Help!! Confused 😐
avilar1012
Posts: 16 Member
Hi guys ... I’m really struggling here and any advice would b great. I have been counting calories ... I am 27 5ft 2 and weigh 118 I used to weigh 110 and fluctuate between 110-113. I used to do weight watchers for many years and reached my goal weight and then continued to lose when I reached 110 .. I was very happy there but when I was introduced to the fitness pal and started paying attention to calories I realized I was barely eating 1000 calories on weight watchers so I increased it to 1200 (according to the fitness pal) I am a stay at home mom, do house work and go to the gym 5 days a well sometimes for 2 hrs anyway I started having more calories like 1400-1600 cause of the workouts but my weight goes up and up and up. Their are times I’m being told I am not eating enough and I eat more and yep.... gain more ! I weigh myself everyday and find myself getting truly so depressed. I weigh and measure and write down literally EVERYTHING I have everyday. It is controlling my like. Any advice? Thank you
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Replies
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I also feel like I live life having to go to the gym if I don’t I just keep going up. I am tired and frustrated and want to give up4
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are you using a weight trending app? to see what the trend over weeks is saying VS daily numbers? My weight fluctuates by 2-3 pds easily in a given week based on water retention/what i ate/time of month.
i am 5'1, about 114lbs. been fluctuating between 113.5 and 115 for a month or so but watching my trend more than the numbers to avoid going too crazy.6 -
How are you tracking your calories?
Are you weighing all solids on a food scale, including vegetables and things that come in portions such as slices of bread? Measuring all liquids such as drinks, cooking oils and sauces? If you open your diary, people can see whether you're making any of some common errors.
If your weight is consistently increasing over a period of several weeks, then you're most likely eating more than you think you are.4 -
With daily weighing there is always fluctuating. I am not against weighing everyday because I do it also. They way I even that out is have one day I count as my official weigh in day (Friday). When I weigh daily it is a guide of what not to do, what I need to do etc. If exercising at the sometimes it starts to become routine and our bodies get used to that so need to change the exercises or do more reps, etc. Also, use a food scale, it helps with making sure you have the right amounts of food, etc. I too track everything, another tip make sure logging calories of any drinks if have that. I tend to drink water, black coffee and tea which is 0 calories, but some drinks do have calories.3
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Thank you!!! I am pretty good at tracking and measuring. Maybe I’m just taking in too many calories4
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Hi! Sorry it is a struggle. It may help to add some other types of indicators so the weight number is just part of a mosaic. Like measurements of various parts. It's entirely possible, for example, that you are gaining muscle from your awesome work outs, or dietary change or hormone fluctuations might cause you to be carrying water weight at certain times.
https://8fit.com/fitness/weight-loss-vs-fat-loss/
https://www.verywellfit.com/ways-to-track-weight-loss-progress-12315815 -
Could be anything affecting you. Is the gym thing new? You could be experiencing some water weight gain due to muscle repair. If not then you may be one of those folks like me who has what I like to call an efficient system. I tend to gain on anything over 1400 calories. Part of that is due to having lost so much weight. It does seem to be getting a little better now but I have to watch very carefully. The last thing is obvious, be sure you aren't grabbing a bite here and there and that you are weighing all your solid food and logging it. Beyond that the doc can take a look at your thyriod but it is more likely one of the previous items causing your issue.3
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avilar1012 wrote: »Thank you!!! I am pretty good at tracking and measuring. Maybe I’m just taking in too many calories
You say you're pretty good at it, but you still don't say how you're doing it. How do you know you're good at it?8 -
Solid advice above...
Are you eating your exercise calories? If so, how are you determining your exercise burn? Typically, fitness trackers, machines, and even the MFP exercise database tend to overstate calories burned for a given activity.
If you're eating all (or a portion) of your exercise calories, reduce the percentage for a couple weeks and see how the scale responds.3 -
Yes, please provide exactly how you are tracking your food consumption. and How long have you been experiencing this struggle and consistently tracking/weighing yourself We frankly need more info.2
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Do you use a food scale?2
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I use a food scale to weigh and measure all my food. I track my calories on the my fitness pal app for every meal and snack, I also write in a food journal what I eat for every meal. I drink coffee and in my coffe I use 1 tbsp of the silk non dairy creamer which is 25 calories and I track every coffee I have besides that I drink water 6-8 16oz bottles a day. I go to the gym and track my calorie burn in my Apple Watch, I started to eat half of my workout calories because from reading online I thought I was supposed too. On days I don’t go to the gym (if something comes up) I only eat 1200-1400.5
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Can you open your diary in the settings? Some of the experienced users may be able to spot something to help you out.2
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- Are you double checking that the entries you are using in the database are reflecting the right calories? Most entries are user created and some are wrong. Try to avoid "generic" or recipe-style entries (like tuna sandwich) as you have no idea what the user who created it included.
- How long have you been eating/exercising at your current level?
- You are aiming for the bottom of the healthy weight range for your height. I understand that is where you were comfortable before, but as we move through life, sometimes where we are comfortable changes. It's possible you will have to work harder to stay there now than you used to, and only you can decide whether it's worth it or not.
- You say you feel like quitting. Considering you are already at a healthy weight, there is nothing wrong with deciding this is a good weight to hang out at for awhile. Maybe choose some fitness goals, work on building some muscle. It's quite possible you'll be happier with how you look if you stay at this weight and focus on strength training/recomp. If you're interested in exploring this, here are a couple of threads that go into more detail:
https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10177803/recomposition-maintaining-weight-while-losing-fat/p1
https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10332083/which-lifting-program-is-the-best-for-you/p1
Hang in there!9 -
Thank you 😊0
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I doubt that you are gaining weight on that little calories unless either something is off in your weighing or you are over exaggerating your calorie burn. With your stats, your daily calorie burn from exercise is probably only 300-400 calories. Us lightweights get the short end of the stick. I've heard of other people getting in trouble by going by the calorie burn their apple watch gave them.2
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- Are you double checking that the entries you are using in the database are reflecting the right calories? Most entries are user created and some are wrong. Try to avoid "generic" or recipe-style entries (like tuna sandwich) as you have no idea what the user who created it included.
- How long have you been eating/exercising at your current level?
[*] You are aiming for the bottom of the healthy weight range for your height. I understand that is where you were comfortable before, but as we move through life, sometimes where we are comfortable changes. It's possible you will have to work harder to stay there now than you used to, and only you can decide whether it's worth it or not. - You say you feel like quitting. Considering you are already at a healthy weight, there is nothing wrong with deciding this is a good weight to hang out at for awhile. Maybe choose some fitness goals, work on building some muscle. It's quite possible you'll be happier with how you look if you stay at this weight and focus on strength training/recomp. If you're interested in exploring this, here are a couple of threads that go into more detail:
https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10177803/recomposition-maintaining-weight-while-losing-fat/p1
https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10332083/which-lifting-program-is-the-best-for-you/p1
Hang in there!
This is all really good advice, especially the bolded. Don't be as concerned with the numbers on the scale. Take measurements and progress photos and pay attention to how you look and feel in your clothes. What may have been a good weight for you in the past, may not work now.
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Thank you everyone for your advice. I do some days (not all) eat about half of my work out calories maybe I will not do that and tighten up on my calorie count. I have noticed that at that tome of the month I’m extremely bloated and horribly in pain it’s been the past two months like that o may have to see my doctor but as far as tracking and weighing my food I do do that religiously and drink my waters. O do appreciate everyone taking the time to give me feedback. Thank you1
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