ugggg.. can't lose weight. now trying no carbs..

I can't seem to lose any kind of weight. i've been trying with very few falls off the wagon since the middle of January. i keep losing and regaining the same pound or two it seems.. i've been following the "road map" way.. at first i was eating too few calories, i ate more.. nothing has worked. I thought it was working at times and saw some slightly smaller numbers on the scale.. but I was so sad that after eating whatever for a few days.. basically just not tracking and going a bit over, but now 23094 calories or anything... i went to my dr this week when i hadn't been there since January and when i was weighed they said "Stayed the same!" as if that was a good thing.. ;(

So this no carb thing was suggested.. it's ok most of the time.. i guess.. but i think i'm going through carb withdrawal...

my doctor did order blood tests and i have to go get it drawn.. tomorrow morning.. but i don't have any other symptoms of a thyroid problem..

my body is just 'broken".. ;(

sorry.. needed to have a pity party for a few minutes.
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Replies

  • abrodniak
    abrodniak Posts: 47 Member
    Try counting calories and fat grams. At first it may be hard to get the two counts in sync, but I have found that counting both has worked much better for me. I hope you find what works for you. I understand the frustration. If you need a new friend feel free to add me. :smile:
  • jzammetti
    jzammetti Posts: 1,956 Member
    how much do you eat? Are you tracking everything? How active are you?
  • concordancia
    concordancia Posts: 5,320 Member
    Please do not try "no carb." Try low carb, if you must, but low carb would basically be a caricature of Atkins, where you eat nothing but meat. Not the most nutritious diet.
  • TeacherTurnedNurse
    TeacherTurnedNurse Posts: 15 Member
    i've been tracking everything.. i quit for like a week but i was for months and i'm back at it now.. eating around 1200-1500... started at 1200 .. upped it to 1500 when i was told to eat more.. i am moderately active.. gym like 3x per week for an hour. i'd say.. i was working out almost daily.. but have backed off a bit.. right around the 'eat more' happened since i found eating back gym calories plus the original was sometimes hard for me..
  • TeacherTurnedNurse
    TeacherTurnedNurse Posts: 15 Member
    you can look at my diary and see what i've had today.. i'm at like 25g of carbs today... started yesterday (after i had already had a banana and twizzlers) so i was just over 100g of carbs yesterday...
  • jzammetti
    jzammetti Posts: 1,956 Member
    i've been tracking everything.. i quit for like a week but i was for months and i'm back at it now.. eating around 1200-1500... started at 1200 .. upped it to 1500 when i was told to eat more.. i am moderately active.. gym like 3x per week for an hour. i'd say.. i was working out almost daily.. but have backed off a bit.. right around the 'eat more' happened since i found eating back gym calories plus the original was sometimes hard for me..

    So, 1500 is a deficit from your TDEE? I eat at a 12% deficit from moderately active and it is 1850 per day (similar time in the gym as you). If it is based on your TDEE, do not eat back exercise calories because they are already factored into your daily gross calories.

    I would not do a no carb or even really low carb diet. We are supposed to be learning to eat right for the rest of our lives, right? Will you be able to maintain that forever? I wouldn't. So, I eat whatever I like in moderation and within my caloric goal. I try to meet 125 grams of protein each day (don't always make it, but always average out by the end of a week), and keep carbs to unprocessed carbs - fruit, vegetable, potatoes (but, the bag of chips and cookies do seem to get in there too!). I try to keep carbs around 125 - 150 per day, but do not really focus on them so much.

    Finally, give it some time. Weight loss is not linear - I tend to see a "stall" for a few weeks then a drop of 2-4 pounds all at once.
  • cindyhoney2
    cindyhoney2 Posts: 603 Member
    If you normally eat the 'high carb' foods like white potatoes, rice, bread, pasta I suggest cutting your carbs down. I have done Atkins and it is not the healthiest way to eat and your long term goal is to eat better so you keep the weight off...right? I still don't eat rice or pasta, they were never my favorites, I will have a sweet potato, whole grain bread or wrap or something else that has benefits to my body other than just filling my stomach and to do that you can't stay at 20 carbs a day especially if you workout (you won't have any energy). If that's you in the photo I don't see how you could possibly need to lose weight but everyone needs to feel comfortable in their own skin I guess. Oh and lift some weights, build some muscle, don't just do cardio. Muscle burns fat faster.
  • kaylindeschanel
    kaylindeschanel Posts: 105 Member
    I would suggest reducing your fat intake.
    Reducing carbs helps - because I'm in the same situation as you - but whole grains do more good than harm. The only carbs you really have to stay away from are sugars and simple carbohydrates.

    You have to fill up on fiber and protein - those keep you full for longer so you won't feel the incentive to eat more. And the common sugars found in carbohydrates are the taboo - stay away from simple sugars and you're good. These simple sugars spike insulin levels and trigger hunger.

    Bottom line: increase fiber and protein --> eat less = healthier diet + [hopefully] declining weight.
  • TeacherTurnedNurse
    TeacherTurnedNurse Posts: 15 Member
    it's me in the pic.. i'm 5'6 and about 158lbs. My goal is 138lbs. i have been there before and feel great at that weight. i have lost weight before just cutting calories but this time it isn't working for some reason. AT. ALL.
    That being said i think i'm going to just keep my carbs to under 100g/day... less if i can, but not sooo restrictive. I was feeling very jittery and just "off" so i just ate an apple. my body isn't loving this extreme low carb idea. ;( but i just want something to work. ugh.
  • KenosFeoh
    KenosFeoh Posts: 1,837 Member
    O.k., well, looking at your diary, you don't track at all on some days, and I'm assuming those are not fasting days. Also sodium appears to have a tendency to be high.

    I don't track at all for days at a time, though I try to keep sane eating habits. I realized that I really can't complain about not losing weight because I don't have specific records to prove that I've been eating within my calorie budget. Considering that I keep gaining and losing the same 2 pounds in recent months, I have to conclude that I'm eating at maintenance on average.

    Of course I don't know about you. Maybe you weigh and measure everything and keep a hand-written record? Or you have a log at some other site?

    But if you're not being specific about your portions (guess-timating is notoriously inaccurate), you're probably under-estimating the number of calories that you're eating.
  • TeacherTurnedNurse
    TeacherTurnedNurse Posts: 15 Member
    as i said.. i fell off the wagon for a bit recently since it's been so crappy.. but really i've never had an issue losing weight before.. with doing the exact same thing.. actually less, i never exercised before.. and this time it isn't working. f you look back to say, february.. you will see how consistant i was.. and i still didn't really have any results then either.

    it's ok, you don't have to believe me.. i'm just venting.. and upset. so.. it is what it is. i
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 49,030 Member
    I can't seem to lose any kind of weight. i've been trying with very few falls off the wagon since the middle of January. i keep losing and regaining the same pound or two it seems.. i've been following the "road map" way.. at first i was eating too few calories, i ate more.. nothing has worked. I thought it was working at times and saw some slightly smaller numbers on the scale.. but I was so sad that after eating whatever for a few days.. basically just not tracking and going a bit over, but now 23094 calories or anything... i went to my dr this week when i hadn't been there since January and when i was weighed they said "Stayed the same!" as if that was a good thing.. ;(

    So this no carb thing was suggested.. it's ok most of the time.. i guess.. but i think i'm going through carb withdrawal...

    my doctor did order blood tests and i have to go get it drawn.. tomorrow morning.. but i don't have any other symptoms of a thyroid problem..

    my body is just 'broken".. ;(

    sorry.. needed to have a pity party for a few minutes.
    I'll take a stab at this: I'm guessing you don't sleep much.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal/Group FitnessTrainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
  • Well...first of all ...it is impossible to go NO carb as fruit and vegetables all have carbs.. I am guessing your issue is portion sizes..I would get a scale and a measuring cup and start measuring your portions and logging them every day. You are probably underestimating what you are eating. Also perhaps cut your meat portion sizes and/or substitute other protein with less fat . It is easy to eat way more fat than necessary. Good Luck !
  • TeacherTurnedNurse
    TeacherTurnedNurse Posts: 15 Member
    i sleep at least 7-8 hours a night usually.. sigh.
  • Proyecto_AN
    Proyecto_AN Posts: 387
    Hydration and sleep.
  • Briargrey
    Briargrey Posts: 498 Member
    I log everything I put in my mouth. Slice a sliver of cheese off and eat it while prepping dinner? On the log it goes. I track it on MFP and also in a notebook. The notebook I also track times I ate each thing and anything else like if I got a migraine or had a light headache or something else -- since I periodically have migraines, I figured it would be another tool to help me figure out if there were a food connection. I carry the notebook with me everywhere, so I can log my food immediately, and then I can get to a computer and put it into MFP so I can look at calorie intake.

    With that, I'm looking at keeping fat around the recommended, keeping carbs at or under, sodium under. For sugars, if I'm eating a lot of fresh fruit, then I'm more forgiving if I go a bit over. I don't want to go over if it's from anything other than fresh fruit or vegetables!

    Atkins--don't do it. I lost 90 pounds on it, plateaued at 200 pounds, and then started to gain back. I tried it a second time and it didn't work at all. I think I lost weight the first time just out of sheer motivation and nothing to do with Atkins. And I felt TERRIBLE on Atkins -- no carbs/extremely low carbs = license to eat crap that is not only really bad for you without moderation but also can keep you addicted to wanting fatty foods instead of adjusting your taste buds to enjoy natural foods.

    Now, you only have about 20 pounds you want to lose -- that's going to go way slower, starting at 158, then say me, who started at 291! I have so much to lose that 20 pounds is a drop in the bucket and I kicked that off in 6 weeks, but I also know that my body is evening out to the healthier 1-2 pounds per week loss. Also, some weeks I won't lose at all. For you, you may have several weeks with no discernible loss. That's okay! Keep at it consistently, eat healthier, fresher, and exercise, and find a good calorie range for you. I don't do TDEE or any of that -- I plugged in what I wanted to lose (2 lbs per week) and MFP set me at 1360 calories per day. If I want more, I exercise. That may not work for you - you may need to figure out the whole TDEE stuff.

    Bottom line though - don't get discouraged! Log every day and overstate it rather than understate it so you aren't hiding calories from yourself. The goal is to get healthier and feel better, so don't look at just the scale for your results. Take measurements and think about how you feel. You can do this! Hook up with some people here going through similar things (or who have gone through them) and get a motivational team going for you :)
  • If you are going to go low carb/no carb you are going to need resources.
    Low carb does NOT mean no veggies, or fruit or grains. Only those who have no clue say that.
    There are many low carb, no carb, paleo & keto blogs, books & sites out there.

    I have chosen a low carb lifestyle & it works well for my energy level, my health & my weight loss.
    But I did all the research first.

    I suggest you google keto diet, or by the Atkins book before you take off on this path.
    There are also Keto, paleo & low carb groups on here.

    Best of luck to you.
  • ronrstaats
    ronrstaats Posts: 294 Member
    I suggest if you are serious about doing "LOW" carb is to do research on it (Google is your friend), join Facebook groups that deal with low carb, read The Adkins 72 induction book...

    I am coming up on my two year low carb anniversary (with one year of that being on maintenance) and my suggestions are what I did. (and none of my organs have exploded)
  • Dunkirk
    Dunkirk Posts: 465 Member
    One thing that stalled my weight loss was not weighing fruit. What I considered an average size piece of fruit (maybe fruit is bigger in Australia) was grossly underestimated. I was eating 300 to 600 more calories by logging medium fruit, rather that logging it by weight. Same applies to nuts.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 49,030 Member
    i sleep at least 7-8 hours a night usually.. sigh.
    Okay, then it's apparent that AGE has caught up with you and dieting alone isn't going to do it anymore. As you age, your metabolism slows down. Not to mention that dieting alone to lose weight reduces lean muscle to a higher extent and reduces your metabolism even more.
    It's time to start exercising.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal/Group FitnessTrainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
  • rogerbosch
    rogerbosch Posts: 343 Member
    Based on your info I'm guessing that your TDEE (the calories you need to maintain weight) are around 2300! To lose weight you must go on a deficit, yes, but that's usually 10% if you want to do it healthily. Eating around 1000 calories is racing against your metabolism: you slow down, your metabolism slows down, your energy level slows down, your weight loss stalls.

    My suggestion: re-feed yourself for a month or so and slow down on exercise. Yes you'll gain weight.
    Then - on a 10%-15% deficit (track every calorie honestly) with 3 workouts/week and some healthy walks (that you need to eat back) now and then, you'll be on your way to a slow but steady loss.

    Nothing to do with low carbs or whatever. Just with patience and have a healthy pattern!
  • adelainie
    adelainie Posts: 4 Member
    I just read way back through your diary... from my experience and lots of research... there are a few things that come together to work synergistically for us OR against us, in weight loss.

    Even though you ate within your calorie range, you ate very few servings of vegetables and lean protein.
    Your calories were often made up of process, refined on sugary foods.
    Try these few steps, all at once (that's the trick)
    -eat at regular intervals that work for you, dont get to hungry in between
    -eat protein, carb and fat at every meal or snack (try to make the protein serving the larger part for a little while- this helps alleviate the sugar cravings)
    -eat only "real" food (veggies, lean protein, fruit, moderate servings of WHOLE grains)

    I have fought the weight battle off and on for years (and am coming out of a slump again)... but I do know what works when I put in the effort. This does... it just takes discipline and honesty.
    Good luck...
    p.s. when I have been in a no loss slump... I know it is just a matter of getting the ball rolling. If you are doing the hard work of limiting calories, at least fuel your body for success. You deserve to see results.
  • Low carb can be pretty great, but it's not for everybody. It sorta teaches you how to eat better.
    Low carb can consist of protein and lots of veggies. Protein and veggie calories go a long ways, so you'll find you can feel more full for less calories. Also, adding in 1/2 piece fruit here and there can spice things up if you start getting bored.

    I wouldn't try going way to low though on the carbs. Try setting your carbs at 15%-20% of your diet.
  • TeacherTurnedNurse
    TeacherTurnedNurse Posts: 15 Member
    i sleep at least 7-8 hours a night usually.. sigh.
    Okay, then it's apparent that AGE has caught up with you and dieting alone isn't going to do it anymore. As you age, your metabolism slows down. Not to mention that dieting alone to lose weight reduces lean muscle to a higher extent and reduces your metabolism even more.
    It's time to start exercising.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal/Group FitnessTrainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

    yeah.. funny thing is i WAS exercising like 5 days/week for like 2 months of this .. if not at the gym doing eliptical and intervals on the treadmill for about an hour total,, i was doing the 30 day shred on days i didn't make it to the gym... that's why i'm saying i'm broken.. lol. and i'm 34.. so not really that old.. i hope.. lol. but it is quite possible that my metabolism has slowed some.. i lost about 1lb/week last spring for like 6 weeks with restricting calories.. but now.. nada.
  • I went back and perused your diary- and your food selections are reasonable,
    and you do a WONDERFUL job @ portion control.
    You are making this a do-able lifestyle that you can easily maintain long after you lose the desired weight.
    That's a big factor.

    You do, however, go over OFTEN in the sodium dep't....and you don't log water.
    If you aren't hydrating yourself with enough WATER, it could VERY well be water retention.


    And, having your thyroid out of whack messes up your metabolism quite a bit.
    Once they got me on the right dosage, I saw much more positive results.
    Up until then, I was like spinning my wheels...wasn't losing or gaining < (which that part was good)

    You should aim to consume 1/2 your current weight in ounces- Ex. 120 pounds- 60 oz of water ( 7.5 cups)

    BEST wishes to you- and feel free to friend me-
    I'd love to offer you encouragement along the way
  • kdiamond
    kdiamond Posts: 3,329 Member
    I agree with the others... don't go the restriction route. Replace refined sugars with good carbs...cut out crap, not carbs (I.e. Twizzlers ;) ). Start with 1500 calories daily, accurately measured with a scale. Avoid processed foods and going out to eat as much as you can. Exercise daily. Do this for 6 weeks and then check back. No cheating!!!
  • albertabeefy
    albertabeefy Posts: 1,169 Member
    I'm a very-low-carb/high-fat (ketogenic) dieter myself - but I do it to control my Type II diabetes.

    I'll be the first to support a choice for very-low-carb diets under certain conditions... But really, unless you're SURE you have a metabolic condition such as diabetes or insulin-resistance from metabolic syndrome/PCOS/Hashimoto's thyroiditis, etc., there is usually no need for most dieters to choose low-carb.

    ... and there is NEVER a good reason to choose no-carb. Restricting carbohydrate totally could rob you of important nutrients, fiber and antioxidants that come from things like leafy greens (and other non-starchy vegetables) and berries, etc.

    Even for those getting into ketosis and working toward keto-adapation, you can easily get there with 5% of your calories from carbohydrate. (Typically fat/protein are 75% / 20% with most recommendations.) On a 1500 calorie diet, for example, that's 75 calories, or just under 20g of carbohydrate.

    Once actually keto-adapted, many people who are dieting for weight-loss can maintain ketosis with 10% of their calories from carbohydrate. Those not-dieting, but at 'maintenance' usually do best maintaining ketosis at about 5-8%.

    *IF* you truly want to go low-carb for weight-loss, research it and do it right. Here's a few good recommendations:

    * Eat moderate protein - enough for your needs, but not to excess. 20% of calories from protein is usually enough for most women, unless they're incredibly active in the gym. Excess protein is detrimental to being/staying in ketosis, as through gluconeogenesis it's converted into glucose.

    * Eat a high amount of healthy fats. Natural fats, even saturated, are quite healthy. Avoid refined oils and trans-fats.

    * Get the majority of your carbohydrate intake from non-starchy vegetables and, if you like, a little lower-GI fruit.

    * Eat a variety of foods to get your nutrients.

    * Drink plenty of water. Being in ketosis means you're 'flushing' water. Also important is watching your electrolytes if you're doing endurance exercise - because your water levels are lower. If you're into distance running, or something similar, ensure you're drinking something like powerade zero, or a similar low-carb electrolyte replacement drink.

    * Eat above your BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate). There is no good reason to eat below your true BMR, ever. A good rule of thumb for many is TDEE (total daily energy expenditure) - 20%, but that varies among individuals.

    * Exercise. There are many people that suggest that weight "just drops off!" on a low-carb diet without exercise, which just isn't the case for the VAST majority of people, especially those with only 20 or 30 pounds to lose. I always recommend strength-training (unless you have a cardiovascular reason to avoid the exercise) as it will help retain your lean mass (ie: muscle) while dieting. And HIIT (high-intensity-interval-training) is a great workout to mix in there too that takes little time and research shows will help fat-loss as much as long-duration steady-state cardio, but in a much shorter time.

    I've probably forgotten something - but this is a good place to start.
  • crazy4fids
    crazy4fids Posts: 173
    I went back in your diary a couple weeks. I understand your logging has been sporadic. I looked at your exercise diary too.

    It looks like you need to cut back on fats. I also saw that on most days, you are (way) over on sodium. I used to have a problem with sodium too. I bet if you cut your sodium intake in half, and upped your fluid intake to at least 8-10 glasses a day, you would see some changes.

    Consistency will pay off. Someone already mentioned that your metabolism has probably slowed and I agree. I think we all go through that as we approach our mid thirties.

    Also, do you weigh the food your are eating,or are you just guestimating?
  • KenosFeoh
    KenosFeoh Posts: 1,837 Member
    Don't worry, I don't disbelieve you.

    I think cutting any refined carbs and high sodium foods from your diet is a really good idea. Also track your water.

    I'm struggling to get back into the habit of logging so that I have hard data to help me figure out what's going on with my own attempts to lose more fat.