I give up

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eurekagee
eurekagee Posts: 6
in Motivation and Support
Wow - so, after thinking I had been super good and been hungry almost every day for the last month (really decided it was time to try hard to be better with my food) Imagine my despair to see that My weight loss over the last four weeks has been: week 1:put on 3lb, week 2:lost 2lb, week 3:put on 1lb, week 4:put on 1lb. So - I've put on 3lb….. great.

I've been cyclying a few times each week and had the following net calories: 228 over, 161 over, 160 over and 193 over. Okay - so they are all "over" my target - but still about 300 calories a day less than what I "should" be eating to maintain my current weight. So a 3lb increase over those 4 weeks is the opposite to what I was hoping for. I don't want to lose weight rapidly, I just want to change my lifestyle so that I don't put weight on, (hence I am not busting a gut to be under target - I want to achieve something that is mantainable from here on, forever) but it just seems impossible. How can my weight have GONE UP when I am so hungry and have already changed SO much?

Replies

  • morganadk2_deleted
    morganadk2_deleted Posts: 1,696 Member
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    can't see your diary ? maybe there is something wrong there?


    How many calories are you on ?
  • judgerock810
    judgerock810 Posts: 16 Member
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    Keep going, if I could see your diary I could help you more. It sounds like you may be gaining some muscle if you are weight lifting. If you are not strength training or exercising it could explain some too.
  • SheehyCFC
    SheehyCFC Posts: 529 Member
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    Are you sure you are calculating your burns correctly? Burns fluctuate wildly from person to person because of fitness levels, etc. MFP does their best, but the calc is typically off. If you are using a HRM, I would suggest a more balanced diet, and increased water levels. Maybe share your diary?
  • iifastsgirl
    iifastsgirl Posts: 1
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    Try measuring, that might tell you where your adding and losing, you may just be adding in the legs like i did when I started running but I lost some in my back and other not so noticable places first. Just an idea.
  • Happy0326
    Happy0326 Posts: 159 Member
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    maybe because your working out more you NEED to eat more....another thing is you may be losing inches. That is normal it happens to all of us. VERY FRUSTRATING!!! but just stick to it, it is part of the journey. You should NEVER feel hungry. You would be suprised how much you can lose by eating more. Maybe you need to increase your calories a bit.
  • jdhosier
    jdhosier Posts: 315 Member
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    What have you set up as your goals?

    Perhaps you misjudged your lifestyle (sedentary, active, etc.)?

    Are you logging everything that touches your lips?

    Are you exercising and correctly entering the calories burned?

    Are you underestimating your portions on your journal?

    What types of foods are you eating?

    Are you on any medications?

    All of these things can have affect your weight loss.
  • firefly171717
    firefly171717 Posts: 226 Member
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    Don't give up! Sometimes our bodies do strange things when we are trying to lose weight and do everything right. That is definitly the case with my weight loss! At first I gained weight and then I started to lose very slowly and then the pounds started to melt off. You can do it and there is so many great people her to help!!!
  • bhoochy
    bhoochy Posts: 35 Member
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    I agree with the others who said....Open your food diary and it would be easier to see what you are doing for us to help you change it!!! I was scared to open mine up too but decided I was ready to change and get real about what I was doing to allow others to help me figure it out =)
  • Uerzer
    Uerzer Posts: 273
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    1) Get your *kitten* back here!!!! :angry:
    2) Let us see your diary :grumble:
    3) And add me as a friend for some more ranting :mad:

    Only 5-10% weight reduction reduces significantly your mortality rate! :ohwell:
    And just FYI... MFP works :flowerforyou:
  • jazzalea
    jazzalea Posts: 412 Member
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    my weight is up 2 lbs this week despite the fact that my calories are right on track and my exercise is right in the normal.....

    But I know from past experience that our bodies are not machines.... they don't always work exactly the way the owners manual say they should.... and I just need to give it time to ride this one out..... try making little changes, nothing serious,nothing that's going to mess up your diet too much.....after all, you can only reduce your calories so much.... sooner or later you are going to run out. Reducing calories is NOT always the answer.........make sure the calories you are eating are working for you, and don't give up! your body didn't GAIN weight steadily.... it's not going to be a smooth ride coming back down.... just don't get off the track :)


    p.s. being hungry shouldn't be a normal part of your day...... if you''re feeling hungry.... so is your body and it's doing what it can to protect itself...... FEED YOURSELF!
  • ndaney
    ndaney Posts: 17 Member
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    Keep going and don't give up. My first two weeks on MFP I didn't make any progress at all. Now I am diligent about my portions. I measured everything at first so I could see what my portions were. And I record EVERYTHING.....even the Halloween candies my kids gave me. Make sure you are drinking your water! You will get there!
  • fish119
    fish119 Posts: 67
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    Don't throw in the towel just yet. I would suggest making your diary public or opening it to your friends. I have mine public and it helps me stay on track. Are you tracking your sodium and sugar? I knew sodium made me retain water, however, I was not aware that sugar had the same effect. You could also be gaining muscle if you are working out each day. Hang in there, you can do this!
  • navygunner
    navygunner Posts: 36 Member
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    Don't give up! I have hit a slight plateau but no gain. Make sure your goals are set correctly. I have a hard time calculating my burned calories when I exercise so maybe that is the problem.

    Shoot for not exceeding your caloric intake goal for the day, I know it's hard. Today someone tried to sabotage me unintentionally and brought me a Mickey D's bacon, egg, and cheese biscuit. It was hard not to eat it, but being that it has been so hard to get to where I am I gave it away to someone in the office. I can still smell it in my office. So I made me a cup of hot black tea (stimulant) and drank 2 cups of water and decided to just get on with it.

    Just don't give up.:smile:
  • SheehyCFC
    SheehyCFC Posts: 529 Member
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    But I know from past experience that our bodies are not machines.... they don't always work exactly the way the owners manual say they should.... and I just need to give it time to ride this one out..... try making little changes, nothing serious,nothing that's going to mess up your diet too much.....after all, you can only reduce your calories so much.... sooner or later you are going to run out. Reducing calories is NOT always the answer.........make sure the calories you are eating are working for you, and don't give up! your body didn't GAIN weight steadily.... it's not going to be a smooth ride coming back down.... just don't get off the track :)
    ^ This is great advice
  • Purpleflipflops
    Purpleflipflops Posts: 563 Member
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    Well, if you are being active and feeling hungry, of course you're going to give up! You need to keep fueling yourself! If your stomach is growling, and instead of eating a healthy, nutrient snack you go and Cycle, your body is going to respond by holding onto calories. Give your body something to burn, trust me! I kept gaining weight until I finally began eating my burned calories and eating when I am hungry! Try eating a protien bar or something before you go in, so your body is ready to burn!
  • terrellc1
    terrellc1 Posts: 231 Member
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    The same thing happened to me, and it was insanely frustrating. My friend was consistently losing weight with only dieting and no exercise, and I was eating well and tracking my caloric intake AND exercising...and I continued to stay a fat square shaped chunk. I finally went to see an endocrinologist...and lo and behold, one of my ovaries was kicking out more testosterone than it should have and I was also having trouble with insulin resistance. He put me on meds (Metformin) and told me to cut out processed and refined carbs. I went back for a check up 6 months later, and my hormones were good and my insulin was fantastic...and I was also 40 pounds lighter and had my hourglass figure back. :)
  • Gilbrod
    Gilbrod Posts: 1,216 Member
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    Have things been fitting looser? Are your clothes getting bigger? Have you had to buy smaller clothes? Your body will adjust to your workout if you're doing the exact same thing. You can't just do one exercise. You also have to change your calorie intake. Meaning, starve yourself, and your body will slow down to burn less since you're feeding it less. I never plateaud thank God. But that's because I would add 2 lbs to whatever I was lifting each week. I would add 1 more minute to my run. I would add 2 more reps, etc. Don't give up. The battle is in the mind more so than in the gut. Good luck!

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