Eating right but staying the same! help!
Replies
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It's pretty normal for the scale not to move for a couple of weeks (or worse, up and down), and then all of a sudden, the weight starts dropping off again.0
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Hi Anna,
You are pretty much on target for your goal, well done!! it is hard to see the scale only going down slowly, but slow loss is healthier and you have more chance of keeping it off long term :-)
Ive had a look at your diary and wouldnt cut your calories any further, considering how much you have to lose you are right to sticking to the 2lbs level set by MFP. I noticed you are a good way under your calories most days - try to eat all of your alloted calories, eating too little can also affect your loss as you are creating too high a deficit so your body doesnt want to let go of any fat!! i eat 1650-1750 @ 214lbs and I've lost 31lbs in 4 months, i started on 1900 @ 244lbs. I have actually lost more in the last few weeks with reduced exercise, so it is possible to lose with limited exercise.
the goal set by MFP for sugar is really low, I upped mine to 60g as I was going over just from some milk and a piece of fruit which is ridiculous! I dont worry about sugar from fruit, just the processed stuff in chocs / cakes etc! I also adjusted my carbs / protein / fat to 40/30/30 as the MFP carb level is really high and protein is realy low.
I would suggest you track your sodium as this can cause water retention and affect the scale, get your portions of fruit & veg in, choose home cooked meals as much as possible rather than ready prepared, and drink more water.
Also take measurements, as your body shape will be changing even when there is not much progress on the scale
Im currently unable to exercise much due to a knee injury and with a bit of research have been able to find an alternative workout, its not quite what i was doing before but its better than nothing! its worth having a word with your dr to see what exercise you can do with your feet / back issues. the resistance bands / exercise balls are great and low impact. Are you able to swim?
my diary is open if it would help you with some ideas!0 -
I would recommend that you re-calculate your BMR for every 10 pounds lost. Your calorie intake changes when you lose weight and you no longer need to consume as many calories to maintain. I would also suggest as you carry on your path to consume natural, clean foods. It's not easy to change everything so take your time and find what works best for you.
Now as for exercise, your body needs it to maintain bone density and keep your heart healthy. Try lifting weights when you can or use resistance bands. Also for a great upper body cardio try using a rowing machine. Exercise doesn't have to be 30 minutes, it could be 5 or 10 just as long as you are trying.
Good luck!0 -
You have been doing this for 50 days...which is what...7 weeks? And you have lost 13lbs? That IS almost 2lbs per week....
You are right on track. Keep it up.0 -
Have been following MFP guidelines for over 50 days. I have a LOT of weight to loose! 200lb or so! So far I have lost 13 lb which is ok but not as much as I would have hoped with my goal set to 2lb loss per week.
I am very inactive. I have back and foot problems which make exercise very difficult and painful. If I take a walk for just half an hour, generally that will lead to increased foot and back pain which leaves me unable to do much else.
I am sticking to my calorie goal and trying my best to eat within the suggested nutritional guidelines. Each day I have a small amount of chocolate (still within my allowances) as I am in this for the long haul and need to have something as a treat to aim for at the end of the day!
However, even though I am being very good and absolutely honest with my food diary, I have now been at the same weight for two weeks, only fluctuating up and down a lb here and there. What am I doing wrong!? My clothes don't feel any different and I am getting very frustrated. My daughter (19) is also following the plan and has lost nearly 20 lb over the same time. Argh!
Help!!!
How much are you eating daily?
How often do you work out?
How tall are you?
How much do you weigh?
All of this will help us understand what you are doing to attain your goals.
=D0 -
Hi Anna,
You are pretty much on target for your goal, well done!! it is hard to see the scale only going down slowly, but slow loss is healthier and you have more chance of keeping it off long term :-)
Ive had a look at your diary and wouldnt cut your calories any further, considering how much you have to lose you are right to sticking to the 2lbs level set by MFP. I noticed you are a good way under your calories most days - try to eat all of your alloted calories, eating too little can also affect your loss as you are creating too high a deficit so your body doesnt want to let go of any fat!! i eat 1650-1750 @ 214lbs and I've lost 31lbs in 4 months, i started on 1900 @ 244lbs. I have actually lost more in the last few weeks with reduced exercise, so it is possible to lose with limited exercise.
the goal set by MFP for sugar is really low, I upped mine to 60g as I was going over just from some milk and a piece of fruit which is ridiculous! I dont worry about sugar from fruit, just the processed stuff in chocs / cakes etc! I also adjusted my carbs / protein / fat to 40/30/30 as the MFP carb level is really high and protein is realy low.
I would suggest you track your sodium as this can cause water retention and affect the scale, get your portions of fruit & veg in, choose home cooked meals as much as possible rather than ready prepared, and drink more water.
Also take measurements, as your body shape will be changing even when there is not much progress on the scale
Im currently unable to exercise much due to a knee injury and with a bit of research have been able to find an alternative workout, its not quite what i was doing before but its better than nothing! its worth having a word with your dr to see what exercise you can do with your leg / back issues. the resistance bands / exercise balls are great and low impact. Are you able to swim?
my diary is open if it would help you with some ideas!
Thank you for such a great reply! It's lovely to have someone understand why my calories are set so high. I have taken measurements today for the first time in years! Think I have been a bit reluctant to see just how big I have gotten! I am going to see about joining a local health club where there is a nice pool (not nasty council pool full of judgemental teens and kids!) and also the option to have a personal trainer as part of the membership. What you and the other posts say is right, I need to be more willing to look at alternative exercise that suits my physical abilities and stop making excuses.
I am so glad I made the OP as I have been so encouraged by all the responses I have had. Thanks everyone x0 -
Anna, Something that might help, pending the exercise be approved by your Dr.
Aqua-aerobics.
I know it sounds strange to say, but a 1 hour class can burn about 400 calories.
You can wear a
rate monitor, and track how many you're burning through your heart rate.
It's a great way to kick start your way into losing some more lbs, which can probably improve your post-30 min walking pain.
Keep at it. Everyone's here for learning, and part of the journey is what's learned along the way.
-Sparks0 -
Hi Anna,
You are pretty much on target for your goal, well done!! it is hard to see the scale only going down slowly, but slow loss is healthier and you have more chance of keeping it off long term :-)
Ive had a look at your diary and wouldnt cut your calories any further, considering how much you have to lose you are right to sticking to the 2lbs level set by MFP. I noticed you are a good way under your calories most days - try to eat all of your alloted calories, eating too little can also affect your loss as you are creating too high a deficit so your body doesnt want to let go of any fat!! i eat 1650-1750 @ 214lbs and I've lost 31lbs in 4 months, i started on 1900 @ 244lbs. I have actually lost more in the last few weeks with reduced exercise, so it is possible to lose with limited exercise.
the goal set by MFP for sugar is really low, I upped mine to 60g as I was going over just from some milk and a piece of fruit which is ridiculous! I dont worry about sugar from fruit, just the processed stuff in chocs / cakes etc! I also adjusted my carbs / protein / fat to 40/30/30 as the MFP carb level is really high and protein is realy low.
I would suggest you track your sodium as this can cause water retention and affect the scale, get your portions of fruit & veg in, choose home cooked meals as much as possible rather than ready prepared, and drink more water.
Also take measurements, as your body shape will be changing even when there is not much progress on the scale
Im currently unable to exercise much due to a knee injury and with a bit of research have been able to find an alternative workout, its not quite what i was doing before but its better than nothing! its worth having a word with your dr to see what exercise you can do with your leg / back issues. the resistance bands / exercise balls are great and low impact. Are you able to swim?
my diary is open if it would help you with some ideas!
Thank you for such a great reply! It's lovely to have someone understand why my calories are set so high. I have taken measurements today for the first time in years! Think I have been a bit reluctant to see just how big I have gotten! I am going to see about joining a local health club where there is a nice pool (not nasty council pool full of judgemental teens and kids!) and also the option to have a personal trainer as part of the membership. What you and the other posts say is right, I need to be more willing to look at alternative exercise that suits my physical abilities and stop making excuses.
I am so glad I made the OP as I have been so encouraged by all the responses I have had. Thanks everyone x
I am thrilled that you are taking that step! When you exercise, it makes you feel sooo much better! And make sure to take your measurements on your waist (with the tape going over your belly button) and your hips and arms and thighs. And take photo's of you in shorts and a sports bra, or some other form fitting outfit. Then, in a month, do it again. Even though you may only lose another four or six pounds in a month, ( you may stall because muscle is heavier than fat, but don't be discouraged) you can then see with the measurements and photo's that you are making progress. I am happy for you, and you are doing a great job!0 -
I agree,, that's why I take those class because I have chronic pain too. also water jogging (or walk) is very high in calories burn. Call your local pool, see when is LAP SWIM,, you don't have to swim but you can use this session for water jogging/walking.Aqua-aerobics.
I know it sounds strange to say, but a 1 hour class can burn about 400 calories.
Also, can your doctor prescribe something for pain management? I am on it and it helps alot.
I saw where you typed "pool full of judgemental teens and kids" lap swim session don't have those,, it's pretty much all adults and some few serious teens in training.0 -
First of all, you are doing a GREAT job. KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK!!!!!!
I understand the difficulty of learning to exercise with physical limitations. I had two vertebrae in my neck fused in October and the doctor just cleared me to start exercising again. I promptly joined the gym to take some yoga classes (which I LOVE) and decided to do some strength training since I had the membership. In a week, I managed to mess up my weak knees and upset the herniated discs in my lower back. At the goading of one of my friends, I decided to treat myself to a month of sessions with a personal trainer. She has dealt with lower back and knee issues herself and has worked with multiple "broken" clients! I am REALLY enjoying this. She works me HARD, but has selected and modified exercises to avoid stressing my neck, back, and knees while building the strength in all of the supporting structures so the issues become less bothersome. She also coaches me very closely on my form so that I learn how to carry my body as I move and exercise in a manner that prevents aggravation and injury.
You might be able to work with a physical therapist or a personal trainer to develop an exercise routing that will build your muscle mass (which is the basis for your metabolism - your body burns energy to maintain muscle fibers) and improve the current levels of pain in your feet and back. Our bodies were designed to move...sometimes, as in my case, we need help learning how to move correctly!
My only other advice, if you feel tired and sluggish a good deal of the time, would be to ask your physician to do a thyroid test. I have a hypothyroid. If not properly managed, hypothyroidism can result in weight gain, difficulty losing weight, excessive tiredness, rough & scaly skin, and hair loss. You might also discuss with your doctor a referral to a nutritionist. They often have more specialized knowledge than doctors concerning matters of diet and food intake.0 -
Personally I dont think she eats enough.
tired and sluggish?
Food is fuel!0 -
Dan - You are right - Food IS fuel!!!! I love this app, as it helps me make better choices about the fuel I put in my gas tank! In modern society, so much of the food that is readily available is junk and only gums up the engine. It's amazing how much food you can eat when it's lean protein, fruits, and vegetable!0
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Personally I dont think she eats enough.
tired and sluggish?
Food is fuel!
In response to this and your previous post:
Thanks for the comments, I am currently well over 300lb and very inactive. Cooking a meal is even a challenge! I am doing this with my daughter and we share the cooking which helps. We make all our evening meals from scratch using fresh ingredients and following healthy recipes. I try to eat all my calories but find it hard to do so whilst staying within the nutritional guidelines. How important is it to stick to these rigidly? Is it more important to be within these guidelines or upto my calorie goal?!
I am 5'8" and fast approaching 35 years old!0 -
You can change your fat/carb settings?? How does that affect your daily intakes and what not?0
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Personally I dont think she eats enough.
tired and sluggish?
Food is fuel!
In response to this and your previous post:
Thanks for the comments, I am currently well over 300lb and very inactive. Cooking a meal is even a challenge! I am doing this with my daughter and we share the cooking which helps. We make all our evening meals from scratch using fresh ingredients and following healthy recipes. I try to eat all my calories but find it hard to do so whilst staying within the nutritional guidelines. How important is it to stick to these rigidly? Is it more important to be within these guidelines or upto my calorie goal?!
I am 5'8" and fast approaching 35 years old!
5'8" even at sedentary requires at least 1600 cals just to stay above Basal Rate.
Are you lifting any weights?
If not, now is the time to start!
You have enough ATP in your muscles to actually build lean mass while at a calorie deficit!
If you like, I can run dietary numbers for you and give you a plan with goal dates.
Simply send me:
Age
Height
Weight
Body Fat %
Waist measurement
How often you work out
Send in aPM titled Stats!0 -
Personally I dont think she eats enough.
tired and sluggish?
Food is fuel!
In response to this and your previous post:
Thanks for the comments, I am currently well over 300lb and very inactive. Cooking a meal is even a challenge! I am doing this with my daughter and we share the cooking which helps. We make all our evening meals from scratch using fresh ingredients and following healthy recipes. I try to eat all my calories but find it hard to do so whilst staying within the nutritional guidelines. How important is it to stick to these rigidly? Is it more important to be within these guidelines or upto my calorie goal?!
I am 5'8" and fast approaching 35 years old!
5'8" even at sedentary requires at least 1600 cals just to stay above Basal Rate.
Are you lifting any weights?
If not, now is the time to start!
You have enough ATP in your muscles to actually build lean mass while at a calorie deficit!
If you like, I can run dietary numbers for you and give you a plan with goal dates.
Simply send me:
Age
Height
Weight
Body Fat %
Waist measurement
How often you work out
Send in aPM titled Stats!
Thanks for the offer. I am going to try a personal trainer and I think I may get confused if I try to follow fitness plans from more than one person. It's good to have advice though as it will help me know more about my body and what the trainer tells me!0 -
Age and activity are probably on your daughter's side. Try to get some exercise in even if for just 10 minutes a day as this will help to increase calorie burn.Have been following MFP guidelines for over 50 days. I have a LOT of weight to loose! 200lb or so! So far I have lost 13 lb which is ok but not as much as I would have hoped with my goal set to 2lb loss per week.
I am very inactive. I have back and foot problems which make exercise very difficult and painful. If I take a walk for just half an hour, generally that will lead to increased foot and back pain which leaves me unable to do much else.
I am sticking to my calorie goal and trying my best to eat within the suggested nutritional guidelines. Each day I have a small amount of chocolate (still within my allowances) as I am in this for the long haul and need to have something as a treat to aim for at the end of the day!
However, even though I am being very good and absolutely honest with my food diary, I have now been at the same weight for two weeks, only fluctuating up and down a lb here and there. What am I doing wrong!? My clothes don't feel any different and I am getting very frustrated. My daughter (19) is also following the plan and has lost nearly 20 lb over the same time. Argh!
Help!!!
A.C.E. Certified Personal Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 28+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition0 -
Thank you for such a great reply! It's lovely to have someone understand why my calories are set so high. I have taken measurements today for the first time in years! Think I have been a bit reluctant to see just how big I have gotten! I am going to see about joining a local health club where there is a nice pool (not nasty council pool full of judgemental teens and kids!) and also the option to have a personal trainer as part of the membership. What you and the other posts say is right, I need to be more willing to look at alternative exercise that suits my physical abilities and stop making excuses.
I am so glad I made the OP as I have been so encouraged by all the responses I have had. Thanks everyone x
Glad I could help:-)
A lot of people seem to think that to lose weight you must only eat 1200 cals, rather than eat a certain deficit below your bmr/total activity level. For you cutting cals further would be unhealthy and probably not leave enough fuel for basic bodily functions!
What works for a 120lb 20 year old to lose a few lbs will not work for a 200-300lb person looking to lose much more!!
It is possible to eat more calories healthily and while meeting your macro splits.
To increase cals add a teaspoon of olive oil to your cooking, snack on nuts, peanut butter, whole milk etc.
For the nutrient splits, it's all down to planning. I usually enter my tea first as that's the highest cal meal, then plan my day around it, that way I don't get to the end of the day and think oh *kitten* I've got no cals/ fat whatever left for my tea! I track cals first, then protein, calcium, sugar, fat, carbs. I'm very rarely much over on fat and carbs so don't worry too much if they go over. if I have pasta for tea that is high in carbs so I will have lunch / breakfast that is higher in protein, and vice versa. If I have takeout for one meal, I'll have lots of veg with another.
You can generally use snacks to make up differences - fat free Greek yogurt is very low in sugar and cals but high protein, mini babybel / low fat cheeses are also good for protein. For low cal snacks go for fruit or veg with salsa/hummus dip, high cal snacks go for nuts, granola, cheese with crackers etc.
If my macros are looking ok just from meals, then I can have more of a 'treat' snack like a cookie :-)
Joining a gym with a pool will be great for you, there is lots you can do even with injuries / medical problems, its just a case of finding out what you can do safely!
I see a trainer 1x a week, then the rest of the week I have a program that she set for me, she has really helped me out since ive been injured and it's definetly worth the money :-)0 -
Thanks to all who posted advice! It really gave me the kick up the bum I needed!
Spent my first day at my new health club today! 15mins swimming followed by 30mins aqua aerobics! Ache a bit now but it's a good feeling.
Have increased water and fruit and switched to fewer carbs and more protein. It's working as I have started loosing again!
Love love love MFP friends for all their support and advice x x x0 -
Thanks to all who posted advice! It really gave me the kick up the bum I needed!
Spent my first day at my new health club today! 15mins swimming followed by 30mins aqua aerobics! Ache a bit now but it's a good feeling.
Have increased water and fruit and switched to fewer carbs and more protein. It's working as I have started loosing again!
Love love love MFP friends for all their support and advice x x x
Brilliant! Well done! 0 -
Personally I dont think she eats enough.
tired and sluggish?
Food is fuel!
In response to this and your previous post:
Thanks for the comments, I am currently well over 300lb and very inactive. Cooking a meal is even a challenge! I am doing this with my daughter and we share the cooking which helps. We make all our evening meals from scratch using fresh ingredients and following healthy recipes. I try to eat all my calories but find it hard to do so whilst staying within the nutritional guidelines. How important is it to stick to these rigidly? Is it more important to be within these guidelines or upto my calorie goal?!
I am 5'8" and fast approaching 35 years old!
5'8" even at sedentary requires at least 1600 cals just to stay above Basal Rate.
Are you lifting any weights?
If not, now is the time to start!
You have enough ATP in your muscles to actually build lean mass while at a calorie deficit!
If you like, I can run dietary numbers for you and give you a plan with goal dates.
Simply send me:
Age
Height
Weight
Body Fat %
Waist measurement
How often you work out
Send in aPM titled Stats!
Thanks for the offer. I am going to try a personal trainer and I think I may get confused if I try to follow fitness plans from more than one person. It's good to have advice though as it will help me know more about my body and what the trainer tells me!
If your personal trainer is Skinny-Fat run in the other direction.
Good luck!0 -
My personal trainer is so fit and toned he makes me blush!!! He took my aqua class today so was just in trunks and the guy has not an ounce of flab! He's all muscle. :-D0
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I have a hot gym instructor but he never wears trunks, you are lucky! Eye candy at the gym always encourages you to go workout more lol0
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You have gotten some great advice so far, just wanted to add a few things:
One - congrats on your success so far!! As others have already pointed out, you may not feel like you're doing great but you really are! One thing that helped me when I started out was to figure how many pounds per week or month on average I was losing. It really helps on those weeks when you stall out or only lose 1/2 pound to know you're still on target.
Two - glad you got a personal trainer to help with your fitness goals! I only went back through your diary a few days so I'm not sure if you plan to eat your exercise calories or not... If you are, keep in mind that the numbers MFP gives are usually a bit inflated for some reason so if you're eating back those earned calories, you may be over eating. Try keeping with the average 10 calorie per minute rule so say MFP gives you 500 for 30 mnutes of activity, that's probably too much. You can edit the calories so it only gives you 300. Better to be safe than sorry!
Another option is to invest in a good heart rate monitor with a chest strap. Some are even water resistant so you can use them with your water aerobics training. Maybe ask your PT for advice with that?
Three - I see you added sodium but you may also want to check your food labels. Things like cheese and those "salted pretzels" you logged show zero sodium but that's obviously incorrect. Love that you're increasing your water intake - keep at it! The more you drink, the easier it will be to lose weight.
Best of luck!
P.S. I was thinking about how you keep looking at that big number and it seems so daunting and feels like it'll take forever to get there. I can relate because when I started out 2 years ago, I had 100 pounds to lose. I didn't even want to face that number because it was so daunting but I forced myself to face reality, wrote it down as my final goal and didn't think about it again except in passing. Instead, I focused on mini goals like trying to lose 1-2 pounds per week and hitting goals like my first 5% and first 10%. The more I lost and the more active I became, my focus then switched to physical fitness. Things like being able to stay on the stairclimber for more than a couple minutes and being able to walk farther and faster (and then run) on the treadmill became huge accomplishments for me.
So anyway, my points is, think about what other goals you'd like to achieve along the way. Maybe being able to hike or just cook dinner without having problems. Also, think about non food rewards for certain milestones like getting your nails done or planning a trip or buying a new book - whatever suits you.
I'd also suggest taking full body pictures and body measurements as they can be a great measure of success when the scale's not moving. As an example - I haven't lost many pounds since last August but I've lost 11" on my waist and a couple other inches in my arms and legs. And when I look at old pictures, I can't even believe the difference...0
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