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asilmegan34
asilmegan34 Posts: 256 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Or rather, my diary because I am stuck in a rut and I feel so defeated. I cannot lose weight and I am gaining inches in my stomach area.

Short background:
I've lost 70 pounds in 3 years and I have overcome an ED. I have been doing strictly calorie restriction to lose weight for the last 6 months. I hit a plateau and I was so tired of looking flabby and felt crappy so I started cardio and lifting weights. I've gained weight and have been unable to lose.

Right now I work out 5 days a week, I get in at least 12-15K steps a day (fitbit), and I do 3-4 days a week of strength training with cardio. I feel sore everyday from exertion but I figure that's a good thing.

I feel like my weaknesses are:
- Eating too many carbs
- Not measuring all of my food via digital food scale (just purchased one today)

Does anyone have advice for me to get things moving in the right direction? Should I cut my calorie intake more? Realistically I have 20 pounds left to lose. I do measurements and I have lost 11.5 inches total in various places in 6 weeks but it has drastically plateaued to .5 inch per week if that. My clothes feel tighter in my stomach area and I feel like I look bigger, and my progress pics don't really show much change at all.

Thanks for helping out someone who is totally clueless.
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Replies

  • CattOfTheGarage
    CattOfTheGarage Posts: 2,750 Member
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    What is your height, age, starting weight and goal weight? These things affect your numbers so it's hard to advise without knowing them.
  • CafeRacer808
    CafeRacer808 Posts: 2,396 Member
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    asilmegan34 wrote: »
    - Not measuring all of my food via digital food scale (just purchased one today)

    I suspect this will have the biggest impact on whether or not you start losing weight again. As we get closer to goal weight, logging accurately becomes extremely important. Weigh everything, including packaged or pre-portioned foods like crackers, bagels, slices of bread or bacon, etc. Do this consistently and I'm fairly certain the scale will start to move.
  • asilmegan34
    asilmegan34 Posts: 256 Member
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    CattOfTheGarage wrote: »
    What is your height, age, starting weight and goal weight? These things affect your numbers so it's hard to advise without knowing them.

    My height is 5'10
    SW: 270
    GW: 180
    CW: 200

    I was at 185 back in December but got on Prozac and I gained 15 pounds. I dont want to blame the medicine as I know I ate really crappy in December. And once I gained the weight, I decided to do cardio and weights instead of just trying to be skinny flabby.
  • asilmegan34
    asilmegan34 Posts: 256 Member
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    andrea4736 wrote: »
    asilmegan34 wrote: »
    Or rather, my diary because I am stuck in a rut and I feel so defeated. I cannot lose weight and I am gaining inches in my stomach area.

    Short background:
    I've lost 70 pounds in 3 years and I have overcome an ED. I have been doing strictly calorie restriction to lose weight for the last 6 months. I hit a plateau and I was so tired of looking flabby and felt crappy so I started cardio and lifting weights. I've gained weight and have been unable to lose.

    Right now I work out 5 days a week, I get in at least 12-15K steps a day (fitbit), and I do 3-4 days a week of strength training with cardio. I feel sore everyday from exertion but I figure that's a good thing.

    I feel like my weaknesses are:
    - Eating too many carbs
    - Not measuring all of my food via digital food scale (just purchased one today)

    Does anyone have advice for me to get things moving in the right direction? Should I cut my calorie intake more? Realistically I have 20 pounds left to lose. I do measurements and I have lost 11.5 inches total in various places in 6 weeks but it has drastically plateaued to .5 inch per week if that. My clothes feel tighter in my stomach area and I feel like I look bigger, and my progress pics don't really show much change at all.

    Thanks for helping out someone who is totally clueless.

    The food scale will most likely help a lot as it is really easy to misjudge how much you are eating. If you are sore from strength training, you are most likely retaining water. If your profile pic is current, you look great! Weight loss slows drastically the closer you get to goal.

    It's current as of today, so thank you!
  • asilmegan34
    asilmegan34 Posts: 256 Member
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    CafeRacer808 wrote: »
    asilmegan34 wrote: »
    - Not measuring all of my food via digital food scale (just purchased one today)

    I suspect this will have the biggest impact on whether or not you start losing weight again. As we get closer to goal weight, logging accurately becomes extremely important. Weigh everything, including packaged or pre-portioned foods like crackers, bagels, slices of bread or bacon, etc. Do this consistently and I'm fairly certain the scale will start to move.

    I agree. I came across a post on here where someone showed the difference of the serving size of bagels for nutrition facts on the bag versus the scale, and it was off by a decent margin. I dont use condiments much because of this, because I am way too lazy to get an accurate measurement so I'd rather just not eat it.
  • aflane
    aflane Posts: 625 Member
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    Once you start using a food scale, you'll find it gets easier and easier. At first, it's kind of tedious, but in no time at all, it becomes a breeze. I can get my breakfast and lunch measured out before my tea is ready. Lately, I've started to make a game of it.... how close to 85 grams (1 serving) is this handful of carrots? When I nail it on the first try, it gives me a strange sense of accomplishment.

    As everyone said, the food scale will make a huge difference, and you might not need a caloric adjustment at this time.
  • Tacklewasher
    Tacklewasher Posts: 7,122 Member
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    aflane wrote: »
    Lately, I've started to make a game of it.... how close to 85 grams (1 serving) is this handful of carrots? When I nail it on the first try, it gives me a strange sense of accomplishment.

    I'm good with my snap peas, but not so good with the baby carrots. Takes way fewer than I though to hit 85g.



  • aflane
    aflane Posts: 625 Member
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    I LOVE my snap peas... eating them now. <lol>
  • VintageFeline
    VintageFeline Posts: 6,771 Member
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    It's not going to be your carb intake but your food intake overall. Getting more accurate with your logging will likely get things moving again.
  • clambert1273
    clambert1273 Posts: 840 Member
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    My diary is open if you ever need/want to look... ignore the repetitiveness LOL I was offline here for a bit so this last week is up to date and if you flip back to Aug/Sep last year... Are you doing a progressive lifting program? If so, I would research eating to a macro count (this is what I do) and it is much easier and a steady state of calories every day.

    The food scale will be your primary weapon :)
  • sllm1
    sllm1 Posts: 2,114 Member
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    You look great.

    Food scale is a must.
  • GainWisdom2CherishWhatMatters
    GainWisdom2CherishWhatMatters Posts: 1 Member
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    Megan, u look gr8. U don't need to lose more. Focus on maintenance-exercise & eating habits u can follow for YRS to come. Depriving urself, spending so much time exercising, weighing & recording food, etc. can't leave much time for "life" that comes up. A stressful event/setback, a sick family member/friend who needs u, chronic ongoing stress with work, relationship, or another issue--this could upend ur strict regimen & send u back into the arms of comfort food & stopping exercise altogether. Check out OA Anon (good podcasts) or fitwoman.com (GreenMountain) - good perspective & wisdom for stress eaters, etc. who struggle against having their weight rule their world. Stay strong, inside & out. Believe in urself, & don't let ur weight define who you are.
  • asilmegan34
    asilmegan34 Posts: 256 Member
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    Thank you!
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 27,906 Member
    edited February 2017
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    asilmegan34 wrote: »
    CattOfTheGarage wrote: »
    What is your height, age, starting weight and goal weight? These things affect your numbers so it's hard to advise without knowing them.

    My height is 5'10
    SW: 270
    GW: 180
    CW: 200

    I was at 185 back in December but got on Prozac and I gained 15 pounds. I dont want to blame the medicine as I know I ate really crappy in December. And once I gained the weight, I decided to do cardio and weights instead of just trying to be skinny flabby.

    I hated Prozac. It gave me anxiety attacks. I take Wellbutrin now and like it a lot better.

    Good for you for not blaming the medication. However, with so many anti-depressants available, why not work with your doctor to find one that does not increase your appetite?

    Also, with only 20 pounds to lose it's going to be very slow.

    Where are you in your menstrual cycle? Might you have some premenstrual bloat going on right now?
  • asilmegan34
    asilmegan34 Posts: 256 Member
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    kshama2001 wrote: »
    asilmegan34 wrote: »
    CattOfTheGarage wrote: »
    What is your height, age, starting weight and goal weight? These things affect your numbers so it's hard to advise without knowing them.

    My height is 5'10
    SW: 270
    GW: 180
    CW: 200

    I was at 185 back in December but got on Prozac and I gained 15 pounds. I dont want to blame the medicine as I know I ate really crappy in December. And once I gained the weight, I decided to do cardio and weights instead of just trying to be skinny flabby.

    I hated Prozac. It gave me anxiety attacks. I take Wellbutrin now and like it a lot better.

    Good for you for not blaming the medication. However, with so many anti-depressants available, why not work with your doctor to find one that does not increase your appetite?

    Also, with only 20 pounds to lose it's going to be very slow.

    Where are you in your menstrual cycle? Might you have some premenstrual bloat going on right now?

    Actually I am on Prozac because I have Pre Menstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD). I get really bad bloating during this time, to the point where I have to wear different bras. Last cycle I made sure to cut out my caffeine and try to keep carbs a little lower as well as sodium and it helped slightly.I just came out of my cycle so where my measurements are now, are pretty spot on.

  • asilmegan34
    asilmegan34 Posts: 256 Member
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    anyone else have any insight?
  • VeryKatie
    VeryKatie Posts: 5,933 Member
    edited February 2017
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    I actually think you're already moving in the right direction to solve the mystery by buying the food scale. It will show you what you need to know about your calorie intake!

    The other thing I can suggest is to look at your exercise calories. Are you inputting the MFP or a heartrate or Fitbit calculation? Those all tend to be too high. Are you eating back all of your exercise calories?

    What kind of strength exercises do you do?

    Also, at your height and weight, you might want to try reducing your calorie intake by 100 or so again. You can decrease it slowly to see how that affects your weight (such as reducing your daily goal by 100 cals every couple of weeks and see how that affects your weight loss). Probably not below 1500 though, plus eating back 50% of your exercise calories.
  • kimny72
    kimny72 Posts: 16,013 Member
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    asilmegan34 wrote: »
    anyone else have any insight?

    Food scale. You really can't know exactly what the problem is until you're sure your diary is accurate. Commit to using the food scale for everything possible for 2 weeks. I bet in that time the answer will pop right out at you. Whether or not you are losing weight depends on your calories. Also, with 20 lbs left you will prob start to lose slower, and smaller fat losses can easily be hidden on the scale by water weight fluctuations. It may take 2 or 3 weeks at a time to see the losses taking place show up on the scale.
  • laceyslabaugh
    laceyslabaugh Posts: 113 Member
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    Definitely food scale! What I thought was an ounce - was NOT even close!

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