Okay... getting frustrated now, any ideas?

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Summerberry1012
Summerberry1012 Posts: 109 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I know that i should just "trust the process" and i have been for the most part since January but now getting into the end of February I'm starting to get a little annoyed. I workout 3 days a week on average, take my dog for walks, and have been fairly good at sticking to my calorie goals. There were one or two days were I was feeling ill and was at the lower end and of course a few days going over as I'm not perfect - still love sweets - but i feel like I'm making a pretty good effort overall to stay within my calories and I keep fluctuating between the same 3 lbs and it's starting to drive me crazy and stress me out because summer is going to be here before i know it and yet another year is going to zoom by without any progress.

I did measure my inches and I'm down about .5" to 1" in certain areas like my neck, thighs, and waist. Which is good but not impressive. I did a similar weight loss process a couple years ago and it came off so much faster so I don't know why it's sticking to me so much this time around. Currently i use my treadmill for cardio and i use my TotalGym for resistance training (http://www.totalgym.com/).

Any ideas? I made my diary public if that helps...

Thank you so much!

Replies

  • singer201
    singer201 Posts: 560 Member
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    Can't tell your age, but it IS harder for women to lose weight than when they were younger. Have you considered lowering your carbs? I followed a primal/paleo food plan (see marksdailyapple.com), kept carbs at 90-100 g/day, avoided grains (wheat), followed MFP calorie guidelines, ate back exercise calories, exercised moderately (walking, gardening, yardwork) and had a steady sustained weight and inches loss--took a year to lose 70 lbs.

    100g/carbs/day isn't super low, and you can eat well with tasty meals that have more fat and protein to keep you satisfied.
  • Summerberry1012
    Summerberry1012 Posts: 109 Member
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    I'm 28 and was 26 when i did well on my weight loss plan the last time. I haven't really focused on my carbs or anything specific other than sticking to my calorie goal as best i can. my only concern is i get wicked hungry on days where i eat only yogurt or a smoothie, fruits and veggies until dinner and get what i like to call "hangry" lol...
  • ChristinaR720
    ChristinaR720 Posts: 1,186
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    I think the quality of foods you are eating may be the issue here. It looks like you are getting plenty of fruits, but are lacking when it comes to the vegetables. You definitely shouldn't give up sweets, but it may help to limit yourself to one or two servings of sweets per day. One thing I did when I started was cut as much junk food out as possible and focused on the basics of the foods I was eating. As I progressed and felt more comfortable with my eating habits, I gradually added some "junk" foods back (in moderation, of course). That method has worked really well for me.

    Eat the things you love, but be sure to balance them out with healthy foods as well!

    ETA: Focus on lean protein-rich foods, as they will keep you fuller, longer. Also, if you are finding that skimping on meals during the day leaves you hungry and more prone to binge-eating, then make sure you eat actual meals at breakfast, lunch, and dinner with healthy snacks in between. Pre-logging your foods in the morning may help, too (I swear by this method).
  • Summerberry1012
    Summerberry1012 Posts: 109 Member
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    Thanks ChristinaR720 - i agree on the vegetables. i guess i have to really break it down from now on which is slightly disappointing since the last time i lost a bunch of weight i still ate Mc Donalds and the weight came off with no problem (calories in vs. calories out right?). I realize weight loss is hard work, I'm just so exhausted with all my other responsibilities already that knowing i have to do even more work to make this happen is a bit of let down. But i guess i have no choice but to suck it up and give it even more effort this week and see what happens.
  • mallen404
    mallen404 Posts: 266 Member
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    how many calories are you eating?

    Did you calculate your TDEE ?

    I was at 1200 and now upped it to 1450 and I am starting to lose again.
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,411 MFP Moderator
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    What is your goal set at? With 30lbs to lose, aiming for 1 lb per week is ideal. Any more and it may be a bit aggressive. I would agree to up your protein but that i more for muscle retention. But pending you are healthy, yes it's all about calories in vs calories out. But understanding macro's will help with muscle retention so your loss is mostly from fat.
  • HJMAYES
    HJMAYES Posts: 72 Member
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    I agree that you seem to be eating a lot of fruit - get those veggies in there. Your plate should be colorful - in a good fruity/veggie way. :wink:
    I eat 5 small meals a day - not three, and I try to avoid processed food as much as possible (contains a lot of salt, etc.). Also, try to keep your fat under 15 per each meal.
    I'm by no means an expert, but this is information given to me by my personal trainer, and I'm averaging 1-1.5 lbs a week. I am also incorporating weight training and running into my regimine as well.
    Good luck - you are headed in the right direction!
  • zencat68
    zencat68 Posts: 1 Member
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    I would switch up what you're eating. Like with exercise, your body gets acclimated to eating the same things. If you are eating a lot of fruits, smoothies etc, you are loading up on sugars. Try rounding out your diet with whole grains, proteins and of course, vegetables. If you are hungry in the afternoon (I am too!), try eating more before noon, and include whole grains and proteins and back off the sugars. Your body is "crashing" in the afternoon after being fed sugar all morning. spread it out, this will help stabilize your sugars and carbs.
  • Summerberry1012
    Summerberry1012 Posts: 109 Member
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    I'm sitting at 158lbs right now and my final goal is 130lbs ~ 1lb a week is more than great for me but I'm not really seeing that consistently right now which is my problem.

    I guess i really love fruit! :blushing: I definitely need to focus on the veggies more - its not that i don't like them i just seem to neglect them for some reason and don't really eat any until dinner time. perhaps a salad for lunch is a better idea to get them in sooner. But the sugar crash due to the fruit really makes sense and would explain a lot.

    i like the smaller meals throughout the day idea too my main issue there though is that i teach for a living and on most days i am going non-stop until 4pm and getting in lunch is hard enough as is.
  • sue2328
    sue2328 Posts: 22 Member
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    Can't tell your age, but it IS harder for women to lose weight than when they were younger. Have you considered lowering your carbs? I followed a primal/paleo food plan (see marksdailyapple.com), kept carbs at 90-100 g/day, avoided grains (wheat), followed MFP calorie guidelines, ate back exercise calories, exercised moderately (walking, gardening, yardwork) and had a steady sustained weight and inches loss--took a year to lose 70 lbs.

    100g/carbs/day isn't super low, and you can eat well with tasty meals that have more fat and protein to keep you satisfied.


    Couldn't agree more re harder for women as they get older. - hit the menopause at 40 and T2 diabetes shortly afterwards. Over the past 13 years my weight has flucutated but seems to have been steadily rising. i am now following low carb with some sucess. May be worth trying
  • Summerberry1012
    Summerberry1012 Posts: 109 Member
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    thanks so much everyone!!! i will be eating more veggies and watching my macros - *fingers crossed*
  • krithsai
    krithsai Posts: 668 Member
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    Maybe increase your workout time/intensity? Try adding an extra day?
  • losingdreamie
    losingdreamie Posts: 34
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    I am having the same issue. I have lost up to 48 lbs but keep bouncing back and forth between the 43lb mark since January. It is so frustrating. I have totally changed everything, going from nothing but sedentary to working out 3+ days a week. I meticulously log everything I eat, good or bad. I am almost always under my calorie goal but generally try to get 1200 calories a day. One day last week I had less than a thousand but that is not typical at all. I did increase my calories from 1610 to 1840 which bumped 3 lbs so I thought I was past the hump. Then the next week I gained 5 lbs.

    I know I am still losing inches as I am checked monthly at my gym. Maybe I shouldn't be so hung up on just a number, but I feel like I am not getting anywhere anymore. I am adamant for now at sticking with the program but I am scared if things don't turn around soon I will give up and my hard work till now will be in vain.
  • lewcompton
    lewcompton Posts: 881 Member
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    A thought... generic cinnamon roll at 400~ calories is suspicious... A Cinnabon is over 700 calories... Is there a possibility that you are under calculating your calories? I personally try to get in at least 3 servings of fruit and 3 servings of veggies per day and it really seems to help me with my appetite and overall nutrition. BP has gone from 145/95 to 121/77 as well as the 131 pounds dropped. Try a flavored greek yogurt, a piece of fruit, and a piece of whole grain toast or an egg white and salsa omelette with whole grain tortilla for 100 less calories and more nutrient value. It sounds as if you have made some changes and met with some success. Make a few more changes to become more successful...
  • Summerberry1012
    Summerberry1012 Posts: 109 Member
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    A thought... generic cinnamon roll at 400~ calories is suspicious... A Cinnabon is over 700 calories... Is there a possibility that you are under calculating your calories? I personally try to get in at least 3 servings of fruit and 3 servings of veggies per day and it really seems to help me with my appetite and overall nutrition. BP has gone from 145/95 to 121/77 as well as the 131 pounds dropped. Try a flavored greek yogurt, a piece of fruit, and a piece of whole grain toast or an egg white and salsa omelette with whole grain tortilla for 100 less calories and more nutrient value. It sounds as if you have made some changes and met with some success. Make a few more changes to become more successful...

    Ah yes, they were homemade cinnamon rolls - even the icing - but i didn't have time to pump in the recipe so i used a generic one from the database.
  • Dfracassa
    Dfracassa Posts: 318 Member
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    I'm paddling fruitlessly in the same stream you are, so I know where you're coming from. I seem to lose the same two to three pounds every week, and it's VERY frustrating. Trying to make yourself eat four to five small meals a day is hard, too, I know, especially when you work in an environment that is not so great for taking time for yourself. I pack my lunch every night and I still make choices I regret, more often than I care to admit. It's a long road, but I think it's one worth traveling and this is a pretty good place to start. I'm with you!

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