Help, I'm not losing any weight?!

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rebeccalynw
rebeccalynw Posts: 4 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I'm so frustrated, I only need to lose 12 lbs, I followed this to a T, it set me at 1200 (5'8" 152 lbs, exercise every day a half hour sometimes more, Jillian videos and gym classes high impact). I eat back my calories because I'm hungry. What do I do now? I've been stalled at 150.5 for 3 weeks. I do feel stronger but it is like the fat refuses to budge. HELP!!!

Replies

  • karlahere
    karlahere Posts: 79 Member
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    Have you tried measuring your body fat%? For all you know, you've built up muscles which are waaay denser than fat. Keep at it, hun!
  • Danabug2
    Danabug2 Posts: 6 Member
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    It might be worth rechecking some things. Maybe raising your calories for a couple of weeks just a little could make a difference. 1200 is really getting close to the point that your body is resisting letting go. Especially is you are exercising at a high level. Also, are you being accurate on your food intake. If you are guessing (which we all do) the volume, you might consider measuring for a while just to make sure you are not adding calories. Being in a stall is normal, but check these things out, maybe add a different exercise for a couple of weeks, and be patient. You will get moving again. I know you want to lose the weight, but at 5'2" and 179 I think you are in great shape!
  • nads1012
    nads1012 Posts: 55
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    I eat back my calories because I'm hungry.

    Just answered your own question. If you are eating that little, try do 5-6 meals a day, eating constantly, so no time to get too hungry. If it's unbearable do 1500 (5x 300cals) (that's what I'm doing right now, surviving ok) and give yourself a bit more time. Don't give up.

    Dunno the exercise you're doing, but try something else/ more variety/ lifting weights.
  • Patrick0321
    Patrick0321 Posts: 102 Member
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    I'm 5'8" and trying to get 140lbs and I've been eating 1490 calories and the weight is coming off slowly. It's slow mainly because of my bad weekends
  • Dlacenere
    Dlacenere Posts: 198 Member
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    For your height and weight, you are not eating enough. Check out the group Eatmore2weighless and read the pins at the top
  • LivvieO
    LivvieO Posts: 164 Member
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    I had the exact same issue last month, I was stalled and panicked that I would be stuck in this plateau forever, in fact I hadnt noticed any weight change from mid July until 2 days ago when I lost 1.4lbs, I was so annoyed, I weighed myself EVERYDAY at least twice per day. For a while I was only doing Shred and eating back my exercise calories but lately I've decided to change things up by increasing the amount of calories I burn through exercise. I've started walking alot. I recently started walking between 5 and 10 miles daily and that seemed to have jump started my weight loss; even when I go to the gym, I've skipped the weights in favor of a brisk 1hr walk/jog treadmill session. I also stopped eating back all the exercise calories, now I eat back 40-50% of them. With that said, I make sure I burn at least 600-800 calories so I can still hit the net of 1200 while eating back only a portion of those exercise cals. I'm 5"9 and 144lbs with only 14lbs to lose so it seems like for those of us within the "normal" weight range, we have to work twice as hard to lose those last extra lbs

    I would honestly say dont get discouraged and dont be afraid to change things up so that your body isnt as "accustomed" to your routine fitness regime; i know thats easier said than done but you can do it.
  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,268 Member
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    Hard to say your diary isn't open

    but do you weigh what you eat?
    Underestimating what you eat?
    Log everyday?
    How much are you trying to loose each week?
    Have you measured to see if any inches lost?
    Are you over esitmating your burn?
  • jadedone
    jadedone Posts: 2,449 Member
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    And ask yourself what the real sue is. Do you really need to lose weight or do your a t to reduce your body fat percentage and look more "toned." You might be better served by working out differently.
  • mickeypeaslee
    mickeypeaslee Posts: 1
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    Add back less calories than this program allots, maybe 150 less on the days you exercise. When I'm hungry I find that chewing on some celery filled with soft cheese helps, and also turkey wraps using Dijonaisse. You look fantastic so just keep at the exercise - most importantly.
  • AmyRhubarb
    AmyRhubarb Posts: 6,890 Member
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    I'm your height, and I lost my last 10lbs (and more importantly, fat and inches!) eating 1800+ calories a day.

    Do you have your MFP goals set to lose 2lbs a week? If so, change it to .5 or 1lb at the very most. You don't want a huge calorie deficit - a smaller deficit is best for fat loss. Keeps the body fueled and happy, and the fat comes off. Eat too little and the body is getting the message that it needs to store fat, not burn it.

    Log everything as accurately as possible. A food scale is an awesome tool to have.

    Take progress photos and your measurements! I stalled on the scale for about 6 months, bouncing up and down between the same few pounds, but during that time I lost fat and inches galore, dropping a full size. The scale lies, especially as you get closer to goal. Pay attention to how your clothes fit and how you look in the mirror - that's where you'll see progress.

    Other than that - have patience. It will take some time, but it's worth it. :smile:

    If you want some more info and great reading on losing the fat, read this: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/974888-in-place-of-a-road-map-2k13
  • rebeccalynw
    rebeccalynw Posts: 4 Member
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    Ok, so I do not weigh my foods but I do try and overestimate rather than underestimate. That's I guess why I'm frustrated, because I'm eating so much less than I was before that it seems like I should be losing at least a pound a week. I set it up to lose 1.5 a week, which I thought was doable because I was pretty slack on exercise before. I am not as fit as the lady with the arm picture (damn that looks good!), but I'm an ex athlete and never really had weight problems except when my thyroid bonked. I'm on meds for it but I seem to wonder if I'm just doomed. I have measured and have lost maybe .5 inches in my hips, I do LOOK better, but still can't get into my old clothes. I was a size 6-8, now a 10 plus. I seriously can't afford a new wardrobe and HAVE to lose inches. I would have a problem to do a ton of exercise minutes a day because I"m a single mom with a 3 year old who certainly has opinions about NOT being in a jogging stroller (no, this isn't baby weight, I was back down to 135 when my guy was 6 mos old!). I can increase my use of weights... I am seriously pushing the Jillian workouts and zumba at the gym and I've doubled in strength/stamina. my dang heart rate is soooo low - I have to be panting to get it above 135. so I look ridiculous in zumba class double hopping everything and exagerating my movements. big dorky white girl spazzes out in zumba class. Thanks for all the ideas, I need to decide to eat more or less for a week and see what happens?? I put a picture from today in. :glasses:
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
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    You got to weigh your food. That's pretty much it.
  • DancingMoosie
    DancingMoosie Posts: 8,619 Member
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    Have you tried using heavier weights when doing the Jillian workouts? I started with 3lb, but now try to do as many exercises as possible with 8lb dumbbells. I keep the 3's nearby though, just in case. If using a treadmill for cardio in the gym, put the incline as high as you can. Lower it for recovery, then crank it up again. Or do some HIIT and alternate sprinting with jogging. I can't really make suggestions on the diet, other than trying to net around 1300 or 1350 instead of 1200. I lost while netting over 1200, and I'm only 5'3".
  • LeanneGoingThin
    LeanneGoingThin Posts: 215 Member
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    Have you tried measuring your body fat%? For all you know, you've built up muscles which are waaay denser than fat. Keep at it, hun!

    You won't just gain lbs in muscle. It's hard, especially while at a deficit. I doubt that's what's causing it. More likely she eats back too many calories, or in other words overestimates what she burns and underestimates her intake.
  • rebeccalynw
    rebeccalynw Posts: 4 Member
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    I get that I might not be eating the ## of calories I'm supposed to be although I know I'm close because I eat a lot of packaged dinners from trader joes because that's where I lose it with portions, but I"m eating sooooo much less (and healthier) and working out so much more! that's what I don't understand. after 4 weeks I should have lost weight. If it is this hard, maybe it isn't worth it. I am on the 5lb weights so far, and that is alot for me from where I started with 3s 4 weeks ago. I don't see how I can eat less, but I can eat back less calories on hard workout days.
  • rebeccalynw
    rebeccalynw Posts: 4 Member
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    Just got my bloodwork back and my TSH is 4.3, which is hypothyroid, no wonder!!! also am anemic even though I'm taking iron and eating kale and spinach every day. I'm probably going to drop the diet, stick with the exercise, and see how the medications go. Peace!
  • jadedone
    jadedone Posts: 2,449 Member
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    Just got my bloodwork back and my TSH is 4.3, which is hypothyroid, no wonder!!! also am anemic even though I'm taking iron and eating kale and spinach every day. I'm probably going to drop the diet, stick with the exercise, and see how the medications go. Peace!

    Oh that probably is having a huge impact. I don't know, but my TSH recently crept up to 3.6 or something, and that was too high for me. I had lots of symptoms. Now I am a little over 2, not sure if this is enough, but I just got labs about a month ago.
  • shutupandlift13
    shutupandlift13 Posts: 727 Member
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    I'm your height, and I lost my last 10lbs (and more importantly, fat and inches!) eating 1800+ calories a day.

    Do you have your MFP goals set to lose 2lbs a week? If so, change it to .5 or 1lb at the very most. You don't want a huge calorie deficit - a smaller deficit is best for fat loss. Keeps the body fueled and happy, and the fat comes off. Eat too little and the body is getting the message that it needs to store fat, not burn it.

    Log everything as accurately as possible. A food scale is an awesome tool to have.

    Take progress photos and your measurements! I stalled on the scale for about 6 months, bouncing up and down between the same few pounds, but during that time I lost fat and inches galore, dropping a full size. The scale lies, especially as you get closer to goal. Pay attention to how your clothes fit and how you look in the mirror - that's where you'll see progress.

    Other than that - have patience. It will take some time, but it's worth it. :smile:

    If you want some more info and great reading on losing the fat, read this: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/974888-in-place-of-a-road-map-2k13

    You could pretty much ignore everything else written in this thread with maybe the exception of the thyroid issue and this post alone would do you a world of good.

    1200 calories for an active, grown woman is just absurd.

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