Nothing working, close to despair

ckfromedmonton · September 2016

I am a repeat mfp person. Never been really heavy but since the onset of perimenopause and now menopause, there is 10-15 pounds I simply can't lose. I am petite - 5' 2.5 and very small frame.

I work with a very good personal trainer 2x week doing strength training ( been working with a trainer for 13 years). I also swim 2x week, 30-40 minutes. I run 5k on Saturdays with stairs (2 sets). And Sunday's I do yin yoga ( sometimes vinyasa on Weednesdays). So I am active for a sedentary person.

I never ever eat junk ( every once in a while I give in and have a biscotti). I eat at home mostly. Clean. Protein every meal, lots of fresh veg. I drink sparingly.

For a month I have been tracking on mfp ( I weigh and measure most foods so am sure I am not underestimating). I eat 1000-1100 calories a day , which is low but I am tiny and I wasn't losing on 1200.

I went to see my naturopath who will test my hormones. I know my DHea and cortisol are low they have been for years.

I sleep well, I love my job, in a commited long distance relationship. My stress is ok, see a shrink have been seeing him for 8 years.

HELP. I could get rid of 1 tsp maple syrup at breakfast, eliminate alcohol completely. I already eat almost no sugar, virtually no wheat.

ummijaaz560 · September 2016

Awe

you sound very sad OP? Its going to be fine cheer up. How about you open your diary so we can see how you log everyday?

Do you have any other fitness goals besides losing those pounds? I find that when I focus on being fitter and relax about losing the weight loss happens in time.

Dano74 · September 2016

Frustrating! What does your trainer say about all this? I'm kind of like, trainer can't get you there... huh? Not doubting their awesomeness- just seems there's a disconnect?

That said, with your activity, a reduction of calorie isn't going to do you any good but make your metabolism even slower over the long haul.

So how about this 10-15 lbs. What's your goal, beyond a number on the scale that measures your gravity against the earth? What does that 10-15 lbs. do for you? Taking you to an aesthetic level you're wanting to achieve?

CoffeeNCardio · September 2016

99% of the time on here, if you're not losing at low calorie setting, it's because you're eating more than you think and just not logging well. I'm not saying that to be mean, it's out of a sincere desire to help you solve the problem so you can reach your goals.

1. Are you using measuring cups and spoons or are you using a food scale?
2. Are you weighing same time every day?
3. Are you barcode scanning your foods or just picking whatever pops up in the search on MFP?
4. If the latter from above, are you picking the green check marked items? Are you verifying against the package?

AS ummijaaz560 said, you'll get a lot of helpful and useful advice if you change your diary settings to "public" so people can have a look and see where the issue is. It's not about shaming your food choices, it's about scrutinizing the MFP database hings you're clicking to see if they are accurate or if they are hurting your progress.

CoffeeNCardio · September 2016

Another potential problem could be how you are logging your exercise. MFP, as well as other sites, way overblow the calorie burns from exercise. It'll tell you something stupid like you burned 500 calories, when realistically it's probably closer to 200. How are you tracking your work outs? Are you using an activity tracker like fitbit? Or are you just plugging the info into MFP? Are you eating back most or all of your added exercise calories?

Aaron_K123 · September 2016

That "final 10 pounds" is often a matter of muscle and not fat, meaning that "final 10 pounds" look can come from being low muscle while basically having gotten rid of almost all if not all non-essential fat.

With that said have you considered possibly eating more and attempting to gain some weight in the form of muscle by continuing your lifting regimin (maybe lifting heavy) and adding calories so you are a bit above your maintenance level?

I say this simply because you sound like you are already at a healthy weight so this is about your body shape and vanity (not meant in an offensive way, vanity isn't bad really). Getting that "toned" look is typically a matter of gaining weight and adding some muscle, not losing that last 10 pounds.

Its possible that weight loss isn't the solution, its a controlled weight gain that would help...just wondering if you have considered that possibility. If you have a personal trainer perhaps ask them about your diet, your caloric intake, and whether or not it might be good to try to stop losing weight and instead work on muscle building.

ogtmama · September 2016

ckfromedmonton wrote: »

I am a repeat mfp person. Never been really heavy but since the onset of perimenopause and now menopause, there is 10-15 pounds I simply can't lose. I am petite - 5' 2.5 and very small frame.

I work with a very good personal trainer 2x week doing strength training ( been working with a trainer for 13 years). I also swim 2x week, 30-40 minutes. I run 5k on Saturdays with stairs (2 sets). And Sunday's I do yin yoga ( sometimes vinyasa on Weednesdays). So I am active for a sedentary person.

I never ever eat junk ( every once in a while I give in and have a biscotti). I eat at home mostly. Clean. Protein every meal, lots of fresh veg. I drink sparingly.

For a month I have been tracking on mfp ( I weigh and measure most foods so am sure I am not underestimating). I eat 1000-1100 calories a day , which is low but I am tiny and I wasn't losing on 1200.

I went to see my naturopath who will test my hormones. I know my DHea and cortisol are low they have been for years.

I sleep well, I love my job, in a commited long distance relationship. My stress is ok, see a shrink have been seeing him for 8 years.

HELP. I could get rid of 1 tsp maple syrup at breakfast, eliminate alcohol completely. I already eat almost no sugar, virtually no wheat.

How tiny?

GauchoMark · September 2016

One thing you didn't tell us is how much you weigh and how often you weigh. More specifically, for the past month that you have been carefully tracking, what did you weigh when you started and what do you weigh now? Ideally, you would weigh daily during that month so you can get a decent trend.

Here is a problem - if you really do maintain at 1200 calories and you are set at 1100 calories, that is only targeting 0.2 lb/wk. If you go for a month, that is only a 0.8 lb loss in a month. The error measurement of bathroom scales is really unable to measure that kind of change with one or two measurements - you need a lot of data to overcome the error.

It could be that you are doing just fine, but you just can't measure it.

MissusMoon · September 2016

CoffeeNCardio wrote: »

99% of the time on here, if you're not losing at low calorie setting, it's because you're eating more than you think and just not logging well. I'm not saying that to be mean, it's out of a sincere desire to help you solve the problem so you can reach your goals.

1. Are you using measuring cups and spoons or are you using a food scale?
2. Are you weighing same time every day?
3. Are you barcode scanning your foods or just picking whatever pops up in the search on MFP?
4. If the latter from above, are you picking the green check marked items? Are you verifying against the package?

AS ummijaaz560 said, you'll get a lot of helpful and useful advice if you change your diary settings to "public" so people can have a look and see where the issue is. It's not about shaming your food choices, it's about scrutinizing the MFP database hings you're clicking to see if they are accurate or if they are hurting your progress.

All of this.

And honestly, I'd go to a real doctor to have tests run. You're going to get a lot of unsubstantiated woo at a naturepath.

Alamo0809 · September 2016

I agree that the calorie counts are iffy no matter where they come from. I am also 5 ft. and 65 yrs old. I dropped to 900 calories at one point and had minimal success except that I was very successful at becoming light in the head and had difficulty concentrating. There was a BBC series about weight loss and there are reasons that some of us need a more controlled diet. If you google "BBC low responders weight loss research" you might be able to find the programs. It might give you some direction. I would look into research based programs because there are reasons some of us struggle more than others and simple calorie counting is not the solution. I wish it was... it would be so much easier.

11Templars · September 2016

Hi @ckfromedmonton, If you've been paying a personal trainer for 2+ years and they can't figure this out or point you in the right direction then you might want to look for someone new. Just sayin..

I'd be happy to help (as I'm sure are plenty of ppl on here).

Let's look at a few things here:

You're only eating 1000-1100 cals a day? Every day, 7 days a week? That's a tough job. Does this include "earned calories"?

@CoffeeNCardio suggested; "earned cals" are highly fluffed up. I would stick to eating 1/2 of any earned calories. Also, I would submit that easily %75 of ppl are eating more then they think.

How's your water intake? Should be a min. of 1 litre a day, more is better.

How are your energy levels? If you are legitimately only eating 1100 cal a day and doing cardio as you suggested, and eating no more 300 earned cals a day and you still cannot lose wight I would consider getting your Thyroid checked out, and not from a Natural Path. From your family Dr.

Based on what you've said; if accurate; your body would be in "Starvation Mode". So something clearly is amiss..

ckfromedmonton · September 2016

Seeing naturopath, checking hormone levels, I know I am not a scientific marvel but I am very commited to losing and have hit this wall so many times. Trained for and ran a half marathon and lost zilch. Thanks for your response. Will stick to it,

ckfromedmonton · September 2016

Thanks to all!

CattOfTheGarage · September 2016

Are you sure you need to lose it? What's your BMI? Remember it is normal to increase in weight with age, some fat can be protective for women in later life. Check your BMI against a calculator that takes account of age as well as gender. If you are in the healthy range but just not happy with how you look, strength training might work better for you than weight loss.

JustMissTracy · September 2016

I'm the same height as you, 47 years old, and am still losing eating, weighing and logging between 1500 and 1800 (sometimes more) every day. I'd say there's something not right with your logging. Are you weighing your food? How are you determining your daily burns? Is there a chance that you no longer need to lose any more weight, maybe just need to recomp?

If you are weighing your food properly, tracking your activity and logging, and still not losing weight on such a low number, I think you should go see your doctor and see if something else isn't going on (not a naturopath!!).

xperiencerage · September 2016

What about doing cardio first thing in the morning with an empty stomach? Remember to have food ready cause you'll feel weak after you are done. Take the number 220 and subtract your age. Then multiply by .6 and .8. The numbers you get is the heart rate you need to get to lose the most fat possible. For example, I'm 20 years old so if I subtracted 20 from 220 and multiplied by .6 and .8 I'd get 120 and 160. If I stay bet those two I burn the most fat I can that's also healthy.

RobD520 · September 2016

OP has not posted her weight. I am curious as to whether she is actually overweight.

joans1976 · September 2016

OP, I do t have any advice to offer but good for you for sticking with a personal trainer as you get older. So many of us women lose weight but forget about the benefits for our bones and hearts for the long term with strength training. Myself included.

Packerjohn · September 2016

xperiencerage wrote: »

What about doing cardio first thing in the morning with an empty stomach? Remember to have food ready cause you'll feel weak after you are done. Take the number 220 and subtract your age. Then multiply by .6 and .8. The numbers you get is the heart rate you need to get to lose the most fat possible. For example, I'm 20 years old so if I subtracted 20 from 220 and multiplied by .6 and .8 I'd get 120 and 160. If I stay bet those two I burn the most fat I can that's also healthy.

Fasted cardio and "the fat burning zone" are both myths, similar to unicorns.

JenniferNoll · September 2016

As active as you are, it may be that those 10-15 pounds are supposed to be there. I don't know your weight or BMI, but if your doctor says you are at a healthy weight for your age and height, perhaps you should go into maintenance. Keep working out and eating healthy, but stop beating yourself up.

peggyyaeger9 · September 2016

Have you had your thyroid function tested? I have hypothyroidism and even with medication I have a very difficult time losing weight, although it is not impossible. Before medication, no amount of diet and exercise would bring my weight down. Get it checked and don't give up!

muffinsandcakes · September 2016

Please dear..... do not despair

things take time be patient. What works is eating nurturing foods in a slight calorie deficit!! Without banning certain food types so you are suffering .. please dear do not quit just stay and keep pushing till you start seeing results

best wishes

Colorscheme · September 2016

I think everyone missed this part of the OPs post:

For a month I have been tracking on mfp ( I weigh and measure most foods so am sure I am not underestimating). I eat 1000-1100 calories a day , which is low but I am tiny and I wasn't losing on 1200.

My guess? you're not losing weight because you're not accurately weighing and measuring everything. Little bites here and there add up and if you're small and close to goal then you have almost no margin of error.

ckfromedmonton · September 2016

I do weigh and measure my food. Good scale good measuring cups. I have been trying to follow the food plan from food adduct's annonynous just because it's easy. 1 oz oats, 6 oz fruit, 3 oz Greek yogurt for breakfast and both lunch and dinner require 4 oz animal protein, 6 oz veg and 6 oz cooked veg 1 tbs olive oil 1 tbs balsamic. Switch up veg and meat.

Sometimes I have scrambled eggs for lunch with salad. Sometimes I go to friends snd don't bring my food scale so I have to guess.

It's boring but I don't mind too much. The macros make it fairly high fat (40%) but that's the olive oil. 30 protein, 30 carbs.

I add apple and sometimes almond butter for snack and drink coffee with cream and sometimes a glass of wine but that doesn't put me over.

I am 5' 2.5" 131 lbs. so yes, healthy weight; it's for sure vanity driving this. But I am Apple shape so no clothes fit.

I am not tired or light headed.

Ok won't despair. Thanks everyone, I'll keep you posted.

Colorscheme · September 2016

Do you weigh and measure ALL of your food? You say you weigh and measure most, then you say you weigh and measure food. And then you mention measuring cups. That tells me you're not being a hundred percent accurate and that is the most likely culprit.

kshama2001 · September 2016

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

xperiencerage · September 2016

[/quote]

Fasted cardio and "the fat burning zone" are both myths, similar to unicorns.[/quote]

[quote="Packerjohn;37720252"

It works for me love. Can't call it myth if it works.

wishfuljune · September 2016

It sounds like you are doing a lot of things correct: i.e., weighing your food using a food scale. You have a good food regimen in place that is split pretty evenly among your macronutrients. I hope your naturopath helps you figure out if there is some other issue that is blocking your success.

The only thing I might suggest (and I believe others have on this thread) is maybe working with your personal trainer to come up with another plan. Maybe, increasing your strength training from 2x a week, to 3-4 days a week? You're at a great weight for your height that it might just be losing some stubborn body fat and adding on more lean muscle which will help you achieve your goals.

Good luck!

CoffeeNCardio · September 2016

xperiencerage wrote: »

It works for me love. Can't call it myth if it works.

Can't call it fact based on anecdote either.

ogtmama · September 2016

You are my height and goal weight...maybe instead of focusing on losing weight, you should move your calories closer to maintenance and do recomp. You'll LOOK leaner and be stronger and healthier. that's all that matters, right?

Aaron_K123 · September 2016

xperiencerage wrote: »

Fasted cardio and "the fat burning zone" are both myths, similar to unicorns.

Packerjohn wrote: »

It works for me love. Can't call it myth if it works.

There is a difference between something working and understanding the reason something works. Pumping your legs up and down really fast will burn calories and assist in weight loss. If someone pumps their legs up and down fast to lose weight because they believe that it pleases the Gods and the Gods in their glory will grant them weight loss and then they preach that belief and deny that it is a myth by stating "well it worked for me so you can't call it a myth" you can understand the flaw in that logic right?

Just because something works for you doesn't mean the reason you think it works is true. When people say its a myth what they are refering to is the idea that there is some spefic band of heart rate that you need to stay within to burn fat and if you are below or above that you do not burn fat.

Nothing working, close to despair

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