Losing all motivation I need help :(

Needtobeonthebeach
Needtobeonthebeach Posts: 92 Member
edited November 2024 in Getting Started
Hey guys! I have received some great advice when I posted on here another time so I thought I'd ask another question of the more experienced weight loss folks. I have never had a problem like this before. I used to be hyperthyroid and therefore I would lose a lot of weight with no effort at all, and I've always been skinny but lately my body seems to want to gain and gain some more even though I weigh more than I'm comfortable weighing. I am 139.8 for the last week despite excercising for 2 hours a day and eating my reccomended 2500 total calories ( I burn 800 ish through expercise according to calculators- I run at 7.5-8.2 mph for an hour daily plus an hour of biking or outdoor running). I have lowered calories to 1200 net and then raised to 1550 net ( for 0.5 lb per week) and I can't seem to lose any weight at all. It's been two weeks :( I dropped 4 lbs in one week but then my body gained it all back despite my habits not changing. I'm starting to wonder if this is some medical condition? I'm not on TOM and I'm not pregnant. So I'm very confused. Also even though I am relatively thin already since I'm 5'9" I'm only looking to lose 8-12 lbs because I don't want to end up underweight. Definitely not looking to go below 125-127. I just want to feel better about myself. I feel so out of shape and heavy. In highschool I was naturally 110-120 so this weight is very heavy on my frame. I feel so disappointed in myself and want to just start over. Advice? I don't know what to try anymore. I really want to lose at least 5-7lbs and that's non negotiable. I just don't want to die doing it :(

Replies

  • gstults
    gstults Posts: 3 Member
    I would like to know the answer as well, so I'm no help! I lost 27 lbs last year, gained it back, got back on track a couple months ago (with same diet plus this time exercise) and I'm gaining instead! I am older 57, and like you, I want to feel good about myself and to also get the weight off my joints. I have been told by a few medical and nutritionists that I'm not eating enough calories!! What? I understand the drill....."your body thinks it's in starvation mode" but I need help. Right now I'm taking my Gyno dr advice and upping the calories, eating more protein, and exercising off 400-500 calories everyday. So, any input on this would be appreciated. Oh, and at the end of everyday, this myfitnesspal pal says "if you eat like this for 5 weeks, you weight will be _____, about 8-10 lbs less. But, to no avail, it stays the same. What gives..??
  • Needtobeonthebeach
    Needtobeonthebeach Posts: 92 Member
    At least you make me feel like there's not something seriously wrong with me if it's happening to others.. I mean I don't know what it could be?! I know people miscalculate calorie needs and burns but I always underestimate.
  • Needtobeonthebeach
    Needtobeonthebeach Posts: 92 Member
    I meant overestimate calories in and underestimate calories out.
  • Needtobeonthebeach
    Needtobeonthebeach Posts: 92 Member
    Also I'm not much help probably but I don't think starvation mode exists for most average people. It takes a long period of starvation for your body to get there and even when you're there you still lose weight, it's when you start eating 2000+ calories again that it comes back. If anything I think we're supposed to eat less. My confusion is how an athlete like me could need so little? I'm starving all the time and I keep reducing and it wasn't working so I upped mine to just barely 1500.. Which is still just over half my calorie needs
  • gstults
    gstults Posts: 3 Member
    I have gained around my middle a lot in a year. I'm going to give this a shot....more protein, more water, more low carb veggies and drop the fruit for awhile. This ap has eggs showing 3 carbs...eggs don't have carbs. So I. Am wondering if this ap is correct?
  • gstults
    gstults Posts: 3 Member
    I will also go back to what I did last year and eat about every couple hours, just a little, protein.
  • cynsationally_fit
    cynsationally_fit Posts: 5 Member
    I'm in the same boat with you two. I lost over 110 pounds on WW in November 2011, and have maintained the weight loss since that time, staying under my lifetime status weight. My lowest weight has been 138 (2 years ago), and now I am at 153 (as of this morning). I noticed the weight gain as I was training for longer distance runs (completed several half marathons and marathons over the last two years), and cannot shake that weight back off. I have maintained the same clothing size, and have dropped some inches, but the scales are not moving downward, which is frustrating!

    Last year, I decided that I wanted to set a new fitness goal of entering a fitness competition sometime this year or next, and upped my resistance and strength training. I workout with a fitness trainer two days a week, and expressed my goals to him. At that point, he changed up my diet plan and had me tracking my macros through MFP. Shortly after, I cancelled my WW eTools and relied strictly on calories and macros.

    All was going fine at first. I kept a slightly higher carb macro count due to the fact that I was running longer distances (marathon training) and needed to keep leg cramps at bay (that is a HUGE issues for me once I hit the 17 mile mark). After completing my last marathon in February, I began moving towards lower carbs. I would drop weight into the 140s, but then started going back upwards on the scales with no explanation. I was tracking, on target with portions, etc. So, after hitting the breaking point last week, I told my trainer that I would put my goal on hold temporarily until I could work through this. I reset MFP to the standard tracking setting instead of custom for losing weight, and have been following that for the past 4 days. I would lose 0.2 or so per day, but to see the 2 pound gain this morning about had me in tears.

    I am on no medications. I take a daily multivitamin and hair, skin, and nails vitamin, and will take OTC allergy medicine as needed (which lately seems to be a lot). I am now set for 1200 calories, and want to lose at a rate of 1.5 to 2 pounds per week. Something has got to give, so I can get back to the 130s that I am more comfortable with. That weight had me running stronger and a little faster.
  • lmfenex
    lmfenex Posts: 1 Member
    All, have you measured your BMI recently? Particularly for those of us who exercise vigorously, if you are not gaining size but aren't losing weight, perhaps you are just building muscle, which weighs more than fat.
  • mermer315
    mermer315 Posts: 34 Member
    You're 5'9" and weigh 139!? I would love to be that weight right now. :( What type of food are you eating? How are you tracking your exercise calories? Do you have a HRM? Or are you going be the machine? I"m just curious if maybe your calories in/out might be over or understimated. I know I had that problem before I got my HRM.
  • cynsationally_fit
    cynsationally_fit Posts: 5 Member
    The HRM is helpful. I recently bought a new one and synced it up with RunKeeper, using it last night while on the stairmaster and stationary bike. I could see where I was in aerobic and anaerobic zones with the stairmaster, but the bike was hit and miss... I was more in weight maintenance than the other. Really revealed alot and let me know that I have to up my game while on the bike, with either going a higher level with the manual program, or doing one of the preset interval programs, but at a higher level.

    As for my BMI, it was measured last month at 22%.
  • Needtobeonthebeach
    Needtobeonthebeach Posts: 92 Member
    I eat mostly fruit, a lot of carbs for training and protein (3oz) for dinner. I haven't used a hrm instead I try the guess and check method. I came up with a tdee from averaging several calculators that all had similar answers. All say my maintenance are between 2500-3000 so I eat 2000 net to be safe ( when I'm hungry, I've had lower days).. I never trust the machines but I still input all my stats on treadmills when I run which only have a 10% error rate and with the mass amounts of calories I burn that isn't significant (says I burn 900 but it's really 800) especially when I'm eating 1000-1500 below maintenance.
  • Needtobeonthebeach
    Needtobeonthebeach Posts: 92 Member
    Hey guys I don't know what I was doing wrong but I upped my calories to 2500 yesterday and didn't exercise and lost almost a pound! I'm at 138 now. So just stick in there and find out what works for your body. I think this site is telling me too eat too little
  • Needtobeonthebeach
    Needtobeonthebeach Posts: 92 Member
    Going to try to slowly add exercise back and keep calories around 2000-2300. I should see some good results on that I think. Not everyone is meant to eat 1200-1500. I work out too much and have always had a fast metabolism.
  • RuthyLOL
    RuthyLOL Posts: 62 Member
    needtolose20lbsstat wrote: »
    Hey guys! I have received some great advice when I posted on here another time so I thought I'd ask another question of the more experienced weight loss folks. I have never had a problem like this before. I used to be hyperthyroid and therefore I would lose a lot of weight with no effort at all, and I've always been skinny but lately my body seems to want to gain and gain some more even though I weigh more than I'm comfortable weighing. I am 139.8 for the last week despite excercising for 2 hours a day and eating my reccomended 2500 total calories ( I burn 800 ish through expercise according to calculators- I run at 7.5-8.2 mph for an hour daily plus an hour of biking or outdoor running). I have lowered calories to 1200 net and then raised to 1550 net ( for 0.5 lb per week) and I can't seem to lose any weight at all. It's been two weeks :( I dropped 4 lbs in one week but then my body gained it all back despite my habits not changing. I'm starting to wonder if this is some medical condition? I'm not on TOM and I'm not pregnant. So I'm very confused. Also even though I am relatively thin already since I'm 5'9" I'm only looking to lose 8-12 lbs because I don't want to end up underweight. Definitely not looking to go below 125-127. I just want to feel better about myself. I feel so out of shape and heavy. In highschool I was naturally 110-120 so this weight is very heavy on my frame. I feel so disappointed in myself and want to just start over. Advice? I don't know what to try anymore. I really want to lose at least 5-7lbs and that's non negotiable. I just don't want to die doing it :(

    There is a guy in mfp that recommended this book when I asked his how he lost his weight. He lost 120lbs so far and looks great. "Why we get fat and what to do about it" by Gary Tubes. I just finished listening to the audiobook from the library and looked at the diet in the back of the hard cover book (it is really long). And Tubes has finally explained to me why it had been so hard for me to lose and why I failed with low calories diets. Just started today to follow his plan. I hope it helps you too. :)
  • cynsationally_fit
    cynsationally_fit Posts: 5 Member
    So, since looking at my TDEE and some other factors, I adjusted my total daily calories to 1290, with a composition of 40% protein, 35% fat and 25% carbs. I've also increased my cardio at the advice of my PT. Since my post on April 13, I have lost 2.6 pounds, which makes me happy. It has been a struggle to get in the cardio like I would like to, due to work schedules, etc., but I'm doing my best to hit calorie burn targets.

    I will definitely check out that book by Gary Tubes.... thanks!
  • Needtobeonthebeach
    Needtobeonthebeach Posts: 92 Member
    Ahh thanks for the update! I'm at 136 now. Dropped another 2 lbs ! :# Just when I wanted to give up I pushed harder. Im eating 2000-2200
    Net calories and working out for 60-120
    Minutes a day.
  • Needtobeonthebeach
    Needtobeonthebeach Posts: 92 Member
    You're doing a awesome :)
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