So frustrated :(

xphiletc
xphiletc Posts: 10 Member
edited November 12 in Health and Weight Loss
Hi everyone, this is my first time posting in the message boards and I need some help. I've been doing MFP for about 1.5 months now. Since I've started I've lost maybe 2 lbs. :( I was hoping to see more!!

To loose 1.5 lbs a week, mfp said I should eat 1320 calories. ( I weigh 211 now and want to get to 145) So, I've been doing that. I also went full force from working out 0 minutes a week to 3-4x a week at 60 minutes. I burn about 500-600 calories each time. I typically don't eat the extra calories I burn.

But 2 Lbs? It did go down to 4 lbs but then I gained 2 lbs. What is up with that?

Am I not eating enough? Is my body in starvation mode? Should I be eating my calories the extra calories I earn from working out to get a net of 1320 (I typically don't) ?? Should I go down to 1200? or do I need more calories? Do I need to work out every day???

I just don't know what to do. I've been trying very hard and would like to see some results in the scale.

Any tips??

(the counter below shows my overall weightloss from my heaviest weight - not since starting mfp)

Replies

  • Sharonks
    Sharonks Posts: 884 Member
    Kudos for making healthier choices! I would eat back some or all of my exercise calories. Another thing to consider is size, have you lost size even if you haven't lost pounds? Muscle from all that exercise takes up less space but weighs the same as the fat it replaced. I have actually gained weight when working out even as I have shrunk in inches. Make sure you don't have a health issue going on. Hormones or other health issues can cause your body to not want to lose weight. Low thyroid and insulin issues are two things I can think of. Female health too, I have spoken to some women who have 10 lb fibroids in their uterus.

    I know the not losing pounds is discouraging but gauge your size by your clothes or tape measure. I had abdominal surgery and still have swollen tissue. I started doing more serious exercise this week and actually gained a pound even with the same diet. With the tissue swelling around my abs I have no idea if I lost inches or not! Since I still have to wear stretch pants I can't even tell by the way my clothes fit.

    If you haven't done it yet, take your measurements and keep track of those. I think that is more indicative of your success than lbs since I know people who are technically 20 lbs overweight but it is all muscle.
  • fatboypup
    fatboypup Posts: 1,873 Member
    you need a food scale, measuring cups and a heart rate monitor if you exercise.
  • cvpis4me
    cvpis4me Posts: 50
    I'd eat back some of the exercise calories too. I'm eating 1200 calories a day but on the days I exercise I eat about 1400 calories. It's working pretty well for me, though I've only been on MFP for 11 days
  • prism6
    prism6 Posts: 484 Member
    Keep plugging along. If you are making the right choices it will happen.
  • angraham2
    angraham2 Posts: 128
    definately eat back at least half of your exercise calories, it takes fuel to burn fuel. I didn't start losing weight until well into my second month here, and I find that the more water I dring, the faster I lose the weight. It will happen. Take some measuerments, as your body adjust to weight loss it will shift your weight around, I am losing from the top down, seems silly, but my face and upper body are thinning out, even my fingers are slimer. After 93 days here, I am finally starting to see a difference in my lower half. Don't give up, just keep making good choices and things will happen for you.
  • mrs_dwr
    mrs_dwr Posts: 189 Member
    There are lots of threads with people asking about their lack of weight loss; check them out. Make sure you're eating back your exercise calories - you want to NET the calories mfp has set for you. If you don't exercise, the total you eat is what you will net. If you do exercise, you'll earn more calories that you'll need to eat, to refuel your body. Again, make sure you read through the other threads about this - there are a lot! Good luck!
  • littlebeans
    littlebeans Posts: 36 Member
    Definitely eat your exercise calories! Also, I'd consider that MFP recommendations are for sedentary people, like, I'm talking in a bed all day. Do you walk during the day at all? Stand on your feet some when you are home after work? Browse a store at least a few times a week? If you do any of these you are already burning more calories than MFP thinks you do. You need to be fueled to burn!
  • ErinBeth7
    ErinBeth7 Posts: 1,625 Member
    I've seen a lot of posters have success with eating back exercise calories. Also, just because the scale hasn't moved much does not mean you have not had results, especially if you have ramped up your exercise routine. Like someone else has mentioned, take measurements instead of stepping on the scale and gauge the fit of your clothes.

    It is frustrating to not see that change on the scale. I've been having the same problem. I've been at this for about the same time and only see 5lbs gone. Stick with it. Your body takes time to change.
  • chachita7
    chachita7 Posts: 996 Member
    Wish you had your diary open, perhaps we could take a look and tell you what might be causing it...

    There are a couple of factors that could be causing this

    (1) not consuming enough calories (eating back some or even all the burnt calories)
    (2) sodium and carb intake

    Don't give up... it will take more than just a month and a half - you need to set your mind for ups and downs and all arounds - number on the scale means nothing - notice how your clothes fits, measure yourself <-- better way to determine if it is working or not.
  • xphiletc
    xphiletc Posts: 10 Member
    Wow everyone! Thanks for all the support!

    I do have a heart rate monitor - I use that when I exercise and it gives a pretty accurate number for calories burned.

    I will start eating more calories so that I'm closer to my net!

    I'll start doing less carbs - I love my potatoes, maybe that is the problem! :)

    I haven't done any measurements but I'm going to this weekend :)
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