Scale wont budge! Frustrated!
HEATHERLHOWARD2
Posts: 9 Member
Now I know that you should never judge your weight loss by your scale but I am so frustrated these past two weeks because the scale wont move. I am 146 pounds. My goal is to get to 130 pounds by summer. I am 5'7 and 39 years old. I am very strict with my diet and stay within my calories in order to lose the appropriate weight. However, no matter how much I stick to my diet, the scale just wont move. Normally I am not bothered by the lack of weight loss considering I am so close to my goal but I went and got myself into a weight loss challange at work and I just cant win at the weekly weigh in (I know, first world problems). I tried working out this week, I jump on the trampoline with my kiddos for an hour or so per day but then I noticed after a few days of this, I gained a pound. So I stopped the past few days and I lost that pound but I am still the same weight I was last Friday on my weigh in day. Here is a snapshot of my diet. Its just for one day but its relatively the same most days. I just dont understand why I hit a wall these past two weeks. Should I continue this way and hope that it will fix itself or do I try to change things up a bit?
Breakfast Calories
Jimmy Dean Delights - Turkey Sausage Breakfast Bowl, 1 bowl 240
Coffee - Coffee with Creamer, 16 oz 70
Lunch
Lean Cuisine - Sante Fe Style Rice and Beans, 1 package 290
Dinner
Smart Ones Classic Favorites - Spaghetti With Meat Sauce, 1 package 280
Snacks
Keurig Green Mountain Naturals - Hot Apple Cider, 1 K cup 80
Weight Watchers - Smoked Flavor String Cheese, 1 Stick 50
Blueberries, raw, 50 berries 39
Nabisco - Vanilla Waffers, 15 g (8 waffers) 70
If every day were like today... You'd weigh 140.3 lbs in 5 weeks (NOPE, This isnt happening)
Breakfast Calories
Jimmy Dean Delights - Turkey Sausage Breakfast Bowl, 1 bowl 240
Coffee - Coffee with Creamer, 16 oz 70
Lunch
Lean Cuisine - Sante Fe Style Rice and Beans, 1 package 290
Dinner
Smart Ones Classic Favorites - Spaghetti With Meat Sauce, 1 package 280
Snacks
Keurig Green Mountain Naturals - Hot Apple Cider, 1 K cup 80
Weight Watchers - Smoked Flavor String Cheese, 1 Stick 50
Blueberries, raw, 50 berries 39
Nabisco - Vanilla Waffers, 15 g (8 waffers) 70
If every day were like today... You'd weigh 140.3 lbs in 5 weeks (NOPE, This isnt happening)
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Replies
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I feel you..well..not really but you know
just keep at it. perhaps try a cycle fasting regime (limited use). if you could add some cardio that may help. treadmill or long walk in the evenings? granted cardio isn't the solution but when things get tough..you gotta either keep at it or change it up and maybe that a thought. 0 -
How much water are you drinking? I've dropped probably 2 lbs just this week (I don't formally weigh in until this weekend) by doubling the amount of water I was drinking before. I went from 80 oz of water to 1 gallon. I've also started drinking a full glass of water as soon I get up in the morning. After being 'stuck' at the same weight for over a month, the lbs are melting off this week.0
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All those pre-packaged meals are FULL of sodium, hidden calories from mis-weighing in packaging, amongst other things. Work on preparing fresher healthier alternatives0
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Thanks Tom, I do have a few boxes of shakeology, I might give it a go for a few days to see if this might break the cycle. I do a lot of walking anyway. I noticed when I include too much cardio the scale tends to go in the wrong direction. As for water, I probably dont drink near as much as I should. I would say on a typical day I drink about 40 oz. I think I will try to increase my water intake and see if this does anything to help.0
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All those pre-packaged meals are FULL of sodium, hidden calories from mis-weighing in packaging, amongst other things. Work on preparing fresher healthier alternatives
This is exactly what I was going to say. And with healthier alternatives you will be able to eat more food and feel more satisfied.
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Well for one thing, if you're not used to activity you'll have some fluid retention which will show up on the scale as a gain. It's just water and as you can see, you lost it when you stopped the activity.
The other thing I noticed is that's an awful lot of sodium you're taking in, which isn't necessarily a bad thing if you don't have a medical condition, but you're more likely to see a gain once again in water weight if you eat an excess of sodium.
The most important thing is to be patient. You are not going to lose weight every week. There will be weeks go by where you might not see any movement and then you may see a loss of 1.5 pounds overnight. You just have to keep doing it whether you see any loss or not.
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Keep in mind that muscle does weigh more than fat, so if you are doing strength exercises you'll be gaining muscle, and losing fat which may cause your scale not to move.0
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All those pre-packaged meals are FULL of sodium, hidden calories from mis-weighing in packaging, amongst other things. Work on preparing fresher healthier alternatives
**THIS!! Even pre-packaged/pre-weighed food should be weighed on your own personal scale at home before eating...especially when you don't have a lot to lose. You'd be surprised at how far off those measurements are! And high sodium foods can easily hide any weight you did lose simply by holding onto excess water instead.0 -
HEATHERLHOWARD2 wrote: »Thanks Tom, I do have a few boxes of shakeology, I might give it a go for a few days to see if this might break the cycle. I do a lot of walking anyway. I noticed when I include too much cardio the scale tends to go in the wrong direction. As for water, I probably dont drink near as much as I should. I would say on a typical day I drink about 40 oz. I think I will try to increase my water intake and see if this does anything to help.
I don't think your cardio is the culprit to weight gain though. you'd have to be pretty lean and building muscle to gain on cardio. Not typically what happens. But I get you. Exercise is a pretty small contributor to your calorie deficit however if your at your wits end..it certainly wouldn't do you harm and be good for just general health.0 -
I have a pretty on the go job. I have been using weight watcher smart points for the past several months. Its been a great help. I was able to lose 15 pounds since January 1st. Its just been in the last two weeks things have stalled. I know the pre-packed meals are not the best. I often switch those around for a salad from Subway or lean meats with veggies but I have an on the go job and its difficult for me to find the time to make things to bring to work, that I do not cook! I like to keep things simple. I did try the 21 day fix diet but got bored of eating the same stuff. After a while the diet stalled as well until I moved to weight watchers but now I am seeing the same issue with this plan too. I did read the above articles as well. I understand that people with less weight to lose tend to take longer to lose those last few pounds. Again, normally it wouldnt be an issue but I am in a competition and wanna win some money! Lol0
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Keep in mind that muscle does weigh more than fat, so if you are doing strength exercises you'll be gaining muscle, and losing fat which may cause your scale not to move.
No...NO....NO... A lb of muscle and a lb of fat weights EXACTLY the same =1lb. The density is different. Not the weight. If I had two boxes , 1 with 5lbs of feathers and 1 with 5lbs of bricks and took it to the post office they would weigh it and it would be exactly the same...So why would I pay more? Because they packaging is different. I'd need a huge 5X5 box to ship 5lbs of bricks but I'd probably need a 2x2 box to ship the feathers...the density is different so the feathers APPEAR "smaller" but in actuality they are not. Same thing with the body ...
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Has anyone tried a cleanse to help jump start weight loss after not seeing much results in several weeks? Would this be benefitial and if so, what would yall recommend?0
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1) Likely the weight gain from the time on the trampoline was water weight due to a change in activity. It would have went away if you kept doing that activity once your body got used to it. It was not fat gain, and that extra activity will in the longer term help with fat loss.
2) Pre-packaged meals often contain more product than the label states. That means it contains more calories. In other words, that pre-packaged meals are a likely place for logging errors that will result in you eating more than you think you are.
3) Measuring blueberries by counting berries can also lead to logging inaccuracies. This will not be as significant as the pre-packaged meals, but if you do that with other fruits it can add up over time.
Suggestions:
a) Get back to the trampoline with your children. It is good for your health, good for your relationship with your children, and will burn calories. Don't sweat the temporary water weight gain.
b) Drink a good amount of water. Although it will not speed up fat burning, drinking more water will help you get rid of water weight that may be masking your weight loss, especially that from excess sodium.
c) Get a digital kitchen scale, and start weighing all solids with it and logging the food by grams. This would include pre-packaged meals, cheese sticks, blueberries and vanilla wafers. You would be surprised how often those 8 wafers are not actually 15g.0 -
HEATHERLHOWARD2 wrote: »Has anyone tried a cleanse to help jump start weight loss after not seeing much results in several weeks? Would this be benefitial and if so, what would yall recommend?
Don't fall for the woo. Cleanses are silly. Calorie deficit, they're no short cuts
http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1159755/looking-for-a-detox-cleanse/p10 -
Keep in mind that muscle does weigh more than fat, so if you are doing strength exercises you'll be gaining muscle, and losing fat which may cause your scale not to move.
She's jumping on a trampoline. Definitely not gaining muscle. Plus strength training doesn't necessarily mean muscle growth. Other than some newbie gains you only gain muscle on a very slight deficit or surplus. The most muscle a woman can gain (not on steroids) eating at a surplus doing a progressive overload program is 1 lbs a month0 -
HEATHERLHOWARD2 wrote: »Has anyone tried a cleanse to help jump start weight loss after not seeing much results in several weeks? Would this be benefitial and if so, what would yall recommend?
No, no, no. Cleanses are completely unnecessary.0 -
Just give it time, dont give up! I hadnt seen a change for a couple weeks too and this past week I've went down a 1.5 lb! Youve just gotta stick with it and re-evaluate if you still arent seeing changes after a month or so.0
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Relax, weigh the food, keep exercising, drink more water and keep your calories in a deficit. It takes time. There's no such thing as a "jump start" to your weight loss.
I'm on the road to 130 myself. It's slow. But it's in sight (137ish). Just keep trudging along and you'll get there.0 -
You have a small amount to lose and it's only been two weeks, you need to give it much more time.0
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So while your eating is okay you must add some exercise walking is the best. I know eating healthy is important0
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My 2C: Eating pre-packaged foods has the advantage of simplicity (no cooking) and they are typically accurately marked in terms of calories and other nutrients, including sodium. The amount of sodium you need depends on how much you sweat. A recommended amount for a healthy sedentary person is 2300mg per day. If you work out for an hour a day, you definitely need more. Even walking works up a sweat.
I have been having a devil of a time getting the last few pounds off. For my height, I would have a BMI below 20 if I lost 7 more pounds, based on the standard formula. It doesn't look like it will happen easily. It is possible that I have more muscle than the average person the formula was based on, but I certainly also have flab that could go.
I disagree with your thoughts on cardio: I have always found it to promote weight loss. Morning fasting cardio is definitely effective. (I pretty much hate doing it, but it "moves the scale," as you say.) Weightlifiting without cardio makes me hungry as hell, and I used it to great effect to GAIN weight when I was younger.0 -
I will start by increasing my water intake and go back to excersise. Just a bit worried about the challange as I have been told that DOMS can make you gain weight and it can last over 3 weeks. I wouldnt be so much in a hurry to lose if it wasnt for the challange. I just see a lot of people losing 1-2 pounds per week and I just dont go anywhere. I am going to just keep going. Hopefully I will see a change next week.0
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HEATHERLHOWARD2 wrote: »I will start by increasing my water intake and go back to excersise. Just a bit worried about the challange as I have been told that DOMS can make you gain weight and it can last over 3 weeks. I wouldnt be so much in a hurry to lose if it wasnt for the challange. I just see a lot of people losing 1-2 pounds per week and I just dont go anywhere. I am going to just keep going. Hopefully I will see a change next week.
Do they have a lot more weight to lose? I understand the frustration, I'm on the small side at 5'2" and don't have much to lose so I go weeks without seeing a loss.0 -
HEATHERLHOWARD2 wrote: »I will start by increasing my water intake and go back to excersise. Just a bit worried about the challange as I have been told that DOMS can make you gain weight and it can last over 3 weeks. I wouldnt be so much in a hurry to lose if it wasnt for the challange. I just see a lot of people losing 1-2 pounds per week and I just dont go anywhere. I am going to just keep going. Hopefully I will see a change next week.
I have stopped doing any sort of weight loss challenge at all because while it might be great for people who have more to lose, it's not so great for people who are at the lower end of their weight loss because our loss will never match someone who is heavier and has a lot more to lose to begin with. Pretty much guaranteed that I will just kiss whatever I put in money wise goodbye and I will never win anything lol.
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I would cut out all the prepackaged food - too much sodium, which means your body is holding onto water.
Start drinking 100% cranberry juice (2 ounces with 7 ounces of water) that will flush out the sodium which should help. But seriously Jimmy Deans is not your friend.
You can buy the CJ at Trader Joe's for $3.99, its must be 100%.0 -
HEATHERLHOWARD2 wrote: »I will start by increasing my water intake and go back to excersise. Just a bit worried about the challange as I have been told that DOMS can make you gain weight and it can last over 3 weeks. I wouldnt be so much in a hurry to lose if it wasnt for the challange. I just see a lot of people losing 1-2 pounds per week and I just dont go anywhere. I am going to just keep going. Hopefully I will see a change next week.
I have stopped doing any sort of weight loss challenge at all because while it might be great for people who have more to lose, it's not so great for people who are at the lower end of their weight loss because our loss will never match someone who is heavier and has a lot more to lose to begin with. Pretty much guaranteed that I will just kiss whatever I put in money wise goodbye and I will never win anything lol.
I agree, the only way a weight loss challenge like that works is if it's done on % of body weight lost, even then much larger people are more likely to lose more. Next time let your colleagues get on with it and concentrate on why you WANT to lose weight not whether you are going to win a little money.
May I ask what your children eat of an evening? I appreciate that time isn't necessarily on your side but alongside what the others have said about portion sizes/calories, ready/prepackaged meals are not great nutritionally and don't keep you satisfied. If you were to cook up a meal of an evening you can make enough for lunch the next day also.
Please don't fall for the muscle is heavier than fat line either....it's just not true I'm afraid. I'd definitely carry on with the trampolining, it's shows the kids that exercise can be fun which will set them up for their future. I agree that as you had changed things up a little you would have held some extra water, this will even out if you continue.
Don't beat yourself up about being static for two weeks, our bodies are all so different and they all have minds of their own at times I'm sure!!
Good luck!0 -
Oh, by the way, there's a fantastic diagram regarding weight plateaus floating around somewhere. Next time I come across it I'll share it here, it's really beneficial. 0
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Yea, the weight loss challange is based on % of weight not actual pounds which helps folks like me have a chance to win. However, people who weight around what I do are seeing losses between the 1-2 pounds per week. I like the challange because it keeps me motivated and on target. However, I am $60 bucks poorer. lol0
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Oh, my baby is still on baby food so she is easy. My eldest daughter eats the same food as her dad. He is the cook in the household. I usually dont eat with them because I dont have a scale to measure my food and I also go to school so I am usually knocking out papers while they eat.0
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