Why am I not losing weight??!

deanna71382
deanna71382 Posts: 17 Member
edited September 30 in Motivation and Support
Today I cried, I cried because I have been struggling to lose weight for a while now. I don't understand why I can't even lose a pound. Recently, I worked out for 2 weeks straight burning 600-1000 cals a day in working out alone and sticking to only healthy foods and staying at 1200 cals or under and I lost A pound in those 2 weeks. Well, I decided to take a day off from working out as I was getting burned out, I had one "cheat" meal and a couple low cal alcoholic drinks and the next day I weighed myself and it said I had gained 3 1/2 lbs. Well, now 3 days later I STILL weigh 3 1/2 pounds more. I don't understand how this is possible, why is it so hard for me to lose weight? It's hard for me to stay positive and motivated when this happens to me. Today, it really hit me hard and I cried because of it. It seems like others lose weight so easily while I struggle so hard. I have only 4 weeks left till my vacation in Florida and I'm so depressed that I don't even want to go anymore. What am I doing wrong? Why can't I lose weight even when I work my butt off?? :(
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Replies

  • RainyDayKelli
    RainyDayKelli Posts: 85 Member
    Sounds to me like you're not eating ENOUGH. You've got to eat at least 1200, plus a bit more to make up for all that exercise. You may have entered starvation mode.
  • _Sally_
    _Sally_ Posts: 514 Member
    If you want some thoughtful/informed opinions, you can make your diary viewable so we can see if there is anything we would recommend tweaking.

    Yes, it can be frustrating. Hang in there!

    {btw- you will likely get lots of opinions that you are not eating enough calories, based on info in your posting}
  • SueInAz
    SueInAz Posts: 6,592 Member
    Quite frankly, you're eating too little. 1200 calories - 1000 calories = 200 calories a day to feed your body. And you're wondering why it's holding on to every pound? Eat more. If you feel like you can't eat more, then exercise less. You need to eat at least 1200 net calories every day. NET calories which is calories eaten minus exercise calories.

    Sorry to be so blunt, and I'm not trying to be harsh by saying the above, but MFP tells you to eat all of those calories for a reason. You don't need to eat back every exercise calorie you burn but you do need to stay over 1200 NET. Every day.
  • kimbux
    kimbux Posts: 154 Member
    I feel your pain.... 1) Don't weigh yourself every day. 2) Are you netting 1200 calories (eating your exercise points) - you need to make sure you are eating enough. I see this issue so many times where people are working their butts off but not eating enough and getting frustrated. 3) WHAT are you eating? Low-fat/no-fat items are filled with sugar - and that will cause weight gain.

    Good Luck - Don't give up - it takes time :)
  • thetrishwarp
    thetrishwarp Posts: 838 Member
    Are you EATIN 1200 calories or NETTING 1200 calories? There's a huge difference, especially if you burn so many calories working out. You really should be eating closer to 2000 calories if you're burning what you say you are.
  • FinalOutrage
    FinalOutrage Posts: 77
    If you are only eating a max 1200 calories a day and burning 1000 then your body is only getting 200 a day. Your body is in starvation mode and is going to hold on to what you consume. You should be eating 2,000 a day if you burn what you say.
  • meli_medina
    meli_medina Posts: 594 Member
    You shouldn't be eating any less than 1200 calories, ever, unless otherwise specified by a doctor. If you're burning 1000 cals in a workout, but only eating 1190 calories, that gives your body 190 calories to work with for the whole rest of the day... and if you don't have a whole lot to lose, it will freak your body right out and send it into starvation mode, which will make it hold as much fat as it can get.

    Up your cals for a couple of weeks. Let your body stabilize. Then you will start to lose weight again.
  • LindseyDD
    LindseyDD Posts: 160 Member
    Eat more - increase your calories to 1600-1800 and I bet you drop 5 pounds pretty quick. I was doing the same thing when I first started and gained 3 lbs - my body thought I was starving it. Increased my calories and dropped 5 pounds in 2 days. I know it is hard when we are told to eat less all the time, but when you are working out your body need more. Give it a try for a week or so, if still no luck try something else, you need to change things around until you find what works for you! Good luck!
  • drrif
    drrif Posts: 28
    Hi Deanna its not possible to gain 3 1/2lbs so fast. I pound = 3500Kcals. So you could not have eaten more than 10,000Kcals extra in a few days. My weight varies up and down every day. So I only count what I measure on Sunday as the REAL trend.
  • SirPhoenix
    SirPhoenix Posts: 2
    If you're burning that many calories, and keeping your caloric intake that low, you could always be converting fat to muscle based upon what your workout consists of. Muscle weighs more than fat, so that would explain why you're not losing weight. A good way to check yourself is to include your measurements in your weekly checks. That way, if you do go up a pound (not uncommon), but you lose an inch or two, you know that your gain is a postive gain and not a negative one.

    There is more to nutrition and fitness than losing weight!
  • Julijulz
    Julijulz Posts: 119 Member
    Also, I have had that problem before. Have you considered taking your measurements. When you convert fat to muscle, you may not see a change in weight, but you can in measurements. You need to not focus so much on the number. As hard as it is, because it was hard for me, what counts is inches, not that number on the scale. :)
  • tmiqueen
    tmiqueen Posts: 254 Member
    If you're getting less than 1200, your body cannot properly function and goes into starvation mode (why do you think anorexics get so frustrated?). When your body is in that mode, it not only causes you to not lose more, but it instantly stores your "cheats" (and even some healthy foods) as pure fat. That's why it's so important to meet your calorie goals.
  • khaap
    khaap Posts: 1 Member
    I'm not sure why you are not losing weight but are you drinking water? Lots and lots of water. I shoot for a gallon a day. Most days I don't make it but setting my goal that high really makes me consume a lot of water and I think that helps a great deal. Just a thought. Good luck. Don't give up!! My best motivational tool is prayer. Give it a try. God can help us through anything.
  • Caldwellsa24
    Caldwellsa24 Posts: 15 Member
    I know how this sounds and believe me i never believed anyone when they said this to me until recently.

    Are you eating enough? If you aren't your body kinda shuts down your metabolism and you stop burning fat. Instead it starts storing as much as possible.
    Another thing you might be looking at is, the muscle you are gaining might be outwieghing the fat your are losing.
    While at the gym ask a trainer to measure the fat/water/muscle percentages, those might be changing but the scale might not be.
  • JoanWill
    JoanWill Posts: 217
    I feel for you.

    I had the same experience just this past weekend. I did not see any change in my weight for 4 days to a week. And I have been eating less then 1200 all those times with at least 1 workout everyday.

    Then I started eating my exercise calories. I still don't eat all my exercise calories back and as a matter of fact, I had some good satisfying treats in those couple of days and alas, I lost a pound.

    I know your body is different from mine and your metabolism is different too but just sharing what has happened to me in the last week.

    Don't feel too disappointed.
  • Sarw27
    Sarw27 Posts: 68 Member
    I've been staying at about the same weight as well and I think I need to up my calories slightly. Maybe there is some truth to this whole "eating your excercise calories back" thing.
  • drrif
    drrif Posts: 28
    Also dont forget, when you exercise you put on some weight due to muscle, I think it is more important to look at waist measurements and general shape. Absolute weight is not the be all end all...
  • ProTFitness
    ProTFitness Posts: 1,379 Member
    Today I cried, I cried because I have been struggling to lose weight for a while now. I don't understand why I can't even lose a pound. Recently, I worked out for 2 weeks straight burning 600-1000 cals a day in working out alone and sticking to only healthy foods and staying at 1200 cals or under and I lost A pound in those 2 weeks. Well, I decided to take a day off from working out as I was getting burned out, I had one "cheat" meal and a couple low cal alcoholic drinks and the next day I weighed myself and it said I had gained 3 1/2 lbs. Well, now 3 days later I STILL weigh 3 1/2 pounds more. I don't understand how this is possible, why is it so hard for me to lose weight? It's hard for me to stay positive and motivated when this happens to me. Today, it really hit me hard and I cried because of it. It seems like others lose weight so easily while I struggle so hard. I have only 4 weeks left till my vacation in Florida and I'm so depressed that I don't even want to go anymore. What am I doing wrong? Why can't I lose weight even when I work my butt off?? :(

    You have to stay cONSITANT with eating to see results. I can not see your diary but a guess may be not enough water too much sugar salt or other proecessed foods or sugary drinks or pop. You are not eating enough burning 600-1000 calories. Back off on how long you workout. sounds like your not getting enough nutrition. Remember the more you workout and if it is more intense you have to FEED your body more healthy nutritoius foods

    Remember to burn fat and loose weight you have to not Just cut back on the crap but eat healthy foods. Lean meat tons of veggies some fruit low fat dairy ect
  • Sasha_Bear
    Sasha_Bear Posts: 625 Member
    Your going to get a thousand different opinions, but without being able to see your food diary it's hard to figure out what the problem is.
  • 68sylvia
    68sylvia Posts: 25 Member
    I know how you feel . I've shed tears also. I thought I was the only one who had this problem. I even went out and bought a new scale I could of sworn mine was broken. the new one said the same thing...i had lost 4 pounds. then i went to a graduation party had dinner a few glasses of wine and now im 2 pounds up. I know it's gonna take a week or 2 to take it off. ......But I'm not gonna give up and nethier should you. we can get though this. hang in there.
  • kimmerroze
    kimmerroze Posts: 1,330 Member
    If you're burning that many calories, and keeping your caloric intake that low, you could always be converting fat to muscle based upon what your workout consists of. Muscle weighs more than fat, so that would explain why you're not losing weight. A good way to check yourself is to include your measurements in your weekly checks. That way, if you do go up a pound (not uncommon), but you lose an inch or two, you know that your gain is a postive gain and not a negative one.

    There is more to nutrition and fitness than losing weight!

    When you eat at a deficit it is damn near impossible to gain muscle that quickly... two weeks wont result in 31/2 pounds muscle gain.

    you are most likely eating too little. and working out too much. Read the link in my signature "HOW TO BUST THROUGH A PLATEAU" In it she basically says that there are three contributing factors to weight loss; cardio/ strength training/diet. When they are out of balance you will plateau./ you must bring them back to balance and then you will start losing weight. Right now you are doing too much cardio not enough strength and you are most certainly not eating enough.
  • CountryDevil
    CountryDevil Posts: 819 Member
    Hi there!! So sorry you are having to go through this. I have a couple of questions for you though...

    1) You say your work out and burn 600-1000 cals a day and stay at 1200 or under. However you do not mention that you are eating those calories back that you burn. 1200 cals a day is the minimum if you are not at least eating back to a minimum of 1200 cals, your body is probably in starvation mode which happens when you get too little food.

    2) Are you drinking enough water? Water helps promote weight loss and at least 8 cups a day is recommended.I however, follow the "half your weight" rule. If you weigh 200lbs then you would drink 100oz of water at day minimum. More if you are working out.

    Just thought I would throw those couple of things out there. Hope this helps. Good luck and don't give up...
  • deanna71382
    deanna71382 Posts: 17 Member
    It seems no matter what I do I can't lose the weight. Drinking tons of water, eating 1200 calories or more. I recently started taking my measurements and they haven't changed much, only in my arms and thighs really. I gain most of my weight in my stomach and haven't lost anything there. I'm just so frustrated, feel like giving up.
  • kimmerroze
    kimmerroze Posts: 1,330 Member
    It seems no matter what I do I can't lose the weight. Drinking tons of water, eating 1200 calories or more. I recently started taking my measurements and they haven't changed much, only in my arms and thighs really. I gain most of my weight in my stomach and haven't lost anything there. I'm just so frustrated, feel like giving up.

    are you eating 1200 plus most of those 600-1000 calories burned from exercise?
  • cjjones007
    cjjones007 Posts: 602
    I hope that you can see from this outpouring of love to you that people don't want you to give up - Let us know how we can help hon - we WANT to see you succeed!!!!
  • deanna71382
    deanna71382 Posts: 17 Member
    The past 2 weeks, no I haven't. But even when I was eating back my exercise calories, I wasn't losing weight. Obviously, I don't want to lose weight the wrong way, I want to do it the healthy way, but I'm not losing weight any way I do it.
  • rileysowner
    rileysowner Posts: 8,329 Member
    Not being able to see your food and exercise diary it is hard to comment in a meaningful way, but I would suggest using a measuring tape along with the scale. Weight is not everything. If you are losing inches you are losing fat.
  • kimmerroze
    kimmerroze Posts: 1,330 Member
    The past 2 weeks, no I haven't. But even when I was eating back my exercise calories, I wasn't losing weight. Obviously, I don't want to lose weight the wrong way, I want to do it the healthy way, but I'm not losing weight any way I do it.

    Well our bodies aren't doomed to be fat,,, so be hopeful that there are ways to lose weight for every person... I would switch back to eating all your exercise calories. and I would also start weight lifting if I were you... the more muscle you have the faster your body will burn through fat... so get to strengthing those muscles...
  • deanna71382
    deanna71382 Posts: 17 Member
    Sorry, I thought I made my diary public, I will check into it. Also, what's the point of working out hard if I have to eat back more calories? What is a healthy deficit?
  • meli_medina
    meli_medina Posts: 594 Member
    For your weight, probably 300-500 calories per day. You work out so you build muscle and strengthen your heart. Additional weight loss is only a bonus if you can have a larger deficit. But at 150 pounds, anything more than a 500 calorie deficit would be unwise... your body has smaller fat stores and thus weight won't fall off of you like it would someone who weighed twice your weight and ate the same exact diet. :)
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