frustrated...I want to throw my scale out the window...*leng

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jdl249
jdl249 Posts: 46
in Health and Weight Loss
I have one of the scales with the numbers on it [in other words, not digital, but when you stand on it the needle goes to a number]. I have weighed myself twice since starting this diet a couple of weeks ago and I'm about to go insane. Before I ever started, I went to get on the Depo shot in late March and at that time I was 206. I started slow in dieting and exercising, and then in a random weigh-in in late April, I was 194. I joined here near the end of May, weighed myself, and I was 215. I just weighed again this morning, a week later, and I'm STILL at 215.

I am in my birthday suit when I weigh and I make sure I've done my business first before I weigh. This morning was a disappointment though. I've been taking three 10-minute walks to the radio station 5 minutes away (walking distance) ffrom my house and I've been on Jillian Michaels' 30 Day Shred for almost 2 weeks now, advancing to level 2 one day and I could barely get through the movements because I'm that uncoordinated :laugh:

But it just frustrates me to see my weight fluctuate so much. I'm trying to get in a new wardrobe for this fall's college semester [my fourth year], and I have an internship next fall [Fall 2010], and I would like to fit in smaller clothes by that time especially. Right now I'm a size 20 and I'm 5'1" [so no need to check BMI to tell me I'm obese, which surprised me]. What's weird though is I see bigger muscles in my arms and I have a lot more endurance than when I started.

As for my diet, I've taken to Special K cereal and/or oatmeal and/or whole wheat toast for breakfast, and chicken and either fruit or veggies for lunch and dinner. My guilty pleasure foods were macaroni and cheese and chocolate, until I've cut them out. For snacks, I usually have vanilla yogurts or bananas. I tried a salad with grilled chicken at McDonald's one day, but dressings are not my friend and let's face it, that thing is two tomatoes, a bunch of lettuce, and chicken -- take out the two tomatoes, add no dressing, and you just have lettuce and chicken. It's not bad, but I don't see it as fulfilling. Anything I can do about that?

I think I'm eating better, I KNOW I'm exercising more than I was previously, and yet my weight changes so much like that. I told myself I was going to weigh on Friday, but the scale kept talking to me. At most, I can only eat max of 1000 calories a day these days before I get full. Then, lo and behold, when I log that in to MFP, it tells me I'm undereating and I may stop losing weight. How can I stop something I haven't even started? :frown:

I know when I get my hands on some extra money [which probably won't be until around October] I am going to get an elliptical machine. Anyone have good experience with those??

I really need help. I don't see how I'm making progress...

Replies

  • jdl249
    jdl249 Posts: 46
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    Aaaaaaaand my title's too long. GRRRRR. Guess I can't edit that...:laugh:
  • vrdz3215
    vrdz3215 Posts: 493
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    are your clothes fitting looser? do you look in the mirror and think you lost weight?
    Alot of times when you start any kind of exercise program that includes any kind of weight training, you will most likely gain weight on the scale to start with because your body is developing lean muscle, which weighs more than fat. You need to measure your waist, hips legs, butt, chest and arms and track how many inches you have lost as well rather than just pounds. Chances are if you have been hitting it that hard, you have lost a few inches around your middle, which will result in wearing smaller clothing. Dont get discourgaged by the number...its how you feel about yourself. I lost 50 lbs my self and when I first started I lost 5 pounds and when I started weight training I gained 2 of muscle, but I was wearing a smaller size and looked smaller when I looked at myself in the mirror.

    Dont give up! Just keep at it and you will suceed!!!
  • gc2052
    gc2052 Posts: 183
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    I am so sorry you are frustrated. I am also an under eater although I feel satisfied. I am trying hard to eat the calories. It is all about food choices. I changed all the goals so that I try to stay below 16% fat intake and also increase protein. Keep up the log and try to meet the calories. Under eating slows the metabolism, therefore you do not burn calories and do not loose weight.
    Keep at it especially the exercise
    Gail
  • ivykivy
    ivykivy Posts: 2,970 Member
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    Please step away from the scale.

    Break out the tape measure once a month.

    Are you stronger? Are you faster? How has your resting heart rate changed? These are better ways to measure your progress than the scale.

    If you are eating right and exercising trust in the process. If in 3 months there is no change then see your doctor.:flowerforyou:
  • jljohnson
    jljohnson Posts: 719 Member
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    I definitely agree with the others on checking your measurements, rather than just trusting the scale. Here are a few other things to consider:

    1. How old is your scale? Many like the one you described are made with a spring in them. With time, that spring stretches out, and you don't get as acurate of a measurement. You may want to try a different scale (buy a new one, try one at the gym, go to the doctor, etc.).

    2. If you are only eating 1000 calories, you are WAY under what you should be eating. I was eating only 1200 for a long time, lost some weight and hit a plateau. I actually upped my calories to 1400, didn't change anything else, and I'm losing inches again. Eat at least 1200, maybe more, depending on what MFP tells you.

    3. Other than the chicken and veggies, it sounds like you're eating mostly carbs. This is not altogether bad, but you may want to try adding some good fats (like nuts or avocado) and more protein (nuts again, and other meats). This will also help you with point number 2 above. Also, stick with carbs that have good amounts of fiber in them as well, like your oatmeal is better than Special K. Whole grain breads/rice are better than their white counterparts.

    4. I love my elliptical. I just got a cheap one from Walmart, but it does the job ($225 on clearance). This would be a good way to change up your workout routine, which will also help stimulate your weight loss. Keep in mind that you probably want to change your workout routine every 4-6 weeks, so your body doesn't get accustomed to doing the same thing.

    I hope this helps!
  • SHBoss1673
    SHBoss1673 Posts: 7,161 Member
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    well, I'm glad you are making a good faith attempt at doing this right, I feel like you know WHAT your are supposed to do, but you just can't make your body do it. That's what it sounds like to me.

    If you're not eating 1000 calories (I don't even want to know how many you are eating net, if you add in exercise calories), then I would guess that you're WAAAAAYYYY under IMHO.

    see my link below in my signature, click on it. read the posts in there, they are going to help you understand a LOT about your own body, and why you need to eat. You're starving yourself, and your body is rebeling against you.
  • SHBoss1673
    SHBoss1673 Posts: 7,161 Member
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    I am so sorry you are frustrated. I am also an under eater although I feel satisfied. I am trying hard to eat the calories. It is all about food choices. I changed all the goals so that I try to stay below 16% fat intake and also increase protein. Keep up the log and try to meet the calories. Under eating slows the metabolism, therefore you do not burn calories and do not loose weight.
    Keep at it especially the exercise
    Gail

    ahh, 16% fat intake? What brought you to that number? Most respected dietary foundations recommend between 20 and 35% of your calories be from primarilly healthy, omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids (unsaturated fats) and 10% come from saturated fats (yes, they DO play role in health). So I'm curious how you came to the 16% number.
  • annaliza
    annaliza Posts: 809
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    What banks and jljohnson said! :flowerforyou:

    I wasn't losing weight on 1200 cals a day so I increased it to 1400. Now the pounds are melting off. AND, I eat my exercise calories.

    1000 cals a day is not enough,...eat eat eat!!!
  • chrissyh
    chrissyh Posts: 8,235 Member
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    What banks and jljohnson said! :flowerforyou:

    I wasn't losing weight on 1200 cals a day so I increased it to 1400. Now the pounds are melting off. AND, I eat my exercise calories.

    1000 cals a day is not enough,...eat eat eat!!!

    Ditto to all that - I mean that really sounds identical to my history about 2 m ago....

    Try to have a variety of foods - if you want the yogurt, throw in some berries, maybe apples one day, banana the next, almonds, your body needs nourishment and the same foods only offer the same vitamins and such to your body - switch it up a bit, enjoy the fact that you can eat and you'll lose - it's all about smarter choices....I LOVE macaroni and cheese on on the occassion, I'll have a kraft easy mac packet to kill the craving with a chicken ternderloin or two and veggie or fruit - still reasonable cals and fat and I don't feel like it's forbidden.
  • rocknrolla2009
    rocknrolla2009 Posts: 63 Member
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    This is helping me too..I've been doing this for only a month and the scale hasn't moved in about 10 days...I have been eating all my alotted calories and exercise calories, and almost doubling my exercise goals. And I'm only just starting out, so it sucks to see the scale not change.

    I'm going to follow the advice of the poster who says to back away from the scale, lol. I think at least I will WI every 2 weeks instead and hopefully it won't be so discouraging.
  • alaskancoppertop
    alaskancoppertop Posts: 35
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    Check where your calories are coming from, see if you can eat something with a bit more calories that is small, or look at changing your meal plan schedule and how big those meals are. Plus... were you getting enough calories before? Some people gain the weight because their body was put into starvation mode and is still trying to learn that it doesn't need to hold onto all the fat to survive, so it gains a little bit. And remember, muscle weighs more than fat. Screw the scale, go get your measurements checked, you probably lost inches and turned 10 pounds of fat into 15 pounds of muscle.
  • hiddensecant
    hiddensecant Posts: 2,446 Member
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    Ketosis will give you a false feeling of fullness. You need to fuel yourself so your metabolism will allow you to lose weight. How do you expect your body to look better if you're not taking care of it?

    Eat every 2-3 hours and bump up those calories!

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