3 months, ZERO PROGRESS

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Replies

  • RGv2
    RGv2 Posts: 5,789 Member
    Oh my gosh, you poor thing. How frustrating it is to try so hard at something and not get the results you want to. I was there too. I had my 3rd baby and couldn't lose weight. I tried all different things at the gym from running to boxing. I went to weight watchers and kept my calories low. I still lost nothing. So I dropped weight watchers and I saw a nutritionist. She tested my resting metabolism. When I sit around all day I only burn 1100/day. She told me to keep my calories around 1400-1600/day and exercise most days. She told me to focus on building muscle to increase my metabolism because muscle burns more calories than fat. With weight lifting 4 times a week and cardio 2x/week, a whole food non-processed diet, it has helped me lose but I am only losing one pound a week at best. I cheat my meals once a month. This has worked for me but, that is just me it isn't you. The folks on these forums only know what works for them. Go see a nutritionist. At least he/she will tell you if you are doing things right. Go see your doctor too. Many talk about thyroid issues but there are other issues too like food allergies and polycystic ovarian disease that could muck up your weight loss. I admire your ability to stick with this for so long. It's time you heard some new answers. Good Luck!

    Odds are, if you're only taking in 1400-1600 calories a day, you aren't building any appreciable muscle. Muscle is hard to put on, and it takes a caloric surplus unless you are untrained or morbidly obese, but even those gains aren't sustained. You are maintaining the muscle mass you have through lifting while losing fat.
  • jonnythan
    jonnythan Posts: 10,161 Member
    10 pages of discussion on someone complaining of lack of progress but has a closed diary and doesn't weigh her food.

    This should have been closed on the first page.
  • willemjmartins
    willemjmartins Posts: 7
    I am at this two weeks now, 7 lbs. lost. I am not really overweight, just trying to get into racing shape.

    Be careful about your calories burnt during exercise, that could be very inaccurate.

    I burn calories cycling, so I can still enjoy my meals, but stick 95% to the Paleo diet. Lots of protein, fruit, vegetables and avoid starch.
  • bobf279
    bobf279 Posts: 342 Member
    There is plenty of good advice contained in the IPOARM threads, search and read it should answer your questions

    ETA: IPOARM = in place of a road map
  • yoovie
    yoovie Posts: 17,121 Member
    I would really appreciate some help, guys. Please read the whole thing first, if you have the time.

    I have been on my healthy journey for three months now. I work out at least 5 days a week (sometimes more), lifting weights and doing cardio. I have a calorie tracker similar to the Polar watches that lets me know I am burning at least 300 calories in a half hour.

    I eat healthy. I started off clean, but that is ridiculously expensive and time-consuming, so now I do allow some processed food in my diet that is low calorie, low sodium, high protein. I intake 1500 calories currently, over 100 ounces of water a day. Very little sugar, one cheat meal a week. Really, I am doing all the right things here, and I have researched this daily since I began to make sure I was doing what I needed to.

    I HAVE ZERO CHANGE. My clothes fit the same, the scale flucuates in a 4-5 pound range and is never, ever consistent.

    To say I am disappointed would be an understatement. I don't know what else to do here.

    doctor!!
  • 4daluvof_candice
    4daluvof_candice Posts: 483 Member
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    WOW!!!!!!Just checking back and I cannot believe this thread went on for 10 pages about the same thing :yawn: over and over and over, LOL!!!:laugh:
  • 4daluvof_candice
    4daluvof_candice Posts: 483 Member
    10 pages of discussion on someone complaining of lack of progress but has a closed diary and doesn't weigh her food.

    This should have been closed on the first page.


    RIGHT!?!!! smdh!!!!!:laugh:
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  • Naener
    Naener Posts: 167 Member
    Try having your cheat day be the day you go up to 1500, and the rest of the week stick to 1300. You have to create that deficit.

    a cheat day is a cheat day.... sometimes my "cheat" days hit close to 3000 calories lol and ive still been losing every week.
  • jonnythan
    jonnythan Posts: 10,161 Member
    Try having your cheat day be the day you go up to 1500, and the rest of the week stick to 1300. You have to create that deficit.

    1500 is not a cheat day. 1500 is still a large deficit for the OP.
  • LaMaisonJeka
    LaMaisonJeka Posts: 7
    you might just need to change up your workout routine. Maybe increase or decrease your cals by 100 cals depending on what type of workouts youre doing. Or workout at different time of the day. Remember the body accommodates to routine, you have to shock the body once in a while.
  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,267 Member
    10 pages of discussion on someone complaining of lack of progress but has a closed diary and doesn't weigh her food.

    This should have been closed on the first page.

    Yup.

    Then you get all the "Oh my poor dear, hang in there, please don't give up" Followed by same old advice. Lol.

    OP already knows what she needs to do.

    I tried and was called mean remember.
  • db1178
    db1178 Posts: 25
    ........starvation mode.......lol. Yeah, ok.

    :huh:

    I love all the "experts" who lose 3 pounds and know everything about nutrition all of a sudden.
  • wordpainter09
    wordpainter09 Posts: 472 Member
    Can you afford a few months with a trainer? I had one for a bit and she pointed out some things I could change with my macros (too many carbs, not enough protein, etc), as well as patterns of eating I wouldn't have noticed or changed on my own.
    She also had some challenging workouts I wouldn't have pushed myself to without her.
    You have to be careful because some trainers can promote unhealthy habits or severe diets, but many can be a great help.
    Expensive, but sometimes worth it.

    Haha..nm after reading longer it looks like someone beat me to that advice on an earlier page! Well best of luck.
  • warmwaffles
    warmwaffles Posts: 2 Member
    Try taking some measurements in addition to the scale since it doesn't tell the full story. Also try calculating your TDEE and subtract 500 calories from that and see where that puts you for how much you consume. You might not be eating enough.
  • silken555
    silken555 Posts: 478 Member
    Scoobys calorie calculator asks for activity level right? Then it says pretty accurately how much on average you should be eating. On days you do a good workout you could eat some of the calories back.

    Scooby is kind of cool. It says I should be eating over 1600 calories a day, which is interesting. I put in gain muscle, lose fat as my choice - with just lose fat, it says I should be at 1400. Pretty darn close in either direction to where I have been, but the breakdown is fascinating.

    In case no one mentioned it, if you are choosing an accurate level of activity for you in the Scooby calculator then on TDEE you don't eat calories back at all.
  • wjw62
    wjw62 Posts: 4 Member
    Last year I tried the "Ideal Protein" diet.... it worked for me and I have kept the weight off since then :)

    Might be something to look into for the short term 'boost' you need

    https://www.idealprotein.com/ca/home
  • bigbyrdie
    bigbyrdie Posts: 18 Member
    The societal programmed obsession with scale weight diminishes the ultimate goal of being healthy, feeling better, looking in the mirror and being proud of what you have accomplished.

    Throw away your scale become comfortable with your body as you progress along your transformation into a healthier you. If you could only walk a quarter mile when you started your journey, and now you can walk a mile, then who cares what the scale says? If you always took the elevator, and now you walk up five flights of stairs to your office, then who cares what the scale says? If you feel better, breath better, and your clothes are starting to fit better, then who cares what the scale says.

    Focus on you, focus on you, and focus on YOU! Do not believe the façade of what society programs and projects as “beautiful.” You ARE beautiful!

    Never surrender, never quit, never forget, and never compromise! Your goals are YOUR goals, and do not let the distractions of scale weight denigrate your path to a healthier happier you.

    Cut out your cheat meals, period, exclamation mark! One cheat meal a week leads to small cheats throughout the week with all sorts of rationalization for sneaking in that bowl of Haagen-Daaz when no one is looking. If you want to change your life, eliminate all your bad habits. What you are doing is the equivalent of an alcoholic or drug addict saying that just one drink or fix won't hurt. A cheat meal is a lie, and you are just lying to yourself if you think one cheat meal a week won't hurt.

    Remember, to lose one pound in a week, you must have a total calorie deficit of 3500 calories per week. Most likely, your are consuming back all your calorie deficits for the week in that one meal.

    Exercise calorie counters are not 100% accurate, so don't rely on them completely. If you leave the gym covered in sweat, then you probably burned a few calories. If you leave the gym and your clothes are still dry, then work out harder next time so you will burn some calories.

    I will not even go into the multitudes of "expert" advice in this thread concerning all the calorie systems, diet advice, etc. You have to find what works for you. You have to find the missing piece of the puzzle. One thing frequently forgotten in the equation is sleep. Sleep heals the body, and lack of sleep causes all sorts of metabolic problems.
  • Mcgrawhaha
    Mcgrawhaha Posts: 1,596 Member
    Try having your cheat day be the day you go up to 1500, and the rest of the week stick to 1300. You have to create that deficit.

    a cheat day is a cheat day.... sometimes my "cheat" days hit close to 3000 calories lol and ive still been losing every week.

    my high calorie days average about 4000 calories, and have topped out at about 6000 calories. i still lost almost 100 pounds in less than a year with exercise and deficit.
  • gatorginger
    gatorginger Posts: 947 Member
    It's probably your weekly cheat meal that is keeping you from losing
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  • Mcgrawhaha
    Mcgrawhaha Posts: 1,596 Member
    To like the last 5 people who posted besides McGraw. Did you guys even read this thread? Lol. Seriously.

    well, if they did read it, then they know that the reason she is not losing is because she has every excuse in the world and refuses to take any advice that anyone has for her. she puts up road blocks to everyone who has "been there, done that" and continues to sell us the idea that she is doing everything perfect, for 3 months, with zero progress, however, thats not the case. its like my 15 year old daughter... "i do all my homework and get "a's" on all my tests, i dont know why i got an "f" in the class..." really?
  • emirror
    emirror Posts: 842 Member
    To like the last 5 people who posted besides McGraw. Did you guys even read this thread? Lol. Seriously.

    well, if they did read it, then they know that the reason she is not losing is because she has every excuse in the world and refuses to take any advice that anyone has for her. she puts up road blocks to everyone who has "been there, done that" and continues to sell us the idea that she is doing everything perfect, for 3 months, with zero progress, however, thats not the case. its like my 15 year old daughter... "i do all my homework and get "a's" on all my tests, i dont know why i got an "f" in the class..." really?

    *snickers* :laugh:
  • Mcgrawhaha
    Mcgrawhaha Posts: 1,596 Member
    To like the last 5 people who posted besides McGraw. Did you guys even read this thread? Lol. Seriously.

    well, if they did read it, then they know that the reason she is not losing is because she has every excuse in the world and refuses to take any advice that anyone has for her. she puts up road blocks to everyone who has "been there, done that" and continues to sell us the idea that she is doing everything perfect, for 3 months, with zero progress, however, thats not the case. its like my 15 year old daughter... "i do all my homework and get "a's" on all my tests, i dont know why i got an "f" in the class..." really?

    *snickers* :laugh:

    mmmm snickers...
  • JewelsinBigD
    JewelsinBigD Posts: 661 Member
    Try having your cheat day be the day you go up to 1500, and the rest of the week stick to 1300. You have to create that deficit.

    a cheat day is a cheat day.... sometimes my "cheat" days hit close to 3000 calories lol and ive still been losing every week.
    oh to be 29 again and be able to eat 3000 on your cheat day and still lose...
  • katelynnsmom2
    katelynnsmom2 Posts: 12 Member
    First thing I would do is stop asking people on MFP for advice on YOUR body. Almost everyone on here is so quick to jump on the eating too little theory and everone on here forgets that not everyones metabolism is the same. Lets consider how people stayed thin before the technology days (maybe everyone was just fat from going hungry and working in the fields all day) My point is to let your body tell you what works for you. If you are at a low calorie intake and feel tired and hungry all the time- eat more. If you are not losing at the "keep it above 1200 net or else theory" lower it. Keep adjusting until you find the right balance for YOUR body. The only persons advice you should take in consideration is from your doctor.
  • Will_Thrust_For_Candy
    Will_Thrust_For_Candy Posts: 6,109 Member
    Wow, this thread is seriously going on! I guess we're all pretty bored these days....


    OP I think that it's great that you have scheduled a doctors appointment.....if you needed your annual anyway, then great....2 birds, 1 stone.

    BUT

    The reality is more than likely there isn't anything "wrong" with you.

    Your numbers are off and your you taking in more than you burn. You should not for one minute assume that your "counts" are all accurate. THEY ARE NOT.

    That HRM is NOT accurate. Yes, it gives you an IDEA but that's it. Most people don't even burn 300 calories in 30 minutes running for the full time, let alone 346 in 30 minutes doing circuit training. If you are insistent on using the burn from your HRM, I would recommend that use HALF of the amount that it says you burned. THAT will be more realistic.

    If you want to be successful you MUST start weighing and measuring your food. MUST. There is a big difference between 2/3 cup of Special K and the 46grams (or whatever the "equivalent" is in grams). Once you start doing this regularly you will realize how much room for error there is with eyeballing your serving sizes. You may not have to do this forever, but in a situation like this there really isn't any other option.....unless you don't want to lose. That choice is up to you.

    To eat healthy and nutritious doesn't HAVE to be expensive.....frozen meat, vegetables, fruit all work just as well as fresh. But further to that, you don't NEED to eat "clean" to lose. You need to take in less than you burn.
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  • jonnythan
    jonnythan Posts: 10,161 Member
    Try having your cheat day be the day you go up to 1500, and the rest of the week stick to 1300. You have to create that deficit.

    a cheat day is a cheat day.... sometimes my "cheat" days hit close to 3000 calories lol and ive still been losing every week.
    oh to be 29 again and be able to eat 3000 on your cheat day and still lose...

    You could eat 3000 on a cheat day and still lose. It has very little to do with your age, and everything to do with your discipline the rest of the time.
  • yoovie
    yoovie Posts: 17,121 Member
    Try having your cheat day be the day you go up to 1500, and the rest of the week stick to 1300. You have to create that deficit.

    a cheat day is a cheat day.... sometimes my "cheat" days hit close to 3000 calories lol and ive still been losing every week.
    oh to be 29 again and be able to eat 3000 on your cheat day and still lose...

    You could eat 3000 on a cheat day and still lose. It has very little to do with your age, and everything to do with your discipline the rest of the time.

    I dont cheat when I eat 3000. i eat all my calories individually. with vengeance. and then I lick the plate. full tongue out.

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