completely frustrated - different results, same effort
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No one is attacking or insulting you. We ARE trying to help you. You just don't want to hear what we're saying. There's only so much we can help with if you're not willing to do things differently. Clearly what was working before isn't working now. The obvious answer would be to address that and change what you're doing.
The answer is that there's many reasons that could potentially cause the difference. You're not as accurate as you were last year. Perhaps you had more water weight in the beginning. You're burning less calories. You're older so your TDEE is smaller.can anyone offer comments on why I would have different results doing exactly the same things, with the same starting weight, only 1 year apart.
Either way, the solution to all of those things would be to become more accurate.
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can anyone offer comments on why I would have different results doing exactly the same things, with the same starting weight, only 1 year apart. Thank you for the water idea. That is something I can think is probably different. Last year I worked in an environment where I drank hot herbal tea all day long. This time around, I'm working from a location where I realize my water intake is probably much less. That's a great helpful, not attacking idea. thank you. I welcome any ideas that are respectfully given.
These boards should be a place we help each other. Otherwise, what's the point? Attacking and insulting strangers is a pretty sad commentary on who you are. Get your aggression out at the gym.
Pretty sure that no one "attacked" you and your comments have been more aggressive than anyone else's. Tight logging and a food scale are the only things that will work if you're not losing weight. How can you be sure you're "doing the exact same thing" as last year if you didn't weigh your food then and you're not doing it now? The answer is- you can't!
Nope - if you used measuring cups/spoons, and do the same thing later, you can be certain you were doing the same thing - because you are.
Nope, because you can't be sure you're putting the exact same amount of food in the cups and spoons each time.0 -
My question is: if you lost the weight and gained it back, why are you wanting to do the EXACT same thing again? Why not find something that is sustainable to do and lose while not gaining back?0
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Maybe this time its harder to lose because your body memorizes and desperately want to hold on to fat etc. Jojo-Effect? You get the same result again but this time it might just take twice as long so just be super patient.0
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can anyone offer comments on why I would have different results doing exactly the same things, with the same starting weight, only 1 year apart. Thank you for the water idea. That is something I can think is probably different. Last year I worked in an environment where I drank hot herbal tea all day long. This time around, I'm working from a location where I realize my water intake is probably much less. That's a great helpful, not attacking idea. thank you. I welcome any ideas that are respectfully given.
These boards should be a place we help each other. Otherwise, what's the point? Attacking and insulting strangers is a pretty sad commentary on who you are. Get your aggression out at the gym.
Pretty sure that no one "attacked" you and your comments have been more aggressive than anyone else's. Tight logging and a food scale are the only things that will work if you're not losing weight. How can you be sure you're "doing the exact same thing" as last year if you didn't weigh your food then and you're not doing it now? The answer is- you can't!
Nope - if you used measuring cups/spoons, and do the same thing later, you can be certain you were doing the same thing - because you are.
Not really, the cups may be slightly more full this time around, without weighing it you cannot know that though.0 -
I will offer another explanation:
It probably isn't the scale, it's that last year you lost weight at too aggressive a rate and metabolized a lot of muscle along with the fat you burnt off.
So, this year, although your weight is the same your BF% is higher and, since fat is practically metabolically inactive, your BMR is lower. This means that although last year your 1000-1300* was enough to yield a loss, this year it is only enough to maintain.
* given that your 1000 - 1300 could actually be anywhere from 800 - 1600 because you are not weighting your food and your calorific burns form exercise could be massively out because even people with HRMs and fancy activity trackers seem to have problems with calculating their "calories out".0 -
heyyoudontgiveup wrote: »My question is: if you lost the weight and gained it back, why are you wanting to do the EXACT same thing again? Why not find something that is sustainable to do and lose while not gaining back?
because what i did wrong had nothing to do with the weight loss part. I lost from 150-132. I had hoped to lose to 127-130. I went a couple of months without losing and thought, ok, maybe I've hit a plateau. Maybe I should take a break for a bit, maintain this weight, and then come back and lose the last 3-5 pounds. I stopped logging my food.
If I had kept up logging, I wouldn't have gained the weight back, but I did. Life got in the way - excuse, yes, but 2 children died last summer that I cared about a lot. My weight was not a focus. Now i'm back on track.
So what I did, when I was doing it, worked amazingly well. When I stopped those efforts is when I got into trouble.0 -
what is your current BF%? I'm assuming the 1000 cals is on a non workout day and 1300 on workout days? how is your water intake and do you increase that on workout days too?
last year when you gained the weight back do you know what the main cause was food wise? I am also assuming your not on or have been any medication that could change hormonal balance in any way?0 -
You might not be eating enough. You say that you're only consuming 1,000 - 1,300 calories per day, but maybe that isn't enough since you are also exercising. Consider trying to get the minimum of 1,200 every day and maybe bump up to 1,300-1,400 consistently to see if that helps.
Play with your macros. I've found that my sweet spot is 50/30/20 fat/protein/carbs and I lose the most weight that way.
Weigh your food. I know that you don't want to hear it, but you could be over or under measuring affecting your overall bottom line.
Drink more water, at least 64oz per day, if not more.
Make sure you are sleeping enough.0 -
Maybe you are losing inches instead of weight. I have been working with a trainer and even though the scale says the same, I am able to fit in a smaller size jeans. The scale is not an accurate means to track your progress. I gave my scale away.
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heyyoudontgiveup wrote: »My question is: if you lost the weight and gained it back, why are you wanting to do the EXACT same thing again? Why not find something that is sustainable to do and lose while not gaining back?
because what i did wrong had nothing to do with the weight loss part. I lost from 150-132. I had hoped to lose to 127-130. I went a couple of months without losing and thought, ok, maybe I've hit a plateau. Maybe I should take a break for a bit, maintain this weight, and then come back and lose the last 3-5 pounds. I stopped logging my food.
If I had kept up logging, I wouldn't have gained the weight back, but I did. Life got in the way - excuse, yes, but 2 children died last summer that I cared about a lot. My weight was not a focus. Now i'm back on track.
So what I did, when I was doing it, worked amazingly well. When I stopped those efforts is when I got into trouble.
You seem completely unwilling to accept opinions/ideas so why ask for them?
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Just taking a peek at your diary for yesterday shows some odd entries. Like you have .13 cup of cashews logged. If you're not using a scale, how in the world do you measure .13 cup of cashews? There is also an entry for 0 oz of popcorn? And I see an entry for 2.5 "small potato." Apart from your adamant resistance to weighing your food, these entries aren't even properly measuring your intake in any meaningful way.0
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can anyone offer comments on why I would have different results doing exactly the same things, with the same starting weight, only 1 year apart. Thank you for the water idea. That is something I can think is probably different. Last year I worked in an environment where I drank hot herbal tea all day long. This time around, I'm working from a location where I realize my water intake is probably much less. That's a great helpful, not attacking idea. thank you. I welcome any ideas that are respectfully given.
These boards should be a place we help each other. Otherwise, what's the point? Attacking and insulting strangers is a pretty sad commentary on who you are. Get your aggression out at the gym.
Perhaps because you're a year older? (Without knowing how old, it's hard to say)
Perhaps because you're already at a healthy weight and your body doesn't want to be that low?
Perhaps because your body is trying to tell you it doesn't like having so few calories?
Perhaps you've switched up your BC or some other med and you're retaining more water?
Perhaps you're developing a medical condition?
Perhaps you need a new scale?
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But as someone said above, if your LBM was brought down in the process your current TDEE might be lower.
Anyhow, the past is past. Daydreaming about what worked before isn't doing diddly squat for your case now.
If you insist on the cups/spoons & are adamantly anti food scale (sounds silly but this is your 'thing') you will need to deliberately start slightly under filling those measures to guard against over generous amounts. Your workouts strike me as short. Bump those up too. If you are using weight machines, consider moving to free weights. And your steps, aim for 10k rather than under 5k. And try not to gain weight back next time; it gets progressively harder when you yo yo. I'm sorry for your losses. We all experience these heartbreaks. That is a separate issue.
I've given you several suggestions that do not involve your scale taboo. I'm wishing you well. I've offered you condolences. Don't try to pretend people are picking on you!0 -
Perhaps because you're a year older? (Without knowing how old, it's hard to say)
Perhaps because you're already at a healthy weight and your body doesn't want to be that low?
Perhaps because your body is trying to tell you it doesn't like having so few calories?
Perhaps you've switched up your BC or some other med and you're retaining more water?
Perhaps you're developing a medical condition?
Perhaps you need a new scale?
All good.
Suggesting the use of a scale is about having better data.
I don't weigh everything and calculate in grams. Don't want to. I don't worry about eating back exercise calories either. I'm bad like that. I also round my weight up/down to the nearest pound, don't log tenths.
But if what you are doing isn't working and you really want to move that number on the scale seems worth a go. Tighter logging/weighing gives you better data on calories in.
As far as calories out, if you want to spend the money you could get your resting metabolism rate tested. Yours might be lower than the norm. If it isn't then the arrow points back to tightening up your logging and/or increasing exercise.0 -
If you are convinced that everything you did worked, then I am not sure there is anything anyone can say to help. There are no tricks or magic formulas. The only thing you can do is try different things, like a scale, but you've said that's not something you want to do.You say that is a pat answer around here, and maybe it is. That is because it's the protocol of this calorie counting community...precise measurements. You are understandably frustrated and you're hearing things in a harsh way. But, it's the truth. Your measuring was sloppy, not you. So, I don't know...you could try Weight Watchers? I do wish you the best.0
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Please help. I'm 37, 5'6. On Jan 2, I weighed 150. I started a concerted and focused weight loss effort on Jan. 26. I've been eating 1000-1400 calories a day for the first 3 weeks, then dropped that to 1000-1300.
For the first 3-4 weeks, I focused on walking 4500 steps a day and also did 2-3 12-18 minute workouts a week. This past week I upped my exercise to 5-6 workouts a week of 30-45 minutes. (3 days of interval run, walk and sprint, 3 days of body weight exercises with cardio).
I cook all my meals - I measure all my ingredients.I know my cal counts are right. I have only lost 2 pounds. I get down to 146, and then gain back to 148, and then go down to 146 or 7, again and again.
Last year in January 2015, I started at the same place, and did all the same things, with all the same recipes. I worked out a little more, but not much, and measured my ingredients in exactly the same way. I lost 9 pounds in my first 4 weeks last year, and then continued to lose 1-2 pounds a week after that.
Please help me figure out what is going on. I feel so demoralized.
What is frustrating is the TOTAL lack of loss, and that last year I did EXACTLY the same things, with incredible results.
Please don't tell me to buy a scale and weigh, that measuring isn't enough. It worked very well for me last year, so that's not the issue - don't make it the issue.
As far as I can tell, I'm eating appovimately the same ratios of protein, fat, carbs too.
thank you for your help. i don't know what else to do. At my current weight, I can't wear any of my clothes that aren't sweats, and it feels pretty terrible.
Whelp.
Best of luck. Hope you accidentally reach your goals.0 -
No - you are wrong - a scale is not the issue. If it was the issue, I would not have lost weight last year. Using a scale is a thoughtless pat answer on these boards - which is why I say that.
I lost all my weight last year without a scale, by measuring. I am doing exactly the same thing now. That is the issue I want help with - not some mindless MFP mantra of 'buy a scale'.
I am also not trying to lose additional weight. I am trying to lose the same weight (sadly) a second time.
Same starting weight
Same recipes
Same measuring system
Same exercise amounts
Very different results - the same methods with different/no results is what i'm looking for insight on. Why is this happening.
I asked nicely for help - so please don't throw your nasty 'you're sloppy, don't want to hear it, etc comments at me - not the case.
What if we show you, instead of tell you? Please, please, please watch this video, @ellaskat. It's only three minutes of your life.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XpHykP6e_Uk 0 -
What is different from one year ago? You are consuming more calories or burning fewer calories or both. You may believe that everything s exactly the same but your body is telling you that your belief is wrong.
ETA: Just saw that you changed job locations last year, so that is in fact a change. Is there anything you are doing differently related to that that would impact your calories burned and consumed? For example, you did more walking to get to and from old job location or had to do more walking at work. Or the types of foods you can bring or buy have changed, for example in old job you could heat up prepackaged frozen entree that comes with a nutrition facts panel, but in new location you are bringing nuts, cheese, lunch meat, etc that are more sensitive to measurement error if they aren't weighed.0 -
It sounds like you have two questions, OP: one is a curious question about why your body isn't reacting identically to last year, the second underlying question is "why isn't this working?".
Lots of theories about the first question: TDEE, change to your underlying body fat/lean body mass ratio, and so on.
But as far as the second question (your REAL question, I'm guessing), you should accept that there's ALWAYS going to be some error in measuring your calories and exercise. For example, setting the treadmill just 1 mph faster, or setting an incline a degree higher, will affect your actual calories burned. You can't just look it up on a chart and say "aha 15 minutes, so that's 213.4 calories burned today!". It might be anywhere from 150-250 say. And for food - like someone else mentioned, what the heck is a "small potato" anyway? If it's 25% bigger than the guy who actually measured a "small potato" and came up with a calorie count, you might be off by 50 calories right there!
So what's actually more important than actually saying "I entered 1200 net calories in MFP today" is to look at your average over the last week or so, then say "well, if 1400 calories ACCORDING TO HOW I'M ESTIMATING THEM isn't making me lose weight, then let's try for 1200 calories". Or whatever. If you're not losing, eat fewer calories and exercise more than you did last week. Don't get caught up in whether 1000 calories is exactly the same as your neighbour's estimate of 1000 calories, just be consistent with how you measure yourself. Then if you're gaining, eat less, and if you're losing too much, eat more.
All this talk about scales is just a way to reduce the average error in your calorie estimate. But even with a great estimate, you need to look at your own progress and adjust yourself. It's using feedback. At the end of the day, if you're not losing, you're still eating more than you need to lose that weight.0
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