Getting frustrated
Carolyn130
Posts: 45
I have been working out like a fiend since April and I have only lost 3# from my heaviest weight since starting to really exercise since April! I have been faithfully logging in water, food (every bite that goes into my mouth) and my exercise for the past week since joining MFP and journaling even before that. I am exercising 5-6 days a week and doing on average 30-60 min. of cardio in addition to strength training since April. Today I stepped on the scale and have only lost 3 # since April and nothing since micromanaging my life on MFP. I will start to do measurements and track that. I am consistently under my calorie goal (I know...bad!) but when it tells you "if you keep eating blah blah calories you will be down to blah weight in 5 weeks!" which is very enticing I will admit. I have 17 # to lose and it is refusing to come off despite all of my efforts. As of today I am at day 2 with absolutely NO sugar I am 5"2 and 147# and 47 yrs. old..at this point is it hormonal? genetic? I prefer to eat an apple than look like one...yes my weight is mostly in my stomach. I am open for any and all suggestions......
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Replies
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your not the only one..
but don't give up! 0 -
I'm with ya! Just don't give up. I would definitely start going by how your clothes feel especially since you are doing strength training as well.
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when u keep patience in hard time and keep working 4 ur goal it will come to u.i nsuch time u may giveup n gain more weight u shd b motivated coz everything has pass but its upto u which way u hav to go uphill or downhill0
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I don't know what your calorie intake is, but you might need to increase it to see weight loss. If your body isn't getting enough, it's going to hold on to what it has.0
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What do you have your weight loss goal set to? For your purposes, it should be set to no more than 1/2 lb per week, otherwise you will not be eating enough calories for what you have left to lose. Are you eating enough? Are you watching your NET calories & staying above 1100-1200? If you eat back your exercise calories, how are you measuring your burn...are you using a HRM or going by machines or the MFP exercise database (which can be quite high for some people, low for others and right on for others still)? These are the only things I can suggest to try :flowerforyou:0
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If you're concerned it could be a thyroid issue or something, take your food and exercise diary to your doctor and see what he recommends.
Also, be brutally honest with yourself. I had a couple of friends who werent' totally honest on their logs. They wrote that they walked for 20 minutes, when they had actually spent 10 minutes of that chit-chatting or stopping and looking at the flowers or the stores as we walked past.
Make sure your portions are what you're logging them to be. Don't eyeball it. What "seems" like a 1/2 cup could actually be a full cup.
Finally, it's not bad to go under your calorie goal, so long as it isn't below the minimum required amount. If I'm below 1200, even if I'm full, I'll have a light snack to bring me up to where I need to be. I want to make sure I can burn in an optimal fashion, as well as making sure I am filling my body with the fuel it needs to operate in top condition.0 -
All I can think is, you said it yourself you are consistenly under your calorie goal. Do you eat your exercise calories back? I know it is very frustrating. I didn't loose anything for 3 months, then i started weighting what i ate, doing strength training and the weight started to come off. You can do!!0
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I had something similar happen recently. I was shooting for 1410 calories per day, but when I reviewed 2 weeks worth of entries, I was averaging 1820. Now, some of that I had "earned" back through exercise, so it wasn't all bad news. Here are the questions I asked myself to turn it around, and the things I'm doing now. I went from 270 to start, down to 267, then gained EIGHT pounds in a weekend, and now have netted out at 8.4 lbs lost in about 45 days.
(1) Are you being COMPLETELY honest about the calories you log? I noticed that if I grabbed a Twix mini from the bowl at work (50+ calories), that it was so mindless and I'd forget to record it.
(2) Are you sticking to your calorie max, or are you allowing yourself extra calories because of your workouts? I ask, because I'm not 100% confident that myfitnesspal is accurate in telling you how many calories you burned (seems like it over-estimates).
(3) Are you completely honest about your "lifestyle" in the settings? I initially had it one notch above "sedentary" and have now bumped it down, thus lowering my calorie goals.
Bottom line, calories in, calories out. If you're logging, and under your calorie goal, you should lose. I had this mentality that "maybe I'm different." I thought that my body is so unique that eating fewer calories maybe doesn't work on me. I thought I was immune to the different rules. Then, my mom sent me an article (which is no longer up, but referenced here: http://one-twenty-five.tumblr.com/post/10466126688/this-day) from a blogger trying to reach 125 pounds. She wrote about how she was training for a marathon because she was told that running would just "melt" the pounds off. It didn't. Once she finally gripped the reality that weight loss rules applied to her, it changed her.
I'm not saying you're lying, or that you think these things. But, I certainly did, and here's how I turned it around:
(1) Five 300-calorie meals per day (7am, 10am, 1pm, 4pm, 7pm). It's been so simple for me to follow. If I'm 10 over at 7am, then I make sure to get back on track at 10am by eating 290 calories. I can't say for sure, but I think this is helping with my metabolism.
(2) Track everything that goes into your mouth - even zero-calorie diet soda and added salt.
(3) Take pictures of yourself in a bikini or bra and panties. Even if the scale doesn't say you've lost weight, it's nice to see toning and changes in the mirror.
(4) Do your hair every day. Silly, I know. But there's something about feeling great above the neck that makes me want to perpetuate those good feelings throughout the rest of my body.
(5) When you feel tempted to eat something "bad" or too much, ask yourself "will this make me feel empowered?"
(6) Build habits of monitoring everything by monitoring your finances through a site like mint.com. There's something about tracking in general (calories, money, etc. ) that is a habit you just have to get into.
Hope something in here is helpful to you or others!0 -
Congrats!0
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There you go. You probably need to eat more. Without seeing your diary, we can't be sure if this is the cause but if you are significantly under your net goal then it's likely. Also, not all calories are created equal. If you open your diary and let people see what your calories consist of, we might be able to offer you better advice. Usually when you're having trouble losing, it is because of the amount you're eating (too much or too little) or the types of calories you're consuming.I am consistently under my calorie goal (I know...bad!)0 -
hola,tengo entendido que cuando el cuerpo a pesar de hacer bien las cosas,no baja de peso es porque el cambio fue fuerte y esta guardando energias a traves de grasa.A mi me paso bastante tiempo,pero tuve paciencia como te aconsejn aqui en el foro,y empece despacito a bajar.Mucha suerte! y no bajes los brazos.0
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I totally know how you feel although I always tend to plateau right at the beginning - I think my body is bucking the system. It will take me a month to loose 1 lb - SO frustrating.
Some of the things I've found to work are:
1. Reduce alcohol intake. It not only adds calories but it makes you sluggish and less likely to do the things that help you burn.
2. Stay away from the idea of a "cheat day". Even if you only cheat on the weekends, that's still 1/4 of your week. I prefer the "cheat moment". If I have a piece of candy twice a week or so, that's not nearly as bad as a full on weekend binge.
3. Try a protien-heavy-after-workout snack like greek yogurt and avoid powerbar type snacks. I only recently noticed that Clif bars (sooo delicious) have over 40 carbs in one bar! Guess I won't be buying those again.
4. A little workout is better than no workout. The honest truth is sometimes I just don't feel like taking 2 hours out of my day to do a full workout (40 min of cardio, 20 min of strength and the back and forth to the gym) so I will go in and do 30 min of cardio and call it good.
5. Workout Retail therapy - If I buy a new pair of workout pants or some new iTunes to sweat to, I'm much more likely to hit the gym.
Good luck!0 -
I am definitely under my net cal. I have opened my database for public viewing and feedback. I am maintaining my HR in the 150's during cardio. Thanks for your help:)0
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Great advice. Thanks! As for the alcohol I rarely have any..occasional glass of wine. I am now focused on staying away from all sugar.....and taking a deep breath to regroup. I agree some type of work out is better than none at all so that being said....time to ge the dog out for a walk:)..0
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In looking at your diary I guess I'm surprised at the lack of veggies and fruits. They're there but in small quantities. By the way, I'm not sure where the olive oil measurement came from but 1 Tbsp is 120 calories. Maybe you had half, I couldn't tell.
To be honest, if it was me, I'd cut out all of the candy treats and breads for a week or two, add in a lot more whole foods and bring it up to the 1200 or so with the good foods.
Just curious about the cardio and whether keeping your heart rate in the 150s is a good idea. I'm 51 and I know mine is quite a bit lower. I do spike it up there now and then but not on a consistent basis.
Getting a blood work up is never a bad idea. They can see where you are in menopause, your thyroid levels (TSH) and Vitamin D, each will effect your metabolism.0 -
My diary is now open. Some days the snacking is very bad with the things I had popped in my mouth but I have honestly logged everything to keep my self honest and to help with self reflection. If I put it in my mouth I have to put it on the log! Opening the diary to everyone will maybe be the kick in the head I need to really rethink that cookie or 17 giradelli chocolate chips I pop in my mouth. I am now on a mission to keep the eating really clean and no sugar. I will re evaluate in a week. I will also keep track of measurements. How do you get in all the calories not eating anything processed?0
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How do you get in all the calories not eating anything processed?
By sticking with a diet high in protein and veggies. Eat eggs for breakfast or greek yogurt with protein powder mixed in. Eat veggies like broccolli or green beans with 4 oz of chicken for lunch. Eat an ounce of nuts or cheese as a snack. Eat veggies and 4 oz of lean meat for dinner. Indulge in some sugar free candy. Still limit the amount because they still have colories. I only buy frozen veggies for convenience sake. I used to add olive oil until I found out how many calories I was pouring on. Now I just add a little creole seasoning and some hot sauce to my veggies, and pop them in the microwave. Eating two cups of broccolli doesn't amount to much calorie wise but it is very filling and tasty.0 -
Looking at your diary, you're eating WAY too little calories!
You need to eat a MINIMUM of 1200. Going under is only going to slow your metabolism. Eat back those calories!0 -
I just looked at your diary. You aren't eating enough. I did the same thing for a very long time and literally put my body in starvation mode. I was gaining weight by not eating. I did a bit of refeeding...eating normal without trying to lose weight for a couple of weeks. Then I started tracking my calories on MFP and the weight is coming off so easy. You have to eat at least 1200 calories a day MINIMUM!0
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@carolyn - If you are logging absolutely everything then the weight should come off. Ive been dieting for 6 weeks at 1200 calories per day and have lost 20 lbs.. Down to 172 from 192. While a lot of this came off quickly and easily, the last 10 pounds were really hard.
If you are exercising a lot (which it seems as though you are) its possible that the added muscle is counteracting your idea of weight loss = good. In fact, toning = good and weight is really just a number. If you were 200 pounds but looked like a slender supermodel, the number wouldnt really mean anything..
That being said, I knwo that the number is a goal, all Im saying is dont put so much stock in it if you are starting to change your body.
Also, if you are eating back the calories you are burning via exercise, the weight loss will be slower.
At 1200 calories I was kickboxing 3 days a week and if we had a really taxing workout I might eat 200-300 more calories.
It takes burning 3600 calories to lose a pound and this is cumulative weekly/monthly..
Hope that helps and good luck!
-Mike0 -
I agree that the absolute min should be 1200 calories. Also, a very very important thing to remember is to treat yourself.
Eat the things you would normally eat, just change how you eat them (ie, lower portions or splitting up meals)
Its ok to have that 1/3 cup of ben and jerry's for 130 calories as long as you measure and log it!0 -
Wow! Thanks everyone! I am so appreciative for our input.0
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This is great advice. I feel like I am struggling with the same problem and I eat mostly healthy and whole foods, plus I exericise like a maniac but I have not received any results in the last 2 months. I took before and after pictures and saw no changes what-so-ever as of last night. It is so fustrating and I think it is MFP telling me I can eat more after exercising. I think I am going to try to eat 1500 calories (5 meals per day) regardless of how much I exercise. My main problem is I like to document my exercising so I can see where I'm at, but I can't stand the fact that it automatically gives you extra calories. There is a psychological efferect to this and it is hard to ignore. Especially when your stomach starts grumbling.....but MFP says I can eat more.....I had something similar happen recently. I was shooting for 1410 calories per day, but when I reviewed 2 weeks worth of entries, I was averaging 1820. Now, some of that I had "earned" back through exercise, so it wasn't all bad news. Here are the questions I asked myself to turn it around, and the things I'm doing now. I went from 270 to start, down to 267, then gained EIGHT pounds in a weekend, and now have netted out at 8.4 lbs lost in about 45 days.
(1) Are you being COMPLETELY honest about the calories you log? I noticed that if I grabbed a Twix mini from the bowl at work (50+ calories), that it was so mindless and I'd forget to record it.
(2) Are you sticking to your calorie max, or are you allowing yourself extra calories because of your workouts? I ask, because I'm not 100% confident that myfitnesspal is accurate in telling you how many calories you burned (seems like it over-estimates).
(3) Are you completely honest about your "lifestyle" in the settings? I initially had it one notch above "sedentary" and have now bumped it down, thus lowering my calorie goals.
Bottom line, calories in, calories out. If you're logging, and under your calorie goal, you should lose. I had this mentality that "maybe I'm different." I thought that my body is so unique that eating fewer calories maybe doesn't work on me. I thought I was immune to the different rules. Then, my mom sent me an article (which is no longer up, but referenced here: http://one-twenty-five.tumblr.com/post/10466126688/this-day) from a blogger trying to reach 125 pounds. She wrote about how she was training for a marathon because she was told that running would just "melt" the pounds off. It didn't. Once she finally gripped the reality that weight loss rules applied to her, it changed her.
I'm not saying you're lying, or that you think these things. But, I certainly did, and here's how I turned it around:
(1) Five 300-calorie meals per day (7am, 10am, 1pm, 4pm, 7pm). It's been so simple for me to follow. If I'm 10 over at 7am, then I make sure to get back on track at 10am by eating 290 calories. I can't say for sure, but I think this is helping with my metabolism.
(2) Track everything that goes into your mouth - even zero-calorie diet soda and added salt.
(3) Take pictures of yourself in a bikini or bra and panties. Even if the scale doesn't say you've lost weight, it's nice to see toning and changes in the mirror.
(4) Do your hair every day. Silly, I know. But there's something about feeling great above the neck that makes me want to perpetuate those good feelings throughout the rest of my body.
(5) When you feel tempted to eat something "bad" or too much, ask yourself "will this make me feel empowered?"
(6) Build habits of monitoring everything by monitoring your finances through a site like mint.com. There's something about tracking in general (calories, money, etc. ) that is a habit you just have to get into.
Hope something in here is helpful to you or others!
I looked at that blog and she said something like losing weight is 95% food and 5% exercising. That makes sense and I need to focus more on the food and less on the exercise.0 -
(1) Are you being COMPLETELY honest about the calories you log? I noticed that if I grabbed a Twix mini from the bowl at work (50+ calories), that it was so mindless and I'd forget to record it.
(2) Are you sticking to your calorie max, or are you allowing yourself extra calories because of your workouts? I ask, because I'm not 100% confident that myfitnesspal is accurate in telling you how many calories you burned (seems like it over-estimates).
(3) Are you completely honest about your "lifestyle" in the settings? I initially had it one notch above "sedentary" and have now bumped it down, thus lowering my calorie goals.
Great advice. I adjust my excercise to lower my calories burned because I'm sure it overestimates.0 -
I just took a quick look at your diary and your net numbers are really low .. some days under 1000 ... Try bumping up your net to 1200 to 1400. Your body NEEDS food (good calories) otherwise it thinks it's starving ... just my two cents0
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I looked at your diary - you arent eatintg the MINIMUM of 1200 calories a day. You HAVE to do this. I have issues with this too but I am guessing your body is in starvation mode. Eat 1200 minimum and once you get to that point start working on eating back some of the workout calories if you feel hungry after the 1200 has been eaten. I bet you will see a difference if you start eating 1200 cals min every day. :-) keep up the good work though on your workouts and up the food a little and DEF take measurements!!! You will see it in the measurements even if the scale doesnt show much.
Keep your chin up!0 -
Unless you have Hypothyroidism or any medical condition that can affect your metabolism. It's all about your calorie deficit where you will see optimal weight loss. Are you positive about the amount of calories your consuming daily? Have you determined what your BMR is? And what your maintenance calories are? Your exercise routine is spot on, but if your nutrition is not. Then your exercises will do very little in weight loss. For sure it will increase your overall health, but the weight will either be at a stand still or not go anywhere.0
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Thanks for the note. No hypothyroidism or hormonal shifts as the bloodwork has all been done. I am going to get to the 1200 calories with good whole nutritious foods and will continue to tweek it. I am glad my exercise is spot on. I think if I eat only 1200 cal. I can stack the exercise cal earned in my 3600 cal. weight loss bank! 2 days without processed sugar....woo hoo!0
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Try this book Jillian Michaels Making the Cut.
It tells you how to fight the last 10-20 pounds.
I have the same problem as you and I do not think that eating more calories ever helped me. Just my body is very very effective and it has always been this way. If I eat more it srores it. I am totally sure that by eating more I will not lose any weight because I have been trying this for 1 year. For some people might work but for me the only thing that ever works is low calories and lots of exercises.
I am sure that all those celebrities would not starve themselve if it was just sooo easy-just eat more!
The last 10-20 pounds are very difficult to lose and for some people it is even more difficult. I am from that second category.
Good luck:)
God bless you!0
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