Following program to a T and it's not working.
Replies
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SingRunTing wrote: »So, given this info, should I skip my cardio workouts for a few days and see if that helps or should I just not concentrate as much on the scale?
Keep doing your workouts, just adjust your expectations. Look at weight loss over the long term (months) instead of the short term (days/week).
This. I wouldn't stop exercising particularly because you aren't eating back your exercise calories.0 -
MommyL2015 wrote: »And two pounds this last week, so that's pretty good! I fail to see where you're going wrong.
It didn't go on overnight and it will take time and patience to come off. Keep doing what you're doing and you'll succeed!
It was .2 pounds last week. I'd be pretty happy with a 2 pound loss.
We'd all be happy with a 2 lb loss! My friend, you are losing...slowly...but losing. As others have said, you didn't getup to 200 lbs in a few weeks, it's going to take a lot of time to get it off. But the plus is, if you take if off slowly, and properly, you are more likely to KEEP it off! Good luck to you, look at your achievements, not at what hasn't happened yet. Give yourself time, stay consistant, and it WILL happen eventually. You got this!0 -
So, given this info, should I skip my cardio workouts for a few days and see if that helps or should I just not concentrate as much on the scale?
No, don't stop working out. You might lose the water weight caused by the workouts, but you'll just gain again when you restart, and working out is a good habit!
Just don't be so emotionally attached to the scale. It's a number that can fluctuate radically from one day to the next. Instead, focus on the trends. Continue to weigh, but look at the bigger picture when you do. Okay, you gained today, but are you still losing weight over all? Do you still weigh less on average than you did last month?
If it helps, only weigh once a week - or weigh daily, but track trends and not your daily result. Some people choose to forgo weighing altogether and simply measure their waists and limbs. Whatever you do, it'll really help your emotional wellbeing to detach yourself from that number and just keep going. (And yes, your rate of loss may only stay at 1 lb a week, but that's still a great result!)0 -
Have you been tested for insulin resistance? Since you said you have PCOS, it's highly likely that you have some amount of insulin resistance as they commonly go together. As someone mentioned earlier, certain drugs like metformin can help. Also, adjusting your carbs may help.
For example, there was a study done a couple years ago with obese women who were insulin resistant and those who were insulin sensitive. The insulin sensitive women lost nearly twice as much weight with more carbs. It was the exact opposite for the insulin resistant women. They lost nearly twice as much with less carbs. The protein and caloric deficits were the same across all groups -- so same amount of calories proportionally, but how they created their respective deficits yielded dramatically different results. If I could lose nearly twice as much weight by simply adjusting my carbs, I'd definitely want to know about that!
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1038/oby.2005.79/full
Almost half of the US adult population has insulin resistance (at prediabetic or diabetic levels) and the vast majority of them don't know it. That's why it can feel like a magic bullet or a small miracle for people who didn't realize they were insulin resistant and reduce carbs and see dramatically improved results.
So you may want to look at your diet and see how much carbs you're eating. If you're eating something like 60% (like the insulin sensitive women), then you might want to consider dropping it down to something like 20-40%. If you're eating only 20-40% of carbs, then you might consider upping it to more to see if something shifts. Of course, getting tested for IR would probably give you the best information (A1C test).
How a deficit is created can yield dramatically different results for people.0 -
lindsey1979 wrote: »Have you been tested for insulin resistance? Since you said you have PCOS, it's highly likely that you have some amount of insulin resistance as they commonly go together. As someone mentioned earlier, certain drugs like metformin can help. Also, adjusting your carbs may help.
For example, there was a study done a couple years ago with obese women who were insulin resistant and those who were insulin sensitive. The insulin sensitive women lost nearly twice as much weight with more carbs. It was the exact opposite for the insulin resistant women. They lost nearly twice as much with less carbs. The protein and caloric deficits were the same across all groups -- so same amount of calories proportionally, but how they created their respective deficits yielded dramatically different results. If I could lose nearly twice as much weight by simply adjusting my carbs, I'd definitely want to know about that!
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1038/oby.2005.79/full
Almost half of the US adult population has insulin resistance (at prediabetic or diabetic levels) and the vast majority of them don't know it. That's why it can feel like a magic bullet or a small miracle for people who didn't realize they were insulin resistant and reduce carbs and see dramatically improved results.
So you may want to look at your diet and see how much carbs you're eating. If you're eating something like 60% (like the insulin sensitive women), then you might want to consider dropping it down to something like 20-40%. If you're eating only 20-40% of carbs, then you might consider upping it to more to see if something shifts. Of course, getting tested for IR would probably give you the best information (A1C test).
How a deficit is created can yield dramatically different results for people.
Those are really good points and I wouldn't be surprised if I have some insulin resistance going on (though my last A1C was normal, that was quite a few pounds ago, though). My fear with watching carbs is that it would set me up to eat like that for the long term, which I don't really want to do. I want to eat losing weight like I plan to eat when I am at a goal weight. It might be different in this instance as the insulin resistance would go away as weight dropped and then carbs wouldn't matter as much but it worries me.0 -
Well, the program is working but just not as fast as you would like it to.
The problem, I suspect, is your lack of patience0 -
For all it's worth, I did a commercial weight loss program. You know, the one with the celebrities whose every meal is planned by the commercial weight loss program (don't think I can say the name on here). Well, I had a snitty counselor at this program who chastised me because after 6 weeks on the program I had only lost 1 lb. She accused me of not being on the plan. I was dedicated and ate their crappy, prepackaged food when I was supposed to. I was so furious, I demanded that she take out the freakin tape measure. Although I had only lost 1 lb on the stupid, rotten scale. I had lost over 17 INCHES! Of course I thought the scale would have said more than a 1 lb loss because my pants were getting sooo baggy...Anyway, when the snitty counselor saw the 17+ inch loss, she did a double take and measured me, head to toe, all over again. It came out to 17+ inches again. She apologized for implying that I wasn't being truthful. I quit the program that very instant and joined Weight Watchers who taught me about NON-SCALE victories. I bet you have some non-scale victories that you are missing because you are focused on the scale. "Inch by inch, it's a cinch." Keep up the GREAT work!0
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DeeDiddyGee wrote: »For all it's worth, I did a commercial weight loss program. You know, the one with the celebrities whose every meal is planned by the commercial weight loss program (don't think I can say the name on here). Well, I had a snitty counselor at this program who chastised me because after 6 weeks on the program I had only lost 1 lb. She accused me of not being on the plan. I was dedicated and ate their crappy, prepackaged food when I was supposed to. I was so furious, I demanded that she take out the freakin tape measure. Although I had only lost 1 lb on the stupid, rotten scale. I had lost over 17 INCHES! Of course I thought the scale would have said more than a 1 lb loss because my pants were getting sooo baggy...Anyway, when the snitty counselor saw the 17+ inch loss, she did a double take and measured me, head to toe, all over again. It came out to 17+ inches again. She apologized for implying that I wasn't being truthful. I quit the program that very instant and joined Weight Watchers who taught me about NON-SCALE victories. I bet you have some non-scale victories that you are missing because you are focused on the scale. "Inch by inch, it's a cinch." Keep up the GREAT work!
I'm not a WW user (to each, their own), but I do love the non-scale victory mentality (NSVs). Sometimes, just running a little faster or lifting a little heavier can feel just as good as a drop on the scale.
I've had a little gain in the last couple of months. Although I've managed to work a lot of it off, the scale is not as low as I would like it to be. However, my pants are looser than they were when I weighed this much back in July. I think it's because I've been doing more weight circuits and have been better about getting moving on the weekends.
Body composition can really factor in to measuring fat loss. Sometimes, even more than the scale. That's an important lesson to learn.0 -
lindsey1979 wrote: »Have you been tested for insulin resistance? Since you said you have PCOS, it's highly likely that you have some amount of insulin resistance as they commonly go together. As someone mentioned earlier, certain drugs like metformin can help. Also, adjusting your carbs may help.
For example, there was a study done a couple years ago with obese women who were insulin resistant and those who were insulin sensitive. The insulin sensitive women lost nearly twice as much weight with more carbs. It was the exact opposite for the insulin resistant women. They lost nearly twice as much with less carbs. The protein and caloric deficits were the same across all groups -- so same amount of calories proportionally, but how they created their respective deficits yielded dramatically different results. If I could lose nearly twice as much weight by simply adjusting my carbs, I'd definitely want to know about that!
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1038/oby.2005.79/full
Almost half of the US adult population has insulin resistance (at prediabetic or diabetic levels) and the vast majority of them don't know it. That's why it can feel like a magic bullet or a small miracle for people who didn't realize they were insulin resistant and reduce carbs and see dramatically improved results.
So you may want to look at your diet and see how much carbs you're eating. If you're eating something like 60% (like the insulin sensitive women), then you might want to consider dropping it down to something like 20-40%. If you're eating only 20-40% of carbs, then you might consider upping it to more to see if something shifts. Of course, getting tested for IR would probably give you the best information (A1C test).
How a deficit is created can yield dramatically different results for people.
Those are really good points and I wouldn't be surprised if I have some insulin resistance going on (though my last A1C was normal, that was quite a few pounds ago, though). My fear with watching carbs is that it would set me up to eat like that for the long term, which I don't really want to do. I want to eat losing weight like I plan to eat when I am at a goal weight. It might be different in this instance as the insulin resistance would go away as weight dropped and then carbs wouldn't matter as much but it worries me.
Many people's insulin resistance improves as they lose weight, so they're able to work more carbs into their diets as they get leaner. But, also keep in mind that there are many ways to restrict carbs.
Some do it by overall carb count.
Some do it by restricting the type of carbs -- avoiding/minimizing the fast acting carbs like bread, pasta, sweets, etc. while focusing most of their carb intake from non-starchy veggies and then moderate amounts from starchy veggies and/or fruits.
Some do it by making sure that they eat a certain amount of protein and fat when they eat carbs -- so it's more of a meal-by-meal basis to limit the insulin response.
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Try cutting back on starchy carbs and sugar (natural & added). Eat more fibrous carbs (green veggies, salads, etc.). Make sure you are eating enough protein (I don't care what the FDA "MyPlate" says to eat, you need to eat enough to maintain your muscle mass and feel satisfied. Good luck.0
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So given the fact that there have been weeks where I have lost maybe 3 pounds, eating the same way that I am now, I understand that cutting carbs may help speed things up a little, but given past losses, it wouldn't seem like I can't lose without cutting carbs, right? Like, I feel like if it was an insulin resistance thing that I wouldn't lose anything from the beginning, not lose and then slow way down. Does that sound right? I'm just really happy with the way I'm eating and not feeling restricted so I worry that changing that could throw me back into a binge cycle.0
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If I were you, I wouldn't worry about cutting carbs at this point. It sounds more like a question of non-linearity and patience.0
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So given the fact that there have been weeks where I have lost maybe 3 pounds, eating the same way that I am now, I understand that cutting carbs may help speed things up a little, but given past losses, it wouldn't seem like I can't lose without cutting carbs, right? Like, I feel like if it was an insulin resistance thing that I wouldn't lose anything from the beginning, not lose and then slow way down. Does that sound right? I'm just really happy with the way I'm eating and not feeling restricted so I worry that changing that could throw me back into a binge cycle.
It really varies based on the person. It's not uncommon to have to switch up strategies as you get leaner because you have less margin for error and the body adapts. Usually those with a lot of weight to lose, just start with your basic straightforward deficit and it works well. Then later, it is not be uncommon to have to do something more to keep the weight loss going.
For me, when I got down to the last 15 lbs or so, I hit a big plateau -- 7-8 weeks doing the same things and it just not working anymore. I switched things up by implementing 5:2 into my cal/carb cycling routine. The weekly deficit was the same as what I was doing before, but for whatever reason, it broke the plateau and things started moving again. 5:2 specifically has been shown to increase insulin sensitivity and since I'm insulin resistant, that may have been what helped. Hard to say for sure. I kept up the 5:2 and I never hit another plateau, so that's what worked for me.
If you're really happy with how you're eating, then continue to do so and be patient. But if you want to see better results, then you might try some of those other strategies -- changing your carb macro, carb/cal cycling, intermittent fasting, etc. It's really up to your personal preference and goals.
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So given the fact that there have been weeks where I have lost maybe 3 pounds, eating the same way that I am now, I understand that cutting carbs may help speed things up a little, but given past losses, it wouldn't seem like I can't lose without cutting carbs, right? Like, I feel like if it was an insulin resistance thing that I wouldn't lose anything from the beginning, not lose and then slow way down. Does that sound right? I'm just really happy with the way I'm eating and not feeling restricted so I worry that changing that could throw me back into a binge cycle.
Sustainability is really key with weight loss. If you're happy with what you're eating now and you can come to terms with the losses you're making (which are good), then adjusting carbs might not be the option for you.
This being said, if you're concerned about your PCOS and insulin resistance, I would pay a visit to your doctor. This doesn't necessarily mean that you'll have to make any drastic changes in your diet, but at least you would have an official diagnosis to go off of when thinking about what you're eating.0 -
I was curious so I looked back at the last several weeks since I started...My losses were as follows:
Week 1: -3.8 pounds
Week 2: 0 pounds (though this was over Labor Day, which was the last day I've had any sort of "cheat")
Week 3: -2 pounds
Week 4: -.6 pounds
Week 5: +.2 pounds.
So I was actually wrong in saying I had lost .2 this past week. I actually gained that much. It averages out to 1.24 pounds a week, which is good and I would be fine at that rate but it just seems to have really dropped over the last 2 weeks and the only difference is that I am measuring more accurately with a digital scale and working out more consistently.0 -
You have done so well, don't let the speed of loss get you down. Remember that, if you are using weights and building muscle, this weighs more than fat. Fluid retention is so difficult to deal with but drinking less fluid will make it worse. Use other measurements than your scales - measure your body each month and get a set of scales that give you a body fat percentage (if the fat % is all over the place then you have a good indication regarding fluid retention). You could drop your calories to1200 for a couple of days and then return to the 1500 you are used to. I know that carb reduction helps me - I don't cut them right out, just have one carb free, high protein meal each day. Good luck for the future - please don't give up.0
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If you're really only upset over the last two weeks, I'd just give it more time as your average loss is pretty good. If you get to a point where it's 6-8+ weeks of stall, then consider changing it up. But two weeks is a drop in the bucket.0
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Two weeks is nothing. Seriously. Especially as a woman.
I don't usually lose much the week leading up to and of my period. Then the other two weeks is when I drop weight. A lot of women only lose weight the week after their period and then their body retains water from ovulation through the next period.
You need to look at weight loss over months, NOT weeks. Be patient and learn your own personal patterns.0 -
It happens, especially if you start working out regularly, you start retaining some extra water.
(I'm only logging personal low points on here)
Look at this, it's kinda hard to count, but there was a span of almost 2 weeks where my weight wouldn't go lower than 69.7, that was also right after it became my new low. And after that? Suddenly down to 68.5 in the span of 3 days. But overall I was still losing a little faster than the half pound per week I'm shooting for.0 -
Just wanted to post an update for anyone who might find themselves in the same position. I had a pretty decent loss yesterday. I spent all day yesterday upset and thinking I had some biological factors that were going to make losing weight impossible and went down a rabbit hole diagnosing myself with different things based on some responses that I received. I know everyone only means well and is trying to help, but I stuck to my calories and worked out and the scale finally moved. I know it's just one day but it was motivating to see. So, for anyone who may feel like I did (and I'm sure I'll feel that way again) just keep at it. Every. Single. Day. Don't convince yourself that it's harder than CICO.0
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