Feeling unmotivated, am I doing something wrong?

SaajidahM
SaajidahM Posts: 17 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hello All

I started a diet and exercise program on January 6th 2014.

Here's what I've been doing
January 6th-12th I started logging calories on MFP. It gave me a calorie goal of 1700 calories per day. I wanted to have a deficit so I thought I'd stick to around 1200, most days I get between 1250-1300 calories per day.
I drink Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard Natural Whey Protein with Almond Milk for Breakfast and dinner and I have soup and chicken or lean meat and sometimes spinach and a 100 calorie Greek yogurt or activia for lunch. Everyday as a snack I have some berries or other fruit and a bit of Greek yogurt with a tiny bit of honey. For the first week I did Slim in six Burn it Up, four days that week. I went from 265.4 to 259.4 that week.

This week my diet kept basically the same and I started doing Insanity, not 100% because I'm unfit at the moment but I know I will improve as I have a background doing intense aerobics and used to do many of the moves. My diet has been the same as week 1 but I have a glass of milk and some almonds or a hard boiled eggs for recovery after the workout. This week I've only gone from 259.4-257.8.

I am used to doing crazy diets and losing lots of weight quickly, so I'm feeling a bit down with this slower weight loss.
Am I doing anything wrong that's causing the weight to stay on?
Also, I've read on MFP boards that you lose more inches than pounds on Insanity, is there anyone around my weight who got decent weight loss with insanity?
I feel at 1200 calories that I'm eating a lot of food, because it's good choices. My appetite which is usually out of control has really been tamed and I find it hard to make up 1300 calories some days.

I'm trying to lose up to 130 lbs. Is there any hope for me?
I'd love any success stories, advice or tips.

FYI I'm 25 y/o, 5 ft 4.5 inches tall.

Thanks.
Hana

Replies

  • kgeyser
    kgeyser Posts: 22,505 Member
    The 1700 calorie goal already includes the deficit. You don't need to eat less and add an additional deficit on top of that. You should be eating around 1700 calories. Restricting yourself to 1200 is just going to result in disaster later on, especially with 130 lbs to lose.

    The first week's big weight loss included water weight, which is why it was so high. Losing 2 lbs a week is normal and healthy.

    Diet is for weight loss, exercise is for fitness. Insanity, or any other exercise program, is not some miracle that is going to make you drop weight and get an awesome body. It's a means to burn calories and improve muscle strength. The calorie deficit is what leads to the weight loss.
  • nomeejerome
    nomeejerome Posts: 2,616 Member
    If you entered everything correctly into MFP and it gave you 1700 calories, that should be your calorie goal. MFP already gives you a deficit, so you do not have to do it. Realistically, you will not lose the same amount of weight each week. You can lose weight eating all types of foods, meal timing is personal preference, log everything, weigh everything, be patient and persistent.

    When you have some time, read this link and all of the links in it:

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants?page=1#posts-16625920
  • SaajidahM
    SaajidahM Posts: 17 Member
    Thank you!
    Anyone else with any opinions?
    I really find 12-1300 calories a comfortable place, I don't feel hungry at all during the day and I have lots of energy for my workouts.
    I plan on increasing my calorie intake gradually also. Just thought this was a good point to start at.

    Has anyone on here lost and maintained with a beginning cal intake of 12-1300?

    Also, thank you for the link! I'll give it a read today!
  • Greenrun99
    Greenrun99 Posts: 2,065 Member
    Thank you!
    Anyone else with any opinions?
    I really find 12-1300 calories a comfortable place, I don't feel hungry at all during the day and I have lots of energy for my workouts.
    I plan on increasing my calorie intake gradually also. Just thought this was a good point to start at.

    That is what your doing wrong.. Insanity while eating 1200-1300 calories is really pointless and even though you just started.. it will burn you out... which it sounds like you are already.
  • SaajidahM
    SaajidahM Posts: 17 Member
    Will try upping my calories next week and see how it goes!

    Btw, my macros are pretty much on point except fat and carbs are a bit lower than my daily goals.

    I feel it's going to be tough to get 1700 calories in! I see lots of people on here sticking to around 1200 while trying to lose even though it's under the suggested target. Not trying to start a war, but is it really that unsafe to do? I see lots of people on here doing it!
  • evileen99
    evileen99 Posts: 1,564 Member
    It's more "unsmart" than unsafe. Eating too few calories (like you probably did before on your crazy diets) causes you to lose muscle, and muscle is the tissue in your body that burns caloties. Your metabolism gets slower, you burn fewer calories a day, and you become more likely to gain weight at a normal calorie intake. It's why people who do silly diets lose ten pounds and then immediately gain back fifteen. If you eat 1200 when your target is 1700, it's just another crazy diet. You don't have to starve yourself to lose weight.
  • nomeejerome
    nomeejerome Posts: 2,616 Member
    Will try upping my calories next week and see how it goes!

    Btw, my macros are pretty much on point except fat and carbs are a bit lower than my daily goals.

    I feel it's going to be tough to get 1700 calories in! I see lots of people on here sticking to around 1200 while trying to lose even though it's under the suggested target. Not trying to start a war, but is it really that unsafe to do? I see lots of people on here doing it!

    OP:
    I am going to be blunt. 1700 calories should be no big deal, otherwise you would not be at a point where you needed to lose 130 pounds. Sure, there are tons of people who set aggressive goals and have unrealistic expectations. However, those people may lose some weight at first, but then they have to figure out what will work long term. Do you want to continue the crazy diets? Or do you want to learn an appropriate way to lose weight and keep it off?
  • SaajidahM
    SaajidahM Posts: 17 Member
    Bump
  • SLLRunner
    SLLRunner Posts: 12,942 Member
    The weight is coming off. MFP has your calorie deficit built in already, so you should be eating 1700 plus a portion of your exercise calories back.

    The fact that you like diets that make you lose weight "crazy fast" indicates a poor relationship with yourself and food. That might be something to address with a professional.

    By the way MFP provides tools for lifestyle changes not get skinny quick diets.

    The best of luck to you.
  • Mr_Knight
    Mr_Knight Posts: 9,532 Member
    I went from 265.4 to 259.4 that week....This week I've only gone from 259.4-257.8.

    First week is almost all water weight, and not real fat loss.
    Am I doing anything wrong that's causing the weight to stay on?

    It's not "staying on", you're losing weight!
    I feel at 1200 calories that I'm eating a lot of food, because it's good choices. My appetite which is usually out of control has really been tamed and I find it hard to make up 1300 calories some days.

    You're fine either way. Just make sure you get your nutrients.
  • SaajidahM
    SaajidahM Posts: 17 Member
    Thanks Mr_Knight! Makes me feel a bit better! :)
  • debbie3876a
    debbie3876a Posts: 1
    Hi, it sounds like you are doing great because you quit doing the crazy lose-weight-quick diets and are making a life style change. The slow road might not provide the dramatic changes you would like, but the end results will be great and permanent.

    I totally understand what you mean about struggling to eat 1,700 calories! I eat a lot of veggies and lean proteins and I find it is very hard to eat much more than 1,300. If 1,700 is MFP's recommendation, I think you could eat less than that, as long as you are getting your nutrients, have enough energy to work out, and your moods stay stable. You definitely don't want to cut down so far that you crave and binge later. I am not a professional, but I think it's typically not advisable to eat less than 1,200 calories per day. You seem to have found a comfortable calorie intake number, and the fact that you can go above it some days without blowing your diet is fantastic!

    Personally, I am doing the slow road to fitness, with walking/running, floor exercises, and some weight training - not too intense, but regularly. If I tried Insanity, I'd likely give up (like the second day!). LOL
  • SaajidahM
    SaajidahM Posts: 17 Member
    Hi @debbie3876a!

    Thanks for your input! I've actually just input my correct height of 5 ft 4 inches and it adjusted my daily goal to 1660!
    I've just found it so confusing to learn the right approach since some people on here say 1200-1300 is too low whereas some swear by it as the appropriate intake for weight loss!

    In any case I'm going to stick with it. I feel really great with this calorie intake and don't feel hungry or moody at all.
    I will try adjusting my calories upward a bit next week and see how it goes!

    About insanity, I think once you can exercise you pretty much can give it a shot! I'm doing Insanity jointly with my husband who weighs 227, my brother who weighs 210, my mother who weighs 150 and my cousin who weighs 298 and although for us heavier ones, we do what we can and get a great sweat everyday! I would have never thought I could survive the first week!
    I hope in a few weeks I'll have some progress to post about!
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
    Insanity won't do you any good if you don't feed yourself properly for it. Protein shakes are not meal replacements, and you're probably lacking crucial nutrition with your diet. Eat food, and eat more.
  • minipiggle
    minipiggle Posts: 4 Member
    I am eating around the 1200 per day mark, sometimes up to 1400 but generally a healthy, lean balance of 3 meals a day with no meal replacements. It's working for me and I feel energised and generally good. As long as you aren't feeling burnt out and the weight is coming off then don't worry. Slow and steady whilst eating food instead of meal replacements is definitely better long term though as I think it's important to make healthy eating a habit. I've stopped and started in the last 9 months but despite plateau periods I haven't put back on and have kept weight off as I've lost it. Good luck x
  • SaajidahM
    SaajidahM Posts: 17 Member
    Thank you minipiggle and Francl27!

    I just finished my day 6 insanity workout, was amazing! I can already do so much more than on my first day and I don't feel burned out at all!
    Eating a healthy breakfast and dinner are hard for me so that's why I include the protein shake with some fruit, vegetables and yogurt everyday!
    I'm hoping if I stick to what I'm doing, something good will happen!
  • kgeyser
    kgeyser Posts: 22,505 Member
    Are you eating back your exercise calories? Because if you are only eating 1200 and exercising on top of that, your net is going to be lower than 1200. That's not good. As in your body is going to start losing lean body mass not good.
  • alexandriax03
    alexandriax03 Posts: 289 Member
    I don't think you should be replacing two meals a day with protein shakes. Not heathy. May I ask why you are doing this?
  • JTick
    JTick Posts: 2,131 Member
    I started at your exact stats: 5'4" and 265. I ate 1700 + exercise calories. The weight came off very steadily.

    I think by eating lower than the MFP guidelines, you are setting yourself up for failure. You said you've done "crazy diets and lost lots of weight quickly", yet you have 130 pounds to lose. Clearly, those previous diets didn't work. Why are you trying to do this the "crazy way" yet again? Why not trust the program, stick with what MFP tells you, and do what has worked for me and dozens upon dozens of other people?
  • skinnyinnotime
    skinnyinnotime Posts: 4,078 Member
    Sounds to me like you're on another of your 'crazy diets' as you're having just protein shakes for breakfast and dinner. What is the point of that? Why aren't you eating food?

    You should be learning how to eat healthily so that you can sustain this forever, not just lose the weight and go back to what you did before. Surely you don't intend drinking protein shakes for 2 meals a day for the rest of your life?
  • alexanderzamani
    alexanderzamani Posts: 25 Member
    No **** you're feeling demotivated your diet seems pretty bland and it looks to be completely devoid of carbohydrates. That topped with really low 1200 calorie diet and 'insanity', which I assume is a workout DVD. That's a perfect combination to feeling ****ty.

    If the counter says you have 1700 calories, then eat 1700 calories. Eating less can downshift your metabolism and really slow your progress, not to mention making you feel miserable. Another thing is your diet, I'm guessing protein powder, soup and boiled eggs isn't the food you would normally eat, I might be wrong but it doesn't sound enjoyable. If you're following a caloric deficit diet, just eat what you would normally eat, just don't eat too much of it. For me, it's lots of rice and iranian food mostly. Another problem might be the insanity workout. I'm guessing from its name that it's physically demanding. You need to account for that in your caloric intake or your metabolism will downshift.

    So yeah sorry if that came off rude, I didn't mean to be. I think a lot of the solutions seem pretty simple, at least to me (which is great).

    1.) Eat 1700 calories instead of 1200 per day
    2.) Eat less bland food.
    3.) Account for your exercise in your caloric needs.

    I really think these points will help you feeling much happier and motivated but the only way you will find out is if you actually try them out for a month or so and see how you feel. Either way, whatever you decide, I wish you the best of luck!
  • SaajidahM
    SaajidahM Posts: 17 Member
    Thank you all for your suggestions and support.
    I will definitely up my calories this week and cut off the protein powder (as I'm running out of it anyway)
    I will hopefully have some positive news to report back soon!
  • edwardkim85
    edwardkim85 Posts: 438 Member
    IF this is your new years goal(judging by your start date), change your attitude.

    99% of new years goals fail, thus, I never make one.

    There's no reason why people should be 'motivated' to do one or the other in the upcoming year just because the calender date changes. It's a disaster and guaranteed failure.

    It will take you 'years' to lose 150 lbs. Your crash diets failed(I'm sure) because you lost 30-40 lbs and then gained it all back.

    In order to LOSE 150 lbs AND keep it off, you will need to change your entire life style from...

    sleeping habit, eating habit, gym habit, alcohol/social habits, etc. You get the jist.

    You will have to log everything you eat and hence buy a food scale, measuring cup.

    It's not an easy process. All the members in the 'success' forum went through numerous trials and error and hardships to find the right method for them.

    One thing in common though? They all made a life style change to be 'healthier' and 'fitter'. New habits were formed.

    Good luck to you, I hope this one lasts.

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