Not doing good, what else can I try?

Smores18
Smores18 Posts: 119 Member
I did a 1200 calorie diet with extra calorie allowance for exercise, JM 30 day shred about 5 days per week. I lost great the first week then the weight just stopped coming off! I decided to eat more calories in case it wasn't enough for me but that didn't work either. I'm maintaining what I lost but not losing anymore. I've completely stopped calorie counting and just been eating right, I know generally how many calories I eat which is probably closer to 1400-1600 per day here lately. I haven't been able to exercise much because of everything going on though.
I think I'm one of those people whose metabolism slows down with less calories and speeds up with more so the only way I can lose is exercise, which really sucks!

Anyway, I guess the point of this is to see if anyone has any other suggestions I may be able to try. Really sick of trying so hard and getting nowhere.

Replies

  • WarmDontBurn
    WarmDontBurn Posts: 1,253 Member
    Have you tried staggering your calories? Last time I was on here someone suggested it to me as I was stalling a bit. I was down to the last 10lbs and nothing was helping and it gave me the push I need.

    Let me see if I can find that post.

    Found them!! Here is the original post: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/212510-how-to-zig-zag-cals-properly-caloric-cycling-properly?hl=Zig+zagging+

    and here is where I start and show a bit of progress ..should have stuck to it :(
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/229833-zig-zagging-calories-day-1
  • southpaw211
    southpaw211 Posts: 385 Member
    I'm not sure how it works with Jillian, but I'm doing Power 90, and I read a post where Tony Horton said that he wished he'd called the program Power 90 for men and Power 120 for women. Women tend to start off slower in dropping the weight due to the different hormones (we don't have all that testosterone). He also said don't weigh yourself more than every 30 days, because your body will change and your inches will decrease before you start seeing it on the scale. Just keep doing what you're doing and stay away from the scale for a couple weeks, if you can. I know it's impossible for me - I just have to see that number. I'm going to make my husband hide it so I don't obsess over my weight every day.

    Hang in there and keep plugging away! :wink:

    ~Karen
  • danadew18nj
    danadew18nj Posts: 30 Member
    Hey there!

    Don't get too frustrated, your body probably needs the calorie confusion that "warm" mentioned. Also, take measurements!! Have you see the pictures of the ladies on here after 30 days of JM videos? One girl's post really hit me hard "in 30 days I only lost about 3 lbs but overall 6" off my stomach" Stuff like that can raelly make a difference. Good luck!
  • LMiller81
    LMiller81 Posts: 92 Member
    Hang in there. I was a little frustrated with 30DS, too ... not really seeing weight loss, but I felt a lot better. I did it in April and then stopped (actually lost a few pounds), but I felt so good, I'm thinking about integrating it back in. Maybe every other day (with just cardio on the off days)?
  • Smores18
    Smores18 Posts: 119 Member
    Thanks for the encouragement! I have wondered if gaining muscles has had something to do with it. I don't measure because I can get drastically different measurements just my moving the tape up or down my arm a half inch, just doesn't seem accurate to me, lol. I definitely felt a difference the first week, and think I'm still feeling a bit of a difference.
    I really like the idea of staggering calories, I'm definitely going to try that! After working really hard and seeing no progress I decided to quit counting calories cause it obviously wasn't doing me any good. Looks like I need to start up again, I think I'm going to start tomorrow!

    So it sounds like I should do 1200 calories for 2 days then about 2200 for 1 then repeat. Hope this works!!
  • aj_31
    aj_31 Posts: 994 Member
    Thanks for the encouragement! I have wondered if gaining muscles has had something to do with it. I don't measure because I can get drastically different measurements just my moving the tape up or down my arm a half inch, just doesn't seem accurate to me, lol. I definitely felt a difference the first week, and think I'm still feeling a bit of a difference.
    I really like the idea of staggering calories, I'm definitely going to try that! After working really hard and seeing no progress I decided to quit counting calories cause it obviously wasn't doing me any good. Looks like I need to start up again, I think I'm going to start tomorrow!

    So it sounds like I should do 1200 calories for 2 days then about 2200 for 1 then repeat. Hope this works!!

    Try going on Fitness Frog and finding out what your TDEE is and what your BMR is. You should never eat below your BMR and if you eat your TDEE you should still be able to lose weight because it takes into consideration your workouts. So for me my BMR is around 1530 and my TDEE is around 2300. I can eat at 2300 and maintain or I can go down 10-20% and lose weight. I decided to go with an even 1900 cals per day. I eat that even on days I don't workout. It takes a few weeks for your body to adjust but once you do then you should start losing again. Look up the group Eat More to Lose Weight. They are people who are proving this theory correct. People don't need to starve to lose weight.

    http://www.fitnessfrog.com/calculators/tdee-calculator.html
  • Smores18
    Smores18 Posts: 119 Member
    Thank you!

    TDEE - 2200 (same as my last measurement)
    BMR - 1600

    I've seen the group before but anytime I went over so many calories I would gain. How quick do you lose using that method?
    My other problem is that I can only diet for 2 more months then I have to quit, whether or not I've reached my goal.

    I have been trying to conceive a baby for over a year now with far too many obstacles and heartaches. Due to medical problems affecting my fertility and ability to carry a child I am currently unable to get pregnant so we have a window in which I can afford to lose weight without it affecting my cycles. Anyway my time period is closing quickly. I will be starting to TTC again mid-August and want to completely stop dieting (but continue eating healthy) by August 1st so my body is prepared to carry a baby. We have high hopes that I will get pregnant quickly after everything I've been through so I'm not going to chance dieting messing that up for me.

    Anyway, my life story in a nutshell, lol. The point is I would like to lose a lot of weight quickly, I know that's not always the best but I'm trying to do it the healthiest way possible, through healthier eating, better portions, and exercise. I am super interested in hearing about the Eat More to Lose Weight idea though!
  • aj_31
    aj_31 Posts: 994 Member
    Thank you!

    TDEE - 2200 (same as my last measurement)
    BMR - 1600

    I've seen the group before but anytime I went over so many calories I would gain. How quick do you lose using that method?
    My other problem is that I can only diet for 2 more months then I have to quit, whether or not I've reached my goal.

    I have been trying to conceive a baby for over a year now with far too many obstacles and heartaches. Due to medical problems affecting my fertility and ability to carry a child I am currently unable to get pregnant so we have a window in which I can afford to lose weight without it affecting my cycles. Anyway my time period is closing quickly. I will be starting to TTC again mid-August and want to completely stop dieting (but continue eating healthy) by August 1st so my body is prepared to carry a baby. We have high hopes that I will get pregnant quickly after everything I've been through so I'm not going to chance dieting messing that up for me.

    Anyway, my life story in a nutshell, lol. The point is I would like to lose a lot of weight quickly, I know that's not always the best but I'm trying to do it the healthiest way possible, through healthier eating, better portions, and exercise. I am super interested in hearing about the Eat More to Lose Weight idea though!

    I don't know how long it would take to see results. A lot of people gain at first because their body is adjusting. But from the posts I've read everyone that has gained has then lost it after a few weeks. I'm only into my 3rd week. I'm up a little but I also have TOM so it is hard to say. I also got back from vacation the day I started so it is hard to say if I'm up from my vacation drinking/eating for upping my cals.

    Good luck to you...with everything!