frustrated... why is this happening?

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jojuvanlaanen
jojuvanlaanen Posts: 29 Member
in Motivation and Support
grr... I've made it through two weeks since I started using MFP and exercising. Really, it's not hard to "diet", or find at least 20 min. to get active and do some sort of exercise. I've been within my calorie goals every day, and I've exercised about 9 out of the 14 days of using MFP.

I was using the 30 day shred and doing it every day but I had to cut down because something happened to my hand (feels like I pulled a tendon or something...) and I have been getting AWFUL shin pain. So now I do it every other day. I lost two pounds the first week, and now this second week I weigh the same. Still only two pounds down. So PLEASE tell me what to do to actually lose weight?

I'm basically going on the assumption that yes, this will take time, even 1 lb. is SOMETHING... but it seems I should be losing more. Let me also say that I sometimes eat 1/2 of my exercise calories and sometimes I don't eat them at all, depending on how my day went with nutrition. My "goals" are set up to lose 1.5 lbs. a week.

Should I be working out more? Should I be or not be eating fitness calories? What do I need to do to be on a steady pattern of weight loss? It's frustrating to know I'm making an improvement in my lifestyle choices with fitness and nutrition and not see results.

Replies

  • bmcjames
    bmcjames Posts: 1
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    I rarely eat my exercise calories. I haven't been doing this very long, but I think that may be the way to go....
    Good luck!
  • meggonkgonk
    meggonkgonk Posts: 2,066 Member
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    Ok, here's what you do. Take your scale...and throw it in the trash. Or take it to your mom's. No scale. Bad scale. Don't weigh in for at least a month.


    In all seriousness, you are putting way too much emphasis on that scale number. Are your settings at 2lbs a week? Because unless you are at 200 lbs or more, you probably should be at 1 or 1.5. 2lbs in 2 weeks is HEALTHY. A week here and there with no loss is not uncommon at all - theres a ton of factors that play in every week. Sometimes your body needs to adjust to the loss you've had- Take your measurements (waist, hips, bust, arms, legs) in the weeks when you aren't losing the scale # you are losing inches. Your period or increased exercise or lack of water intake can all make you retain water.

    The long and short of it is, the scale shouldnt be your focus. Keep up your healthy diet changes and your exercise (maybe consider finding a workout that doesnt make you hurt so much?) and the lbs will come off. Take a deep breath. It really will.
  • JeepOnRock
    JeepOnRock Posts: 28
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    I usually eat around half of my exercise calories... And the physiology is different between men and women, but with me, I didn't lose anything for almost a week, and then dropped several pounds in another week (plan is one pound a week). I sprained my ankle and couldn't walk for a week (putting my kid to bed of all things)... but was still going down on weight.

    I would say that you should eat the calories and try a week of lighter exercise... like walking or light aerobics. Shoot for something more moderate to keep from putting your body in shock over all of the new cardio... then ramp up the exercise.

    Just my uneducated guess...
  • meggonkgonk
    meggonkgonk Posts: 2,066 Member
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    I rarely eat my exercise calories. I haven't been doing this very long, but I think that may be the way to go....
    Good luck!

    Please both of you eat your exercise cals. Here are some reasons why

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/10665-newbies-please-read-me-2nd-edition

    I've been doing this a while (not as long as some, but still) 5 months and 30lbs later, I implore you to eat SOME of your exercise cals (your net number should be at least 1200-1300) PLEASE.
  • loseit4ever
    loseit4ever Posts: 187 Member
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    Your body may be still adjusting to your new routine. Or, you could just be having one of those weeks that the weight you think you should have lost just didn't budge. I'll bet next week the drop will be larger. Also, I just started watching The Biggest Loser this season and I notice they talked a lot about the dreaded second week and how people tend to have a rough second week. Just stick to it...the weight will come off!
  • schninie82
    schninie82 Posts: 502 Member
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    Hi...Im in the same boat... when I decided I needed to loose weight, it came off real easy at the beginning but now its just a pound a week... I changed my bad eating to healthy eating...I joined a running club... I too am doing Jullian Michaels (Well started 3 days ago) but its so ssssssllllllllllllllllooooooooooooowwwwwwwwwww.... grrrr!!!!!

    Erm the only advice I can really give you is with the under eating, not using up the calories... aparently, if you dont take the recommended calories then your body starts eating its own muscel as it thinks you're starving it... so being under can actually do you more harm than good... strange isnt it... eat more to get rid of it!! Thats where you need to make sure you eat the right foods at the right time... Just try different things, THE SAME THING DOESNT WORK FOR EVERY BODY.... Just keep at it and you will be fine, even at a pound a week, just think how many pounds you will lose in time to eat an easter egg in april!!! haha!! GOOD LUCK!!
  • Naomi91
    Naomi91 Posts: 892 Member
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    I rarely eat my exercise calories. I haven't been doing this very long, but I think that may be the way to go....
    Good luck!

    Please both of you eat your exercise cals. Here are some reasons why

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/10665-newbies-please-read-me-2nd-edition

    I've been doing this a while (not as long as some, but still) 5 months and 30lbs later, I implore you to eat SOME of your exercise cals (your net number should be at least 1200-1300) PLEASE.
    [/quote

    I dont complete agree with this. I have been doing this for months as well, altho I have lost 2 lbs it says I have dropped my body fat% quite a bit more and gained some lean muscle

    and i do not eat my exercise calories. About one day a week I go OVER my cals by about 300-500. It keeps my metabolism a calorie burning furnace. Eating my exercise calories everyday caused me to stall weight loss and feel disgustingly bloated.

    Being a dietetics major, I have read many case studies on metabolism and there is not much proof out there saying starvation mode is NEARLY as bad as people say it is.

    Anyway OP, my suggestion is to also not get on the scale. Take body measurements instead. You might just be retaining water due to a high amount of carbs/sodium the day before your weigh in. Or the gylcogen levels in your muscle due to the workouts might be high (which is great!) so 2 lbs in two weeks is still good :D

    feel free to add me if you need advice :D
  • skinnyb450
    skinnyb450 Posts: 288
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    HI...Don't worry the same thing happended to me. First week I lost 5lb Second week nothing. My third week 5lb - I am now into my 4th week

    I think just stick with what you are doing - I am exerecising (cardio classes at the gym) 5 days a week- One rest day and the other day either stationary bike, stepper, walking or exercise DVD
    I just try to stick to 1200 calories
    Are you drinking 8 glasses of water every day?
    Good luck it just takes time for your body to adjust - Don't panic ....it WILL happen...:flowerforyou:
  • Dobsaya
    Dobsaya Posts: 235
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    I eat my exercise calories and have still been losing my pound a week. The idea is not only weight loss but also health. I would try to work out for more than 20 minutes most days of the week.
  • JacquieHove
    JacquieHove Posts: 7 Member
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    You are most likely gaining muscle which weighs more than fat....give it some more time. You will be soooo happy you didn't quit.
  • jojuvanlaanen
    jojuvanlaanen Posts: 29 Member
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    Thank you SO MUCH for all you advice and I'll for sure be using it. My calorie goals for the day are 1330, and I am set up to lose 1.5 lbs a week. I guess it's just time... time time time.... I know the ultimate goal here is health, and that IS what i'm striving for, and it's very fufilling to not eat the junk, and not even be tempted to! After a week of doing the shred I did lose inches, 1-2 inches off every place (chest, waist, hips and thighs).

    I think I will do more low impact for a while, until my body is more comfortable with this new movement! :)

    Thanks again, I feel better now!!
  • kimwig
    kimwig Posts: 164
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    You are most likely gaining muscle which weighs more than fat....give it some more time. You will be soooo happy you didn't quit.
    A lb of fat weighs the same as a lb of muscle. :).

    However a lb of muscle takes less volume ( is more dense) than fat.

    It also takes a long time to gain muscle (you have to work very hard to do that). What can happen is that through exercise muscle takes in water to flush out the waste of energy production, and often that is weight gain.

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