No loss in over a month help!

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red_lady
red_lady Posts: 7 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
very frustrated.... About a month ago i found out that I had been starving myself for the past four months, which is why i wasn't losing any weight. Based on that I started eating back my exercise calories (with healthy foods, like almonds yoghurt, granola bars etc) and have been a little ( a hundred calories or so) under my goal consistently for a month. Not only have I not lost weight I have gained two pounds. I work out a lot, and everyone's telling me I'm building muscle, but my clothes are starting to not fit. I'll lose a pound or so and then the next day they're back. Any suggestions?

Replies

  • Athijade
    Athijade Posts: 3,282 Member
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    People would be more able to give suggestions if your log was open. Without that, they can not get a good idea of what you are eating.
  • devnulldude
    devnulldude Posts: 26 Member
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    you could have several problems, without your logs it's hard to tell but..

    1. your body could be in starvation mode from not enough calories e.g. low food intake + exercise and it's holding onto fat reserves. Make sure you're eating enough for the exercise you're doing.

    2. you need to switch to a tape measure for a while. Sometimes the scale doesn't move because of your water balance (too much sodium in your diet lately?) or because you're putting on some muscle. Check the tape measure to see if you're losing inches or find a pair of jeans you can use as a benchmark each week. Don't wash them just try them on Monday's. Are they fitting better or worse than the previous week.

    or

    3. you're eating more than you think and burning less than you think
  • Nharley
    Nharley Posts: 201
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    Don't go by the scale, start measuring yourself. Muscle weighs more than fat & that is probably why the gain or plateau. Get a flexible measuring tape and measure your parts once a month. I Measured on March 1st & weighed before starting level 1 on 30DS... I did the same on March 11th before starting level 2. I didn't gain or loose weight but released 2 inches in my hips/butt!! Whoop!!
  • SwimKitty
    SwimKitty Posts: 122 Member
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    These links should be able to help :

    http://www.exrx.net/Questions/StarvationEffect.html

    and

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/208407-how-to-repair-a-damaged-metabolism-stavation-mode?page=1#posts-2752820

    and

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/512956-tdee-what-is-it-and-why-you-should-not-eat-below-your-bmr

    Good luck!
  • maf66
    maf66 Posts: 211 Member
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    People would be more able to give suggestions if your log was open. Without that, they can not get a good idea of what you are eating.

    Exactly. I don't mean to be harsh, but if you really want this, you cant ask a question like this and expect an honest experienced answer. Be accountable folks. Open those diary's. It's not just about calories. Food is fuel!!! Treat it as such.

    Rant over.
  • SwimKitty
    SwimKitty Posts: 122 Member
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    One more :)

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/521728-upping-cals-what-to-expect-why-you-need-patience
  • red_lady
    red_lady Posts: 7 Member
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    I understand that muscle weighs more than fat but I've been using one of my skirts as a benchmark and it's getting tighter and tighter. Also not sure how to open my log...
  • SwimKitty
    SwimKitty Posts: 122 Member
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    A pound of muscle weighs the same as a pound of fat, but takes up less space :)

    Go to 'settings' (top upper right of page), 'diary settings', scroll down to 'diary sharing' and choose 'public' to allow diary viewing.

    Again, please read this, it could help explain what is happening :

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/521728-upping-cals-what-to-expect-why-you-need-patience
  • missfancy1980
    missfancy1980 Posts: 326
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    I'm having the same issue hun, it's very frustrating. I did get some good suggestions when i opened my diary so people could look at what i'm eating.

    To do this go to settings > diary settings > at the botton where it says sharing, tick the "public" option
  • justgonzo
    justgonzo Posts: 6
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    its under your privacy settings....
  • justgonzo
    justgonzo Posts: 6
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    scratch that, settings, then diary settings. :wink:
  • Lozze
    Lozze Posts: 1,917 Member
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    I just looked at your diary and you are logging stuff as exercise that really shouldn't be. 3 minutes of cleaning? Cooking? That's every day stuff and should not be logged. You're also on your bike for over 2 hours most days. That is WAAAY too much cardio. You're not using your time effectively if you need to do that much. What weight lifting do you do?

    My best guess would be that your muscles are holding onto excess water due to overtraining. Rest them! It would explain the 'gain' and the tightening of your clothes.
  • joy2worship
    joy2worship Posts: 2
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    don't give up!! Here is a tip I got from a nurse practitioner.....as soon as you wake up, have a glass of ICE water. This gets your metabolism burning. Eat breakfast within the first 30 min. of being awake, including protein, and don't eat after 7 pm. Try it!! It boosted my weight loss tremendously! :happy:
  • candybubbles
    candybubbles Posts: 5 Member
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    I have been having the same problem the first 12lbs came off pretty quick and with out effort now im stuck now sure where to go from here been going to the gym 3 days a week, cut back on every thing. any suggestions that would help.

    Candybubbles
  • Athijade
    Athijade Posts: 3,282 Member
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    don't give up!! Here is a tip I got from a nurse practitioner.....as soon as you wake up, have a glass of ICE water. This gets your metabolism burning. Eat breakfast within the first 30 min. of being awake, including protein, and don't eat after 7 pm. Try it!! It boosted my weight loss tremendously! :happy:

    Except for the fact that these are all myths. Look around the boards and you will find post after post after post on these. Meal timing doesn't matter, you don't have to eat breakfast, and water is water.

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