I am at a stand still!!!!

I have been doing well with my eating habits and my excersize. But I have for some reason been at a stand still with my weight loss and I can't figure out why!! I am getting very discouraged about it, can anyone give me any pointers.
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Replies

  • cnbbnc
    cnbbnc Posts: 1,267 Member
    How much do you have left to lose, and long have you been stalled for?
  • ariana_eatsandlifts
    ariana_eatsandlifts Posts: 197 Member
    Are you using a food scale to weigh your foods?
  • diannethegeek
    diannethegeek Posts: 14,776 Member
    Opening your diary might help to get you more specific advice, if you're comfortable doing so.

    These are my general tips. Maybe something will help you out.

    1. If it's been less than 3 weeks or so since you last saw a drop on the scale, don't sweat it! Normal fluctuations happen and unfortunately sometimes we stall for a week or two even when we're doing everything right. Give your body some time to catch up with the changes you're making.

    2. If you aren't already, be sure that you're logging everything. Sometimes people forget about things like veggies, drinks, cooking oils, and condiments. For some people these can add up to enough to halt your weight loss progress.

    3. Consider buying a food scale if you don't already have one. They're about $10-$20 dollars in the US and easily found at places like Amazon, Target, and Walmart. Measuring cups and spoons are great, but they do come with some degree of inaccuracy. A food scale will be more accurate, and for some people it makes a big difference.

    4. Logging accurately also means choosing accurate entries in the database. There are a lot of user-entered entries that are off. Double-check that you're using good entries and/or using the recipe builder instead of someone else's homemade entries.

    5. Recalculate your goals if you haven't lately. As you lose weight your body requires fewer calories to run. Be sure you update your goals every ten pounds or so.

    6. If you're eating back your exercise calories and you're relying on gym machine readouts or MFP's estimates, it might be best to eat back just 50-75% of those. Certain activities tend to be overestimated. If you're using an HRM or activity tracker, it might be a good idea to look into their accuracy and be sure that yours is calibrated properly.

    7. If you're taking any cheat days that go over your calorie limits, it might be best to cut them out for a few weeks and see what happens. Some people go way over their calorie needs without realizing it when they don't track.

    8. If you weigh yourself frequently, consider using a program like trendweight to even out the fluctuations. You could be losing weight but just don't see it because of the daily ups and downs.

    9. Some people just burn fewer calories than the calculators predict. If you continue to have problems after 4-6 weeks, then it might be worth a trip to the doctor or a registered dietitian who can give you more specific advice.
  • diannethegeek
    diannethegeek Posts: 14,776 Member
    Opening your diary might help to get you more specific advice, if you're comfortable doing so.

    These are my general tips. Maybe something will help you out.

    1. If it's been less than 3 weeks or so since you last saw a drop on the scale, don't sweat it! Normal fluctuations happen and unfortunately sometimes we stall for a week or two even when we're doing everything right. Give your body some time to catch up with the changes you're making.

    2. If you aren't already, be sure that you're logging everything. Sometimes people forget about things like veggies, drinks, cooking oils, and condiments. For some people these can add up to enough to halt your weight loss progress.

    3. Consider buying a food scale if you don't already have one. They're about $10-$20 dollars in the US and easily found at places like Amazon, Target, and Walmart. Measuring cups and spoons are great, but they do come with some degree of inaccuracy. A food scale will be more accurate, and for some people it makes a big difference.

    4. Logging accurately also means choosing accurate entries in the database. There are a lot of user-entered entries that are off. Double-check that you're using good entries and/or using the recipe builder instead of someone else's homemade entries.

    5. Recalculate your goals if you haven't lately. As you lose weight your body requires fewer calories to run. Be sure you update your goals every ten pounds or so.

    6. If you're eating back your exercise calories and you're relying on gym machine readouts or MFP's estimates, it might be best to eat back just 50-75% of those. Certain activities tend to be overestimated. If you're using an HRM or activity tracker, it might be a good idea to look into their accuracy and be sure that yours is calibrated properly.

    7. If you're taking any cheat days that go over your calorie limits, it might be best to cut them out for a few weeks and see what happens. Some people go way over their calorie needs without realizing it when they don't track.

    8. If you weigh yourself frequently, consider using a program like trendweight to even out the fluctuations. You could be losing weight but just don't see it because of the daily ups and downs.

    9. Some people just burn fewer calories than the calculators predict. If you continue to have problems after 4-6 weeks, then it might be worth a trip to the doctor or a registered dietitian who can give you more specific advice.
  • Liftng4Lis
    Liftng4Lis Posts: 15,151 Member
    Can you open your diary and provide your stats?
  • Yi5hedr3
    Yi5hedr3 Posts: 2,696 Member
    You will need to provide much more data. Make it so.
  • I need to lose 20 more pounds I just started and have only lost 5, I walk 10.000 steps every day but can't seem to make it to the gym because one I don't know what to do and two I am embarrassed. I eat less than 1200 calories a day. And it's all vegetables and a bit of protine. I just don't know what to do.
  • kk_inprogress
    kk_inprogress Posts: 3,077 Member
    I need to lose 20 more pounds I just started and have only lost 5, I walk 10.000 steps every day but can't seem to make it to the gym because one I don't know what to do and two I am embarrassed. I eat less than 1200 calories a day. And it's all vegetables and a bit of protine. I just don't know what to do.

    You've already lost 5.... What's the issue, here? That's progress to me. How long is this "stand still"?
  • ariana_eatsandlifts
    ariana_eatsandlifts Posts: 197 Member
    Still haven't answered like 90% of the questions and still haven't opened your diary.
  • ariana_eatsandlifts
    ariana_eatsandlifts Posts: 197 Member
    Also, if you were truly eating under 1200 calories, you would be losing weight. I suspect a logging issue which cannot be confirmed until seeing your diary.
  • maidentl
    maidentl Posts: 3,203 Member

    I need to lose 20 more pounds I just started and have only lost 5, I walk 10.000 steps every day but can't seem to make it to the gym because one I don't know what to do and two I am embarrassed. I eat less than 1200 calories a day. And it's all vegetables and a bit of protine. I just don't know what to do.

    If you've lost 5 pounds and you just started then you are not at a standstill.
  • PinkPixiexox
    PinkPixiexox Posts: 4,142 Member
    I need to lose 20 more pounds I just started and have only lost 5, I walk 10.000 steps every day but can't seem to make it to the gym because one I don't know what to do and two I am embarrassed. I eat less than 1200 calories a day. And it's all vegetables and a bit of protine. I just don't know what to do.

    Chances are, you are eating more than 1200 calories a day if you aren't weighing out your food. Portion size can be seriously under estimated. Before I got a food scale, I was eating 300 calories MORE than I was logging.. It did mess up my deficit from time-to-time so be aware and invest in a electronic scale :]

    Also - don't aim for anything less than 1200. That's just cruel to your body.
  • Liftng4Lis
    Liftng4Lis Posts: 15,151 Member
    OP never came back.
  • diannethegeek
    diannethegeek Posts: 14,776 Member
    Liftng4Lis wrote: »
    OP never came back.

    They hardly ever do. It's why I stopped asking questions and started condensing my advice down to a list that hits as many possibilities as I can.
  • vickyb5277
    vickyb5277 Posts: 5 Member
    Sorry guys but I am not surprised the OP didn't come back. I was just flicking through the boards & I never comment but wow you guys are really tough & I don't think supportive at all. I am at a standstill so was interested to see the responses but wow all she got was hassle. I thought us healthy eaters/dieters etc were supposed to support each other & stick together or maybe that's just me.
  • queenliz99
    queenliz99 Posts: 15,317 Member
    vickyb5277 wrote: »
    Sorry guys but I am not surprised the OP didn't come back. I was just flicking through the boards & I never comment but wow you guys are really tough & I don't think supportive at all. I am at a standstill so was interested to see the responses but wow all she got was hassle. I thought us healthy eaters/dieters etc were supposed to support each other & stick together or maybe that's just me.

    What part was not supportive? Do 'splain? 'Cuz maybe it IS just you :)
  • tincanonastring
    tincanonastring Posts: 3,944 Member
    vickyb5277 wrote: »
    Sorry guys but I am not surprised the OP didn't come back. I was just flicking through the boards & I never comment but wow you guys are really tough & I don't think supportive at all. I am at a standstill so was interested to see the responses but wow all she got was hassle. I thought us healthy eaters/dieters etc were supposed to support each other & stick together or maybe that's just me.

    So, what would your advice to OP be? She got some very useful general pointers so far and she got some questions so others could provide more specific information. What would you have preferred to see from the people who've posted so far?
  • DeguelloTex
    DeguelloTex Posts: 6,652 Member
    edited October 2015
    vickyb5277 wrote: »
    Sorry guys but I am not surprised the OP didn't come back. I was just flicking through the boards & I never comment but wow you guys are really tough & I don't think supportive at all. I am at a standstill so was interested to see the responses but wow all she got was hassle. I thought us healthy eaters/dieters etc were supposed to support each other & stick together or maybe that's just me.
    If facts and relevant questions are hassle to you then, yeah, that's just you.

    Well, OK, not just you, but not the people trying to help.

  • suziecue20
    suziecue20 Posts: 567 Member
    vickyb5277 wrote: »
    Sorry guys but I am not surprised the OP didn't come back. I was just flicking through the boards & I never comment but wow you guys are really tough & I don't think supportive at all. I am at a standstill so was interested to see the responses but wow all she got was hassle. I thought us healthy eaters/dieters etc were supposed to support each other & stick together or maybe that's just me.

    I don't think asking someone to give more relevant information in order to help them is "hassle".

  • vickyb5277
    vickyb5277 Posts: 5 Member
    It was how the questions came across.

    You haven't opened your diary, I need more info, you obviously aren't eating 1200 calories blah blah so she;'s a liar as well according to the replies. Give her a chance. Maybe the English way is more polite I don't know but I'm glad I don't need the support on here. maybe asking if she could give examples of what she eats/drinks in a day etc. Seriously guys come on!!
  • diannethegeek
    diannethegeek Posts: 14,776 Member
    vickyb5277 wrote: »
    Sorry guys but I am not surprised the OP didn't come back. I was just flicking through the boards & I never comment but wow you guys are really tough & I don't think supportive at all. I am at a standstill so was interested to see the responses but wow all she got was hassle. I thought us healthy eaters/dieters etc were supposed to support each other & stick together or maybe that's just me.

    I provided 9 points to check and a request for more information. I happen to copy/paste that post often in these threads and I'm always looking for ways to improve it. Could you let me know which parts of it come across as "tough and unsupportive" or "hassle" for future use? Thanks.
  • nutmegoreo
    nutmegoreo Posts: 15,532 Member
    I need to lose 20 more pounds I just started and have only lost 5, I walk 10.000 steps every day but can't seem to make it to the gym because one I don't know what to do and two I am embarrassed. I eat less than 1200 calories a day. And it's all vegetables and a bit of protine. I just don't know what to do.

    You have been given some great general pointers. The reason people are asking for you to open your diary is that there are some very common logging errors that people see. As for the bit about having lost 5lbs, and just starting, perhaps your expectations are too high. How long is "just started" and why would you not consider 5 lbs lost to be progress?

    Sounds like you are expecting too much too soon. If all you are eating is veggies and a bit of protein, do you think that is enough to meet the nutritional needs of your body? People here have a great amount of knowledge and can guide you, but they need more information than what you have provided.
  • vickyb5277
    vickyb5277 Posts: 5 Member
    vickyb5277 wrote: »
    Sorry guys but I am not surprised the OP didn't come back. I was just flicking through the boards & I never comment but wow you guys are really tough & I don't think supportive at all. I am at a standstill so was interested to see the responses but wow all she got was hassle. I thought us healthy eaters/dieters etc were supposed to support each other & stick together or maybe that's just me.

    I provided 9 points to check and a request for more information. I happen to copy/paste that post often in these threads and I'm always looking for ways to improve it. Could you let me know which parts of it come across as "tough and unsupportive" or "hassle" for future use? Thanks.

    Can I just say I didn't intentionally mean everyone, I actually thought your post was great & read through myself so no offence meant to anyone just certain comments maid me think hey this isn't very supportive
  • tincanonastring
    tincanonastring Posts: 3,944 Member
    edited October 2015
    vickyb5277 wrote: »
    It was how the questions came across.

    You haven't opened your diary, I need more info, you obviously aren't eating 1200 calories blah blah so she;'s a liar as well according to the replies. Give her a chance. Maybe the English way is more polite I don't know but I'm glad I don't need the support on here. maybe asking if she could give examples of what she eats/drinks in a day etc. Seriously guys come on!!

    Those are things we said. What, specifically, would you have said in the more polite English way that wouldn't have sounded like we were hassling her. Pretend you're the first person to reply. What would you say?
  • suziecue20
    suziecue20 Posts: 567 Member
    vickyb5277 wrote: »
    It was how the questions came across.

    You haven't opened your diary, I need more info, you obviously aren't eating 1200 calories blah blah so she;'s a liar as well according to the replies. Give her a chance. Maybe the English way is more polite I don't know but I'm glad I don't need the support on here. maybe asking if she could give examples of what she eats/drinks in a day etc. Seriously guys come on!!

    Lost in translation :#

    I'm English but I know they don't intend to be mean. I suppose people trying to help someone could be all namby pamby eg oh poor you, that's not fair boo hoo....but people need FACTS to be able to help someone, not vague statements.

  • nutmegoreo
    nutmegoreo Posts: 15,532 Member
    edited October 2015
    vickyb5277 wrote: »
    It was how the questions came across.

    You haven't opened your diary, I need more info, you obviously aren't eating 1200 calories blah blah so she;'s a liar as well according to the replies. Give her a chance. Maybe the English way is more polite I don't know but I'm glad I don't need the support on here. maybe asking if she could give examples of what she eats/drinks in a day etc. Seriously guys come on!!

    No one called her a liar, that is your interpretation. There are many ways in which logging can be inaccurate (thus the reason people have asked to see her diary), that has nothing to do with the OP lying. It has everything to do with not understanding how the site works. I'm not even touching the "English way is more polite" comment.

    FYI, the OP did come back.
  • DeguelloTex
    DeguelloTex Posts: 6,652 Member
    vickyb5277 wrote: »
    It was how the questions came across.

    You haven't opened your diary, I need more info, you obviously aren't eating 1200 calories blah blah so she;'s a liar as well according to the replies. Give her a chance. Maybe the English way is more polite I don't know but I'm glad I don't need the support on here. maybe asking if she could give examples of what she eats/drinks in a day etc. Seriously guys come on!!
    She hasn't opened her diary. Useful information will depend on what she thinks she's eating.

    More info is needed.

    Saying she's wrong isn't saying she's a liar. You just made up that part.

    Examples wouldn't be as useful as the diary and are incomplete.

    This forum is full of people who claim they're eating X calories when they're eating something more. Often a lot more. This ground has been covered many times, and the questions you see are the ones that get at the actual issues involved. There's no point going about it in the way you suggest when it's just going to end up with these questions being asked.

    Do you think your claim that people aren't supportive is supportive?


  • diannethegeek
    diannethegeek Posts: 14,776 Member
    I'm just about done with giving advice on these boards. OPs hardly ever come back. White knights call everyone rude for asking questions or giving "unsupportive" suggestions. The only people I hope to help anymore are the lurkers who might happen upon this thread with similar questions. Maybe they'll get some use out of it. Maybe they'll end up starting their own thread and the cycle will continue. It's the MFP way.
  • vickyb5277
    vickyb5277 Posts: 5 Member
    vickyb5277 wrote: »
    It was how the questions came across.

    You haven't opened your diary, I need more info, you obviously aren't eating 1200 calories blah blah so she;'s a liar as well according to the replies. Give her a chance. Maybe the English way is more polite I don't know but I'm glad I don't need the support on here. maybe asking if she could give examples of what she eats/drinks in a day etc. Seriously guys come on!!

    Those are things we said. What, specifically, would you have said in the more polite English way? That wouldn't have sounded like we were hassling her. Pretend you're the first person to reply. What would you say?

    Clearly 'hassle' has a totally different meaning or at least how i'm saying it has!

    It just read, to me, that she was bombarded with really urgent requests. I can't find the words to put it how I mean it but I certainly don't mean to offend anyone. I'm just saying to me some of the comments come across as abrupt. Like the You've already lost 5.... What's the issue, here? That to me is very in your face if you like.

    It clearly is a language issue or how we use different words & I'm going to leave it at that. I don't require help from this board (at least not now anyway) & will stick to my group at home. I am entitled to my opinion & If I had been the op & got those responses I would have been hurt by them. Maybe I'm just not as thick skinned as I thought.
  • glassyo
    glassyo Posts: 7,739 Member
    vickyb5277 wrote: »
    It was how the questions came across.

    You haven't opened your diary, I need more info, you obviously aren't eating 1200 calories blah blah so she;'s a liar as well according to the replies. Give her a chance. Maybe the English way is more polite I don't know but I'm glad I don't need the support on here. maybe asking if she could give examples of what she eats/drinks in a day etc. Seriously guys come on!!

    No one called her a liar. All questions asked are pertinent to weight loss...especially the logging question. She may be under the impression she's eating under 1200 calories but if her logging is off (not weighing foods, using cups/tablespoons instead of weight) that impacts what she thinks she's putting in her mouth.