Losing the last few kilos - feel like giving up
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RunForPizza88 wrote: »Questions for you OP
- How often do you take measurement?
- How often do you weigh yourself?
- Do you log your binges?
- How much have you gained?
I measure monthly & weigh weekly.
No, I don’t log binges. Over the last 3 months though I’ve been very good with this issue & have managed to reset & move on each time. Previously binges would lead to a downward spiral of weeks or months.
I’ve gained around 1kg over the last month & measurements have increased back to what they were at the beginning of September.
Weight can flucuate daily for a number of reasons, could you start using the app happy scale to log your daily weight if you have the time? This app then shows you a trend, it might help with sanity levels for you? You could be getting really unlucky and just weighing in on a heavier day.
With measurements those can flucuate a bit too, i only measure monthly but when i do i usually do it over 2 or 3 days in a row just to double check as some days my waist measurement can vary by a whole inch!
If you truly are gaining weight though (and i know you dont want to hear this again so im sorry!
) then you are just eating more than you think. 1500 is really not a lot of calories....
If you open your diary then I am sure some folks would be glad to take a look to see if there might be any obvious logging errors.
Oh I haven’t heard of happy scale so will look into that. I didn’t realise measurements could fluctuate so much so that’s interesting to know.
I’m not sure if opening my diary would be helpful actually as I only record the good stuff - when things are bad I don’t want to see it in writing lol!
Do you think I should continue with my current exercise?0 -
Cahgetsfit wrote: »Thanks for your reply RunForPizza88 & the pep talk 😊
I’m 171cm tall & weigh 61.4kg, which I’ve just googled comes to 5 ft 7 & 135 lbs. I only weigh first thing in the morning.
I weigh absolutely everything I eat & there’s no fudging on my calorie calculations. Over the last 3 months I’ve fallen off the wagon a couple of times when my weight/centimetres increased last month but picked myself up & have been stricter than ever.
Yes, thighs are just the worst 😞
Hm. I'm 168cm and weigh atm 61.8kg and I have been losing on just under 1700 (i'm old - 42- so unfortunately need to eat less than my younger self). For purely vanity reasons I'm wanting to drop another 1-2 kilos and far out, the last few kilos are ALWAYS the worst to lose! It's like the body says "nup - you're fine at this weight just stop".
Which bring me to think that aren't you fine at that weight considering you're taller and lighter than me and i'm nowhere near big or fat? At all, like i'm pretty damn small. My mind tells me "oh your guts are huge" and "oh your thighs and huge" and "oh your arms are fat there isn't enough definition" - but it's ALL in my mind because when my mind is not being an idiot and I stand next to other people of my height I am usually one of the most compact.
And I binge eat too btw.
And for thighs, a lot of people on here will disagree with me becase CICO etc, but usually that means oestrogen and you can help get rid of that by taking DIM - as well as CICO.
I’m in my 40s too, which makes me old as well 🙄 & maybe that’s why it’s so much harder.
Maybe I should be happy where I’m at, but really all I want is to fit into clothes that were comfortable just a couple of years ago.2 -
I just want to say thank you for the replies, I appreciate them all. I know it’s not a lot of weight I want to lose, so many people probably don’t understand it. I just want to fit back into my too small clothes comfortably though, that’s all.
Trying to fit the exercise in around a family & work commitments is very difficult, which is why it’s frustrating when I work so hard & see the numbers have gotten worse. What’s even more frustrating is seeing my husband lose 25kg in about 4 months 🙄4 -
@klsn perhaps then what has been suggested above re weight training. I know it's what everyone says to do, but personally, I am heavier now than I was in my 20s but pants that I used to wear then are now loose on me. I don't cardio at all, all I do is weight training.
Plus, it means I can eat more
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You may have answered your own question then, if your logging isn't consistent enough then you cant truly know if you are eating at a deficit. If you log the good the bad and the ugly then at least you know where you stand.
I edited my last response so you may not have seen in time (whoops) but i highly recommend that you might want to take a look into recomp, especially if you are having issues with keeping a deficit.
Honestly, with your stats it sounds like you look great already, so you are a prime candidate for recomp really. Keep in mind it will be a long process so will require patience though.5 -
BTW on the happy scale thing - I use that too. What i found useful with Happy Scale was to do a 3 month weight every single day at the same time exercise and correlate it to my iPeriod app. It was really interesting to see patterns come up like for example weight increase during certain parts of the month, a dramatic weight DROP just before I bloat a day before my period, the 'ravenous beast mode' where I want to eat EVERYTHING like there's a hole in my stomach actually comes about a week before my period and not the day before... all sorts of interesting data can be gathered by using it, plus the little graph thing is really good. I recommend using it.
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ah and one more thing that has helped me to stick to diet - I will lower my calories for 5 out of the 7 days of the week, then eat more on Friday and Saturday. It's easier to eat less when you know that in x days you can eat more!
And I also tend to not log binges, but when I do log them - WOAH massive wake up calls, so it's not a bad idea to log them 0 -
RunForPizza88 wrote: »You may have answered your own question then, if your logging isn't consistent enough then you cant truly know if you are eating at a deficit. If you log the good the bad and the ugly then at least you know where you stand.
I edited my last response so you may not have seen in time (whoops) but i highly recommend that you might want to take a look into recomp, especially if you are having issues with keeping a deficit.
Honestly, with your stats it sounds like you look great already, so you are a prime candidate for recomp really. Keep in mind it will be a long process so will require patience though.
Thanks for that but what is “recomp”?0 -
Cahgetsfit wrote: »ah and one more thing that has helped me to stick to diet - I will lower my calories for 5 out of the 7 days of the week, then eat more on Friday and Saturday. It's easier to eat less when you know that in x days you can eat more!
And I also tend to not log binges, but when I do log them - WOAH massive wake up calls, so it's not a bad idea to log them
Thanks for your comments. I’ve downloaded those apps so it will be interesting to track things.
I like the 5/7 idea. What do you find to be a good amount to reduce your calories & then increase them?
I’ll get onto recording the binges when they happen 😱1 -
RunForPizza88 wrote: »You may have answered your own question then, if your logging isn't consistent enough then you cant truly know if you are eating at a deficit. If you log the good the bad and the ugly then at least you know where you stand.
I edited my last response so you may not have seen in time (whoops) but i highly recommend that you might want to take a look into recomp, especially if you are having issues with keeping a deficit.
Honestly, with your stats it sounds like you look great already, so you are a prime candidate for recomp really. Keep in mind it will be a long process so will require patience though.
Thanks for that but what is “recomp”?
Recomp is lifting weights using progressive overload while eating at or very slightly below maintenance. While doing it, you lose body fat and (hopefully!) gain muscle.
There's a whole thread on it here:
https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10177803/recomposition-maintaining-weight-while-losing-fat#latest4 -
Cahgetsfit wrote: »ah and one more thing that has helped me to stick to diet - I will lower my calories for 5 out of the 7 days of the week, then eat more on Friday and Saturday. It's easier to eat less when you know that in x days you can eat more!
And I also tend to not log binges, but when I do log them - WOAH massive wake up calls, so it's not a bad idea to log them
Thanks for your comments. I’ve downloaded those apps so it will be interesting to track things.
I like the 5/7 idea. What do you find to be a good amount to reduce your calories & then increase them?
I’ll get onto recording the binges when they happen 😱
Recording my last binge stopped it in its tracks, so there's that!
5 -
lowcarbmale wrote: »Please ladies enlighten me why you decided to Woo my former post. Where you triggered by any words in there like chips or ice cream? Is it in your opinion not ok to ever eat a little bit more on a day (which is perfectly normal and everybody does it)? Do you not agree that it's healthier to overeat with healthy food than unhealthy food? smh
As my RD said yesterday, weight loss and maintenance is a matter of consistency. Consistency in maintaining a deficit until you reach goal, then consistency in maintaining a sustainable maintenance level when you reach it. I was eating a bit more, actually overeating, once or twice a week. I wasn't reaching my goals (wiped out deficit) and bordering disordered eating (diet, binge, overexercise).
Eta: It's a behavior that's not okay and shouldn't be encouraged.8 -
Those last few pounds can be a real bear, particularly when you're where you are in the BMI range. So it becomes important to figure out how well you can manage, long term, at the lower calorie level you'll need to maintain your new weight. In other words, after you attain you must maintain. So in balancing your goal weight with your eating, keep this in mind.
IF you have it in you, you should try to log your binges. If only because you'll have much more accurate information from which you can make these decisions.1 -
RunForPizza88 wrote: »Questions for you OP
- How often do you take measurement?
- How often do you weigh yourself?
- Do you log your binges?
- How much have you gained?
I measure monthly & weigh weekly.
No, I don’t log binges. Over the last 3 months though I’ve been very good with this issue & have managed to reset & move on each time. Previously binges would lead to a downward spiral of weeks or months.
I’ve gained around 1kg over the last month & measurements have increased back to what they were at the beginning of September.
Weight can flucuate daily for a number of reasons, could you start using the app happy scale to log your daily weight if you have the time? This app then shows you a trend, it might help with sanity levels for you? You could be getting really unlucky and just weighing in on a heavier day.
With measurements those can flucuate a bit too, i only measure monthly but when i do i usually do it over 2 or 3 days in a row just to double check as some days my waist measurement can vary by a whole inch!
If you truly are gaining weight though (and i know you dont want to hear this again so im sorry! ) then you are just eating more than you think. 1500 is really not a lot of calories....
If you open your diary then I am sure some folks would be glad to take a look to see if there might be any obvious logging errors.
Oh I haven’t heard of happy scale so will look into that. I didn’t realise measurements could fluctuate so much so that’s interesting to know.
I’m not sure if opening my diary would be helpful actually as I only record the good stuff - when things are bad I don’t want to see it in writing lol!
Do you think I should continue with my current exercise?
If you’re not logging everything, it’s not really possible to know whether you’re eating 1500 or way, way more. Even without “official” binges, treats here and there can add up FAST if you don’t log them.
And only logging the good is pro-binge behavior (I say this with empathy and experience), which strongly suggests that you don’t have as tight of a grip on your unhealthy patterns as you would like. Maybe some sessions with an eating-disorder specialist could help? You might also see improvement as you lower your carbs; I only stopped the binge cycle when I went on keto. That doesn’t work for everyone, though, so it’s best to explore multiple avenues.
That said, there are lots of other common logging errors we can help with, even when you think you’re eating well. Things like “half a medium avocado,” “12 almonds,” “slice of chocolate cake (homemade)”—especially when you’re close to your goal, those are all bear traps. Some MFP entries are just no good, while others rely on the eyeball estimates of hungry people, which is NEVER a smart bet. 🙂3 -
OP- I’m the same exact height and weight as you, and for the record 135 is shown the be the “ideal” weight for us. That being said, I prefer 125 and am working to get back to that. I burn about 700 kcal per day through exercise and lose consistently eating 1800 net. Binges are the one thing that get me off track. Not only is the last bit frickin hard to get off, it’s hard to keep off. My two cents would be to take a tiny deficit and strength train.4
-
Thanks for your comments. I’ve downloaded those apps so it will be interesting to track things.
I like the 5/7 idea. What do you find to be a good amount to reduce your calories & then increase them?
I’ll get onto recording the binges when they happen 😱
Well, I have got to the point where I just don't want to be hungry. A bit peckish OK, but hungry - no. I'm over it and would rather lose reaaaallly slooowwwwly than be hungry.
So I do just under 1700 Sun-Thursday and on Friday I keep to under 2000 and on Saturday I aim for again not more than 2000 but between 1800-2000.
Sometimes on SAturday I don't log but try to eat mindfully to work on that too. So basically on fri/sat i'm pretty much at maintenance or just under.
If I get too hungry it is easier for it to trigger my bingeing. I'll just start eating and not be able to stop when i'm "full", so I just don't let myself get too hungry anymore.0 -
RunForPizza88 wrote: »You may have answered your own question then, if your logging isn't consistent enough then you cant truly know if you are eating at a deficit. If you log the good the bad and the ugly then at least you know where you stand.
I edited my last response so you may not have seen in time (whoops) but i highly recommend that you might want to take a look into recomp, especially if you are having issues with keeping a deficit.
Honestly, with your stats it sounds like you look great already, so you are a prime candidate for recomp really. Keep in mind it will be a long process so will require patience though.
This. OP, if you're binging regularly and not logging, you have no idea how much you're eating.
If hunger is triggering the binges, increase your regular daily calories. Think of it this way: If you're wiping out a deficit through binges, you have nothing to lose by moderately increasing your calories, and getting rid of the binges.5 -
Those last few pounds can be a real bear, particularly when you're where you are in the BMI range. So it becomes important to figure out how well you can manage, long term, at the lower calorie level you'll need to maintain your new weight. In other words, after you attain you must maintain. So in balancing your goal weight with your eating, keep this in mind.
IF you have it in you, you should try to log your binges. If only because you'll have much more accurate information from which you can make these decisions.
The lower calories are driving me crazy & not sustainable at all - I’m always so hungry!0 -
FlyingMolly wrote: »RunForPizza88 wrote: »Questions for you OP
- How often do you take measurement?
- How often do you weigh yourself?
- Do you log your binges?
- How much have you gained?
I measure monthly & weigh weekly.
No, I don’t log binges. Over the last 3 months though I’ve been very good with this issue & have managed to reset & move on each time. Previously binges would lead to a downward spiral of weeks or months.
I’ve gained around 1kg over the last month & measurements have increased back to what they were at the beginning of September.
Weight can flucuate daily for a number of reasons, could you start using the app happy scale to log your daily weight if you have the time? This app then shows you a trend, it might help with sanity levels for you? You could be getting really unlucky and just weighing in on a heavier day.
With measurements those can flucuate a bit too, i only measure monthly but when i do i usually do it over 2 or 3 days in a row just to double check as some days my waist measurement can vary by a whole inch!
If you truly are gaining weight though (and i know you dont want to hear this again so im sorry! ) then you are just eating more than you think. 1500 is really not a lot of calories....
If you open your diary then I am sure some folks would be glad to take a look to see if there might be any obvious logging errors.
Oh I haven’t heard of happy scale so will look into that. I didn’t realise measurements could fluctuate so much so that’s interesting to know.
I’m not sure if opening my diary would be helpful actually as I only record the good stuff - when things are bad I don’t want to see it in writing lol!
Do you think I should continue with my current exercise?
If you’re not logging everything, it’s not really possible to know whether you’re eating 1500 or way, way more. Even without “official” binges, treats here and there can add up FAST if you don’t log them.
And only logging the good is pro-binge behavior (I say this with empathy and experience), which strongly suggests that you don’t have as tight of a grip on your unhealthy patterns as you would like. Maybe some sessions with an eating-disorder specialist could help? You might also see improvement as you lower your carbs; I only stopped the binge cycle when I went on keto. That doesn’t work for everyone, though, so it’s best to explore multiple avenues.
That said, there are lots of other common logging errors we can help with, even when you think you’re eating well. Things like “half a medium avocado,” “12 almonds,” “slice of chocolate cake (homemade)”—especially when you’re close to your goal, those are all bear traps. Some MFP entries are just no good, while others rely on the eyeball estimates of hungry people, which is NEVER a smart bet. 🙂
My calorie logging will be spot on for, say, 3 weeks with no extras not accounted for (that’s with weighing everything too). Then I might binge for, say, 3 days so don’t log that. I’m going to be better with those “lost” days now though. I also add all my recipes in from scratch (very time consuming!).
Well done for doing keto, that would take a lot of willpower!0 -
OP- I’m the same exact height and weight as you, and for the record 135 is shown the be the “ideal” weight for us. That being said, I prefer 125 and am working to get back to that. I burn about 700 kcal per day through exercise and lose consistently eating 1800 net. Binges are the one thing that get me off track. Not only is the last bit frickin hard to get off, it’s hard to keep off. My two cents would be to take a tiny deficit and strength train.
Oh that’s interesting that we’re the same weight & height! May I ask how old you are? I’m aiming at 56kg, which I’ve worked out is the same as your goal. My average calorie burn is 700 also. What exercise do you do? I appreciate your two cents worth 😊0
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