What am I doing wrong?

LovelessSoubi
LovelessSoubi Posts: 21
edited September 19 in Motivation and Support
Hi, everyone. I've been on this diet for 3 weeks now. I've been sticking to the calories I'm allowed, and exercising. I did 4 days of exercise the first week and five the second week. This week I'll be on my fourth day today. I go 40 minutes a night, and vary between 2 - 3mph. I start out at 2mph to warm up and then after five minutes I bump it to 2.5mph for five minutes and then walk the other 30 at 3mph. It's the best I can do for now because I get tired out by that. I plan on bumping it up as my body gets used to it.

My meals are usually planned out in my head. In the morning I have a piece of fruit, yogurt and a cup of kashi cereal. This is right when I get to work at nine. Then at around 1130/1200pm I have a small snack either two rice cakes or a cheese stick and another piece of fruit. My lunch is at 2pm, and I usually have a lean cuisine/smart ones dinner with a pudding cup or cottage cheese snack cup. When I get home at five thirty I exercise for the 40 minutes and then eat my dinner which is either a salad, lean ground turkey, or chicken (cooked in different ways). If I have enough calories I have a sugar free popsicle for dessert.

I weighed myself after the first week and I had lost a pound. I weighed myself the second week and I was down a total of 3.5lbs. Then I weighed myself this week and I was back up a lb. Why??? I don't want to see myself doing all of this work and not losing anything! It just makes it hard to stick to it! Please help! :cry:

Replies

  • Valtishia
    Valtishia Posts: 811 Member
    I can think of 2 things that may contribute. The lean cuisines are nasty on the sodium so you may wanna check how much are you having with that included if you are going to continually eat them as sodium can make you retain fluid in high amounts.
    You said this was week 3 so my other thought is you may be retaining fluid if your TOM is coming. Since I am not very regular the only way I can tell is by jumping on the scale every morning and the morning it goes up out of nowhere by 4-5 lbs then I know its coming the next day. So depending on when you retain water during your cycle that may be it too.
  • fraiseroja
    fraiseroja Posts: 215 Member
    Have you tried to measure yourself? When you signed up, did you measure your neck, stomach and hips? If so, try to measure yourself again. You might be surprised. I have lost one pound in like two weeks but I lost two inches off of my stomach and one off of my hips. I would also make sure that your sodium intake isn't too high. You will retain water that way and that doesn't come off of the scale. Also, just double check that your portions are correct. I have been doing this for almost three weeks and I underestemated a grilled chicken by 5 oz or so which is about 120 calories. When you are walking, is your heart rate up? If it's not than you aren't burning the calories as effeciently. If anything else, you are living in a healthy way and doing what is good for your body. Keep it up and you will be rewarded in the end. :flowerforyou:
  • benw
    benw Posts: 211 Member
    When you exercise are you breaking a sweat? Try and get your heart rate up and keep it up.

    I see alot of people at our gym just walking or riding the bike not even breaking a sweat, what are they doing?
  • anthrochix
    anthrochix Posts: 264
    awwww, sweetie - give your body a chance! It doesn't know what you are trying to do to it yet. Your weight (as with mine and everybodys) will all come off at different rates. In my case the first 10 pounds came off in 2 weeks, but then BUPKISS for three weeks after that. :grumble:

    My point is, stick with it and you WILL see results! You seem to be exercising a lot and your food sounds sensible. Just keep on track and, one day when you weigh in, you will amaze yourself.

    You can do it!:flowerforyou:
  • LovelessSoubi
    LovelessSoubi Posts: 21
    My TOM is very irregular as well. I can go months without it. I know this is contributed to having a higher than average testosterone level and pills control that but I was without a job for a little while and lost my insurance. I dont get my insurance here for another 2 months. Til then Im stuck as I am. But I never cook with salt and the only sodium I eat would be whatever is in the food I'm eating. I use Morton Lite Salt as it has more potassium than salt if I feel the need to have salt. I really hate having to dissect what Im eating! With exercising and eating less calories, that should be more than enough to lose weight! grrr. Why is it so easy for some people? Ive been struggling since I was 11 yrs old with this.

    I guess I will just have to stop eating those meals. It's just hard for me to cook stuff for just me at times. I suppose I can take out a bunch of chicken and cook it up for the week ahead of time. Might make it easier for me.

    Thanks for the information.
  • LovelessSoubi
    LovelessSoubi Posts: 21
    lol. Oh yeah I'm breaking a sweat. Im usually drenched by the time Im done. Any exercise is more than I usually get. I have a very sedentary job where I spend most of the 8 hrs on my butt. And then before this I would get at home at night and sit on my butt watching movies or playing a video game on my computer. This is a LOT more than I am used to.
  • Ileanak
    Ileanak Posts: 343 Member
    LS,

    Are you journaling your food? From what you told us here, it looks like you may be under your calorie intake. Your body may have moved into starvation mode, and is holding on to calories, believeing that it will not bet more intake as needed.

    Before joining mpf, i lost significant weight (over 100). if you want to have me give you advise on my apporach, we can communicate outside of topic strings, but initially, I would recommend you look at your calories, and where they are coming from (Carb, Protein & Fat).

    Good luck!

    Ileana
  • LovelessSoubi
    LovelessSoubi Posts: 21
    awwww, sweetie - give your body a chance! It doesn't know what you are trying to do to it yet. Your weight (as with mine and everybodys) will all come off at different rates. In my case the first 10 pounds came off in 2 weeks, but then BUPKISS for three weeks after that. :grumble:

    My point is, stick with it and you WILL see results! You seem to be exercising a lot and your food sounds sensible. Just keep on track and, one day when you weigh in, you will amaze yourself.

    You can do it!:flowerforyou:

    I have spent the last three days trying to force myself to get up in the morning and try to do a 30 minute workout as well as the 40 I do after work but Im not a morning person. I seriously have no oomph in the morning. I'm like :yawn: . I'm still trying though. I was thinking of maybe dropping my caloric intake from 1540 to 1200. Maybe that might help?

    I've found that I am more motivated than ever with this diet but I just hate not seeing SOME kind of result. Even a lb a week and Id be happy you know?
  • emorym
    emorym Posts: 344
    It doesn't sound like you are doing anything wrong. in the grand scheme of things a pound is no big deal. I tend to weigh myself every day (I know not recommended) and my weight varies up and down each day. My goal is to try and keep it the same or even lose a bit every week. I keep telling myself the weight isn't important. What is important is I am eating better and doing way more exercise then I was a year ago. I feel much healthier and can do more stuff now. A year ago If I had the choice of taking the elevator or the stairs up one floor I would have chosen the elevator. I would have gotten to the top of the stairs and been breathing a little harder. Now I take the stairs. A year ago I decided to chose a healthier lifestyle. Start eating better and start exercising. This is all about choices. I still have cake and ice cream at birthday parties. But I also exercise more and try to make healthier choices with my food. I like to say you are going to have good days and bad days just try to have more good days.

    Movie or a walk on the beach? My wife and I would chose the walk any day. We love going to the beach. We get our walking in get time to talk and enjoy the surroundings and it doesn't seem like exercise. It is cheaper then a movie and we aren't tempted to buy the bucket of popcorn and large coke. Just keep practicing making better choices then in the past. Remember also your weight is going to change every time you weigh yourself. As long as it is trending downward or even holding steady you are doing well. I know I feel much better about myself.

    Sorry for kind of rambling:smile:
  • LovelessSoubi
    LovelessSoubi Posts: 21
    LS,

    Are you journaling your food? From what you told us here, it looks like you may be under your calorie intake. Your body may have moved into starvation mode, and is holding on to calories, believeing that it will not bet more intake as needed.

    Before joining mpf, i lost significant weight (over 100). if you want to have me give you advise on my apporach, we can communicate outside of topic strings, but initially, I would recommend you look at your calories, and where they are coming from (Carb, Protein & Fat).

    Good luck!

    Ileana

    Yes I'm journaling my food every day. And I am almost always at or just under my calories that I am allowed based on what it calculated when I first joined. Believe me I dont like to be hungry so when it said I could eat that much, I was happy. The only thing I find I go over on for the most part when I look at it is the Protein. Which I didnt think that would be a bad thing considering that's what you need to speed up your metabolism.
  • jtintx
    jtintx Posts: 445 Member
    I eat a lot of pre-packaged foods too. They aren't the healthiest but since I don't get home from running/biking until 7-8pm it's quick and easy. I've lost 26 pounds since January so you "can" do it eating pre-packaged foods. Just give your body time. I've have times where I've been stuck at a certain weight for about 2 weeks, maybe even see a pound or two increase...but your weight WILL fluctuate...that's normal...but give it time and you will drop those extra pounds and lose another. Don't be a slave to the scale. If it goes up and you've been eating right and exercising just tell yourself it's a normal fluctuation and it will right itself. Try to keep a positive outlook. You can and will do this!
  • fraiseroja
    fraiseroja Posts: 215 Member
    Your protein is fine. It's ok to go over with that and with fiber. I eat pre-packaged too and find it much easier and it's working for me. There are so many kinds now that you can kind of compare shop on sodium levels. Sodium won't make you gain weight, it just holds the water. Keep it up girl! You can do it!!!
  • sjmay
    sjmay Posts: 386 Member
    Make sure to measure yourself! Even though you don't see pounds lost, you could be losing inches!

    Hang in there! It will all come together in time. Every body is different! :smile: :flowerforyou:
  • LovelessSoubi
    LovelessSoubi Posts: 21
    I eat a lot of pre-packaged foods too. They aren't the healthiest but since I don't get home from running/biking until 7-8pm it's quick and easy. I've lost 26 pounds since January so you "can" do it eating pre-packaged foods. Just give your body time. I've have times where I've been stuck at a certain weight for about 2 weeks, maybe even see a pound or two increase...but your weight WILL fluctuate...that's normal...but give it time and you will drop those extra pounds and lose another. Don't be a slave to the scale. If it goes up and you've been eating right and exercising just tell yourself it's a normal fluctuation and it will right itself. Try to keep a positive outlook. You can and will do this!

    Maybe I need to get a bike or something. I know that when I lose more weight, and the heat doesn't affect me so badly outside, (I live in Fla and it's summer!) I want to get a pair of roller blades and start skating again.
  • thumper44
    thumper44 Posts: 1,464 Member
    Yes I'm journaling my food every day. And I am almost always at or just under my calories that I am allowed based on what it calculated when I first joined. Believe me I dont like to be hungry so when it said I could eat that much, I was happy. The only thing I find I go over on for the most part when I look at it is the Protein. Which I didnt think that would be a bad thing considering that's what you need to speed up your metabolism.

    I started and was journaling my entries and staying under my calories, but because of my pre packaged meals (was having 1 and sometimes 2 a day because of convenience) I was going close to max in sodium and was going way overboard in my sugar.
    Now I started to watch my sodium and found out more about sugar in foods, so along with Carbs, protein and fat, I have sodium and sugar.
    Just another thought.
  • spicy618
    spicy618 Posts: 2,114 Member
    I eat a lot of pre-packaged foods too. They aren't the healthiest but since I don't get home from running/biking until 7-8pm it's quick and easy. I've lost 26 pounds since January so you "can" do it eating pre-packaged foods. Just give your body time. I've have times where I've been stuck at a certain weight for about 2 weeks, maybe even see a pound or two increase...but your weight WILL fluctuate...that's normal...but give it time and you will drop those extra pounds and lose another. Don't be a slave to the scale. If it goes up and you've been eating right and exercising just tell yourself it's a normal fluctuation and it will right itself. Try to keep a positive outlook. You can and will do this!

    Maybe I need to get a bike or something. I know that when I lose more weight, and the heat doesn't affect me so badly outside, (I live in Fla and it's summer!) I want to get a pair of roller blades and start skating again.

    Hi, I Live in Tamarac! and I love to Rollerblade... Pompano Air Park has the Best path ever!

    I think you are doing a great job so far. :flowerforyou:
    I know not losing what I think I should in a certain amount of time is something that always gets me in a rut. Try not to put a timeframe on becoming healthier, then it's less dissappointing. I didn't see the scale move until about my 2 month mark... not that this is the case for you. Patience will get you where you want to be.

    When I first started this (not that i'm an expert) I concentrated on how much more I could do (how many more calories, how much longer I could go, etc.) and I barely weighed myself (1 time every 2 weeks after TOM). When I noticed my clothes fitting better I would weigh myself... if there was no loss, Oh Well, my clothes say different. :laugh:

    I love to walk (only early or late evening during summer). Do you have pedometer? or HRM? those things are so motivating for me AND my MFP Family of course :wink:

    Keep at it!
  • LovelessSoubi
    LovelessSoubi Posts: 21
    I eat a lot of pre-packaged foods too. They aren't the healthiest but since I don't get home from running/biking until 7-8pm it's quick and easy. I've lost 26 pounds since January so you "can" do it eating pre-packaged foods. Just give your body time. I've have times where I've been stuck at a certain weight for about 2 weeks, maybe even see a pound or two increase...but your weight WILL fluctuate...that's normal...but give it time and you will drop those extra pounds and lose another. Don't be a slave to the scale. If it goes up and you've been eating right and exercising just tell yourself it's a normal fluctuation and it will right itself. Try to keep a positive outlook. You can and will do this!

    Maybe I need to get a bike or something. I know that when I lose more weight, and the heat doesn't affect me so badly outside, (I live in Fla and it's summer!) I want to get a pair of roller blades and start skating again.

    Hi, I Live in Tamarac! and I love to Rollerblade... Pompano Air Park has the Best path ever!

    I think you are doing a great job so far. :flowerforyou:
    I know not losing what I think I should in a certain amount of time is something that always gets me in a rut. Try not to put a timeframe on becoming healthier, then it's less dissappointing. I didn't see the scale move until about my 2 month mark... not that this is the case for you. Patience will get you where you want to be.

    When I first started this (not that i'm an expert) I concentrated on how much more I could do (how many more calories, how much longer I could go, etc.) and I barely weighed myself (1 time every 2 weeks after TOM). When I noticed my clothes fitting better I would weigh myself... if there was no loss, Oh Well, my clothes say different. :laugh:

    I love to walk (only early or late evening during summer). Do you have pedometer? or HRM? those things are so motivating for me AND my MFP Family of course :wink:

    Keep at it!

    I was looking at the heart rate monitors last night because I wanted to see how much I burn during the day just from general activity. But they were either too expensive for me to afford right now or had bad reviews. I do want to take up roller blading eventually but I'm really heavy right now, and I'd feel really uncomfortable on them. Its why Ive been doing the treadmill. I pop in a movie (and since Im a movie buff that really helps) and walk for the forty minutes. I have bumped it up significantly in how fast I walk for the most part but Im still getting tired out really quickly.

    I measured myself this morning and found that I havent lost a single inch ANYWHERE, and I weighed myself only to find out that I gained another pound. I'm ready to cry. I know that they said that it could take up to a month to start seeing a difference and Im trying to remind myself of that but I really have been doing way more than I used to in every aspect, food (eating better) and exercise. So not seeing any results is just...awful...
  • johnblake
    johnblake Posts: 661
    I'll put in my 2 cents lose the scale lose the tape measure log in what your eating lots of Fresh fruit and veg. do your workout 6 to 7 days week with at least one day off every 14 days. Lets see what you look like this time next year.
    What I tell all the people i train you didn't get out of shape over night and your not going to get in shape over night.
    Good luck
  • chgudnitz
    chgudnitz Posts: 4,079
    awwww, sweetie - give your body a chance! It doesn't know what you are trying to do to it yet. Your weight (as with mine and everybodys) will all come off at different rates. In my case the first 10 pounds came off in 2 weeks, but then BUPKISS for three weeks after that. :grumble:

    My point is, stick with it and you WILL see results! You seem to be exercising a lot and your food sounds sensible. Just keep on track and, one day when you weigh in, you will amaze yourself.

    You can do it!:flowerforyou:

    I have spent the last three days trying to force myself to get up in the morning and try to do a 30 minute workout as well as the 40 I do after work but Im not a morning person. I seriously have no oomph in the morning. I'm like :yawn: . I'm still trying though. I was thinking of maybe dropping my caloric intake from 1540 to 1200. Maybe that might help?

    I've found that I am more motivated than ever with this diet but I just hate not seeing SOME kind of result. Even a lb a week and Id be happy you know?

    Hey really, relax a little. You will be happy with 1 pound a week?

    Well, this is week 3 and you lost 4 pounds, so GREAT JOB.
    If you weigh the 240ish that your ticker says, 1200 calories a day will not be enough for you. Stick with what you are doing, you will be just fine.

    But really, relax. Stress is not good for your new healthy you. :drinker:
  • LovelessSoubi
    LovelessSoubi Posts: 21
    awwww, sweetie - give your body a chance! It doesn't know what you are trying to do to it yet. Your weight (as with mine and everybodys) will all come off at different rates. In my case the first 10 pounds came off in 2 weeks, but then BUPKISS for three weeks after that. :grumble:

    My point is, stick with it and you WILL see results! You seem to be exercising a lot and your food sounds sensible. Just keep on track and, one day when you weigh in, you will amaze yourself.

    You can do it!:flowerforyou:

    I have spent the last three days trying to force myself to get up in the morning and try to do a 30 minute workout as well as the 40 I do after work but Im not a morning person. I seriously have no oomph in the morning. I'm like :yawn: . I'm still trying though. I was thinking of maybe dropping my caloric intake from 1540 to 1200. Maybe that might help?

    I've found that I am more motivated than ever with this diet but I just hate not seeing SOME kind of result. Even a lb a week and Id be happy you know?

    Hey really, relax a little. You will be happy with 1 pound a week?

    Well, this is week 3 and you lost 4 pounds, so GREAT JOB.
    If you weigh the 240ish that your ticker says, 1200 calories a day will not be enough for you. Stick with what you are doing, you will be just fine.

    But really, relax. Stress is not good for your new healthy you. :drinker:

    I'm just upset because yeah I lost four lbs but three are back already. >.<

    I know I may be stressing too soon, but its frustrating not to see a difference.
  • chgudnitz
    chgudnitz Posts: 4,079
    awwww, sweetie - give your body a chance! It doesn't know what you are trying to do to it yet. Your weight (as with mine and everybodys) will all come off at different rates. In my case the first 10 pounds came off in 2 weeks, but then BUPKISS for three weeks after that. :grumble:

    My point is, stick with it and you WILL see results! You seem to be exercising a lot and your food sounds sensible. Just keep on track and, one day when you weigh in, you will amaze yourself.

    You can do it!:flowerforyou:

    I have spent the last three days trying to force myself to get up in the morning and try to do a 30 minute workout as well as the 40 I do after work but Im not a morning person. I seriously have no oomph in the morning. I'm like :yawn: . I'm still trying though. I was thinking of maybe dropping my caloric intake from 1540 to 1200. Maybe that might help?

    I've found that I am more motivated than ever with this diet but I just hate not seeing SOME kind of result. Even a lb a week and Id be happy you know?

    Hey really, relax a little. You will be happy with 1 pound a week?

    Well, this is week 3 and you lost 4 pounds, so GREAT JOB.
    If you weigh the 240ish that your ticker says, 1200 calories a day will not be enough for you. Stick with what you are doing, you will be just fine.

    But really, relax. Stress is not good for your new healthy you. :drinker:

    I'm just upset because yeah I lost four lbs but three are back already. >.<

    I know I may be stressing too soon, but its frustrating not to see a difference.

    It might be frustrating, and I can't speak of TOM (for obvious reasons, lol) but there are TONS of factors that could play into it. The first thing to know is that the scale is not the end all be all. It only counts weight, not body fat%, not water retention, not muscle. If you are eating under your maintenance calories every day and exercising often, you did not gain back 3 pounds of fat!!!

    3 pounds of water weight is easier to put on than you might think. Drink a large cup of water, you may have just gained a pound. Didn't go to the bathroon (#2, that is) for a day or so, that's a LOT more than you might think.

    How do you weigh yourself? Daily, weekly? In the morning, at night? Clothed or not :embarassed: ? All of those things matter as well.
  • LovelessSoubi
    LovelessSoubi Posts: 21
    awwww, sweetie - give your body a chance! It doesn't know what you are trying to do to it yet. Your weight (as with mine and everybodys) will all come off at different rates. In my case the first 10 pounds came off in 2 weeks, but then BUPKISS for three weeks after that. :grumble:

    My point is, stick with it and you WILL see results! You seem to be exercising a lot and your food sounds sensible. Just keep on track and, one day when you weigh in, you will amaze yourself.

    You can do it!:flowerforyou:

    I have spent the last three days trying to force myself to get up in the morning and try to do a 30 minute workout as well as the 40 I do after work but Im not a morning person. I seriously have no oomph in the morning. I'm like :yawn: . I'm still trying though. I was thinking of maybe dropping my caloric intake from 1540 to 1200. Maybe that might help?

    I've found that I am more motivated than ever with this diet but I just hate not seeing SOME kind of result. Even a lb a week and Id be happy you know?

    Hey really, relax a little. You will be happy with 1 pound a week?

    Well, this is week 3 and you lost 4 pounds, so GREAT JOB.
    If you weigh the 240ish that your ticker says, 1200 calories a day will not be enough for you. Stick with what you are doing, you will be just fine.

    But really, relax. Stress is not good for your new healthy you. :drinker:

    I'm just upset because yeah I lost four lbs but three are back already. >.<

    I know I may be stressing too soon, but its frustrating not to see a difference.

    It might be frustrating, and I can't speak of TOM (for obvious reasons, lol) but there are TONS of factors that could play into it. The first thing to know is that the scale is not the end all be all. It only counts weight, not body fat%, not water retention, not muscle. If you are eating under your maintenance calories every day and exercising often, you did not gain back 3 pounds of fat!!!

    3 pounds of water weight is easier to put on than you might think. Drink a large cup of water, you may have just gained a pound. Didn't go to the bathroon (#2, that is) for a day or so, that's a LOT more than you might think.

    How do you weigh yourself? Daily, weekly? In the morning, at night? Clothed or not :embarassed: ? All of those things matter as well.

    I drink a lot of water. It's all I drink. I don't drink soda, haven't drank soda in over two years. I dont like the taste much anymore. I usually have between 8 - 10 glasses of water a day. I have two 1 liter bottles that I drink throughout the day and another half liter during the night time hours. Sometimes I dont always finish them.

    I only weigh myself once a week usually. In the morning, without clothing. lol. Believe me, I have been doing diets since I can remember. So I know most of how that part works. And I am pretty regular...>.>
  • MRSWESSON
    MRSWESSON Posts: 107
    awwww, sweetie - give your body a chance! It doesn't know what you are trying to do to it yet. Your weight (as with mine and everybodys) will all come off at different rates. In my case the first 10 pounds came off in 2 weeks, but then BUPKISS for three weeks after that. :grumble:

    My point is, stick with it and you WILL see results! You seem to be exercising a lot and your food sounds sensible. Just keep on track and, one day when you weigh in, you will amaze yourself.

    You can do it!:flowerforyou:

    I have spent the last three days trying to force myself to get up in the morning and try to do a 30 minute workout as well as the 40 I do after work but Im not a morning person. I seriously have no oomph in the morning. I'm like :yawn: . I'm still trying though. I was thinking of maybe dropping my caloric intake from 1540 to 1200. Maybe that might help?

    I've found that I am more motivated than ever with this diet but I just hate not seeing SOME kind of result. Even a lb a week and Id be happy you know?

    I've gone down 2 pounds then back up 2.5 pounds a week later even though I follow all my fitness guidelines from intake to working out and after a week or two of pulling my hair trying to figure out why I am not loosing or worse more why I gained:sad: one morning i suddenly drop 5 pounds! It can be a combination of so many things...

    I did measurements during that time and there was no change either so I was very frustrated, but it can be a combination of eating heavy foods, retaining water, swollen muscles, muscles weighing more then the fat lost, or for us Women HoRmOnEs :grumble: give yourself time

    What I've started doing is is I am 205 today and 207 tomorrow I don't let it stress me:noway: well not as much...its still a bummer when I weight in and am not less then my last weight in but I try to remember, your intestines can hold 6 pounds worth of junk alone and I figure if I am no more then 3-4 pounds more then my lowest weight and I know I been following the guidelines I set for myself then I try not to stress.

    Even a skinny size 3 minnie has weight fluctuation day to day, so we can not get down on ourselves everytime the scale tells us we are 2 pounds more then last time.

    Keep up the good work and don't let the numbers get to you...give yourself time to get to your goal and it will prevent demotivation from creeping up on us :wink:
This discussion has been closed.

Categories