deficit every day and no weight loss :(

jeda1231
jeda1231 Posts: 63 Member
in Motivation and Support
Hey Everyone

So I have been really trying to manage calories and lose weight for the past 3 months. My measurements are the same and my weight it around the same - I am so frustrated!! How is it possible to have a calorie deficit of 300 to 500 calories a day and only be maintaining??!?! I'm so frustrated and really want to lose that 5 to 10 lbs - is it impossible?!

Currently I am 5'5" 136 and would love to get below 130 - I have only been below 130 once which was last summer when I was running a lot but hardly doing any strength training (now I kickbox twice a week)

I work out 4 to 5 times a week and eat right HELP!!!!
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Replies

  • zealousmissjj_wechange
    zealousmissjj_wechange Posts: 445
    Open up your diary?
  • tryclyn
    tryclyn Posts: 2,414 Member
    Being that close to goal you might try a smaller deficit and some more patience. Hang in there.

    More info
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/groups/home/10118-eat-train-progress
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/912914-in-place-of-a-road-map-3-2013
  • fitnessmare
    fitnessmare Posts: 117
    This is a common thread here... it happens to so many people, including me. It seems that when you have a deficit your body adjusts and 'hangs on' to what it's got. I found that cutting out exercise and keeping my calorie deficit is working. I will resume exercising after about 2 weeks off. Also, upping my proteins has helped immensely. I don't know if that is really what did it but it seems to me that it got me off of my plateau. Good luck! Add me as friend if you'd like. We can encourage each other.
  • helenbeee
    helenbeee Posts: 130 Member
    Hi I understand your frustration but is your weight loss a desire for a better and healthier lifestyle? or is it something else? It sounds like there is a defined beginning and end to your weight loss expectation and since it is widely believed by the medical profession that stress can impact your ability to lose weight it might be worth revisiting the goals and reasons why you want to lose the weight. Try to ease the pressure and disappointment it sounds like you are experiencing. Perhaps just relaxing and giving yourself time to lose the weight without pressure will yield results.

    Good Luck!
  • Empressofvibez
    Empressofvibez Posts: 5
    Eating at a deficit causes your body to go into starvation mode. The body becomes very efficient and burns less calories to make up the difference you are not eating. It is better to supply the body with a vast amount of food and balanced with calorie burn from your workout. Heed the warnings at the end of the day when you close out your food diary.
  • Lugemachine
    Lugemachine Posts: 21
    Is weight the be-all and end-all? Why did you abandon resistance/weight training last summer?

    The only other thing I might suggest would be to research (credible sources) high intensity interval training.
  • docturtle
    docturtle Posts: 156 Member
    Are you tracking your sodium? I had a deficit pretty much every day last week, maybe except for one day of being a few calories over my goal but still came in as a loss when I entered it at the end and it gave me my weight in 5 weeks if every day were like this day, and I had a 1.8 pound gain for the week. My sodium the day before weigh-in was about 1,000 over, so it could be water weight as salt retains water. I'm told to drink more water to flush out the sodium and I've tried to cut back on sodium. Just a thought. Oh and I hear ya, It took me a while to get back into the 120s and that 1.8 pound gain put me back into the 130s. =/ I just can't seem to hold the 120s theses days.
  • jeda1231
    jeda1231 Posts: 63 Member
    thanks for all of the advice so fast!! Sodium doesn't seem to be a problem but I did work out a lot last night so that could be attributing to the extra weight and yes - my goal to be in the 120s is more mental than physical. I think I am in good shape now just not as toned and tight as I'd like to be. My measurements are okay I just would like to be thinner.
  • KarenJanine
    KarenJanine Posts: 3,497 Member
    thanks for all of the advice so fast!! Sodium doesn't seem to be a problem but I did work out a lot last night so that could be attributing to the extra weight and yes - my goal to be in the 120s is more mental than physical. I think I am in good shape now just not as toned and tight as I'd like to be. My measurements are okay I just would like to be thinner.

    With this info it would make more sense to decrease your deficit so you are eating nearer to TDEE and conentrate of strength training which will tighten eveything up.


    ETA: at this stage it would be worth focusing less on what the scale says as if you add strength training (supposing you are not doing so already) then your scale weight may actually increase but you should still be dropping body fat and inches. It would be better to focus on BF%, measurements, how your clothes fit and how you feel.
  • zealousmissjj_wechange
    zealousmissjj_wechange Posts: 445
    Being that close to goal you might try a smaller deficit and some more patience. Hang in there.

    More info
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/groups/home/10118-eat-train-progress
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/912914-in-place-of-a-road-map-3-2013

    What she said! Best two threads in my book so far!
  • jasonpclement
    jasonpclement Posts: 146 Member
    do some mild strength training at this point. keep your calories the same. not a lot, just 20 or 30 minutes a day for 3 or 4 days a week.
  • GamerLady
    GamerLady Posts: 359 Member
    I would switch up your workout routine with some Hiit excercising. When you're doing the same thing for a long time, your routine becomes easier and less challenging to your body. To get those last few lbs off it's frustrating but they will eventually.
  • ladyraven68
    ladyraven68 Posts: 2,003 Member
    Eating at a deficit causes your body to go into starvation mode. The body becomes very efficient and burns less calories to make up the difference you are not eating. It is better to supply the body with a vast amount of food and balanced with calorie burn from your workout. Heed the warnings at the end of the day when you close out your food diary.

    ?? Eating at a defict from your TDEE is what causes weight loss.

    Eating at too large a defict may be counterproductive, but you still need some defict.

    Edited for typos
  • Heather4nne
    Heather4nne Posts: 566 Member
    We're in the same boat; about the same height and I'm stuck waffling around 127 for the past week when I had been down to 124. So frustrating. Maybe see if there are any foods that make you feel bloated and cut them out of your diet? Wheat is bad for me, and subbing juice and pop for water 90% of the time has worked wonders. Other than that, hang in there, and don't quit! This too shall pass haha
  • Heather4nne
    Heather4nne Posts: 566 Member
    Eating at a deficit causes your body to go into starvation mode. The body becomes very efficient and burns less calories to make up the difference you are not eating. It is better to supply the body with a vast amount of food and balanced with calorie burn from your workout. Heed the warnings at the end of the day when you close out your food diary.

    This is true, just not in the sense that she meant. Her net caloric intake is a deficit rather than gross, so she's getting enough calories for what her body requires for day-to-day function.
  • jeda1231
    jeda1231 Posts: 63 Member
    I appreciate the encouragement but you're my height and almost 10lbs less than me and still discouraged....that just kind of makes me feel worse
  • AliciaLucas_72
    AliciaLucas_72 Posts: 112 Member
    thanks for all of the advice so fast!! Sodium doesn't seem to be a problem but I did work out a lot last night so that could be attributing to the extra weight and yes - my goal to be in the 120s is more mental than physical. I think I am in good shape now just not as toned and tight as I'd like to be. My measurements are okay I just would like to be thinner.

    With this info it would make more sense to decrease your deficit so you are eating nearer to TDEE and conentrate of strength training which will tighten eveything up.

    Yes and take measurements! you will see inches come off if you take up strength training and I also believe that you should try to eat all your calories at least the base calories you have before you burn any ( does that make sense?


    ETA: at this stage it would be worth focusing less on what the scale says as if you add strength training (supposing you are not doing so already) then your scale weight may actually increase but you should still be dropping body fat and inches. It would be better to focus on BF%, measurements, how your clothes fit and how you feel.
  • meshashesha2012
    meshashesha2012 Posts: 8,329 Member
    are you absolutely positive that you're eating at a deficit?
    BMR equations are based on averages so it's very possible it's not 100% correct for you. or it's very possible that you are eating more than you think you are .


    also eating 300-500 calories less per day does not put you into starvation mode :laugh: the person who wrote that can't honestly believe that someone eating the equivalent of an avocado, a banana and 2 eggs less per day is enough to make someone starve :huh:
  • jeda1231
    jeda1231 Posts: 63 Member
    I believe so!

    My BMR is 1429 without moving and my doctor even said with how my cardiovascular system is it would probably be 1500 sedentary. With that said TDEE is 1708 at my desk job and I eat up to 1700 on work out days when my TDEE would be 2206....i just don't know!! I think changing up my eating (I tend to get into habits) and interval training will jump start something - only time will tell!
  • fitbum19
    fitbum19 Posts: 198 Member
    Have you switched up your workout routine?
  • XXXMinnieXXX
    XXXMinnieXXX Posts: 3,459 Member
    Looked at your diary. Protein is spot on, but i'd say you need more fat, less carbs. Fat doesn't make you fat, carbs do.

    Try...

    35% carbs
    35% fat
    30% protein

    Works for me. I also zig zag my carbs and calories. Try not to go over 35% carbs, but throw in a low day here and there.

    Home, goals, change goals, manual...

    I think that would resolve your problem.

    Zara x
  • fitbum19
    fitbum19 Posts: 198 Member
    Eating at a deficit causes your body to go into starvation mode. The body becomes very efficient and burns less calories to make up the difference you are not eating. It is better to supply the body with a vast amount of food and balanced with calorie burn from your workout. Heed the warnings at the end of the day when you close out your food diary.

    This is true, just not in the sense that she meant. Her net caloric intake is a deficit rather than gross, so she's getting enough calories for what her body requires for day-to-day function.

    Eating at a deficit is the only way you will ever lose weight, these folks are incorrect. You have to burn more than you eat. Period. But it also matters HOW you are burning. Are you weight training or just cardio? What kind of cardio?
  • fitnessmare
    fitnessmare Posts: 117
    I believe so!

    My BMR is 1429 without moving and my doctor even said with how my cardiovascular system is it would probably be 1500 sedentary. With that said TDEE is 1708 at my desk job and I eat up to 1700 on work out days when my TDEE would be 2206....i just don't know!! I think changing up my eating (I tend to get into habits) and interval training will jump start something - only time will tell!

    Time will tell... exactly! That is important to remember. It's so hard to be patient but it will pay off.

    I've also feel that changing up a workout routine is important. I think our bodies get used to something and they are so good at what they do that they find something that used to be hard is now fairly easy.

    P.s. Fat doesn't make you fat. Carbs do not make you fat either.... Excess calories are the only thing that makes you fat. Our bodies also are so good at what they do as far as how they burn fat and calories... There is no such thing as 'spot reducing' because our bodies are so efficient at using from various parts as it sees fit. This can make it frustrating too. Our bodies are really quite remarkable.
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
    Eating at a deficit causes your body to go into starvation mode. The body becomes very efficient and burns less calories to make up the difference you are not eating. It is better to supply the body with a vast amount of food and balanced with calorie burn from your workout. Heed the warnings at the end of the day when you close out your food diary.

    no no no no no ..this is just wrong...

    you would have to eat nothing for 72 hours for your body to go into true "starvation mode"

    Eating in a 500 calorie deficit will not put you in starvation mode. If that was the case then everyone on MFP would be in Starvation mode....
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
    Looked at your diary. Protein is spot on, but i'd say you need more fat, less carbs. Fat doesn't make you fat, carbs do.

    Try...

    35% carbs
    35% fat
    30% protein

    Works for me. I also zig zag my carbs and calories. Try not to go over 35% carbs, but throw in a low day here and there.

    Home, goals, change goals, manual...

    I think that would resolve your problem.

    Zara x

    Ummm no, over eating makes you fat....
  • rpmtnbkr
    rpmtnbkr Posts: 137 Member
    Yes it's frustrating for sure.... :( I went about 7 weeks of up and down, measurements staying the same, BF % not changing etc., before I finally started to consistently lose the weight and inches.

    On advice from a friend I started watching different nutrients and was able to pinpoint the culprit (in my case was sodium) on those days I would gain. Didn't take rocket science to figure it out.

    Since I'm operating on no food is off limits I adjust portions accordingly, etc. and control calories that way. Yea instead of the whole bag of chips or can of Pringles and one time it's now counting or weighing out a serving....

    Keep at it...
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
    OP what is your current work out regimen?
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  • fitbum19
    fitbum19 Posts: 198 Member
    Looked at your diary. Protein is spot on, but i'd say you need more fat, less carbs. Fat doesn't make you fat, carbs do.

    Try...

    35% carbs
    35% fat
    30% protein

    Works for me. I also zig zag my carbs and calories. Try not to go over 35% carbs, but throw in a low day here and there.

    Home, goals, change goals, manual...

    I think that would resolve your problem.

    Zara x

    Ummm no, over eating makes you fat....

    ^^ yep. overeating.....not necessarily carbs, makes you fat. every one needs carbs
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