My once working regime no longer works!

AimingForAmerica · December 2015

I'm hoping I've posted this in the right place and perhaps someone can help me.

I've been losing weight for quite a long time, and I've managed to shed just under two stone, which I'm quite pleased about, but know there's still a long way to go yet.

I'm 5"1, and 175lb currently, I go to the gym five days a week for an hour doing a mix of weights and cardio. I make sure I drink 1-2 litres of water a day, and stick to my 1200 calorie limit, cutting out the majority of sugar and carbs and getting lots of protein in.

But, the past two weeks my weight has started piling back on and it's starting to get me down a lot. Can anyone out there help me find a way to move forward?

slheddlesten · December 2015

Write down your current weight loss plan which you seem to pretty much have done, then re-evaluate it. The body can adapt to most conditions including a diet. Try every other week a zig zag calorie intake, you can look it up online. Make sure your not just doing the same workout routine, Add new exercises to replace some of the old ones.

yarwell · December 2015

As you get lighter you use less energy to move around and your body adapts to the reduced intake, so at some point weight loss stops for a given calorie intake. We also tend to become a bit less rigid in our self control / logging with time, compounding the problem.

At 5'-1" you will be bumping against MFP's 1200 calorie floor without a lot of exercise to sustain your deficit.

Do you exercise before eating ?

Setting your diary to public might provide more responses.

LKArgh · December 2015

AimingForAmerica wrote: »

I'm hoping I've posted this in the right place and perhaps someone can help me.

I've been losing weight for quite a long time, and I've managed to shed just under two stone, which I'm quite pleased about, but know there's still a long way to go yet.

I'm 5"1, and 175lb currently, I go to the gym five days a week for an hour doing a mix of weights and cardio. I make sure I drink 1-2 litres of water a day, and stick to my 1200 calorie limit, cutting out the majority of sugar and carbs and getting lots of protein in.

But, the past two weeks my weight has started piling back on and it's starting to get me down a lot. Can anyone out there help me find a way to move forward?

You are eating more than you think and/or burnign less than you think.
Opening your diary will help.

MommyL2015 · December 2015

I a 5'1" and started at 170lbs. I ate 1500 net calories a day and consistently lost 1-1.5 pounds per week. Make sure you are accurate with your calorie counting by using a food scale to weigh portions and if you eat your exercise calories back, try cutting those numbers in half.

percolater · December 2015

Your diary looks like you are keeping meticulous accounts. I can't imagine why you aren't losing weight. In the past, I've followed 1200 calories a day and was still losing about a pound a week even after a year. Like you, I started at about 200 lbs and went down to 140 (10 stone) in that year. My only exercise was a 30 minute,in home walking DVD. Nothing as vigorous as you are doing. I never pay attention to water, If I'm thirsty I drink.

I just feel so bad for you, working so hard for zero results.

Try cutting back on water t day and then weigh yourself tomorrow morning. My only guess is that you're retaining water for some reason, maybe your cycle. If this keeps up, I would suggest you go to the doctor. I don't mean to worry you, small problems can cause water retention. Maybe your thyroid needs a bit of tweaking.

LivingtheLeanDream · December 2015

Something has changed in your routine if the weight is 'piling back on', to gain you have to be eating excess calories or you could have begun a new type of workout which means your muscles are holding onto water weight for repair....or perhaps you've had a few high sodium days...TOTM..loads of reasons why that 'gain' might not be real.

Being accurate as possible with logging your meals is key.

jemhh · December 2015

Define "piling back on."

bumblebot · December 2015

I bet you're not eating enough, and probably not eating enough protein. Unless you're doing HIIT cardio, the cardio you're doing is probably not effective for burning fat.

Read "Thinner, Leaner, Stronger" by Michael Matthews and use this macro calculator which can be found here: http://www.muscleforlife.com/macronutrient-calculator/

ultrahoon · December 2015

Your diary looks a little odd to me. Either you are the most militant logger I've ever seen shaving off 1g of lots of foods to make them weigh 100g constantly, or every serving of things you buy works out to be the exact same weight at last time, or you're taking educated guesses.

Since your margin for error is now much lower because of all the weight loss, take another look over your logging process. What food scale do you use, why so many round clean numbers?

EDIT: Also ditch the occasional use of cup measurements. 1.5 cups of Shepherds pie isn't going to be a consistent unit of measurement.

LivingtheLeanDream · December 2015

bumblebot wrote: »

I bet you're not eating enough, and probably not eating enough protein. Unless you're doing HIIT cardio, the cardio you're doing is probably not effective for burning fat.

Read "Thinner, Leaner, Stronger" by Michael Matthews and use this macro calculator which can be found here: http://www.muscleforlife.com/macronutrient-calculator/

Its never that we are not eating enough when we can't lose..... Yes its important we don't eat too little as we need the nutrition/fuel, but mostly when we don't lose its simply because we are eating more than we think we are

ndj1979 · December 2015

do you use a food scale OP?

jaga13 · December 2015

I think you need to clarify how much weight you gained in the past two weeks. You would have to have eaten A LOT to gain significant amounts in just two weeks. Which is why I assume it's water retention.

jgaffney86 · December 2015

Also keep in mind and like stated above, we tend to get a little lax after a period of time. You may be keeping a good journal but how are your portions? Are you truly weighing just one cup? Weighing those 3oz? Are you nibbling here and there and not logging it? If you bite it, you write it!. Also look at your weight loss from a monthly perspective and not a weekly. But still can weight yourself each week or however you do it (:

AimingForAmerica · December 2015

Thanks for all the awesome advice and tips guys, I've put on just over half a stone, which to me was awful considering how long it took me to get it off!
As for the comments regarding my portion measurements and such, I admit I am a bit of a worrier when it comes to those things, tending to eat pretty much the same most days because I know the calorific content of the weighed out amounts. My weighing scales are something that I rely on, perhaps a little too much, just terrified of accidentally over doing it, since that was the main reason I gained all my weight in the first place.

But thanks everyone whose commented so far, I'm going to be extra vigilant in my food documentation and mix up my exercises a bit more.

ultrahoon · December 2015

AimingForAmerica wrote: »

Thanks for all the awesome advice and tips guys, I've put on just over half a stone, which to me was awful considering how long it took me to get it off!
As for the comments regarding my portion measurements and such, I admit I am a bit of a worrier when it comes to those things, tending to eat pretty much the same most days because I know the calorific content of the weighed out amounts. My weighing scales are something that I rely on, perhaps a little too much, just terrified of accidentally over doing it, since that was the main reason I gained all my weight in the first place.

But thanks everyone whose commented so far, I'm going to be extra vigilant in my food documentation and mix up my exercises a bit more.

You don't rely on your scales enough if you still use cups every now and then!

MVY_ · December 2015

I'm 5'1 and currently 168. I was 186 post-pregnancy. Make sure you are eating back your calories that you worked for. Sometimes when I am stuck, I found that if I had a high carb day it usually will help set it going again.

bologna111 · December 2015

Have you considered taking a couple week diet break to let you hormones regulate. I try to eat at maintenance calories for a couple of weeks after every two months of dieting. You can get more info on bodyrecompostion.com

nutmegoreo · December 2015

AimingForAmerica wrote: »

Thanks for all the awesome advice and tips guys, I've put on just over half a stone, which to me was awful considering how long it took me to get it off!
As for the comments regarding my portion measurements and such, I admit I am a bit of a worrier when it comes to those things, tending to eat pretty much the same most days because I know the calorific content of the weighed out amounts. My weighing scales are something that I rely on, perhaps a little too much, just terrified of accidentally over doing it, since that was the main reason I gained all my weight in the first place.

But thanks everyone whose commented so far, I'm going to be extra vigilant in my food documentation and mix up my exercises a bit more.

I'm seeing several entries that are "8 pieces" or "1 cup" or "1 serving." These are going to be less accurate than using the food scale. For example, when I have a bowl of cereal, I will usually weigh out exactly 55g because that is the serving size, but if there is just a bit more in the bottom of the bag and I want to finish it, I will divide the amount I had by the amount of the serving size, the entry in my diary will look like this:

Kellogg's - Raisin Bran Cereal, 1.21 cup (which adds 38 calories by the way). This may seem like a small difference, but several of these throughout the day can completely destroy your calorie deficit.

As for the "1 serving" is this a recipe you have entered into the recipe builder yourself (with scale measured ingredients)? If not, it will also be inaccurate.

I'm trying to provide examples of ways in which your logging could be inaccurate, and thereby slowing your progress.

My once working regime no longer works!

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