Just another "I'm not losing weight" post. Sorry!!!!

idiocracy
idiocracy Posts: 275 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I know this has been discussed before, and I read the stories. But I need answers based on my story. I'm sorry if my post will be boring and will make your eyes roll :)
I thought I had this covered. I thought I was doing this right this time. I am not feeling myself and have not for about a year or so. I have been on Nuvaring for a while, and while on it, I managed to gain about 10 lbs. No, it wasn't the hormones, it just made me HUNGRY all the time. I'll take the blame for that. However, I stopped using it about 6 months ago and have been trying to lose the weight back.

I am 5"6", 31 years old female and I weigh 138-140 lbs. The "myself" I am trying to be is 130 lbs and fit into my size 4 pants!!! So 3 months ago I started getting more serious about it. I was 145 lbs. I cleaned up my diet (I did not diet drastically): I avoided fried foods, ate plenty of fruits and veggies, no more juices, drank lots of water, slept enough, and from time to time I tried counting calories without getting to the point of driving myself crazy with it. I don't even crave muffins anymore, and just the look of a donut makes me sick.

I also started working out 4-5 times/week. My workouts include cardio (running, treadmil or outside) for 30 minutes and strength training for another 30 min. My problem is that I feel like I am not losing weight and I did not lose inches at all!!!! It seems like I have lost 7 lbs, but in 3 months? That is slow! Plus one day of bloated PMS brings all that weight back.

I do see more definition in my muscles, shoulders, arms "don't jiggle when I clap" as much, thighs, reduction of cellulite (Alleluia!), but what's the deal with those inches not budging? I don't really care about losing weight, I just want to lose INCHES and body fat %, of course.

Thank you for your patience!

Replies

  • soupandcookies
    soupandcookies Posts: 212 Member
    I am guessing that everyone will ask you to open your diary, so we have more information...
  • melaniecheeks
    melaniecheeks Posts: 6,349 Member
    Hmmm, lets get more specific about your goal. In one place you say you want to be 130 pound, and in another place you say you dont care about weight, it's inches and body fat which matter.

    Given your height and weight, I'm guessing you're pretty near a healthy bmi. So those last few pounds are really vanity pounds, that your body will not give up readily.

    If it's inches that are important, increase your strength training.

    Less than a pound a week is OK for the weight you are, so well done on the 7 pounds in 3 months, that's on track!
  • lauren3101
    lauren3101 Posts: 1,853 Member
    For someone of your height and weight, 7lb in 3 months is not a bad loss. You have to realise you are at a healthy weight, so it will be harder for you to lose that. I also cannot see how you can see more definition but not lose any inches. You must have lost BF to see that definition.

    You seem to have the exercise ok, so it's going to come down to your food. Are you eating your exercise calories back? If you could open your diary we could give you a much better answer.
  • _Zardoz_
    _Zardoz_ Posts: 3,987 Member
    With such a little amount of weight to shift it will be slow. 7 pounds in three months is pretty good considering. Don't be obsessed with the number on the scale your body can vary 4 or 5 pounds a day anyway. So even if you do hit your goal 3 hours later you could technically be heavier so which weight would you count as correct?. Concentrate on your fitness and exercise and go from there they will make more noticable body changes than obsessing over the weight number. Use your weight as a guide not the be all and end all
  • idiocracy
    idiocracy Posts: 275 Member
    Yes, you are right about goal specific. By 130 lbs, I meant how I used to be, as a size 4. Yeap, sure are vanity pounds. I will add more weight, I was worried I was getting bulky and maybe that's why inches were not "vanishing"? :)
  • melaniecheeks
    melaniecheeks Posts: 6,349 Member
    You will not get bulky.
  • idiocracy
    idiocracy Posts: 275 Member
    I have not been logging everything in my diary, opening it will only show maybe today and a random day 3 weeks ago. I am on deployment, so my schedule and eating pattern is hectic. Also, from the available food at our galley, I try to make the best choices with what they have, and it's pretty hard to know the calories in the dishes they are cooking. That's why I changed my eating habits and avoided certain foods, trying to make educated guesses about everything else. MFP does not have everything in the database. I tried when I got here, and I gave up logging, it was pretty difficult. I also don't eat as much as I used to when I gained those 10 lbs.
  • lauren3101
    lauren3101 Posts: 1,853 Member
    I have not been logging everything in my diary, opening it will only show maybe today and a random day 3 weeks ago. I am on deployment, so my schedule and eating pattern is hectic. Also, from the available food at our galley, I try to make the best choices with what they have, and it's pretty hard to know the calories in the dishes they are cooking. That's why I changed my eating habits and avoided certain foods, trying to make educated guesses about everything else. MFP does not have everything in the database. I tried when I got here, and I gave up logging, it was pretty difficult. I also don't eat as much as I used to when I gained those 10 lbs.

    You have answered your own question. You estimate calories and log sporadically. I don't know what you mean by deployment, but if you can you would be much better off making meals at home that you can bring to work.
  • gigglesinthesun
    gigglesinthesun Posts: 860 Member
    the thing is you can gain weight with healthy food just as easily as you can with unhealthy food (my fish oil supplement is 90 calories and I am suppose to take it twice a day, that is the same calories as 4 chicken nuggets from McDonalds). As you are not logging your calories, you really don't know how much you are eating.

    http://www.acaloriecounter.com/blog/why-am-i-not-losing-weight/
  • idiocracy
    idiocracy Posts: 275 Member
    I guess I wasn't eating right after all? Even with the changes I made in my diet. "Facepalm" moment. By deployment, I mean I am military and I have been overseas for 3 months. So not really being able to cook, I eat what they have available. I'm going back home next week, so I'll be able to have more control. Hopefully the changes will come soon.

    I guess I am frustrated and in denial with my own body and age. I didn't have these problems when I was 18. Just a run around the block would shed 3 pounds for good back then, lol. Also, PMS is bloating me more than it used to.
  • lauren3101
    lauren3101 Posts: 1,853 Member
    Unfortunately it's a bit of a stalemate; in that sort of situation I would say just make the best possible healthy choices, but it sounds like you are already doing that.

    The problem is going to be your food. When you get home, do some home cooking, make sure you log everything, use a scale and measuring devices, and log and eat back your exercise calories (or half if you are using the MFP calculator - it can overestimate), and I'm sure you will see more results.
  • lucan07
    lucan07 Posts: 509
    the thing is you can gain weight with healthy food just as easily as you can with unhealthy food (my fish oil supplement is 90 calories and I am suppose to take it twice a day, that is the same calories as 4 chicken nuggets from McDonalds). As you are not logging your calories, you really don't know how much you are eating.

    http://www.acaloriecounter.com/blog/why-am-i-not-losing-weight/

    This ^
  • gigglesinthesun
    gigglesinthesun Posts: 860 Member
    I guess I wasn't eating right after all? Even with the changes I made in my diet. "Facepalm" moment. By deployment, I mean I am military and I have been overseas for 3 months. So not really being able to cook, I eat what they have available. I'm going back home next week, so I'll be able to have more control. Hopefully the changes will come soon.

    I guess I am frustrated and in denial with my own body and age. I didn't have these problems when I was 18. Just a run around the block would shed 3 pounds for good back then, lol. Also, PMS is bloating me more than it used to.

    Currently you are eating pretty much close to maintenance. Yes you don't know what it is because you are not having all the info to put into MFP, but what you do know is what quantity you are eating. So just start experimenting with eating less i.e. fill up your plate as normal and only eat 2/3s and discard the rest. You will have to judge whether your energy stays close to normal and you are not starving, if either happens you will have to eat more, same if you suddenly start binging or have extreme cravings. Do this for 4 weeks and weigh yourself and see from there. It's not scientific and you can obviously cheat in various ways, but, hey, it might work for you.

    Read around and figure out what foods have higher calories and have smaller portions of those. There are websites out there that give you the dimensions of portions i.e. 25gr of cheese are roughly that size, 100grs of chicken breast are this size ... it's not are great as weighing, but in a pinch it'll do. Don't let your situation defeat you. Good luck :-)
  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,267 Member
    Eating in a mess hall/galley can make it difficult. Esp if you bring a digital scale and weigh everything...I can just imagine the looks on the faces of your crew...(ex military myself)

    Best thing to do is get better as "guesstimating". There are ways to do that.

    http://education.wichita.edu/caduceus/examples/servings/handy_reminders.htm

    that being said if you are home in one week make sure you get a digital scale and log consistently.
  • ardithann5
    ardithann5 Posts: 26 Member
    Hi old lady here.. some of this is just Family.. who do you look like.. Moms side or Dads side.. me I look like my Pop and his Mom and her sisters.. so If I can at 63 in the next 3 months lose the 20 pounds I will be happy .. just need to get off the computer and do more exercise on my part.. You my Dear are Young still able to have children and your body says what it will do ..enjoy your life.. do you have children.. run with them in a park more... miss that with my kids. hahhaha they are in their 40's now my Daughter does boxing and running way to much for this old lady one son is in the Army.. No Thank you Sir. ahahhahaha and my oldest is on a diet for his health does computer chip design..over all they are in good health.. my Daughter reflects my energy when I was 40.. now that my hubby is ill so much my life is more sitting and watching him.. oh well We keep trying.. Hey Army Strong Keep Punching.. you will get there promise.. now Coffee and a oatmeal... yeah good thing I like this stuff hahahahah ardy richter Milwaukee wi:tongue:
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    For someone of your height and weight, 7lb in 3 months is not a bad loss. You have to realise you are at a healthy weight, so it will be harder for you to lose that. I also cannot see how you can see more definition but not lose any inches. You must have lost BF to see that definition.


    this

    yiou have lost bodyfat, so dont worry to much about the rest - i think pictures are best to measure progress - i cant even measure the same place twice to see if i am losing inches so i just go with what i see in the mirror!

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