. If you stopped working out hard and are softer than you like. . .well. . . it's time to get active.
I'm not a huge fan of dropping calories when you are already eating sensibly. If you were eating 2500 cals a day, I'd say that might be a problem. But 1400 doesn't sound like too much for an active adult woman.0 -
I wanted to add to what I said earlier. I started on MFP at 122 and yes, am down to 115/6 now, but that was not my ultimate goal. It happened naturally by cleaning up what I was eating, paying attention to portions and changing my workout routine. I lift 3 days a week and add in cardio after that and on other days. I agree with the others that the number isn't what matters but how you want your body to look and feel. I do that through eating right and lifting and naturally that got me to 115. I only put my personal experience in here because are height and weights are similar (although not our age - I am twice your age!). Good luck with whatever you decide to do but I think eating more and changing up your exercise might give you results you didn't anticipate!0
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I overate sodium yesterday and my scale says I gained a pound. Don't sweat it. Drink lots of water today and eat more reasonably and you'll be fine. The last few pounds are the hardest. Just stick with it! And don't stress about anything for the next couple of weeks. If you still aren't losing by the new year, reevaluate.0
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I think it a pretty useless exercise to try and hit a certain weight by a certain date. Weight loss is not linear and predictable and it will only lead to frustration, especially when within the last 15 lbs of a goal. Additionally, the focus on weight as the primary marker of health and fitness. I really like what Steve Troutman said on this:
"I simply don't think it's worth worrying about what your weight should be. Rather, worry about what your health, functionality, performance, and physique should be. Weight will settle where it needs to be once those things are optimized."0 -
This, perfectly put.I think it a pretty useless exercise to try and hit a certain weight by a certain date. Weight loss is not linear and predictable and it will only lead to frustration, especially when within the last 15 lbs of a goal. Additionally, the focus on weight as the primary marker of health and fitness. I really like what Steve Troutman said on this:
"I simply don't think it's worth worrying about what your weight should be. Rather, worry about what your health, functionality, performance, and physique should be. Weight will settle where it needs to be once those things are optimized."0 -
Are you making sure that you are drinking enough water every day? Seriously - no less than 8 glasses. You might also want to try a detox bath. Hot bath, add 2 cups of epsom salt, 2 cups of baking soda, as much ginger as you can stand (fresh is better, but I also use ground ginger - I just use more of it when it's ground and less when it's fresh). Sit in the tub for 40 minutes. You are going to sweat. After the 40 minutes get out and wrap yourself in a nice warm robe and slippers and keep sweating.
Make sure you are drinking water during the whole thing, you want to sweat out the toxins but not dehydrate yourself. For some people, this will break a weight loss stall.
Other things you can try -
Eat nothing all day until dinner time. Eat a large, lean steak and an apple. (make sure to drink water all day)
Have an apple day - eat nothing but apples and drink water all day.
One explanation I got for stalls was that your body has rid itself of the excess fat in the cells, but has replaced it with water. You will stay in a stall until your fat cells release the water - so these are a few ways to get the water to release - but they don't always work for everyone and it's said that when the stall breaks it was usually going to break anyway.
The first time I did the bath I had a 2 lb. weight loss. The 2nd time I did it I didn't have any. So, who knows, but it doesn't hurt to try.
Good luck. Let us know how it goes!
Absolute rubbish.
I agree! Rubbish! Never do that. If u want to live0 -
You are making a mistake by doing this.0
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