another dreaded inches vs. lbs post

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  • PrizePopple
    PrizePopple Posts: 3,133 Member
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    Geez people are rude and know-it-alls.

    Oh the irony!

    lol_ricky_gervais.gif
  • TheRealJigsaw
    TheRealJigsaw Posts: 295 Member
    edited October 2014
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    You need a new trainer and dietician if you have been in a plateau for a year
  • Cranquistador
    Cranquistador Posts: 39,744 Member
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    :|
  • Graelwyn75
    Graelwyn75 Posts: 4,404 Member
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    you came here for help, and you're making it sound like any advice that has been posted, isn't good enough for you. your diary isn't even public, so what exactly can one do for you ?

    I specifically asked what people do to keep motivation up, not for everything to be critiqued. So much for motivation and support being anything similar to that. Geez people are rude and know-it-alls. So many people were quick to fix the plateau without actually reading that all I asked was "...how do you stay motivated..." I have a dietician and trainer for the edits to everything else, not random people on the Internet.


    Well you see the thing is…it's an OPEN forum. When you talk about a plateau people may actually try to help you. OMG. Shame on us.

    I'm sorry but this is exactly why people get burned out on trying to help people in the forums. We take time out of our day to try to help someone, because we've all been there. We've been in your shoes. We've been the ones swearing we are doing everything correctly when obviously we weren't, because if you aren't losing weight you aren't in a deficit.

    So we try to help and you call us rude and know-it-alls. Nice.

    If you've been in a plateau for a year and you have a dietician and a trainer then obviously something is wrong with that picture…or you wouldn't be in a plateau. Which it's not a plateau, you've found your maintenance calories. Personally, if I was in your shoes and was paying for a trainer and a dietician and I wasn't losing weight, I'd first re-evaluate how much I was eating, then I'd re-evaluate who I was paying. But what do I know. I'm just a rude know it all.

    And to 'specifically' answer your question YOU are the only one who can keep yourself motivated. I could list lots of reasons why I stay motivated, my reasons may not mean anything to you. You make a decision. You want it or you don't. It's also that simple.

    Totally agree with the above.
    Op seems to be very rude and rather a long way up her derriere if you ask me.
    It is human nature to try and help and solve a problem. People are being kind.
    If your dietician and trainer have all the answers, then I suggest you go to them and ask them how to keep motivated since we are all just random strangers on the internet.
  • TheVirgoddess
    TheVirgoddess Posts: 4,535 Member
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    you came here for help, and you're making it sound like any advice that has been posted, isn't good enough for you. your diary isn't even public, so what exactly can one do for you ?

    I specifically asked what people do to keep motivation up, not for everything to be critiqued. So much for motivation and support being anything similar to that. Geez people are rude and know-it-alls. So many people were quick to fix the plateau without actually reading that all I asked was "...how do you stay motivated..." I have a dietician and trainer for the edits to everything else, not random people on the Internet.

    I recently got off of a six week plateau. I looked at the bigger picture - how much (on average) I've lost total per week. I took side by side photos to help motivate me. I celebrated not eating that cookie, even if it was within my calorie goal (I'm a masochist). I just kept my head down and kept pushing through. If you stay on track, it will pass.

    Your OP wasn't all that clear, to be fair. We always ask these questions when someone is seemingly asking for help - it lets us know how much the person seeking help knows about weight loss and nutrition. No one was trying to make you feel stupid or whatever it is you felt. They were just trying to help.

    Good luck :)
  • jillybeansalad
    jillybeansalad Posts: 239 Member
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    You need a new trainer and dietician if you have been in a plateau for a year

    Exactly what I was thinking. They are not all equal in ability or knowledge... nor do they all have the same methods.
  • _HeartsOnFire_
    _HeartsOnFire_ Posts: 5,304 Member
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    You need a new trainer and dietician if you have been in a plateau for a year

    Exactly what I was thinking. They are not all equal in ability or knowledge... nor do they all have the same methods.

    And if there's a plateau for a year and these people are getting paid…I'm thinking snake oil salesmen.
  • dakotababy
    dakotababy Posts: 2,404 Member
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    You are eating too damn much. Bottom line. Stop eating so much, do more cardio until you get down to a decent weight, then consider switching to a more lifting-intense program. You are mad because you dont have motivation, which I dont blame you! What you are doing is not working and people on here are trying to fix the problem. Unless your aim is to get bigger??
  • dakotababy
    dakotababy Posts: 2,404 Member
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    You need a new trainer and dietician if you have been in a plateau for a year

    Exactly what I was thinking. They are not all equal in ability or knowledge... nor do they all have the same methods.

    I think this is exactly what the OP wants "blame someone - just not me."
  • trinatrina1984
    trinatrina1984 Posts: 1,018 Member
    edited October 2014
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    you came here for help, and you're making it sound like any advice that has been posted, isn't good enough for you. your diary isn't even public, so what exactly can one do for you ?

    I specifically asked what people do to keep motivation up, not for everything to be critiqued. So much for motivation and support being anything similar to that. Geez people are rude and know-it-alls. So many people were quick to fix the plateau without actually reading that all I asked was "...how do you stay motivated..." I have a dietician and trainer for the edits to everything else, not random people on the Internet.


    Well you see the thing is…it's an OPEN forum. When you talk about a plateau people may actually try to help you. OMG. Shame on us.

    I'm sorry but this is exactly why people get burned out on trying to help people in the forums. We take time out of our day to try to help someone, because we've all been there. We've been in your shoes. We've been the ones swearing we are doing everything correctly when obviously we weren't, because if you aren't losing weight you aren't in a deficit.

    So we try to help and you call us rude and know-it-alls. Nice.

    If you've been in a plateau for a year and you have a dietician and a trainer then obviously something is wrong with that picture…or you wouldn't be in a plateau. Which it's not a plateau, you've found your maintenance calories. Personally, if I was in your shoes and was paying for a trainer and a dietician and I wasn't losing weight, I'd first re-evaluate how much I was eating, then I'd re-evaluate who I was paying. But what do I know. I'm just a rude know it all.

    And to 'specifically' answer your question YOU are the only one who can keep yourself motivated. I could list lots of reasons why I stay motivated, my reasons may not mean anything to you. You make a decision. You want it or you don't. It's also that simple.

    200.gif

    Totally agree
  • ILiftHeavyAcrylics
    ILiftHeavyAcrylics Posts: 27,732 Member
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    1.) You cannot be at a deficit and gaining/maintaining weight for a year. A deficit, by definition, means you're losing weight. There are some things that can hide the fact that you're losing weight, like water retention. There are some things that can make it so that you're not in a deficit when you "should be" (according to calculators) but if over a long period of time you are not losing weight/fat, you're not in a deficit.

    2.) A plateau means complete lack of progress. If you're losing inches you're not in a plateau. It's true that water retention can mean that you could be plateaued and still have minor weight swings, but not 20 lbs of variation. The idea that you could lose 10 lbs and still be plateaued is just wrong.

    3.) It's been a year. Something is not working. Instead of sniping at everyone who tries to make suggestions, maybe realize that after a year of listening to your nutritionist/trainer, it's time to try something different. What I would do is to lower your calorie goal. It sounds like you're eating a balanced diet with appropriate macros and weighing/logging your food. And you ARE losing fat, it's just slow. If you want it to go faster you have to increase the deficit. Either add some exercise (which wouldn't be my choice because it sounds like you're doing plenty) or cut calories a bit more. It sucks, I know. But the fact that you "should" lose weight on a certain number is meaningless if your actual results don't back up the "should."

    4.) This is an open forum. You can't tell people how to respond to the topic that you started. There's a lot of good advice here. You can ignore it if you choose, but if you keep doing what you're doing now then nothing is going to change.
  • kendalslimmer
    kendalslimmer Posts: 579 Member
    edited October 2014
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    Okay, I have 3 completely off the wall suggestions, feel free to try one, all or none:

    1. add in one fasting day per week (from 9pm to 6pm the following day).
    2. stop following your nutritionist's plan - give you body some of foods you've been cutting... Only focus on your calories.
    3. workout less - give your body a 3 day rest period each week.
  • jeffpettis
    jeffpettis Posts: 865 Member
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    You can when you're gaining muscle.

    You're wrong. The human body can't create new tissue out of nothing.

    No. You're wrong.Your body will gain muscle on a caloric deficit up to a certain point when you first start out. But you will see the gains level out eventually. At that point it becomes all about maintaining the muscle you have while you burn fat.

    This is why most people advocate cycling between bulking and cutting in order to avoid gaining fat and keeping it on.

    Considering I started at nearly 300 lbs, my body has plenty of fat to burn while gaining muscle while in a deficit.

    You are correct. It is "possible" to gain new muscle in a deficit for absolute beginners and people regaining some lost muscle but this is very short lived and will only last for a very limited amount of time, not a year or so.

    This is not the reason for bulk and cut cycles. The reason for cycles is to keep from gaining too much fat, which is going to happen no matter what you do, while building muscle. To cycle correctly most people will accept fat gain to a certain BF% then cut to remove the extra fat gained while retaining the muscle that was gained.

    In your situation you are simply not in a deficit if you are not losing weight. You are not going to build muscle and lose fat at the same time and especially not at an equal rate that would keep you at the same weight for over a year.

  • _HeartsOnFire_
    _HeartsOnFire_ Posts: 5,304 Member
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    1.) You cannot be at a deficit and gaining/maintaining weight for a year. A deficit, by definition, means you're losing weight. There are some things that can hide the fact that you're losing weight, like water retention. There are some things that can make it so that you're not in a deficit when you "should be" (according to calculators) but if over a long period of time you are not losing weight/fat, you're not in a deficit.

    2.) A plateau means complete lack of progress. If you're losing inches you're not in a plateau. It's true that water retention can mean that you could be plateaued and still have minor weight swings, but not 20 lbs of variation. The idea that you could lose 10 lbs and still be plateaued is just wrong.

    3.) It's been a year. Something is not working. Instead of sniping at everyone who tries to make suggestions, maybe realize that after a year of listening to your nutritionist/trainer, it's time to try something different. What I would do is to lower your calorie goal. It sounds like you're eating a balanced diet with appropriate macros and weighing/logging your food. And you ARE losing fat, it's just slow. If you want it to go faster you have to increase the deficit. Either add some exercise (which wouldn't be my choice because it sounds like you're doing plenty) or cut calories a bit more. It sucks, I know. But the fact that you "should" lose weight on a certain number is meaningless if your actual results don't back up the "should."

    4.) This is an open forum. You can't tell people how to respond to the topic that you started. There's a lot of good advice here. You can ignore it if you choose, but if you keep doing what you're doing now then nothing is going to change.

    I <3 you.

    The bolded reminds me of the quote about insanity...

    Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.
  • hortensehildegarde
    hortensehildegarde Posts: 592 Member
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    you came here for help, and you're making it sound like any advice that has been posted, isn't good enough for you. your diary isn't even public, so what exactly can one do for you ?

    I specifically asked what people do to keep motivation up, not for everything to be critiqued. So much for motivation and support being anything similar to that. Geez people are rude and know-it-alls. So many people were quick to fix the plateau without actually reading that all I asked was "...how do you stay motivated..." I have a dietician and trainer for the edits to everything else, not random people on the Internet.

    You weigh 253 lbs and you are doing all that eating on target and exercising for an entire YEAR and you haven't been able to get beyond +/- 10 that in that timeframe? I am not criticizing, but as I read these forums to gain information and I like anecdotal evidence, I have to ask what your trainer and dietician say about that? What did they tell you so that you believe you are eating in a deficit that leaves you in a year long plateau?

    I can speak to how to stay motivated for maybe a week or two or a month of the scale not moving but not sure about a whole year so I am dead curious what the people who you have for tweaking your exercise said to make you think they are on the up and up.

    That is actually terrifying to me, that one can be that big and doing "everything" right and still the scale doesn't go down? I mean, I get losing size and muscle gains but yeesh.
  • cmazurek85
    cmazurek85 Posts: 99 Member
    edited October 2014
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    OP, I started off at 235 and was stuck at 215 for a few months. I've lost A LOT of fat and inches. While I did set up an appt to get bloodwork and have my thyroid checked out, last month I cut my calories to 1500 from 1800 - 2100 and added a lot more cardio (not only hiit, but power walking, running, elliptical, and hiking.) I got on the scale this morning and i am down 10 pounds (down to 205) and have lost a few inches since last month.

    For me, it came down to eating at a steeper deficit than the professionals perscribed. I was eating (mostly) the right things, but i had to eat less. I also did more cardio. Now im down to 2 days a week of heavy lifting (oly weight lifting) and 4 to 5 days a week of cardio (not only a wod but just running!) and yoga (for my sanity). I feel better, and when, I compared my pictures from last month, I can SEE the loss.

    There are so many times i wanted to give up. I completely understand your frustration. Just keep moving forward and go to the doctor to get your hormone levels check out to rule that out. Also, if you're taking any medication, talk to your doctor about it, because you could be experiencing side effects (namely water retention). You also could have a undiagnosed food allergy.

    Also, 300 to 253 is nothing to scoff at. that is a fabulous accomplishment!
  • xerothermic
    xerothermic Posts: 80
    edited October 2014
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    People assume that I haven't tried mixing things up. I have tried multiple trainers (I am giving my third one a shot later this week). We've toyed with my diet. I have tried more cardio, less cardio, more calories, less calories. I've had blood test after test ran at the doctor.

    As I had said in my initial post, there were some times of not committing to the plan due to two injuries (not workout related--apparently your bike cannot go through a tree) so a year isn't necessarily a year.

    I have dropped two pant sizes (a total of 5 overall) and all of my muscles have significantly grown/inches lost, just not a lot of weight loss. Perhaps I was wrong in calling this a plateau, but that's what it feels like. It's hard to distance yourself from the idea that weight loss is the only progress that matters.

    It's not doing the same thing over and over, as so many assume. I recently started running ~6 miles every other day. I weight train because I simply love it. That being said, that's not all I do-- I swim, I bike, I hike, I kayak, I teach martial arts--I keep my body guessing what today holds. There's a lot I do. I'm not trying the same thing over and over as so many people seem to think.

    I'm not being stubborn and ignoring people's advice--it's the way the advice was given. It's as though people read my weight number and assumed that the advice they would offer would change everything. Just because I'm 250, not 150, does not mean I overeat or am utterly inept. Yes, I immediately put my wall up and was standoff-ish, but I basically got told to stop stuffing your face fatty right off the start.

    I want to thank the few, the very few, who actually listened and didn't assume I was some idiot slinging weights around and being stand off-ish. Seriously. Thank you. These boards need more of you--people who listen to what you're actually saying and don't assume they know best.

    I don't need fixing, I'm doing that already, I just wanted to know how you keep reminding yourself that even if the progress is slow, and maybe not where you want it, that it's worth it. I know it's worth it, but sometimes I just need that reminder. It's hard to stay the course when you're not seeing the miraculous progress you expect and others lose so differently. Sometimes that reminder is just nice to hear. Not that you're doing everything so wrong, that everyone loses differently and progress is progress. Thank you to those who reminded me of that.

    Oh and to the guy who was certain I was just (essentially) pigging out and over eating, turns out, I'm likely not eating enough calories to support the amount I'm working out, according to a second dietitian (I did take that advice as well and consulted a second one today).
  • ILiftHeavyAcrylics
    ILiftHeavyAcrylics Posts: 27,732 Member
    edited October 2014
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    I know. I know. So it with this hyper focus on weight. You/your friend/*insert person here* looks skinner at 130 than she did at 100. I get that.

    I eat disgustingly clean. My cardio is hiit. My weight lifting... well the men at the gym stop to watch me lift heavy. And the scale increases.

    That might sound okay, until you realize the scale is increasing to 253 lbs, not 153, on a 5 ft frame.

    Let's be real. I'm not going to be fit, no matter how many inches I lose, unless the weight--the pounds of fat--come off.

    So how do you stay motivated because I'm almost 1-1.5 years in and really frustrated. 90% of my initial weight loss was from that first 3-6 month stretch. I've been on like a year plateau.

    Raaawr. [/b*tching]

    This is your initial post. There's no mention of taking time off due to injuries. There's no mention of having tried different methods. You can't blame people for reading what you wrote and responding to it without knowing what you didn't write.

    I think you're attributing thoughts to people that were not intended. No one said "stop stuffing your face, fatty" or anything similar. I doubt that's what anyone was thinking. No one implied that you're an idiot either. Those thoughts are yours. Don't blame them on the people responding to your thread and trying to help you.

    I'm glad you sought a second opinion. I disagree with the advice you were given, but there's certainly no harm in trying it. I hope it works for you.
  • PrizePopple
    PrizePopple Posts: 3,133 Member
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    I know. I know. So it with this hyper focus on weight. You/your friend/*insert person here* looks skinner at 130 than she did at 100. I get that.

    I eat disgustingly clean. My cardio is hiit. My weight lifting... well the men at the gym stop to watch me lift heavy. And the scale increases.

    That might sound okay, until you realize the scale is increasing to 253 lbs, not 153, on a 5 ft frame.

    Let's be real. I'm not going to be fit, no matter how many inches I lose, unless the weight--the pounds of fat--come off.

    So how do you stay motivated because I'm almost 1-1.5 years in and really frustrated. 90% of my initial weight loss was from that first 3-6 month stretch. I've been on like a year plateau.

    Raaawr. [/b*tching]

    This is your initial post. There's no mention of taking time off due to injuries. There's no mention of having tried different methods. You can't blame people for reading what you wrote and responding to it without knowing what you didn't write.

    She's hangry, obviously, because that's the only solid answer for being as snippy as she has to everyone.
  • bwogilvie
    bwogilvie Posts: 2,130 Member
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    Oh and to the guy who was certain I was just (essentially) pigging out and over eating, turns out, I'm likely not eating enough calories to support the amount I'm working out, according to a second dietitian (I did take that advice as well and consulted a second one today).

    I am puzzled by this advice. If you weren't eating enough to support your workout volume and intensity, you would be getting weaker and/or slower, and probably experiencing the effects of overtraining. Is that the case?