HELP HELP...the frustration is mounting!

Arlenekull
Arlenekull Posts: 3
in Health and Weight Loss
Good Morning! I read these forums from a distance and have never really participated in them but I am in desperate need of HELP!

I have lost 87 lbs in a little over a year but it seems I have hit a plateau and I can't figure out why. The past 4 weeks my weight has been the exact same and hasn't moved at all. Any advice and help you give me would be great. My hubby has lost 100 lbs using my fitness pal also and while we eat and excersise the same, he continues to loose. I appreciate your help in advance. If you need any information from me please feel free to ask.

Replies

  • ZenInTexas
    ZenInTexas Posts: 781 Member
    You may want to open your diary. Hard for anyone to give advice if they don't know what you're eating or what your calorie and exercise goals are.
  • yarwell
    yarwell Posts: 10,477 Member
    while we eat and excersise the same

    Unless you have the same lean body mass as him, which is rather unlikely, you need to eat less - probably 400 cals less - to get the same calorie deficit.
  • dlw1464
    dlw1464 Posts: 10 Member
    First of all 87lbs is amazing! Great job! I say just keep trying, tracking and don't give in. You cab finish this.:happy: :happy:
  • Arlenekull
    Arlenekull Posts: 3
    Thank you all! My diary is now open for those interested in looking :)
  • amymina
    amymina Posts: 64 Member
    It's not uncommon for it to become harder to loose as you go along, especially loosing 87 lbs, which is impressive to say the least! Something to remember (even though it is not fair) is that men generally lose the weight easier than women with less effort. When my husband is on target, he loses probably twice as fast as I do, which makes me want to pool my hair out! But, it's the way it is. Definitely open up your diary and get some suggestions from fellow MFP peeps. Some ideas may work, some may not, but this is a great tool so take advantage and good luck!
  • ladylu11
    ladylu11 Posts: 631 Member
    you have done an amazing job! 87 lbs in a year is amazing! Congrats to you!

    you most definitely do not drink enough water. That is crucial in weight loss.
    You might need to change up your workouts. Maybe incorporate lifting.
    Another thing to consider is you may be eating too little.
    Have you tried upping the calories and seeing what happens?
    feel free to add me for support.
  • lcfairbairn74
    lcfairbairn74 Posts: 412 Member
    I am by no means an expert but could you be eating too little? I have been caught in the cycle of losing and gaining the same few pounds for weeks! Decided to up my calories last week (1460 didn't seem a lot for a tall woman who still has over 100 pounds to lose) and lo and behold, lost weight this week! Broke through that barrier! I have now switched my goal to 1.5 pounds loss a week, which is closer to the TDEE-20% calculations I ran this week!
  • amyLhuff
    amyLhuff Posts: 102
    Congrats on the weight loss I had lost about 30 lbs then went thru a bit of a hard spell and put it back on dang it , but I'm back with a vengeance. Anyway I looked at your diary and I would say number one is the water you gotta get that in , and second maybe track your sodium intake microwave meals tend to be high in sodium and I know for me as a woman that just keeps the lbs on me even if they are low cal. I try to eat as little processed foods as possible. Maybe cook up a few chicken breasts and steam some veggies and pre pack them for you to take to work or just have handy to throw in a salad. That's what works for me good luck doll. You can look at my diary if you want.
  • foxyv069
    foxyv069 Posts: 23
    Increase your protein intake by about 20-30 grams and decrease your carbs. Learned this for myself, but its very necessary.Especically if you are working out.
  • ZenInTexas
    ZenInTexas Posts: 781 Member
    Congrats on the weight loss I had lost about 30 lbs then went thru a bit of a hard spell and put it back on dang it , but I'm back with a vengeance. Anyway I looked at your diary and I would say number one is the water you gotta get that in , and second maybe track your sodium intake microwave meals tend to be high in sodium and I know for me as a woman that just keeps the lbs on me even if they are low cal. I try to eat as little processed foods as possible. Maybe cook up a few chicken breasts and steam some veggies and pre pack them for you to take to work or just have handy to throw in a salad. That's what works for me good luck doll. You can look at my diary if you want.

    I agree with this. More water, less processed food, get in those fruits and veggies. And you just can't compare with your husband. When my husband and I eat the same the weight seems to just melt off of him with no effort and mine stays the same despite the fact that I exercise way more. Unfair but that's the way it is. And keep at it! You're doing awesome!!
  • Jaykull
    Jaykull Posts: 2
    Water is life
  • jzammetti
    jzammetti Posts: 1,956 Member
    I didn't look at your diary - but experienced the same issues along the way due to under eating. As you get closer to your goal, the weight is harder to get off. Drop your deficit to 15% until you get within 15 pounds, then drop it again to a 10% deficit. Too much of a deifcit from TDEE will cause a stall and eventually even plateaus...I don't know if 4 weeks makes a plateau, but I was stuck for 4 months before I increased me calories and started losing again.

    EDIT: OK --- took a peek at your diary and you definitely need to eat more, in my opinion. I eat 2000 calories a day to lose weight (last 8 pounds or so) so it is slow going but it is still moving. I am 5'2" tall and 125 pounds
  • lizbess1
    lizbess1 Posts: 16 Member
    the other thing that you may want to track is your sodium, I notice that if I eat things that have a lot of sodium in them I retain fluids and that could also be holding back some of the weight loss
  • cybersheel
    cybersheel Posts: 145 Member
    These plateaus sure get to you. Congratulations on your weight loss, great going. Your body may just be adjusting to the difference. Same happened here, now losing only 1 -2 pounds a month. Will no doubt change again. Patience.
  • MzManiak
    MzManiak Posts: 1,361 Member
    Big congratulations to you for losing 87 pounds! That's amazing! :)

    After looking at your diary, I would actually suggesting upping your calorie intake for a month to 1400-1500, then drop it back down. You may gain a couple pounds at first, but then you will start losing again. Hope you get it figured out! Good luck! :)
  • wendybird5
    wendybird5 Posts: 577 Member
    My hubby has lost 100 lbs using my fitness pal also and while we eat and excersise the same, he continues to loose. I appreciate your help in advance. If you need any information from me please feel free to ask.

    Congrats on the weight loss! You are awesome.

    But you can't compare yourself to your husband as men and women's bodies function slightly differently so what works for him isn't always going to yield the same results for you.

    I noticed you've been doing just the treadmill. If you are walking, you should consider increasing the incline to 15-30% to get more of a burn. Also try out the Stairmaster for a more challenging cardio work out. You also should consider working with weights. A half hour for three days a week will also help challenge your body.

    Also even if you aren't losing weight, you could be losing inches so don't just judge based on the scale. See how your clothes fit. Buy a size smaller pair of jeans and try them on ever so often until they fit.
  • natasa26ca
    natasa26ca Posts: 107 Member
    I think your calorie intake is fine. If anything i would increase amount of exercise to maybe 400 cals lost per day. Those last few pounds are always hardest to lose. Also i dont know what you do when exercising but try to do some strength training too. Build up muscle. Muscle even at rest burns more calories.
    Other than that grats on your achivment so far. Amazing job. Keep it going!
  • Arlenekull
    Arlenekull Posts: 3
    Thank you sooo much for your helpful tips! I am glad to see that it could just be a temporary thing and you are all correct I could use more water and also could switch up my exercise. I am not willing to give up no matter how frustrating it becomes :)
  • JenniTheVeggie
    JenniTheVeggie Posts: 2,474 Member
    Awesome job so far! IMO and from experience 4 weeks with no scale movement is not that abnormal. I seem to lose is spurts lately. Others had excellent ideas about maybe switching up your exercise or try something new.
  • Dr_Waffles
    Dr_Waffles Posts: 141 Member
    From what I see, you eat a lot of pre-packaged meals. How is you sodium level? Also looks like you need to drink some water. How about workouts? Maybe your body needs a kick start to continue with your weight loss.

    Maybe look for a healthy cooking class for you and your hubby to take.
  • nmiller0813
    nmiller0813 Posts: 109
    Can someone please look at my diary? I am having the same problem. I have also put up a blog!!!!
  • foxyv069
    foxyv069 Posts: 23
    Can someone please look at my diary? I am having the same problem. I have also put up a blog!!!!

    way too much sodium, increase protein, decrease carbs, quit eating out (the quality of the food we put in is just as important as the quantity) You also mayyyyyy be overestimating your calories burned. what do you do for a workout?
  • Jaykull
    Jaykull Posts: 2
    As you gaze at the stars you tend to miss the changes at your feet
  • natasa26ca
    natasa26ca Posts: 107 Member
    Can someone please look at my diary? I am having the same problem. I have also put up a blog!!!!

    Ok you are definately overeating. Your exercise colorie lost is seriously wrong. You should correct it. On the days when your exercise seems ok 200-400 cal lost your daily calorie limit seems to be around 1500-1600 which is fine but one the days where your exercise is messed up and it shows you lost 5000 calores, you seriously overeat up to 3000 calories a day.
    Just so you know, 3500 calories equals to one pound of fat.
    Make sure you eat around 1300-1500 every day no matter what your exercise has been like. Limit eating outside. Your sodium intake is really high which can prevent you from losing weight. Eat more fiber throught veggies and fruits and you should be ok

    You have some good days in there too and some where you are undereating. 1200 is lowest recomended calorie intake. It depens on how active you are throughout the day. Personally i intake 1200-1400 and i spend most of my day sitting. If you are active, 1200 might be really low for you.

    Play around your diet plan until you figured out what works best. Its all about trial and error until you find perfect plan.

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