I always get stuck in the 330s... Help?

emmylootwo · January 2019

So I was looking through my weigh-ins on MFP and came to the realization that this is my fourth time trying to lose weight in the past year and a half. Each time I start at around 350 (I'm 5'8'', female, and sedentary for reference). The first 10-15 lbs comes off in a few weeks, then I get stuck somewhere in the 330s for weeks on end. I get discouraged, give up, and gain back the weight I lost -- only to try again a few months later.

And I think it's happening again! I've been hovering around 338 for ten days -- with the exception of a single 335 thrown in there. My trend line of daily weigh-ins has stopped moving downward. I'm eating 1900 NET calories this time -- trying to do it the right way instead of starving myself. Everything seemed promising given that I still lost that first 10 lbs. (And I know 10 days isn't that long, but I don't want it turn into another 10 and another and another at the same damn weight.)

I just feel like giving up again. I didn't have the greatest week last week, but I still was in a deficit. Plus I weigh all my food down to the gram and round up when feasible. What am I doing wrong?

estherdragonbat · January 2019

You may not be doing anything wrong. Sometimes, during the first week or two, there's a big water weight loss and then a stall. Don't get discouraged. This will pass.

thisPGHlife · January 2019

A few things:

First, make sure that your logging everything correctly and weighing all your food.

Second, you're right. Ten days isn't enough. You aren't truly stuck until you get past six weeks with no movement.

Third, make sure that you aren't making too many changes at once. If you're trying to totally overhaul your diet plus get the hang of logging plus trying to move more more, it can get overwhelming. Maybe focus on just perfecting logging. Then move to eating less if what you normally eat. Then, if you feel like your overall dirty could be better, maybe make some small swaps. Like instead of for slices of pizza, have two slices and a salad.

Fourth, and this one is probably the most important and the hardest: you have to dig deep and figure out why you give up on yourself. You know how to lose weight (eat at a calorie deficit). We all know it's simple but not easy. You have to figure out your why. Both why you want to do this and why you give up on yourself. Once you figure that out, we can help you move past it.

callsitlikeiseeit · January 2019

merekins · January 2019

My only advice is don’t give up. If you feel you slipped, chuck it off and keep going. You won’t be perfect. Perfect doesn’t win this game. Consistency does.

Fflpnari · January 2019

Do you have an activity tracker?

I kept losing the same 20 pounds, gaining and losing multiple times. I got an activity tracker and realized I was under eating. I upped to 2400 calories (burning 2900 a day) and have been losing a pound a week, slow but steady.

MichelleSilverleaf · January 2019

@Chunk2Chuckk selling and advertising isn't permitted on the boards.

emmylootwo · January 2019

Thanks guys... but I'm like 2 seconds away from deleting my account, throwing away my Fitbit, and never trying to lose weight again. I'm downright depressed.

RunnerGrl1982 · January 2019

emmylootwo wrote: »

Thanks guys... but I'm like 2 seconds away from deleting my account, throwing away my Fitbit, and never trying to lose weight again. I'm downright depressed.

Hang in there! It’s tough sometimes, but you CAN push through this. You just have to trust in the process and believe in yourself. Take it one day at a time. You will get there and you’ll look back one day on how much you accomplished through patience and hard work. Lots of hugs!

chris02jaliyah · January 2019

Don’t give up. I know it’s easier said then done but just keep at it. Choose a healthier lifestyle and stick with it. I know you want those weight but focus on being healthier. Also make sure you are exercising and challenging yourself. Get a workout buddy and hit the gym. Make sure you workout with someone who is going to push you to do your best and hold you accountable when you slack off. Good luck.

CharlieBeansmomTracey · January 2019

Fflpnari wrote: »

Do you have an activity tracker?

I kept losing the same 20 pounds, gaining and losing multiple times. I got an activity tracker and realized I was under eating. I upped to 2400 calories (burning 2900 a day) and have been losing a pound a week, slow but steady.

nope if a person isnt losing weight eating more isnt going to cause weight loss,if you are undereating youre still going to lose weight albeit dangerously and with lean mass/muscle being burned as well.

CharlieBeansmomTracey · January 2019

emmylootwo wrote: »

Thanks guys... but I'm like 2 seconds away from deleting my account, throwing away my Fitbit, and never trying to lose weight again. I'm downright depressed.

nothing worthwhile is going to be easy. you have to keep going for you and your health. im usre you know that. you think you have it bad for some reason It tok me more than three years just to lose 45 lbs. The first year and part of the second year I wasnt weighing my food but I was uisng measuring cups until I started gaining again.

I was ready to give up and I came here. I was told to get a food scale and weigh EVERYTHING solid and semi solid. I did and I was shocked that I was eating more than I thought I was.once I started weighing everything I started losing again and then some.

I started my journey aug 3 2013. for the last 2 years(up until 6 monts ago) I maintained that loss. took many diet breaks along the way and kept trying to lose and no matter what for me the weight comes off super slow(almost not at all) I mean less than a half lb a month even with counting/weighing everything and eating even less than what MFP gives me and without exercise calories,yet all my bloodwork comes back normal.

Ive gained a good bit of it back(around half) and cannot figure out why that is. Im weighing everything, Im eating a lot less because IM burning less,yet it wont budge so I gave up trying to lose,trying to maintain the best I can and workout and lift weight hoping to change how my body looks and gain some muscle along the way.Its been a tough roaf and usually long before now I would have given up too.

but my life and health depends on me being as healthy as I can. I will try losing again in the late spring and see how it goes. But dont give up! weight loss for some is slow and sometimes you wont see the scale move,use a tape measure or gauge how your clothes fit. I lost inches before I saw the scale budge. see how much better you feel over time,are you becoming more active? can you do a little more than you could before? etc etc. all different things to look forward to. you will see your health improve if you just keep going Im just glad that you are eating at a healthier calorie level.

Running2Fit · January 2019

Weight loss is a long journey. It’s a marathon, not a sprint. You know why you keep getting stuck, you keep giving up when the weight loss slows. But if you keep giving up it takes even longer! You just have to keep going and the weight will come off.

I used to always get “stuck” at the same number too. I’d stick with it while the weight loss seemed easy/fast and as soon as it slowed, I’d get frustrated and quit. Then in a couple months I’d be back where I started and I’d be starting over. But last year it finally clicked for me that if I just kept with it, I wouldn’t have to keep starting over. Yeah, maybe I’d be stuck at one number for awhile but at least I wouldn’t be right back at square one and of course I never really got stuck because when I stuck with it - through weeks with no loss or even weeks with a gain - the overall trend was down. I’m now at a weight I haven’t been at since college (10 years ago!).

It takes patience but you will get where you want to be if you keep at it.

jennifer_417 · January 2019

There might be something that triggers this response to specific situations. You may just have some kind of mental roadblocks. Pay attention, or even take notes, or your circumstances, thoughts, and feelings, and see where the similarities are. If you can figure that out, you may be able to develop techniques to overcome whatever's stopping you.

oneillm45 · January 2019

You have an advantage now over the last few times. You know the pattern. Continue logging and eating as you have been - if you really have been logging correctly then the weight will come off. You might be due a woosh in the next few days - and when that happens, you'll be so glad you didn't quit.

RelCanonical · January 2019

You might benefit from weighing less often to avoid fluctuations. It seems like you've had some success, so make your goal to log correctly and eat at your calorie goal rather than what the scale says. Weight loss is painfully slow and scale weights can be super unpredictable due to water weight. What you can control is the food you eat and how you log it. It'll come off if you are accurate, and because you're able to have a large deficit, you have some wiggle room to have a little inaccuracies and still lose. I only weigh once a month, after my period flow has ended, as that's when I tend to be the least bloated.

Since I remember you from previous threads, I also want to re-emphasize expectations. Don't be too ambitious, trust the process of logging food and deficit eating, and get back to your life. Don't let weight loss take over your mind, because again, it's so slow that it's only going to lead to disappointment.

quiksylver296 · January 2019

Read this article, @emmylootwo. Maybe it will help quell the freak-outs.

http://physiqonomics.com/the-weird-and-highly-annoying-world-of-scale-weight-and-fluctuations/

cmriverside · January 2019

I was SO ANGRY with myself that I had to lose weight. So angry.

But it had to be done, so I did it.

It's really worth it, keep going. You are not stuck at any weight. Keep doing the right things, it will come off.

Sometimes quickly sometimes slowly - but it will.

tracybear86 · January 2019

What was your motivation for starting your weight loss journey? Maybe write down your "whys" and post them somewhere you will see them everyday. My dad always used to say "If you are tired of starting over, stop giving up.". You will slip up. You will have good days and bad days. The important thing is that you keep trying.

kshama2001 · January 2019

emmylootwo wrote: »

Thanks guys... but I'm like 2 seconds away from deleting my account, throwing away my Fitbit, and never trying to lose weight again. I'm downright depressed.

I feel like that when I'm depressed too (and also when my anemia is not controlled.)

Have you seen a doctor about depression? I tried a number of anti depressants before settling on Wellbutrin, which I love. It is a tiny bit stimulating, which really helps me get out of my chair and go exercise.

Speaking of exercise, this has been shown to be just as effective as anti depressants for mild to moderate depression. I often have to force myself to start exercising, but am always glad I did.

At your weight it is important to start slow. "Just" walking is a great way to start. Invest in some good shoes.

You might find this thread helpful: https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10721471/can-t-get-excercising-depressed/p1

thisPGHlife · January 2019

A few other things I thought of that everyone here jogged my brain about:

Do you have a support system? Anyone you can talk to about this in your life? Anyone to cheer your successes? If not, let me know. I would love to be your cheerleader.

It's really easy to have a slip up meal and feel like the whole day is ruined. Or have a slip up day and feel like the week is ruined. Or slip up well and feel like the month is ruined. It's not. I promise. People slip up all the time and it doesn't mean you failed, you just feel down. If a musician plays one wrong now, they don't give up being a musician. It's party of learning how to be a musician. They don't off, start playing again, and learn how to be a better musician. In the same way, your learning what works for you. If you have a day where the stress gets to you and you overeat, it doesn't mean your not still trying to lose weight. You just found a way to deal with stress that doesn't work for you, and a way of eating that doesn't work for you. So your fist yourself off and find another way, make a new plan, and start over at the next meal.

You can lose weight. You've done it before. Even if it was "just" water weight, you can't lose water weight without making changes. Now you just need to work on creating habits around those changes. So really, when you think about it, your not trying to lose weight. You're trying to create positive habits that let you live the kinds of life you want to live. You can do it.

I always get stuck in the 330s... Help?

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