so close to just giving up!
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Have you had your thyroid checked?
Also, what kind of time frame are we looking at? Sometimes we lose a bunch and then gain some back. How often do you weigh?
It definitely looks like you're not eating enough but I know for myself that when my hypothyroid isn't treated I gain weight on very little food.0 -
My advice is to watch sodium levels, eat less processed foods and change up your workouts.
I hope that helps!!!0 -
I know it is frustrating, but you need to eat your calories. I have read it in my diet books and heard Bob Harper talk about it too. if you do not eat the calories your body requires then your body goes into starvation mode and it holds on to the fat cells. I am no expert, I have struggled with weight all my life. when i was on WW and I know I had a good week, then they weighed me in and I gained weight, I cried. But I just kept going and then the next week or two weeks later the scale would catch up. Keep in mind, all the cardio is great for your heart which is the best muscle to work. good luck and hang in there.:happy:
JCM is right - don't shy away from your calories. That will only put your body into starvation mode and you won't lose a thing. I'm very active. I'm allotted 2500 calories a day, but work out about 2 - 2 1/2 hrs daily, including 45 - 60 mins of cardio. I drink between 1 and 2 gallons of water daily. Aside from losing weight, I've lost 4 inches from my waist and got rid of the man-boobs. Keep meticulous records of your calories, drink plenty of water and don't get discouraged. It'll hapen before you know it.0 -
If you are sure your food diary is accurate, you're weighing and measuring and tracking everything and you can't reach your calorie goal then it would seem the problem is the exercise at the moment. My suggestion may sound stupid, and I mean no offense, but stop exercising until you can actually reach your calorie goal. Then once you are consistently eating to goal start adding back exercise while continueing to eat enough to fuel it.0
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I would cut back on some of the sodium, it makes you retain water and I bet that's where most of your weight gain is from.
Skipping meals will slow down your metabolism as will not eating enough. I think the suggestion of limiting exercise till you can eat more is best. However, I used to stay under 1200 calories at first, used to convince myself I was full....it was a lie, I thought I would lose more weight. I did but it was inconsistent. When I upped my calories, I lost more and it was consistent.
Ive been going up and down with the same weight for about 6 weeks, neveroncethought about giving up. The last 3 weeks at that time, I really ate, I didn't log but still watched, I had lots of treats. Then I've been back on logging for a week now and I'm down 3.5 pounds this week. My body just needed a shakeup and now that I know what I did works, ill try something similar next time.0 -
@SJVZEE Oh, on the exercise, I whine a lot, but the program I'm doing is actually really fun. I'm sure I look like a complete fool doin it, but it's more like Tae Bo and dance combined. I'm not as coordinated as I once was and that alone gets me to laughing when I do it.
I think that negative sound came from the idea that I've never really "worked out", not for YEARS, and I am now and I'm actually gaining back what I'd managed to lose. It's just very frustrating.0 -
@Kadje I've had thyroid and everything checked and came back all good. I weigh every Monday morning. I don't have a scale at my house, mainly cause I'd drive myself batty weighing every day.0
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Instead of giving up, why not just take a break? Every now and again I have to just stop logging for a while and eat whatever I want. It helps keep my life in perspective.
Just take a few days off, and not worry so much about weight loss, then get back to it once you are refreshed from your break.0 -
@Herblackwings I actually started working out to try to strengthen my lung capacity. I'm horribly prone to bronchitis and after a scare where I thought I was having heart trouble cause I couldn't breathe (they had me do a pulmonary function test and these cardio things) they told me I needed to do some activity to build up my lungs. So I started doing cardio. I couldn't make it 10 minutes at first, but yesterday was my first time making a full 30 minutes of this butt-kicking DVD ( at least for me it is. lol)
Cutting back on working out? How will I not gain even more?0 -
I know it is frustrating, but you need to eat your calories. I have read it in my diet books and heard Bob Harper talk about it too. if you do not eat the calories your body requires then your body goes into starvation mode and it holds on to the fat cells. I am no expert, I have struggled with weight all my life. when i was on WW and I know I had a good week, then they weighed me in and I gained weight, I cried. But I just kept going and then the next week or two weeks later the scale would catch up. Keep in mind, all the cardio is great for your heart which is the best muscle to work. good luck and hang in there.:happy:
This is a myth, the body will not go into starvation mode, besides which the OP is on 1600 per day before exercise, there is no way she would go into starvation mode if she did not meet that 1600 calories.
OP How are you monitoring your calories burned during exercise, are you using the database on MFP, because some of the exercise on here is overestimated.0 -
Here's how my body works:
When I do strength and cardio, I tend to gain two or three pounds of straight up water weight that's being stashed in my muscles.
When I just do cardio, I tend to lose a pound or two that I was holding onto during strength training.
When I am doing strength and cardio training, I need to feed the machine to ensure that I keep the machine from breaking down my muscles for food. This is why I eat at least half of my workout calories.
From what I can see in your food diary, you need to find ways to cut out the sodium. Sodium is another source of water retention... but this is the bad kind. I see you skipping a lot of meals, too.
Aim for higher protein higher fats, and lower carbs. I don't see a lot of consistency. Are you planning your meals? I try to use the calorie counter to plan my calories
You've got this.0 -
Yeah I don't get the "do less cardio" comment. Keep doing cardio - do MORE cardio if you can. As you continue to get in better shape increase the intensity or go longer (as long as you feel ok). In addition to burning calories, exercise helps boost your metabolic rate so you burn more calories.
In contrast, eating less lowers your metabolic rate. So that's why I'm saying eat more and work out more. Try the mini-meals idea. Eat 5 meals of 300 calories each spaced out evenly throughout the day.0 -
This is a myth, the body will not go into starvation mode, besides which the OP is on 1600 per day before exercise, there is no way she would go into starvation mode if she did not meet that 1600 calories.
"Starvation mode" is a myth but the idea that metabolism can slow down on reduced calories is a fact, especially if you're eating under your BMR. OP had a few days around 700 calories of food TOTAL for the day. That's just not enough.0 -
eating a vlcd CAN cause some decrease in your metabolic rate AFTER quite some time. theres no reason that with the amount of weight she has to lose, that eating a vlcd would cause her to GAIN, especially this early in the game. i believe the cause is incorrect logging. either not LOGGING EVERYTHING, or, not accurate on PORTIONS! plain and simple.0
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eating a vlcd CAN cause some decrease in your metabolic rate AFTER quite some time. theres no reason that with the amount of weight she has to lose, that eating a vlcd would cause her to GAIN, especially this early in the game. i believe the cause is incorrect logging. either not LOGGING EVERYTHING, or, not accurate on PORTIONS! plain and simple.
Agreed. If she's only eating 700 calories at her weight she should be losing. Yes, doing this for a long time will slow metabolism but she hasn't been doing it long enough or consistently enough for this to happen. It takes about 72 hours of absolutely NO food for the metabolism to be affected. So even with 2 days in a row of 700 cals here and there it shouldn't be affecting her metabolism enough to make her gain weight. It comes back to tracking accurately.
OP: invest in a kitchen scale, if you haven't yet, and use it for every little everything thing that goes in. Count everything that goes in even the 1 potato chip here and there or the bite of mac and cheese, etc. It all adds up, much quicker than you think.
I'm in no way advocating VLCD. I believe in fueling yourself and hitting goals. Metabolism slowdown and "starvation mode" (which gets thrown around way too much) become more of a concern as you get closer to goal weight.0 -
@Mcgrawhaha As I've said before, I'm logging every bit of food that enters my mouth. I don't drink soda, not even diet. If I drink anything other than water, it's almond milk or unsweetened tea. My portions are as accurate as I know how to get them. My goal for cals is 1600 and I'm having trouble even meeting that, especially after a workout is done.0
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@Mcgrawhaha As I've said before, I'm logging every bit of food that enters my mouth. I don't drink soda, not even diet. If I drink anything other than water, it's almond milk or unsweetened tea. My portions are as accurate as I know how to get them. My goal for cals is 1600 and I'm having trouble even meeting that, especially after a workout is done.
unless you have a underlying medical condition, possibly pcos, diabetes, issues with your thyroid, etc... there is no reason for you to gain fat if you are consuming less than you are expending. metabolic decrease can happen over long periods of time, and even then, has shown to be about a 10% decrease, which would still not explain you gaining. i really think that there is a mistake being made somewhere in your calculations or logging. im only saying that because that is usually the culprit. i used to not log my ketchup, coffee, creamer, bbq sauce, etc... then i realized that even the condiments add up. when i wasnt losing weight at first, i chose to spend the next month eating nothing but premade frozen diet meals, so that my logging was as close to accurate as possible. when i did that, after a month, i had a huge weight loss, which told me, the problem was in my logging. it was then that i took a better look at my measurements, portions, and every grain or crumb that entered y mouth. this is just my opinion tho...0 -
@alypri I'm not sure what VLCD is. I have a kitchen scale and try to use it on a lot of what i eat. I can't eat chips (man I wish I could) because they screw with my tummy.
I know what you mean tho, and I really do log. I have a habit of getting 2 slices of cheesecake from Walmart then eating 1 bite a day until it's gone. lol That's enough, when I do it, to satisfy my cravings.
What I'm having trouble with is that when I eat, I do so until I just start to feel full, then I stop. I don't get hungry between meals, so I don't snack.
Someone mentioned eating more often, but that's kind of hard when you're at your desk answering phones and then I get busy and forget to do it anyway.
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Hang in there.0
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This is a myth, the body will not go into starvation mode, besides which the OP is on 1600 per day before exercise, there is no way she would go into starvation mode if she did not meet that 1600 calories.
"Starvation mode" is a myth but the idea that metabolism can slow down on reduced calories is a fact, especially if you're eating under your BMR. OP had a few days around 700 calories of food TOTAL for the day. That's just not enough.
Actually, when you said that, I went back to the OP's diary and found something quite interesting there.
OP do you see your sodium level is often in the minus? It must not be like that and is dangerous. You are also drinking enough, but any sodium you have in your body is now getting diluted.
When the cells in your body do not have enough sodium in them, they swell, this will not be helping either your weightloss attempts or your health.
The amount of exercise you are doing requires that you take in enough sodium and you are not taking in nearly enough.
Are you getting headaches?0 -
@alypri I'm not sure what VLCD is. I have a kitchen scale and try to use it on a lot of what i eat. I can't eat chips (man I wish I could) because they screw with my tummy. I know what you mean tho, and I really do log. I have a habit of getting 2 slices of cheesecake from Walmart then eating 1 bite a day until it's gone. lol That's enough, when I do it, to satisfy my cravings.
What I'm having trouble with is that when I eat, I do so until I just start to feel full, then I stop. I don't get hungry between meals, so I don't snack.
Someone mentioned eating more often, but that's kind of hard when you're at your desk answering phones and then I get busy and forget to do it anyway.
VLCD= very low calorie diet. I get the eating all day long thing, it didn't work for me, I was miserable and felt like my life revolved around food. As far as logging and weighing, keep at it and do try to eat more calorie dense food and fuel your body. Hope you get it figured out! As I and a few others have said you shouldn't be gaining at your calorie levels. Unless you are retaining water from sodium and exercise.0 -
Another week of watching my calories like a mad woman, another week of busting my butt and sweating my *kitten* off doing Hip Hop Abs and Rockin Body and Walk Away the Pounds and I've gained another pound! I don't get it at all.
Sometimes a change in activity/exercise can cause a temporary gain instead of a loss due to water retention in the muscles.
then you should be creating a caloric deficit. I plan my days so I get in good health guidelines (food pyramid & W/W suggested ones) and ensure I reach my daily caloric intake set by MFP and daily points by W/W.I'm eating till I'm full but my cals never stay at the goal, they're always way below.0 -
@__Di__ Okay, your comment confuses me even more than I've been lol. Are you saying that because I'm a water drinker (and yes, I do drink a lot of water usually), that I need to have MORE salt in my diet?
I don't salt anything, in fact I'm not even a fan of the taste, tho I'll pepper something until it's black. Any sodium I'm getting it's what's already in my food.0 -
OKAY! To anyone posting here, this is exactly what I'm talking about! lol
Look at my diary! It's 3:15 in the afternoon my time and after lunch it shows I still have OVER 800 CALORIES! Sure, I could eat that much for supper, but I'd truly have to pig out! And this is 800 BEFORE I do any workout. If I do a workout, it's gonna tell me that I have even MORE calories to "consume".
Granted it's early in the day, but I can't see me eating more than 800 cals for supper.0 -
@__Di__ Okay, your comment confuses me even more than I've been lol. Are you saying that because I'm a water drinker (and yes, I do drink a lot of water usually), that I need to have MORE salt in my diet?
I don't salt anything, in fact I'm not even a fan of the taste, tho I'll pepper something until it's black. Any sodium I'm getting it's what's already in my food.
It depends on how much you are drinking, if you are drinking a lot, you dilute the sodium in your body. Looking at your diary, your sodium levels are sometimes in the minus, that is very dangerous.
As a guide, the very MINIMUM you need to function is 400.
People look on sodium as the devil incarnate, but it is not and is absolutely necessary for good health, especially if you exercise a lot.0 -
@divinenanny my goal is actually 1600. I know I'm not even getting close to that. But what do I do when I'm stuffed and really do not want more food? I do tend to skip meals on the weekend just cause breakfast and lunch are usually the same meal. And if I go out, I miss supper. *sighs*. Eating when I'm not hungry just sounds counter productive
Stop skipping meals, eat calorie dense foods, eat more in general, and watch your sodium.
I understand you're having a hard time getting your calories where they need to be, that's why you need calorie dense food like peanut butter, nuts, avocado, and dairy. You can get a quick 500 calories with a glass of chocolate milk and a couple spoons of peanut butter. I'm sure you could eat that at some point in the day without feeling overstuffed.
Rigger0 -
@__Di__ Okay, your comment confuses me even more than I've been lol. Are you saying that because I'm a water drinker (and yes, I do drink a lot of water usually), that I need to have MORE salt in my diet?
I don't salt anything, in fact I'm not even a fan of the taste, tho I'll pepper something until it's black. Any sodium I'm getting it's what's already in my food.
It depends on how much you are drinking, if you are drinking a lot, you dilute the sodium in your body. Looking at your diary, your sodium levels are sometimes in the minus, that is very dangerous.
As a guide, the very MINIMUM you need to function is 400.
People look on sodium as the devil incarnate, but it is not and is absolutely necessary for good health, especially if you exercise a lot.
She is in the minus because she is going over the recommended amount of sodium, some of this wait gain is going to be water weight!0 -
Hi there. One thing I noticed is that you mentioned having a FitBit, but it looks like you are manually entering your exercise. Don't do that - link your fitbit account to myfitnesspal and let it do the work from there. I wonder if your exercise calories are a bit overstated??
If you get that worked out and still have problems getting enough calories, try for more healthy proteins (nuts, lean red meat, etc). That will boost your calories in a healthy way without adding too much to the volume of food you are eating.
Good luck! It's not an easy journey, but if we all come together like this, we really can help each other out.
editing for spelling0 -
OP - I certainly get that you are frustrated, but you came here asking for advice... and you have been given a LOT of ideas and possible changes you could try to make... Yet you have found a way to dismiss all of them. Obviously not everything will work for you, but if you ask for advice you need to be open to accepting it. Pick one of the suggestions on here that makes sense to you and TRY IT. Yes, it will require doing something different than you do now - including possibly eating a little when you are not hungry, or getting some soup for more salt, etc. But you clearly do not like the results of what you are currently doing, and the only way to get different results is to do something different! If it doesnt work, pick another one! Research on your own. If you just want someone to listen to you complain without offering any help, well... this is not the place
Good luck to you! You can do this - just commit yourself to doing some experimenting until you figure out what works for you. There are some very smart people here (and some not too smart - use common sense too!).0 -
If you're diary is accurate, you're actually not eating enough. I know it's counterintuitive, but it's true. If you look through this website, you will find lots of people who will tell you that they got the same advice, followed it, and started losing weight. Your metabolism slows down when you don't eat enough, so you have to eat to keep it running.
Use the MFP calculator and trust what it tells you that you should be eating. Measure and weigh your food and honestly track everything that you eat. Log your exercise with as much accuracy as you can. Don't try to take shortcuts to weight loss by starving yourself -- you're only sabotaging yourself in the long run.
If you are having trouble getting all of your calories in, start by doing some meal planning. Plan three meals and a couple of snacks that will meet your calorie goal for the day. If you are going to exercise, estimate what your expect to burn and plan for that to. Don't eat a bunch of diety food, like low fat this and that, or sugar free blah blah blah, or 100 calorie snack packs or any of that. Eat real food and just make sure that you are eating proper portion sizes. It's better nutrition and will use up some of your calories. Also be aware that your body does not always tell you its hungry just by the gnawing in your stomach. Sometimes we get cranky and tired or fuzzy brained and it's our body's way of saying it needs fuel. Listen to your body and try to eat something when it happens. And give yourself choices! Have a variety of snacks available. A lot of times when one thing doesn't sound good to eat, something else might.
Good luck and don't give up! Keep trying different things until you find out what works for your body.0
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