Can't lose... I need help

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catriara
catriara Posts: 4
in Health and Weight Loss
I am new to MFP, but not new to the whole weight loss journey. I'm having a huge problem. I have been tracking my calories and working out for a year now. And not a damn thing. Literally.

I weight the same as I did a year ago. All of my measurements are about the same (lost an in here, gained two there). I have tried everything from pure cardio workouts to circuit training. I've done everything from zig-zagging my calories to sticking to a set number.

I've had my thyroid checked; it's fine. I've had my blood sugar checked; it's fine. I am at a complete loss at this point, and need advice. I feel so horrible about myself. I honestly hate myself. I have always been fat, but I would kill to get back to the "fat" I was 7 years ago.
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Replies

  • rainbowbow
    rainbowbow Posts: 7,490 Member
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    If all that you say is true i'd really have to wonder how accurate you are tracking your food/beverages. And how accurately you are tracking your exercise...
  • laursey
    laursey Posts: 307
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    Use a heart rate monitor to get a more accurate calorie burn and track every single morsel that you eat or drink. Do this and you will lose. Also, eat your exercise calories, your body needs the fuel. Good luck!
  • iLoveMyPitbull1225
    iLoveMyPitbull1225 Posts: 1,690 Member
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    I would suggest maybe talking to a doctor or nutirtionist, or even a trainer if you have time/can afford it.

    Also consider things like:

    1. are you weighing/ measuring portions correctly?
    2. are you logging EVERYTHING meals, drinks, snacks, bites??
    3. is your excersise burn accurate? I have seen some posts saying that they are easily over estimated.
    4. are you getting enough sleep?
    5. are you eating nutritionally rich foods? (i.e. good fats like nuts, low sugar fruits, lean protien like chicken and fish, and cutting out the fried/ fast foods?)

    Dont hate yourself. We are all on here because we wanted to make changes in our lives, consider this a place for support, there are a lot of nice people here that will be kind and offer advice and motivational support.
  • catriara
    catriara Posts: 4
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    I understand being skeptical about my tracking, but I do track everything. Including any alcohol I drink, the gum I chew, how much water I drink (btw, I drink about 100 oz a day), each freaking grape that goes into my mouth. I weigh my food, for crying out loud. :-/
  • _stephanie0
    _stephanie0 Posts: 708 Member
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    whats your curret height and weight and how much have you been eating/day?? macros?? exercise?? need more info :)
  • headlock_lynn
    headlock_lynn Posts: 79 Member
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    Welcome to MFP. It sounds as if you have been trying really hard to lose weight over the past year but hopefully now that you are on this site and start to track your intake and excercise hopefully you will start to see the results you want. Be sure to track everything accurately. I don't know if you did that before. MFP will set up your profile with the number of calories you need for your current body frame. Feel free to add me as a friend as support and encouragement from others really goes a long way to help achieve success. May I suggest to that you open up your food log so we can see what you are eating as that helps as well. Also it may give us some suggestions to use in our own diets. Wishing you all the best and look forward to seeing how you do. :flowerforyou:
  • XjuliaXannX
    XjuliaXannX Posts: 67 Member
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    First of all, don't say "Can't" or you "won't"! perhaps you need a change of attitude. Seeking help is good though when you aren't sure any more. You just may need to push yourself harder, make sure that you aren't filling your body full of garbage. you need to be physically active every day, and work out hard to lose the fat instead of working out to maintain your body weight. I know that it isn't easy, but i do know that it is very possible to get to a weight that you want. I was able to lose almost 100 lbs after my first child was born, once i actually tried. Remember, it has to be consistent! You can't just start and stop or else you will see nothing.
  • AnninStPaul
    AnninStPaul Posts: 1,372 Member
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    Are you weighing and measuring your portions? I thought I was eating healthily until I really started measuring and counting.

    Make sure you eat enough vegetables and drink enough water. Use a heart rate monitor to validate what you're burning when you work out.
  • MinMin97
    MinMin97 Posts: 2,676 Member
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    If you have been tracking your food and exercise, open your diary...there are many people who can offer truly helpful advice. If you have not been tracking, then enter your stats (age, weight, etc) into the goals and go for a 1lb/week loss. Track your food and exercise accurately for a few weeks. See what happens, then repost your questions! You are young, and you can do it!
  • irisheyes42us
    irisheyes42us Posts: 144
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    try going back to square one~ measure everything to make sure you are counting it correctly. Log everything you put into your mouth. Try the Spike diet. Look it up on amazon. Be sure you are not working out too much. I am having trouble too, and that is what I am doing. Have not lost for 6 mos. Good Luck, Deb:flowerforyou:
  • jenluvsushi
    jenluvsushi Posts: 933 Member
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    Something isn't adding up...either you are not tracking your food intake accurately or you are wildly over exaggerating your workouts. I used to say the same thing....then I got a bodymedia. There is not more wondering why I'm not losing other than the occasional plateau. I highly suggest you get one so you can really see what you are burning daily and also a digital food scale. If not a bodymedia, get an HRM but keep in mind that only 80% of what those numbers are count as exercise calories burned (you would burn calories even if you were sitting still and that is already calculated in your TDEE on MFP)........Weigh everything you put in your mouth and drink lots of water. Also, eat real food...100 calorie packs of anything are full of sodium and garbage.
  • catriara
    catriara Posts: 4
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    I am 5'4" and I weigh 275lbs. Right now I'm eating about 1800 calories a day, depending on how much time I spend at the gym. I do admit, I kind of guestimate my calorie loss at the gym, using guides and calculators found online.
  • caramia311
    caramia311 Posts: 49 Member
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    If you are open to it, you could open your diary for a bit. People might be able to give more informed advice b/c they can see what you are doing.
  • carabcox
    carabcox Posts: 4
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    A couple of thoughts-my first was the thyroid but you said you checked that. Can't hurt to check it again- especially if it has been a year since it was last checked. That can make you gain weight quickly. Another thought is portion size- maybe you could make your meal- prepare what you normally do, and then eat half of it. If in 30 minutes you are still very hungry, THEN finish the other part of it. Give yourself time to digest. Walk after you eat, and always take the stairs instead of elevator. It's the small things in your daily life that will make a difference, in addition to your workouts. Also, go easy on yourself. Perhaps all the stress is in fact making you gain weight. Are you on any other meds that could also be contributing to weight gain? Birth control or antidepressants? Talk to your doctor about it. There was also a medical study that proved that some artificial sweeteners also contribute to weight gain! Some people even take medication to speed up metabolism. If your doctor is not on your side, then switch to someone more supportive. Don't give up though! You'll figure it out.
  • caramia311
    caramia311 Posts: 49 Member
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    Are you eating 1800 calories total, or 1800 net?

    Eating 1800 alone should in and of itself result in a moderate weight loss.
  • caramia311
    caramia311 Posts: 49 Member
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    Also, did you go to an endocrinologist or to a GP to check your thyroid? Do you know which thyroid hormones they checked (there are 2 I believe, some GPs or even endos may only test one of the two).
  • mphlab
    mphlab Posts: 187 Member
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    Check out the Eat More To Weigh Less board - a lot of people have found that upping their calories works when they are stalled.
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
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    If you are open to it, you could open your diary for a bit. People might be able to give more informed advice b/c they can see what you are doing.

    This!
  • dficks
    dficks Posts: 1
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    Have you tried removing diet cokes, some low fat yogurts... anything that contains phenylalanine...Lower calorie does not essentially mean better for you.

    Think about it diet coke taste sweet...sweet is bad when it comes to diets if your not cheating the calories then you might be cheating the digestive system by adding chemicals that are not organic and that the body has a hard time processing/digesting.

    Maybe a week of just drinking water and a balanced diet and exercise will give you some results?
  • catriara
    catriara Posts: 4
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    1800 total. For birth control, I have the Mirena. I know that does hinder weight loss, but I wouldn't think it would to this point. It was a GP that checked my thyroid; I can't remember if she checked just one level or both.

    I will open my diary, but it won't help much. Today is my first day on MFP, and I've only had breakfast so far.

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