It's been two months and...nothing

gsaplg
gsaplg Posts: 1
in Health and Weight Loss
I've been working out 3-4 days a week since early July. I eat about 1350 calories a day on my off days (non-workout days) and about 1500 on days that I do work out. I average ~300-500 calories per workout. I have had no luck with this routine. I am - well was - trying to lose 30 pounds by November and I had 5 months which seemed totally reasonable (now it is a pipe dream given that I am just under 3 months away from Nov)...

I'm 5'8" and at the moment I am at 158.8 (started at 160 around July 8th) and have been since early August. I am not happy with the number OR the look OR with the fact I have been working my butt off for no return! And 1.2 pounds in two months, to me, is no return! I measure and weigh once a week on Friday's and neither have budged significantly.

I have gotten so very frustrated these past few days especially because nothing has changed and I am ready to quit, feeling defeated. I don't religiously use my MFP diary, so I don't think it'd help opening it up. I have another app I use to track food/exercise that I think more accurately estimates calories burned during workouts than MFP, and I usually forget to upload into MFP afterwards. I do weigh my food and I try to be as precise as possible with calories, so I do believe I am eating an accurate number of 1350-1500 calories a day.

I am almost sure that I eat too little calories and that is my issue, but it just seems wrong to eat 1700 calories a day when you want to lose a pound or two a week. Weight loss hurts my head. Also, I'm not sure if this is incredibly pertinent, but I am a recovering anorexic (it's been 3 years since my last bout, which is great but I have done nothing but gain since..which is not...), so seeing 1700 calories and being expected to eat all of it is very difficult for me mentally. I really want to lose this college weight the healthy way. I am going to Vegas with my boyfriend for our 6 year anniversary in November and I would like to trim down a little before then so I can feel comfortable in some cute clothes and a bathing suit by the pool.

Please help! Without help soon I'm on the fast track for the couch olympics.

Replies

  • diannethegeek
    diannethegeek Posts: 14,776 Member
    Clearly I can't read today. Sorry about that!
  • bethanyboomstick
    bethanyboomstick Posts: 52 Member
    You're eating more than you think you are. Make sure you log EVERYTHING and log it accurately. Buy a food scale, they're cheap, and be 100% sure you're logging everything as it should be logged. Don't skip anything. Even the stuff that seems insignificant, it adds up. There is a discrepancy between what you think you're eating and what you're really eating.

    The only other advice I can give you is see a nutritionist. They can help you figure out what's going on.
  • _Zardoz_
    _Zardoz_ Posts: 3,987 Member
    If you're consistently not losing you're not eating at a calorie deficit. Normally the main reason for this is inaccuracies in logging. DO you weigh all solid foods and measure all liquids? Are you using accurate entries from the database? If you opened your diary people would be able to give more specific advice.

    This thread will help tighten up any logging problems. Good luck

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1234699-logging-accurately-step-by-step-guide

    Also at 5'8 you're already within a normal BMI range (the top of it) so any loss will be slow. 30 pounds will put you almost under weight so it might be advisable to lower the amount you wish to lose to a more realistic and healthy goal
  • oneloopygirl
    oneloopygirl Posts: 151 Member
    You could very well be eating too little. Everyone's different and that's possible, especially if that means you're netting between 1,000 and 1,200 on your workout days... I don't eat back every calorie MFP or anything else tells me I burned, but I do eat back some. Depending on your workout and intensity, you could eat more. I've netted 1,500 to 1,600 calories a day and still lost.

    At 5,88" and 158.8, you are on the upper end of a healthy BMI and trying to get to a lower end. That's not a bad thing, but means that you won't actually lose weight as fast as someone with a lot of weight to lose. For example, I wanted to lose 50-55 pounds and I was overweight. The first 40 dropped really easily in about 5.5 months. The next 10 took me about 6 months. The final 5 pounds took me another 6 months to lose. The body doesn't shed as fast when it doesn't have as much to lose. That seems to be true for everyone I've talked to.

    Weight loss isn't a science and doesn't work the same for everyone. Play around with your calories. Calculate your TDEE (http://iifym.com/tdee-calculator/) and see what it is. I don't always eat mine, because I know that some days I'm more active than others, but when I started eating more than the base MFP gave me, I felt better and I still lost some. It took me a while, but honestly, I didn't care. My goal was to be healthy again. I didn't put a timetable on it and I think that helped me out greatly. Sometimes, we're our own barrier to success because we put pressure to do something by x date, which causes stress, and stress causes the body to respond differently to many things, including how we digest, how we exercise, how our muscles recover, etc.
  • gingerpeachy6
    gingerpeachy6 Posts: 74 Member
    You could very well be eating too little. Everyone's different and that's possible, especially if that means you're netting between 1,000 and 1,200 on your workout days... I don't eat back every calorie MFP or anything else tells me I burned, but I do eat back some. Depending on your workout and intensity, you could eat more. I've netted 1,500 to 1,600 calories a day and still lost.

    At 5,88" and 158.8, you are on the upper end of a healthy BMI and trying to get to a lower end. That's not a bad thing, but means that you won't actually lose weight as fast as someone with a lot of weight to lose. For example, I wanted to lose 50-55 pounds and I was overweight. The first 40 dropped really easily in about 5.5 months. The next 10 took me about 6 months. The final 5 pounds took me another 6 months to lose. The body doesn't shed as fast when it doesn't have as much to lose. That seems to be true for everyone I've talked to.

    Weight loss isn't a science and doesn't work the same for everyone. Play around with your calories. Calculate your TDEE (http://iifym.com/tdee-calculator/) and see what it is. I don't always eat mine, because I know that some days I'm more active than others, but when I started eating more than the base MFP gave me, I felt better and I still lost some. It took me a while, but honestly, I didn't care. My goal was to be healthy again. I didn't put a timetable on it and I think that helped me out greatly. Sometimes, we're our own barrier to success because we put pressure to do something by x date, which causes stress, and stress causes the body to respond differently to many things, including how we digest, how we exercise, how our muscles recover, etc.


    ^^ this is what I was going to say. Play around with calories daily, your metabolism may be higher now. Drink water and please water sodium in everything. I had to do this for months and it is very frustrating.
  • I_Will_End_You
    I_Will_End_You Posts: 4,397 Member
    You aren't eating too little, you're eating too much.
  • Snip8241
    Snip8241 Posts: 767 Member
    I have been here 75 days. The scale is moving slowly. I was eating too much. Believe the folks that tell you to log, weigh and measure everything. Forget estimating portions. Weighing solids and measuring liquids is the only way you know. Otherwise you are eating too much.
    I feel like the poster child for this concept.
    Good luck
  • DeguelloTex
    DeguelloTex Posts: 6,652 Member
    You could very well be eating too little.
    Just to be clear, you're saying that she isn't eating enough to lose weight?
  • gingerpeachy6
    gingerpeachy6 Posts: 74 Member
    You could very well be eating too little.
    Just to be clear, you're saying that she isn't eating enough to lose weight?

    Correct :) When we start on a program we are given a calorie count. Working out ups your bmr. There is a lot of confusion on this topic. A lot of times people will continue cutting thinking they are overeating when really they need to cycle their calories. A way to test this is to first make sure you are logging your portions correctly and being honest. I hit a plateau for months, when I took the advice to increase my water intake, check my salt intake (sodium in processed foods) and also I went from 1200 one day and then 1600 the next. It fools your body to get back on track if you are going into starvation mode (due to increased workouts and metabolism) Chances are after months of working out you are addicted in a way and are pushing harder. Bodies need fuel and good fuel at that. If you are getting to your calories thru processed food or junk food, change this as well. There is a lot of sugar and salt in those foods. Experiment with your body, everyone is different. I also have low thyroid and am able to lose weight, 48 years old and within my bmi. It was a long road, but I learned eating less is not always the right way. I hope this helps
  • DeguelloTex
    DeguelloTex Posts: 6,652 Member
    You could very well be eating too little.
    Just to be clear, you're saying that she isn't eating enough to lose weight?

    Correct :) When we start on a program we are given a calorie count. Working out ups your bmr. There is a lot of confusion on this topic. A lot of times people will continue cutting thinking they are overeating when really they need to cycle their calories. A way to test this is to first make sure you are logging your portions correctly and being honest. I hit a plateau for months, when I took the advice to increase my water intake, check my salt intake (sodium in processed foods) and also I went from 1200 one day and then 1600 the next. It fools your body to get back on track if you are going into starvation mode (due to increased workouts and metabolism) Chances are after months of working out you are addicted in a way and are pushing harder. Bodies need fuel and good fuel at that. If you are getting to your calories thru processed food or junk food, change this as well. There is a lot of sugar and salt in those foods. Experiment with your body, everyone is different. I also have low thyroid and am able to lose weight, 48 years old and within my bmi. It was a long road, but I learned eating less is not always the right way. I hope this helps
    You're so wrong there isn't a word in the English language which could adequately encapsulate the full gamut of the wrongness.
  • gingerpeachy6
    gingerpeachy6 Posts: 74 Member
    You could very well be eating too little.
    Just to be clear, you're saying that she isn't eating enough to lose weight?

    Correct :) When we start on a program we are given a calorie count. Working out ups your bmr. There is a lot of confusion on this topic. A lot of times people will continue cutting thinking they are overeating when really they need to cycle their calories. A way to test this is to first make sure you are logging your portions correctly and being honest. I hit a plateau for months, when I took the advice to increase my water intake, check my salt intake (sodium in processed foods) and also I went from 1200 one day and then 1600 the next. It fools your body to get back on track if you are going into starvation mode (due to increased workouts and metabolism) Chances are after months of working out you are addicted in a way and are pushing harder. Bodies need fuel and good fuel at that. If you are getting to your calories thru processed food or junk food, change this as well. There is a lot of sugar and salt in those foods. Experiment with your body, everyone is different. I also have low thyroid and am able to lose weight, 48 years old and within my bmi. It was a long road, but I learned eating less is not always the right way. I hope this helps
    You're so wrong there isn't a word in the English language which could adequately encapsulate the full gamut of the wrongness.

    Everyone is different, maybe with that type of advice and attacking others I see on this board, is why people aren't feeling supported and losing weight? Just a thought? Look up the movie FEDUP it tells about what kind of things are in processed foods that actually prevent people from losing weight...
  • DeguelloTex
    DeguelloTex Posts: 6,652 Member
    You could very well be eating too little.
    Just to be clear, you're saying that she isn't eating enough to lose weight?

    Correct :) When we start on a program we are given a calorie count. Working out ups your bmr. There is a lot of confusion on this topic. A lot of times people will continue cutting thinking they are overeating when really they need to cycle their calories. A way to test this is to first make sure you are logging your portions correctly and being honest. I hit a plateau for months, when I took the advice to increase my water intake, check my salt intake (sodium in processed foods) and also I went from 1200 one day and then 1600 the next. It fools your body to get back on track if you are going into starvation mode (due to increased workouts and metabolism) Chances are after months of working out you are addicted in a way and are pushing harder. Bodies need fuel and good fuel at that. If you are getting to your calories thru processed food or junk food, change this as well. There is a lot of sugar and salt in those foods. Experiment with your body, everyone is different. I also have low thyroid and am able to lose weight, 48 years old and within my bmi. It was a long road, but I learned eating less is not always the right way. I hope this helps
    You're so wrong there isn't a word in the English language which could adequately encapsulate the full gamut of the wrongness.

    Everyone is different, maybe with that type of advice and attacking others I see on this board, is why people aren't feeling supported and losing weight? Just a thought? Look up the movie FEDUP it tells about what kind of things are in processed foods that actually prevent people from losing weight...
    More likely, they aren't losing weight because they're eating too much, not too little.

    I get that you like to say "everyone is different," but barring medical conditions, people aren't really all that much different when it comes to losing weight. Regardless, they lose weight when they burn more calories than they take in and they gain when they burn less than they take in, even if there is something in their body skewing from normal what it burns.

    "Eating more" might make sense in some instances for general health or activity issues, but you don't lose more weight by eating more, unless you burn off even more than the extra you ate. Your net is still going to be lower if you're going to lose weight.
  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,261 Member
    I would suggest eating more. I don't really give a flying fig about the whole "eating more to lose is stupid" crowd. I know from past experience that when I don't eat enough, I don't lose.

    Anyway, eat more. At 5'8" and at your weight and activity level, there's no reason to only eat 1350 or 1500 calories. I'd up it to 1700-1800 every day of the week and then just not add back in exercise calories. At the very least, try it for 3 weeks. You have nothing to lose at this point because clearly what you are doing is not working. Eat more, log really well, and see if that helps.
  • gingerpeachy6
    gingerpeachy6 Posts: 74 Member
    You could very well be eating too little.
    Just to be clear, you're saying that she isn't eating enough to lose weight?

    Correct :) When we start on a program we are given a calorie count. Working out ups your bmr. There is a lot of confusion on this topic. A lot of times people will continue cutting thinking they are overeating when really they need to cycle their calories. A way to test this is to first make sure you are logging your portions correctly and being honest. I hit a plateau for months, when I took the advice to increase my water intake, check my salt intake (sodium in processed foods) and also I went from 1200 one day and then 1600 the next. It fools your body to get back on track if you are going into starvation mode (due to increased workouts and metabolism) Chances are after months of working out you are addicted in a way and are pushing harder. Bodies need fuel and good fuel at that. If you are getting to your calories thru processed food or junk food, change this as well. There is a lot of sugar and salt in those foods. Experiment with your body, everyone is different. I also have low thyroid and am able to lose weight, 48 years old and within my bmi. It was a long road, but I learned eating less is not always the right way. I hope this helps
    You're so wrong there isn't a word in the English language which could adequately encapsulate the full gamut of the wrongness.

    Everyone is different, maybe with that type of advice and attacking others I see on this board, is why people aren't feeling supported and losing weight? Just a thought? Look up the movie FEDUP it tells about what kind of things are in processed foods that actually prevent people from losing weight...
    More likely, they aren't losing weight because they're eating too much, not too little.

    I get that you like to say "everyone is different," but barring medical conditions, people aren't really all that much different when it comes to losing weight. Regardless, they lose weight when they burn more calories than they take in and they gain when they burn less than they take in, even if there is something in their body skewing from normal what it burns.

    "Eating more" might make sense in some instances for general health or activity issues, but you don't lose more weight by eating more, unless you burn off even more than the extra you ate. Your net is still going to be lower if you're going to lose weight.

    Yes, one needs to *kitten* their overall picture, health issues and also any medication they may be on that is hurting their journey. A lot of meds these days make it impossible to do so. I have an autoimmune disease and if I eat junk, I cannot lose weight. I did research and learned what foods to stay away from that will cause me to have a low thyroid. It's shame though that I see on many thread people just saying "you are eating too much" a shame...
  • SLLRunner
    SLLRunner Posts: 12,942 Member
    You aren't eating too little, you're eating too much.
    This.

    OP, and to others who have suggested she's eating too little, if that were true she would lose weight. Nobody is different or a special snowflake in that respect. If you eat too much, you gain weight, if you eat too little you lose weight, and if you eat just the right amount you maintain weight.

    I suggest you take a another look at your logging estimates and work to figure out where you might be underestimating food and/or overestimating calories burned. I'll bet you that app you use is just as inaccurate as MFP, or any other app out there.

    You already said you weigh food. Make sure your battery on your scale is not getting low, because that can cause it to malfunction. Had that happen last week.

    If you are truly convinced that you logging is accurate, then I'd suggest a visit to the MD to check for thyroid or other medical problems. What that means is you'd have to adjust your numbers a bit.

    Oh, and 1.2 pounds in 2 months is not bad. Why? because you are already at a healthy BMI and you have very little to lose. In this case, weight comes off a whole lot slower. Be patient.
  • 59gi
    59gi Posts: 307 Member
    What I believe is the problem is :
    1. You are insulin resistant.
    2. You are trigging cortisol release.
    3. The macros are off.

    I recommend in getting the macros in a healthy range and keeping your calories where you have them.
  • WalkingAlong
    WalkingAlong Posts: 4,926 Member
    ... the fact I have been working my butt off for no return! And 1.2 pounds in two months, to me, is no return! I measure and weigh once a week on Friday's and neither have budged significantly. ...

    it just seems wrong to eat 1700 calories a day when you want to lose a pound or two a week.
    You're not going to lose a pound or two a week, at your weight. It'd be really hard. If 1500 isn't doing it, 1700 definitely won't.

    You say you're working your butt off. If you're working hard at a new regimen odds are good you're retaining water and if you just keep it up eventually it'll all come out in the wash.

    Expecting the scale to be your motivator is a recipe for disaster. I know it's frustrating, though. Start measuring your waist, and also reward yourself for accomplishing what you've done during the week for your HEALTH, not for the scale result. The scale doesn't measure health, and that is improving. And given your past with anorexia, you'd probably be better off not giving the scale anymore power than it already has over you.
  • Liftng4Lis
    Liftng4Lis Posts: 15,151 Member
    Calorie deficit = weight loss. If you aren't losing, but aren't gaining you could be retaining water. I work out heavy weights 5 days a week and do weigh and measure, eat at a huge deficit without eating my exercise calories back and my scale didn't move for 5 weeks. The less you have to lose the harder it is. Patience is sometimes called for as this is a process.
    Also, open your diary.

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