What am I doing wrong? 2 months

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DrumlineGirl
DrumlineGirl Posts: 178 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
When I started MFP on Nov. 30, I started to lose weight right away. I lost a pound a week until the end of december. Then I was stuck for like 4 weeks, then I lost 0.6 pounds, and then this week I gained 0.4 pounds.

December 20 weight 126.6
Jan 1 126.6
Jan 8 126.6
Jan 17 126.0
Jan. 24 125.0
Jan. 31 125.4

Not only have I NOT lost any inches, but I have gained inches in my hips, arms and belly. Here's what I do:

I have a net of 1200 calories. I eat my exercise calories so that I always net 1200.

I bought a HRM to get more accurate calorie burn amounts.

Week 1 and 2, 30 minutes cardio/3 days
Week 4 and 5. 35 minutes cardio/3 days
Week 6 and 7, 40 minutes cardio/5 days
Week 8 and 9, 45 minutes cardio/6 days

Strength training 3 days/week throughout the entire time.

This has really got me on the verge of wanting to give up. I've given it 9 weeks and my clothes are just as tight as ever. My tight jeans still don't fit right. I really don't think after this amount of time I could just be gaining muscle, and why am I gaining inches?

Any help?
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Replies

  • franzy
    franzy Posts: 259
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    DON'T GIVE UP..... :smile: How does your food diary look?
  • LizardIsANerd
    LizardIsANerd Posts: 113
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    How tall are you? It doesn't seem like your body is meant to weigh much less than it is...
  • 1FITmamaofTWINS
    1FITmamaofTWINS Posts: 185
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    the only way to tell if its really muscle is to go to your local GNC and pick up a fat loss monitor for around 40 bucks... or ask a personal trainer at your local gym, they usually have one.

    it sends electro currents through your body to measure your fat to muscle ratio then gives you a body fat %. so lets say one monday you weight 120 and are 25% body fat then next monday you are still 120 but your body fat % is 24% you know that you have gained some muscle...

    see what im sayen? I would die without mine
  • FearAnLoathing
    FearAnLoathing Posts: 4,852 Member
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    try eating only half your exercise calories.
  • UneJolieFemme
    UneJolieFemme Posts: 86 Member
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    what would be a typical day for you food wise ?
  • alyssa83202
    alyssa83202 Posts: 334
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    Are you noticing improvements in your strength and endurance when you're working out? I know it has to be frustrating, but focus on the positives and all the good you are doing your body by being so active! Also, I'm not sure how tall you are, but maybe you aren't really meant to weigh much less than where you are now? Good luck!
  • cclala
    cclala Posts: 190 Member
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    When I started MFP on Nov. 30, I started to lose weight right away. I lost a pound a week until the end of december. Then I was stuck for like 4 weeks, then I lost 0.6 pounds, and then this week I gained 0.4 pounds.

    December 20 weight 126.6
    Jan 1 126.6
    Jan 8 126.6
    Jan 17 126.0
    Jan. 24 125.0
    Jan. 31 125.4

    Not only have I NOT lost any inches, but I have gained inches in my hips, arms and belly. Here's what I do:

    I have a net of 1200 calories. I eat my exercise calories so that I always net 1200.

    I bought a HRM to get more accurate calorie burn amounts.

    Week 1 and 2, 30 minutes cardio/3 days
    Week 4 and 5. 35 minutes cardio/3 days
    Week 6 and 7, 40 minutes cardio/5 days
    Week 8 and 9, 45 minutes cardio/6 days

    Strength training 3 days/week throughout the entire time.

    This has really got me on the verge of wanting to give up. I've given it 9 weeks and my clothes are just as tight as ever. My tight jeans still don't fit right. I really don't think after this amount of time I could just be gaining muscle, and why am I gaining inches?

    Any help?

    What kinds of foods are you eating, and are you getting enough water? If you eat a lot of processed foods that are high in sodium, and don't drink sufficient fluids, you will puff out both in inches and lbs, regardless of your calorie intake.

    Take heart, I know it's frustrating. My weight loss has by no means been linear. I can go 3 weeks and see zero improvement, and then all of a sudden some muscle will appear. Then I'll gain a pound, then the scale won't budge for a month, then I'll lose 2 lbs. It's annoying, but it's a marathon. Do this for your health first, and your body will follow.

    *Oh I didn't see you weight 126. That's pretty slim for most heights, are you looking to just tone up or lose much more?
  • scagneti
    scagneti Posts: 707 Member
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    It certainly sounds like you're doing everything right.

    Have you been drinking lots of water? Monitoring your sodium? Keeping your sugar in line?

    If so, I'd recommend upping your calories to 1300-1400 net over 5-6 meals per day and monitor the progress just to shake up your metabolism and encourage it to burn some fat.
  • HMKan
    HMKan Posts: 472 Member
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    I'm in your boat, except I'm almost 240, female, working out daily for at least 30 minutes, eating back to exercise calories to net 1200-1300, staying under my calorie goal, staying relatively under my fat, watching my sodium and drinking at least 12-15 cups of water a day. Not losing inches, not losing weight. In fact, I gained 3 pounds and in fact, now weigh more than I did when I started this whole eating right/working out business.
  • angebean
    angebean Posts: 195 Member
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    Can you open up your diary so we can see it? Things to watch for are high sodium intake, make sure you're drinking LOTS of water and change up your exercise routine. You have hit a plateau and just need to shock your body.

    DON'T GIVE UP! This is a lifetime change, not just something you need to do to lose a few pounds.
  • ebkins7
    ebkins7 Posts: 427 Member
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    Sounds like a serious plataue!

    First and foremost... DON'T GIVE UP! We all go through this! And though it can be discouraging just keep going! YOU CAN DO THIS!!!

    Have you tried increasing your caloric intake or changing your routine? If you are doing the SAME exercises for the most part, your body may be bored. Time to wake it up!!! Try a new class or different weight training exercises. Anything to confuse your body.

    Again Keep at it and DON'T give up! You deserve to have a healthy body AND you will if you just keep at it!
  • Kshadley95
    Kshadley95 Posts: 2
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    Think of the alternative, had you not done any of this how would you feel during your current cardio workouts? Also just cutting calories is not alway enough for everybody, make sure you are looking at what those calories are made up of and remember you don't always have to keep your net at a steady level.
  • angebean
    angebean Posts: 195 Member
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    I'm in your boat, except I'm almost 240, female, working out daily for at least 30 minutes, eating back to exercise calories to net 1200-1300, staying under my calorie goal, staying relatively under my fat, watching my sodium and drinking at least 12-15 cups of water a day. Not losing inches, not losing weight. In fact, I gained 3 pounds and in fact, now weigh more than I did when I started this whole eating right/working out business.

    When you first start a new program, your body has to remetabolize and often times you gain before you start to lose. This is just your body balancing itself out. Hang in there, you'll lose.
  • Lula16
    Lula16 Posts: 628 Member
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    DON'T GIVE UP!!! it will melt off with time. one day you will wake up and wonder where did it all go? my husband was in the same boat, he didnt see results for weeks, and at times he thought he was gaining it back. within 4 months he lost 45 pounds.
  • slummymummy
    slummymummy Posts: 42 Member
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    I just took a look at your profile, and see you're about the same height as me (I'm 5'3") Your weight is within our healthy weight range, so maybe this is the weight you're supposed to be? Remember, as a relatively slim person, your BMR will be lower than most people's, so the calorie deficit you will need to enable you to lose weight (1lb = a deficit of 3500cals between your BMR and actual intake) will be significantly higher than someone larger than you.

    Don't give up, even if you're not losing weight, you are gaining health :flowerforyou:
  • fitoverfifty
    fitoverfifty Posts: 192 Member
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    Your body is probably meant to weigh about 125 pounds.....so from here on out you will just be maintaining. You should eat probably about 1600 calories to maintain ( look up the exact amount) And you will see slight fluctuations in your weight because of water retention ( PMS) and muscle gain.
    Eating less calories would put your body in survivol mode, causing it to store fat.

    Good luck!
  • fitoverfifty
    fitoverfifty Posts: 192 Member
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    Your body is probably meant to weigh about 125 pounds.....so from here on out you will just be maintaining. You should eat probably about 1600 calories to maintain ( look up the exact amount) And you will see slight fluctuations in your weight because of water retention ( PMS) and muscle gain.
    Eating less calories would put your body in survivol mode, causing it to store fat.

    Good luck!
  • FaeFae
    FaeFae Posts: 243 Member
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    the closer you are to your goal the harder it will be to lose the weight. For example someone of my size would lose weight at first much faster than you would. Unfortunately people often plateau close tho their goal.
  • Rworthy
    Rworthy Posts: 271 Member
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    It's hard bull**** to lose weight. I am convinced there is no rhyme or reason to anything!!! Some people do nothing, make the smallest of changes and get the biggest results. Others kill themselves to lose the smallest amount of weight, only to have it come back 10x faster than it was gone.
  • iamanne
    iamanne Posts: 67
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    You are already at a healthy weight for your height. It seems as though your body is where it needs to be and is therefore resistant to weight loss. A better option for you may be to focus on general fitness. Being healthier and stronger not necessarily lighter is probably the best goal for you.

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