Please help!? It's not shifting, what am I doing wrong!?

Yarrum84 · January 2012

I just don't understand!!

For the last few months (about October 2011) I've been gaining and losing the SAME 5lbs. One week I've lost it, Yay all happy, the next I gain it back.
The last 2 weeks I've REALLY stepped up on dieting but I've lost nothing!

Last week was a shock because I lost and gained 0lbs and that may sound crap, but it was a change for me.

Anyway, I know I shouldn't have, but I weighed myself this morning and oh look! GAINED the 5lbs back!

What the hell is going on!

I've been eating 1250 calories per day (last few days MFP has said to eat 1200 kcals), I've kept to it and sometimes I've been under but I've topped it up a bit with something, but absolutely NO CHEATING!

No exercise either, I'm going about 30 mins MINIMUM per day with walking, but I don't class that as extra exercising, it's a normal every day thing. I've got a suspected Ovarian Cyst (waiting for scan) and that is causing me pain so I'm not doing as much as I should/can.

The only thing I can think of is that this (suspected) Cyst of mine grows an extra 5lbs per fortnight or something lol - wishful thinking, it'll mean when they remove it I'll be a size 14! lol

It's so disheartening! I mean, if I wanted to gain and lose the same 5lbs then I would have carried on eating crap as it was happening then too.

Utterly peeved!

Still sticking to the diet.

I know my ticker says I've lost 11lbs but that was because it was an old loss. I've updated it and it instantly put it down as 11lbs lol.

I'll open up my food diary so everyone can see it.

I'm not even eating fatty foods

taso42 · January 2012

Try increasing your calorie intake.

FitMissVicky · January 2012

Try eating more. Eat breakfast and add healthy, protein-based snacks. My doc has recommended eating every 2-3 hours, protein every time.

carrie_eggo · January 2012

Try increasing your calorie intake.

^^This.

Read: http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/fat-loss/why-big-caloric-deficits-and-lots-of-activity-can-hurt-fat-loss.html

purpleipod · January 2012

Eating the same, consistent low amount of calories doesn't always provide the results you think it would. Try a higher calorie meal once in awhile.

cmriverside · January 2012

I wonder how you came up with 1200 calories? And why you aren't eating back your exercise calories. You need more food than that if you are caring for two children.

IvoryParchment · January 2012

Measure something other than your weight. Your hormones could be causing a lot of fluid shifts. That's the only explanation for 5 lbs in a week no matter what your diet is. Try waist circumference.

Also, make sure you're really measuring accurately, with cup measures, teaspoons, and a food scale, and double check the calories for things you're using from the database (some entries are wrong). 1250 calories isn't many no matter what you weigh, and to lose no net weight since October would require you to have gained a lot of muscle or retained a lot of water.

feduh86 · January 2012

Exercise in the morning to keep that metabolism going throughout the day, and eat every 2-3 hours like people have said because it will keep your metabolism from slowing down and therefore storing the food. As well, dont eat the same amount of calories everyday because the body will get used to it and stay constant I guess you could call it. Change it up every now n then

I tried my first month exercising (did end up in the morning) but I was trying to eat around these times : 7am, 10am, 1pm, 4pm, 7pm and then id have green tea at night (even though im not a huge fan of the stuff lol) exercise wasnt everyday but i tried for bout a week and a half and lost 15 in a month

Hope this helps and gives you ideas!

xHelloQuincyx · January 2012

right off the bat i dont see you eating enough for breakfast most days. try things that are better for you and full of fiber. for example natural oat meal or granola and greek yogurt. i would have 3 meals and at least 3 snacks. up your calories and see where it goes. that 30 mins of walking should be counted as working out, try eating the calories.

MarieNevada · January 2012

stop eating cookies for breakfast and snack cakes for snacks and eat real unprocessed food. the worst combo is sugar and fat. your body thinks "jackpot!" and turns it into fat regardless of how little you eat. and how are you not starving on the little amount of food you do eat? so yeah, up your calories and stop eating junk food like cookies and chips and snack cakes.

maritenour · January 2012

Yeah, see what MFP and like-websites calculate your bmr to be!
I was doing 1200 a day and didnt lose anything, fumbled around witht he same 5lbs like you for weeks, and i recently upped my calories to 1600 and i eat back some exercise calories and ive finally broke under the bottom number of the 5lb window!

mill1295 · January 2012

Maybe try watching more macro nutrients? I think it is important to monitor protein and get at least what it says on here, I usually go over. Fat is a nutrient too and is important so I actually have to make an effort to hit that as well. Eating too many carbs at once throws off your blood chemistry and makes your body want to hold onto your fat so make sure they're spread out over the day. So I would suggest monitoring protein and eating more if you're not hitting it as the first thing.

This really is the main thing that I have changed and with it came a 20 pound weight loss. Eating more protein and not too many carbs in a sitting. Also maybe try adding a little strength training - doesn't have to be anything crazy. Start with 5 pound weights to get comfortable and move up from there..

pupcamper · January 2012

Looks like crap in crap out to me! You may be staying under your calorie goal but you aren't feeding your body with the food choices! I wouldn't be surpired if you felt hungry and lifeless. When you are putting in such a small amount of calories per day you need to make them count - filling your body with empty calories isn't a 'healthy' diet, you need to focus on outting some nutriton in there! Try eating a decent meals with at least 3 out of the 4 food groups to give you some protein and fibre. Get lots of fruits, vegetables and lean protein in your meals. Snacks keep you satisfied for longer if they have some protein and carbs and try not to go over 150 calories. Dump alot of the processed stuff and the treats for when you can excercise and 'earn' them and don't forgt to drink water or caffine free teas without milk and sugar. If you want some ideas for meals & snacks send me a message and I can help you out! It isn't easy to start out - the first three or four weeks are usually difficult to get into the routine but after that it becomes alot easier! Look after your body and it will look after you! Good luck!

kjh1204 · January 2012

stop eating cookies for breakfast and snack cakes for snacks and eat real unprocessed food. the worst combo is sugar and fat. your body thinks "jackpot!" and turns it into fat regardless of how little you eat. and how are you not starving on the little amount of food you do eat? so yeah, up your calories and stop eating junk food like cookies and chips and snack cakes.

Totally agree

bexdc · January 2012

I agree with everyone here. You need to eat clean and increase calorie intake. Also do try to exercise more -- even walking an extra 15-20 minutes a day in the morning helps!

I have increased my calorie intake and have eaten more frequently and healthily to account for my exercise, and I have lost 1.5 lbs in the last week (weighing every day). That didn't happen when I was eating fewer calories!

Williamj · January 2012

I know upping your daily calorie intake seems counter intuitive but I've witnessed first hand how it can make a huge difference.

My closest friend was in the last month of P90X and was eating very healthy and clean, but stopped losing weight. He did some research and added 400 calories to his daily consumption and started losing again, pretty significantly.

Edit: Just to add some more thoughts.

Your body has to trust you. If it feels like its starving ( and I think 1250 calories a day qualifies, unless you are eating really clean ), it's going to do everything it can to store and conserve energy. Women are even more susceptible to this than men, because of the chance of getting pregnant.

bexdc · January 2012

I know upping your daily calorie intake seems counter intuitive but I've witnessed first hand how it can make a huge difference.

My closest friend was in the last month of P90X and was eating very healthy and clean, but stopped losing weight. He did some research and added 400 calories to his daily consumption and started losing again, pretty significantly.

I know, right?! Totally counter intuitive, but I love that it works and I love being able to eat more so I don't bonk in the middle of my training runs!

bonjour24 · January 2012

I know, right?! Totally counter intuitive, but I love that it works and I love being able to eat more so I don't bonk in the middle of my training runs!

haha! where i'm from, bonking in the middle of your training runs would burn even more calories! but you may get arrested ;-)

Yarrum84 · January 2012

Thank you people

I'd like to point out that the only reason the cake was on there was because I was so under my limit that I wanted to bulk it up quick before 7.30pm.
1 day I ate the 2 biscuits for breakfast but that was because I rushed out to drop kids off and had a community meeting. I was starving and the only thing there was biscuits. I figured I'd do myself more damage if I starved myself until midday for when I got home.

I'm not struggling with energy, I feel alive! lol. I'm not hungry either. I'm struggling to eat more, but I will add more protein in my diet.

Yes I got the 1200 kcal from MFP when I put in my weight etc.

I did this about 2 years ago, I ate 1250 per day and I lost 2 stone - although I was exercising more, so that helps lol. Saying that, I wasn't eating the calories I lost though :S

Really appreciate the advice people

I'll up it a bit, eat more meats, eggs etc and bring it up that way and hopefully I'll lose something lol.

So when I start exercising more, do I eat those lost calories? I've NEVER heard that before until I came on here. I did ask once and got so many mixed messaged lol.

taso42 · January 2012

Yes, you eat those calories. MFP is a little different from other programs in that it subtracts the deficit up front, and does not include exercise into your TDEE (total daily energy expenditure). This is different from the more common programs of computing TDEE with an estimate of exercise already factored in. This seems to confuse a great many people here.

Some further reading
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/390145-should-i-eat-my-exercise-calories
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/61706-guide-to-calorie-deficits
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/forums/show/474-unofficial-mfp-faq

MaximalLife · January 2012

Up your calories to clean foods a bit higher in protein - ditch the sugar and processed foods.

And find a way to exercise more.

vcreinert · January 2012

Watch your salt intake and drink lots of water. Also make sure you eat maximum calories. It takes calories to burn calories.

firesoforion · January 2012

Weight lifting is very helpful.

janf15 · January 2012

There are lots of great suggestions here. What caught my eye right away - you are most likely not eating enough. I have not looked at your food diary.

However, when you log on to the MFP there is a calorie tracker. That is very close your basal metabolic rate (BMR). You should not go below your BMR for your caloric intake My guess is that you may be a couple of hundred calories below your BMR with your caloric intake.

For everyone reading this - I have found the podcast www.fat2fitradio.com - the hosts are using very sound advise - a lot of the information is based on peer reviewed literature and a lot of the program is based on questions from the listeners. Best of all - no product endorsements or advertising.

Yarrum84 · January 2012

Yes, you eat those calories. MFP is a little different from other programs in that it subtracts the deficit up front, and does not include exercise into your TDEE (total daily energy expenditure). This is different from the more common programs of computing TDEE with an estimate of exercise already factored in. This seems to confuse a great many people here.

Some further reading
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/390145-should-i-eat-my-exercise-calories
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/61706-guide-to-calorie-deficits
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/forums/show/474-unofficial-mfp-faq

Oh right

Cool, nice one, thanks

I will try and up my exercise. I still have gym membership as I was doing that 3 times a week (and still having that blasted 5lb on 5lb off trouble). I love the gym

I'm just in pain. Bending is a no no, twisting is a no no. I'll be walking and all is fine, and then BANG pain shoots through my pelvic area.
I loved doing classes like Zumba, step aerobics, boxercise etc.

Scan on the 23rd, and test results through on Monday so hopefully it can get sorted out asap

Awwww pang of guilt over people talking about the processed foods lol. My fault, I asked for it though lol. I didn't think it would matter as I was under calorie, fat etc. Again, was only to up calories because it was under 1200 - stocking up on fruits, eggs etc

What's BMR?

Salt and Sodium is the same yes? I've not put that on my diary, I've only got calorie, carbs and fat

sandnessmj · January 2012

stop eating cookies for breakfast and snack cakes for snacks and eat real unprocessed food. the worst combo is sugar and fat. your body thinks "jackpot!" and turns it into fat regardless of how little you eat. and how are you not starving on the little amount of food you do eat? so yeah, up your calories and stop eating junk food like cookies and chips and snack cakes.

This is unfortunately wrong. If you are in a calorie deficit, you will lose weight, and your body will not automatically store ingested fats and sugars as fat. You won't be getting quality nutrition, but in the end it boils down to your caloric balance. Eat more than you burn? You gain. Eat less than you burn? You lose.

Make lean proteins the base of your meals, add fibrous vegetables and healthy fats. Starches and grains should be an afterthought, as they are high in calories and typically low in nutrients. Drink an appropriate amount of water, too.

Remember that many things can affect your progress and weigh in: water weight, a faulty scale, miscalculating your portion sizes, miscalculating your energy expenditure, etc.

Please help!? It's not shifting, what am I doing wrong!?

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