Need some advice, can't seem to lose..

Bshaw2442
Bshaw2442 Posts: 23 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
OK, little back ground information first: January 2014 I started a weight loss journey. I did exceptionally well. Followed my calorie guide via MFP, worked out doing zumba 3 times or more a week ect. I ended up losing around 23-25lbs in 3 months. I then fell off the wagon :/ I didn't fall off to bad though, just stopped working out, and didn't follow the guideline on calories. However I didn't go into a binge or anything. I maintained my loss for the most part, I gained back like 5lbs but it fluctuated a lot. But never gained more than 5lbs. So anyway that went on for about 2 months, basically maintaining. I just recently started back on my calorie guide and back to working out, same as before. The problem is, I can NOT seem to get past my current weight. I fluctuate between 162-164 and am NOT losing anything at all. It is beyond frustrating because I am doing the same things as before that made my weight loss so successful. I know my food diary has "holes" in it, but I eat pretty much the same thing everyday.

MFP has put me back on *1300 calories per day*
Mornings: bowl of oatmeal (130 calories)
Lunch: A smart one or lean cuisine (nothing over 300 calories)
before dinner: a snack of 100 calories
Dinner: I make a lot of different meals for my family but usually nothing over 600 calories
bed time snack: usually a small 100-200 calorie snack.
(I follow these numbers very strictly, counting, weighing my food ect)

I drink nothing but water, all day everyday. I never picked soda back up. So that didn't change. And yes when I do exercise I do eat back part of those calories like before. My question is why can I not get past this. I figured since I took a break my body would pick losing back up with no problem. I have been back on track for about 2 weeks now and not even a single lb has been lost. Any advice on things to try or do would be greatly appreciated because at this point i'm feeling a little sad and un-motivated. I started at 180lbs, got down to *157 and currently am *162 and can not get past this point. Im set to lose 1lb per week. Thanks in advance for the advice!!

Replies

  • missdibs1
    missdibs1 Posts: 1,092 Member
    My advice buy a food scale and log those recipes you make.

    It appears like you may be over eating at dinner (but how do i know?)
  • dbmata
    dbmata Posts: 12,950 Member
    Why did you decide upon 1300 calories?

    What was your reasoning for it?
  • smn76237
    smn76237 Posts: 318 Member
    Open your diary.
  • dbmata
    dbmata Posts: 12,950 Member
    My advice buy a food scale and log those recipes you make.

    It appears like you may be over eating at dinner (but how do i know?)

    Is your advice based on this comment by the OP?

    "(I follow these numbers very strictly, counting, weighing my food ect)"

    So you suggest that she buys another food scale?
  • Bshaw2442
    Bshaw2442 Posts: 23 Member
    I chose 1300 because that is what MFP put me on the first time around. When I updated goals the 2nd time that is what it put me on this time too.
  • juggernaut1974
    juggernaut1974 Posts: 6,212 Member
    When you say you "just recently" started back up - how recently are we talking.

    It's not at all uncommon for it to take a week or two or three after starting back up (especially if you've added exercise back into your routine) to notice the numbers to start coming back down again.
  • caitipa
    caitipa Posts: 11
    Are you eating vegetables? Grazing throughout the day keeps the metabolism supercharged. You can eat a whole bag of mixed greens and that right there is less than 300 calories. Not saying to go out and do it, but with vegetables- you don't have be strict on the amount you're eating. Lean Cuisines and Smart Ones are CHOCKED full of sodium. You can very well be retaining water. One gallon is 8 lbs FYI. Also, muscle confusion. " It is beyond frustrating because I am doing the same things as before that made my weight loss so successful"... you answered your own question with that. Because you are doing the SAME thing, your body is used to it. Try calorie cycling. Eat 1600 one day, 1400 the next, 1200 the next.. cycle it. And don't do the same exercise routine. Muscle confusion gets us over plateaus and you'll see a significant drop followed by a steady drop (until you get used to that again). Do you own a Fit Bit watch (calorie counter). I use mine to show me that I am getting used to an activity. A spin class that I used to burn 600 calories in an hour is now only making me lose 320 an hour. My body is getting used to it and so now I have to change it up.
  • smn76237
    smn76237 Posts: 318 Member
    Are you eating vegetables? Grazing throughout the day keeps the metabolism supercharged. You can eat a whole bag of mixed greens and that right there is less than 300 calories. Not saying to go out and do it, but with vegetables- you don't have be strict on the amount you're eating. Lean Cuisines and Smart Ones are CHOCKED full of sodium. You can very well be retaining water. One gallon is 8 lbs FYI. Also, muscle confusion. " It is beyond frustrating because I am doing the same things as before that made my weight loss so successful"... you answered your own question with that. Because you are doing the SAME thing, your body is used to it. Try calorie cycling. Eat 1600 one day, 1400 the next, 1200 the next.. cycle it. And don't do the same exercise routine. Muscle confusion gets us over plateaus and you'll see a significant drop followed by a steady drop (until you get used to that again). Do you own a Fit Bit watch (calorie counter). I use mine to show me that I am getting used to an activity. A spin class that I used to burn 600 calories in an hour is now only making me lose 320 an hour. My body is getting used to it and so now I have to change it up.
    So much bad/inaccurate advice I don't even know where to begin.

    OP, open up your diary so people can take a look and help you out. 1300 calories every day would be a deficit for 99% of the population, so something must be going awry in your tracking.
  • Bshaw2442
    Bshaw2442 Posts: 23 Member
    I am currently 2 weeks into the routine. I do own a heart rate monitor that counts my calories when I work out. I burn about 400 calories per workout. I thought that by taking 2 months off that my body would be un used to the whole counting calories and working out because I have not done them in a while. I never go over the recommended sodium intake, and I drink about 130 ounces of water everyday.
  • Bshaw2442
    Bshaw2442 Posts: 23 Member
    I will open up my diary but like I stated in my post it has a lot of holes in it because I do not track everything since I eat the same things everyday. That is why I put everything number wise in the post.
  • juggernaut1974
    juggernaut1974 Posts: 6,212 Member
    I am currently 2 weeks into the routine. I do own a heart rate monitor that counts my calories when I work out. I burn about 400 calories per workout. I thought that by taking 2 months off that my body would be un used to the whole counting calories and working out because I have not done them in a while. I never go over the recommended sodium intake, and I drink about 130 ounces of water everyday.

    Yeah at two weeks I wouldn't worry too much.

    Most likely you've lost a pound or two of fat, but are retaining some additional water due to the re-increased activity
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
    When you say you "just recently" started back up - how recently are we talking.

    It's not at all uncommon for it to take a week or two or three after starting back up (especially if you've added exercise back into your routine) to notice the numbers to start coming back down again.

    This ^^

    Especially if you were not exercising during your maintenance break. It may just be water. Relax and be patient for a couple of weeks.
  • Bshaw2442
    Bshaw2442 Posts: 23 Member
    my diary is now open, I understand that I need to be patient and that is most probably the case. When I first started back in January I initially lost 8lbs in a week (I know most of which was water) I just figured since the break I would do the same thing this time around.
  • caitipa
    caitipa Posts: 11
    Hey it works for me. Wonderfully :)

    I was giving her MY tips. I'm healthy and have been very successful on this lifestyle change. So, sorry my advice isn't what YOU wanted to read.
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
    my diary is now open, I understand that I need to be patient and that is most probably the case. When I first started back in January I initially lost 8lbs in a week (I know most of which was water) I just figured since the break I would do the same thing this time around.

    The difference may be in how much you had to lose then vs. now.
  • caitipa
    caitipa Posts: 11
    This happened to me too. I used to teach Jazzercise the first time I lost weight. I lost almost 90 lbs. I gained 40 back after starting up at a new school and town and when I went back to working out and eating healthy, I expected my metabolism to get a major shock but nothing happened... I had to tweak things a bit and totally rework what I was doing before. Please be patient and DO NOT GIVE UP.
  • MaryJane_8810002
    MaryJane_8810002 Posts: 2,082 Member
    You are probably eating more than you think. You should invest in a food scale and those measuring scoops. When I was in HS I was trying to eat within a calorie goal but I was grossly underestimating myself and did not realize until I started measuring my food. Also maybe some variety in your diet will help.
  • smn76237
    smn76237 Posts: 318 Member
    Ok, here's what I suspected: you're not accurately tracking your food. There are only 9 days of logging since June 3, and the days you did log aren't complete/have quick add calories/guesstimates on recipes/measuring solids with cups. You mentioned you weigh everything in your first post, but today for example you logged "1 medium banana," which again would not reflect that you're not weighing your food.

    No, I wouldn't weigh your oatmeal packets or lean cuisines, but weigh everything else. Quit using quick adds, and really log everything every day. I guarantee you'll start losing again if you really buckle down on your logging.
  • MaryJane_8810002
    MaryJane_8810002 Posts: 2,082 Member
    You are probably eating more than you think. You should invest in a food scale and those measuring scoops. When I was in HS I was trying to eat within a calorie goal but I was grossly underestimating myself and did not realize until I started measuring my food. Also maybe some variety in your diet will help.

    I just reread your post. You should log EVERYTHING you eat, you say you have been weighing and measuring but what if you forgot about that candy bar after lunch or that Mocha Frappuchino you had during the car ride home?
  • Bshaw2442
    Bshaw2442 Posts: 23 Member
    Ok for the quick calorie adds, that is when I am not able to find something specific that I have but it has the calories on the back of the package, not a figure on something that needs to be weighed . I never go anywhere since I am a stay at home mom lol so no random candy bars or stops by the fast food joints!! I literally weight everything when making recipes from the sauce to the noodles or whatever the food is. I did not however think about weighing my fruit though so I will start doing that, although I dont think it will alter my calories that much. But thank you for giving me a heads up about weighing literally everything that does not come in a package. I appreciate everyone's advice on everything :)
  • missdibs1
    missdibs1 Posts: 1,092 Member
    My advice buy a food scale and log those recipes you make.

    It appears like you may be over eating at dinner (but how do i know?)

    Is your advice based on this comment by the OP?

    "(I follow these numbers very strictly, counting, weighing my food ect)"

    So you suggest that she buys another food scale?

    Sorry I did not see her say she weighs everything. But her comment usually around 600 calories is what caught my eye.

    Obviously something is off THAt was my point
  • galprincess
    galprincess Posts: 683 Member
    I was similar to you I dropped my goal to lose 0.5lbs a week and what do you know im back on track. every body is different but I have trialled and errored a lot until I found what worked ive increased calories and decreased then increased and right now this is the highest my calories have ever been yet im still losing , it is slow but since ive increased I haven't gained.
  • mnwalkingqueen
    mnwalkingqueen Posts: 1,299 Member
    Although Smart Ones and other diet type options are low in calories they are extremely high in sodium for the amount you get. Could be water weight from the sodium.
  • klaff411
    klaff411 Posts: 169 Member
    OK, little back ground information first: January 2014 I started a weight loss journey. I did exceptionally well. Followed my calorie guide via MFP, worked out doing zumba 3 times or more a week ect. I ended up losing around 23-25lbs in 3 months. I then fell off the wagon :/ I didn't fall off to bad though, just stopped working out, and didn't follow the guideline on calories. However I didn't go into a binge or anything. I maintained my loss for the most part, I gained back like 5lbs but it fluctuated a lot. But never gained more than 5lbs. So anyway that went on for about 2 months, basically maintaining. I just recently started back on my calorie guide and back to working out, same as before. The problem is, I can NOT seem to get past my current weight. I fluctuate between 162-164 and am NOT losing anything at all. It is beyond frustrating because I am doing the same things as before that made my weight loss so successful. I know my food diary has "holes" in it, but I eat pretty much the same thing everyday.

    MFP has put me back on *1300 calories per day*
    Mornings: bowl of oatmeal (130 calories)
    Lunch: A smart one or lean cuisine (nothing over 300 calories)
    before dinner: a snack of 100 calories
    Dinner: I make a lot of different meals for my family but usually nothing over 600 calories
    bed time snack: usually a small 100-200 calorie snack.
    (I follow these numbers very strictly, counting, weighing my food ect)

    I drink nothing but water, all day everyday. I never picked soda back up. So that didn't change. And yes when I do exercise I do eat back part of those calories like before. My question is why can I not get past this. I figured since I took a break my body would pick losing back up with no problem. I have been back on track for about 2 weeks now and not even a single lb has been lost. Any advice on things to try or do would be greatly appreciated because at this point i'm feeling a little sad and un-motivated. I started at 180lbs, got down to *157 and currently am *162 and can not get past this point. Im set to lose 1lb per week. Thanks in advance for the advice!!

    first stop eating that lean cuisine ****. Do you know how bad that crap is for you? its all salt and additives

    second stop snacking

    third ..drink water and only water - only exception coffee or tea
  • vjom
    vjom Posts: 2
    Try increasing your meal protein content and decrease the carbohydrate content while maintaining the same calorie intake. Proteins take more of body easily accessed energy sources (fat) to burn than carbohydrate. Carbohydrate heavy diets even though low in calories mean the body has access to energy sources other than body fat and the fat you are trying to loose remains where it is..,. on you. Protein is also more hunger satisfying than carbohydrate which sends your blood sugars higher causing you to be more hungry and more likely to fall off the diet wagon. A scale for weighing your food will tell you if you are actually eating the amount of calories you think you are and keeps you honest.

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