I feel hopeless about losing weight

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rdiamondmfp
rdiamondmfp Posts: 8 Member
edited August 2016 in Health and Weight Loss
A little background: I've struggled with my weight since puberty. When I was 19, my mom and I joined Curves, and I lost 40 lbs in about 4 months using their diet program as well as working out there 3 times a week.

I kept the weight off, give or take a few pounds, for six years, including living abroad for 6 months and not really watching what I ate (though I did work out while there, and walked a lot.)

Cut to about two years ago. I was dating my now-fiance and decided to go on birth control. I chose Lo Loestrin because my mom and sister are on it and have had no issues. But I had a ton. Despite being on anti-depressants, the Pill made me suicidal. It also made me gain weight like crazy. I wasn't eating any differently than I had before, but I gained at least 20 lbs; I'll accept blame for the additional ten. I switched over to a copper IUD last October and stopped gaining weight immediately.

Since then, I go to the gym 5 times a week, where I lift weights and so treadmill interval training. I eat fewer than 1400 calories every day. I drink so much water that i spend half the day in the bathroom. And I haven't lost a pound.

I hate how I look and feel. After trying to get used to my slimmer body, I now have to get used to being overweight again. Plus, my fiance rarely exercises and eats more poorly than I do and he's lost like 25 lbs since Dec. I know he's a guy and its different, but it's like he loses weight when I go to the gym.

I've been contacting nutritionists to try and figure out what's wrong, but I'm so frustrated.

EDIT: I realize stats might be helpful. I'm 5'3". My lowest adult weight was 137. Right now, I'm 185.

Replies

  • daniip_la
    daniip_la Posts: 678 Member
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    Are you weighing/measuring everything you eat and choosing accurate entries from the database? I understand it's frustrating to not lose weight, but if you're in a calorie deficit, you will lose weight.
  • rdiamondmfp
    rdiamondmfp Posts: 8 Member
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    Yes, I'm measuring everything and scanning barcodes as well.
  • queenliz99
    queenliz99 Posts: 15,317 Member
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    Only measure liquids with cups and spoons but you need to weigh your solids. The things with barcodes can be off as much 20%, they especially need weighing.
  • StaciMarie1974
    StaciMarie1974 Posts: 4,138 Member
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    Measuring solid foods with cups is not accurate unfortunately, as a 'cup' of X may not mean you should fill the cup to the line. That is why there are gram measurements on practically all solid food. Things settle, so how much you fit in a cup each time will vary. Go by grams.

    Also scanning by barcodes is not always reliable unless you're weighing as well. Bread for example may say something like 1 serving = 70g = 130 calories. But typically will weigh 77-80g for 10% or more overage. Those little things add up.
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
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    How much packaged food do you eat? Asking because labels can be 30% off PLUS some things weigh more than what the package says.
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 27,988 Member
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    There are mistakes that people commonly make that cause them to not lose weight that we might be able to spot if you change your Diary Sharing settings to Public: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/account/diary_settings
  • rdiamondmfp
    rdiamondmfp Posts: 8 Member
    edited August 2016
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    My settings are changed!

    And I don't eat much prepackaged food.
  • GrnEyes839
    GrnEyes839 Posts: 74 Member
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    feel free to add me, Ive been there!
  • AmberSpamber
    AmberSpamber Posts: 391 Member
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    Are you eating 1400 Calories before or after working out, because I can't loose on that amount. I have to get in at least 1700 on the days I work out, or the scale wont budge... You may want to try increasing to see if that helps. You gotta fill up the tank for a road trip, so fuel your bod ;)
  • diannethegeek
    diannethegeek Posts: 14,776 Member
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    You've logged 11 out of the 30 days I looked at. Where's the rest of your food log?
  • rdiamondmfp
    rdiamondmfp Posts: 8 Member
    edited August 2016
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    @AmberSpamber , before.

    @diannethegeek I had a bomb dropped on me the last two weeks (wedding might bw off) so I haven't been logging as much as I wanted to.
  • rdiamondmfp
    rdiamondmfp Posts: 8 Member
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    IF eating more is what I need to do, how do you increase your calories healthfully? Things like nuts? Obviously I could increase it with ice cream, but I don't think that's the idea ;p
  • MalkinMagic71
    MalkinMagic71 Posts: 1,433 Member
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    Eating more is not going to cause you to lose weight. It just doesn't work that way.
  • RoxieDawn
    RoxieDawn Posts: 15,488 Member
    edited August 2016
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    MalkinMagic71 wrote: »
    Eating more is not going to cause you to lose weight. It just doesn't work that way.

    Agreed.

    It took me a while and I finally picked on 10 days of logging in the past thirty. 20 days out of thirty is more than 2 weeks of not logging.

    First all, get consistent. Use a food scale along with MFP for your logging! Use these two tools and you will see sucess. Other than that, I see nothing else to do but be patient, diligent and consistent with the process.

    You do this everyday and you will have great sucess.
  • diannethegeek
    diannethegeek Posts: 14,776 Member
    edited August 2016
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    rdiamondmfp wrote: »
    @AmberSpamber , before.

    @diannethegeek I had a bomb dropped on me the last two weeks (wedding might bw off) so I haven't been logging as much as I wanted to.

    I'm very sorry to hear you're going through that and it's not easy to lose weight when so much is going on in your life. But even if we ignore the last two weeks and look only at June, you're still missing 9 out of 30 days in the month. That's a third of the month that's not logged and I hope that a lot of the days you are logging you're only logging part of what you ate because there were an awful lot of 800-900 calorie days in June. Unfortunately, it's really easy for us as humans to overeat by just a little when we aren't tracking well.

    *edited because calendars are hard and I forgot which month we're in.
  • AJF230
    AJF230 Posts: 81 Member
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    Any time you want to accomplish something in life, it takes persistence, and dedication. You have to stick with it. Winners fail, the difference is they don't stop trying. OK, we've all heard those before, but its true.
    Have you spoken to your doctor about being tested for metabolic issues? If you have an undiagnosed thyroid issue or other thing going on, that can really complicate things. And knowing about it means it can be addressed and get you on your path to success.
  • teetertatertango
    teetertatertango Posts: 229 Member
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    Sounds like you are under quite a bit of stress now. Are you able to commit to the process of losing weight right now? If not, it's OK for it not to be a priority but be honest about it. It's very easy to let things slide a bit (unconsciously) even if you think you are eating the same things, unless you are weighing/logging consistently, and this takes a certain amount of focus and time.

    If it is something you can prioritize--weigh everything you eat and log consistently, every single day, for a month, and I bet you will be happier with what you see.
  • rdiamondmfp
    rdiamondmfp Posts: 8 Member
    edited August 2016
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    @teetertatertango I've been under a lot of stress for the last almost-year.I've been fired three times since last August for reasons that in any state other than PA would be illegal (a made up reason, "you don't like it", and the last one couldn't think of a reason when I asked.) Money is incredibly tight, getting unployment has been a nightmare- it took 3 months the first time because the company lied to the point of being audited. I've been to court with them over it 3 times, won each time.

    However, when I wasn't employed, I used that time to go to the gym. Now I have a job and I hit the gym on the way home.

    @AJF230 my obgyn wants me to get my thyroid tested, but I haven't been able to yet- no insurance until last month, since I'm 26. So now that I'm employed again, looking to do that and meet with a nutritionist.
  • rdiamondmfp
    rdiamondmfp Posts: 8 Member
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    @diannethegeek the days on June that have dinner included are all correct. As you can see, I mostly ate watermelon. Its not me forgetting stuff, that's what I ate that day.
  • AmberSpamber
    AmberSpamber Posts: 391 Member
    edited August 2016
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    People are misguided when it comes to calories and often think that eating more will prevent them from losing. If you are not working out, then that is the case, but since you are, you need to fuel your body more. If you're eating 1400 calories daily before you workout, and then you workout and burn 350 how many calories does that leave you with? 1050. That is NOT enough to fuel your body. I used to do the exact same thing and finally learned about TDEE. Once I figured out that I wasn't eating enough calories, I started loosing. I eat 1400 on the days I do not work out. I eat 1700 on the days I do workout. As I mentioned, I have a desk job, so if I were more active I would need more food. Read this post http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/931670/bmr-and-tdee-explained-for-those-needing-a-guide/p1 It is what made the light click for me and it made me change my way of thinking.
    I add in extra calories with things like nut butters, and eggs... Protein rich foods. Hope this helps!

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