3 months, 4lbs lost. So frustrating!
mrsmcmo
Posts: 109 Member
Hello everyone,
I’ll begin with my stats: F, 37yo, 5’2, 112lbs.
I have been logging for 3 months now (with the exception of last weekend when I was away). I am weighing and measuring everything (down to cooking sprays, etc). I started mid April at 116, and I have been stuck at 112-113 for 4-5 weeks now. I’ve been eating somewhere around 1000-1200 cals a day every day except Saturday’s, which I always log but always go well over on, and using a weekly average. I usually average somewhere around 1400 cals/day for the week. What am I doing wrong??? I am so frustrated, and I am starting to feel really hungry and grumpy all the time honestly. Part of me wants to give up I really feel my best at about 108-110 and was hoping to get there. Advice? I find for the past few weeks I’ve been eating more junk (but still fitting it into my cals) because I am just craving everything.
I’ll begin with my stats: F, 37yo, 5’2, 112lbs.
I have been logging for 3 months now (with the exception of last weekend when I was away). I am weighing and measuring everything (down to cooking sprays, etc). I started mid April at 116, and I have been stuck at 112-113 for 4-5 weeks now. I’ve been eating somewhere around 1000-1200 cals a day every day except Saturday’s, which I always log but always go well over on, and using a weekly average. I usually average somewhere around 1400 cals/day for the week. What am I doing wrong??? I am so frustrated, and I am starting to feel really hungry and grumpy all the time honestly. Part of me wants to give up I really feel my best at about 108-110 and was hoping to get there. Advice? I find for the past few weeks I’ve been eating more junk (but still fitting it into my cals) because I am just craving everything.
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Replies
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With how little you to to lose your weight loss is going to be really slow with little room for errors.
Are you using a food scale and weighing everything that you eat?7 -
Yes I do. Then only time I don’t weigh is if we order in, which is usually twice a week. Pizza on sundays and usually some other form of take out on Saturday. I do still log what the websites say for calories though.0
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Eating out pizza or anything else, unless you order from a chain that gives you the calories, it’s really just a guess.
What do you have your activity level set to? I set mine to sedentary and then log my activities, otherwise MFP deducts way too much for lifestyle.3 -
Yeah I know, I wonder if I should start adding extra calories when we eat out just in case.
My activity level is set to sedentary, and it gives me 1210cals/day. But I personally find it mentally easier to eat less than that 6 days a week and then go over once a week and take a “day off” (but still log).
Is it possible that my body just doesn’t want to be any less than 112? I have lost weight before (went from 130-105), and I seem to remember being stuck at about 114 for awhile. I’d have to go back into my diary to see how many weeks that was.0 -
It’s soooo much harder the closer you are to goal.
I love pizza. Who doesn’t? But it’s the one food I think you can throw the “official” restaurant calorie count out the window. I make my own pizza, including dough from scratch, from carefully weighed ingredients. My pizza tonight will be about 845 calories. It will have small slices of relatively low cal fresh mozarella balls, a smattering if tomato paste, and 30 grams of pepperoni. It’s probably roughly equivalent to three slices of pizza.
As I’ve gained experience, I trust my own weighing and calculations now. I often think, as I make a pizza there is no way in hell that calorie counts for ingredient laden, oily low quality cheese, and thick crust commercial pizza to be anywhere near accurate.
If you’re doing this on a weekly basis, I unfortunately think you know where to begin looking. Sad. I know.....13 -
Ok thank you! Great advice.1
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How active are you? If sedentary/desk job/no active hobbies: your energy use daily would be around 1375-1400 per day. So your options may be to exercise/move more, or to tighten your food choices to be 1200-1300 daily for a very slow path to your desired range, or to accept where you are.3
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Im actually relatively active, I’m a stay at home mom with 4 kids and we do a lot (I actually really like housework so I do quite a bit), however I don’t log any exercise.0
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Do you take the kids hiking? Go for walks in the neighborhood? I would increase activity if you can and have pizza less often. I know, it’s really hard. Pizza is my absolute FAVORITE food, so I miss having it more often, but I want the scale to be my friend and NOT my enemy; so, as someone else suggested, I would start with cutting the pizza (either the qty or the frequency).1
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Im actually relatively active, I’m a stay at home mom with 4 kids and we do a lot (I actually really like housework so I do quite a bit), however I don’t log any exercise.
Being active burns a little more - but the math says you are either losing very slowly or you're maintaining. Your estimated average of 1400 cals in daily could be a little off and/or your deficit is small enough that loss will be very gradual. If you want that to change: the logical conclusion would be to firm up logging (limiting foods you have to guess with) and/or cut the 1400 avg down to 1300-1350, or setting goals for an extra 20-30 minutes of activity daily. An extra 30 minute walk daily could burn another ~150 calories daily.
Note these changes won't have drastic results - but could mean losing 2-3 pounds in a month instead of 0-1.4 -
Awesome, thank you guys so much for the awesome tips!
We do go for walks in the neighborhood, but I’ll try to increase my exercise frequency and cut the order-in’s to less frequently (or just eat less). What a long haul this has been! I honestly figured it would take probably somewhere around the 3 month mark but it’s frustrating to not see a change in 4 or 5 weeks.
Any idea of what maintenance cals might be for me (daily)?0 -
You are so close to goal! At a low BMI (and presumably a low BF%), it just needs to be really slow. I'm taller & weigh more than you, and the fastest I lose is 2lb/mo. At that, I need a maintenance break after 10 weeks or so. I just get deficit weary.
I totally agree with others that when your goal is a 250cal deficit, it's really easy to erase your deficit with inaccurate logging, especially with restaurant meals. When I was in your situation, the solution was simply more accurate counting and that was such a relief. So simple. What if you took a little maintenance break and, using a trending app, tried to maintain for a month while logging as carefully and you possibly can? That would tell you your TDEE for your activity level and *for the way you log*. Then when you are ready to tackle the last 4 pounds, just set your expectation for 2 lb/mo for 2 mo and go for a 250cal deficit from the TDEE you observed.
The thing about measuring inaccuracies is if you are consistent about your inaccuracies (e.g. you have the exact same coffee with cream every day and do not log it), the result will be a lower observed TDEE. If the coffee is 50 kcal daily, your actual TDEE will be 50 cal higher than you observed. But it's really irrelevant. If you bite 250 calories off that, you will lose 0.5 lb/wk. Following that logic, if you have pizza every week and you are under-counting it by 700 calories, your observed TDEE will also be low by 100 cal. Nonetheless, if you accurately log on everything else and eat at a 250 cal deficit from your observed TDEE, you will reach goal.
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Well, if you've not lost or gained in the past 5-6 weeks: you've probably been eating at maintenance. So at current activity level: 1400 + whatever error is involved from estimating the takeout meals. Takeout meals are a guess at best anyhow. Made a little easier if they are chain places that have set serving amounts, such as Subway. Not much variance there from one ham sandwich to the next. But even a chain pizza place: hard to know that they put the just-right amount of cheese and toppings on, and some slices are bigger than others, etc. And a non-chain place? Who knows...Awesome, thank you guys so much for the awesome tips!
We do go for walks in the neighborhood, but I’ll try to increase my exercise frequency and cut the order-in’s to less frequently (or just eat less). What a long haul this has been! I honestly figured it would take probably somewhere around the 3 month mark but it’s frustrating to not see a change in 4 or 5 weeks.
Any idea of what maintenance cals might be for me (daily)?
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Your maintenance level is probably not far off 1400-1500 calories. I'm 5'5.5 and 121 lbs. and supposedly my maintenance is 1470. I'm older though, which makes some difference. My actual maintenance is higher (about 1700) because I am not entirely sedentary.1
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I'd say that your maintenance cals are possibly under 1400.
I'm only half an inch shorter, although I am a bit older. At 52kg (114lb) I was given 1340 or 1360 cals. At 50kg (110lb), I now have 1320 cals.
ETA: I'm set to Sedentary, but track my exercise (lots of walking, as the gyms are closed) and eat those cals too.0 -
If your maintenance cals were under 1400, you'd be gaining weight based on your eating 1400 avg and possibly higher with 2 takeout estimation days weekly.0
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Your bmi is 20.48 which is heading toward the lower side of normal. Why do you want to lose weight?6
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I think they’re somewhere around 1400 or 1450 (but maybe closer to 1500 - I know about 6 years ago or so I was maintaining on 1600, I’m not sure how many less cals is be burning due to being 6 years older). On average, that’s about what I’m eating and I’ve been stuck at this weight for weeks, I think I’d be gaining if it were less.nanamerriman2020 wrote: »If your maintenance cals were under 1400, you'd be gaining weight based on your eating 1400 avg and possibly higher with 2 takeout estimation days weekly.
I honestly just feel my best somewhere around 108-110. I was at that weight for about 3ish years (besides a pregnancy). I know 2-4lbs doesn’t seem like a big deal but I notice a difference on my frame. I would consider just maintaining 112 though if I can’t break through for much longer though because I’m getting exhausted and I’m starting to feel very deprived.
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I know what you mean. I feel best at the low end of my healthy BMI range too. 5 lb makes a difference to me too. Again, I suggest a maintenance break to regain your energy and establish your TDEE. Give yourself 2 months to lose the last 4 lb.3
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I am seriously going to consider that. Thank you!I know what you mean. I feel best at the low end of my healthy BMI range too. 5 lb makes a difference to me too. Again, I suggest a maintenance break to regain your energy and establish your TDEE. Give yourself 2 months to lose the last 4 lb.
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My recommendation is you track body fat instead of weight. My wife's weight has stayed consistent, but her body fat has been dropping steadily. She has dropped 2% body fat and is closing in on 20%. Currently, it is taking her about 1 week to drop .1% body fat, but her weight may go up and down. But knowing that the weight could be water or more lean mass makes the weight number much more insignificant.0
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Keep in mind that if you are eating at maintenance now, increase cals will lead to weight gain. Truth: a smallish body can't eat high calories over time without gaining.
I have had to accept tracking food needs to be a way of life. Not just while losing. When I reach goal ill need to stay around 1600 or will need to lose gained weight again in 6 months.4 -
oops -- comment was meant for another thread1
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I think they’re somewhere around 1400 or 1450 (but maybe closer to 1500 - I know about 6 years ago or so I was maintaining on 1600, I’m not sure how many less cals is be burning due to being 6 years older). On average, that’s about what I’m eating and I’ve been stuck at this weight for weeks, I think I’d be gaining if it were less.nanamerriman2020 wrote: »If your maintenance cals were under 1400, you'd be gaining weight based on your eating 1400 avg and possibly higher with 2 takeout estimation days weekly.
I honestly just feel my best somewhere around 108-110. I was at that weight for about 3ish years (besides a pregnancy). I know 2-4lbs doesn’t seem like a big deal but I notice a difference on my frame. I would consider just maintaining 112 though if I can’t break through for much longer though because I’m getting exhausted and I’m starting to feel very deprived.
Do you do any strength training?
You are aiming for the absolute bottom of the healthy weight range, and it seems that eating as little as you would need to to get there is stressing you out physically and mentally.
It's quite possible that focusing on fitness and strengthening your muscle will make you look and feel better far more easily than forcing your body to hit a specific weight.
This is just my personal experience, but I found that focusing on fueling and working my body to get stronger was literally life changing, compared to the constant drudgery of getting and staying "thin".
It's also possible that whats happening is you are undereating and stressing most of the week, and then in your takeout/pizza days you are so frustrated and your body wants to be fed so you eat more than you realize, basically undoing any deficit you had during the week.
My suggestion would be to set yourself up for 0.5 lbs per week, and put in an accurate activity level. Try to limit foods you can't log accurately or to try to find a way to log that food more accurately. And focus on resistance training and getting stronger. Plus understand that when you are losing slowly, water weight fluctuations can mess with the scale and make it look like you are only seeing a loss once a month or so, that's actually perfectly normal. It took me over a year to lose the last 10 lbs!
Maybe someone can link to the Recomp thread and the Diet Break thread for you, otherwise you should be able to find them in the Most Helpful Posts threads pinned to the top of each sub-forum. I don't know how to post links on my phone
Good luck! 4 -
I think they’re somewhere around 1400 or 1450 (but maybe closer to 1500 - I know about 6 years ago or so I was maintaining on 1600, I’m not sure how many less cals is be burning due to being 6 years older). On average, that’s about what I’m eating and I’ve been stuck at this weight for weeks, I think I’d be gaining if it were less.nanamerriman2020 wrote: »If your maintenance cals were under 1400, you'd be gaining weight based on your eating 1400 avg and possibly higher with 2 takeout estimation days weekly.
I honestly just feel my best somewhere around 108-110. I was at that weight for about 3ish years (besides a pregnancy). I know 2-4lbs doesn’t seem like a big deal but I notice a difference on my frame. I would consider just maintaining 112 though if I can’t break through for much longer though because I’m getting exhausted and I’m starting to feel very deprived.
Do you do any strength training?
You are aiming for the absolute bottom of the healthy weight range, and it seems that eating as little as you would need to to get there is stressing you out physically and mentally.
It's quite possible that focusing on fitness and strengthening your muscle will make you look and feel better far more easily than forcing your body to hit a specific weight.
This is just my personal experience, but I found that focusing on fueling and working my body to get stronger was literally life changing, compared to the constant drudgery of getting and staying "thin".
It's also possible that whats happening is you are undereating and stressing most of the week, and then in your takeout/pizza days you are so frustrated and your body wants to be fed so you eat more than you realize, basically undoing any deficit you had during the week.
My suggestion would be to set yourself up for 0.5 lbs per week, and put in an accurate activity level. Try to limit foods you can't log accurately or to try to find a way to log that food more accurately. And focus on resistance training and getting stronger. Plus understand that when you are losing slowly, water weight fluctuations can mess with the scale and make it look like you are only seeing a loss once a month or so, that's actually perfectly normal. It took me over a year to lose the last 10 lbs!
Maybe someone can link to the Recomp thread and the Diet Break thread for you, otherwise you should be able to find them in the Most Helpful Posts threads pinned to the top of each sub-forum. I don't know how to post links on my phone Good luck!
https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10177803/recomposition-maintaining-weight-while-losing-fat
http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10604863/of-refeeds-and-diet-breaks/p11 -
nanamerriman2020 wrote: »Keep in mind that if you are eating at maintenance now, increase cals will lead to weight gain. Truth: a smallish body can't eat high calories over time without gaining.
I have had to accept tracking food needs to be a way of life. Not just while losing. When I reach goal ill need to stay around 1600 or will need to lose gained weight again in 6 months.
Yeah I know what you mean! Back to the last time I lost weight, once I hit my goal I was fairly content with tracking everything to stay in maintenance. I guess the problem I've run into is that I stopped logging somewhere along the line and I have been yo-yo'ing for probably a good year or more now with logging, stopping, logging, stopping, trying to lose the 10ish lbs I gained. Not this time though, I am pretty determined to get to a comfortable weight and stay there.1 -
I think they’re somewhere around 1400 or 1450 (but maybe closer to 1500 - I know about 6 years ago or so I was maintaining on 1600, I’m not sure how many less cals is be burning due to being 6 years older). On average, that’s about what I’m eating and I’ve been stuck at this weight for weeks, I think I’d be gaining if it were less.nanamerriman2020 wrote: »If your maintenance cals were under 1400, you'd be gaining weight based on your eating 1400 avg and possibly higher with 2 takeout estimation days weekly.
I honestly just feel my best somewhere around 108-110. I was at that weight for about 3ish years (besides a pregnancy). I know 2-4lbs doesn’t seem like a big deal but I notice a difference on my frame. I would consider just maintaining 112 though if I can’t break through for much longer though because I’m getting exhausted and I’m starting to feel very deprived.
Do you do any strength training?
You are aiming for the absolute bottom of the healthy weight range, and it seems that eating as little as you would need to to get there is stressing you out physically and mentally.
It's quite possible that focusing on fitness and strengthening your muscle will make you look and feel better far more easily than forcing your body to hit a specific weight.
This is just my personal experience, but I found that focusing on fueling and working my body to get stronger was literally life changing, compared to the constant drudgery of getting and staying "thin".
It's also possible that whats happening is you are undereating and stressing most of the week, and then in your takeout/pizza days you are so frustrated and your body wants to be fed so you eat more than you realize, basically undoing any deficit you had during the week.
My suggestion would be to set yourself up for 0.5 lbs per week, and put in an accurate activity level. Try to limit foods you can't log accurately or to try to find a way to log that food more accurately. And focus on resistance training and getting stronger. Plus understand that when you are losing slowly, water weight fluctuations can mess with the scale and make it look like you are only seeing a loss once a month or so, that's actually perfectly normal. It took me over a year to lose the last 10 lbs!
Maybe someone can link to the Recomp thread and the Diet Break thread for you, otherwise you should be able to find them in the Most Helpful Posts threads pinned to the top of each sub-forum. I don't know how to post links on my phone Good luck!
Thank you for your post! I am currently not doing any strength training, although it is something I have been thinking on and off about. Back about 6 years ago I lost 25lbs, with calorie tracking alone. I then had another baby, and joined a gym and I quite enjoyed the workouts there (Orange Theory) but in these Covid days it's not going to happen for me right now. But the funny thing is that I actually didn't notice too much of a difference in my physique. I was probably more toned but not to the point where I'd say it's worth the stress of worrying about it at this point in my life - although I completely understand what you're saying about gaining muscle and health rather than trying to get thinner. I will check out that thread for sure though, thank you!0
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