Ugghh....advice please

mwitt07
mwitt07 Posts: 77 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I have lost 10 pounds over the last month but seem to be at a standstill. I have about 40 more to lose and I'm ready to pull my hair out. My gym provides nutrition counseling but I only met with the counselor twice as her husband had a sudden aneurysm and she of course has been taking care of him. She set up my daily calorie limit and my macros which I have been following pretty strictly so i don't understand the plateau. any advice welcome. thanks in advance!

Replies

  • kgirlhart
    kgirlhart Posts: 5,150 Member
    Are you weighing your food on a scale? If you are sticking to your calorie goal it is possible that you are eating more than you think. You should use a digital food scale for all solids (you can get one for about $15 at Walmart, target or amazon). You should only use measuring cups for liquids.
  • LivingtheLeanDream
    LivingtheLeanDream Posts: 13,342 Member
    Unfortunately a stall usually means inaccurate logging... weighing foods is a must as is picking the correct entries from the MFP database.
  • SkipSanders09
    SkipSanders09 Posts: 4 Member
    Try doing 2 a days for a week, this will boost your metabolism.
  • mwitt07
    mwitt07 Posts: 77 Member
    I do have a food scale and weigh and measure everything. Plus I'm going to the gym and doing zumba. I honestly feel like I'm doing everything right so I just dont understand.
  • malibu927
    malibu927 Posts: 17,562 Member
    How long has it been since you lost weight? 10 pounds in a month is amazing progress!
  • mwitt07
    mwitt07 Posts: 77 Member
    it's been a few days without a loss. I think since Saturday.
  • sarahlifts
    sarahlifts Posts: 610 Member
    4.5 days with out a loss is fine. A stall in weight loss is 2 or more weeks with no change. Step away from the scale.
    If you haven't done so already buy a food scale.
    Stay in a deficit. Do your training the weight loss will come.
    10 lbs in 1 month is awesome.
    Keep up the good work and don't stress.
  • diannethegeek
    diannethegeek Posts: 14,776 Member
    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10084670/it-is-unlikely-that-you-will-lose-weight-consistently-i-e-weight-loss-is-not-linear

    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10196160/scale-stress-syndrome/p1
  • Maxematics
    Maxematics Posts: 2,287 Member
    mwitt07 wrote: »
    it's been a few days without a loss. I think since Saturday.

    That is not even close to a plateau. Patience is key. Give it at least two weeks to see a loss.
  • cjmcclure56
    cjmcclure56 Posts: 1 Member
    I can relate... but you've probably built some muscle - as I did when I first started walking. It can get a little frustrating. Actually, I've been on the military diet. It worked great last week -- this week I'm having problems not sticking an extra cracker in my mouth. I am walking as much as I can -- I don't go to a gym YET.
  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,261 Member
    OP, I mean this with all kindness but you need to chill out. Four to 5 days without a loss is not a standstill. It is completely normal. You are going to have weeks when you lose, weeks when you gain (especially considering female hormone fluctuations), and weeks when you are stagnant. I like weighing every day because I like knowing how my body's weight fluctuates. Some women prefer weighing once a week, others do best weighing once a month at the same point in their menstrual cycles. Find whichever one works best for you to keep the weight loss panic to a minimum. Best of luck to you.
  • Rabid_Hamster
    Rabid_Hamster Posts: 338 Member
    edited April 2016
    Perhaps you should re-evaluate your expectations. The first 2-3 weeks, you tend to make big and quick losses. It's not unusual to lose 10 or more pounds during this time. After that, you should expect losses of 1-2 lbs a week. Please, please, please don't use the weight loss shows on TV as your guide. Those people are on strict diets, with massive amounts of exercise and continuously evaluated by doctors. Most of us aren't able to put our lives on hold to be able to do that.
    Be patient. Follow your plan. Stay at or under your calorie limits. Exercise regularly (make sure it's something fun that you can sustain well after you hit your target). The extra weight didn't get there overnight. Don't expect it to go away overnight, either.
  • katej37
    katej37 Posts: 56 Member
    In the last 4 weeks I gained for 2 weeks, sts the 3rd week and then today I've lost 2.2lbs which is both gains and a little extra gone. Its a long journey not a race to the finish.
  • Maxematics
    Maxematics Posts: 2,287 Member
    SezxyStef wrote: »
    synacious wrote: »
    cjmcclure56 wrote: »
    I can relate... but you've probably built some muscle - as I did when I first started walking. It can get a little frustrating. Actually, I've been on the military diet. It worked great last week -- this week I'm having problems not sticking an extra cracker in my mouth. I am walking as much as I can -- I don't go to a gym YET.

    She did not gain muscle on a calorie deficit. Also, the military diet is highly unnecessary.

    and you didn't gain any while walking.

    LOL! My eyes went straight to the military diet thing that I didn't see the muscle gain from walking part. If only gaining muscle were that easy and simple!
  • blues4miles
    blues4miles Posts: 1,481 Member
    mwitt07 wrote: »
    I do have a food scale and weigh and measure everything. Plus I'm going to the gym and doing zumba. I honestly feel like I'm doing everything right so I just dont understand.

    Maybe you are the type of person that needs to stop weighing every day. Not sure how old you are, but women's hormonal fluctuations will have a big effect on our weight over a month long period. Maybe you should be weighing once a week or ONCE A MONTH. I am serious. A couple days of it not going down? Mine goes up and down and up and down day after day, even in the same clothes/same conditions/same time of day. Perfectly natural. Scale weight reflects water, weight of food in your stomach/intestines, how hydrated/dehydrated you are, AND your muscle/fat. The only way to separate out the daily fluctuations is to weigh less frequently, or take multi-week averages.
  • Ready2Rock206
    Ready2Rock206 Posts: 9,487 Member
    mwitt07 wrote: »
    it's been a few days without a loss. I think since Saturday.

    Oh dear. Patience. Patience will be your friend. That's all you need right now.
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
    Stalls are completely normal. There'll be weeks when you won't lose weight. Sometimes you'll gain water weight too (before your period). Completely normal. Just trust the science, if you're eating at a deficit, you WILL lose.
  • gothchiq
    gothchiq Posts: 4,590 Member
    Yr gonna be fine and yr gonna lose, just slower now that the beginning is over. Just keep chugging along following the plan. :)
  • TR0berts
    TR0berts Posts: 7,739 Member
    I just read the below. You may find it of use.

    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10373426/how-making-choices-has-helped-me-lose-over-80-pounds#latest
  • ridge4mfp
    ridge4mfp Posts: 301 Member
    I echo the advice for more patience. Also please be prepared to gain some weeks. It's going to happen, even if you are doing nothing wrong and sticking to the plan. It will be water weight from a high sodium day, hormone fluctuation, TOM (if that applies) and many other possibilities. If you are sticking with the plan, it will not be fat that you gain. It will normally drop away shortly. Be sure and drink lots of water. Many folks here go for long periods without loss, then suddenly have what is termed a "whoosh", losing several pounds. Keep going, and soon you will start to learn the patterns of your body.
  • mwitt07
    mwitt07 Posts: 77 Member
    ridge4mfp wrote: »
    I echo the advice for more patience. Also please be prepared to gain some weeks. It's going to happen, even if you are doing nothing wrong and sticking to the plan. It will be water weight from a high sodium day, hormone fluctuation, TOM (if that applies) and many other possibilities. If you are sticking with the plan, it will not be fat that you gain. It will normally drop away shortly. Be sure and drink lots of water. Many folks here go for long periods without loss, then suddenly have what is termed a "whoosh", losing several pounds. Keep going, and soon you will start to learn the patterns of your body.

    Thank you so much for the link. It was very helpful.

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