3 weeks in and stuck aready!

meganroseD · February 2011

Hi all, hope you are well on this rather wet and blustry uk day?

I started MFP 3 weeks ago and I really love the simplicity of it all. However, I have already got stuck and don't know what I am doing wrong.

Around 1 year ago I lost 10lbs and my weight has more or less stayed the same since. When I started MFP it came off fairly steadily in the first 2 weeks and now NOTHING. In fact, it's going up slightly!

Iam eating 1200 calories and excercising. I have started taking long walks when I drop child #3 off at nursery with child 4. I try eat all the calories I have earned and try to record everything.

Now I am beginning to wonder whether I am eating too few calories? If your body goes into 'starvation mode' does it start loosing weight again? I have started to drink more water too as not consuming enough.

Anyway, I am not ready to quit, but I do need to sort this out before I become too disheartened.

Thanks for listening!
Mx

ProTFitness · February 2011

You may not eating enough. So yes after a couple of weeks with calories lower then 1200 calories your body may start holding onto the food you eat and start storing it as body fat (survial/starvation mode) so if your eating 1200 calories and exercising burning 300 calories that leaves you at 900 caloreis. Also if your working out hard then you may need a few more. Listen to your body if your hungry then eat a little snack in 100 calorie inccramints. Keep drinking water as you may be bloated/water retention.

ProTFitness · February 2011

You may not eating enough. So yes after a couple of weeks with calories lower then 1200 calories your body may start holding onto the food you eat and start storing it as body fat (survial/starvation mode) so if your eating 1200 calories and exercising burning 300 calories that leaves you at 900 caloreis. Also if your working out hard then you may need a few more. Listen to your body if your hungry then eat a little snack in 100 calorie inccramints. Keep drinking water as you may be bloated/water retention.

Also remember that the foods you are eating are not processed or full of chemicals,sugars, artifical sweetners.
Eating whole grains, lean meat,fish, veggies raw ans cooked and fruit.

cakeyrach · February 2011

Hi M

I've had 4 weeks on here and I was doing well to until this week where I've lost nothing. I know I don't exercise enough and probably don't drink enough water but my food intake is right down and I haven't cheated - sound familiar?

I'm just going to keep at it and hope it's a blip but i know how disheartening it feels.

I'm wondering about the calorie thing too as a couple of days this last week I didn't reach my goal by a couple of hundred calories and I'm on more than you. I am going to try and stick to my calorie guide and drink more water and see how it goes, let me know how you get on.

Rachel

clahut · February 2011

Hi there,

You say that you are eating 1200 cals a day and exercising. What does MFP say you shoudl be eating? For example when I plug in my height, weight, age, the fact that I want to lose 1lb a week and that I do a small amount of exercise, it tells me I shoudl eat 1270 cals. If I exercise and burn off more calories, I eat most of them back. That seems to work for me as I have lost a total of 20lbs since July (would've been more if I hadn't fallen off the wagon at Christmas-time).

C

meganroseD · February 2011

Thanks all!

I am eating 1200 calories as that is what MFP suggested. I do eat back my excercise calories and I have tried improving the foods I am eating, althgough I admit they haven't been as healthy this week.

I think what I really want to know is whether I should up my calories - I am not hungry at any point though. I will look at 100 cal snacks and perhaps add those in twice a day.

It all seems so simple but is complicated!

I read a post yesterday to do with multiplying your weight by 13, 14 or 15 depending on activity and then muliplying that answer by 0.8 to give me the amount of calories which I could consume to still loose. That gave me nearer 1500 calories. Has any one else tried this formula?

Thanks again,
Megan x

nickyevans · February 2011

I have been following this for around 3 weeks now, I also have a goal of 1200 calories. I have not and do not intend to eat my exercise calories. I have read a lot of the arguments for and against starvation mode and I am afraid I just do not buy into it. I have absolutely no issue with other people buying into this theory as it is very much a matter of opinion. Part of the reason I do not buy into it is because of Rosemary Conley, you are from the UK so will most likely know who she is. None of her diets have you eating your exercise calories and there are thousands of people who have successfully lost weight on them. I lost 4 stone following 1200 calories and exercising 5 days a week with Rosemary Conley. At the time I did this I was in an unhappy marriage. The effect of leaving that unhappy relationship and finding a new and very happy one unfortunately meant I fell off the healthy eating and exercise wagon. However, both my husband and I are now following the diet on MFP neither us have used our exercise calories and he has lost 15lbs and I have lost 12lbs in the last 4 weeks. My husband did eat his exercise calories for two weeks and was so disappointed with his weight loss those two weeks compared with mine he stopped eating them. His weight loss doubled as soon as he stopped eating them.

meganroseD · February 2011

Ah, that is interesteing! I have read lots of people who eat theirs, but no one who doesn't. That said, my friend who started 3 weeks ago eats 1200 every day, doesn't exercise, but is a school teaccher so fairly active. She has lost 11lbs. So maybe there is something in it!
Mx
Ps - COGRATULATIONS to you and your hubby on your fantastic loss so far.

Amyloumc · February 2011

Aw Meg, don't become disheartened, its only one week you've stuck and its maybe just an 'off' week for you. Keep at it and I'm sure you'll see results again soon.

I'm passing on the dog walking today as can't face it so I'm taking myself off to the leisure centre shortly for a swim. Keep at it girl xx

meganroseD · February 2011

Cheers Amy - I am not too disheartened, just want to see what others think.

I keep reminding myself it took 4 kids and 11 years to gain the weight - it's not going to drop off over night!

Good on you ging to the leisure centre, I'm walking to train station and then will be tramping around kendal later! I like 'practical' excercise I can build into my day.

Hope you are feeling a little less emotional than yesterday?
Mx

jansus · February 2011

I think you just have to find what is right for you. I did two weeks with 1200 calories and not too much exercise and got stuck. Last week I upped my calories to 1400 and ate about 50% of exercise calories and have lost 2lb.

When I used to go to SW we had one man who lost loads who was in a wheelchair and could do no excercise.

for me although i love it bread does not agree with me. Also I have read a lot on here about sweetners in food so I am trying to wean my self off them gradually.

keep going!

meganroseD · February 2011

Thanks Jansus - Ironically I ate and drank lots this weekend and haven't put any on!

Weekends are always my downfall, I can put upto 5lbs on and then spend the whole week trying to get rid of it again. So to not put any on is a good sign. I'm aiming for 1400 calories and no eating back what I earn this week to see how I go.

Wish me luck!
Mx

iStarkm · February 2011

I recommend changing things up a bit. The more your body does of the same exercise the better you get at it (that's a given). But the more endurance you build the less calories(fat) you start to burn off. When you first start training your body isn't used to it so it turns into overdrive to be stronger next time around and starts the fat burning process, however the more you do of the same thing the better you get at it and burn less fat.

Maybe try having 3 different circuit training plans and change them up randomly to keep things fresh and new and keep striving for those end goals. One exercise I can recommend for it intensity is the Spartacus Workout (check You Tube) and welcome to contact me for further details.

Remember to also keep a high level of intensity throughout your training for Pain is only Weakness Leaving the Body.

Good luck

meganroseD · February 2011

Thanks I starkm. I have taken note of the walk/run programme for learning how to run and when I am out walking I walk at a medium pace and then do 1 minutes bursts of fast walking. I aim to increase these bursts to keep raising my heart rate.

I have also started eating around 1400 calories in total, regardless of whether I excercise or not and this weekend my weight remained static. I consider that a good thing as normally I gain a good few punds and then spend all week getting rid of them!

Hopefully I will have lost something by Friday!

Megan

3 weeks in and stuck aready!

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