Jillian Michaels Shred Frustration, please help.

danimarie1782
danimarie1782 Posts: 25 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I am 5'7', 187 lbs currently, my goal weight is 150 lb (less and I look like a skeleton). I started counting my calories about a month ago and lost about 6 lbs in 2 weeks. I then started doing JM Shred and expected to see more results, but the opposite has occured - I've lost no weight at all in this time. I'm eating between 1200-1400 calories, but closer or under 1200 most days. These calories are not junk, I'm eating lean meats, tons of veggies and salads, fruit, low fat dairy, whole grains. I drink copious amounts of water anyway. I don't understand why I'm not seeing any progress. I feel like I'm doing everything right, but apparently not so I would like to ask - Any suggestions?

Replies

  • theoneandonlybrookie
    theoneandonlybrookie Posts: 341 Member
    How long have you been doing the shred? 2 weeks?

    There are a couple of things that could be happening...

    1. You are overestimating your calories burned. Are you using a heart rate monitor? If you use the estimates in the MFP database, you might be logging way too many calories for your exercise and thus eating too many calories to make your net.

    2. Your body is retaining water as it adjusts to this new routine. If you haven't been doing any resistance training up until now, it will certainly be a big change for your body.
  • Lose25now
    Lose25now Posts: 27 Member
    Hi, when you do dvd's like her's you really pushing your body so it swells. When it swells it takes in lots of water, intern there may not be a loss or could be a slight gain. If you continue to do this, eat healthy and get in the water your body will let go of the extra water in three weeks. I have done the Shred dvd and this happens all the time, with my pants getting tite. After the three weeks I find the scale goes down and the pants fit loose. Keep up the good work and don't cut your calories to low or you will defeat the work out and run out of steam to do them.
  • Reckabek
    Reckabek Posts: 487 Member
    I am 5'7', 187 lbs currently, my goal weight is 150 lb (less and I look like a skeleton). I started counting my calories about a month ago and lost about 6 lbs in 2 weeks. I then started doing JM Shred and expected to see more results, but the opposite has occured - I've lost no weight at all in this time. I'm eating between 1200-1400 calories, but closer or under 1200 most days. These calories are not junk, I'm eating lean meats, tons of veggies and salads, fruit, low fat dairy, whole grains. I drink copious amounts of water anyway. I don't understand why I'm not seeing any progress. I feel like I'm doing everything right, but apparently not so I would like to ask - Any suggestions?

    I havent lost any weight doing it either as a matter a fact i gained, but!!! Ive lost inches, am toning up and gained a great amount of stanima and strength! Woohooo im happy
  • SOOZIE429
    SOOZIE429 Posts: 638 Member
    I'm also 5'7" and weight about 175. There's no way I could eat less than 1200 calories AND do Jillian DVDs. You might want to think about finding out what your BMR is and eating at least that everyday. My BMR is around 1500, so that's what I'm eating everyday, unless I exercise, then it's a bit more.

    So your body may be holding on to everything you eat, that's why you're not losing. Trying eating another 100 calories a day and see what happens.
  • Spence_
    Spence_ Posts: 139 Member
    See below!
  • Spence_
    Spence_ Posts: 139 Member


    I havent lost any weight doing it either as a matter a fact i gained, but!!! Ive lost inches, am toning up and gained a great amount of stanima and strength! Woohooo im happy

    Ooh, this is good to hear :P I just bought the 30 day shred but haven't tried it yet. Do I really need some buy some dumbells to do the DVD or can you just use...erm.. a can of beans?!
  • JacksonMomto3
    JacksonMomto3 Posts: 42
    Hi, when you do dvd's like her's you really pushing your body so it swells. When it swells it takes in lots of water, intern there may not be a loss or could be a slight gain. If you continue to do this, eat healthy and get in the water your body will let go of the extra water in three weeks. I have done the Shred dvd and this happens all the time, with my pants getting tite. After the three weeks I find the scale goes down and the pants fit loose. Keep up the good work and don't cut your calories to low or you will defeat the work out and run out of steam to do them.

    I am glad I read this. I finished Level 2 on Friday, redid my measurements, redid photos, etc. I looked bloated and looked bigger than I did on Day 1! My measurements in my waist and chest went up by an inch, I was very discouraged. I didn't even think it could be water retention.
  • SOOZIE429
    SOOZIE429 Posts: 638 Member
    Also, please read this thread. It explains a lot about BMR and why you should eat that many calories..

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/522858-bmr-question
  • ellycope
    ellycope Posts: 80 Member
    Definitely don't go by the scale with 30DS - measure yourself as it's excellent for toning and tightening. If you want to get the scale to move then consider doing some extra cardio (but do eat back your exercise calories!) in the day.

    @Spence_ You could certainly start off using cans of beans but you will need some proper weights (for level 3) as you have to be able to balance on them so your hand needs to fit under. Also, you might find it gets a bit easy with tins of beans and you'll be desperate to get proper weights to make yourself work even harder..!
  • lin7604
    lin7604 Posts: 2,951 Member
    i gained 3 lbs both times i did 30ds. it did come off a few days after i finished the entire dvd though. I lost no lbs at all each time and only inches with my 1st try back in dec. I have 4 days left this time around and have lost NOTHING.
  • jacquirich
    jacquirich Posts: 105 Member
    i have been doing the shred on alternate days for about a month (with the firm express get thin in 30 days on the other days) also not losing any weight, however my clothes are getting really loose, and measured myself and there is a massive inch loss, like 5 inches from by bust and waist, 2 inches from my hips, right down to 3 inches from each ankle, so I think I am losing fat but at the same time building some muscle. I am going to buy a body scale that measures fats percentage to see if that can confirm it
  • Reckabek
    Reckabek Posts: 487 Member


    I havent lost any weight doing it either as a matter a fact i gained, but!!! Ive lost inches, am toning up and gained a great amount of stanima and strength! Woohooo im happy

    Ooh, this is good to hear :P I just bought the 30 day shred but haven't tried it yet. Do I really need some buy some dumbells to do the DVD or can you just use...erm.. a can of beans?!

    A can of bean would work if ur not to strong in ur arms yet! I has small 3 lb hand weights which seemed to be to heavy but now i just bought 5 lbs cause three are getting to light now! Woohoo!
  • danimarie1782
    danimarie1782 Posts: 25 Member
    Thanks for all of your help and advice, here's what I've taken away from it:
    I am going to try using a HR monitor to accurate tell how many calories I'm burning, I'm going to eat at my BMR, and add some cardio.

    This is very helpful as I'm trying to do this right, not cheat and do something unhealthy which is how I've lost weight in the past. I'm working on my scale issues - I am really trying not to obsess over the numbers, but it's hard to stay positive. I have noticed that I have more endurance and am sleeping better.

    Thanks all!
  • lin7604
    lin7604 Posts: 2,951 Member
    i agree it's hard to get the scale away. I am obsessed, i have to check it daily! it's hard not to. it drives me crazy not knowing.. i like to see how my body reacts to certain foods, etc eg) water retention, etc..
  • jen_fitnhappy
    jen_fitnhappy Posts: 102 Member
    I agree with the others who say:
    1) You are not eating enough!!
    2) Get a HRM
    3) Measure yourself

    I wanted a longer workout than the 30DS (just my preference) so I started doing Jillian's Banish Fat Boost Metabilism & No More Trouble Zones. Each is 55 minutes. I promised myself I wouldn't weigh myself the first month because I heard weight will fluctuate doing them. I didnt want to get discouraged by not seeing the pounds drop off, but I did lose inches!! Clothes are fitting better and I'm sure the weight loss will come next. Hang in there!
  • AllergicToExercise
    AllergicToExercise Posts: 436 Member
    Same here! Started with 30 Ds then moved onto ripped in 30 and been doing various other Jillian DVDs for around 8 weeks averaging 6 times a week and my weight is not budging! I'm losing inches here and there and feel stronger but I still feel frustrated by it! I know it's having positive effects so am going to keep it up though.
  • Spence_
    Spence_ Posts: 139 Member
    @Spence_ You could certainly start off using cans of beans but you will need some proper weights (for level 3) as you have to be able to balance on them so your hand needs to fit under. Also, you might find it gets a bit easy with tins of beans and you'll be desperate to get proper weights to make yourself work even harder..!

    Haha, okay - thanks for your reply :) I think my arms are probably quite strong already because I do lots of front-crawl swimming. I don't really want to work on my arms that much, cause I think they're big enough (mostly fat, though!). Is it a bit naive to thing my arm muscle would get bigger though? Maybe they would just get stronger, and stay a similar size? :/ Clueless!
  • Spence_
    Spence_ Posts: 139 Member


    A can of bean would work if ur not to strong in ur arms yet! I has small 3 lb hand weights which seemed to be to heavy but now i just bought 5 lbs cause three are getting to light now! Woohoo!

    Woop! Well done! :D I think I might have to invest in some weights... I'll see how I do with the DVD first though :P
  • wingchunrick
    wingchunrick Posts: 267 Member
    You're not eating enough. Its called Starvation Mode. I've posted an article on this so feel free to read it.
  • Jennifer7Five
    Jennifer7Five Posts: 13 Member
    2. Your body is retaining water as it adjusts to this new routine. If you haven't been doing any resistance training up until now, it will certainly be a big change for your body.

    Same thing is happening to me! I am halfway through Level 2 and I haven't lost anything since I started. I think what a previous poster stated above is right on. At least I hope so! It would make sense for me anyway as I had only been doing cardio before starting 30DS. I took measurements at the beginning - but I can't bear to take them again until I am done. I am just trying to be patient and go by how my clothes are fitting. It seems like this is a pretty common reaction for people- so that does help and give me hope!
  • Kayla165
    Kayla165 Posts: 118 Member
    Take your measrements. During my first round of 30 Ds I only lost 8lb I was kinda disappointed until I took my measurments and I lost 9 in overall.

Categories