What am I doing wrong

amiller1900
amiller1900 Posts: 6 Member
in Motivation and Support
Any help would be great. I have been losing weight steadily for 2 years. I lost almost 150 lbs and have since gained about 40 back. For what I can see is no reason.

I work out 3-5 days a week, usually 2-3 times on those days. I try to stick to 1200 calories, but I mix it up and will go to 1600 (excluding yesterday which was a birthday party and a bad day)

But it seems like my metabolism has just completely shut off. No matter what I do, I gain gain gain. It's like i hit a wall about a year ago and I can't break it.

Any suggestions would be great.

Replies

  • MinnieInMaine
    MinnieInMaine Posts: 6,400 Member
    Opening up your diary would help us to give you more concrete advice.

    Do you eat back your exercise calories? If not, I would think 1200 would be far too little calories, especially as much as you exercise.

    Have you decreased your weekly weight loss goal? Two pounds per week is ok when you're obese but the less you have to lose, the less you should aim to lose per week. In your case, somewhere between 1 and 1.5 pounds per week would be more realistic.

    What are you doing for exercise? And have you switched it up as you've progressed to continue to challenge your body?

    Have you ever had your thyroid levels tested?
  • seif0068
    seif0068 Posts: 193 Member
    I think you are most likely eating too little. I would recommend that you take two weeks of eating at your TDEE to kickstart your metabolism, and then eat at only a TDEE minus 20% deficit. You have been eating roughly the same throughout this whole process, but if you have lost over 100 pounds, your body's energy needs have drastically changed in that time. The amount you burn from working out has likely also changed drastically as you have become thinner and more in shape.
  • amiller1900
    amiller1900 Posts: 6 Member
    I opened up my diary, sorry thought it was public

    I've tried increasing and decreasing calorie intake to no avail.

    Honestly, I haven't been as vigorous about tracking my food the past couple months. I think I kinda gave up figuring what's the point.

    I like the suggestion of trying the 2 weeks at TDEE.

    Yes I've had all my thyroid levels checked. Nothing wrong with them, though they did find over 30 cysts on my thyroid but 2 different doctors have said that is not affecting anything.
  • donyellemoniquex3
    donyellemoniquex3 Posts: 2,384 Member
    Switch up your routine.
  • deksgrl
    deksgrl Posts: 7,237 Member
    I agree with eating at TDEE to try to reset your system. Maybe for longer than 2 weeks. Then when you reduce calories again, set it for 1 pound per week. As you get closer to goal, the weight loss will slow down.
  • ami5000psu
    ami5000psu Posts: 391 Member
    Any help would be great. I have been losing weight steadily for 2 years. I lost almost 150 lbs and have since gained about 40 back. For what I can see is no reason.

    I work out 3-5 days a week, usually 2-3 times on those days. I try to stick to 1200 calories, but I mix it up and will go to 1600 (excluding yesterday which was a birthday party and a bad day)

    But it seems like my metabolism has just completely shut off. No matter what I do, I gain gain gain. It's like i hit a wall about a year ago and I can't break it.

    Any suggestions would be great.

    Wait wait you work out 3-5 days a week, 2-3 times per day and are only eating 1200 calories? Is that right?
  • MexicanOsmosis
    MexicanOsmosis Posts: 382 Member
    Honestly, I haven't been as vigorous about tracking my food the past couple months. I think I kinda gave up figuring what's the point.

    ^This.
    Wait wait you work out 3-5 days a week, 2-3 times per day and are only eating 1200 calories? Is that right?

    ^Plus this.

    Equals weight increase?
  • SchroederNJ
    SchroederNJ Posts: 189 Member
    Maybe do complete logging for 2 weeks and come back to seek advice
  • janicelo1971
    janicelo1971 Posts: 823 Member
    i could only see yesterday and I think one other day. as you said yesterday was horrid and would explain weight gain...Maybe log/weigh your food daily for a few weeks and repost if you are still having issues.
  • amiller1900
    amiller1900 Posts: 6 Member
    As I said, I try to stick to 1200 but it's usually between 1200-1500. I did bring it up to 2000 for a while because of all the working out I do and gained 20lbs within 2 months, so I went back down.

    Yesterday is far from a typical day, as we can see it was a disgusting day. Typically I don't drink and I can't even remember the last time I had fast food, never been a big fan, even when I was 300lbs I hated it.
  • frotzed
    frotzed Posts: 1
    I see some here saying that you're eating too little and/or exercising too much. I disagree on count of the fact that eating too few calories will not cause anyone to actually gain weight. Taken to the logical extreme then, if one were to consume 0 calories they'd gain even more weight? The math isn't "fudge-able", if you burn more calories than you eat, you will lose weight.

    The most likely culprit here (in my humble, fallible opinion) is you're being inaccurate on your caloric intake and/or you're over-estimating your caloric expenditure.
  • southerndream24
    southerndream24 Posts: 303 Member
    Well, what are you doing when you exercise? At 5'3 and eating close to 2000 calories I'm still losing fat. I have days where I work out twice, but my workouts are intense so I actually need that amount.

    Another thing I can see you're doing wrong is not keeping up with what you're eating. How can you know that you're within your calorie goal if you don't log it for several days in a row? Consistency is key.
  • retirehappy
    retirehappy Posts: 4,756 Member
    Go back and look at your diary during the period you were happy with your weight loss. What has changed? Are you eating the exact same kinds of meals?

    Are you getting enough fat,it stokes your fire!
    Are you getting enough protein from either veg sources or animal?
    Are you carbs mostly breads, sweets (even artificially sweetened goods)?

    Try to find the balance of those that works for you. Some people need more protein, some more fats, and some more carbs works best. You need to learn what your body needs.

    And congrats on your loss even gaining back some pounds, it is a wonderful loss. Be proud of how far you have come.
  • aliasbee
    aliasbee Posts: 27
    The most important, useful thing you can do for yourself is be diligent in recording information. Without input, you can't track a negative trend's starting point. For example, if your rate of exercise and caloric intake is steady, but you are still gaining weight, you'd be able to say "Oh, I'm losing less calories when I exercise than I think, I need get better calculations"

    As you lose weight the amount of calories you burn exercising lowers, as well as the calorie deficit you can maintain and stay above 1200 calories.

    If 1200 a day is too rough on your morale, you can try to alternate with a day of fasting and a day of making up for it, just be sure that you don't go too far over your limit. It's more the weekly intake that makes a difference.

    Sometimes I'll just wait all day and eat a big meal (still staying around 1200 total calories) after weeks of changed food schedule, it makes me feel super stuffed and bleh, so it's easier to do smaller meals during the day.

    Of course, without knowing the details, we can claim all day that this or that will be right for you, but all you can really manage at the moment is patience while you record again for probably at least two weeks or more to establish a trend of diligent information-taking.
  • cadaverousbones
    cadaverousbones Posts: 421 Member
    You can use this website to see how many calories you should really be eating

    http://www.bmi-calculator.net/bmr-calculator/

    http://www.bmi-calculator.net/bmr-calculator/harris-benedict-equation/
  • maillemaker
    maillemaker Posts: 1,253 Member
    If you are eating a calorie deficit, you must and will lose weight. If you are not eating a calorie deficit, you must and will gain weight.

    Be more vigilant with your food tracking.

    Steve

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