I've hit a plateau!

I'm 10 pounds from my goal, more unhappy with my body than ever, and have lost motivation to go to the gym and even during runs I just want to give up. Help! What should I do!
«1

Replies

  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    I'm 10 pounds from my goal, more unhappy with my body than ever, and have lost motivation to go to the gym and even during runs I just want to give up. Help! What should I do!

    giving up isnt going to make you happier with your body though is it?
  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,267 Member
    Perhaps just re-evaluate your goals...start some resistence training.
  • ChristineinMA
    ChristineinMA Posts: 312 Member
    I'm 10 pounds from my goal, more unhappy with my body than ever, and have lost motivation to go to the gym and even during runs I just want to give up. Help! What should I do!

    I've been on a plateau for the last 4 months or so. Sorry to hear that you are unhappy with your body. I can tell you that hating my body only resulted in putting back everything I lost plus some more. I was over 200 lbs and I thought how I hated myself at 155 and then really was disgusted at myself at 172.

    I am back at 172 and although I would love to get to 140, it isn't happening right now so I am congratulating myself for keeping the weight off and trying to love myself right where I am. Most days I feel really good at this weight. If it weren't that the BMI chart still shows me as Obese, I might chill out.

    I tell you, sometimes, the fattest thing about me is right between the ears! :laugh:
  • mumof5
    mumof5 Posts: 328 Member
    I had a look at your diary. There's your problem. Eat. Eat. Eat. Are you lacking motovation or energy? Bet your tired. Lethargic. I dont know your weight or height but 1000 cals and under is not a sustainable diet for any woman. Best of luck. Eat.
  • Capt_Apollo
    Capt_Apollo Posts: 9,026 Member
    my advice to you is to start lifting heavy.
  • mumof5
    mumof5 Posts: 328 Member
    Captain apollo - how could she. First she would need to eat.
  • Phaedra2014
    Phaedra2014 Posts: 1,254 Member
    I had a look at your diary. There's your problem. Eat. Eat. Eat. Are you lacking motovation or energy? Bet your tired. Lethargic. I dont know your weight or height but 1000 cals and under is not a sustainable diet for any woman. Best of luck. Eat.

    Exactly.

    How can you even make it out of bed each day with only 700 calories in you? You're on the right path to putting back all the weight and then some. Eat more. Be healthy and fit. Then watch those pounds come off.
  • steephx0x
    steephx0x Posts: 47 Member
    I had a look at your diary. There's your problem. Eat. Eat. Eat. Are you lacking motovation or energy? Bet your tired. Lethargic. I dont know your weight or height but 1000 cals and under is not a sustainable diet for any woman. Best of luck. Eat.

    Exactly.

    How can you even make it out of bed each day with only 700 calories in you? You're on the right path to putting back all the weight and then some. Eat more. Be healthy and fit. Then watch those pounds come off.

    I don't know what to eat! I'm kinda picky, no pork or pretty much any kind of red meat. I only drink skim milk and I don't like rice or fish (except when in sushi).
  • StaciMarie1974
    StaciMarie1974 Posts: 4,138 Member
    So eat the foods you like, but more of them.
  • jasonmh630
    jasonmh630 Posts: 2,850 Member
    I had a look at your diary. There's your problem. Eat. Eat. Eat. Are you lacking motovation or energy? Bet your tired. Lethargic. I dont know your weight or height but 1000 cals and under is not a sustainable diet for any woman. Best of luck. Eat.

    Exactly.

    How can you even make it out of bed each day with only 700 calories in you? You're on the right path to putting back all the weight and then some. Eat more. Be healthy and fit. Then watch those pounds come off.

    I don't know what to eat! I'm kinda picky, no pork or pretty much any kind of red meat. I only drink skim milk and I don't like rice or fish (except when in sushi).

    Not liking certain things is all fine and normal. Just eat MORE of the stuff you DO like. Enough to get you up to (guessing) around 1400 cals.
  • WaterBunnie
    WaterBunnie Posts: 1,371 Member
    Yes, you need to eat if you've not been hitting your goals and then the exercise will come easier. If you are bored with what you've been doing you need to try something different like swimming or an exercise class. Zumba is great fun or whatever takes your fancy but motivation isn't an issue when you attend a class because the time absolutely flies by and quitting simply isn't an option - you're a team!
  • momxs2
    momxs2 Posts: 173 Member
    doesn't look like you are taking in many calories...

    I think you should reassess your calorie's and change up your workout routine.
  • _Calypso_
    _Calypso_ Posts: 1,074 Member
    The science is there - if you truly are eating only 700 cal a day you should be losing weight. So I'm guessing you are not weighing your food and/or logging everything you eat OR drink each day.

    You lack of motivation comes from the fact you are probably eating too low causing you to be tired, cranky , lethargic.

    Taking in so few calories will screw with your metabolism so on the days you do eat 1000+ calories your body wants to hold onto those nutrients which can stall weight loss. Additionally how is your water intake? If you are not drinking enough your body will retain water which will stall weightloss as well.

    Basically.... you need to log and weigh everything you eat and drink and eat more. You may notice the scale go up at first because your body needs to readjust to more calories. But after a couple weeks you'll notice the scale going back in the right direction.
  • SLLRunner
    SLLRunner Posts: 12,942 Member
    I'm 10 pounds from my goal, more unhappy with my body than ever, and have lost motivation to go to the gym and even during runs I just want to give up. Help! What should I do!
    Your logging is not consistent because if you were really eating under 1000 calories you would be losing weight.

    You should get your logging under control and ensure you are weighing all food and making correct entries. You log all you eat.

    Also, if you count your exercise calories and you use MPG or gym machines for estimations, keep in mind they are both WAY overestimated. For example, my 4 mile 42 minute run this morning: the gym machine said I burned over 600 calories, my HRM said 320. BIG difference.

    Finally, you won't lose the last ten pounds very fast because you are already close to a healthy weight.
  • WaterBunnie
    WaterBunnie Posts: 1,371 Member
    I'm 10 pounds from my goal, more unhappy with my body than ever, and have lost motivation to go to the gym and even during runs I just want to give up. Help! What should I do!
    Your logging is not consistent because if you were really eating under 1000 calories you would be losing weight.

    You should get your logging under control and ensure you are weighing all food and making correct entries. You log all you eat.

    Also, if you count your exercise calories and you use MPG or gym machines for estimations, keep in mind they are both WAY overestimated. For example, my 4 mile 42 minute run this morning: the gym machine said I burned over 600 calories, my HRM said 320. BIG difference.

    Finally, you won't lose the last ten pounds very fast because you are already close to a healthy weight.

    This isn't always the case, depends on the gym machine and whether you've put in your weight and age etc. We have Precor machines at my gym and my gym sessions by machine estimations come out at within just a few calories (less than 10 on some occasions!) of what FitBit gives me for the same period of time.
  • punky1933
    punky1933 Posts: 2 Member
    I've got it from a qualified successful "dieter that she's lost close to 70 pounds by eating lthe number of calories suggested by my fitness plan every day - varying the foods from all those listed in the dt abase …. Most important is to eat ONLY and I MEAN ONLY natural food - no prepared or packaged - fresh veggies, whole cleans, raw fruit, whole grain everything - ice, cereal etc and some protein with each meal. Stick with the full caloric count from the data base - no more, no less - the actual calories consumed are just as important as those denied … remember ALAWAYS NATUR4AL AND UNPROCESSEDO
  • WaterBunnie
    WaterBunnie Posts: 1,371 Member
    I've got it from a qualified successful "dieter that she's lost close to 70 pounds by eating lthe number of calories suggested by my fitness plan every day - varying the foods from all those listed in the dt abase …. Most important is to eat ONLY and I MEAN ONLY natural food - no prepared or packaged - fresh veggies, whole cleans, raw fruit, whole grain everything - ice, cereal etc and some protein with each meal. Stick with the full caloric count from the data base - no more, no less - the actual calories consumed are just as important as those denied … remember ALAWAYS NATUR4AL AND UNPROCESSEDO

    Entirely unrealistic advice for a lot of people with real lives and families etc to attend to. What happens when you go out for a meal for instance and don't know the origin or preparation of the food on the menu? I know your friend means well but I've lost 113 following MFP, eating all my calories plus my exercise calories and eating clean when I can but also processed when I want to. If a diet is too prescriptive you're more likely to be doomed to fail I think.
  • steephx0x
    steephx0x Posts: 47 Member
    I've got it from a qualified successful "dieter that she's lost close to 70 pounds by eating lthe number of calories suggested by my fitness plan every day - varying the foods from all those listed in the dt abase …. Most important is to eat ONLY and I MEAN ONLY natural food - no prepared or packaged - fresh veggies, whole cleans, raw fruit, whole grain everything - ice, cereal etc and some protein with each meal. Stick with the full caloric count from the data base - no more, no less - the actual calories consumed are just as important as those denied … remember ALAWAYS NATUR4AL AND UNPROCESSEDO

    Entirely unrealistic advice for a lot of people with real lives and families etc to attend to. What happens when you go out for a meal for instance and don't know the origin or preparation of the food on the menu? I know your friend means well but I've lost 113 following MFP, eating all my calories plus my exercise calories and eating clean when I can but also processed when I want to. If a diet is too prescriptive you're more likely to be doomed to fail I think.

    Agreed. In an ideal world, everyone would be eating whole foods and non-GMO and all that, but it's freaking expensive! If I switched my groceries for all organic non GMO products, I'd have about 2 days worth of food for the price of one week. I try to eat non GMO, and organic when I can, but I'm the only one in the family on a diet and I can't ask my parents to buy a completely seperate grocery list for me. I understand the benefits of eating that way, and it's not a matter of whether I think it's worth it to spend the extra money or not, it's that I literally do not have the extra money.
  • Timshel_
    Timshel_ Posts: 22,834 Member
    The science is there - if you truly are eating only 700 cal a day you should be losing weight. So I'm guessing you are not weighing your food and/or logging everything you eat OR drink each day.

    You lack of motivation comes from the fact you are probably eating too low causing you to be tired, cranky , lethargic.

    These two points are correct.
  • IllustratedxGirl
    IllustratedxGirl Posts: 240 Member
    I've got it from a qualified successful "dieter that she's lost close to 70 pounds by eating lthe number of calories suggested by my fitness plan every day - varying the foods from all those listed in the dt abase …. Most important is to eat ONLY and I MEAN ONLY natural food - no prepared or packaged - fresh veggies, whole cleans, raw fruit, whole grain everything - ice, cereal etc and some protein with each meal. Stick with the full caloric count from the data base - no more, no less - the actual calories consumed are just as important as those denied … remember ALAWAYS NATUR4AL AND UNPROCESSEDO

    Entirely unrealistic advice for a lot of people with real lives and families etc to attend to. What happens when you go out for a meal for instance and don't know the origin or preparation of the food on the menu? I know your friend means well but I've lost 113 following MFP, eating all my calories plus my exercise calories and eating clean when I can but also processed when I want to. If a diet is too prescriptive you're more likely to be doomed to fail I think.

    I'd like to chime in and say that is not unrealistic.. I always eat all natural and minimally processed foods.. maybe some times I will eat processed foods if they are all natural or organic. My diet is almost all organic. Also, I rarely eat at places that aren't serving all natural or organic food
  • IllustratedxGirl
    IllustratedxGirl Posts: 240 Member
    I've got it from a qualified successful "dieter that she's lost close to 70 pounds by eating lthe number of calories suggested by my fitness plan every day - varying the foods from all those listed in the dt abase …. Most important is to eat ONLY and I MEAN ONLY natural food - no prepared or packaged - fresh veggies, whole cleans, raw fruit, whole grain everything - ice, cereal etc and some protein with each meal. Stick with the full caloric count from the data base - no more, no less - the actual calories consumed are just as important as those denied … remember ALAWAYS NATUR4AL AND UNPROCESSEDO

    Entirely unrealistic advice for a lot of people with real lives and families etc to attend to. What happens when you go out for a meal for instance and don't know the origin or preparation of the food on the menu? I know your friend means well but I've lost 113 following MFP, eating all my calories plus my exercise calories and eating clean when I can but also processed when I want to. If a diet is too prescriptive you're more likely to be doomed to fail I think.

    Agreed. In an ideal world, everyone would be eating whole foods and non-GMO and all that, but it's freaking expensive! If I switched my groceries for all organic non GMO products, I'd have about 2 days worth of food for the price of one week. I try to eat non GMO, and organic when I can, but I'm the only one in the family on a diet and I can't ask my parents to buy a completely seperate grocery list for me. I understand the benefits of eating that way, and it's not a matter of whether I think it's worth it to spend the extra money or not, it's that I literally do not have the extra money.

    I am able buy a week of all natural / organic food for myself and my boyfriend for about $60. Not sure how this compares to non-organic / all natural food because I haven't shopped that way in years. I made the decision a long time ago that it is worth the investment.
  • steephx0x
    steephx0x Posts: 47 Member
    The science is there - if you truly are eating only 700 cal a day you should be losing weight. So I'm guessing you are not weighing your food and/or logging everything you eat OR drink each day.

    You lack of motivation comes from the fact you are probably eating too low causing you to be tired, cranky , lethargic.

    These two points are correct.

    I am logging correctly. I've always eaten this way, I ised to have more energy but it's lacking now
  • steephx0x
    steephx0x Posts: 47 Member
    I've got it from a qualified successful "dieter that she's lost close to 70 pounds by eating lthe number of calories suggested by my fitness plan every day - varying the foods from all those listed in the dt abase …. Most important is to eat ONLY and I MEAN ONLY natural food - no prepared or packaged - fresh veggies, whole cleans, raw fruit, whole grain everything - ice, cereal etc and some protein with each meal. Stick with the full caloric count from the data base - no more, no less - the actual calories consumed are just as important as those denied … remember ALAWAYS NATUR4AL AND UNPROCESSEDO

    Entirely unrealistic advice for a lot of people with real lives and families etc to attend to. What happens when you go out for a meal for instance and don't know the origin or preparation of the food on the menu? I know your friend means well but I've lost 113 following MFP, eating all my calories plus my exercise calories and eating clean when I can but also processed when I want to. If a diet is too prescriptive you're more likely to be doomed to fail I think.

    Agreed. In an ideal world, everyone would be eating whole foods and non-GMO and all that, but it's freaking expensive! If I switched my groceries for all organic non GMO products, I'd have about 2 days worth of food for the price of one week. I try to eat non GMO, and organic when I can, but I'm the only one in the family on a diet and I can't ask my parents to buy a completely seperate grocery list for me. I understand the benefits of eating that way, and it's not a matter of whether I think it's worth it to spend the extra money or not, it's that I literally do not have the extra money.

    I am able buy a week of all natural / organic food for myself and my boyfriend for about $60. Not sure how this compares to non-organic / all natural food because I haven't shopped that way in years. I made the decision a long time ago that it is worth the investment.

    It also depends on where you live and what type of sales your grocery store offers.
  • SLLRunner
    SLLRunner Posts: 12,942 Member
    I'm 10 pounds from my goal, more unhappy with my body than ever, and have lost motivation to go to the gym and even during runs I just want to give up. Help! What should I do!
    Your logging is not consistent because if you were really eating under 1000 calories you would be losing weight.

    You should get your logging under control and ensure you are weighing all food and making correct entries. You log all you eat.

    Also, if you count your exercise calories and you use MPG or gym machines for estimations, keep in mind they are both WAY overestimated. For example, my 4 mile 42 minute run this morning: the gym machine said I burned over 600 calories, my HRM said 320. BIG difference.

    Finally, you won't lose the last ten pounds very fast because you are already close to a healthy weight.

    This isn't always the case, depends on the gym machine and whether you've put in your weight and age etc. We have Precor machines at my gym and my gym sessions by machine estimations come out at within just a few calories (less than 10 on some occasions!) of what FitBit gives me for the same period of time.
    Not true in my experience. Precor gym machines are no more accurate than any other, though I will admit their numbers are lower than other machine.I always input my data into the machines (even Precor), and my Heart Rate Monitor (Polar FT7) consistently gives much lower calories than the treadmills at the gym. Not one single time have the gym machines given me a reading close to my HRM, and I've lost 42 pounds either using the treadmill numbers and not eating all my exercise calories back to account for error (about the first 6 months) and my heart rate monitor, where I usually eat most of my exercise calories back (last 6 months). I have been successfully maintaining for the last three months or so as well.

    However, perhaps your gym has different or better Precor gym machines than my gym and are more accurate, cause I see you've lost quite a bit of weight. Congrats on such a wonderful accomplishment. :smile:
  • SLLRunner
    SLLRunner Posts: 12,942 Member
    I've got it from a qualified successful "dieter that she's lost close to 70 pounds by eating lthe number of calories suggested by my fitness plan every day - varying the foods from all those listed in the dt abase …. Most important is to eat ONLY and I MEAN ONLY natural food - no prepared or packaged - fresh veggies, whole cleans, raw fruit, whole grain everything - ice, cereal etc and some protein with each meal. Stick with the full caloric count from the data base - no more, no less - the actual calories consumed are just as important as those denied … remember ALAWAYS NATUR4AL AND UNPROCESSEDO
    Your fitness plan? I think it's against the terms of service to advertise.

    No, you don't have to eat "clean" in order to lose weight, you just have to eat at a calorie deficit.
  • SLLRunner
    SLLRunner Posts: 12,942 Member
    The science is there - if you truly are eating only 700 cal a day you should be losing weight. So I'm guessing you are not weighing your food and/or logging everything you eat OR drink each day.

    You lack of motivation comes from the fact you are probably eating too low causing you to be tired, cranky , lethargic.

    These two points are correct.

    I am logging correctly. I've always eaten this way, I ised to have more energy but it's lacking now
    Have you been the doctor to get your thyroid checked?

    Have you set your calorie goals in MFP with each ten pounds you lose?

    Do you weigh all your food?
  • steephx0x
    steephx0x Posts: 47 Member
    I was considering getting my thyroid checked, I've had tests done before but not specifically looking for a thyroid problem.
  • WaterBunnie
    WaterBunnie Posts: 1,371 Member
    I've got it from a qualified successful "dieter that she's lost close to 70 pounds by eating lthe number of calories suggested by my fitness plan every day - varying the foods from all those listed in the dt abase …. Most important is to eat ONLY and I MEAN ONLY natural food - no prepared or packaged - fresh veggies, whole cleans, raw fruit, whole grain everything - ice, cereal etc and some protein with each meal. Stick with the full caloric count from the data base - no more, no less - the actual calories consumed are just as important as those denied … remember ALAWAYS NATUR4AL AND UNPROCESSEDO

    Entirely unrealistic advice for a lot of people with real lives and families etc to attend to. What happens when you go out for a meal for instance and don't know the origin or preparation of the food on the menu? I know your friend means well but I've lost 113 following MFP, eating all my calories plus my exercise calories and eating clean when I can but also processed when I want to. If a diet is too prescriptive you're more likely to be doomed to fail I think.

    I'd like to chime in and say that is not unrealistic.. I always eat all natural and minimally processed foods.. maybe some times I will eat processed foods if they are all natural or organic. My diet is almost all organic. Also, I rarely eat at places that aren't serving all natural or organic food

    I think you may have missed the "for a lot of people" part of my message. Good for you if you find it easy to keep to but for people relying on others supplying their food for example or who travel a lot with work it's not so straight forward.
  • WaterBunnie
    WaterBunnie Posts: 1,371 Member
    I'm 10 pounds from my goal, more unhappy with my body than ever, and have lost motivation to go to the gym and even during runs I just want to give up. Help! What should I do!
    Your logging is not consistent because if you were really eating under 1000 calories you would be losing weight.

    You should get your logging under control and ensure you are weighing all food and making correct entries. You log all you eat.

    Also, if you count your exercise calories and you use MPG or gym machines for estimations, keep in mind they are both WAY overestimated. For example, my 4 mile 42 minute run this morning: the gym machine said I burned over 600 calories, my HRM said 320. BIG difference.

    Finally, you won't lose the last ten pounds very fast because you are already close to a healthy weight.

    This isn't always the case, depends on the gym machine and whether you've put in your weight and age etc. We have Precor machines at my gym and my gym sessions by machine estimations come out at within just a few calories (less than 10 on some occasions!) of what FitBit gives me for the same period of time.
    Not true in my experience. Precor gym machines are no more accurate than any other, though I will admit their numbers are lower than other machine.I always input my data into the machines (even Precor), and my Heart Rate Monitor (Polar FT7) consistently gives much lower calories than the treadmills at the gym. Not one single time have the gym machines given me a reading close to my HRM, and I've lost 42 pounds either using the treadmill numbers and not eating all my exercise calories back to account for error (about the first 6 months) and my heart rate monitor, where I usually eat most of my exercise calories back (last 6 months). I have been successfully maintaining for the last three months or so as well.

    However, perhaps your gym has different or better Precor gym machines than my gym and are more accurate, cause I see you've lost quite a bit of weight. Congrats on such a wonderful accomplishment. :smile:

    Thank you :-) They are all set to algorithms which I guess will be more accurate for some people than others - not that we'll ever know our burn rates for sure! The problem is so are Heart Rate Monitors and although they are obtaining a more consistent reading of your exertion the calorie calculators are still just an estimate based on a program. It's best just to get on with it and not get too bogged down.
  • _lyndseybrooke_
    _lyndseybrooke_ Posts: 2,561 Member
    1000 calories per day? Seriously?

    To make you feel better, eat more. To make you look better, lift.