Not my first rodeo, but can't seem to make any progress despite my past knowledge.

So_Much_Fab
So_Much_Fab Posts: 1,146 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I was first here in 2012 or so. Started like every other newbie with 1200 calories/day. I eventually lost most of the weight that I wanted to, though it took a good year and a half/two years to do so. I lost somewhere in the neighborhood of 30 pounds and during most of that time I was exercising a lot (all cardio). As time went on, I stopped being so disciplined and gained about half of it back.

In late 2015/early 2016 I experienced two very difficult life events. The second was also a very stressful situation and during that time (~4 months) I ate very little. Very quickly I dropped down to a low of 129 pounds.

After things calmed down, I just stopped caring about most things. I drank a lot and ate a lot, mostly empty carbs (like pastas and breads). Got up to an all time high of around 166-167.

As of mid-January I decided enough was enough. Got back on here and started logging. I’m eating less and eating better. I’ve cut the drinking back to a reasonable once, sometimes twice a week.

And of course, two months in, I’m seeing no real results. I’ve seen the scale go as low as 163 but then the next week I can easily be pushing 167, which is a bit higher than where I started in January. As far as I’m concerned my weight has simply been fluctuating between 166 & 163 this entire time and I've essentially lost no real fat.

So here are some specifics about me:

• I’m female, 5’7”, almost 51.
• According to www.iifym.com my TDEE is 1600 so I’ve had my daily goal set at 1500.
• I’m mostly sedentary and haven’t yet incorporated exercise into my routine.
• Issues that might affect weight loss are: hypothyroidism, I’m post-menopausal, and I’ve been
on the nicotine patch for the past 3 weeks (quitting smoking).
• I don’t log all days but I do on most. On the days I don’t log I’m sure I go over 1500 cals but I
don’t go completely overboard either.
• I wear a Fitbit and MFP deducts for my daily steps, but I don’t eat those calories back.

Now I absolutely know there is more I can do. I can log everyday. I can start exercising, preferably weight training as well as cardio.

However, I really thought I would see more of a drop over the past 2 months than I have considering where I was (LOTS of calories, LOTS of crap food, and LOTS of wine) to where I’ve been (LESS food, LESS calories, and a LOT less wine).

So what gives?!?
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Replies

  • LivingtheLeanDream
    LivingtheLeanDream Posts: 13,345 Member
    You've done this before, you know it takes time, it takes a lot of time. You've made a good start, now just keep going - the scale can throw a wobbly at times but if you are logging meticulously you know deep down that all will be ok.
  • kommodevaran
    kommodevaran Posts: 17,890 Member
    Set your weekly weightloss goal to less than 1% of your body weight. Use a food scale, log everything every day, use valid food database entries, hit your calorie target every day. Weigh yourself regularly, be patient, trust the process.
  • So_Much_Fab
    So_Much_Fab Posts: 1,146 Member
    kommodevaran wrote: »
    Set your weekly weightloss goal to less than 1% of your body weight. Use a food scale, log everything every day, use valid food database entries, hit your calorie target every day. Weigh yourself regularly, be patient, trust the process.

    I probably should have added that when I *do* log I do use a food scale, I log all solids & liquids, and use valid entries (most often I scan barcodes).

  • Sabine_Stroehm
    Sabine_Stroehm Posts: 19,263 Member
    edited March 2018
    Have you gone through menopause yet? Perhaps during the stressful situation you mentioned?
  • So_Much_Fab
    So_Much_Fab Posts: 1,146 Member
    Sabine_Stroehm wrote: »
    Have you gone through menopause yet? Perhaps during the stressful situation you mentioned?

    Yes, but it had nothing to do with my stressful situations. I've been PM for nearly 10 years now thanks to a couple of different ovarian cysts that got me there earlier than most!
  • Sabine_Stroehm
    Sabine_Stroehm Posts: 19,263 Member
    So_Much_Fab wrote: »
    Sabine_Stroehm wrote: »
    Have you gone through menopause yet? Perhaps during the stressful situation you mentioned?

    Yes, but it had nothing to do with my stressful situations. I've been PM for nearly 10 years now thanks to a couple of different ovarian cysts that got me there earlier than most!

    Did you lose weight the last time after menopause as well?
  • 1houndgal
    1houndgal Posts: 558 Member
    edited March 2018
    So_Much_Fab wrote: »
    kommodevaran wrote: »
    Set your weekly weightloss goal to less than 1% of your body weight. Use a food scale, log everything every day, use valid food database entries, hit your calorie target every day. Weigh yourself regularly, be patient, trust the process.

    I probably should have added that when I *do* log I do use a food scale, I log all solids & liquids, and use valid entries (most often I scan barcodes).

    The scale don't work on the days you don't use it though. If you are serious about wanting to lose weight, you really need to be as accurate as possible about your food intake.

    Part of that "being accurate" is measuring all of your food intake and logging it, even if you have episodes of "cheat eating".

    You can't half heartedly do this program and expect to get the results you are seeking.

    A suggestion here: work up to some "intentional" excercise. The "steps" you do at work are your are part of your daily excercise.

    Break your excercise up to three sessions a day; start at 10 mins each session if you are out of shape. Add more mins by adding 5 mins to each session as you start feeling "this is too easy". These sessions can be things like a brisk walk, or stationary bike.

    If you can afford to, consider a gym membership such as the ymca. Don't buy into long gym contracts, but go month by month.

    Shop around for the gym that suits your needs. *Ymca do have scholarships for low income peeps.

    I highly recommend the YMCA, as most have swim pools/jaccuzi spas steam rooms, dry saunas, weight training/resistance training, oogles of classes, and high quality gym equipment.

    Btw I would not consider yourself sedentary (do very little, or bed bound ) but light activity.

    I would suggest recalculating your mfp goal settings. And then logging anything you eat or drink that has kcals/calories.

    Even Bits (bites, licks, tastes) should be logged.

    Yes, this means being disciplined and accountable. But anything good you really do have to work for.

    Logging your calorie intake eventually becomes part of your daily routine. As hopefully excercise would also become.

    You have lost weight before, so you have proof it can work for you. I wish you find yourself soon on the path of weight loss success.
  • Running_and_Coffee
    Running_and_Coffee Posts: 811 Member
    This might be an unpopular answer, but if you know what you need to do/eat to get where you need to be--and I bet you do--then you might want to try dieting techniques that kill your cravings. Because it sounds like you have the best intentions, start following a plan, and then that all sort of unravels...if you're like me, that's because a cookie or an extra helping just kept calling your name. I recently switched to Keto. It is working for me because I am almost never hungry due to the protein/fats and the lack of carbs has really just turned off that part of my brain that thinks...stress...boredom...let's eat. I am not an expert in Keto by any means, but believe the impact it has on hunger and cravings suppression makes it a good fit if you find you can't stick to other approaches that require more mental discipline.
  • vivmom2014
    vivmom2014 Posts: 1,647 Member
    I relate to your post. I have the knowledge, so that's some power. Just coming off vacation I now have to get back on the straight & narrow, and I don't want to at all. Deficit, deficit. Ugh. I believe that it has to start in the mind and go from there - so I wish you resolve, discipline to log accurately, tenacity, optimism, forgiveness when days don't go as planned, and RESULTS!

  • So_Much_Fab
    So_Much_Fab Posts: 1,146 Member
    Tblackdogs wrote: »
    Just eating less than you did when you were gaining, isn't going to work. It would be nice if it did!

    Crap. Well that would explain part of my problem then!

  • So_Much_Fab
    So_Much_Fab Posts: 1,146 Member
    Sabine_Stroehm wrote: »
    So_Much_Fab wrote: »
    Sabine_Stroehm wrote: »
    Have you gone through menopause yet? Perhaps during the stressful situation you mentioned?

    Yes, but it had nothing to do with my stressful situations. I've been PM for nearly 10 years now thanks to a couple of different ovarian cysts that got me there earlier than most!

    Did you lose weight the last time after menopause as well?

    Yep, but that was when I was 1000% disciplined.
  • So_Much_Fab
    So_Much_Fab Posts: 1,146 Member
    kommodevaran wrote: »
    So_Much_Fab wrote: »
    kommodevaran wrote: »
    Set your weekly weightloss goal to less than 1% of your body weight. Use a food scale, log everything every day, use valid food database entries, hit your calorie target every day. Weigh yourself regularly, be patient, trust the process.

    I probably should have added that when I *do* log I do use a food scale, I log all solids & liquids, and use valid entries (most often I scan barcodes).
    That's great! Just be aware that scanning and barcodes is not a guarantee that the entry is valid, you still have to doublecheck it against the food label. And you have to log every day, or else it's no use.

    I would log every day, but I don't cook for myself every day. Weekends are spent with my fiancee and he does a lot of the cooking. There's no reasonable way that I can attempt to log when he cooks. The "last" time...when I was so successful...I was single and making ALL of my own meals.
  • MegaMooseEsq
    MegaMooseEsq Posts: 3,118 Member
    So_Much_Fab wrote: »
    Sabine_Stroehm wrote: »
    So_Much_Fab wrote: »
    Sabine_Stroehm wrote: »
    Have you gone through menopause yet? Perhaps during the stressful situation you mentioned?

    Yes, but it had nothing to do with my stressful situations. I've been PM for nearly 10 years now thanks to a couple of different ovarian cysts that got me there earlier than most!

    Did you lose weight the last time after menopause as well?

    Yep, but that was when I was 1000% disciplined.

    I suspect that when you were losing before you were being more restrictive than necessary (plenty of people can and do lose eating more than 1200 calories) - very low calorie goals combined with high levels of exercise usually lead to weight loss even if you aren't necessarily being careful or accurate about measuring your calories in and out. The problem with those types of programs is that they are hard to stick to and that they don't teach you much of anything about keeping the weight off long-term. You're on the right track now, but you've got to be patient and stick to it. It's going to take longer this way, but if you can learn how to maintain at a lower weight, it'll be worth it. Good luck!

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