Getting discouraged

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phobiep
phobiep Posts: 15 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I have been logging on MFP for two weeks and am getting discouraged! MFP suggested 1200 calories/day, which agrees with my TDEE - 20% for 1 lb loss per week. The first week I lost a little bit (maybe 1 1/2lb). I ate out twice that weekend (unusual for me). I did fine on one meal, but overindulged on the other. Now, I'm pretty much back up to my starting weight and stuck there.

I'm 5'4", 43yo, 137lbs. I'm hypothyroid (taking armor thyroid) and am premenopausal (taking progesterone). I'd like to lose about 8-10 lbs. I have eaten clean for the last 5 years or so, no sodas, sugar, flour, grains, gluten, very little dairy, etc, except for the occasional restaurant meal. I had been eating mostly high protein, good fats with a few good carbs (sweet potatoes, veggies,etc) and probably consuming at least 1800-2000 calories a day and maintaining, but suddenly gained some weight due to the hormone imbalance and now it won't budge.

I don't feel great (spacey, lethargic and hungry) on 1200 calories. It's too few calories to eat much good fat or decent carbs. I feel like I'm pretty much confined to low fat, low carb. I have been weighing and measuring everything. Any advice?

Replies

  • larsensue
    larsensue Posts: 461 Member
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    so what are you eating? doesnt look like there is much left to choose from. you may be too low on your daiy intake. you may have cut back too much.
  • fivethreeone
    fivethreeone Posts: 8,196 Member
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    With only 8-10 lbs to lose, you really should be eating more like TDEE-10%.

    Additionally, two weeks isn't long enough to see any kind of trend. Give it 6 weeks before evaluating.
  • StaciMarie1974
    StaciMarie1974 Posts: 4,138 Member
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    Pick a calorie range in the middle. Mid-point between 1200 and 1800 is 1500. Try that for 3-4 weeks, increase your activity to burn additional calories, and then reassess.

    It may take some trial and error. But whatever you try, it likely will need more than 2 weeks to tell whether or not there is success on the scale. But if you don't feel satisfied, energetic on 1200/day: change that now.
  • lazirlott
    lazirlott Posts: 42 Member
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    I was at about 137 pounds. I am 5'2" and 44 yo. I am down to 125. I feel like it is slower when you do not have as much to lose (or are close to your goal). I have to exercise regularly and eat less than the 1200 calories pretty often to see a drop. Mostly I try to skip breakfast which I know a lot of people don't agree with, but it is the only meal have success with skipping....unless my husband is out of town and I can get the kids carry out :) and skip dinner.
  • phobiep
    phobiep Posts: 15 Member
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    Thanks for the replies. I think my diary is open, if anyone wants to see if there's anything glaringly suspicious in it. I know it's only been 2 weeks, however, you'd think (even with the restaurant binge meal), that I'd have lost some only eating 1200 calories/day. I'm not exaggerating when I say that I had been eating lots of almond butter, avocados, heavy cream, etc every day and maintaining. Albeit, I was maintaining at weight I wasn't happy with. I'm just thinking, if I'm not going to lose anything, why bother? :(

    I will up my calories for a .5/week loss and see what happens.
  • Liftng4Lis
    Liftng4Lis Posts: 15,150 Member
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    With only 8 pounds to lose, you should have it set at 1/2 pound a week, not a pound. This will allow you more food, thus less hunger involved.
  • VelveteenArabian
    VelveteenArabian Posts: 758 Member
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    2 weeks isn't enough to know whether or not what you're doing is working. It take take a good 4-6 weeks for someone to know whether or not they're gaining, losing or maintaining. Right now, it sounds like you're maintaining but you don't have enough data to develop a trend.
  • kimny72
    kimny72 Posts: 16,013 Member
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    As others have said, with so little to lose, you should set it to 1/2 lb per week. A little teeny bit of water weight could easily hide that kind of weight loss. It will take several weeks for you to really start to see the downward trend you want.

    I can go for 2 or 3 weeks with no loss and then I will lose 1 pound a week for a couple of weeks, then I'll gain half a lb, lose half a lb, etc. You get the point...

    Hopefully adjusting your goal (and practicing patience :tongue: ) will help you to feel better. Regardless, don't give up! It's a pain to wait for it to happen, but it will!
  • gabrielleelliott90
    gabrielleelliott90 Posts: 854 Member
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    Are you eating back your exercise calories, it is a must. Eat what you feel your body needs. Those macro's are just a general guide, they aren't individualised to suit every body out there. If you feel you need more carbs, protein etc, eat it. I personally pay no attention to macro's, plus it wouldn't be good for my OCD probably if I got obsessed with that, and I lose weight just fine on 1200 calories. I'm one inch shorter than you are.

    I was finding I was gaining a few pounds now and then, even wearing light clothes. So since I've been weighing myself with nothing on, no jewellery, no clothes, I have been seeing my accurate weight, and been losing weight so fast. If you are still having trouble on 1200, make it so you are eating enough to lose 0.5lb. Slower loss, but you would still lose something.

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