Frustrated

Options
Hi
I am a 26 year old female, 5'6" and started at a weight of 237lbs. I have been eating 1200 calories a day for 5 weeks and doing a couple of hours of walking as well. I was losing weight pretty quickly and am now down to 214. For the last 5 days I have not lost an ounce and am starting to get concerned. Am I doing something wrong? Is my body just tried of losing weight after the initial weight loss? I have been trying to get the weight off for years and have always given up when the scale numbers refused to go down. I am worried that my motivation will go down if I don't see the numbers go down. Any tips/advise?

9652440.png
Created by MyFitnessPal.com - Nutrition Facts For Foods
«1

Replies

  • Gunsentry
    Gunsentry Posts: 121 Member
    Options
    Give it time, if you are keeping to your deficit the pounds will come off.

    Takes a week to loose 1lb, you stated its been 5 days.

    But congrats on the loss so far just stick with it.
  • blood6338
    blood6338 Posts: 90 Member
    Options
    You've just hit a plateau. Keep doing what you are doing and you will break thru it. I went for the first two weeks of the new year stuck within a pound either direction of 265 but I kept doing my workouts and trying to eat right and I'm now at 254 so you'll break thru it. Just don't give up. Plateaus happen...it's just nature. That's one reason people recommend against weighing daily. Not that I follow that recommendation myself mind you. :)
  • tarasheehan1
    Options
    Great job so far! Up your calorie intake, and eat small portions throughout the day. Switch your exercise to something more difficult than walking (try to jog a few minutes and then walk a few minutes)

    The weight you were loosing at the beginning is probably your water weight! Don't get discouraged!
  • steflbrown
    Options
    Maybe try to change up your routine a little bit. Add a little more exercise or change when you eat the most of your calories.
  • aprilelayne
    aprilelayne Posts: 41 Member
    Options
    You are doing AWESOME!?!
    23lbs in only five weeks? that's an average of over 4.5lbs. You are doing something right! Be patient and keep it up.

    Women especially have have hormonal fluctuations that can screw up your scale numbers, so pay no mind to the day to day changes but overall the month, see where you are at the end of February, or next Friday to gauge yourself.

    But do not diminish what you've done already! 23lbs is a great change!
  • da_bears10089
    da_bears10089 Posts: 1,791 Member
    Options
    I would gradually start upping your calories. Also, i would start taking measurements instead of relying on your scale to measure progress. the scale can be a deceiving little *kitten*.
  • gallingers06
    gallingers06 Posts: 43 Member
    Options
    Fear not! There is also a measure of losing fat and gaining muscle. Just keep doing what you are doing. Your body will adjust and keep showing smaller numbers. Oh, and try measuring instead. It is a much more accurate show of becoming healthy. You are doing a great job this far. Don't let this get you down!
  • losingweightatl
    Options
    Could be a number of reasons:

    Too few calories.
    Gaining muscle weight and losing fat deposits.
    That time of the month (period)



    For me I might not lose an ounce for 5 or 6 days then BAM on day 7 I dropped 3 or more pounds.
  • megsmom2
    megsmom2 Posts: 2,362 Member
    Options
    Losing weight isn't predictable and linear. Change your way of thinking about it or you'll drive yourself crazy! Its a cliche but its true...this isn't a sprint. Its a marathon. Hang in there!
  • sortegon87
    Options
    DON'T GIVE UP!
    I'm in the same boat as you. I'm also a 26 year old female and have hit a plateau. My initial weightless started after I had my daughter. For me weight loss is a slow and painful process. 10 pounds down steady for a few weeks 5 pounds down steady for a few weeks. Remember the tortious and the hair slow and steady wins the race. There is no better way to take it off than to do it slowly so that your body and mind become used to the new lifestyle you are living. Go with what the others said switching up your routine with jogging for short bursts, maybe purchase a jump rope and it in to your fitness plan. And remember water is a must- stick to it girl YOU CAN DO IT!
  • missprincessgina
    missprincessgina Posts: 446 Member
    Options
    Good job on the weight loss so far. Maybe add in some new exercises: videos, jogging/walking intervals, weight training, etc.
  • arnfolly
    arnfolly Posts: 79 Member
    Options
    This i completely normal. It is called Thermalgenesis. Basically, the starvation plateau. Your body has built in defense mechanisms, when it senses long periods of caloric or nutritional loss, it begins to SLOW DOWN how many calories you actually burn! There are a few things you can do to help. For now, I would reccomend you change what you are doing for exercise. Try adding in some weight training, if you do not own weights, large cans of soup will do the trick, or some pilates exercises (they are HARD). It may take some time for your body to figure out the change, but BE PATIENT. Then, after a month or two, if you are still stuck, up your caloric intake slightly and do not freak out if you gain a couple pounds back, it is probably just water weight! Soon your body will breathe a sigh of relief that you are not starving it to death and being to regulate your metabolism once again. :)
  • leilaphoenix
    leilaphoenix Posts: 839 Member
    Options
    Stick with what you are doing. Stop weighing yourself so often.

    If 3 months pass and you don't see a change then its time to think about changing your behaviours.
  • cdmatlock1
    cdmatlock1 Posts: 21 Member
    Options
    I know!! I went through the same thing except I gained a few pounds. I finally lost 1. something pounds.....ugh! Hang in there!
  • footiechick82
    footiechick82 Posts: 1,203 Member
    Options
    1 - Up your calories... when I say that, I mean eat 'clean' foods (I put that in quotations because it's a term used)... fruits, veggies, plain yogurt (greek!!!), etc

    2 - do different exercises... try to start something like the 30 day shred by Jillian Michaels. Do level 1 until you can complete it without getting tired, then move up to level 2, then 3.

    3 - don't lose faith!

    Good luck :)
  • boilerbabe69
    Options
    Don't give up! I had a 3 week plateau. Then last week I lost 7 lbs. It just seems to happen that way. That is why you stay here with like minded people to encourage you. Keep up the good work. Good Luck.
  • tricksee
    tricksee Posts: 835 Member
    Options
    DONT WORRY!!!!!

    I was stuck on 175 for 2 weeks and then BOOM!!!!
    I smashed through that f*cker like a bowling ball into a group of skittles!!

    if you're eating right and getting light excersice you're GOLDEN!!!

    DRINK SH1T-TONS of WATER!!! more than ever!!! if you aint drinking it, you need a slap, love!!

    walk up and down the stairs a few times during ad breaks on TV, lift cans of beans, ANYTHING!!!
    Clean the house!!! not only will you have a spotless living room but you'll be burning calories like nobodys business!!!!
    you can burn 200-300 calories cleaning those hard to reach areas!! plus we all know the OVEN IS A B1TCH to WASH!!!

    Whatever you do, don't give up!!! if you do, the fat wins and FAT NEVER WINS, not while im around!!!!!

    So keep your chin up and remember your f*cking awesome, always have been, ALWAYS WILL BE!!!!

    BOOM!!!
  • concordancia
    concordancia Posts: 5,320 Member
    Options
    You have been losing very fast. There is a possibility that your body will hunker down for awhile now, although five days doesn't even count as a stall, much less a plateau.

    The best thing you can do for yourself is to reset your expectations. Once you accept that losing 4-5 pounds a week is not normal, you will also allow yourself to eat more. You should be eating back your exercise calories.

    It will be hard for you to take advice from me, since I am the same size and have only lost half as much, but you are using extreme weight loss like a drug right now. If you see it, you keep doing the same things; if you don't, you give up. You need to find a long term solution, a plan you can stick with even once your weight stabilizes at your goal.
  • Aleks87
    Options
    Thank you all for all of the encouragement! It really helps. I just purchased the 30 day shred and want to start it tomorrow to change things up a bit. I will also take the advice and stop weighing myself so frequently...I hate the scale. I noticed my weight changes depending on what room I am in...think it has something to do with the leveling so now the scale isn't moving.
  • Aleks87
    Options
    Love the comment! Thanks for the support.