I'm stuck! Need help! Getting frustrated :(

Options
autumnh2009
autumnh2009 Posts: 6 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hello everyone!!!!

I began my weight loss adventure in September I was 175 then and I am down now to 154. I'm currently sitting at about 1400 calories a day. Since the beginning of January I have started back at the gym. I work two jobs so it's extremely tricky art of puzzle work to get it all to fit in. I have been working out 3-4 hours a week mostly just classes like kickboxing and zumba. I have plateaued and I haven't really lost any since December. I'll gain some, lose it, lose some, gain it back. I'm getting so frustrated and there are days I'm like wtf am I sitting here eating this apple when everyone else is eating pizza and I'm not losing anyways. I've increased my water intake lately as well. Of course my fiance is still losing weight like it's nothing and he's not religiously counting calories now!

Also whats the idea on eating your work out calories you get? I feel if I don't eat some I'm STARVING

Any advice, help,motivation?

Thanks.

Autumn
«1

Replies

  • Rilke
    Rilke Posts: 1,201 Member
    Options
    If you are hungrier now that you've begun exercising more, then eat more. Your body is asking for fuel -- answer it.
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    Options
    Hello everyone!!!!

    I began my weight loss adventure in September I was 175 then and I am down now to 154. I'm currently sitting at about 1400 calories a day. Since the beginning of January I have started back at the gym. I work two jobs so it's extremely tricky art of puzzle work to get it all to fit in. I have been working out 3-4 hours a week mostly just classes like kickboxing and zumba. I have plateaued and I haven't really lost any since December. I'll gain some, lose it, lose some, gain it back. I'm getting so frustrated and there are days I'm like wtf am I sitting here eating this apple when everyone else is eating pizza and I'm not losing anyways. I've increased my water intake lately as well. Of course my fiance is still losing weight like it's nothing and he's not religiously counting calories now!

    Also whats the idea on eating your work out calories you get? I feel if I don't eat some I'm STARVING

    Any advice, help,motivation?

    Thanks.

    Autumn

    eat the exericse calories. MFP gives you a deficit WITHOUT exercise, so eat them... try it for at least 4 weeks, then come back if you still arent losing!
  • marcoworkman
    marcoworkman Posts: 1
    Options
    Your body has platued. I ran into the same problem but then i tried P90X and it shocked my system into losing 35 lbs in the 90 days. That may be an option for you. I do mine in the morning before I go to work because after work I am also a full time student with three boys, so It was not feasable to workout in the evenings. It may be just what you need to lose those last few lbs before you hop into that wedding dress.
  • pspetralia
    pspetralia Posts: 963 Member
    Options
    You could try changing you workouts, too. Your body needs change- it needs to be surprised. I try to do a different workout every day. Good luck and don't give up!
  • richelle67
    richelle67 Posts: 73
    Options
    Hi, I feel your pain. I am in the same boat, stuck, and frustrated. What I do is take a day, to eat the pizza, cookies or whatever you crave. Than I get back on track the next day. It usually gets me over my hump. I don't go crazy on what I eat, I just eat somethings I normally wouldn't. After a while it is harder to lose weight, it takes more work, and dedication but we have to remember it is a lifestyle change. Good luck!!! Feel free to add me as a friend if you would like more friends.
  • kir911
    kir911 Posts: 228 Member
    Options
    I feel your pain! I am stuck at about the same spot as you. I have upped my calories, lowered my calories, ate my exercise calories back, ate only half back, tweaked the things I have been eating, and still stalled! I am losing at an extremely slow rate...very frustrating. I hope you figure out your issue.
  • garbanzalo
    garbanzalo Posts: 61 Member
    Options
    See if your physical measurements are going down. You can also buy an HRM and monitor your heart rate. The calorie loss it gives is much better than the numbers provided by MFP.

    If you had simply plateaued, you would have experienced a fixed weight with a small range change. You are most likely in starvation mode and your body is fighting the weight loss. You might want to consider eating more calories and upping the intensity of your workouts.
  • Nana_Booboo
    Nana_Booboo Posts: 501 Member
    Options
    Pay attention when you hit the "complete this entry" button. What is MFP telling you? There is usually a statement that says "You'll way XXX amount in 5 weeks but you are under eating your calories and you could be sabotaging your weight loss"Are you under your calories due to adding more exercise? Do you need to give your body more fuel? Annnnnnnnnd, make sure you are getting enough rest. Your body needs rest to lose also.
  • brattt78
    brattt78 Posts: 6 Member
    Options
    Try increasing your water. Most people don't drink enough but it helps metabolize fat. You should be drinking half your weight in ounces. For example, if you weigh 100 lbs, you should drink 50 oz/day or if you weigh 200 lbs, you should drink 100 oz/day.
  • maryjay51
    maryjay51 Posts: 742
    Options
    it looks like you only have 4lbs left to reach your goal.. its going to be hard to get off if its the last 4lbs.. i would make some switch in the diet like have a piece of pizza with your friends and maybe do some different exercises like switch up the weights .. change usually works
  • vjrose
    vjrose Posts: 809 Member
    Options
    I have that problem and I am nowhere close to my target goal. I usually have to switch up my calories for awhile then back down and if I don't eat enough of my exercise calories I am stuck big time. Eating more this week than I have in a while and dropped a pound after a pretty slow month of working intense workouts (hour +, 800 calories) with 30 minutes at 300-400. If I don't eat quite a few of my exercise calories I'm stuck.
  • Kona54
    Kona54 Posts: 30 Member
    Options
    you have hit a plateau..you need to UP your workout and remember to use a variety of foods..sometimes changing your choices can break the pleateau..GOOD LUCK!
  • MaximalLife
    MaximalLife Posts: 2,447 Member
    Options
    Eat back your exercise calories.
    Your lack of progress might be related to not enough food.
    Simply stated MFP has already figured out your total calories you need to eat per day to lose 1lb etc. a week.
    That's WITHOUT exercise. You'll notice that when you actually add exercise in, the calorie limit goes up.
    Why? Because it's telling you to eat your exercise calories.
    Large deficits aren't really good to do because while you will lose weight, what kind of weight will it be?
    In many cases you'll lose lean muscle tissue which LOWERS your metabolic rate even more.
    Then you have to eat even less to compensate for less of a calorie burn to continue to lose the same amount
    of weight each week.

    Be efficient.
    Exercise hard and eat back the calories. The hard exercise will RAISE your metabolic rate and burn more fat at rest.
  • Kona54
    Kona54 Posts: 30 Member
    Options
    get Plenty of Water when working out 80oz help
  • tennillewade
    tennillewade Posts: 49 Member
    Options
    in addition to trying different workouts, try changing your calories what i mean by that is maybe one of the days when you dont workout eat a min of 1200 cals and then the next day when you workout have 1400 cals and then change it up like that so that your body has to compensate for less cals one day that may help boost up your metabolism.
  • cellio70
    cellio70 Posts: 5
    Options
    try changing your workout and at some weights...
  • tammy510
    tammy510 Posts: 32
    Options
    Remember, when you lose body weight, it takes less calories to fuel your body and your body is going to try and hold on to everything! I was stuck for two months, believe it or not I started doing Jillian's Yoga Meltdown and dropped 3 pounds in one week! That is the change my body needed to kick it in the butt, also went to 1210 calories for a few days with extra protein added.
    Whoever said you can't spot reduce, hasn't tried yoga! I have found muscles I didn't even know I owned. And since I have never done it, my body wasn't expecting it so I think that change helped me get unstuck.
  • nsimportant
    nsimportant Posts: 170 Member
    Options
    So You are doing your workouts for weight loss and eating stuff that You don't like. Hmm change Your workouts and eat stuff that You like but count the calories.
  • soon2bhotmom
    soon2bhotmom Posts: 108 Member
    Options
    I think we all get there at some point. Looks like you got some great advice.
  • zumbaabby
    zumbaabby Posts: 59
    Options
    I am at a plateau as well! I've lost about 110 pounds, and now I am 100% stuck. Pretty much, I agree with what everyone else says...if you gain an extra calorie amount with exercise, eat it! Doesn't have to be all, but at least half or so! Try changing up your workout. I am a Zumba Instructor and I (until this week) taught 7 Classes a week. Now I teach four, and am going to incorporate other classes and workouts because my body is so used to it, that it continues to maintain me, but not help me lose. Try adding weights. Cardio classes are good because they burn while you are doing them, but the strength training exercises will burn for several days after since you are breaking down some muscle and rebuilding it :)!

Categories