What gives?!?!

sweetheatha
sweetheatha Posts: 10
edited October 2 in Health and Weight Loss
Yes, I know it takes TIME to lose weight and in 3 months I lost 23 lbs...20 of it came off in the first 2 mos because I made such a drastic change in my eating habits and stopped drinking my calories. The past month has been such a challenge and I'm not sure what has happened. I still have A LOT (at least 50 lbs) of weight to lose so I don't "think" eating more calories is the right route for me to take. I usually eat around 1200/day and that is with light exercise (general housecleaning/going on walks and taking care of my 3yr old) I've tried switching it up and eating a little more here and there but I haven't noticed a change plus I felt like I was taking a step backwards in doing so. I keep being reminded of the general rule "burn more calories than you eat". And since I have so far to go, I can't picture my body going into starvation mode!!! I have been eating healthier and trying to incorporate exercise here and there. I'm sure if I exercised daily for like an hour or two, it would help greatly but I have yet to make that happen. I already drink TONS of water and I really feel like I am doing this the right way....so what gives??? Why do I feel like my only option is going to be to spend countless hours in the gym or working out obsessively to get things moving?? I am in no way, shape or form looking for an easy way out...I know this is going to take hard work and my efforts will pay off in the longrun. But it's been a month with almost no weight loss at all so I am looking for advice as to what I can do to change this. Also, I know I can't rely on the scale to measure my progress but I don't feel or look any different either...clothes are still fitting the same and the pictures I have taken show no difference either. I'm getting a little discouraged and frustrated :/

Replies

  • LaDiablesse
    LaDiablesse Posts: 862 Member
    Exercise would definitely help. Both strength training & cardio. Are you watching your sodium intake as well?
  • sweetheatha
    sweetheatha Posts: 10
    Oh yes, I pay close attention to my sodium intake!! Salt makes my fingers swell up so I don't use it on anything and I'm not big on frozen foods or anything like that. I've been eating plenty of fruits and veggies and lean meats.
  • ashleypietz
    ashleypietz Posts: 87 Member
    Since you've already lost 20 lbs with diet change I think you will have to up the exercise. That is really the only way to get the pounds off quickly. If you want to lose the weight you have to do the exercise.
  • Gilbrod
    Gilbrod Posts: 1,216 Member
    Whenever I felt like I was platueaing, I just worked harder with heavier weights, or more intensity, or longer. Your body gets used to your workouts. By pushing yourself a bit more each week, the weight will keep dropping, and you'll get in better shape. Look at my pics. My transformation was only 5 months.
  • cervenec
    cervenec Posts: 64
    Make sure you see a doctor and talk about this with them! A friend had the same problem in high school, and turned out she had thyroid issues. Went on a liquid diet for months and never lost a single pound.
  • sunshineshica
    sunshineshica Posts: 277
    your body has gotten used to how your dieting. You gotta give it a boost now of something different. I'm not saying to spend hours in the gym...i'm saying go up and down some steps for like 30 minutes or make your walks longer. If u have a Wii, do some activities on there that's interesting to do.
  • atomicpunk1974
    atomicpunk1974 Posts: 54
    I went through the same thing. For some reason, my body hit a plateau for about a month when I got to the point of having about fifty pounds left to lose. I didn't change anything... just stayed very consistently within my calorie goal each day, and after that month I went back to losing a pound or two each week. I don't know what caused it or if it will be the same for you, but I think it's natural to hit plateaus sometimes. It can be discouraging, but don't give up on the things that have been working for you.
  • ajbeans
    ajbeans Posts: 2,857 Member
    You already burn calories just by living. It takes energy to keep your heart beating and your brain working and your lungs breathing and your digestive system digesting. I can't tell you how many times I've seen people on here bust a plateau by just eating more. You could probably raise it to 1400 or more and still have a good enough deficit to keep losing. It certainly won't make you gain weight, as long as you're still eating less than your TDEE. Try it for a couple of weeks and see what happens. And if you do increase the exercise, which I agree would be helpful, you will definitely need to eat more.
  • sweetheatha
    sweetheatha Posts: 10
    I see my dr monthly to track my weight and other things and we have already tested anything that could possibly be hindering my weight loss and I am perfectly healthy!!! My weight gain came from becoming pregnant and being on bed rest so I gained almost 50 lbs which I have lost since. I definitely think exercise is going to be the key for me!! And apparently what I have been doing is not enough so I will just have to try harder :) What kinds of exercises does everyone recommend? P90x and Insanity are not for me...not at this stage anyways. I wish I had an elliptical at home but I do have other things such as a Zumba dvd and Jillian Michaels. I have some weights too (although 5lbs may not be heavy enough lol). I'm open to suggestions!
  • speedyme
    speedyme Posts: 86 Member
    Track you fat and sugar as well, once i did that i started dropping again. I even switched from Skim milk to soy (not the best tasting but only use it for cereal). Skim milk has 34g of sugar and chose fruits that had less sugar as well. It still has been a slow but steady loss week after week. Food is 75-80% of your weight loss success!

    Hope this helps
  • sailin38
    sailin38 Posts: 3 Member
    Sweetheatha...I am in same boat. I have lost 18 in the first 2.5 months and now have plateaud. My main exercise is my WII. I love to play tennis and that is what I do...5 days a week M-F for at least 30mins. I was expecting this and now I have added about 20 minutes of my WII fit Step to it and I am hoping to boost the weight loss again. I eat between 1300-1400 calaories a day. I do beleive that exercise is the key here. I know with a 3 year old it is hard to do. I have 70+ lbs to go and the key is not to get discouraged and remember that we will hit these plateaus all throughout our journey. I had not thought about the sodium but that is a good idea..I have to try to watch that myself. You have done great so far! :flowerforyou:

    Don't give up.

    This is a marathon not a sprint.
  • summersmaze
    summersmaze Posts: 26 Member
    I totally feel your pain - I've found switching it up with exercise does help and if you don't have access to an elliptical or treadmill, Zumba burns a lot of calories as well as Tai-bo. Also, try the Biggest Loser Boot Camp DVD - it works on the cardio and toning too. I feel like it's a constant struggle to figure my body out - I'm giving it 100% effort this time so we'll see if it works. Good luck and keep at it - the scale has to move eventually!
  • AmyRhubarb
    AmyRhubarb Posts: 6,890 Member
    What Jillian Michaels DVD do you have? So many of her workouts are 30 minutes or less, but pack a huge punch (no pun intended!). You get a good mix of cardio and strength training with her workouts, and that might be the extra push you need to keep losing.

    If you haven't done any workouts with weights, that 5lb dumbbell might be too much, at least to start with. I use a lot of different weights in my Jillian workouts - from 3lbs all the way up to 8lbs (almost back to using the 10lbs, too!) - depends on the exercise. Give it a shot - good luck and let us know how you do!
  • sweetheatha
    sweetheatha Posts: 10
    I have the 30 day shred...I just bought it so I haven't tried it yet but I heard it's pretty tough!!

    I was concerned about my sugar intake but I do eat healthy sugar...from fruit and yogurts. And I switched from skim milk to almond milk...less calories and sugar and more calcium! I know people say food is 80% of it but I'm not sure that is true for everyone. I think the physical aspect is going to be more of what I need to focus on. Since I need to lose so much, it's going to take some extra sweating to get there :)
  • aschultz9
    aschultz9 Posts: 89
    I didn't thoroughly read all of the other responses, so sorry if I'm repeating. You definitely need to add strength training. You don't need to do any fancy program (ie P90X) for this. Some hand weights (5 lbs will be just fine to start out with). Do some bicep curls, triceps work, squats, shoulder raises, lunges, pushups. The balance balls are great and not very expensive, lots you can do for strength with them and there's usually a video or atleast visual poster included to get ideas. Building muscle will help.

    20 minutes of strength training 2 days a week, and get 30 minutes of cardio in on most days.
  • AmyRhubarb
    AmyRhubarb Posts: 6,890 Member
    I have the 30 day shred...I just bought it so I haven't tried it yet but I heard it's pretty tough!!
    It is pretty tough when you first start! I've said this in several other topics - the first time I did the workout, I pushed myself too hard - I was so sore I could barely walk the next two days. Don't be like me - take it easy the first day! Learn the moves, proper form, and don't push too hard. But keep at it, and like she says during the workout, stay with it and you will be amazed at how quickly you notice a difference in your endurance, flexibility and strength, just in the first week.
  • Gilbrod
    Gilbrod Posts: 1,216 Member
    Sweethea.... try walking for 3 minutes, then jog for 2 ( just make sure it's at a faster pace than your walk). Then walk for 2 minutes and jog one. Repeat that process for at least 20 minutes. You'll see a good change.
  • shawnscott5
    shawnscott5 Posts: 295 Member
    My doctor just told me to work out for only 20 minutes 2 to 3 times a day. It kick starts your burning everytime. Also, check with your local indoor pool, I found a "swim to be trim" class and it is a huge work out. The nice thing is, is everyone there have the same goals as you, and you can get advice and encourage each other there. I go twice a week and each time my body tells me that I had a great workout. Plus I am walking 3 to 4 miles a day. I walk for a half hour, very fast pace, then do it again in the evening. Hope this helps.
  • raynalisa
    raynalisa Posts: 56 Member
    Track you fat and sugar as well, once i did that i started dropping again. I even switched from Skim milk to soy (not the best tasting but only use it for cereal). Skim milk has 34g of sugar and chose fruits that had less sugar as well. It still has been a slow but steady loss week after week. Food is 75-80% of your weight loss success!

    Hope this helps

    Try Almond Milk. I cant stand the taste of soy milk and I love unsweetened vanilla almond milk!
  • ladybg81
    ladybg81 Posts: 1,553 Member
    I think you need to up your calories and eat back your exercise calories. Yes, it does seem that would be counter-productive, but like someone else said, you burn calories everyday just by living. I went into maintenance and upped my calories and I am still losing by upping my calories alone. MFP already has a deficit built in so you certainly need to eat back to majority of your exercise calories.
  • felicityksr
    felicityksr Posts: 208 Member
    I love Zumba and do it just about every day at the gym. I also do Jillian's 30-Day Shred. Just do what you can and it gets easier. Start the DVD's and maybe switch them off every other day so it is not monotonous for you. You will see the difference in your clothes before you see it on the scale. ;-)
  • gods_gal
    gods_gal Posts: 301
    This happened to me too so I feel your pain. I do have thyroid and other health issues so that might be part of my problem but I found that when I joined MFP and added walking to my routine I began to lose again. I also make sure I have more than 8 glasses of water a day and I'm sure that has helped. Keep at it. It will happen for you. I'm learning patience, too!! LOL!!
  • PinchHitre
    PinchHitre Posts: 1 Member
    To lose that amount of weight in such a short time is fantastic! I don't like to exercise in a gym either, but I like doing is walking. Go to you library and check out a book on tape and listen to it only when you are out walking. If the book is good, you will be anxious to get back out the next day. You can start slow and gradually over time pick up the pace and amount of time. You can start with 15 minutes and work it up to 30 minutes once or twice a day. Give it a try and good luck. Steve
  • lmarshel
    lmarshel Posts: 674 Member
    Losing 3 pounds in a month is NOT a plateau. You say you know it's a process and will be hard work, but it sounds to me like you ARE looking for quick results. Your weight loss has slowed down, which is normal. Not everyone can sustain losing 10 pounds a month long term. Stick with your process, and you will see results in the LONG term.

    Good luck!
  • jjs22
    jjs22 Posts: 156
    It sounds like you are really doing things right and have thought things out. If you feel good about upping your exercise, that will certainly help.

    I tend to try to stay below my target calories on a day to day basis (just like trying to keep your checkbook on the "good" side of zero). So at the end of the week I usually find I haven't eaten quite enough. Lets me have a nice big breakfast or ribeye or something on the weekend. Kind of like "zig-zagging", but less deliberate. Anyway, this supposedly helps to avoid plateaus.

    The other thing to "work on" is just to be okay with things as they are. As long as you are eating healthy and meeting your net calorie targets, the weight will come off on its own, whether you care about or not. The best diet plan in the whole world is just being in the habit of eating the right number of calories of healthy food. If you achieve your target weight through some heroic push, the natural response is going to be to want to relax afterwards. Sounds like your situation is a little different than most (baby weight + bedrest), but these days I think *everybody* needs to make healthy eating/exercise more of a habit than a special undertaking.
  • sweetheatha
    sweetheatha Posts: 10
    I'm not looking for nor am I expecting quick results! I know it requires hard work to get results and I have no problem with that. Was just wondering if other people have experienced the same thing I am faced with. Eating habits are of course the most important thing but I just found it interesting that after such a drastic change the first 2 months that as soon as month #3 hit, my body stopped responding. I was not a healthy eater by any means in the past and I take ful lresponsibility for what has happened to my body. And I know my body went through a shock phase in the beginning because I stopped eating and drinking crap. No excuses- I did this to myself and I will undo it as well! Thanks to those who showed support and have given me some helpful tips on how to approach adding more exercise into my daily activities...I really appreciate the kind words :). Good luck to all of you!!
  • NFash
    NFash Posts: 7
    I've been on this plan for almost 6 weeks. I lost 19 lbs and now I cannot get the scale to budge. I eat about 1100 to 1200 calories a day and never eat sweets. I exercise hard through a daily walk or run, alternating. Two weeks and nothing, this is frustrating!
  • jazzalea
    jazzalea Posts: 412 Member
    Morning,

    first don't give up!

    I started this journey at 320 pounds about 18 months ago and I'm down to 185 pounds this morning!

    But I can't tell you the number of times I've either plateaued or even gained weight back for no apparent reason..... but sooner or later, it's going to kick back in and you will start that wonderful slide back down the scales....

    one trick that I've learned to help kick my metabolism back into gear is to eat my carbs first thing in the morning so that it gets the motor burning for the day, and limiting them during the afternoon and evening so that they aren't sitting there in my digestive track turning to sugars while I'm resting.

    don't give up, this isn't a race.... this is just you taking control of YOUR body and sculpting it into the one that you want....
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