Can't lose for losing?

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Kimah72
Kimah72 Posts: 11
in Health and Weight Loss
I just started eating conscious again. I have been doing really great but my scale hasn't budged, in fact it keeps going up and staying steady. I don't get it. I know my exercise isn't where it should be but I only just started and I started eating better a week before keeping track. I've never had this problem. Could always just start eating healthy and notice a difference. I'm just depressed a bit and just wondering if this is normal...

Replies

  • misspenny762
    misspenny762 Posts: 279 Member
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    It's normal. Some people start really quickly, some start really slowly. I was a slow starter like you but once I got started losing it went quickly and steadily :]
  • ArchyJill
    ArchyJill Posts: 548 Member
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    Hate to say it, but it is probably just a functin of getting older. Metabolism slows and it takes a heck of a lot more effort to lose or maintain.
  • Mindful_Trent
    Mindful_Trent Posts: 3,954 Member
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    Sometimes the body just takes a little time to get adjusted, especially if it's a dramatic change from how you were eating before. a few tips:

    1) Make sure you're eating ENOUGH (too many people eat way too little then get frustrated when they don't lose)
    2) Drink enough water
    3) Watch sodium levels (which shouldn't be hard if you're eating healthy, non-processed foods)
    4) Get enough sleep

    Most of all, just keep at it. If you stick with a healthy diet, you should see a difference given enough time. If you don't have too much to lose, then even after your body has adjusted, you can't expect to lose very quickly - 1/2 a pound per week to a pound per week is a realistic goal for someone who isn't seriously overweight. It looks like you have 18 lbs to lose based on your profile, so I'd put you in the "can't expect to lose very quickly" category. I don't know what your goal is, but If you've set your MFP goal at 2 lbs/week, I'd highly suggest you revise it and stick to the new calorie goal MFP gives you - progress may be slower than you'll like, but you'll be less miserable with more calories to eat, and even if you ate fewer calories (with the higher weight loss goal) there's no guarantee it would come off much faster.
  • Kimah72
    Kimah72 Posts: 11
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    Thanks for the replies. :) It's just discouraging for sure not to see some type of difference on the scale. I figured it was probably age and I'm not needing to lose a whole lot so slower to go down and adjust. I just hope I do soon. I feel like I have made some big changes in diet and it should be rewarded. ;) Just felt like venting my frustration. I can't wait till I can finally put in a loss!
  • Kimah72
    Kimah72 Posts: 11
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    Thanks Trenton for the detailed response. I just need to hear things like this to keep me going. I do eat enough. In fact, it's why I started tracking again so that I didn't eat too much and I'm eating more balanced as well. Getting all the carbs/fat/protein I need. Sodium might be a problem and drinking water. I need to do that and the big one is SLEEP! You hit that all on the head. SO I need to step back and implement those healthy changes too!

    Thanks again everyone, I really appreciate it!
  • nonnahs413
    nonnahs413 Posts: 11 Member
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    Hi Kimah,
    I have gone through that as well. I started looking closer at foods I was eating when I would gain, and foods I ate when I lost weight. Make sure that you are drinking plenty of water as well. This will help flush out excess fluid you may be retaining. Our bodies go through these periods because if your not eating enough, it feels like you are trying to starve it, and this can cause you to gain weight and sometimes it just becomes comfortable at the weight your at. I eat 3 meals a day, with maybe a snack between breakfast and lunch. If you have access to a pool, I highly suggest any type of water areobics. The more extreme the better! I have drop 2lbs in one day doing this type of exercise! Keep working hard, it will come off. Believe me I am working on my second round of 50lbs(50 already gone) and this second part is kicking my butt. It's frustrating to get it to jump start again after maintaining for 3 months now. But I am hopeful! Good Luck! Stay positive!
  • Mindful_Trent
    Mindful_Trent Posts: 3,954 Member
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    Thanks Trenton for the detailed response. I just need to hear things like this to keep me going. I do eat enough. In fact, it's why I started tracking again so that I didn't eat too much and I'm eating more balanced as well. Getting all the carbs/fat/protein I need. Sodium might be a problem and drinking water. I need to do that and the big one is SLEEP! You hit that all on the head. SO I need to step back and implement those healthy changes too!

    Thanks again everyone, I really appreciate it!

    I took a peek at your diary and there were several days so far when you were under 1200 calories. I would encourage you to try hard to keep it at or just above 1200, and when you exercise, eat back 50-75% of exercise calories. (leaving a little room for error, in case you overestimate exercise calories or underestimate what you've eaten.) This is especially important since you don't have as much to lose - people who have a LOT to lose can support a higher calorie deficit more safely than people with less to lose.
  • Kimah72
    Kimah72 Posts: 11
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    Wow Shannon, that's great! Thank you for input and encouragement! :) I have in mind to do the power workouts for an intense 20 minutes a day but haven't had the time to set it up to where I know what I'm doing. I also love yoga and for the most part, I just need to get my tush to the gym. :)

    I may not be so honest about everything I put in my food log and some things are a rough estimate because there may not be exactly the sour cream garlic mashed potatoes and breaded parmesan chicken I made for sunday dinner so for the most part I do believe I've been over in my calories by a bit. ;) I want to be accountable for everything and actually want to take the time to add my own meals to get accurate caloric info in my food. I think that would help me quite a bit. I have done Jenny Craig in the past so I know balanced is best! In fact tonight when I realized I was under, I've been hunting for the right foods to get me to my goal. I didn't log some grapes I ate today as well so there are some things missing. :)

    So, water is a goal of mine now. I drink mostly Diet Coke and know this isn't good and I seriously need to get to bed at a decent time as well. Thanks for the great info and positive reinforcement. I feel better and have a good mind set again!
  • gottagetitoff
    gottagetitoff Posts: 40
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    You MUST drink lots of water 96oz(plus) and get at least 7 hours sleep or your stress hormones will be high making it all that much harder. Keep at it and make adjustments until you hit your sweet spot...
  • dford5
    dford5 Posts: 92 Member
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    This is great info for me. I've been having a hard losing the weight I want. I've been hovering around 160 for the past 6 -7 months. I just can't hit my goal of 154.9, which would give me a 24.9 BMI. I do need to start tracking my water because I'm sure I don't drink enough water (heck, I don't drink a lot during the day period). I also didn't know that part about eating back 50-75% of your exercise calories. Great tips!
  • GetFitE
    GetFitE Posts: 247 Member
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    I'm glad to see these posts because I'm glad to know I'm not alone in this struggle. I've been stuck at the same gain/maintaining weight thing since February. I only have about 10-15lbs to lose, but I JUST can't seem to get to my goal weight. I'm struggling with trying to even find motivation anymore because I haven't seen changes in the scale or in inches at all and I feel like I've been trying EVERYTHING. My only hope of motivation is to NOT gain back the 54lbs I've lost so far. So I wake up, try to hit the gym 5x a week (which I've been slipping on-meaning I've been going 3-4x/week) and counting calories. I'm hoping that ONE DAY everything will suddenly come together and all the exercising/weight-training/running/calorie-counting I've been doing will click and I'll drop these 10-15lbs. I'm just TIRED of stepping on the scale and struggle to just DIP below 200. and I'm tired of stepping at the scale and it SITTING RIGHT at 200...

    So thanks for everyone whose posted tips on things to do-as I am going to apply them to my own situation.
  • robin52077
    robin52077 Posts: 4,383 Member
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    Hey Kim! :flowerforyou:

    I'm gonna second everything Trenton has said, in both posts.
    Stay above 1200, eat your exercise calories, drink a ton of water, watch the sodium, and get some sleep!

    And set your goals to 1/2 pound or 1 pound a week if you have it set at 2 pounds per week. 2 pounds is too much at your size. When you're almost there, you need to go slow. Your body FORCES you to go slow, and there's no arguing with it!
  • dgroulx
    dgroulx Posts: 159 Member
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    I've been steadily gaining. My weight loss is down to 19 pounds. I lost 21 the first month, now there is either no movement or a slight gain. I did start exercising this month and also started eating between 1,200 and 1,400 calories. I had two doctors and one nutritionist tell me that I should only eat 800 per day and take a multivitamin. Before I started dieting, I ate around 1,800 per day which kept me at 240 pounds. I know to lose one pound a week that I need to cut my calories by 500 per day. That puts me right at 1,300. My doctors wanted 2 pounds a week, which is why they wanted me on 800. I did it the first month. It's hard to keep up. So, I'm back at 1,200 or so. I will just keep at it. It will come off again someday.

    Anyway, it happens to lots of us. Don't get discouraged. Keep plugging away. Remember, this is a lifestyle change, not a diet. In reality, women do not to eat more than 1,200 calories per day. This is how we are supposed to eat.
  • Kimah72
    Kimah72 Posts: 11
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    Thanks everyone! It's really great having good/healthy advice and to know I'm not alone! I just needed to reassess and keep it going.

    I did readjust my goals so it's set for 1.1 lbs per week with what I did.

    Water. That is the challenge. I have a hard time mentally wanting water. I know this would change if I just did it. Today is a new day.

    I don't have many friends so if anyone wants/needs more support feel free to add me. I know I need it!

    Thanks Robin!!! You were the reason I started this journey in the first place. You are inspirational. :)
  • stringcheeze
    stringcheeze Posts: 286
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    Take measurements -- it's quite possible that you're slimming down but not seeing anything on the scale. The scale can be your worst enemy simply because not seeing it budge after putting in so much hard work can make you want to give up. I know I saw my measurements change (and clothes fitting better) waaay before the scale moved; that was the perfect indication that I was doing something right!

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