I feel like throwing in the towel! HELP!!

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  • CherylGardner
    CherylGardner Posts: 75 Member
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    I was in your shoes in February. I had a month-long plateau... and I felt much the same way you are feeling.

    So I dialed things back a little -- started walking instead of doing crazy elliptical workouts; started eating more of my exercise calories; shook up my slate of meals and foods that I was eating over and over and most importantly, tried to stop stressing.

    I didn't want to quit, but I figured I would take it easier -- not go crazy, but not kill myself anymore either... and BAM, the weight loss kicked back in. If you are eating a lot of the same foods and doing a lot of the same exercises, then maybe try to shake things up a little... and don't stress over it. I think that's a key factor.

    Whatever you do, don't "quit"! Honestly, you'll just feel worse if you start gaining (and not losing) those little pounds... If you keep doing what you're doing, you'll swing back around and feel better for staying true!

    Hang in there!!!
  • SailingMike
    SailingMike Posts: 237 Member
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    Stop trying to loose weight and just focus on being healthy. Don't weigh yourself every day, just once a week. Your body hit a set point and needs time to settle in. It thinks there is a famine in the land and is trying to hold on to that fat to protect you. just relax and keep exercising and eating HEALTHY.
  • mishkat
    mishkat Posts: 99 Member
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    I have the same issue, been stuck on my last 1-2 lbs to my goal. I used to be less strict about calories a few months ago and was losing weight. Maybe I do need to do a bit of calorie cycling or up my calories again a bit (im at 1200).

    So I feel your pain, but do keep up. Try a few different things like workouts when you can (even if just 20 minutes) and change your calorie intake for a few weeks and see how you feel.
  • Juliejustsaying
    Juliejustsaying Posts: 2,332 Member
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    Personally, I don't diet. I changed my eating habits...I watch what I eat, but I do eat chocolate, or in today's case donuts. It is important not to restrict yourself too much. Plan ahead. But for godssake don't give up now. Yeah it sucks when the scales or the measuring tape don't move..but your body is still working on things. It takes breaks, you treat yourself occassionally...**** happens.

    Be kind to yourself. Eat a treat, exercise everyday, something. And eat lots and lots of green and orange stuff.
  • heatherterp
    heatherterp Posts: 239
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    do you eat a good variety of foods? Are you getting enough fiber? Is your exercise the same day in day out? you need to change things up with eating and exercise. Keep it interesting. try a new food a week, try a new work out program. Back in Dec I did a 30 day program on about.com.. it was great maybe you should check it out. http://exercise.about.com/c/ec/26.htm i think i lost 9 pounds. Good luck!
  • BarnDogBob
    BarnDogBob Posts: 104 Member
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    Seems like the halfway point is toughest. Your body will adapt to the changes you make but it does it slowly, that's why the weight came off fast at first. Once your body figured out what you were doing (1200 calories) it adjusted to expect it. I think our bodies are conditioned to reacting to quick weight loss as an attack and will defend itself.

    So now's the tricky part, and most all of us go through this. the dreaded Plateau.

    Some people have had success with this method: Trick your body. Don't get into a rhythm. One day eat up another eat down. Change up your type and time of exercise. Change the types of foods you eat.

    Point is, keep your body guessing and look to a weekly intake / output instead of a daily one.

    Also, if it feels like a diet and you have to struggle to keep it up, how are you going to live this way once you reach your goal? Find a balance to get fit. Getting "fit" does not mean reaching a weight goal, it's what you do while getting to the weight goal.

    Don't sweat the scale. Enjoy the journey.
  • mishkat
    mishkat Posts: 99 Member
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    OK I feel like throwing in the towel. I have been on a very strict 1200 calorie diet since feb.. Lost 26lbs then about 7-8 weeks ago it stopped and I keep gaining and losing the same couple of pounds. This past weekend I just lost my will power and ate alot. Now I feel like I can't quit eating. How can I get back with it? Is my calorie intake to low? Help!!

    Willpower and diet? You're doing it incorrectly. You're not eating enough, minimum a person should eat is bodyweight * 10 to lose weight, most people eat about bodyweight * 12 to lose weight.

    If I did my body weight *10 that would only give me an extra 10 calories from my current 1200. XD
  • dansls1
    dansls1 Posts: 309 Member
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    Don't call it a diet, you are making healthier eating choices. That means if you have one bad meal, you just made a little less healthy choice rather than cheating on a diet. I'm not sure if you are eating enough - but either way you should look at it as a lifestyle change, not a diet and you will do better!
  • carrollel
    carrollel Posts: 57 Member
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    DONT LOSE HOPE!!!

    Check out this thread from yesterday....search for TOPIC: TIRED..PLATEAUD...SCALE NOT MOVING !!!FOUND MY ANSWER !!!!

    There were a lot of people who vouched for it and a lot of people commented. Keep trying new things until you find what works for you!

    Good Luck.
  • btb079
    btb079 Posts: 57 Member
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    I was there! As recent as last week. I was eating according to MFP and had lost 20 lbs no problem, then a 6 week plateau. After a ton of reading, tears and frustration I looked at the group Eat More to Weigh Less. I upped my calories from 1300 to 1700 and in the first week (this week) I lost 2.2 lbs. FINALLY!!! give it a try for a few weeks, and yes you may see an initial increase, but you need to fuel your body!
  • spikefoot
    spikefoot Posts: 419
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    Looks like you have already done an amazing job.

    If eating is becoming your enemy, I'd just up your calories for the next little bit and allow yourself to feel "more satisfied".

    If you want to eat then eat, but just make healthier choices.

    Sometimes we need to give our brain a rest too. I swear people who are on diets have a higher BMR cause we obsess. (me included;))

    Also, maintain some sort of daily physical activity and I think you are all set with very little effort.
  • bogey0345
    bogey0345 Posts: 4
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    As your weight goes down you need to reevaluate your goal. This would require start with a new current weight and your target.
    You may see that the calculated calorie intake may be lower.
  • kiannarb
    kiannarb Posts: 42 Member
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    DON'T GIVE UP!! AND STOP STRESSING OUT! its tough, i know. but you've come too far to just give it all up. sometimes i get the same way. want to just give up. but then i think of my goal and i have to remember it didn't take my two months to gain this weight so its not going to take me two months to lose it. what works for me is to give my body a shock. switch up your eating habits and your exercises. this way, you body can't get immune to your "routine". DON'T GIVE UP GIRL!
  • btb079
    btb079 Posts: 57 Member
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    As your weight goes down you need to reevaluate your goal. This would require start with a new current weight and your target.
    You may see that the calculated calorie intake may be lower.

    Lower than 1200? I think not!
  • Gay11nell
    Gay11nell Posts: 166 Member
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    Ditto!!!!!
  • yoovie
    yoovie Posts: 17,121 Member
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    go up to 1600
  • redlion45
    redlion45 Posts: 155 Member
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    You had a great start. That's typical. You have a low calorie target (1200), so you may not be eating enough to cause your weight to continue decreasing, depending on how much you exercise. That's also typical.

    I know it sounds couter-intuitive, but you need to eat in order to lose weight.

    Also, your body occasionally needs to be treated, once a week or so. So don't beat yourself up over it!

    This ^^^^

    Can't see your diary, so it's hard to diagnose, but here goes....

    You got good intial results, but unless you are very small and very sedentary, you aren't eating enough and your body has caught on and is holding on to every calorie it can. You probably need to add some calories (eating solid nutrient dense foods of course) and maybe change up the workouts you have been doing. Either longer, more often or change exercises to something you don't do as often. You will get there. It's just a bump on the road....:wink:
  • carrollel
    carrollel Posts: 57 Member
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    go up to 1600

    YEP!!!! this worked for me!
  • HeealthyMee
    HeealthyMee Posts: 62 Member
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    Check out the "Eat More to Lose More" group. Lots of good info. and might be just what you need. :-)

    This.
  • themommie
    themommie Posts: 5,022 Member
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    Dont give up, I would suggest changing things up, do a new exercise routine also try cal zig zagging this will help you to not feel so diprived and also confuse your body maybe try eating 1100-1200 cals one day and the next day 1300-1500 cals. Whatever you do dont throw in the towel, the people that make it to their goal are those that stick with it, even if it takes them awhile

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