feeling low

lee112780
lee112780 Posts: 419 Member
edited September 2024 in Motivation and Support
Hey guys...
I have not been losing anything, and I have been working pretty hard. I admit, I do have a cheat day once a wk, usuallly Sun. But I have been working out a lot for a month now, and I dont even log it. Once in awhile I go over my cals, probably 3 times a wk, but not by much...and like I said, dont log my work outs. Is it the cheat day thats killing it? I guess if I go over by too much, even if its just one day, its ruining my whole wk. I understand not losing tons...but I havent lost a pound!!
I wanted to fit into a dress this weekend for a wedding, and be under 200 lbs, and I didnt make it...Im sad ; ( Plus I cant workout a lot this wk cause Im working OT>

Replies

  • sjd2010
    sjd2010 Posts: 106
    You need to track your food AND exercise. You need to eat your exercise calories (at least some, if not all), otherwise your body will think it is starving and will not lose any weight. Give it a try.:wink: Good luck to you.:flowerforyou:
  • Edestiny7
    Edestiny7 Posts: 730 Member
    Are your clothes fitting any better? I would recommend recording your exercises, hopefully you use a heart rate monitor so you know how much you burn, and EAT those calories. Make sure your net calories (Viewed in Reports) are not below 1200 (when you are recording your exercises).
  • Ely82010
    Ely82010 Posts: 1,998 Member
    If you don't log your workouts you don't know how many calories you burned, and then you daily calory intake will be off.

    Let's say that MFP allows you 1200 calories but you burned 300 due to exercise. Now you will be allowed 1500 calories. If you eat 1200 or less then you will put your body in "reserve" or starvation mode and you will not loos much or nothing at all. I recommend that you log your exercises so MFP can analyze and recalculate your daily calories better.

    It could also be that since you are working out a lot, you may be building muscle. Have you taken your measurements lately, what about your clothes, do they fit better? Are you drinking water and reducing your sodium?

    Review and log your food and exercise, and don't get discourage. if you are eating healthier then the weight will come down soon. Good luck!
  • lisalynn35
    lisalynn35 Posts: 250 Member
    As crazy as it sounds you may not be eating enough. You need to eat at least half of your workout calories in order to fuel your body. If your body doesn't feel like it's getting enough fuel it will slow down your metabolism in order to reserve the fuel it is getting.

    And have you measured lately? It could be that you building muscle which weighs more than fat. So while you may not be losing weight, you may be losing inches.

    Keep you chin up, give your body enough fuel, try not to get discouraged and remember youare NOT alone.
  • lee112780
    lee112780 Posts: 419 Member
    Im eating a lot though...following Drs orders...he said under 2000 a day, and Im eating 1850, and like I said, when I work out, sometimes I go over by 100 or 200....and I have a cheat day.
  • lee112780
    lee112780 Posts: 419 Member
    clothes are fitting a tiny tiny bit looser on SOME days, but not all. Also, I lost an inch in my waist, and then gainded it right back. :sad:
  • Edestiny7
    Edestiny7 Posts: 730 Member
    It sounds like fluid retention if you are gaining and losing that frequently. Add sodium to your diary if you haven't already, and try to stay below 2,000 mg., although I try to stay below the AHA recommendation of 1500 b/c I have kidney stones. Also, make sure you are drinking at least 8 cups of water a day. I swear, when I do not drink enough, I weigh more! When I drink enough, my weight drops.
  • lee112780
    lee112780 Posts: 419 Member
    might be right Destiny...Ill drink more water...I tend to drink a lot on the weekdays and not enough on the weekends.
  • SouthernBell86
    SouthernBell86 Posts: 275 Member
    I think if you try logging the exercise it could help you see what the overall picture looks like better. I mean, maybe your workouts are burning way more or way less calories than you think. Either way it could hamper your weight loss. Another thing is maybe there is a particular food you are eating that you have some sort of intolerance for which could be adding to the fluid retention. Perhaps you could try to record how much energy you felt you had each day and what foods agreed with you, then try eliminating something for a while to see if it makes a difference.

    Personally, I know I really have to watch my potato intake, as it tends to screw with things a little bit. I definitely lose more weight on the weeks I have avoided them well. Our bodies are wonderful mysteries we must try to decode!!

    Anyway, keep up all your hard work and pat yourself on the back each day you do what you should. :) You can do this!!
  • lee112780
    lee112780 Posts: 419 Member
    Maybe it is the type of calories Im eating. I usually do stay within my calories, but I honestly think I may be cheating too much. I know lots of people have to add calories to lose wight, but maybe I need to decrease...maybe I cant have cheat days. Or....maybe once a month. Ill keep tryin...just really hope I can see some changes soon!!
  • lee112780
    lee112780 Posts: 419 Member
    I think I finally got it! I read part of my Jillian Michaels book again, and followed her recomendations for the amount of calories I should consume. Finally shed some light on all of this, even though its a pretty simple answer! We need a calorie deficit of 3500 a wk to lose only 1 lb. So, after calculating my workouts, I am supposed to be eating 1850...which is what I have been doing. HOWEVER, the point that I missed was the days I am NOT working out. I should only be eating 1300, not 1800! Plus my "cheat" day, I dont even track, god only knows how many cals I eat, prob just 1300 in beer itself....which probably comes out to calorie deficit every wk. On TOP of that, usualyl my cheat day I dont work out....if anything...I should be working out MORE. I know this is crunching a lot of numbers, but its helping!

    So my new plan is if I cant workout on weekends, I eat 1300, not 1800....and no more cheat days :ohwell: Atleast not for now.
  • gingajoy
    gingajoy Posts: 52
    sounds like you've figured out the issue. I bet you'll start losing in no time. I read yesterday to eat higher on your *rest* days and less on exercise days -- not sure about this, but I am noticing that I am *less* hungry on my exercise days than others (but that's just me). So I tend to stick to limit and not eat exercise calories on exercise days, but I do make up for it at other times -- so I'm ok over a 7 day period. I like my 'cheats' on a weekend too:-)

    2 things that seem to be working for me: 1. don't eat anything after 7pm. Don't go to bed full or even slightly full.
    2. Change up your workout.
  • Beebee78
    Beebee78 Posts: 703
    I'm glad you've managed to figure it out chick. I would keep on with the cheat days though. If you log your exercise as well as diet and maybe do some exercise on the cheat day you wont start to struggle and you can stick with it more easily.

    Thinking o fyou xxx
  • loopybec2002
    loopybec2002 Posts: 313 Member
    I feel I eat enough and I don't work out everyday. MY Diary is open for public view and I go over somedays as well. I have lost 22lb in 2 months and I am very happy so If you do need some idea of some bodys plan whos diet is working take a look or anybody else with there plan open I find sometimes it gives me ideas on where I am going wrong
  • lee112780
    lee112780 Posts: 419 Member
    Thanks everyone...I will prob keep the cheat day...but I will log that day...and workout one day on the weekend. Jillian says its good to zig zag cals...so I guess a cheat day is good...just have to be veeery careful on the other days. I cant wait for the day I can come back here and say Im under 200 lbs
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