Not losing.

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  • Ready2Rock206
    Ready2Rock206 Posts: 9,488 Member
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    YES I am concerned about the numbers I'm working really hard towards losing. NO I'm not OBSESSED with it. NO I'm not starving myself. What works for you may not work for me. There is no black and white in weight loss. I thought I could find some support and encouraging words here, yet all I got was hateful comments from the majority of the responders. Guess I was sadly mistaken.

    You asked for advice, and then get mad if it is contrary to what YOU think the solution is? Really....And if a number on the scale means more to you than inches lost, you still need to learn a lot- try and listen and (maybe) learn something from others instead of throwing your toys out of the crib because nobody tells you to eat less and workout more.....

    This exactly.
  • _CowgirlUp_
    _CowgirlUp_ Posts: 585 Member
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    YES I am concerned about the numbers I'm working really hard towards losing. NO I'm not OBSESSED with it. NO I'm not starving myself. What works for you may not work for me. There is no black and white in weight loss. I thought I could find some support and encouraging words here , yet all I got was hateful comments from the majority of the responders. Guess I was sadly mistaken.

    Wow...start a thread asking for advice and then get pi$$y when advice is given. If the majority say eat more and stop worrying about the scale and be thankful for the inches you've lost rather than complaining about the number on the scale, which can fluctuate depending on water weight, stool in the colon, etc. Get over yourself. We're trying to help. Sheesh. ONE week back at a serious effort and you're complaining the scale isn't budging...wow...that's all I can say is, wow.
  • g0hard0rg0h0me00
    g0hard0rg0h0me00 Posts: 52
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    You should really listen to the advice people are giving you. it is nice of them to take time to give it and I'm guessing they have had a lot of success. You can learn a lot and they aren't being rude. They are right. You need to eat an appropriate amount of calories for your body and have a calroie deficit. Not a 2000 calories deficit. (just an example). Strength training is important and cardio is great for your heart health and gaining calories.
  • Muddy_Yogi
    Muddy_Yogi Posts: 1,459 Member
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    good grief. I don't think some of yal are getting what I'm saying!!!
    Yes, LOVE the inches lost. I was so happy to see that.

    Yes, I was still bummed that I had gained.

    All I asked in my original post was an approximate time when the scale should be moving if I keep following all the MFP guidelines.
    That's all, I don't understand how anyone can get out of this that I'm starving myself, obsessed with my weight, or unhappy with my inches lost...


    completely baffled at the ruckus this has caused.

    There is no appropriate time! Scales are big fat liars.
  • LiveEatLift
    LiveEatLift Posts: 18
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    your calories sound somewhat okay. but what are you actually eating is what makes the big difference. what's a typical day like for u ? seeing a lot of negative feedback... lol you can message me if u want and we can talk and troubleshoot! :) btw i started this accountability group on facebook so we can help eachother out throughout the year ! :) feel free to send a request to join!

    [link removed by mod]
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,411 MFP Moderator
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    good grief. I don't think some of yal are getting what I'm saying!!!
    Yes, LOVE the inches lost. I was so happy to see that.

    Yes, I was still bummed that I had gained.

    All I asked in my original post was an approximate time when the scale should be moving if I keep following all the MFP guidelines.
    That's all, I don't understand how anyone can get out of this that I'm starving myself, obsessed with my weight, or unhappy with my inches lost...


    completely baffled at the ruckus this has caused.

    Unfortunately, people only partially read before they respond. So they might have not seen all your post. You just have to blow it off and evaluate the advice of others.
  • blutz
    blutz Posts: 7 Member
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    Are you doing the same workout routine as before the Holidays? Your body may have become accustomed to this and you need to do something different. I don't know what kind of exercising you're doing but if you are strength training - add more weights or add more reps. If you are running or doing anything cardio - add more minutes. Or try something all new - if you have never done Zumba, for instance, start doing that. Or Crossfit, or get one of Jillian's DVDs. Just try something different. When you do the same routine, you put in less effort because you know what's coming next and you just don't put out the same effort thus burning less calories. All of the industry experts recommend shocking your body by doing something different. GoodLuck!!:smile:
  • KenosFeoh
    KenosFeoh Posts: 1,837 Member
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    I don't agree that you're starving yourself. It sounds like good things are happening, so I would say keep doing what you're doing for another 2-3 weeks and reevaluate then.
  • NZhellkat
    NZhellkat Posts: 355 Member
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    Muscle takes up less space than fat. The more muscle you have, the more calories they burn. Every time you improve your lean body mass is a victory. You didn't put the weight on in just a week and you said you have lost inches so why allow yourself to be frustrated because the scale won't move? The last time I weighed myself was back on November 20th last year. I don't own scales but I do have a measuring tape.
    Change up her exercise routines and see if that helps. But yeah, you do have to eat so that you can fuel your body so that you have the energy to exercise and lose those pesky pounds. I've upped my calories once since I joined and I'm going to do it again at the end of the month. I've shed around 50 so far and want to do another 50 lbs. I've changed up my exercise to include more weights. So now it's going to be the food, again.
  • Rg2324
    Rg2324 Posts: 15 Member
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    I get what you are saying, but don't worry. If you are exercising, you are burning fat and building muscle. Muscle weighs more than fat, so the scale reflects that. It is lean muscle and at some point the lbs will drop off, probably all at once. Just keep doing what you are doing and you will see!
  • vim_n_vigor
    vim_n_vigor Posts: 4,089 Member
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    What if-

    you never lost another pound, but got down to whatever size you ultimately want to be?
    you lost all the pounds you want to get to your ideal weight, but your body stayed the size it is?

    I'd rather see the inches go.

    Some people will go long periods of time waiting for the scale to change while their measurements change drastically (think months here, not weeks). The closer you are to goal weight, the more likely this is to happen. There are many ways to make progress.
  • hillm12345
    hillm12345 Posts: 313 Member
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    What works for you may not work for me. There is no black and white in weight loss.

    You said it best yourself.. and obviously what you are doing is NOT working for you. If you don't like the advice of the thread, then take your own advice. :flowerforyou:
  • chubbygirl253
    chubbygirl253 Posts: 1,309 Member
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    If you are losing inches the scale will catch up. Keep doing what you are doing and try to be patient. Remember, people dont see the number on the scale, they see how you look in your clothes. And the scale will eventually catch up, you dont hear of thin and slender hot looking people that step on the scale and they weigh a ton. No.

    At first my weightloss was quick and then I incorporated more fitness and my scale started being a jerk. I felt my body slimming down but the scale didn't move. But the end of the month I did my measurements as usual and I had lost 17.5 inches from all over my body that month. All in all, I'd rather lose the inches!
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,867 Member
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    measurements are a far better measurement of success than the number on the scale. These include the inches as well as BF%. There are a lot of people around who've achieved their goal weight, but they're still at a relatively high BF%...it's not until they gt the BF% down and increase their lean muscle mass that they really look rockin'...and this usually means they'll actually be a bit heavier than their original goal weight.

    As an example, my goal weight is 180Lbs losing fat (which would put me at a healthy BMI)...once that goal is reached, my next goal will be to put about 10Lbs of muscle on while simultaneously burning the fat which will put me in the 185-190 Lb range, but my BF% will be significantly lower and I will be more muscular. Muscle weighs more than fat.
  • ChristyShivers
    ChristyShivers Posts: 5
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    Scales are not always the best indicator of a healthy lifestyle. A good tool, yes; but not the tell-all. A healthy lifestyle consists of eating healthy and exercising. Another key factor is getting enough sleep. Small changes to your habits will lend results. Keep in mind that as you begin to build muscle via exercise, your scales will actually go up rather than down. Don't lose the inspiration. Focus on the extra energy you now have from keeping up a healthier exercise regimen. Ultimately, you will want to move to 5 or 6 small meals a day to keep your metabolism going. Healthier choices (think the exterior portion of your supermaket) like fresh fruits and vegetables (be mindful of not too many fruits because of the natural sugar content) and lean proteins and nuts. And don't forget about water. Drinking plenty of water is a must for a healthy body. Cardio activity 3-5 days a week for 45 minutes to an hour is good. Choose what you like and find friends that like it too to add an accountability factor. Once you have the wiser food choices in place and the cardio, grab a couple of free weights and start adding a little tone and definition (you can google Women's Health Toning or Men's Health to get a few good exercise ideas). As you begin to add muscle you will also start to burn more calories (even while you sleep!). Your goals are attainable and can be acheived. It will take time and commitment but it will not consume all of your time. I encourage you to make small changes one at a time as to not get overwhelmed so that you can acheive short-term goals. This will lead you up to your overall goal with success along the way. Weight loss and a healthier lifestyle can be acheived and YOU can do it! Good luck & don't give up!
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,411 MFP Moderator
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    Muscle takes up less space than fat. The more muscle you have, the more calories they burn. Every time you improve your lean body mass is a victory. You didn't put the weight on in just a week and you said you have lost inches so why allow yourself to be frustrated because the scale won't move? The last time I weighed myself was back on November 20th last year. I don't own scales but I do have a measuring tape.
    Change up her exercise routines and see if that helps. But yeah, you do have to eat so that you can fuel your body so that you have the energy to exercise and lose those pesky pounds. I've upped my calories once since I joined and I'm going to do it again at the end of the month. I've shed around 50 so far and want to do another 50 lbs. I've changed up my exercise to include more weights. So now it's going to be the food, again.

    And I can tell you there is about zero chance of here increasing her lean body mass. It's practically impossible to gain muscle on a calorie deficit.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,867 Member
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    Also, a couple of pounds could easily be water retention. I can fluxuate a couple of pounds easily in a given day just with water. If I weight myself the day after I've had a big sodium day, I'm always 1-2 Lbs heavier on the scale than I truly am. If you've just started workingout again, that can also cause water retention.

    If you're losing inches but the scale number is up, you can be assured that it isn't weight from fat.
  • sylvabelle89
    sylvabelle89 Posts: 61 Member
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    See these last several comments are EXACTLY what I needed to hear. No question that you few are genuinely trying to help me, not tear me down for how I'm currently doing things.

    Thank you very much for giving me some insightful information that will ultimately benefit me. :)
  • RunDoozer
    RunDoozer Posts: 1,699 Member
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    First of attacking people is rude and unnecessary. They are just trying to give you legitimate advice and just because you don't like it doesn't mean they're wrong.

    Anyways, You said you are eating between between 1200 and 1600 calories that is a huge gap inbetween the two. You need to figure out how much you should really be eating and stick to it otherwise you probably won't get the weightloss youre looking for. You need to figure out your BMR (Basal metabolic rate) which is the calories that your body needs to survive. Eat below this and you probably won't lose weight. I'm willing to bet that the weight you did lose is water weight not fat. As far as you being full that has no bearing on how your body reacts to the number of calories you are taking in. I can eat one meal a day and not feel like I need to eat for the rest of the day, but it is bad for me and it sounds like you're doing the same thing. The other thing you need to calculate is your TDEE ( Total Daily Energy Expenditure) this is the amount of calories you typically burn in a day. To lose weight you need to eat somewhere between your TDEE and BMR. The typical amount is TDEE- 20%.

    A lot of people have lost weight this way and I believe it's the healthy way to do it.

    You can find the calculators for both here.
    http://www.fat2fitradio.com/tools/bmr/

    When you use this take the calories at the bottom based on your activity level and multiply it by .8
    That will give you your TDEE.
    It will probably be higher than you thought you should be eating but that's what your body needs
  • LaDonnaF
    LaDonnaF Posts: 53 Member
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    Girlfriend,

    We know it is frustrating. The HEALTHY way to lose weight is often not the fastest. You are doing an AMAZING job already and it's only been a short while since you started back on this health and fitness train ;-)

    Keep up what you're doing. I would recommend you weigh in 1-2 times a month, same time everytime... after you've used the facilities and before you put anything in your mouth. Take measurements. Take pictures.

    Please do not eat 1200 calories a day. MFP is customizable so if you haven't already figure out your Total Daily Energy Estimate (iifym.com) and then subtract 15-20% of that for weightloss. Refer back to your numbers (and weigh in) in 4-6weeks. If nothing has changed (this doesn't include losing inches and/or going up in weight) revisit your situation... if you've been hungry or lacking in energy I'd say eat more.

    You're right... everyone's body is different... but the general formula isn't... less calories in=weightloss. However, if you're eating TOO few calories... that does not equal weightloss. Lol.

    Try to get in a positive mindset about eating and exercising... otherwise you'll lose motivation.

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