Can't drop my weight gain from LAST summer.

manderin11
manderin11 Posts: 3
in Health and Weight Loss
Hello! I'm 25 years old, 5"5", 130 lbs. This is the heaviest I've ever been. I realize that this is a healthy weight for my body frame, but I used to fluctuate from 115-120 until about a year ago. A few things have happened since then that I think are the cause of my weight gain:

1. Didn't work for 9 months, therefore I was a lot less active.
2. Traveled a ton while commuting to school and with family and friends during summer. Sitting in cars on long road trips eating crappy food. This lead to a major issue with constipation (gross, I know).
3. Partied really hard during the summer. Too hard. Then I quit smoking cigarettes and quit drinking alcohol almost completely. I think quitting smoking may have played a large role in the weight gain.
4. Was diagnosed with ovarian cysts which I took birth control for a short period of time to control the symptoms.
5. Stress, stress, stress. Tons of family issues, a break up, and a relocation to a different city far from home.

During this time I slowly started to put on weight. It really crept up on me. I kept thinking that I could just start working out and eating better and the weight would just fall right off, because that's how it used to be, but it hasn't worked. I have held on to so many clothes because I just don't want to get rid of them yet if there is a possibility I may be able to fit back into them at some point!

I finally started to get serious about 2 months ago, and began avidly going to the gym and researching workout videos online. I love fitnessblender's videos and have been doing lots of their High Intensity Interval training. I have been eating a diet of roughly 1200-1500 calories a day and working out solidly 3-4 times a week for at least 30 intense minutes, keeping track of everything that goes into my mouth and logging all my exercise. I rarely drink anything that is not unsweetened green tea, black coffee, or water. I have seen almost no results. The only difference I can tell is in my butt which has somewhat improved from doing squats. I have lost only 2 lbs and maybe half an inch from my waist, everything else is the same. I have considered that maybe I am overestimating the amount of calories I burn while working out? But even then, if I went from almost completely inactive lifestyle and crap diet to eating VERY healthily (lower carb and nearly vegetarian) and exhausting myself from intense cardio, wouldn't I see some kind of change? I don't understand how I can go from that to now and have almost no difference, even if I was overestimating my calorie burn. I'm feeling somewhat discouraged and would really just like to know if there is anyone else who's having a similar problem, and what they've done to overcome it. I don't want to be crazy skinny. I like having a butt and boobs and meat on my bones, I just want to fit back into my shorts! Haha. And I don't want to think that I've just "hit that age" where my metabolism slows down and I am powerless to stop it. Please, if anyone has any advice, please send it my way! Thanks for reading this, you're a trooper if you've stuck around this long :bigsmile: :explode: :explode:

Replies

  • mactaffy84
    mactaffy84 Posts: 398 Member
    You're 25, you haven't "hit that age". But, and this is my opinion only, I think you have some unrealistic expectations. Just because you eat more healthfully (and I applaud you on that), that doesn't magically translate into weight loss. It might translate into feeling better, but not automatic weight loss.

    Everyone will ask you do you log and log accurately and those are valid points. You can not lose weight without knowing how you put it on. You need to really be honest with yourself. If it makes you embarrassed, set your diary to private so only you can view it, but be honest. Try to log everything for just a week (food, condiments, drinks, spices, all the "just have a bite" intakes) to try to get an idea of what you are truly eating. You might be surprised at how much you are taking in. And you need to know this because I'm sure you have read all the other posts that state "it all comes down to calories in vs. calories out". Simple statement, but it's simplicity doesn't make it any less true.

    How about exercise? Google calories lost during exercise to find out the calorie burn for you for various exercise activities. These, again my opinion, give a better estimate than MFP or exercise machines. Exercises helps the "calories out" part of the equation and you can generally play around with them a lot more than the "calories in" part of the equation. Find something you like. Me, I vary it up. I do try to walk every day during the week and also go swimming. I save the weekends for roller skating and bike riding - outdoorsy stuff that is harder for me to do during the week with work and kids and all. It also gives me something to look forward to.

    The final thing I have to say is discipline. Some people say that weight loss isn't about willpower, but I think it is. No, you shouldn't be starving to lose weight, but once in a while, you're going to have to learn how to live with some hunger pangs. Good new is, they go away. If you truly eat so that you don't have any hunger pangs, you'll probably be eating amounts that make you gain. If losing weight were easy, no one would have to do it! It can be less difficult by eating things that are nutrient dense but not calorie dense (you get to eat more that way), but it does come down to a certain amount of discipline. Though I think if people are of the type where they can truly eat all things in moderation, then fine. But I don't see that as an ability all people have. If you are the kind of person who can't stop a one serving of chocolate ice cream, then don't keep it In the house!

    Good luck. How you accomplish your goals is really up to you. Be honest, come up with a plan, and do your best to stick with it. And remember that we all mess up every once in a while, so let yourself off the hook if that happens once in a while. Best of luck to you.
  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,267 Member
    to lose weight you need to be in a calorie deficit.

    You know you are in a deficit when you log accurately which means weighing solids, measuring liquids and being consistent with the entry.

    Exercise is for health and fitness and is good but if it is new exercise you will be retaining water which can mask weight loss for up to 4 weeks.

    If you are exercising make sure you eat those calories back or else you are not fueling your next workout...as for the calories burned google wont give you any better idea than MFP...the typcial suggestion is to eat back 50-75% of what MFP gives you.

    Make sure you net over 1200...
  • wilsoje74
    wilsoje74 Posts: 1,720 Member
    Um im 40 and can lose weight, am I at "that age"??? And a 2 lb loss if you only have 10 to lose isn't bad. Try to log accurately
  • manderin11
    manderin11 Posts: 3
    thanks for the replies. Any advice helps.

    I really have been logging accurately. The only times where I didn't log something was when I had a cheat day, which has only been 3 times. I even exercised on 2 of those days but I knew my calories would be over so I didn't bother. I got right back on track the following days. Other than that I have been very good about logging accurately. And as for my calories burned I think I have a pretty good idea about those. I use Fitnessblender's calorie burn counts on their videos. They give you a high and low calorie burn for each video, and I think I land somewhere right below the average of the high and low. Usually my burn is between 200-300 calories. I have been eating most of the calories back, though. I did not realize you should only eat 50-75% of the calories back, I thought you needed to eat all of them back. So I guess from here on out I will eat less of them back after working out. I don't want to only diet, I like working out. And when I sad "that age" I was jokingly referring to what I've been told by older family members or acquaintances through the years. They always say things like "yeah you can eat like that now but wait until you're my age and you won't be able to burn it off!"

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