Help! Only 2 lb loss in 6 weeks...I'm at my cals and working

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Sooooo, I've been on MFP for about 6 weeks and am trying to lose 60 lbs. My current calories are set for 1200/day....I've have stayed close to my calories almost everyday. The first 2 weeks I lost 4 lbs and then a week or two later gained 2 lbs back. I've been doing cardio(jogging/walking & elliptical), circuit interval training and 30 Day Shred. The only break I took was this past week for 3 days for a lower back strain. I'm drinking atleast 8 glasses of water a day and some times more.

I know I have the body type that gains muscle fast.....but this is starting to piss me off. I'm getting frustrated and I am wanting to quit. My diary is open so feel free to give me some pointers. I'm at my heaviest now.....however, 6 years ago I did go from 175 to 135(my current goal as well) and I was taking in the same amount of calories. TIA.
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Replies

  • mandyc1018
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    I know how you feel. I am also having this same struggle. I work out, eat what I should be eating for the most part and the weight is not coming off as fast as I would like. Very frustrating.
  • Omar1978
    Omar1978 Posts: 22 Member
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    don't pay much attention to the scale. What about the waist size? are you fitting into smaller clothes?
  • cariliz
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    don't pay much attention to the scale. What about the waist size? are you fitting into smaller clothes?

    Nope, not fitting into smaller clothes. :grumble: Haven't retaken my measurements.....I wanted to wait until I atleast saw some type of "measureable drop" in the scale.
  • rockerbabyy
    rockerbabyy Posts: 2,258 Member
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    might i suggest eating your exercise calories? when you have such a low goal its very important to fuel your body properly.. while you stay close to the 1200, some days you are actually netting 116 calories - thats not enough to live on.
  • Laura_Ivy
    Laura_Ivy Posts: 555 Member
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    I feel your pain! I'm going on 5 weeks and lost 2 lbs the first two weeks and then gained one of pounds back and cannot for the life of me get them off! I researched and a lot of articles are saying to eat at least your bmr....so perhaps you can do the same? i'm so tired of being stuck in the same damn place with no reward at the end of the week! GRRR :grumble:

    Good luck and definitely up your calories even if it's just 100 calories at a time and consider it a science experiment .
  • skb32881
    skb32881 Posts: 105 Member
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    I've had the same problem for a few months so I've been reading forums like crazy and the general concensus seems to be that 1200 calories isn't enough. I've read quite a few people say there were eating 1200 and not losing and everyone told them to eat more sooooo that's what I'm going to try :)
  • alisma73
    alisma73 Posts: 21 Member
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    Hi, am also about same weight as yourself and have lost weight consistently in past week by eating 1250-1400 cals a day and gaining approx 200-300 by exercise a day. You seem to only be eating just over 1000 cals some days, have you tried upping it, incase your body thinks your're starving. Good luck, I'm sure you'll get there. Sal x
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 34,045 Member
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    You are seriously undereating. You say you have your cals set to 1200, but in the last six days you have undereaten - sometimes by a little, but mostly by a lot.

    Eat the exercise calories.
  • brookeg20
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    I was having the same problem. I lost three pounds the first week, and then I couldn't seem to lose anymore. I was actually putting weight on even though I was running about 15 miles a week and staying under my calories. I started uping my calories, and then I started to see some weight loss. Try eating more and see if that helps.

    Don't get discouraged, eventually you will start to lose. You just have to figure out what's going to work for you. You can do it, hang in there!
  • Apazman
    Apazman Posts: 494 Member
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    Try IF (Intermittent fasting for a week and see if that kick starts everything!

    http://www.theiflife.com/intermittent-fasting-101-how-to-start-part-i/
  • JulsDiane
    JulsDiane Posts: 349 Member
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    Are you weighing and measuring your food or eyeballing? So many times if you aren't a stickler about the amounts you are under estimating the calories you are taking in daily.
  • geekymom57
    geekymom57 Posts: 176 Member
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    I feel your pain! No matter what I do, I lose at a painfully slow pace. For me, part of it is my hypothyroidism is hard to control--up, down, etc.--so I often stay at the same weight for a month or more, even if my calories and exercise *should* result in a substantial weight loss. It's tempting to give up, but then I think what would be happening if I wasn't watching my calories so closely, etc.
  • natalie1872
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    For the entire year I was working out more and more, eating 1200 cals and I gained 6 kg.
    At the start of October I stopped taking the pill, I dont count calories now, I eat 8 meals a day, I work out less and I have lost 3 kg.
    I can tell you what I eat if your interested.
    Nat.
  • realme56
    realme56 Posts: 1,093 Member
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    Definitely undereating, your body needs fuel. This has been my mistake in the past.
  • laddyboy
    laddyboy Posts: 1,565 Member
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    You have to eat to lose weight. You're not eating properly.
  • ajbeans
    ajbeans Posts: 2,857 Member
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    Another vote for eating more. You need to eat all of your goal calories at the very least, and probably your exercise ones too.
  • bogle34
    bogle34 Posts: 107 Member
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    I KNOW HOW U FEEL, I AM ALSO FRUSTRATED!! DONT GIVE UP THOUGH...
  • 8bitAlina
    8bitAlina Posts: 353 Member
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    I'm with everyone else who says to eat more. You're definitely under-eating IMHO.
  • hyde1977
    hyde1977 Posts: 476 Member
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    I am going to have to agree with some of the comments! Most days you are not eatting enough! I know the concept of eatting more is hard but for me personally when I got over it and started eatting back 50-60% of my exercise calories I started losing 2-3 pounds per week.

    Water intake- you should be drinking 1/2 your body weight....so 8 cups is often not enough if you are greater then 128 pounds.

    Take your weight and divide it by 2- that is how many ozs you need- take that number and divide by 8 and it will give you how many glasses you need! Make sure you increase that if you are working out...

    Really no one on here can tell you what will work as you have to find what works for your body.....but a common thing said is treat your body you like your car....you need fuel to make it function......you are eatting some really great foods! Try adding more protien to up the calories you are taking!
  • thelovelyLIZ
    thelovelyLIZ Posts: 1,227 Member
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    I agree to look at measurements other than the scale. Try body fat percentage and measurements.

    Also, are you making sure you're tracking everything? There are hidden calories everywhere, like the oil you cook in, etc. Make sure you're not missing anything. That being said, there is merit to eating a little more too. You may be keeping your calories too low for your body, so it's hanging on to weight. Also, make sure you are taking days to recover from working out. I know it feels bad skipping the gym, but I always give myself at least one day off. Fat isn't burned while you work out, it's burned while your body is recovering, which can happen up to 24 hours later. If you're not seeing results, it may be because your body is working too hard. Also, try eating your work out calories.