Help! Losing Hope!

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  • sarahenagy
    sarahenagy Posts: 66 Member
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    My stats are similar to yours (5'5", starting weight 152, current weight 135, goal 130 - don't know about your age, but I'm 29). Personally (and of course I know everybody is different), I have found that if I do not eat enough and give my body recovery time from my workouts I do not loose. I have been there, done that with the 1200 calories a day, working out hard every single day, and not seeing the scale budge for weeks on end. Super frustrating. And in the past has led to quite a bit of yo-yoing (I'll loose some, then the scale stalls, I get frustrated, return to my old habits, and gain the weight I did loose back).

    This time around my weight loss has been more sustainable and something I feel I'll be able to maintain once I reach my goal. I have upped my calories to 1350 base for the day, slowed my working out to 3-4 days a week, eat back my exercise calories and I have been slowly, but steadily loosing at a rate of 1-2 lbs a week. Not to mention I'm a lot less stressed (I don't feel hungry all the time, not perpetually sore from intense workouts, and don't freak out about finding time to hit the gym).

    I do measure and log everything carefully and when using MFP's exercise calories I account for their overestimation (by reducing about 1/3 - for example, I did a spin class this morning that was an hour, I entered 40 minutes on MFP). Most of the time though I use a heart rate monitor, which tells me exactly how many calories my body burned.

    It's slower progress than when I was sticking to 1200 and working out more, but I have not plateaued this time around. And less stress is definitely worth it.
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 33,971 Member
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    You said you are using measuring cups.

    Here, watch this short youtube video:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JVjWPclrWVY

    ...which is also linked in this excellent thread on the subject:

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/872212-you-re-probably-eating-more-than-you-think
  • turtledove773
    turtledove773 Posts: 122 Member
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    You just started tracking your calorie intake so you should give it some time. All I can say is what worked for me. I'm 42. I spent years "working out and eating right" and never lost weight so I told myself I never would. When I started using MFP and tracking everything I ate I started seeing a difference. Then I bought a heart rate monitor to track my calories burned because I wanted to eat my calories back. I started steadily losing a pound a week and lost 30 pounds. My goal was only to lose 20 but I was able to keep going! I haven't been this size, or this healthy, for 20 years. You can do this!

    How long should I give this method before moving on the next? If I stay with doing what I am doing should I continue it for 1 week, 2 weeks before upping my calorie intake?
  • RobynSeabrook
    RobynSeabrook Posts: 15 Member
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    Some days you went way over your calories, and some days you were scarily under your calories. One day you only ate about 400 calories? I would have thought that your body won't want to let go of your energy storage if what you're eating is all over the place like that. My suggestion would be to be more consistent with your calorie intake, eat more self prepared meals, drink lots of water to stop you feeling so hungry. I also find chewing gum tends to help me stop eating out of boredom. Don't give up and move onto something else, using this site properly is a healthy way to lose weight and will help you to learn good habits that will help you to keep the weight off.
    If you're struggling with 1200 calories, then just make your weight loss per week lower for a bit until you get used to it. :)
  • nomeejerome
    nomeejerome Posts: 2,616 Member
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    OP:
    You need to give it more than one or two weeks. (think 4-6 weeks) Patience.

    Read all of the links provided for you in this thread.
  • turtledove773
    turtledove773 Posts: 122 Member
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    Some days you went way over your calories, and some days you were scarily under your calories. One day you only ate about 400 calories? I would have thought that your body won't want to let go of your energy storage if what you're eating is all over the place like that. My suggestion would be to be more consistent with your calorie intake, eat more self prepared meals, drink lots of water to stop you feeling so hungry. I also find chewing gum tends to help me stop eating out of boredom. Don't give up and move onto something else, using this site properly is a healthy way to lose weight and will help you to learn good habits that will help you to keep the weight off.
    If you're struggling with 1200 calories, then just make your weight loss per week lower for a bit until you get used to it. :)

    Thanks.. I did not mean move on from MFP 'GASP' NEVER LOL. I meant upping calories or something.. How long should I give staying at the 1200 level? (and that 400 calorie day I can guarantee I ate more than that.. I think that's when I just started logging everything and forgot)
  • lilbearzmom
    lilbearzmom Posts: 600 Member
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    I just glanced at your diary. It looks like you eat a lot of pre-packaged and processed foods. Have you thought about putting more effort into preparing your own foods from fresh ingredients? I think that might help to cut down on the amount of sugar, carbs and salt that you are getting. When I see 250 calories for hazelnut creamer first thing in the morning along with a carb-rich cereal for breakfast it makes me think that you may actually be getting more than you think. Are you measuring these things very carefully with a scale and measuring cups? If not, you should do that for a while to see if you are calibrated to portion size properly.

    If I were you I would cut down on the items that have the simple sugars and up your intake of fresh vegetables and lean proteins.

    I agree with this. You seem to consume a lot of liquid calories. You should be spending them on more nutrient dense foods. Like food you have to chew....
  • armywifelong
    armywifelong Posts: 18 Member
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    I would also invest in a Heart Rate Monitor. It tracks your heart rate and gives you your TRUE caloric burn. The number on the machines are very generic and are definitely not the same for everyone. My burn on my HRM is never the same or even close to what the machine says. Polar makes amazing ones! I am on my second one if 5 years and cannot work out without it.
  • tavasue
    tavasue Posts: 14
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    My best suggestion is to be patient. I sometimes go thru slumps where my losing slows way down or even stops for a few weeks, but then it picks right back up again. Sometimes it helps to increase water intake.
  • ChristinaMarie31
    ChristinaMarie31 Posts: 2
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    I just glanced at your diary. It looks like you eat a lot of pre-packaged and processed foods. Have you thought about putting more effort into preparing your own foods from fresh ingredients? I think that might help to cut down on the amount of sugar, carbs and salt that you are getting. When I see 250 calories for hazelnut creamer first thing in the morning along with a carb-rich cereal for breakfast it makes me think that you may actually be getting more than you think. Are you measuring these things very carefully with a scale and measuring cups? If not, you should do that for a while to see if you are calibrated to portion size properly.

    If I were you I would cut down on the items that have the simple sugars and up your intake of fresh vegetables and lean proteins.

    Yes I measure them with a measuring cup.. no scale. and how long is a while? I mean how long do i try something to see if it works before moving on to something else? 1 week 2 weeks a month? I am so clueless!

    I strongly recommend a food scale, preferably one that will measure in both grams and ounces (or just grams and do the math when necessary, 1 oz. = 28 g), and that will reset to zero (tare) after you put your plate or bowl on it, and as you add multiple ingredients. It's easy to get extra food when using volume measures (by "packing" or "rounding," or by using a different size dice or having crumbled chip, cookies, etc., compared to the measure used for the package label.

    Hi there! Don't get frustrated. I have lost 80 lbs, gained it back, and now lost 40 of that again. everyone struggles. I had a peak at your diary and I agree with the above labels. I recommend eating non-packages foods and getting into cooking and making it fun. Prepackaged foods have a ton of sodium in them which make you retain water like crazy, and are also bad for you heart and cholesterol. To lose weight healthily it is best to increase your fruits and veggies, and lean proteins, and cut out the starches, and prepackaged foods and snacks. You're welcome to friend me if you want a support person.

    Also, I noticed you tend to have fancy coffee drinks. Those contain a lot of sugar. So although you're not taking in fat, the sugars breakdown and add to overall body fat. It was a struggle for me but now I eat mostly fruits and yogurt for breakfast, soups and salada for lunches, and then a good dinner with healthy snacks throughout the day.

    if you need a sugar fix Chapman's Dutch Chocolate Frozen Yogurt is amazing! Half a cup is only 90 cals.

    And i totally recommend a food scale too. It makes it so much easier, and eventually you get used to portion control.

    Oh and from personal experience, the more you have to lose the easier it comes off in the beginning. Since it looks like your under 20 for your goal it is always a little tougher and takes longer to see results. Your body doesn't want to give up those last 10-15! Hang in there, we are all in the boat with ya! :flowerforyou:
  • TwoPointZero
    TwoPointZero Posts: 187 Member
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    How long should I give this method before moving on the next? If I stay with doing what I am doing should I continue it for 1 week, 2 weeks before upping my calorie intake?

    This is a good question. I generally think that once you change one factor in your routine (calories in, or amount of exercising), waiting 2-4 weeks to see results would be a good idea. If you aren't too sure about how fast your body reacts, then split the difference, and wait 3 weeks.
  • QueenBishOTUniverse
    QueenBishOTUniverse Posts: 14,121 Member
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    Ok, glanced through the other posts so here's my $0.02:

    1. Weigh your food (like everyone else said)

    2. Log as accurately as you can

    3. Consider upping your calorie intake only once you are 110% certain that you have been doing 1 & 2 correctly for at least two weeks and are ALSO having issues like hunger, weakness, low performance on workouts etc. (I personally could not subsist on 1200 calories, but first you need to make sure that's actually what your intake is...)

    4. With the amount of weight you want to lose, consider that 1/2 a pound per week is a completely reasonable rate of loss.

    5. If you make any major changes to what you are doing, give it AT LEAST a month to let things adjust. I stalled out for almost 6 weeks when I added in weight training to my routine. Right now I am only losing 1/2 lb per week because I am also 14lbs from goal. It is completely normal for me to go 4 weeks with no weight loss, and then drop 2 lbs in one week, repeat each month....

    6. Read up on the sexypants post which was linked earlier. I personally have switched to TDEE since I find it easier to plan and eat for the same number of calories every day rather than having to adjust my calorie intake from day to day. If you are consistent in your amount of activity from week to week, you may want to consider switching to TDEE as well.

    ETA: My diary is completely open, feel free to glance through and see what I am doing food and intake wise.
  • turtledove773
    turtledove773 Posts: 122 Member
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    Thank you everyone for your comments! Besides the Polar HRM that cost $$$$ any others out there that you can recommend? I do not need anything fancy.

    Also this scale thing.. I am totally confused on how to even use it in conjunction with MFP? Can anyone explain how you input stuff into MFP after you have used the scale?
  • QueenBishOTUniverse
    QueenBishOTUniverse Posts: 14,121 Member
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    Thank you everyone for your comments! Besides the Polar HRM that cost $$$$ any others out there that you can recommend? I do not need anything fancy.

    Also this scale thing.. I am totally confused on how to even use it in conjunction with MFP? Can anyone explain how you input stuff into MFP after you have used the scale?

    For any solid foods (meats, rice, vegetables etc.) you will just want to weigh it before cooking and then enter the weight in to your food log. For example, I'm making tacos tonight, for the tortillas I'll just enter how many I plan on eating, but for the ground beef and cheese I've already weighed the cheese and know that I have 4 oz and I'll eat half since my husband will get the other half. For the ground beef since it's already in a 1lb container I can just split it in to four equal servings and enter 4 oz or a 1/4 pound. I would also consider weighing the sour cream, but I probably won't bother with the lettuce and tomato since those are not likely to make a huge difference in my calorie count. If you are eating something that is already packaged or measured out in a single serving, you won't need to worry about this, but for anything that is an ingredient and you are only consuming "part" of the package, measure it.

    Basically the issue is that using measuring cups etc. for most solid foods is VERY inaccurate. Using an actual scale and entering the food by weight instead of volume will give you a much better idea of how much food you are really consuming. Also 28g = 1ounce, you might see both listed in the food database, but always try to stick with foods in the database that allow you to enter your food by weight.

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