Discouraged

mylee

mylee

New member
So a couple of months ago I started my weight loss journey from approx. 234 lbs. The first 14 lbs flew off just by changing my diet. When I hit 220 I started a food journal. For one month I have eaten anywhere from 1200-1500 calories a day, adding more fresh fruits and veggies. I’ve been walking every chance I get….on breaks….with my dogs….at night….to the store…..everywhere. I also bought a kettle bell and workout dvd to go with it which I’ve been doing 3-4 times a week along with lunges, squats, and crunches. I have been stuck at 220 for a month now. I have not lost 1 single pound. ZERO-ZILCH-NADA. It used to be so easy to lose with minimal effort. Is it because I’m almost 30? Am I not doing enough? Am I eating too much or too less? I just don’t get it. I would be happy with losing 1lb a week…hell a month, but NOTHING? Pleaseeeeee. Any feedback would be appreciated. Does anyone know anything about insulin resistance? Diabetes runs in my family…. I just don’t know.

:banghead:
 
Insulin resistance won't override the laws of thermodynamics. If you're in that much of a deficit, which yours supposedly is pretty large given your size and exercise schedule, weight should be coming off.

What made you choose that calorie range?

How are you measuring your calorie intake?
 
I fully understand your frustration as I have had the same problem for TWO YEARS. lol I remember reading on another weightloss forum a few years ago about this woman who was finally losing again after a 2 year plateau, and I would think, "how does this woman continue on?? how unbelievably discouraging! WTF!!". I have finally lost one pound off of my plateau weight doing some new things (including some hormones prescribed by my doctor). So yeah, the body is a weird machine that is far more complex than just the number of calories we're eating.

In your case, many people have stalled because they were eating too little calories. Most people recommend increasing your calories to see if that enables your body to start losing again. Other remedies are to switch up the foods you're eating and/or the exercise you're getting. As far as your exercise, the kettle ball/strength training stuff like lunges and squats are great. Leg weight exercises burn a LOT of calories because you're using your largest muscles. However, you're saying you just walk everywhere. Well so do I! I live in one of the largest cities in the world and we generally walk everywhere every single day. I live in my family's apartment building on the FIFTH floor. I walk those stairs several times a day, often carrying groceries or my 3 year old (who now thankfully zips up the stairs). Point is, this walking around is not enough to get my weight off, even when I'm NOT on a plateau. Its a good start but maybe its time to add more exercise?

So a starting recommendation would be to re-evaluate your food, minimizing grainy carbs as they are known to cause bloating and inhibit weight loss, increase your calories by 100 calories per week (so 1300-1600 this week, 1400-1700 next week etc) until you start losing again or get up to reasonable maintenance level at your size (maybe around 2000? having not done the math).

Remember though that one option is NOT giving up your new healthier lifestyle, for if we give up, we will merely be a HIGHER weight than our plateau weight and that weight will climb up from there. My very best of luck to you in beating this plateau!
 
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I didn't really choose that calorie range. I just started cutting out white bread, pasta, sugar and stuff like that. When I started eating more whole foods I found I was satisfied with about 1200-1500 calories a day. I don't measure my food. I just know that a serving of meat is about a deck of cards and I tend to measure that way. As for the insulin resistance... The reason I asked about that is because my mother had always been "chubby". She is 4'11 and weighed about 130-140. She is Korean so she always ate fish, vegetables, lean meats and rice. My mother is very active and hardly ever sits still. She was diagnosed with diabetes when I was about 10 yrs old. She was put on Metaformin to regulate her sugar and switched from white rice to brown. Within 7 months she was down to 95-105 lbs. That is really the only reason I can think of, why my body is being so stubborn. Hmmmmm what else? I have a "free" day on Saturdays, but I don't go over board. I'll have a meal out for lunch or something and some icecream, but that's it.....and I always workout on those days. Thanks for the advice guys. I just don't know what to do. i guess step up my workouts.
 
Wow, my doctor just prescribed Metformin to me to assist in the weight loss since I have also tried calorie restriction, exercising, you name it. I've only taken it every other day or so as I'm really not into pharmaceuticals. He also added estrogen and a testosterone blocker to work out my hormonal imbalance. SOMETHING has changed to allow me to lose the 1 measly pound. Yup its only one pound and that's probably it for me, but I haven't been able to lose that one pound no matter WHAT I did before he gave me the metformin and the hormones. So you may indeed be on to something. All I know is that there are a LOT of overweight people out there who eat below a normal maintenance calorie intake yet they dont lose weight. Of course there are EVEN MORE people out there eating too much and not exercising enough. Sometimes its simple and sometimes its not..
 
Maybe. I googled insulin resistance and it said that people who are resistant tend to hold more weight in the belly area. Which is me. I hope that's not it. I want to do this on my own if I can, but it is devastating to do so good all month with no progress. Maybe it's time I visit the doctor.
 
Hello mylee,

AND it also could be that your just eating waaaay too little for your weight right now too. Not too sound harsh. You could try out counting calories, just to get more of an absolute idea as to how many cals you're consuming instead of guess-timating..you should be eating anywhere from 2580-2800-3020. You can still cut out the "whites" BUT now you need to eat MORE. You may go back up at first because you've been under eating for some time, or it could be the insulin.

I hope everything turns out for you!! ;)

Take Care :seeya:
 
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Oh and P.S. when I first started I was under eating too, and the first few pounds just seemed to fly off, and than I hit a 3 week Plateau, and upped my cals. Now I am back to losing, although I am doing quite a bit of juggling too. :)
 
I have to agree with the eating too little comments. I realize that you took a healthy method to get to that figure - cutting out junk and eating healthy amounts ... but it's possible that you're just not giving your body the nutrition it needs.

When I was 220, I was eating 2000 calories a day and losing steadily. I didn't drop down to 1700-1800 calories until I got to my current weight.

At 1200 calories, and considering you walk so much, I really think you're not eating enough. It's easy to get a few more calories into your diet by eating some healthy fats - things like almonds, olive oil, avocados, olives, etc.

I'm VERY leery of suggesting hormonal issues for most people because I think 90% or more of people really don't have those issues - they just need to tweak their diets and exercise. Obviously there are people who do ... Blancita has obviously tried every other possible option and knows where she stands, as an example. But I think most people are too quick to blame genetics or some kind of "imbalance".

Just my opinion on the subject, of course. :)
 
Thnks guys. I am ALL for eating more. :piggy: It's just hard to get that "eat less weigh less" mentality out of my system. I would only take something prescribed by the doctor as an absolute last resort. I'm in it to win it.
 
Yeah, I lost my first 30 lbs eating an average of 1850 calories per day. Its certainly worth trying all the obvious reasons first, which tend to be that someone is undercounting their calories or eating too little. Dont be surprised if you dont get much help at the doctor's office, I've been to a few different doctors over the past year and none seem particularly well versed in hormonal issues which prevent weight loss. They just assume you are lying about the amount you're eating or exercising. Generally they are like this because they simply do not know much about weight loss and how its done in the body and which hormones prevent fat burning and which promote it. Their knowledge is often scarily deficient.
 
And what good is giving up going to do? Will you lose those pounds if you give up? :)

This is the nature of losing weight. Sometimes it goes great and sometimes it doesn't. Our bodies are complex things and sometimes you just have to go along for the ride.

I've been in the 170s - bouncing up and down between 174 and 177 - for the last 3 months. Should I give up too? Of course not. I'm not going to give up because I know that eventually something will give.

You can't just walk away from being healthy.
 
I got a food scale and measured EVERYTHING I ate. I also increased to 1500-1600 cals. I also started jogging in short fast spurts during my walks and I added ankle weights. I guess I should be happy that I didn't gain, but I just don't get it. I walked 5 miles on Saturday and stayed away from all the "July 4th" food. Just 1 lb a week is all I'm asking for. Oh well.
 
I also increased to 1500-1600 cals.
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Keep in mind that when you increase calories after a period of having much lower calories, your body needs time to adjust.

I think you should definitely look at it as a GREAT thing that you increased your calories, added healthy fats, and stayed the same weight. And I mean that totally seriously - not at all being sarcastic or anything. To me that shows that the effort you put out *is* working. Most people gain a few pounds back when they first raise their calories to a healthy level.

One thing - I would ditch the ankle weights. If you need to carry extra weight on a run or walk (which I suspect you don't really need at this point), carry something in a properly balanced backpack. Ankle weights change your stride when you're walking/running and can actually cause harm. They will cause development to your quads w/out strengthening your hamstrings, which can set you up for some really bad joint injuries.

You're doing great. Don't get discouraged. Seriously ... I'll say it again, being able to increase your calories and not gain is a HUGE thing. Be proud of that.
 
Agreed that it could take some time if the problem is indeed that you were eating too little. Also nice that you didn't gain anything.

I would also remove the ankle weights, unless doing some targeted leg exercises, but definitely not for walking.
 
I will lose the ankle weights on my walks... Do I use them for leg lifts and things like that?
Thanks guys! I feel a little better.
 
I think you can probably use them for leg lifts if you want. Just make sure that you take them off after your leg exercises are done. You don't want to wear them for an entire workout. :)
 
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