Why am I not losing?
Skinand
Posts: 16
I started out at 196 last March and have gotten down to 140. However, I am not losing anymore. I am exercising at least three times a week (racketball and swimming) and walk around campus for at least a half hour 5 days a week with a 20 lb backpack. But I am not losing anymore despite this and it is really getting to the point where I just want to give up. I was doing great and losing until about a month ago and I just stopped. I just cant seem to get started again no matter how hard I try. Any advice from people who have similar situations??
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Replies
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Everyone goes through plateaus and some last longer than others. Have you tried changing up your diet and exercise routines a little? Don't give up, you will make it to your goal, just keep trying
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Wow.. You have lost 56 pounds.. Great progress.. I started in march too with mfp at 173 pounds and am now at 149 pounds since a month but in my case, only I am to blame.. Lol
Anyway, maybe time to mix up your calories and also start with more weights?
Good luck0 -
Looks like your eating habits are all over the map. Most days a little on the light side calorie-wise. Then crazy days (Buffalo Wid Wings). maybe not so hit or miss?
Your body is evolved to be efficient. Try changing up your activities.0 -
My main advice would be stick at it. I, too, was stuck at 140 for 5 months after Christmas this year. I tried all the usual suggestions but none of them seemed to work. I decided to stop worrying about it for a bit and carried on counting calories but with no other major changes, and eventually it just started coming off again.
The usually suggestions on these threads are eat more and change what exercise you're doing. I think eating more would be particularly pertinent to you as if you're logging correctly you're eating quite a low amount considering how much you're exercising (even if you weren't exercising you're eating a low amount each day). When I hit a plateau before that one I tried going from 1200 a day to 1600, and the weight started coming off again immediately. Remember, it's a goal, not a limit. You're meant to eat all your calories each day.
As for changing your exercise, the body adapts to be better at things you do regularly, so when you've been doing the same thing for a while it gets less effective. Try something new and you might start to see a change.
Also, how long haven't you lost for? If it hasn't been more than 2 weeks, I wouldn't worry about it, everyone has times when they stop losing for a week or two. If you want to read a bit more try doing a search for 'plateau', you'll find loads of threads on this.0 -
Looks like your eating habits are all over the map. Most days a little on the light side calorie-wise. Then crazy days (Buffalo Wid Wings). maybe not so hit or miss?
Agree with this ^^. I had a look through your diary, and there are an awful lot of days with nothing logged, I only went back as far as July 28. Also an awful lot of quick add calories. A digital food scale is cheap and essential. Without it you don't know what you are eating. Guessing and eyeballing is a waste of time to be honest. I don't think measuring cups are very good either. check out why here -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JVjWPclrWVY
try to focus on having lots of protein with your meals.0 -
Thank you guys so much
Usually my weekdays are the same, i don't really vary. On the weekends, the family i live with loves to eat out which is detrimental to me, obviously. That's why it seems all over the map. I will definitely try to cut back on that (not sure how, but i will lol). I dont have a great deal of time for change up since I dont even have time to myself during the semester (thats what i get for picking the course load i did while working and trying to keep my family together). But i will definitely see what else my campus has to offer 0 -
Exercise is great but it won't outweigh bad eating and a lot of things that you do become really routine for your body and it becomes really efficient at doing them.0
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Are you logging everything? You have cereal no milk?
What do you drink during the day?
How do you measure?
I'd also stop logging your school walking as exercise. If just choose the lightly active activity level.
I also wouldn't log showering, food prep or cleaning.0 -
Thank you guys so much
Usually my weekdays are the same, i don't really vary. On the weekends, the family i live with loves to eat out which is detrimental to me, obviously. That's why it seems all over the map. I will definitely try to cut back on that (not sure how, but i will lol). I dont have a great deal of time for change up since I dont even have time to myself during the semester (thats what i get for picking the course load i did while working and trying to keep my family together). But i will definitely see what else my campus has to offer
Can you pre-plan what you will get before you go out? If you can choose a "healthier" option at each of these restaurants and pre-log it, I've found that helps me. That way I know what I need to order and know that it fits in to my calories for the day. Try not to stress about it. The stress will make your body resistant too. Just relax, and make sure you are logging accurately and the weight will come off again. Try taking measurements too. I find even though I may not be losing weight, I'm losing inches.
Keep up the good work. It'll happen!0 -
DemoraFairy, I haven't lost for about month. During the summer I spent a lot of time hiking and swimming since we were camping(hence the lack of some diaries since there is no service or internet in the mountains). Starting last Monday, I started getting back into using the gym at my university since the semester started back up. My boyfriends mother, who has been a nurse for 32 years, believes i have a thyroid issue that may be playing a part in it.
ailbheoconnel, the blank days are due to being in the mountains and honestly a lack of desire to log it in after a week lol The quick calories come from no nutritional info being available on some of the items I was eating, even when i would scan the barcode. I have a food scale and use it religiously.0 -
Thank you guys A some of the places I eat, there is no nutritional info anywhere (through the restaurant itself or the internet). The family is a great fan of the small diner type places that have never been heard of before lol The thing is that i never eat all of the portions i am given. i usually only eat bout a third of my plate at the most. At places I can find the info, i do prelog and do research to see what i can get. 0
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Why wouldnt you log the school walking as exercise? Walking around large campus at a brisk pace with a 20lb backpack gets the heartrate up for a prolonged period of time hence calories are burned. it is no different than hiking long distance with a backpack. The other ones I understand, but not that one.0
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My life is super crazy, too, with full time work and a couple hard core uni classes. Whats been keeping me in check lately is cooking up my meals on the weekend (look up meal prep Mondays for ideas). I make 5 lunches and 5 dinners everyday. Here and there I swap them out for a meal with friends, but it has REALLY helped keeping my nutrition habits in check with this crazy schedule. I also make appointments for exercise on my calendar. Good luck!0
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I have time set aside for exercise. I workout at 8 every morning since my first class isn't until 10:00. I do make my lunches in advance since I dont have time during the week but the dinners aren't a possibility due to the family i live with. I'm not even home for dinner for two nights of the week and the other three i usually just cook when i get home from class. Its not what i cook for dinner that is the problem but what they cook that tends to be an issue or unhealthy lol It's just difficult when not everyone in your house has the same goal0
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Why wouldnt you log the school walking as exercise? Walking around large campus at a brisk pace with a 20lb backpack gets the heartrate up for a prolonged period of time hence calories are burned. it is no different than hiking long distance with a backpack. The other ones I understand, but not that one.
It's up to you really, log what you want. The way I read your OP it was an accumulation of walking for a total of a half hour. And it's everyday. I would have just chalked that up to daily activity, similar to if you had a job as a waitress, you would include that in daily activity.0 -
I would assume that your loss has slowed because you've adjusted to such a low calorie intake. It happens to people on here all the time. Try eating more to keep your metabolism going. Calculate your TDEE, then try a 20% cut of that for a while and see how it goes.0
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Its not everyday, only the days when i am on campus and i do see your point but since it isnt a routine part of my everyday life, i figured it was extra.0
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Have a couple 3000 calorie days this weekend. Ignore the slight spike in the weight. go back to eating on plan. within 2 weeks, you should find yourself at an all time low.0
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Could it be that you have gained on muscle mass? Do you log any measurements? You may find that maybe you've lost inches around, say, the waist but gained hiking muscles?
xx0 -
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You may want to revisit your food log and see if there are any holes to plug up--otherwise it is normal to plateau every now and then. My trainer has me lose 20 lbs and then maintain it for 2 weeks and then start again. I also do Adkins for 10 days every 3 months just to shock the system. But don't worry about it and certainly don't use your scale so much!!. This is a LIFESTYLE change for you NOT a diet!! Your body will let you know when it is ready to go further.0
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How tall are you? Because 140 at my height, 5'6, for example would be a nice, healthy weight. Maybe you don't need to lose a lot more.
I had a quick look on your profile and could see some of your friends on there, and quite a few seemed pro ana, from their pics and their usernames. I found that a bit worrying.
As others have said, try upping calories a bit and maybe changing what you do. I think our bodies get used to routine.0 -
Are you loosing inches? I have found I loose inches when I don't loose lbs. Also, review your daily water intake..water is a biggie for my success.0
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READ THIS: (lots of other great informative articles on that site too)
http://www.aworkoutroutine.com/starvation-mode/0 -
Increase your exercise and/or decrease your caloric intake. As your body weight lowers, so does your BMR and TDEE. You're not losing because you're no longer in a caloric deficit.0
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Increase your exercise and/or decrease your caloric intake. As your body weight lowers, so does your BMR and TDEE. You're not losing because you're no longer in a caloric deficit.
:sad: did you even look at her food diary?0 -
Increase your exercise and/or decrease your caloric intake. As your body weight lowers, so does your BMR and TDEE. You're not losing because you're no longer in a caloric deficit.
:sad: did you even look at her food diary?
Very sad.
Take a look at this info: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/974889-in-place-of-a-road-map-short-n-sweet
I use this calculator to find out my TDEE: http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/ (Be super honest with your activity level.)
You'll be surprised at how much you should be eating. I lose at 2000+ a day. Unless you have a doctor prescribed medical reason, you are woefullly undereating, and that's a huge reason for stalling. Trust me, I struggled with a six month long plauteau at 1600 and I've lost seven pounds in the past six weeks at 2000. Best of luck!0 -
This might be difficult to swallow, but you may need to decrease your calorie intake. Recalculate your BMR to match your current weight. I don't know your height, but if you are 5'5" it calculates as being only 1400 a day.0
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This might be difficult to swallow, but you may need to decrease your calorie intake. Recalculate your BMR to match your current weight. I don't know your height, but if you are 5'5" it calculates as being only 1400 a day.
Most days she's not even eating 1000, decreasing calorie intake would be a horrific idea. My BMR is around 1350 and I eat around 2000 calories a day and lose. You shouldn't be aiming to eat less than your BMR.0 -
Thank you guys so much
Usually my weekdays are the same, i don't really vary. On the weekends, the family i live with loves to eat out which is detrimental to me, obviously. That's why it seems all over the map. I will definitely try to cut back on that (not sure how, but i will lol). I dont have a great deal of time for change up since I dont even have time to myself during the semester (thats what i get for picking the course load i did while working and trying to keep my family together). But i will definitely see what else my campus has to offer
When you eat out, order kid's meals if fast food, or at a restaurant get a box and put half your food in it immediately, then eat the other half.
Be sure to get enough sleep.0
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