Really....REALLY getting fed up!

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  • CharlieBeansmomTracey
    CharlieBeansmomTracey Posts: 7,682 Member
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    lthur714 wrote: »
    Rocknut53 wrote: »
    maxit wrote: »
    I agree with the above post that the food eaten out might be where the issue is - even if you are eating at a place that publishes nutritional information, the actual preparation methods may vary. To test this out, go for two weeks preparing your own meals, continuing to weigh and measure everything, and see if you remain stalled. If you do, then about the only thing to do (besides seeing your primary care provider to make sure that thyroid levels are ok and you are not holding on to fluid in an unhealthy way) is to increase your activity level. Rather than worry about going to the gym more, walk more, and more frequently during the day. You have done GREAT to lose about 12% of your original body weight!

    ^^This^^ I am 62 and just got back on this wagon in January. My daily calorie intake is 1200 (my TDEE is around 1600 so that gives me a weekly loss of less than 1 pound). I increase my intake only when I feel I need to eat back some of my exercise calories which is typically on the days I do cardio. My main exercise is hiking hills 3-4 times per week with a little skiing and dog walking thrown in for good measure. I do some strength training 2-3 days per week in the hopes that I can maintain muscle. I'm aware that I will not be able to start building muscle until I am no longer eating at a deficit so that part can wait. I've gone from 179 to 157. If I were you I would make sure my food intake is accurate and I would increase my walking. That will allow you a little leeway on your calorie consumption. As other people have said you can't spot reduce and "eating more to lose more" doesn't work. You have already made great progress, keep it up.
    Rocknut53 wrote: »
    maxit wrote: »
    I agree with the above post that the food eaten out might be where the issue is - even if you are eating at a place that publishes nutritional information, the actual preparation methods may vary. To test this out, go for two weeks preparing your own meals, continuing to weigh and measure everything, and see if you remain stalled. If you do, then about the only thing to do (besides seeing your primary care provider to make sure that thyroid levels are ok and you are not holding on to fluid in an unhealthy way) is to increase your activity level. Rather than worry about going to the gym more, walk more, and more frequently during the day. You have done GREAT to lose about 12% of your original body weight!

    ^^This^^ I am 62 and just got back on this wagon in January. My daily calorie intake is 1200 (my TDEE is around 1600 so that gives me a weekly loss of less than 1 pound). I increase my intake only when I feel I need to eat back some of my exercise calories which is typically on the days I do cardio. My main exercise is hiking hills 3-4 times per week with a little skiing and dog walking thrown in for good measure. I do some strength training 2-3 days per week in the hopes that I can maintain muscle. I'm aware that I will not be able to start building muscle until I am no longer eating at a deficit so that part can wait. I've gone from 179 to 157. If I were you I would make sure my food intake is accurate and I would increase my walking. That will allow you a little leeway on your calorie consumption. As other people have said you can't spot reduce and "eating more to lose more" doesn't work. You have already made great progress, keep it up.

    Thanks for the advice. There are some great hills in my neighborhood and I'm going to tackle them. That should build some thigh muscles! You mentioned a "TDEE". Can you explain what that means?

    to build thigh muscles(or any muscle) you need to be in at least a small surplus of calories. you wont build much muscle in a deficit.except for maybe some newbie gains which will slack off and being a female it takes longer to build than it would a man.The older we are the slower its going to be to build.another thing is even if you build muscle I think its stated that you only burn like 6-7 calories per lb of muscle you have.so its not much.
  • atjays
    atjays Posts: 798 Member
    edited March 2016
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    lthur714 wrote: »

    No, I am not eating more than I think as I am so careful. I have no thyroid and am on meds for that but that didn't stop me losing before.

    That right there is likely your problem. It's always easy to drop 10-20 lbs when you start out if you've got 100+ to lose. Eating correctly, adjusting your nutrition as you go along and dedication to your program is what brings results. Sometimes despite all that effort your body throws you a curve ball, in this case your thyroid. Check in with the doctor, go over your nutrition plan with them and maybe have your thyroid re-evaluated

  • amusedmonkey
    amusedmonkey Posts: 10,330 Member
    edited March 2016
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    At your height, weight and age your sedentary daily expenditure is about 1565 (according to scooby) which does not account for personal variance (your number may be higher or lower). This means your deficit is relatively small if you are eating 1200 calories. If you are eating more, it's even smaller, which means there is less room for error. It's quite possible that this stall will still shift downward. Try to increase your calories to about 1500 for a week or two to give yourself a rest and gather your thoughts, then restart your diet trying to be more active. Simply walking more would help. A 30 minute walk in the morning, walk around the house while waiting for the kettle to boil or during commercials...etc. Introducing extra burned calories will help manage that margin of error without having to dip below 1200 calories.
  • amusedmonkey
    amusedmonkey Posts: 10,330 Member
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    lthur714 wrote: »
    Rocknut53 wrote: »
    maxit wrote: »
    I agree with the above post that the food eaten out might be where the issue is - even if you are eating at a place that publishes nutritional information, the actual preparation methods may vary. To test this out, go for two weeks preparing your own meals, continuing to weigh and measure everything, and see if you remain stalled. If you do, then about the only thing to do (besides seeing your primary care provider to make sure that thyroid levels are ok and you are not holding on to fluid in an unhealthy way) is to increase your activity level. Rather than worry about going to the gym more, walk more, and more frequently during the day. You have done GREAT to lose about 12% of your original body weight!

    ^^This^^ I am 62 and just got back on this wagon in January. My daily calorie intake is 1200 (my TDEE is around 1600 so that gives me a weekly loss of less than 1 pound). I increase my intake only when I feel I need to eat back some of my exercise calories which is typically on the days I do cardio. My main exercise is hiking hills 3-4 times per week with a little skiing and dog walking thrown in for good measure. I do some strength training 2-3 days per week in the hopes that I can maintain muscle. I'm aware that I will not be able to start building muscle until I am no longer eating at a deficit so that part can wait. I've gone from 179 to 157. If I were you I would make sure my food intake is accurate and I would increase my walking. That will allow you a little leeway on your calorie consumption. As other people have said you can't spot reduce and "eating more to lose more" doesn't work. You have already made great progress, keep it up.
    Rocknut53 wrote: »
    maxit wrote: »
    I agree with the above post that the food eaten out might be where the issue is - even if you are eating at a place that publishes nutritional information, the actual preparation methods may vary. To test this out, go for two weeks preparing your own meals, continuing to weigh and measure everything, and see if you remain stalled. If you do, then about the only thing to do (besides seeing your primary care provider to make sure that thyroid levels are ok and you are not holding on to fluid in an unhealthy way) is to increase your activity level. Rather than worry about going to the gym more, walk more, and more frequently during the day. You have done GREAT to lose about 12% of your original body weight!

    ^^This^^ I am 62 and just got back on this wagon in January. My daily calorie intake is 1200 (my TDEE is around 1600 so that gives me a weekly loss of less than 1 pound). I increase my intake only when I feel I need to eat back some of my exercise calories which is typically on the days I do cardio. My main exercise is hiking hills 3-4 times per week with a little skiing and dog walking thrown in for good measure. I do some strength training 2-3 days per week in the hopes that I can maintain muscle. I'm aware that I will not be able to start building muscle until I am no longer eating at a deficit so that part can wait. I've gone from 179 to 157. If I were you I would make sure my food intake is accurate and I would increase my walking. That will allow you a little leeway on your calorie consumption. As other people have said you can't spot reduce and "eating more to lose more" doesn't work. You have already made great progress, keep it up.

    Thanks for the advice. There are some great hills in my neighborhood and I'm going to tackle them. That should build some thigh muscles! You mentioned a "TDEE". Can you explain what that means?

    "TDEE" stands for : Total Daily Energy Expenditure. It's the total amount of calories a person burns during a normal day. Basically, it's the amount of calories needed to maintain your current weight.
  • elphie754
    elphie754 Posts: 7,574 Member
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    If you have medical issues you really shouldn't be thinking of taking anything like sero-vital that class to impact your hormones.
  • lthur714
    lthur714 Posts: 105 Member
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    lthur714 wrote: »
    elphie754 wrote: »
    cryptobrit wrote: »
    I can sympathise here as I have posted a couple of times about the same thing; however I have only been using MFP for two and a half months and lost just 3 lbs. MFP set my calories for 1200 and after an initial 2lb loss over 3-6 weeks my weight started creeping up. Despite blaming it on 'muscle' (which I haven't got), I was getting very despondent. Especially as so many people were questioning in an accusing way that I MUST be eating more than I said, and I COULDN'T be weighing my food. As someone who has been very nutrition conscious in the past I did/do know what I am talking about. I defected for about 10 days to Fatsecret where it said my calories should be 1600 calories. I found this interesting as I also found on other sites that did complicated calculations that none of them said my intake should be less than 1400. So when I came back to MFP I reset my intake to 1400. By the time I have done exercise albeit it modified because of disability, it usually takes me well under. Sorry to waffle on but what I am saying is that I agree with those of you that have suggested upping your intake are probably right. I haven't got as screwed up now, and have actually lost another lb since increasing. My skirt waist lines and mirror also say more than the weighing scales. :wink: I am a small eater in any case which was why it was so frustrating; but I knew I needed to up my protein intake. Don't lose hope; try eating more good nutritious food and you will hopefully find it kickstarts your metabolism going again. Do update us on how things go. We are here to support you.

    No-that is not how it works. If you are in a calorie deficit you will lose weight. If you are not losing weight you are either not in a calorie deficit or you have a medical problem (which really only applies to about 1% of people).
    lthur714 wrote: »
    elphie754 wrote: »
    Are you using a food scale and weighing all of your food?

    I am using the scale for everything that goes in my mouth except when I'm out. I even err on the side of overestimating if there is any doubt.

    You are eating more than you think. The food you eat while out is negating your calorie deficit.

    No, I am not eating more than I think as I am so careful. I have no thyroid and am on meds for that but that didn't stop me losing before.

    you are older now and your meds may need adjusted. what we did say 10,20 years ago may not work for us as we age

    Just had my thyroid tested. Doctor says all my levels are great.
  • lthur714
    lthur714 Posts: 105 Member
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    At your height, weight and age your sedentary daily expenditure is about 1565 (according to scooby) which does not account for personal variance (your number may be higher or lower). This means your deficit is relatively small if you are eating 1200 calories. If you are eating more, it's even smaller, which means there is less room for error. It's quite possible that this stall will still shift downward. Try to increase your calories to about 1500 for a week or two to give yourself a rest and gather your thoughts, then restart your diet trying to be more active. Simply walking more would help. A 30 minute walk in the morning, walk around the house while waiting for the kettle to boil or during commercials...etc. Introducing extra burned calories will help manage that margin of error without having to dip below 1200 calories.

    Thanks for your help.
  • lthur714
    lthur714 Posts: 105 Member
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    atjays wrote: »
    lthur714 wrote: »

    No, I am not eating more than I think as I am so careful. I have no thyroid and am on meds for that but that didn't stop me losing before.

    That right there is likely your problem. It's always easy to drop 10-20 lbs when you start out if you've got 100+ to lose. Eating correctly, adjusting your nutrition as you go along and dedication to your program is what brings results. Sometimes despite all that effort your body throws you a curve ball, in this case your thyroid. Check in with the doctor, go over your nutrition plan with them and maybe have your thyroid re-evaluated

    I've been to the doctor. He says my thyroid levels are fine.
  • ModernRock
    ModernRock Posts: 372 Member
    edited March 2016
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    lthur714 wrote: »
    I've been on MVP since last June. Starting in mid-January I stopped losing.

    Maybe you moved less over the winter. Keep your logging tight and see if you start losing again this spring and summer. Maintain over the winter and have a slow loss over the other 8 or 9 months out of the year? Sounds fine to me.
  • lthur714
    lthur714 Posts: 105 Member
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    atjays wrote: »
    lthur714 wrote: »

    No, I am not eating more than I think as I am so careful. I have no thyroid and am on meds for that but that didn't stop me losing before.

    That right there is likely your problem. It's always easy to drop 10-20 lbs when you start out if you've got 100+ to lose. Eating correctly, adjusting your nutrition as you go along and dedication to your program is what brings results. Sometimes despite all that effort your body throws you a curve ball, in this case your thyroid. Check in with the doctor, go over your nutrition plan with them and maybe have your thyroid re-evaluated

    Well, I didn't need to lose a 100 pounds. More like 60. It wasn't so fast in the beginning either.
  • lthur714
    lthur714 Posts: 105 Member
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    elphie754 wrote: »
    lthur714 wrote: »
    WRLemmon wrote: »
    Do not judge progress just by weight, keep in mind that muscle per volume weights more than fat. I went for months not losing any weight by lost several inches off my waist at the same time. Mostly because I was building up muscle mass and losing excess fat.

    I've heard that before from my daughter and I know you both are right, but it's hard at 67 to get more muscle. There are things I probably shouldn't do (like abdominal stuff mostly, due to several smallish hernias from an intestinal surgery). Ironically, that's where I need to lose the most weight (me and my apple shape). Maybe I can do more things with thigh muscles at the gym. I keep losing in my hips and thighs and back---hardly ever the stomach.

    You can't spot reduce.

    I know, but what do you do? I heard that stomach fat is the last to go. Grrrrr
  • lthur714
    lthur714 Posts: 105 Member
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    lthur714 wrote: »
    atjays wrote: »
    lthur714 wrote: »

    No, I am not eating more than I think as I am so careful. I have no thyroid and am on meds for that but that didn't stop me losing before.

    That right there is likely your problem. It's always easy to drop 10-20 lbs when you start out if you've got 100+ to lose. Eating correctly, adjusting your nutrition as you go along and dedication to your program is what brings results. Sometimes despite all that effort your body throws you a curve ball, in this case your thyroid. Check in with the doctor, go over your nutrition plan with them and maybe have your thyroid re-evaluated

    Well, I didn't need to lose a 100 pounds. More like 60. It wasn't so fast in the beginning either. Doctor says my thyroid levels are great.

  • ASKyle
    ASKyle Posts: 1,475 Member
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    elphie754 wrote: »
    You are eating more than you think. The food you eat while out is negating your calorie deficit.

    ^^This!

    Brutal honesty can be found right HERE!

    That link is absolutely wonderful.

  • Rocknut53
    Rocknut53 Posts: 1,794 Member
    edited March 2016
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    lthur714 wrote: »
    elphie754 wrote: »
    lthur714 wrote: »
    WRLemmon wrote: »
    Do not judge progress just by weight, keep in mind that muscle per volume weights more than fat. I went for months not losing any weight by lost several inches off my waist at the same time. Mostly because I was building up muscle mass and losing excess fat.

    I've heard that before from my daughter and I know you both are right, but it's hard at 67 to get more muscle. There are things I probably shouldn't do (like abdominal stuff mostly, due to several smallish hernias from an intestinal surgery). Ironically, that's where I need to lose the most weight (me and my apple shape). Maybe I can do more things with thigh muscles at the gym. I keep losing in my hips and thighs and back---hardly ever the stomach.

    You can't spot reduce.

    I know, but what do you do? I heard that stomach fat is the last to go. Grrrrr

    I personally know that I will never get rid of all my belly fat. I've lost a lot of it however and I will just keep plugging along and hope for the best. I'm not stressing about it. At my age I'm certain I wouldn't be caught dead in a bikini anyway.
  • SingingSingleTracker
    SingingSingleTracker Posts: 1,866 Member
    edited March 2016
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    ASKyle wrote: »
    elphie754 wrote: »
    You are eating more than you think. The food you eat while out is negating your calorie deficit.

    ^^This!

    Brutal honesty can be found right HERE!

    That link is absolutely wonderful.

    Isn't it, though? It saved my 'stall' two years ago. I keep that link bookmarked and refer to it whenever I or others need a little dose of getting out of the River DeNial. ;-]
  • HannahInHawaii
    HannahInHawaii Posts: 173 Member
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    Could you open your diary?
  • lthur714
    lthur714 Posts: 105 Member
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    Rocknut53 wrote: »
    lthur714 wrote: »
    elphie754 wrote: »
    lthur714 wrote: »
    WRLemmon wrote: »
    Do not judge progress just by weight, keep in mind that muscle per volume weights more than fat. I went for months not losing any weight by lost several inches off my waist at the same time. Mostly because I was building up muscle mass and losing excess fat.

    I've heard that before from my daughter and I know you both are right, but it's hard at 67 to get more muscle. There are things I probably shouldn't do (like abdominal stuff mostly, due to several smallish hernias from an intestinal surgery). Ironically, that's where I need to lose the most weight (me and my apple shape). Maybe I can do more things with thigh muscles at the gym. I keep losing in my hips and thighs and back---hardly ever the stomach.

    You can't spot reduce.

    I know, but what do you do? I heard that stomach fat is the last to go. Grrrrr

    I personally know that I will never get rid of all my belly fat. I've lost a lot of it however and I will just keep plugging along and hope for the best. I'm not stressing about it. At my age I'm certain I wouldn't be caught dead in a bikini anyway.

    I hear that!