Scales not moving

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melissakatemey81
melissakatemey81 Posts: 29
in Health and Weight Loss
I'm feeling really demotivated at the moment. I've lost 11lbs since starting MFP and for the last 3 weeks I've come to a grinding halt! Its incredibly frustrating cos I think I'm doing well and people can see I've lost weight but now its just stopped completely. I'm an extremely fussy eater and I dont eat fruit or veg so its a major problem for me. I've been eating a lot of chicken, lean pork fillet, eggs. I'm also really trying to limit my carb intake - i have bread maybe 4 times a week and potatoes less than that. (dont eat pasta, cut out pizza completely)

I've got my wedding coming up at the end of August and want to have lost another 20lbs by then???

I was always under my calorie goal, actually quite far under when I excercised (3 times a week).

What I'm trying to do now is increase my calorie intake (its supposed to be 1200).

Oh and I also starting taking Apple Cider Vinegar last week, I havent seen a difference yet but Im hoping to soon....

Any advice would be greatly appreciated :)

Replies

  • ILiftHeavyAcrylics
    ILiftHeavyAcrylics Posts: 27,732 Member
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    I'd say start by increasing your calories or just eating back your exercise calories. But you have to give that method at least a month to work.

    Do you use a food scale to weigh your food and measuring cups/spoons for free-pouring liquids? Do you log everything you eat/drink and enter your own recipes?
  • poptastic
    poptastic Posts: 151 Member
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    Can you make your diary open? It'll be easier for people to help you if we can see what you are doing!
  • melissakatemey81
    melissakatemey81 Posts: 29
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    Thanks so much. I've made my diary open now

    I think I'm also just really impatient and have hit a plateau which absolutely infuriates me....

    I'm not a very exciting eating so anything I cook is usually plain with either a little chicken spice or meat spice. Maybe some feta if I'm feeling brave.
  • Iron_Feline
    Iron_Feline Posts: 10,750 Member
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    Thanks so much. I've made my diary open now

    I think I'm also just really impatient and have hit a plateau which absolutely infuriates me....

    I'm not a very exciting eating so anything I cook is usually plain with either a little chicken spice or meat spice. Maybe some feta if I'm feeling brave.

    Please please tell me you are not logging correctly - some days you only eat 500 cals!

    You need to log everything that you eat - weigh and measure it, and you MUST eat 1200 a day. You are starving your body, you should want to be healthy on your wedding day.

    Stop cutting out foods - there is no need to do that unless you have an allergy/intolerance. Eat ALL your calories including your exercise calories.

    Why do you not eat fruit and veg? You are missing out on a lot on nutrients - even if there are only one or two that you like, eat them every day. As a kid I only ate carrots and peas - so my parents fed me them almost every day :laugh:

    Honestly you have hit a plateau due to starving yourself. Less food does not equal a healthy weight loss.

    For the love of god woman eat a pizza :wink:

    You don't give your height but I'm 5'2 eating 1600 and losing weight and more importantly inches. 500 cals a day is just not healthy.
  • melissakatemey81
    melissakatemey81 Posts: 29
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    There was a few days I didnt log everything but I was really battling to get to 1200 and then with exercising it was taking me below. I put on the weight basically from eating too much junk food not really because I ever ate a lot.

    To be honest I never really felt like I was starving myself cos I've been snacking during the day on nuts and biltong.

    But I think you right I def need to up my calories and will see what happens from there.

    Hopefully it works :)

    Thanks again for the advice
  • Katrinadionne1808
    Katrinadionne1808 Posts: 95
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    I agree with Newme1313 either you are not tracking properly, therefore for all you know you could be overeating, or you could be really malnourishing yourself.. And without tracking properly it's difficult to see where you are going wrong.

    I track absolutely everything - my diary is open, have a look, look at other diaries to get inspiration. I've not lost anything the last week or two but I am putting it down to increasing muscle mass.

    If anything what MFP has taught me is how to eat better to ensure that my nutritional requirements are met and how to eat better overall. I've tried out some completely new things since being on MFP and pretty much quit the sugary cereals that do nothing to fill you up. Overall I want this to be a lifestyle change so I am happy for it to take a little longer to lose the weight.

    Eat some fruit (including dried), some nuts to increase your cal intake. Even allow yourself a small piece of chocolate!

    If your cal intake is really as low as your diary implies then your body has now started to hold on to every little bit of fat it receives and it will take some time to re-programme that, so expect to gain a little weight as you increase your cal intake, once your body knows you don't plan to starve it the weight will start to drop back off.
  • Katrinadionne1808
    Katrinadionne1808 Posts: 95
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    There was a few days I didnt log everything but I was really battling to get to 1200 and then with exercising it was taking me below. I put on the weight basically from eating too much junk food not really because I ever ate a lot.

    To be honest I never really felt like I was starving myself cos I've been snacking during the day on nuts and biltong.

    But I think you right I def need to up my calories and will see what happens from there.

    Hopefully it works :)

    Thanks again for the advice

    Just seen this response after I posted my other. Track the nuts too, they are high in cals so will make a difference to your diary figures. I had a small portion of pistachios the other night =180 cals

    Do you like protein shakes, I use USN Diet Fuel which is another 193 cals which is great after the gym. Never been a fan of shakes but I really enjoy these.
  • seena511
    seena511 Posts: 685 Member
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    There was a few days I didnt log everything but I was really battling to get to 1200 and then with exercising it was taking me below. I put on the weight basically from eating too much junk food not really because I ever ate a lot.

    To be honest I never really felt like I was starving myself cos I've been snacking during the day on nuts and biltong.

    just eating bad food doesn't make you gain weight. eating TOO MUCH of ANY kind of food makes you gain weight. it doesn't matter if you "feel" hungry - at a certain point, you NEED calories. if that means eating a snickers bar so that you net 1200 calories a day (that means that you eat back any calories that you burn through exercise), then so be it. if you continue to starve yourself by only netting 500 calories a day, you are not going to be a happy camper and you will likely gain ALL the weight back once you start eating normall again.
  • jtslim42
    jtslim42 Posts: 240
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    You are not eating enough calories. Make sure you are tracking everything you put in your mouth. And make sure you log the water you are drinking.
  • melissakatemey81
    melissakatemey81 Posts: 29
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    Oh and another quick question; will increasing my calories now make me put on weight first before losing?

    I'm just under 5,4

    I think I'm just weird that I dont eat fruit and veg, my mom used to force me as a kid and I just used to spit it all out. Its a weird texture thing for me... super strange. Funny thing is I'm never ever sick though LOL :laugh:

    Just battling to lose weight now....

    I'm thinking of maybe starting to take protein shakes as well to help cos I'm such a fussy pain in the bum :blushing:
  • Katrinadionne1808
    Katrinadionne1808 Posts: 95
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    It will probably make you put on a little, I upped my calories from the 1200 to my TDEE which came in around 1700. But if you continue with the exercise it will work itself out. I have lost the couple of pounds that I put back on and am now battling to lose the extra pounds I want to get rid of, but the overall aim is to get more toned and be healthy. I'm 5' 4 too and current 64kg.

    Have you tried vegetables or anything like that whilst an adult. There was a ton of stuff that I didn't have as a kid then when I had kids I wanted them to have a varied diet and since then I eat stuff I have never ever tried and I love it. These include avocado's parsnips, sweet potatoes etc My newest love whilst being on MFP is tuna steaks. Amazing! And now a firm favourite in our house.

    To me with you mentioning the snacking on nuts, they have a lot of cals (but they are good for you) for all you know you may have been going over the 1200 cals. You really need to track every item of food you put in your mouth!
  • melissakatemey81
    melissakatemey81 Posts: 29
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    I'll definitely try increasing my calories and having the protein shakes for sure. I've actually tried the USN ones and they arent too bad, usually I hate shakes but if its going to help me lose weight in the long run I'll def give it a go.

    I've actually just gone back and looked through my diary now - I didnt realise I was that far under my calorie goal. I though with the nuts and biltong it would kind of average out, but I can see now that was a HUGE mistake.

    Will def up my cals :smile:
  • Katrinadionne1808
    Katrinadionne1808 Posts: 95
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    Look at this to work out what your cal intake should be. And good luck! http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/
  • JenniferMary_9169
    JenniferMary_9169 Posts: 164
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    bump
  • ILiftHeavyAcrylics
    ILiftHeavyAcrylics Posts: 27,732 Member
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    Yes, increasing your calories will cause you to put on some water weight at first. Give it at least a month before you re-evaluate.

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