Basically the Same Weight After a Month

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  • lpina2mi
    lpina2mi Posts: 425 Member
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    This kind of stuckness is frustrating and confusing. I believe everything you have put forth and I believe that your diet has been improved and within healthy realms in content and Kcal. I cannot tell you how to fix your stuckness, but I can point you to some resources that may have answers for you.

    #1 Set up a consultation with a nutrition/health professional of your choice to tweek the parts of your diet so that your body responds as logically as it did in the beginning. The kinds of things that could make a difference are ratios of carbs-proteins-fats. For example, for me eating more fats (good fats) than the standard ratios makes things work better. Also, rooting out hidden sugars or excess sugars so that your carb ratio is mostly made of carbs (vegetable, legume, grain) that are work best in your body. This professional could even suggest supplements for different transition points in your diet (not diet aids). For example, if you are working on reducing sugars there are herbs that either have a naturally sweet taste or may assist in levelling out insulin release.

    #2 Cruise through the Community Msg Brds and Blogs. There is a lot of experience out there by people who have shared information about what worked for them. Many things can affect fat retention: sleep, hydration, meal-timing, exercise-timing, and more.

    Be Persistent! You will find your missing piece.
  • RougeIllusion
    RougeIllusion Posts: 59 Member
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    Your ticker says you've lost fifteen pounds....how much weight were you expecting to lose in a month? Even if you started at 245 and then were 237 at the end of the month that's 8 pounds...so about 2 a week which is healthy....you have to be realistic with what you're gonna lose a month, with that said 8 pounds is a good loss.
  • laylaness
    laylaness Posts: 262 Member
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    Search for In Place of a Road Map in the forums. Member Helloitsdan started it and it's fantastic. I've started following it and broke a 2-month plateau. I'm losing about a pound a week now.
  • EmmaR25
    EmmaR25 Posts: 33 Member
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    15lbs in 5/6 weeks is pretty good going once you average it out.

    My suggestion to you.....put away the scales, don't weigh yourself everyday and analyse the numbers. If you are making the right choices and exercising you WILL lose weight you've just got to keep chipping away. The scales will catch up with the healthy choices.

    Weigh and log everything that passes your lips.

    Maybe open up your diary so we can make some more suggestions.

    You've done so well you should be proud.....just keep of the scales :)
  • Baloostika
    Baloostika Posts: 203 Member
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    It's so frustrating, I can imagine how u feel. I have been on a months fasting and prayer session and after a month am still the same weight that I was before I started the fast. The fast was not for weightloss but for spiritual growth but u would think one will lose a lot fasting. Weightloss is a very complex issue, some find it easy to lose with minimal effort and others don't. Just keep at it, the weight will eventually come off you. Good luck
  • lambchristie
    lambchristie Posts: 552 Member
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    I started MFP on New Years and have since never gone over my calorie goal (1220). I even bought a FitBit to keep precise track of how much exercise I am actually getting and adjusting my calories for that.

    I used to sit around all day long at a desk job, and play video games/watch Netflix when I got home. I ate fast food every single day and was supremely unhealthy. Now I eat a very healthy diet (with all the nutrients i need, etc), walk 10k steps a day and do various exercises like squats to make walking easier. (I plan to eventually do more, but jumping and running physically hurt right now. I am working up to that.)

    Anyway, I started out weighing 245 and I have been fluctuation between 232-237 since the first week. It's been a solid 4 weeks since I lost the first 10lbs, and I seem to gain weight every time I look at the scale.

    I became very down about it last night, and I really need to know what I'm doing wrong. I'm so dedicated to this change of life, and it kills me that despite my huge effort to lose weight, nothing has happened.

    Has anyone else experienced this? It can't possibly be a plateau this early in the game, and if it's the whole "muscle weighs more than fat" thing, I don't buy it. Not after a month. Shouldn't I be seeing a change in weight, despite muscle gain, after this long?

    Thanks for your help guys! <3

    P.S. Just checked to be sure: My waist, chest and arms are the same size they were when I first started. My legs are bigger (muscle I assume). If it weren't for how good I feel now, I'd think I was imagining the diet and exercise, lol.

    First, never give up! We've all been there and yet here we are moving forward in our goals.

    One thing that helped me and I started a new lifestyle of eating right and exercising late Oct. 2011; was changing what I eat and when I ate it. For instance I try not to eat (starcy) carbs in the evening. If I want pasta or potato I eat them for breakfast, yes breakfast!

    It sounds like you are doing moderate walking if you walk 5 miles a day and only burning around what 300-500 calories? Perhaps its time to step it up a notch or two in that area. Three half months ago when I started at the gym I couldn't do 50% of what others much heavier than I were doing. I was very out of shape. My body wanted to rebel. I wouldn't let it and I push through it and moved forward. I am happy to say that I can now keep up (for the most part) with most of them. I still can't do a few things but in time I will. I am lucky that I go to a gym, privately owned, and met a great group of people who are all working towards the same goal. We have a personal trainer that works with us 3xs a week in our group and some of us come in on the other two days and work together. In one hour of non-stop fun exercise we burn over 600-700-even 800+ calories. It hurts durning the hour, but once its over we are all grateful we came.

    Keep going,
    LouAnn
    PS Always remember, and never forget, this weight didn't come on over night and it won't go away over night. Hang in there you can do this! :flowerforyou:
  • IryshWhiskey
    IryshWhiskey Posts: 20 Member
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    Thank you guys so much! To be honest I was cringing at the thought of posting my question because sometimes forums can be cruel.

    You have all been so helpful and supportive. I feel a lot better about it all now. <3
  • farway
    farway Posts: 1,264 Member
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    Ok, I am new here...what is TDEE?:ohwell:

    Total Daily Energy Expenditure

    The calories you use by just living & doing things in your normal day, varies according to gender, weight, activity, [are you a manual labourer or call centre clerk for instance?]

    You will find many sites to help calculate this
  • DOit207
    DOit207 Posts: 7
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    Sounds like you have done pretty well in your first month! Maybe try changing up your workout routine a little. My trainer used to tell me to change it up every 4-6 weeks. Try changing the intensity....up it a little and shorten the time. Change the exercises you do. See if that helps a little. Keep the faith! You have already lost! (pounds, that is) It usually does come off a little slower after the initial change in diet & exercise. At least, that has always been my experience!
  • Rhonnie
    Rhonnie Posts: 506 Member
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    I was in a similar boat until this week - I upped my calories this week from 1200 (plus majority of exercise calories) to 1550 (and not eating my exercise calories, although upping it a couple hundred calories on days I burned an insane amount which I sometimes do when I play 2 soccer games back to back) and lost 5 lbs! 1220 seems like way to few of calories.

    Don't get discouraged, you've done the hard work, its just a matter of little tweaks now! You don't fail until you quit!
  • jenilla1
    jenilla1 Posts: 11,118 Member
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    Are you measuring and weighing everything? When I first started I was guesstimating a lot and going over by hundreds calories without realizing it. Also, double-check the food entries in the database - many of them are dead wrong.

    Also, serving sizes on packaging can be a bit off, too. Go by weight if you can. For example, this morning I had Pumpkin Flax Granola. A serving size is 56 grams or 3/4 cup. When I measured it out, 56 grams was only 1/2 a cup. If I'd eaten the full 3/4 of a cup (instead of weighing it) I would have eaten an extra 115 calories from breakfast alone...I wonder how often this happens throughout the day...

    Just something to think about!
  • Mandini31
    Mandini31 Posts: 14
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    To Phildawson75:

    you can't eat only eat crap food below your calories and lose weight?? So I can eat only hershey bars for the rest of my life below my calorie count and still lose weight? I don't think so and you will never convince me of that.
  • mwownbey
    mwownbey Posts: 43
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    Irysh - I feel the same way you do. I started first week of January on MTF and started a 6 week fitness class (4 days a week they kick my butt with cardio and strengh). I went from doing nothing and eating what I wanted to eating healthy, exercising and I am drinking 9-12 glasses of water a day. I feel like I should be down 10 lbs or so after all the changes, but as you can see from my ticker I haven't lost much. I do feel better but want to see progress on the scale. I am sticking with it because our instructor said that it would take 4-5 weeks for our bodies to adjust so hoping this coming week will be the magic week when my body decides it is ready for change.

    I am going to check on the "In Place of a Road Map" and see what that is about. I am always under in my calories so it just seems like with all the positive changes I should be seeing more change!! I haven't lost any inches either which is frustrating!!!!

    Good Luck and I hope you find the right combo for you!!!!! Just don't give up!!!!
  • mizz_pris
    mizz_pris Posts: 8 Member
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    I was on the same boat at i got stuck at 247 for 4 months and just recently i went down to a 240.

    at the beginning of January I started to things different. What i did different was that I wasnt eating breakfast instead i was having a protein shake. I drink a water bottle before I eat any of my meals, I eplaced the shakes for an oatmeal or cereal you know something sensible and i started snacking 2 hours after my meals, because I wasnt snacking at all. I do 300 calories for breakfast, 200 caloires for snack, 300 for lunch, 200 for snack and 300 for dinner, if after dinner i get hungry i eat 200 calories snack. I try to make sure that what I eat has at least 10g of protein because protein keeps me full for a longer time. I Added alot of water 10 cups a day. I cut down my caffeine intake I was drinking 5 cups of coffee and 2 sodas. I only have 1-2 cups of coffee and i limit myself to one diet soda a day, but sometimes i dont even drink soda. I work out 3 times a week, i do Zumba for 40 minutes and I burn like 500 calories. I work out like an hour after dinner. I also added fiber which has been helping to get rid of my food if you know what I mean ;) because that adds food weight.

    Dont weigh yourself every day at least once a week is okay.

    After doing this i've managed to loose pounds :)

    I hope this helps, i know its so frustrating, i was working out everyday, I was told that my body is probably used to whatever I was doing and that I should just work out every other day and let my metabolism catch up. I guess i just needed to break my body from the same routine and change it up so my body is probably like "what the heck is she doing this is different" lol

    Just dont let it get to you I know its hard but the more you worry about it the harder and frustrating its going to get. trust me I KNOW!!
  • alanlmarshall
    alanlmarshall Posts: 587 Member
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    First, you can take comfort that you will not be the first person in history to defy the laws of physics and not lose weight eating less and exercising more. It will happen. :smile:

    Second, it's not true that you are not losing weight because you are eating too few calories. (see laws of physics previously mentioned above.) BUT, it is true that you are not *permanently* losing fat because you are eating too few calories. Fat lost fast tends to come back fast. Change to 1 pound or 1/2 pound a week.

    Third, be patient. A month's fat loss can't really be acurrately measured. My guess is either you have lost fat and you can't measure it yet or you have inadvertantly underestimated your calories. If it's the later that's probably a good thing since you really shouldn't starve yourself on 1220 calories a day anyway.

    Best wishes to you.
  • Mandini31
    Mandini31 Posts: 14
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    Wed 02/06/13 03:21 PM


    QUOTE:


    (possible starvation mode?). I have a problem with "white" carbs.

    nothing to do with starvation mode, this is probably the worst spread myth on MFP caused by lots of misguided people reading and regurgitating the same bullsh.it.


    Just found this for you Irysh:

    Don't Cut Out Too Many Calories
    While cutting and burning calories is an important part of weight loss, there are some dangers in cutting too many calories out of your diet. Calories are a measure of energy; the more calories you have in your body, the more energy you have to burn. MSN Health warns that any diet in which less than 800 calories a day are consumed can be a problem, as it puts your body into "starvation mode."

    This is the reason that so many dieters hit a plateau while dieting; if your body thinks you are starving, it won't burn fat. To the contrary, a body that thinks it is starving will conserve calories and energy, making it difficult for you to lose weight. Instead of cutting your caloric intake dangerously low, eat the right kinds of foods and do plenty of exercise to create the deficit you need to lose weight.



    Read more: http://www.livestrong.com/article/280376-can-i-consume-2000-calories-a-day-lose-weight/#ixzz2K9wz3cWv
  • Faded_Memories
    Faded_Memories Posts: 37
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    I'm pretty new at all this but you mentioned being able to eat extra calories because of your exercise. I'd reccomend not eating those extra calories, and not going by what MFP says when you enter in 'walking' and the amount of calories you burn. I went to the gym Sunday for the first time...was on the stationary bike for 20 mins. The bike said I burned 150 cals, then MFP says that's only 11 minutes on the bike. I felt gipped haha!

    PS I love Zelda!
  • Gerald_King
    Gerald_King Posts: 2,031 Member
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    When you start a new exercise program your body retains water to help your muscles heal the micro tears from exercising , you can actually gain a few pounds ,it usually last about 2 or 3 weeks hope this helps
  • hannahthesoundgirl
    hannahthesoundgirl Posts: 15 Member
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    You're in basically the same boat as I'm in, as far as weight goes. What I've found has worked for me is spacing my meals out throughout the day. I eat breakfast, snack, lunch, snack, dinner every day. It keeps my metabolism up and running and actually helps a lot. I eat about 1600 calories a day, plus more if I exercise. I work at a desk job, so I don't do a ton during the day unless I work out. I've done some reading on how to test your metabolism. You can check your temperature early in the morning, it should be as close to 98.6 as possible. When I first started all of this, mine was 95! So, I've started eating more, snacking, eating less sugar, etc, and now my temps are up to 97 and I'm losing weight. So, that might be something that would help you.
  • UnderCoverShyGirl
    UnderCoverShyGirl Posts: 254 Member
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    I'm one of those the weight seems to stick to (even though i've now lost 106 lbs!!). Basically it seems that i'll lose like crazy for a week and sometimes too, and then the scale doesn't budge for a good month, sometimes two...then all of a sudden i shed 10 lbs in a week type of thing. I don't know why our bodies differ like this, but i guess they do.

    I find that sometimes eating a day where i am over calories, seems to kick off the weight loss....so maybe it is a matter of just sticking to it for a few months, understanding your body, and then if things don't move in the right direction, either up your cals or increase your exercise, or something to see if it makes a difference.

    In the end, it's not what we lose/don't lose in a month, it's over the course of time. In a year, if you are where you want to be (or however long that takes), this won't matter a bit.

    But i hear ya...soooo hard to deal with!!!

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