Not losing when I SHOULD be!

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Skinnylittlesunflower
Skinnylittlesunflower Posts: 18 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I am so frustrated. I have been diligently eating 1200 calories everyday and working out for 30 minutes per day doing cardio and I am not losing weight at all. I'm 5'6 and 186lbs. I had my second child a month ago and I've managed to lose about 7lbs in the last 3 weeks but now I'm at a standstill. Infact I gained 2lbs two days ago and it's stayed that way.

I'm just so frusterated. I drink 3-4 liters of water a day. I count every single thing that goes into my mouth and measure my food. Since I'm at such a high weight for my height I feel like I should be losing Atleast 2lbs a week right?

Does anyone have any suggestions? Please I will try anything I am so annoyed with forcing carrot sticks and lean chicken down my throat when all I want is junk food and still not seeing any results.
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Replies

  • DataSeven
    DataSeven Posts: 245 Member
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    Don't focus on the numbers day-to-day. I would recommend weighing in once a week to get a better picture of your weight loss over time and minimize the daily fluctuations due to water weight. True, long-term weight loss doesn't happen in a couple of weeks or a month.

    If you're unhappy with lean chicken and carrot sticks, then eat something else. I know I am probably much heavier than you and can get away with eating more calories anyway, but my motto over the past year has been... I still eat crap, I just eat less of it. There's no way I would be able to stick to this for over a year and not go bananas or chew my own leg off if I was eating chicken breast and salad every day. My diary is open if you want to have a look at the changes I made over the past year as my calorie allowance has declined.
  • brianpperkins
    brianpperkins Posts: 6,124 Member
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    Your ticker indicates that you have 35 pounds to lose. If that is true, then two pounds per week is too aggressive. With a closed diary and a lack of your basic stats, it is difficult to give informed advice.
  • Phrick
    Phrick Posts: 2,765 Member
    edited February 2015
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    Relax! Weight loss is not linear. There are SO MANY things that can slow/mask weight loss. Your menstrual cycle - or for you, the fact that you just pushed a human being out of your body 4 weeks ago, if you're breastfeeding, your level of exercise, your sodium intake on any given day, how much you ate the day before and how much of that you've pooped out yet; what time of day you're weighing in - on and on and on. You ARE seeing results, 7 pounds in 3 weeks is OVER your targeted 2lbs a week, and you're mad you're not losing fast enough? At your weight & height, you're actually losing faster than what many would say is safely sustainable. Patience, patience is the key. It took months, maybe even years to get to 186 pounds, it isn't going to come off overnight no matter how badly you wish it would. Breathe...relax...you're doing fine.
  • TheBitSlinger
    TheBitSlinger Posts: 621 Member
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    How are your clothes fitting? Are they looser?
  • Skinnylittlesunflower
    Skinnylittlesunflower Posts: 18 Member
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    brianpperkins wrote: »
    Your ticker indicates that you have 35 pounds to lose. If that is true, then two pounds per week is too aggressive. With a closed diary and a lack of your basic stats, it is difficult to give informed advice.

    I'm confused what you mean by its too aggressive? Can you explain? Also my stats are age 22, height 5'6. I don't know what else you'd need?
  • graeme0201
    graeme0201 Posts: 5 Member
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    Reduce your water in take 2/3 litres as your probably holding a lot of water, to much water is just as bad for you as to much food, other then that maybe the stress of it all is preventing you losing weight? Try a variety of foods, plenty of ways to cook lean chicken, or change from chicken to a different lean meat, also long term of eating to few calories can make the body begin storing fat instead of shedding it try increasing you calories to account for your exercise, if your burning 300 calories, you should be eating at least 200 more

    There are just to many factors to really determine why your not losing, depends on your body, try a few different things and you will start losing again, but best thing to do is not worry yourself so much and just try to relax a bit, get rid of that stress
  • Skinnylittlesunflower
    Skinnylittlesunflower Posts: 18 Member
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    Phrick wrote: »
    Relax! Weight loss is not linear. There are SO MANY things that can slow/mask weight loss. Your menstrual cycle - or for you, the fact that you just pushed a human being out of your body 4 weeks ago, if you're breastfeeding, your level of exercise, your sodium intake on any given day, how much you ate the day before and how much of that you've pooped out yet; what time of day you're weighing in - on and on and on. You ARE seeing results, 7 pounds in 3 weeks is OVER your targeted 2lbs a week, and you're mad you're not losing fast enough? At your weight & height, you're actually losing faster than what many would say is safely sustainable. Patience, patience is the key. It took months, maybe even years to get to 186 pounds, it isn't going to come off overnight no matter how badly you wish it would. Breathe...relax...you're doing fine.

    In the past when I lost a large chunk of weight before kids, it came off much faster in the beginning and then slowed. So it's just confusing to me I suppose that I'm losing so slowly even at such a high weight and all the drastic changes I've made to my lifestyle in the last month.
  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
    edited February 2015
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    You had a baby a month ago?

    Give your body a chance - your hormones will be all over the place

    Are you breastfeeding?
  • healthybodyhealthylife
    healthybodyhealthylife Posts: 189 Member
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    I feel like that too. Granted I only have 10lbs to lose but I weigh everything I eat and stay in my calorie allowance but I'm not losing!
  • Skinnylittlesunflower
    Skinnylittlesunflower Posts: 18 Member
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    TheBitSlinger wrote: »
    How are your clothes fitting? Are they looser?

    Only slightly.
  • Skinnylittlesunflower
    Skinnylittlesunflower Posts: 18 Member
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    rabbitjb wrote: »
    You had a baby a month ago?

    Give your body a chance - your hormones will be all over the place

    Are you breastfeeding?

    I'm not breastfeeding.
  • brianpperkins
    brianpperkins Posts: 6,124 Member
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    Read ... learn ...
    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1080242/a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants/p1

    With 35 pounds to lose, two pounds per week is too aggressive. The recommended rate of loss at that point is about one pound per week ... that drops even further as you get closer to goal weight.
  • LyssaJ1
    LyssaJ1 Posts: 240 Member
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    rabbitjb wrote: »
    You had a baby a month ago?

    Give your body a chance - your hormones will be all over the place

    Are you breastfeeding?

    ^^^This!
  • rebeccaisafish
    rebeccaisafish Posts: 87 Member
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    You lost 7lbs in the last three weeks? So what stall are you talking about? Seems like you're losing just fine.
  • lexbubbles
    lexbubbles Posts: 465 Member
    edited February 2015
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    Weightloss is not linear. After two weeks of bouncing around between 150.5 and 151.5, this morning I finally clocked in below 150.

    0vhaub3k76y1.png
    x36ghyumed7u.png

    (Feb chart not yet complete, obviously, and December has gaps. These two are accurate)

    Either switch to weighing once every 1-2 weeks (preferably at the same time, like each Saturday morning) or use something like MyWeighTracker (pictured) to keep track of daily fluctuations and observe your own downward trend. Different strokes, etc.

    But I also agree with the others that 2lb a week might be a little much right now and bumping it down to 1-1.5 would be easier on you, deficit wise. It's still gonna come off, and you'll have a greater chance of it staying that way!

    ETA: this is what October-December last year looked like, when I started daily logging SO MUCH ZIGZAGGING but still overall downwards.

    r2bq1wtvs09s.png
  • brightsideofpink
    brightsideofpink Posts: 1,018 Member
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    You just had a baby. Like just.
    I don't know about the other women on here, but for the first 8 weeks post-partum, I was seemingly gaining and losing 7lbs in blood alone.
    Eat reasonably. Go easy on your body. Give it a few more weeks before you touch that scale again.
  • TrailBlazerMN
    TrailBlazerMN Posts: 202
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    1200 calories seems low for someone your weight. Low calories isn't always the answer. Losing weight doesn't mean you are losing fat. Plus, your body is trying to recuperate after having a kid. That requires moar calories. I'm sure you are producing breast milk as well for your child. Again, moar calories.
  • lifeskittles
    lifeskittles Posts: 438 Member
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    Wait. WHAT?! You can't work out a week after having a baby!! You have to wait AT LEAST A MONTH! Of course you aren't going to lose weight! Your hormones are still all over the place and your body is still healing!
  • RoxieDawn
    RoxieDawn Posts: 15,488 Member
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    My question is how long have you been on your new weight loss plan? If in reality you only started one or two weeks ago, your body needs time to physically adapt to the changes you are putting it through... Eating less calories -- the body will resist lower calories and eventually will stop fighting it.

    Plus, your hormones are not in check yet. Plus I bet you get little sleep... So you see a lot can be going on in your situation..

    Set a really slow goal like 10% deficit while your body is getting back to normal.. Exercise will help some, but don't look at it like your are trying to exercise your weight off. If you want to exercise most of off you have to increase or change to a different level of exercising and I bet being new mom right now there is not much time for that between baby bottle, changing diapers and being up most nights and days!

    Give your self time to make this work... OH track your calories every day and make sure you are honest with what you are consuming.. This will help you see where changes can be made..

  • RoxieDawn
    RoxieDawn Posts: 15,488 Member
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    brianpperkins wrote: »
    Read ... learn ...
    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1080242/a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants/p1

    With 35 pounds to lose, two pounds per week is too aggressive. The recommended rate of loss at that point is about one pound per week ... that drops even further as you get closer to goal weight.

    And DO THIS.... I point most people who are new on MFP here!

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