Stuck! Any ideas?

dotross
dotross Posts: 3
in Motivation and Support
I seem to have hit a diet wall.
I'm 53 years old, 5' 3" and 165 lbs.
I have been dieting forever and hardly lost more than 5 pounds since Christmas. I have been religiously logging everything onto MFP since 1st April.
I don't drink, take limited sweet stuff and exercise regularly. I'm a very healthy eater and eat loads of fruit and veg. I thought that the volume of food I was eating was my problem, but I weigh everything and rarely cheat. Most days I am below my calorie goal.
My normal exercise is horseriding. I ride 1.5-2hours, mostly at the trot, 3-4 days a week. I bought a cross-trainer and I have been doing 20-30 minutes on alternate days on that. At my regular work I am on my feet all day (I'm a nurse)
I can't understand why I'm not losing weight. I am so fed up just now, but I am still dieting.
The MFP program keeps telling me I should lose 10 pounds in 5 weeks, but it never happens.
What am I doing wrong??
I'm afraid to "eat more" as has been suggested on here to other people as I think I will just balloon.
Anyone that can help?

Replies

  • Penelope10201
    Penelope10201 Posts: 13 Member
    I've been stuck for three weeks! But maybe you can show your diary and then repost this...and maybe someone who has same build/size/work....might be able to comment on the things you are eating...just a suggestion. I'm not even sure how to show your diary to everyone..but there is a way...I've seen it! Just don't give up!
  • jstrong123
    jstrong123 Posts: 10
    You haven't said much about your food intake - possible you aren't eating enough? If you're doing anything physical at all, that "1200 calorie minimum" they always state for women just might not be enough.

    I tried eating 1,800 daily for months and it apparently was not enough (male, 5'11" 274lb) since I also do heavy weight lifting 3 times a week, and long walks daily. I found the good point for me was about 2,400. Days I don't do any exercise I generally end up eating ~2,000.

    Also, make sure you're getting sufficient protein - a commonly cited figure is 1g/pound of body weight, so for you about 165g daily. If you are a vegetarian or a large part of your diet is carbohydrate it may be tough to reach that much protein, but it is the one thing your body cannot live without enough of.

    Finally, I'm not sure how much fruit you eat, but really fruit becomes sugar in your intestine like all other carbohydrates. If you're eating more than a piece or two a day you might try cutting back. Same goes for corn (not really a vegetable), carrots and peas. Emphasize green leafies, and other less-sweet tasting vegetables. Don't be afraid to put some butter or cheese on them too.

    One other idea - some times it helps to eat a LOT of calories for a few days, go wild, you may pick up a few pounds very quickly, but most will be water, and when you cut back again you'll see it disappear quickly. And it just may jump start your loss.

    Best of luck, don't get too frustrated, that can hurt your efforts too! No joke. Stay positive, you'll get where you want to be! -J
  • karendsmith
    karendsmith Posts: 167
    Add some strength maybe/ weights..
  • yarwell
    yarwell Posts: 10,477 Member
    you should set your goal on MFP to lose 1 lb/week or maybe 0.5 - this will give you a less aggressive calorie deficit. See how that works for you.

    As the others have said, a good protein intake and modest carbs / plenty of fats and oils to make up the intake may also help.
  • dotross
    dotross Posts: 3
    how do I change my goal on MFP?
  • wftiger
    wftiger Posts: 1,283 Member
    1 - Strength Train - Muscle burns more calories than fat
    2 - Adequate Protein - Helps build and repair muscles and keeps you full longer
    3 - Enough Hydration
    4 - Processed Foods - Minimize if you can; most are full of sodium and may make you retain water so it looks like no loss
    5 - Patience - This one gets me. Plateaus are natural. Your body just need to stabilize again and you will start losing. Just give it time to get used to the loss you have had and then when it is ready you will go down more.

    A few sites that have helped me:

    http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/weight-loss-plateau/MY01152
    http://www.webmd.com/diet/features/10-ways-to-move-beyond-a-weight-loss-plateau
    http://www.oprah.com/health/Weight-Loss-Advice-Fitness-Plateau-Dr-Katz
  • Jewels211
    Jewels211 Posts: 184 Member
    how do I change my goal on MFP?

    Go to your MY HOME tab, then click the Settings, then Change Diet Profile. One choice will be to change your goal weight.
  • Jewels211
    Jewels211 Posts: 184 Member
    You haven't said much about your food intake - possible you aren't eating enough? If you're doing anything physical at all, that "1200 calorie minimum" they always state for women just might not be enough.

    I tried eating 1,800 daily for months and it apparently was not enough (male, 5'11" 274lb) since I also do heavy weight lifting 3 times a week, and long walks daily. I found the good point for me was about 2,400. Days I don't do any exercise I generally end up eating ~2,000.

    Also, make sure you're getting sufficient protein - a commonly cited figure is 1g/pound of body weight, so for you about 165g daily. If you are a vegetarian or a large part of your diet is carbohydrate it may be tough to reach that much protein, but it is the one thing your body cannot live without enough of.

    Finally, I'm not sure how much fruit you eat, but really fruit becomes sugar in your intestine like all other carbohydrates. If you're eating more than a piece or two a day you might try cutting back. Same goes for corn (not really a vegetable), carrots and peas. Emphasize green leafies, and other less-sweet tasting vegetables. Don't be afraid to put some butter or cheese on them too.

    One other idea - some times it helps to eat a LOT of calories for a few days, go wild, you may pick up a few pounds very quickly, but most will be water, and when you cut back again you'll see it disappear quickly. And it just may jump start your loss.

    Best of luck, don't get too frustrated, that can hurt your efforts too! No joke. Stay positive, you'll get where you want to be! -J

    ^^What he said! :)
  • dotross
    dotross Posts: 3
    Thanks for your replies guys, but I am at an all-time low now. I have been "bad" for the past two days and now I have put on 4 pounds!!
    I think I need to stop eating my exercise calories, it's not working for me.
    Re- what peeps have said about what I am eating.
    I tend not to eat processed food, as I am a migraine sufferer and a whole host of foods trigger me. On the danger list are nuts, bananas, beans, citrus and any processed food.
    I don't do caffeine at all and since January have had no chocolate (though that changed yesterday)
    I eat mostly salmon and chicken and all kinds of veg. Fruit, yes I probably eat too much. I can easily have 5-6 pieces a day. I figured it was better than eating biscuits :-(
    Butter, yes I eat butter. Won't touch margarine ( yuk, full of trans-fat ****e, sorry, but it's rubbish) same goes for any "diet" food. Won't touch it as it's full of migraine-inducing chemicals.

    Ok. So I'm laying bare my soul here guys. I have eaten a lot more calories over the past few days, but I'm about to knuckle down again. I will let you know how I get on. I will cut back the fruit. I'm not giving up, too darn stubborn for that. :-)
    Thanks again for your support.
    :-)
  • ifyouknew
    ifyouknew Posts: 68 Member
    Change up your exercise routine. Cut back on the horseback riding and do something completely new and different. A lot of times your body wants a shakeup, and then things will start to happen again.

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