Sooooo frustrated! Help!
lisaishere
Posts: 24 Member
Been watching and counting calories for 12 weeks now, and exercising regularly. My weight is stuck now for a MONTH. I've only lost about 4 pounds total. Not sure what I am doing wrong!
SW 157 (Febrary 21)
CW: 153 (May 4)
GW: 125 .... feeling like I will NEVER EVER get there at this rate, or I will be old, dead and buried by the time I am!
The scale not budging is so depressing, and is completely de-motivating. I am only 5' 2", so 153 on my height is FAT. No one has noticed that I have lost weight or said "you look good" - and 4 lbs. is barely a dent. So all my calorie counting and exercise is doing nothing.
My metabolism must be dead, and not sure how to go on with NO RESULTS or rewards for my efforts.
I have always been a relatively healthy eater, so for me the main change has been reducing quantity and portion sizes to keep my calories in range. If I go down any more in quantity, I will have to go below the 1200 a day range, as that is what my net target calories is.
I just ate a banana for a snack because i was hungry and I feel guilty because it's 89 calories. I have mothers day brunch with my family on Sunday, and don't even want to go because I am afraid of overeating.
Not sure what to do from here. So frustrated. :-(
SW 157 (Febrary 21)
CW: 153 (May 4)
GW: 125 .... feeling like I will NEVER EVER get there at this rate, or I will be old, dead and buried by the time I am!
The scale not budging is so depressing, and is completely de-motivating. I am only 5' 2", so 153 on my height is FAT. No one has noticed that I have lost weight or said "you look good" - and 4 lbs. is barely a dent. So all my calorie counting and exercise is doing nothing.
My metabolism must be dead, and not sure how to go on with NO RESULTS or rewards for my efforts.
I have always been a relatively healthy eater, so for me the main change has been reducing quantity and portion sizes to keep my calories in range. If I go down any more in quantity, I will have to go below the 1200 a day range, as that is what my net target calories is.
I just ate a banana for a snack because i was hungry and I feel guilty because it's 89 calories. I have mothers day brunch with my family on Sunday, and don't even want to go because I am afraid of overeating.
Not sure what to do from here. So frustrated. :-(
0
Replies
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Do you weigh all of your food? That banana you think is 89 calories could be 150 depending on weight. Also, you aren't dead, so your metabolism isn't dead. Accurately weigh your food and you will most likely find you are eating way more calories than you think.5
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What calorie limit are you trying to sustain? Sometimes weight loss can stall if you're not eating enough (sounds weird, I know!).0
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I'm 5'2" also, and I find losing hard. I'm only down 3-4 pounds too, but I think I know why. The MFP program could not create a calculation for me to lose weight unless I worked out twice a week. I try to make that happen, but sometimes I fall short. That makes my weight loss stagnant. I don't know how many calories you eat or burn in a day, but I pretty much have to eliminate carbs to get the scale to move. I hate it, but it has always been hard for me to lose much. Losing the extra weight on diet alone doesn't work for me. Working out is difficult because I have knee issues. I just have to do the best I can and if I see any loss at all, I feel like it's progress. You are right, though. I will probably be dead before I reach my goal.
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1. If it's been less than 3 weeks or so, don't sweat it! Normal fluctuations happen and unfortunately sometimes we stall for a week or two even when we're doing everything right. Give your body some time to catch up with the changes you're making.
2. If you aren't already, be sure that you're logging everything. Sometimes people forget about things like veggies, drinks, cooking oils, and condiments. For some people these can add up to enough to halt your weight loss progress.
3. Consider buying a food scale if you don't already have one. They're about $10-$20 dollars in the US and easily found at places like Amazon, Target, and Walmart. Measuring cups and spoons are great, but they do come with some degree of inaccuracy. A food scale will be more accurate, and for some people it makes a big difference.
4. Logging accurately also means choosing accurate entries in the database. There are a lot of user-entered entries that are off. Double-check that you're using good entries and/or using the recipe builder instead of someone else's homemade entries.
5. Recalculate your goals if you haven't lately. As you lose weight your body requires fewer calories to run. Be sure you update your goals every ten pounds or so.
6. If you're eating back your exercise calories and you're relying on gym machine readouts or MFP's estimates, it might be best to eat back just 50-75% of those. Certain activities tend to be overestimated. If you're using an HRM or activity tracker, it might be a good idea to look into their accuracy and be sure that yours is calibrated properly.
7. If you're taking any cheat days that go over your calorie limits, it might be best to cut them out for a few weeks and see what happens. Some people go way over their calorie needs without realizing it when they don't track.
8. If you weigh yourself frequently, consider using a program like trendweight to even out the fluctuations. You could be losing weight but just don't see it because of the daily ups and downs.
9. Some people just burn fewer calories than the calculators predict. If you continue to have problems after 4-6 weeks, then it might be worth a trip to the doctor or a registered dietitian who can give you more specific advice.3 -
I actually DO weigh my food and measure it when possible. At work in the office - if I grab a banana from the deli I do not. But that's a good point. Maybe I will skip fruits and get pre-measured things like a simply 100.0
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Can you give some more details about your exercise regimen and typical meals?1
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lisaishere wrote: »I actually DO weigh my food and measure it when possible. At work in the office - if I grab a banana from the deli I do not. But that's a good point. Maybe I will skip fruits and get pre-measured things like a simply 100.
Can you keep a scale or bring your scale to the office? That's what I do so I know exactly how much my fruit is. Fruit is healthy and has fiber so it will keep you full. I wouldn't skip it just because you can't weigh it.0 -
Forget the scale. How do your clothes feel? How do YOU feel? Do you notice any difference? Sometimes while our body adjusts, the scale doesn't move but clothes become looser and we have more energy. Also, if you're measuring by the BMI... for 5'2 and 153 lbs, your BMI is roughly at 28g. 'Normal' begins at 24.9g, so 3.1g is SO CLOSE.
Don't get discouraged by a piece of machinery. Push forward for your health, not for a number.2 -
Krissi1330 wrote: »Can you give some more details about your exercise regimen and typical meals?
Here's a typical day:
Breakfast: Kale & 1 egg plus 2 Egg-whites omelette, with one slice of reduced fat swiss, plus coffee with skim milk. 250 caloires (I isually keep my breakfast to a eggs and veggies, sometimes 1/2 piece of toast if I am really hnugry - but usually in the 250 to 350 calorie range).
Lunch at work: Usually
1) A salad from Chipotle: Grilled Chicken, peppers, Salsa, Lettuce, cheese (according to their website calculator, this is a 345 calorie lunch.
or 2) LEftover protein and veggies from home. I measure this, to make sure it's under 400 calories).
My go to snacks - (I'm usually hungry around 3): Simply 100 yogurt, 100 calories cottage cheese cup, 2 laughing cow wedges, or a banana. My snacks usualyl total 200 to 300 calories.
Dinner: Depends, i have a sitter that makes dinner for my kids, and I don't get home until 7:30, but usualyl tureky taco salad, sometimes pasta and a vegetable, sometimes checken and a vegetable.
Not a dessert person, but I eat berries at night if I am hungry.
My calories at the end of the day are usually 1200 to 1500.
Exercise is: About 30 to 40 minutes of walking a day - just with my commute and dog walking.
-1 day per week HOT yoga class.
-3 to 4 days per week beach body videos at home (I have Insanity, Pi-yo and Fit 21). They usually burn between 200 and 400 calories according to my HR monitor.
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Forget the scale. How do your clothes feel? How do YOU feel? Do you notice any difference? Sometimes while our body adjusts, the scale doesn't move but clothes become looser and we have more energy. Also, if you're measuring by the BMI... for 5'2 and 153 lbs, your BMI is roughly at 28g. 'Normal' begins at 24.9g, so 3.1g is SO CLOSE.
Don't get discouraged by a piece of machinery. Push forward for your health, not for a number.
My clothes do feel a little looser, and my BF says I definitely look more toned, I can even see it, but the number not budging on the scale is really bumming me out!0 -
lisaishere wrote: »I actually DO weigh my food and measure it when possible. At work in the office - if I grab a banana from the deli I do not. But that's a good point. Maybe I will skip fruits and get pre-measured things like a simply 100.
Can you keep a scale or bring your scale to the office? That's what I do so I know exactly how much my fruit is. Fruit is healthy and has fiber so it will keep you full. I wouldn't skip it just because you can't weigh it.
That's a good idea.... so frustrating though, that on a hungry day, a banana could put me over the edge and prevent weight loss!0 -
You may be losing inches, even if the scale doesn't budge! Also if you are exercising alot, it's possible to be gaining muscle but more likely that you are eating back too many of the calories you burned. Try cutting it in half, because MFP overestimates calories from exercise or don't log it. Stress can also cause weight gain, so try to relax! Maybe try a yoga class or meditation. Don't worry about Mother's day. It's one meal. Focus on one day at a time! I know for myself, at 5'3 I need to cut carbs in order to really lose weight or exercise alot. It's hard when you are short to lose weight sometimes...you're not alone. Try cutting out bread for the next few days and replace with proteins and healthy fats, fruits, vegetables. The Banana won't make you fat. In fact in Weight Watchers, when I did it many years ago, fruit was unlimited!! It's the unhealthy carbs and processed foods that get you! At least from my experience. Hope this helps.1
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Perhaps you should cut out the fruit and cheese. Replace with broccoli and protein shake.3
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1. Don't beat yourself up. You're a valuable human being who is making a serious effort to improve yourself. That's more than a lot of people can say.
2. I've seen people's weight loss stall from not taking in enough water. No guarantee that's what the problem is, but it's an easy thing to change to see if it helps.
Good luck, and stay positive as much as you can! A good attitude is an important part of a healthy life, too!6 -
diannethegeek wrote: »1. If it's been less than 3 weeks or so, don't sweat it! Normal fluctuations happen and unfortunately sometimes we stall for a week or two even when we're doing everything right. Give your body some time to catch up with the changes you're making....
Thank you for the suggestions! Will try harder. Just need to see some scale results soon!!!0 -
1. Don't beat yourself up. You're a valuable human being who is making a serious effort to improve yourself. That's more than a lot of people can say.
2. I've seen people's weight loss stall from not taking in enough water. No guarantee that's what the problem is, but it's an easy thing to change to see if it helps.
That's interesting! I have never heard that, and that probably is one area I could definitely use some improvement.0 -
Perhaps you should cut out the fruit and cheese. Replace with broccoli and protein shake.
I could give that a try... cheese is my absolute favorite food... so I try to keep in a slice of low-fat cheese in my day, so that I don't feel totally deprived. Deprivation diets have always backfired on me in the past.0 -
lisaishere wrote: »I actually DO weigh my food and measure it when possible. At work in the office - if I grab a banana from the deli I do not. But that's a good point. Maybe I will skip fruits and get pre-measured things like a simply 100.
Or you could bring your premeasured food to work.1 -
ljashley1952 wrote: »I'm 5'2" also, and I find losing hard. I'm only down 3-4 pounds too, but I think I know why. The MFP program could not create a calculation for me to lose weight unless I worked out twice a week. I try to make that happen, but sometimes I fall short. That makes my weight loss stagnant. I don't know how many calories you eat or burn in a day, but I pretty much have to eliminate carbs to get the scale to move. I hate it, but it has always been hard for me to lose much. Losing the extra weight on diet alone doesn't work for me.
I'll second this. I'm 5'2" and I have to mostly eliminate carbs to reach/maintain weight goals. I'm sure the CICO argument is valid, but honestly I can eat a ton of calories from high fat/high protein/low carb and still lose weight, yet gain too much on calorie restricted higher carb diets. That's along with exercise - weight lifting and running.0 -
lisaishere wrote: »I actually DO weigh my food and measure it when possible. At work in the office - if I grab a banana from the deli I do not. But that's a good point. Maybe I will skip fruits and get pre-measured things like a simply 100.
Do you think maybe a better solution might be to get a food scale for the office? Mine was $12 on Amazon.0 -
lisaishere wrote: »I actually DO weigh my food and measure it when possible. At work in the office - if I grab a banana from the deli I do not. But that's a good point. Maybe I will skip fruits and get pre-measured things like a simply 100.
Or you could bring your premeasured food to work.
Yes! I have done this in the past. I am sure that would help. Just have to start setting aside more time on the weekends for food prep!1 -
Krissi1330 wrote: »ljashley1952 wrote: »I'm 5'2" also, and I find losing hard. I'm only down 3-4 pounds too, but I think I know why. The MFP program could not create a calculation for me to lose weight unless I worked out twice a week. I try to make that happen, but sometimes I fall short. That makes my weight loss stagnant. I don't know how many calories you eat or burn in a day, but I pretty much have to eliminate carbs to get the scale to move. I hate it, but it has always been hard for me to lose much. Losing the extra weight on diet alone doesn't work for me.
I'll second this. I'm 5'2" and I have to mostly eliminate carbs to reach/maintain weight goals. I'm sure the CICO argument is valid, but honestly I can eat a ton of calories from high fat/high protein/low carb and still lose weight, yet gain too much on calorie restricted higher carb diets. That's along with exercise - weight lifting and running.ljashley1952 wrote: »I'm 5'2" also, and I find losing hard. I'm only down 3-4 pounds too, but I think I know why. The MFP program could not create a calculation for me to lose weight unless I worked out twice a week. I try to make that happen, but sometimes I fall short. That makes my weight loss stagnant. I don't know how many calories you eat or burn in a day, but I pretty much have to eliminate carbs to get the scale to move. I hate it, but it has always been hard for me to lose much. Losing the extra weight on diet alone doesn't work for me. Working out is difficult because I have knee issues. I just have to do the best I can and if I see any loss at all, I feel like it's progress. You are right, though. I will probably be dead before I reach my goal.
Maybe I will give the low-carb thing a try for a bit to see if I can swing the scale.... anything at this point! I don't eat a ton of carbs or processed food to begin with, but maybe a specific effort to cute them out completely will make the difference. Do you do ATKINS when you go low-carb?0 -
For most of us, we've taken on a new lifestyle that doesn't begin and end with a number on a scale. Having more energy, less pain, better sleep, improved mood are all things that have no connection to a number on a machine. Refocus on things that have improved and you can be a winner without a dramatic weight loss.
Amazingly actual weight loss will sneak up on you while you're living a better life.5 -
lisaishere wrote: »Perhaps you should cut out the fruit and cheese. Replace with broccoli and protein shake.
I could give that a try... cheese is my absolute favorite food... so I try to keep in a slice of low-fat cheese in my day, so that I don't feel totally deprived. Deprivation diets have always backfired on me in the past.
I wouldn't worry about the sliced cheese in the morning or a mini babybel, but skip the cheese at Chipotle, and keep that to a minimum in general...like once a week. When food is prepared in a restaurant, especially in a free hand line type situation like Chipotle, it isn't likely to be in line with the nutrition info that is published. So skip the cheese, stick w/chicken mostly and get any dressing on the side. You can check out a serving of shredded cheese on your food scale at home...see what you get for about 110 calories...then think about how much cheese they put on that salad that is supposed to be only 345 calories.2 -
lisaishere wrote: »Perhaps you should cut out the fruit and cheese. Replace with broccoli and protein shake.
I could give that a try... cheese is my absolute favorite food... so I try to keep in a slice of low-fat cheese in my day, so that I don't feel totally deprived. Deprivation diets have always backfired on me in the past.
I wouldn't worry about the sliced cheese in the morning or a mini babybel, but skip the cheese at Chipotle, and keep that to a minimum in general...like once a week. When food is prepared in a restaurant, especially in a free hand line type situation like Chipotle, it isn't likely to be in line with the nutrition info that is published. So skip the cheese, stick w/chicken mostly and get any dressing on the side. You can check out a serving of shredded cheese on your food scale at home...see what you get for about 110 calories...then think about how much cheese they put on that salad that is supposed to be only 345 calories.
No need at all to give up cheese and fruit. It's all about calories, not where you get them from (for weight loss). But ilex70 has a good point about Chipotle or other fast food restaurants. If I do get fast food and want the cheese, I order it without, bring it home, and put on my own cheese so I can control the portion. Alternatively, order the cheese on the side and weigh it at home.2 -
lisaishere wrote: »Perhaps you should cut out the fruit and cheese. Replace with broccoli and protein shake.
I could give that a try... cheese is my absolute favorite food... so I try to keep in a slice of low-fat cheese in my day, so that I don't feel totally deprived. Deprivation diets have always backfired on me in the past.
I wouldn't worry about the sliced cheese in the morning or a mini babybel, but skip the cheese at Chipotle, and keep that to a minimum in general...like once a week. When food is prepared in a restaurant, especially in a free hand line type situation like Chipotle, it isn't likely to be in line with the nutrition info that is published. So skip the cheese, stick w/chicken mostly and get any dressing on the side. You can check out a serving of shredded cheese on your food scale at home...see what you get for about 110 calories...then think about how much cheese they put on that salad that is supposed to be only 345 calories.
That is a really good point. They probably load it on much thicker than what is published. I am sure there are calories snuck in everywhere. It gives me anxiety every-time I eat away from home!0 -
Krissi1330 wrote: »ljashley1952 wrote: »I'm 5'2" also, and I find losing hard. I'm only down 3-4 pounds too, but I think I know why. The MFP program could not create a calculation for me to lose weight unless I worked out twice a week. I try to make that happen, but sometimes I fall short. That makes my weight loss stagnant. I don't know how many calories you eat or burn in a day, but I pretty much have to eliminate carbs to get the scale to move. I hate it, but it has always been hard for me to lose much. Losing the extra weight on diet alone doesn't work for me.
I'll second this. I'm 5'2" and I have to mostly eliminate carbs to reach/maintain weight goals. I'm sure the CICO argument is valid, but honestly I can eat a ton of calories from high fat/high protein/low carb and still lose weight, yet gain too much on calorie restricted higher carb diets. That's along with exercise - weight lifting and running.
Calorie is a calorie. Body doesn't care if it's from fat, protein or carbs really. Only difference is that low carb can make you lose some water weight... which comes back. And also carb high diet can make you feel hungrier in general. CICO works. Being short doesn't change anything. The only reason to avoid some food group is health issues or personal preference... but it won't have effect on weight loss. If you eat under your TDEE you will be losing weight. And OP is losing weight, only slowly. Which suggests she's eating close to her maintenance calories. There are several possibilities: inaccurate logging, overestimating exercise calories, lower TDEE than calculator assumes for a person of her age and size (health problems- thyroid etc.). For 5'2 sedentary person TDEE can be around 1500... so if there is issue with logging it could easily wipe out exercise deficit. I'm also 5'2, started at 149 now at 132 lbs (in 15 weeks), doing usually 11-13 k steps a day and eat between 1200-1400 kcal a day. If weight is not coming off:
1. Tighten food logging
2. Move more
3. Rule out health issues if you are sure your logging is correct
4. Be patient...4 lbs loss is better than nothing
Good luck!2 -
kmbrooks15 wrote: »What calorie limit are you trying to sustain? Sometimes weight loss can stall if you're not eating enough (sounds weird, I know!).
MFP tells me 1200 net calories to lose 1 pound a week. If I go to sites basedon my BMR, they say that 1200 calories is more like .8 pounds a week. I am finding it to be more like .25 pounds a week! It's soooooo painfully slow!0 -
Stalls happen. If your period is due soon, you could just be retaining water.
And yeah, they frequently give you more food at Chipotle, so I'd try to pack your own lunch as much as possible.1 -
ljashley1952 wrote: »Body doesn't care if it's from fat, protein or carbs really. Only difference is that low carb can make you lose some water weight... which comes back. And also carb high diet can make you feel hungrier in general. CICO works. Being short doesn't change anything. The only reason to avoid some food group is health issues or personal preference... but it won't have effect on weight loss. If you eat under your TDEE you will be losing weight. And OP is losing weight, only slowly. Which suggests she's eating close to her maintenance calories. There are several possibilities: inaccurate logging, overestimating exercise calories, lower TDEE than calculator assumes for a person of her age and size (health problems- thyroid etc.). For 5'2 sedentary person TDEE can be around 1500... so if there is issue with logging it could easily wipe out exercise deficit. I'm also 5'2, started at 149 now at 132 lbs (in 15 weeks), doing usually 11-13 k steps a day and eat between 1200-1400 kcal a day. If weight is not coming off:
1. Tighten food logging
2. Move more
3. Rule out health issues if you are sure your logging is correct
4. Be patient...4 lbs loss is better than nothing
Good luck!
OMG - That alone is motivating! i don thin it's harder for short people... we have less bone mass to moeve around, so less BMR! That amazing for you thought... motivating to hear that it can be done.
I am going to go and get my thyroid checked... hypothyroidism runs in my family. I really feel like I am doing everything right, but the process is painfully slow. But it's true that at least the scale is going in the right direction, even it's been stubbornly slow for the past FOUR WEEKS.1
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