SERIOUSLY?!?!?!

Options
KLSmith5672
KLSmith5672 Posts: 4
in Motivation and Support
So, I started watching what I eat (as in EVERYTHING that I eat) in March. Then I went to see my doctor in July and she suggested that I log into this site. Since March (I weighed 257!!!) I have been steadily losing weight... until the last three weeks. Three weeks ago I weighed in at 201 (EXCITED!!!) but then at my next two weigh ins I have gained weight (today I am 205.1) I am not over eating - I am not skipping my exercise (5 days a week x 60-90 minutes a day) So WTH is going on???? Am I just destined to NEVER get back under 200 lbs?!?!?!
«1

Replies

  • Firewalker23
    Firewalker23 Posts: 6 Member
    Options
    Rather than going ONLY by weight itself, I would recommend going by the measurements--neck, waist, circumference of your arms/legs--instead. Weight may fluctuate due to water consumption and what time you measure yourself. Be patient and do not get frustrated this early on with your weight going up/down.

    Losing weight is part of your lifestyle. You are sprinting towards this magical number of pounds you want to be when it should be about how much healthier you are getting. :)
  • kit_katty
    kit_katty Posts: 994 Member
    Options
    Also, I suggest tracking your sodium, as your diary is closed I don't know if you are or how it is, but I find if I even go near the max that this site suggests, I can "gain" 5 lbs of water weight. Just keep doing what you're doing and look for long term... you can do this!
  • FrauHaas2013
    FrauHaas2013 Posts: 615 Member
    Options
    Check your diary - have you been eating more salty foods, causing you to retain more water? Maybe you can identify a pattern of what you've been eating that has been causing you to slightly gain. (Most women gain during that TOM as well.)

    Also, yes, what the person above me said - there are other measurements to go by...sometimes my weight doesn't change, but my body fat% has gone down and when I do a side-by-side photo comparison, I can clearly see that my stomach and my butt are much smaller than they were!

    Maybe you're putting on some muscle - muscle weighs more than fat.

    Just keep at it - if you're noticing other changes I wouldn't worry about it.
  • KLSmith5672
    KLSmith5672 Posts: 4
    Options
    Thanks for the suggestions... and I will watch my sodium. Also, I had never checked and actually measured anything, but I have those in here now. I had just been gaging weight loss by the every other week step on the scale at the doctor's office, and the way my clothes fit. Last week I managed to put on a pair of pants that had never fit, so I was excited. Of course that was before I gained another 3 lbs, so I came home and checked them again... and they still fit. So my weight is up, but my size is not. (by fit, I mean that last week and this week I can pull them up, button and zip them... this by NO means implies that I would wear them out anywhere yet... but just getting them to that point when 2 months ago when I got them they didn't come half way up my thighs is exciting...)

    And it really isn't so much sprinting toward a magic number.... I am more looking toward the woman I want to be when my husband comes home from deployment. I am proud of him, and I desperately want him to have a BIG reason to be proud of me :)
  • MinnieInMaine
    MinnieInMaine Posts: 6,400 Member
    Options
    It's usually water weight if you can't poinpoint anything in your calories. But yes, definitely try to start measuring things and check labels if you have them handy. Many of the food listings are done by members and can be outdated or just plain wrong.

    Aside from the sodium, and plenty of water to offset it, there are other factors with water weight. 1) hormones - not only your monthly cycle but if you're on birth control at all. I typically only see losses on the scale a couple of times per month (right after ovulation and menses) because of my birth control. 2) if you happened to have switched things up with your exercise lately - increased intensity like upping the resistance, time or amount of weight lifted can lead to a temporary water weight gain as part of the natural healing process for your muscles.

    Are you eating back calories? If so and you're going by MFP's numbers, most are overestimated so you may want to try only eating back half to 2/3rds of them. Or think about investing in a good quality heart rate monitor (HRM) with chest strap.

    And definitely think about taking some progress pictures or take body measurements. I went through a time where my weight only went down a few pounds but I lost several inches off my waist! Losing inches is just as big of an accomplishment as losing pounds! :)

    Best of luck!
  • mfreeman00
    mfreeman00 Posts: 11
    Options
    257 down to anywhere near 200 IS big!! Be proud of yourself first--you are making tremendous progress! Your husband is going to be AMAZED when he gets home! Try not to stress, and keep at it. You'll get there!! Congratulations on how much success and determination you've already proven. And, from the most sincere place of my heart, THANK YOU, to you and your husband, for your service.
  • paxbfl
    paxbfl Posts: 391 Member
    Options
    Without looking at your diary it's hard to give advice. Take a good look and make sure there's no hidden calories in there - make sure everything is accurate. You should know your BMR and TDEE and be eating between these two numbers. TDEE - 20% is a good goal. (Look online for calculators if you don't know these numbers.) MFP sort of encourages you to eat your exercise calories - it says "You have 500 calories to go" and then increase that number when you put your workout calories in. As a general rule for someone with a lot of weight to lose, I would NOT eat your exercise calories back - as long as you're eating over your BMR and over 1,200 calories a day.

    One thing to keep in mind is that your body becomes more efficient as you lose weight. You weight less, so you burn fewer calories with the same exercise. Plus your heart becomes stronger and doesn't have to pump as hard - so you burn even fewer calories. These are good things, but you have work harder and/or smarter.

    You've got to get your heart-rate up. That means increasing the intensity of your workouts. I like HIIT - High Intensity Interval Training. You can do it on anything - bike, elliptical, etc. I usually do it on a treadmill. Start with a 1 minute walk, then a 1 minute jog, then a 1 minute run, and then a 1 minute all-out sprint. Then repeat 5-6 times. If you're been doing a long, slow kind of workout, this workout will kick your butt - and your heart will be POUNDING! But this will get your calorie burn up and give you a nice metabolic after-burn too. Consider a heart rate monitor too, like a Polar. They help you see how many calories you're actually burning (the calorie counters on gym machines typically over-estimate).

    Good luck - hope this helps!
  • BotWhisperer
    BotWhisperer Posts: 2
    Options
    Also, please remember that muscle is more dense than fat, so weight is, IMHO, a bogus measurement. It should be volume -- how big one is, not how much they weigh -- a pound of gold is much smaller than a pound of cheese (both of which would be welcome:).

    If you are working out, you are probably building muscle AND losing fat with little weight change. Volume.
  • NoeHead
    NoeHead Posts: 516 Member
    Options
    I'm in the same boat. I have been hovering at 201.4-204.5 for the past couple of weeks. It wasn't until this past weekend where i'm now at 200.6...it is driving me crazy but at least it's moving. Honestly the only thing i've been doing is taking it easy on the working out and letting my body rest. i also was more lenient this past week and now i'm back to def making sure i'm under my macros/micros. I hope this will at least help! I'll see you in Onederland!
  • ldrosophila
    ldrosophila Posts: 7,512 Member
    Options
    Give your body a little time. I'm a firm believer in set points and resetting our metabolic needs. You've lost almost 60lbs in less than a year. If youre exercising and consistent with you food intake it'll budge. Let your body play catch up and see what happens.
  • ldrosophila
    ldrosophila Posts: 7,512 Member
    Options
    Thanks for the suggestions... and I will watch my sodium. Also, I had never checked and actually measured anything, but I have those in here now. I had just been gaging weight loss by the every other week step on the scale at the doctor's office, and the way my clothes fit. Last week I managed to put on a pair of pants that had never fit, so I was excited. Of course that was before I gained another 3 lbs, so I came home and checked them again... and they still fit. So my weight is up, but my size is not. (by fit, I mean that last week and this week I can pull them up, button and zip them... this by NO means implies that I would wear them out anywhere yet... but just getting them to that point when 2 months ago when I got them they didn't come half way up my thighs is exciting...)

    And it really isn't so much sprinting toward a magic number.... I am more looking toward the woman I want to be when my husband comes home from deployment. I am proud of him, and I desperately want him to have a BIG reason to be proud of me :)

    two more thoughts youre weighing at the doctors office and I assume you are dressed. Is their scale calibrated? Are you wearing heavier clothing now that it's getting colder?

    And if you can get a food scale and measuring cup try that out for awhile see if that helps any.

    I'd also look at getting your own bathroom scale that way you can do it first thing in the morning and in your birthday suit.
  • Lizzy622
    Lizzy622 Posts: 3,705 Member
    Options
    Have you changed your calories as you lose? Your calorie needs change as you lose weight. Your body may have also gotten accustom to your exercise routine. Try something new or even give yourself an extra rest day for a couple of weeks. Sometimes our bodies get comfortable and we have to shake something up to get the fat to move again.
  • KLSmith5672
    KLSmith5672 Posts: 4
    Options
    Thanks all for the support and kind words... To answer some questions - I had not been taking measurements, but have started. My trainer will start with the calipers on Friday so we can monitor that as well. I do NOT eat the additional 'exercise' calories that this site suggests that I eat. I eat most days between 1200 and 1500 calories (which is where the nutritionist says she wants me). I weigh and measure everything that I put into my mouth from oatmeal to cereal to chicken and fish. If the calorie count is not the same in here as on my labeling then I enter it myself. Sugars are almost always high because I eat a lot of natural sugars in fruit, but my sodium is very low every day because I salt almost nothing. Proteins are high every day, but fats and carbs are low as well. Everything I eat has a purpose - either it is complex carbs and proteins in the morning for the energy to work out, or some pre measured cheese with lunch if my fats and proteins look really low, lots of veggies both raw and cooked for the nutrients, lots of fruits as snacks when I am looking for something sweet, and lean meats for dinner (I haven't had red meat in I don't know how long and it is something that I miss!!!) The BMR website that I visited suggested that I eat close to 1700 calories per day (which at this point looks like an insurmountable mountain... WAY too much food!!!) My soldier comes home sometime early next year, and my goals that at one point looked reachable now look impossible to meet... But, in reality, I am a complete work in progress, so I guess I will just keep working toward them and hope to reach them at some point in the next year... The first 30 lbs literally just dropped off with me just watching and counting everything that I ate. When I stopped losing after about 40 lbs, I went to see a series of doctors (gen practice, nutritionist, ect) and they put me onto an exercise program. The exercise and activity caused me to start losing again up until about 3 weeks ago when I started to gain. Now, seeing the scale going up again instead of down is doing a serious number on my morale and making me question if I can do this... It is frustrating and hurts a bit to know that I am working so hard toward something and seem to be failing..... My exercise routine changes daily. The only consistent is that at least 5 days a week I put in a minimum of 30 minutes of elliptical work (altering speed, resistance, and incline), 4 days a week I also do weight training (2 days are higher intensity with my trainer, and 2 days are more relaxed but still a 'workout' on my own), and 2 days a week (or more) I also walk anywhere between 1.5 miles (20 minutes) and 3 miles (40 minutes) in addition to any other workout I may have for the day.

    Okay - I think that I answered everyone's questions... Thanks again for all the offerings of support, and in advance for any advice or suggestions.
  • Scremoshells
    Scremoshells Posts: 21
    Options
    Sometimes the scale might not move for a week or 2 even if you are eating well. This happens to me too. Start measuring yourself as well, its SO much more motivating then just looking at the scale. If you are working out too you are building muscle as you burn the fat so it might even out one week.

    Keep up the good work!
  • Lizzy622
    Lizzy622 Posts: 3,705 Member
    Options
    I think your soldier will be very happy when he comes home even if you are not exactly where you want to be yet. wishing you the very best :flowerforyou:
  • askeates
    askeates Posts: 1,490 Member
    Options
    First, your husband will be proud of you no matter what... you have already come a very long way so don't discredit the hard work you have put in so far.

    The other thing to think about.... since you have lost a considerable amount, have you readjusted your numbers? If you follow TDEE it tells you to recalculate every 5 pounds. I think MFP suggest ever 7-10 pounds. Sometimes the numbers will stay the same, sometimes they go down a little bit.

    Keep up the great work!
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
    Options
    As long as you weigh your food properly and don't overestimate your exercise calories, you will lose weight. Any increase in weight is typically water weight.
  • paxbfl
    paxbfl Posts: 391 Member
    Options
    I think it's AWESOME you want to do this for your husband. Thank you to both of you for your service to our country. I am very grateful!

    You sound like you're doing really well with your diet. KEEP IT UP! Stay consistent. Don't let the little voice in your head mess you up.

    Some follow-up points:

    1. Sodium... I rarely salt anything and my sodium is always high because I eat prepared foods. You mentioned cheese... there is a TON of sodium in cheese. So you might be getting more sodium than you realize, just something to consider.

    2. Red Meat... I eat red meat occasionally. In fact, I had it today for lunch. I cooked a lean cut of meat on the grill, then sliced it into strips and put it in the freezer. I do the same thing with chicken. Then I take out about 3 ounces (about the size of a deck of cards), nuke it and have it on 1/2 a "Flatout" flatbread with a little cheese. Very delicious and not high in calories at all. I add some whole wheat crackers and some carrots and I'm still around 400 calories.

    The primary reason people are overweight and have heart disease is because they eat too much - usually carbs. Which leads me to my next point...

    3. Fruit. It's good for you, but you might benefit from learning a little about "glycemic index". This is a measure of how foods affect your blood sugar. When I was really into weight-loss (I'm basically in maintenance now), I limited the sugar I consumed as well as "simple carbs" like pasta and white bread. This includes fruit. For me I noticed an increase in hunger when I ate these foods, because my blood sugar would rise and then crash. I'm not saying you shouldn't eat fruit, just be careful with your sugars if you're trying to lose weight.

    4. Workout. This is the biggest thing for me. I bought a Polar Heart-Rate Monitor and was really surprised by the results. My long elliptical workout turned out to be lame. The elliptical said I was burning 600 calories, but the HRM said I was burning under 400. Also, I wasn't burning as many calories walking the dog as MFP said I was. But the HIIT workout I mentioned burned a ton of calories - including a nice afterburn. And running burned a lot also. So I really learned to maximize my calorie burns.

    I'd recommend you do HIIT 3 times a week, lift 3 times a week for 30 minutes and then do your elliptical after you lift for 30 minutes. That will give you a decent calorie burn 6 days a week - rest the 7th day, you'll need it.

    I know that sounds pretty intense but you can do it - and I guarantee if you continue to eat right, the scale will move BIGTIME!

    :)
  • fivethreeone
    fivethreeone Posts: 8,196 Member
    Options
    Besides everything already said, one thing to note is that the number MFP gives you is not totally accurate when counting calories because food companies round the number of calories up or down to the nearest 5. Over time, this can make a difference.

    The easiest way to know your actual calories is to calculate by using your macros: 1g of fat is 9 calories, 1g of carbs or protein is 4 calories. Do the calculations yourself and compare to the calorie total MFP gives you, just to double check where you are.
  • deksgrl
    deksgrl Posts: 7,237 Member
    Options
    You should be eating at least some of your exercise calories. I say "some" because many people say that the database numbers are inflated and unless you use a heart rate monitor you can be doing yourself a disservice.

    The reason you should eat them is because MFP calculates your calorie needs NOT INCLUDING exercise so when you exercise, you need more fuel for that. The deficit is built in. Also, many people get set at a low number (aka 1,200) to begin with because they choose "I want to lose 2 pounds per week" which is not an appropriate setting for most people unless they are very obese.

    Example:

    1,200 (the amount MFP tells you to eat not including exercise, to lose X amount per week)
    -400 (amount of calories you burned in exercise)
    +400 (amount more food to fuel the exercise)
    =1,200 (you are still at 1,200 - the deficit needed to lose weight)

Categories