Feeling Frustrated with Slow Loss

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SheriLynnC69
SheriLynnC69 Posts: 4 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Wondering if any of you have any advice. When I started using myfitnesspal, I was amazed at the 1st month's loss of 12 lbs. However, since then I am only losing an average of 1 lb a week. Let me give you a little background info to help you understand my frustration. When I began using the program, I was not exercising and tried my best to eat my total calorie limit of 1,720. Since that time, over the past month, I joined the gym and typically eat around 1,300 calories (now my daily allowance is 1,650) a day. As you can probably tell by my high number of calories allowed, I have plenty of weight to lose and would expect to be losing much more quickly than I am at this point. I am wondering if I should be eating closer to my 1,650 calorie limit, should I be eating an earlier dinner (I go to the gym and often times dinner is 7:30 or later). With my exercising 6 days a week doing both cardio and weights plus lowering my caloric intake you would think I'd at least average the 2 lbs a week that the program says I will lose. Is there any advice you can give?

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  • maryann9wood
    maryann9wood Posts: 75 Member
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    A pound a week is not really that slow. It makes it much easier to keep it off when you lose it slow. Your skin also has a chance to tighten up. How do I know? 60 weeks of weight loss. Jeans from a 24 to a 14.
  • Ninkyou
    Ninkyou Posts: 6,666 Member
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    Reset your expectations. 1 lbs/week is perfectly healthy.

    Weight loss is not linear, so some weeks will be high, some low, some none at all. It doesn't matter if you have 'alot' to lose, as long as you're in a downward trend, it's all golden. Could you lose 2 lbs/week? Sure, but it depends on what you would have to do to get there. Lowering your calorie intake is probably not going to be the best choice. You still need to fuel your body properly while in a deficit. Since you're exercising, you get to eat a bit more. It's good that you're eating as much as you are.

    My only suggestions, are what I stated above, which is to reset your expectations, AND, if you're not already, weigh your food. If you're not weighing your food, you're probably eating more than you think, and that could be what's giving you a smaller deficit/weight loss. But either way, 1 lbs a week is great.
  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,268 Member
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    If you aren't weighing your food and logging accurately you are probably eating more than you think.

    When I came here I lost about 1/2lb a week when I should have been losing 1lb a week...asked around and was told get a food scale...I did, use it faithfully and haven't had an issue since.

    And yes with your goals 2lbs a week is acceptable and expected...as long as you log accurately.
  • Therealobi1
    Therealobi1 Posts: 3,262 Member
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    HIyah 1 pound a week is great. there are so many people who are not losing or evening gaining. You also have those that lose it so fast only to gain it all back again and plus have the loose skin issue. Patience is one thing I learnt doing this. I had calculated how much weight I should have lost each month and it drove me crazy when I didnt hit those numbers. I realise now that I should have just been concentrating on logging accurately and exercise. good luck
  • Leely101
    Leely101 Posts: 1 Member
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    Hi SheriLynnC69, I'm having the same problem you are. But i've been testing it lately though. I notice when i start upping my exercise, i end up in a plateau for a week or 2 when i should be losing. I'm finding that muscle is replacing fat which weighs more. It sucks, but I'm still going down in size. I started measuring my waist, thighs, arms and hips. The measurement numbers are going down even when I plateau. It's frustrating when i rely on the scale and get discouraged. Keep up the good work.
  • diannethegeek
    diannethegeek Posts: 14,776 Member
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    Hi SheriLynnC69, I'm having the same problem you are. But i've been testing it lately though. I notice when i start upping my exercise, i end up in a plateau for a week or 2 when i should be losing. I'm finding that muscle is replacing fat which weighs more. It sucks, but I'm still going down in size. I started measuring my waist, thighs, arms and hips. The measurement numbers are going down even when I plateau. It's frustrating when i rely on the scale and get discouraged. Keep up the good work.

    It's far more likely that you're seeing some increased water weight after you increase you exercise rather than muscle weight gain. it's pretty tough to gain muscle and almost impossible to gain any significant amount while eating at a deficit. But our bodies flood sore muscles with excess fluid to help cushion and repair them after exercise. This may give the muscles a "pumped" look and cause a temporary gain or stall on the scale. Many people mistake this for muscle gain.
  • Iwishyouwell
    Iwishyouwell Posts: 1,888 Member
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    I feel you. That's why, when actively losing, I chose to lose quicker. I loathe slow weight loss, and when you've got over 100 lbs to lose, 1 lbs a week ain't gonna cut (at least for me).

    Are you accurately weighing your food? Typically that's the issue.
  • SheriLynnC69
    SheriLynnC69 Posts: 4 Member
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    I actually haven't been weighing my food. I do measure foods that are easily measured such as rice, noodles, veggies, those types of things. I will drag out the scales and get to weighing other foods. I definitely am not drinking enough water as I hardly drink 3 glasses of any liquid in a given day. Thank you all for all the ideas. I will try the things you all mentioned and see if it makes a difference. It is VERY frustrating to only be losing 1 lb a week when I have soooo far to go!
  • GNeiswender
    GNeiswender Posts: 60 Member
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    I found what works for me is to drink plenty of water, I drink at least eight 8 oz a day. Be sure to eat you allowed calories - you don't run a car without gas in the tank. And since you are exercising be sure to get enough protein. When I watch these 3 areas the scale moves. If I exercise and cut calories the scale stops dropping . . . our bodies think we are starving.

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