Frustrated.

WanderingPomme
WanderingPomme Posts: 601 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I went on a low calorie diet for months and maintained in June (115.5lbs). I've started to lose some more weight after that but I don't think it's actual weight loss. I only started tracking calories in July and ate like around 1200-1300 calories, most days. I found that the diet progam I was on was putting me at about 800ish calories a day now I have feared it has wrecked my metabolism. My weight has been stable this month (unfortuntely I'm a daily weigher, sad I know.) Start of August was 113.9 then mid month was like 111.9, 112ish today it was 114.6. I went on a buffet last thursday, and craved for carbs on saturday I went over my calories by like 500 on saturday and probably 4000cals from the buffet. I didn't eat much yesterday, friday too. Tried the 5:2 for those days. Yet my weight is still up. I am so frustrated, I feel like the weight is creeping up on me. I have had nachos, chocolates and fries this month but I exercise and as much as possible keep the intake below 1,200-1,300 a day but what scares me is maybe 1,200 isn't my baseline anymore? Maybe my long term low calorie diet has changed my BMR and now I need lower calories to sustain me in a day. Also, I think I have lost so much muscles which is making me gain faster than normal people.

It's just frustrating to know that since I'm smaller, I can't consume food like normal people do especially since my body is different and my metabolism is probably wrecked and broken. I don't know how to fix it or to find my balance anymore. Also frustrating that I burn less than heavier people. I don't know what to do. I just feel like the weight is starting to creep up on me despite working out. I'm on the treadmill twice a week for an hour machine says I burn like 200-250. I try to walk around as much as I can but mostly just at my desk. I do workout videos too sometimes but I don't know if I'm starving myself by not eating too much or if I'm overeating because my BMR is different from normal women my age and weight. I just feel lost and confused.

Past weeks weights are 112, 111.2, 111.8, 111.8, 111.3, 113.4, 111.1, 111.4, 113.9(morning after buffet), 110.9, 112.5 (morning after carb day) and then this morning 114.6.

I feel so bloated and heavy and just very... off.

Replies

  • Siegel15
    Siegel15 Posts: 100 Member
    Sounds like its all 100% water retention. You know that when you eat high glycemic foods such as the carb binge you have recently had, the glycogen molecules in the carbs each bind with h2o molecules. The way to dump that water is to eat low carb for about three or four days. It should whoosh away and I'd be willing to wager you lose at least three to four of those pounds, which is what you report you have gained.
  • Ed98043
    Ed98043 Posts: 1,333 Member
    Your weight ranges seem perfectly normal to me. Everyone's weight fluctuates a few pounds up and down. I do think it's interesting that your lowest weight was 2 days after a 4,000 calorie buffet binge. Have you ever heard of a "whoosh"? It's basically when your body finally lets go of stubborn weight after a re-feed. And today your weight is highest after basically not eating for a couple of days (if I'm reading correctly). Maybe there's a message in there somewhere.
  • WanderingPomme
    WanderingPomme Posts: 601 Member
    Sounds like its all 100% water retention. You know that when you eat high glycemic foods such as the carb binge you have recently had, the glycogen molecules in the carbs each bind with h2o molecules. The way to dump that water is to eat low carb for about three or four days. It should whoosh away and I'd be willing to wager you lose at least three to four of those pounds, which is what you report you have gained.

    I sure hope so. :( I'm just so scared that the past month may have finally taken it's toll on my weight even though daily weigh ins seem to be stable.
  • WanderingPomme
    WanderingPomme Posts: 601 Member
    Your weight ranges seem perfectly normal to me. Everyone's weight fluctuates a few pounds up and down. I do think it's interesting that your lowest weight was 2 days after a 4,000 calorie buffet binge. Have you ever heard of a "whoosh"? It's basically when your body finally lets go of stubborn weight after a re-feed. And today your weight is highest after basically not eating for a couple of days (if I'm reading correctly). Maybe there's a message in there somewhere.

    Yeah, that's coz I didn't eat much the day after. I have never heard of a "whoosh" before! I shall read up on that. Yeah, I don't know why it's up, finding out what that message is the problem. I wish my body would just give it to me straight!!! Like oh hey, we're gaining weight or I need more protein or you're not eating too much or this diet thing isn't working or you're exercising too little.

    Frustrating!
  • marilou0511
    marilou0511 Posts: 591 Member
    ...Have you ever heard of a "whoosh"? It's basically when your body finally lets go of stubborn weight after a re-feed...
    I looked into the "whoosh" that was posted above. Here's a link to a very interesting article on plateaus and an experiment on water weight: http://www.muscleforlife.com/water-retention-and-weight-loss/ :flowerforyou:
  • glowgirl14
    glowgirl14 Posts: 200 Member
    Sadly, you have probably wrecked your metabolism. I did this to myself a couple of years ago. If you want to lose more weight, you're going to have to let go of the idea of losing right now and make yourself well. :-(

    It took months to fix my metabolism, and I gained a few pounds in the process, but now that it's better, I'm losing again.

    When you eat so little, your body can't function. When you eat a lot (like at a buffet), your body doesn't know what to do with those calories. A healthy metabolism can cope with the occasional binge, but if yours is broken, you need to fix it.

    I had to up my calories on purpose, and I had to do it very gradually so that I didn't get even sicker. I was only eating 300 calories a day. (Yes. I know how stupid it was, yes I realize I could have hurt myself. No, I will never do that again.) I worked my way up to 500 in a week, and then added 100 a week until I got back to a normal amount. (Which, by the way is NOT 1200. :) Eat enough that you'd be maintaining if you were healthy - close to your TDEE - for a couple of months, and see how you feel. If you're starting to have energy again...if food is doing what it should (protein gives you energy that lasts, carbs give a quick burst) THEN you can start to think about losing again.

    It's not healthy to undereat. Everyone knows that, but not everyone knows how badly a damaged metabolism can screw with weight loss.
  • WanderingPomme
    WanderingPomme Posts: 601 Member
    ...Have you ever heard of a "whoosh"? It's basically when your body finally lets go of stubborn weight after a re-feed...
    I looked into the "whoosh" that was posted above. Here's a link to a very interesting article on plateaus and an experiment on water weight: http://www.muscleforlife.com/water-retention-and-weight-loss/ :flowerforyou:

    Thank you so much!! :)
  • WanderingPomme
    WanderingPomme Posts: 601 Member
    Sadly, you have probably wrecked your metabolism. I did this to myself a couple of years ago. If you want to lose more weight, you're going to have to let go of the idea of losing right now and make yourself well. :-(

    It took months to fix my metabolism, and I gained a few pounds in the process, but now that it's better, I'm losing again.

    When you eat so little, your body can't function. When you eat a lot (like at a buffet), your body doesn't know what to do with those calories. A healthy metabolism can cope with the occasional binge, but if yours is broken, you need to fix it.

    I had to up my calories on purpose, and I had to do it very gradually so that I didn't get even sicker. I was only eating 300 calories a day. (Yes. I know how stupid it was, yes I realize I could have hurt myself. No, I will never do that again.) I worked my way up to 500 in a week, and then added 100 a week until I got back to a normal amount. (Which, by the way is NOT 1200. :) Eat enough that you'd be maintaining if you were healthy - close to your TDEE - for a couple of months, and see how you feel. If you're starting to have energy again...if food is doing what it should (protein gives you energy that lasts, carbs give a quick burst) THEN you can start to think about losing again.

    It's not healthy to undereat. Everyone knows that, but not everyone knows how badly a damaged metabolism can screw with weight loss.

    Wow, 300!!! I'm scared to gain all the weight back but good for you that you recovered from that! I hope I do too soon. :(
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
    Your problem is that nobody should ever maintain on 1200. If you're even just lightly active, you would probably maintain at 1800-1900. My advice? See a nutritionist, who hopefully will tell you to eat 1800-2000 a day for a couple months. Yes, you'll gain, but then you'll be able to go down to 1500 to lose again, and maintain at a normal level afterwards
  • WanderingPomme
    WanderingPomme Posts: 601 Member
    I just upped my calories to 1390 today!! I will increase 100/week. :) I've been eating all day! When it's all healthy food there's just so much to consume!!!!! I may have exhausted myself eating today. LOL

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