Annoyed and Demotivated.

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slab2slim
slab2slim Posts: 2
in Health and Weight Loss
To give you guys a bit of a background, I'm currently 22yo, 160cm (5"3) tall, and starting weight at 85kg (187lbs). About three/four weeks ago I decided to lose weight after reviewing some unflattering photos of myself and realising I needed to change my lifestyle ASAP. As a result I started exercising 4-7 days a week with Jillian Michael's 30 Day Shred and using MFP. I've been exercising at least 20 minutes a day and have consistently eaten the recommended 5024kj (1200cal), although I have been out about 500kj (~120cal) once or twice. I have cut out rice, pasta and bread for 3 weeks now, but I did eat about a mouthful of noodles one day. I am now currently at 81kg (178lbs), and whilst I am happy with my current results...

...I am losing serious motivation this week. :/

At the beginning I was absolutely thrilled with the weight loss, especially as I have been diagnosed with PCOS; I've been viewing it as a game/challenge, which has made the exercising/eating entertaining. However, this week the weight just hasn't budged; if anything, I have gained 0.5kg (1.1lbs) so far. I don't understand why I can't shift the weight this week, as I have increased my exercise. For instance, on Tuesday I:

- Exercised for 40 minutes (Jillian Michael's 30 Day Shred, Level 2) - the HRM says I burnt 3278kj (~780cal)
- Ate a large banana for breakfast; a salad with ground beef and lots of lettuce, tomato and avocado (no dressing, no cheese) for lunch; and a medium orange for dinner. I had no snacks in between.

Yet, my weight did not budge at all. I had the same thing the next day except I had dinner (a handful of raw salmon and a small bowl of brocolli and brussel sprouts) and I didn't exercise as my knees were too sore. I gained 0.2kg (0.4lbs).

I'm starting to be very frustrated that I can't see the "fast" weight loss this week compared with when I first started. Consequently, I am struggling to maintain my motivation levels.

I know I have just started, but I suppose my anxieties are starting to surface that I will be like this forever. I suppose what I want to ask you guys is: What am I doing wrong? Have you been in a similar situation, and if so what did you guys do to get out of your "funk"?

I appreciate your responses, ta. :)

Also, I'd like to note I write everything on MFP; I am not a "secret eater", and I try to make sure that there is some deficit of some kind (whether by eating less on that day or exercising more).

Replies

  • MoJoPoe
    MoJoPoe Posts: 139 Member
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    You have hit a plateau. You many need to change it up. You may be in starvation mode and actually need to increase calories.

    Hang in there. Help is on the way. Our experts should be chiming in shortly.

    I found a link recently to Fat2FitRadio.com that shed some light for me.
  • astrampe
    astrampe Posts: 2,169 Member
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    You lost NINE pounds in 3-4 weeks...... that's 2-3 lbs per week......Explain to me why you are demotivated??????

    Also, weight loss is not linear - you will lose some weeks, you will stay the same some weeks and some weeks you will even show a gain on the scale....
    The scale is anyway not the best way of measuring progress - I can have a 5lbs difference on the scale in ONE day.....Take your measurements and keep on doing what you are doing....
    I would not be able to exist on 1200 calories (and I'm more than double your age - but while it lasts and works - enjoy!
  • Anewgirl
    Anewgirl Posts: 1
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    I am about your size but unfortunately twice your age...but I feel your pain. I have been eating low carb, almost no carb for the past month.....lost seven pounds in the first week and since then the scale is up a pound one day, back down the next. I am not getting anywhere! I also use MFP, and sometimes I am actually under the 1200 calories. That could be my problem. Are you drinking enough water? You sound like your doing everything right and I would just keep it up....it's gotta happen if you do!
  • jwdieter
    jwdieter Posts: 2,582 Member
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    Big drop, some equalization. Pretty normal.

    But 1200 is brutal. Messes with your head. Perhaps a longer-term approach would be more sustainable. 1 lb/week + exercise calories and you might be in a better mood.
  • maecrocker
    maecrocker Posts: 56
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    Doesn't sound like you are eating enough. With MFP you are supposed to eat your exercise calories back. It can be really confusing but this is what helped me:

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/654536-in-place-of-a-road-map-2-0-revised-7-2-12

    It may be a bit long but read it, read it again, do the calculations, read it again, and then do it.

    Also, the scale isn't everything. Jillian Michaels workouts tend to tone and you drop inches more than pounds. Do your measurements and watch those change.

    Good luck.
  • Ninkyou
    Ninkyou Posts: 6,666 Member
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    Instead of increasing your workouts, increase your calories. A car won't go unless it has gas/electricity/solar power right? Do you expect your body to function well on too little?

    As maecrocker said, go to http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/654536-in-place-of-a-road-map-2-0-revised-7-2-12 and follow that.

    An no, you're not at a plateau, you're at a stall. Readjust your expectations, cause it ain't gonna happen as quickly as you want it. You didn't gain the weight in a matter of days, so you can't expect to lose it in a few days. Patience is key.
  • thisismeraw
    thisismeraw Posts: 1,264 Member
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    For instance, on Tuesday I:

    - Exercised for 40 minutes (Jillian Michael's 30 Day Shred, Level 2) - the HRM says I burnt 3278kj (~780cal)
    - Ate a large banana for breakfast; a salad with ground beef and lots of lettuce, tomato and avocado (no dressing, no cheese) for lunch; and a medium orange for dinner. I had no snacks in between.

    A medium orange is dinner? With just a banana for breakfast? I estimate your daily calories for the above day at maybe 700 calories tops? Why are you eating so little?
    Yet, my weight did not budge at all. I had the same thing the next day except I had dinner (a handful of raw salmon and a small bowl of brocolli and brussel sprouts) and I didn't exercise as my knees were too sore. I gained 0.2kg (0.4lbs).

    Again, why are you eating so little? This will not help you.
    I'm starting to be very frustrated that I can't see the "fast" weight loss this week compared with when I first started. Consequently, I am struggling to maintain my motivation levels.

    I know I have just started, but I suppose my anxieties are starting to surface that I will be like this forever. I suppose what I want to ask you guys is: What am I doing wrong? Have you been in a similar situation, and if so what did you guys do to get out of your "funk"?

    I appreciate your responses, ta. :)

    Also, I'd like to note I write everything on MFP; I am not a "secret eater", and I try to make sure that there is some deficit of some kind (whether by eating less on that day or exercising more).

    Stop weighing yourself everyday. Stop expecting yourself to lose lots of weight each and every week. Fast weight loss is not healthy weight loss. Fast weight loss (normally from either exercising too much or not eating enough.. or both) will lead to an increase of muscle loss, hair loss, not fueling your body properly, increased injury risk, etc.

    Set your weekly goal at no more than 1.5lbs per week.. ensure you are drinking enough water and eating enough. You currently are not eating nearly enough. Your diet also seriously lacks protein which is going to make your muscle loss even larger.
  • kazsjourney
    kazsjourney Posts: 263 Member
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    Your weightloss is good ESPECIALLY considering you have PCOS. I have PCOS too...I have lost 80 kilos/177 pounds....this has taken me nearly 7 years. You really just have to persist. Personally i am not a fan of cutting out carbs and you will find if you suddenly eat some the scales will go up as you will retain a lil bit of fluid when you eat them.

    In relation to what you ate on the tuesday that doesnt seem like enough food to sustain your workouts. Try and have protein at all your meals. Eat healthy carbs and good fats. If you have PCOS you dont just want to lose weight but have a healthy body.
  • slab2slim
    slab2slim Posts: 2
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    Thank you for all the responses; it is very much appreciated! I was so used to dropping ~0.2kg each day that when I didn't see the same results this week it made me feel disheartened. Especially since it is still early days and I have been working hard. I suppose I'll have to be a bit more patient and change things up now and then.

    I am eating 1200cals based on MFP's recommendations, but I'll look to adjust it when I read the links provided (thank you!). However, I have a concern regarding upping my caloric intake. On days where I ate very close to my caloric intake (probably 100-200 calories under) and exercised, I didn't lose weight at all; on days where I didn't exercise I gained weight. My concern is, if I were to increase my caloric intake would I end up regaining the weight I lost? At least, in the short term.

    I understand that I cannot sustain this amount of weight loss in the long term, but I was just confused as to why everything has slowed down after only a few weeks of exercise and dieting.

    Whilst I can see that 1200cals a day is rather brutal, and I have been feeling fatigued as a result, I don't necessarily feel deprived. My tastebuds have also adjusted and I can really taste and enjoy the food more, if that makes sense. As to why I'm eating so little... I guess it's because of guilt and the anxiety of potentially binging.

    P.S. I'm drinking around 5-6 glasses of water each day, which is a huge step up for me as I used to only drink 1-3 glasses a day; I'm working to drink 8 glasses. As for protein... I'm *somewhat* adopting a Paleo lifestyle so I do eat a lot of meats like lean beef, chicken, salmon, tuna, etc.
  • astrampe
    astrampe Posts: 2,169 Member
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    " On days where I ate very close to my caloric intake (probably 100-200 calories under) and exercised, I didn't lose weight at all; on days where I didn't exercise I gained weight. "
    Uhmmm - if you are not eating air, the food you put into your body actually weighs something.....until it digests.....DO NOT weigh yourself daily - there is a million reason your weigh fluctuates - water weight due to exercise, water weight due to sodium intake, hot weather, your period, not your period, the glass of water you drank and did not yet peed out, the big poop that's still there.....:sad:

    If you are tired it means your body is struggling to do it all on the little fuel you give it...And if the guilt gets in the way of eating well and beingh healthy, you might consider talking to a professional.....
  • ForumLurker
    ForumLurker Posts: 36
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    As astrampe said, do not weigh yourself every day, you will drive yourself insane.

    Another way to drive yourself insane is to constantly tell yourself things that you can't eat. I can't have bread, I can't have rice, I can't have pasta. You CAN have those things and lose weight. You just have to learn portion control. Have 1 cup of pasta, 0.5 cup sauce and some veggies you enjoy and a grilled chicken breast not the whole plate covered in noodles and sauce. I think you're heard the phrase "eat less, move more" too many times and took it too literally.*

    You don't have your food log open so, I can't really comment on what you're eating, but from the sounds of it, you're just not eating enough.

    *I know from experience, I once thought "eat less, move more" meant barely eating anything and exercising myself to near death... because you always hear haters and fat critics saying "put down the fork fatty." It got in my head and I went into starvation diets to lose weight and it drove me insane, when I finally broke, I would binge, for days and eventually ended up gaining all the weight back, plus more.
  • JHB2011
    JHB2011 Posts: 153 Member
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    personally seems like you're not eating enough...
  • thisismeraw
    thisismeraw Posts: 1,264 Member
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    I am eating 1200cals based on MFP's recommendations, but I'll look to adjust it when I read the links provided (thank you!). However, I have a concern regarding upping my caloric intake. On days where I ate very close to my caloric intake (probably 100-200 calories under) and exercised, I didn't lose weight at all; on days where I didn't exercise I gained weight. My concern is, if I were to increase my caloric intake would I end up regaining the weight I lost? At least, in the short term.

    Without being able to see your food diary I can just guess your daily calorie intake based on what you had written. A banana is about 100 cals, salad with avocado, lettuce, tomato and beef would be maybe 400 cals, and a large orange would be maybe 100. All together that's only about 600 calories of food intake in a day.. no where close to your daily goal especially since you are exercising. You need to fuel your body. Eating so little and exercising will increase your muscle loss which leads to a higher body fat percentage and a harder time losing weight and keeping the weight off.

    You need to up your calories. You will gain in the beginning but it won't be fat gain. It will be water rentention due to an increase of food intake. That will level off in 4-6 weeks.

    Stop weighing yourself daily. Weight changes due to a lot of reasons. Hormones, water retention, food intake, water intake, etc. Weighing everyday won't show your true weight loss results. When you see a gain it isn't because you ate too much or didn't exercise enough. Understand that when losing weight you will not lose each and every time you step on the scale no matter how good you are.

    Eat more, add in more protein, eat your exercise calories back, and stop weighing yourself every day!

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