Suddenly not losing

xcids
xcids Posts: 3 Member
edited March 1 in Motivation and Support
I'm having a problem that is making me almost pathetically depressed right now, and I thought maybe I could find someone else who has been in a similar situation and maybe could give some advice.

This is really the short version of my story but I think it's enough to describe my problem:

First of all I should probably mention that I'm 5'8 and my "normal weight" is about 141 lbs. Anyway. I've always lost weight when I've started counting calories after a break. This summer I didn't weigh myself for a month or so, but I still ate decently despite not counting calories at the time, yet when I did step on a scale I had gained over 10 lbs in that period of time, and I had gained inches accordingly. Now I've been counting since this horrible realization, which was four weeks ago, and I haven't lost a single pound or dropped any inches at all. I've done nothing different from the other times I've counted calories, but suddenly nothing helps. I'm eating about 1500-1700 calories a day and I'm doing intense workout sessions about 4-5 times a week. I consider myself rather knowledgeable in the field of diet and fitness, but I cannot for the life of me understand what could be wrong. I even went to see my doctor the other week and she took some tests but my metabolism and kidneys were fine, which was what she tested. Does anybody have an idea on what could be going on? I would be endlessly thankful if somebody had the slightest clue to what could be wrong because I actually cried this morning after stepping on the scale and still seeing the same 152 pounds :(

Replies

  • _Waffle_
    _Waffle_ Posts: 13,049 Member
    Would you lose weight if you didn't eat a thing? Of course you would. There's no magical energy source to tap into to get your energy to live each day. Since not eating is a dumb idea and 1500 - 1700 isn't resulting in a loss you need to do something in between. A month is enough time to know if your plan is working.

    Log your calories as accurate as possible. If you're already doing this then reduce your calories 100 - 200 a day. That's pretty much all there is to it.
  • xcids
    xcids Posts: 3 Member
    Would you lose weight if you didn't eat a thing? Of course you would. There's no magical energy source to tap into to get your energy to live each day. Since not eating is a dumb idea and 1500 - 1700 isn't resulting in a loss you need to do something in between. A month is enough time to know if your plan is working.

    Log your calories as accurate as possible. If you're already doing this then reduce your calories 100 - 200 a day. That's pretty much all there is to it.

    Obviously I would lose weight if I didn't eat. My biggest concern here is just that I've never before had trouble losing weight with a plan like this, and while I realize nobody here can know exactly what's going on with me and my body, I was hoping maybe someone had been in a similar situation where they should lose weight but didn't and had some clue what could be the issue.

    I'm grateful for your reply though, thanks a lot :) I will probably have to try to lower my calories more if I don't get any other suggestions. I just don't like going lower than 1500, because I'm in college and I need the energy to be able to study :(
  • _Waffle_
    _Waffle_ Posts: 13,049 Member
    I'm grateful for your reply though, thanks a lot :) I will probably have to try to lower my calories more if I don't get any other suggestions. I just don't like going lower than 1500, because I'm in college and I need the energy to be able to study :(

    Don't drop too much and when you do give it at least two weeks to see if that changes anything.
  • EmmaOnTrack
    EmmaOnTrack Posts: 425 Member
    I've just been discussing exactly this with the friends on my wall.

    Have been back on MFP for almost 3 weeks after a few months break where I gained about 3kgs, a husband and two stepsons.

    I'm doing exactly what I did to loose the first 5kgs (in fact, with a 100cal per day lower limit to kick things off) and the scale is not budging. I do understand that my ratios are probably out a bit (should eat less carbs, more protein) but given this worked really well last time I'm also stumped about what's going on now.

    Will definitely be interested in the responses you get.
  • xcids
    xcids Posts: 3 Member
    I've just been discussing exactly this with the friends on my wall.

    Have been back on MFP for almost 3 weeks after a few months break where I gained about 3kgs, a husband and two stepsons.

    I'm doing exactly what I did to loose the first 5kgs (in fact, with a 100cal per day lower limit to kick things off) and the scale is not budging. I do understand that my ratios are probably out a bit (should eat less carbs, more protein) but given this worked really well last time I'm also stumped about what's going on now.

    Will definitely be interested in the responses you get.

    Congrats on the husband and stepsons gaining part :)

    It's really weird, isn't it? My ratios are good as well, I try to eat about 35% carbs, 35% protein and 30% fat, but that shouldn't matter that much when it comes to just weight loss because I've heard a lot of people who have lost weight on what you could basically call a high carb diet. It doesn't seem like I'm getting a lot of responses here though, which is even more discouraging since it makes me think that everybody else's bodies respond the way they should to calorie deficits :(
  • nancytyc
    nancytyc Posts: 119 Member
    Here is something that might help.....as a child I was literally teased for being so thin. I was called "tooth pick" and told if I turned sideways, I would disappear. Now, I am 49 years old and have been up and down on the old diet seesaw. each an every time I go up (gain weight) it take considerable effort more, each time, to take it back off. So, I think that you will find that as you get older (no matter your age, every day you are older), and the more you go up and down, the harder you will find it to lose the weight.

    It takes enormous expenditures of energy in riding my bike (15 to 20 miles per day) to get the scale to move down. Miss one day, and the scale will not budge. So, perhaps this is a phenomenon that you are experiencing, as I did. My suggestion is to keep your calories exactly where they are and increase your exercise by adding a second period of exercise during the day and doubling up on the weekends.

    Good Luck. We are glad you are here on MFP :flowerforyou:
  • _Waffle_
    _Waffle_ Posts: 13,049 Member
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants?page=1
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