What the heck am I doing wrong?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!

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13

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  • chellebublz
    chellebublz Posts: 568 Member
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    TDEE-20 would be that you should be eating 20% below your TDEE to lose weight. So your calorie goal would be approximately 2000 calories give or a take a few. I've found with what MFP gives ME that if I were to eat back my exercise calories, it would be the same as my TDEE-20

    BMR=how much calories it would take for doctors to sustain your body if you were in a coma
    TDEE=how much calories you should eat to maintain current weight
    TDEE-20=how much calories you should eat to lose weight at a safe rate
  • alpine1994
    alpine1994 Posts: 1,915 Member
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    Add me to the chorus of voices suggesting you calculate BMR and set your net calorie goal to AT LEAST to that amount.

    Try it.

    No, really.

    Take the leap and try it for awhile.

    I think you'll be glad you did.

    This, plus be patient. It's not a race.
  • hubtech
    hubtech Posts: 43 Member
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    Also - an alternative to eating more is exercising less :smile:
  • Vain_Witch
    Vain_Witch Posts: 476 Member
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    I ran the TDEE at if I were sedentary (hey, we all have those days ocassionally! lol) It said 1,757. So, basically, I need to stay around 1,400 calories per day and just eat back my exercise calories but make sure I don't go over approximately 2,000?

    I think I get it...

    I'm a little nauseous at the thought of all that food...but I'll do whatever I have to do to drop this weight!

    As for the sugars, what fruits have less sugar? Most of my sugars are coming from blueberries. I was basically told you can never eat too many blueberries. Which is great if it's true, because it's where I've really pushed my sweet tooth tendencies! lol
  • IronPlayground
    IronPlayground Posts: 1,594 Member
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    I ran the TDEE at if I were sedentary (hey, we all have those days ocassionally! lol) It said 1,757. So, basically, I need to stay around 1,400 calories per day and just eat back my exercise calories but make sure I don't go over approximately 2,000?

    I think I get it...

    I'm a little nauseous at the thought of all that food...but I'll do whatever I have to do to drop this weight!

    As for the sugars, what fruits have less sugar? Most of my sugars are coming from blueberries. I was basically told you can never eat too many blueberries. Which is great if it's true, because it's where I've really pushed my sweet tooth tendencies! lol

    I wouldn't run it at sedentary. You workout too much for that. Run it at lightly active.

    There are several ways to up calories without adding a ton of food. I noticed you eat apples regularly for your snacks. Add a serving of peanut butter with it. Cook with olive oil and butter. Little changes can add a few hundred calories.
  • iAMsmiling
    iAMsmiling Posts: 2,394 Member
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    I ran the TDEE at if I were sedentary (hey, we all have those days ocassionally! lol) It said 1,757. So, basically, I need to stay around 1,400 calories per day and just eat back my exercise calories but make sure I don't go over approximately 2,000?

    I think I get it...

    I'm a little nauseous at the thought of all that food...but I'll do whatever I have to do to drop this weight!

    As for the sugars, what fruits have less sugar? Most of my sugars are coming from blueberries. I was basically told you can never eat too many blueberries. Which is great if it's true, because it's where I've really pushed my sweet tooth tendencies! lol

    No reason to avoid sugars except as necessary to keep under your calorie numbers while leaving enough room for food to keep you satisfied.
  • 2credneck208
    2credneck208 Posts: 501 Member
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    I was on a 1200 cal plan and lost at first. Then I got stuck and figured out my BMR. I raised my calories to 1500 a week ago and lost 4 pounds. I have been drinking 100+ oz of water a day too. I would raise your cals if I were you.
  • jamers3111
    jamers3111 Posts: 495 Member
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    Ask your doctor to refer you to a Registered Dietitian. Most doctors receive well under the recommended 25 hours of nutrition education. You need to be speaking to a specialist.

    ^This. If you doctor just recommended the 1200 cals because you said you wanted to lose weight then try upping the cals. I used to eat 1200 but saw no change. Three weeks ago I upped my cals to 1400 and have noticed a great change in my body! I have soooo much more energy, too. If you're having a tough time eating 1400 cals than either a) eat high cal foods (eggs, avocado, olive oil, nuts) or b) excerise 5 times a week instead of 7. Try this for 2-3 weeks and see if you see a change.

    **If you doctor put you on the diet for health reasons other than losing weight, then listen to that advice. Good luck :)
  • BellaReady
    BellaReady Posts: 11 Member
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    Just looked at a couple of your diary days - I'm someone who knows that excess fat consumption is "better" for me than sugar i.e. if I go over on fat I stil l lose (good fat) but sugar is leathal.. I still get my 5+ a day but I do try and avoid huge quantities of fruit.. Might be worth trying to reduce your sugar for a few days and see if it makes a difference..
  • wannatangle
    wannatangle Posts: 80 Member
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    I lost weight doing South Beach. Went to counting calories on January 15th and started to gain weight after a few days. Gained back almost all I lost. I upped my calories from 1200 to 1400 and I have been losing slowly but steadily since I started eating the 1400 calories. I have been going over a few calories but have not been eating my exercise calories back, and I have been exercising about an hour five-ish times a week.
  • airangel55
    airangel55 Posts: 14 Member
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    I'm with you. I feel your frustration because I am there as well. However I know that what others are saying is most likely true. Even for me. Meaning...Doctors are practicioners heavy on the workd PRACTICE. Two months is not being impatient in my opinion but have you taken your before and after measurements. I have officially lost 7.5 inches over all since I started Jan2 and I am yo yo ing between 3-4 lbs weight loss. 1000 calorie intake seems way to little for someone who is working out daily for that matter just living.

    I once gaine 25lbs because I wasn't eating enough. REALLY! I joine WW and they told me to eat 5 times a day. Not candy bars of course but there were complexed carbs..regular simple carbs...and healthy fats in my meals. I lost 35 lbs doing this.

    I would talk with some other nutritionists about what your calorie intake really should be.
  • LorinaLynn
    LorinaLynn Posts: 13,247 Member
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    For the past few weeks I've been completely plateaued!
    <snip>
    For the past few weeks, I've been going to the gym EVERY DAY and sometimes even TWICE a day! And, honestly, the exercise seems to be what stopped the weight loss....which doesn't make ANY sense!

    When you start an exercise program, it's normal to hold onto water weight to help muscles repair. That can mask weight loss. It's normal and temporary.

    And if you're going twice a day, you might be overtraining, too.
  • Lalouse
    Lalouse Posts: 221 Member
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    It's this diet doctor that my friends have all gone to...and they've all successfully lost TONS of weight! One lost 80, one lost 50, and I'm not sure about the other...

    To be fair, I have less to lose than they did. I'm down to needing to lose between 20 and 40 pounds (20 will get me into the healthy range...40 will put me closer to the bottom of my healthy range...)

    For the first month, I wasn't allowed to eat anything except fish/meat, non-starchy vegetables and 2 servings of fruit per day. I lost 18 1/2 pounds that first month. Since then I keep losing and gaining another 2 pounds and I seem to be stuck around 20 pounds of weight loss. (The rest on my ticker was from before I started this diet).

    Do you think it's normal to lose 18 pounds in one month. It's not.. and I wouldn't be suprised if it all came back on. You need to be geared towards a lifestyle change, not a diet. You need to make long term plans, not short term ones. If you want to lose the weight and keep it off, you need to see a registered dietician, not a "diet doctor".
  • Pipil503
    Pipil503 Posts: 56 Member
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    It sounds to me like you may be in the "fit" stage level. If your are just trying to look lean and slightly ripped it will be harder to lose that extra bit of body fat. You will have to trick your body into losing it.

    Try upping your caloric intake to 1200-1500 with Protein/Carbs/Fat in that order of most to least. Incorporate a supplementation of Fish Oils for Omega 3 & 6, also add a mutlivitamin if you haven't done so already. Such low caloric levels mean your losing out on some essential minerals and such.

    Then since you're not hungry much use the Intermittent Fasting approach, whereby you intake your calories in an 8 hour window; essentially fasting for 16. What I am doing now is eating between 12:00-20:00 so I can still have supper with family/friends etc (I also supplement with protein shakes because I can't afford 2 steak dinners daily). Try to do your exercising in the morning while you are fasted. I use a BCAA supplement (14g pre and post workout) to counter any muscle loss. Training while fasted will make the body attack fat cell calories more than food calories if you've been training at the end of the day. Drinking water is highly recommended during the fast, and coffee WITHOUT whitener or sugars (sweeteners) may help give you that push.

    Try it if you like.

    Here's some info for you to read more...

    http://www.leangains.com/2010/04/leangains-guide.html
  • joslin2005
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    Have you measured inches??? Also, are you doing strength training? Are you sore? If your sore, then you tore muscle. If you tore muscle, your muscles will have retain fluid to repair the muscle. If your strength training, you should be building muscle. Muscle weighs more than fat but takes up less space.

    Also, if your stressing about it, this will only make matters worse. If I am stressed, my body will not lose weight no matter what I do.

    How does your water intake look? If your not drinking enough water, your body will retain fluids.
  • Vain_Witch
    Vain_Witch Posts: 476 Member
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    I know that 18 pounds in a month isn't normal. I also know that the first 8 pounds was in the first week and was mostly water weight because I gave up all liquids except water and I dropped my sodium intake DRASTICALLY. As for the other 10 pounds...I don't think 10 pounds in 3 weeks is really that abnormal when you start a new weight loss regime.

    Most of my workout is cardio. I joined a new gym and the equipment looks completely foriegn to me for some reason! lol

    As for the stress...that could be a problem...I'm a single working mom with more on my plate than I can handle most of the time. I think it's why I've become addicted to cardio...it's a mindless hour or two a day when I can forget my problems for a little bit!

    I'm doing A LOT better with my water intake since starting this diet...I've never been a drinker of really anything...even sodas, which I loved, would get thrown away half full at the end of the day. So, I've been extremely conscious of taking in more water...that being said, I still have a REALLY hard time drinking more than 4 to 5 glasses a day...
  • sannsk
    sannsk Posts: 203 Member
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    For the first month, I wasn't allowed to eat anything except fish/meat, non-starchy vegetables and 2 servings of fruit per day.

    ...

    I can't have anything dairy, I can't have eggs, etc.

    ...

    in moderation...like a serving of carrots once a week...

    ...

    a small serving of brown rice once a week...half a sweet potato...)

    ...

    A diet that doensn't allow you to eat this, that, and that, is generally not what you want if you want a long-term solution. a serving of carrots once a week??
    You lost some weight the first month, but my guess is, as you already pointed out, it was mostly water weight. If you want to lose body weight, eat more, eat healthy, eat everything you want, and eat untill you reach -20% of your TDEE.

    Try to get as much protein in as you can
    Try to get as much water in as you can
    Don't over-exercise :-)
  • lmh2013
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    I totally sympathize with you!! I am in the same boat! The first week I dropped like 4- 5 lbs, then a lb or 2 since, but have stayed between 171 and 173 for the last 2 weeks. I workout 5 times/wk, and have , for the most part, stayed below my calories, which I thought would increase my weight loss! It is definitely frustrating! From the responses you have gotten, it does appear that we are just not eating enough. Let's take everyone's advice and see where we are in a few weeks! WE CAN DO THIS :smile:
  • da_bears10089
    da_bears10089 Posts: 1,791 Member
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    My opinion, doctor's aren't qualified to give nutritional advice. You should see an nutritionist if you are going to rely on someone else's opinion. The problem with having such a low calorie intake is eventually you will get sick of only being able to eat 1000 calories a day, and you are going to give in one day, then it will turn into two days... and then there goes the whole diet. i've seen it happen so many times, and i've done it also.
  • darkangeljanie
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    Your weight has plateaued because your not eating enough calories and your metabolism is in starvation mode, so your body is clinging onto anything you eat. A better idea would be to increase your calorie intake to 1400 calories. You might be thinking you need to reduce your calorie intake even further, no, stop! Increase those calories. I read an article the other day about a woman who was obese and was convinced her weight had nothing to do with her diet because during the week she ate hardly any calories, well this was true but she'd binge at the weekend, her body was in starvation mode, so when she had those binge days her body would just hold the calories.