Fed up, upset, frustrated with no weight loss for over 2 months HELP!!!

[Kerryberry77]

Ok so quick overview. I was bmi 40 and I need an operation, doctor said not till my bmi is 35, I was already on weight watchers and so decided to step it up a notch and joined a boot camp style class. I gave up WW and started the boot camp eat clean program, lost 7lbs over 4wks and was over the moon. BMI was down to 38.5, and that is where it has stayed for well over 2 months

I bought the fitbit flex to track what I was eating and to have evidence to show my surgeon, that I am working hard at losing weight, I need to lose another 17lbs to get the operation but at this rate that is not going to happen.

A typical weigh in week goes like this

Monday 17st 1

Tuesday 17st

Wednesday 16st 13lbs

Thursday 17st

Friday 16st 13

Saturday 17st

Sunday 17st

Monday 17st 1

I cannot get passed the 16st 13 mark, I always weight the same on Monday my weight in day.

Typical food day

Breakfast: Hot water and lemon, Grapefruit, Orange, tbsp dried blueberries and banana.

Mid morning: a handful of almonds (no more than 5 as I am not that keen on them)

Lunch: Lettuce, green leaves (spinach, rocket etc) 50g chicken, half a grated carrot, half a bell pepper, 50g low fat hummus and a sprinkle of mixed seeds.

Mid afternoon: 10 grapes, 10 raspberries

Dinner: homemade soup, 100g chicken, 2 tomatoes, 1 bell pepper, half an onion, 3 baby corn, handful of mushrooms, 3 florets of broccoli, Gluten free bullion and spices. Cooked with coconut oil.

Snacks: 1 small orange.

Exercise: I do HIIT boot camp for an hour 3 times a week.

Been to the doctor who is baffled, not diabetic, thyroid test normal. I am losing inches and fat% but the scales will not budge, I am eating clean so no tea/coffee, no alcohol, no processed food, no diary, no white bread or pasta (I am eating only gluten free produce), no sugar, I am drinking all my water!!

I am so fed up with hearing that muscle weighs more than fat, everyone has a time when the stay the same. FOR 2 MONTHS!!! I am eating 1550 cals a day I should be losing without the extra exercise.

I am fed up, frustrated and I have had enough. I am being judged on my BMI by the surgeon who is holding up my operation so I need the scales to move to show him I am working as hard as I am, I feel like everyone think I am this fat girl who sits at home eating crap and doing nothing but feeling sorry for herself. Joining boot camp was way out of my comfort zone and I am loving feeling fitter and being in control of my eating, I just wished it showed on the scales so I can show the doctors.

Sorry for the long topic but I am at a loss, least when I was eating rubbish I expected the scales to show it.

[roxylee]

Losing inces is great, weight will eventually go down..no more nuts and go downto 1100 cals and see if that helps..keep up the great work!

Jen

[Kerryberry77]

The nuts have only just been introduced this week by my trainer, hence me not being that keen on them. They don't seen to be making a difference scales wise. I tend to get in eating ruts and she said to mix things up a bit and add different things each week so this weeek it was nuts, next week it will be somethingelse.

So you think eating less cals with help??

My cals in on a training day are in 1475 out 2899

Non training 1475 out 2307

I started this plan in January, I have only lost 7lbs in 3 months and that was in the first few weeks.

[steff]

Stop exercising for a week.  Well, not really stop, but do something else for a week.  Go for a walk everyday for an hour, try some pilates or yoga for an hour, grab some weights and a stability ball.  Change it up!  Our bodies are amazing machines, but we find a way to make things easier and use less energy doing the same workouts over and over, even high intensity ones.  Take a break and relax for a time.

[Kerryberry77]

The boot camps I do I pay for in advance and it costs alot!! I have signed up for 6 months so have 3 left.

The work outs we do vary each time, we do beep tests, boxing, cardio, plank based, running, circuits, resistant band work, cycling and we never do the same work out twice.

I could try the yoga and pilates on my other days to mix it up.

This post came from frustration more than anything I suppose. I lost 6st in 9 months doing low carb meal replacement shakes about 3 years ago, and over the 3 years I put 4st back on. So this time I said I will do it the hard way, through exercise and healthy eating and make a lifestyle change forever. I suffer with womens issues that I won't go into but they effect me 3 weeks out of the month, it effects my life in a major way. I need the operation so I can live normally, but the surgeon said not till my BMI comes down and that is why I am frustrated. I am doing everything right and I would be happy with 1lb a week so after 3 months of staying the same I am starting to lose my mind, as the longer it takes the longer I suffer waiting for my op. My Dr has been seeing me all the way through this and is just as puzzled as everyone else, she is writing to my surgeon to explain what is going on and now I will have to wait to see what he says.

[Effingoverit]

1,550 calories is fine - don't go below 1,200. That's the minimum recommended by the Mayo Clinic.  At that point your body thinks it's in starvation mode and it will start to hibernate by dropping your metabolic rate.  I recommend getting more exercise - yes, you're busting your butt those 3 days a week at boot camp, but what about the other 4?  Put in an hour more on another 2 or 3 days and see what happens.  Good luck! 

[Spang]

I understand that. I have been bouncing form 193 to 196 for days. That is even with riding my bicycle 30 miles last weekend. I amd scheduled for 27 this wekend. It appears that unitl I can ride thre or four times a week I will bounce. UGH

[julsbh70]

I think you need to up your calories, eat more protein and more carbs. Eat less fruit. A lot of fruit isn't good for you because of all the sugar. Going low carb is good when you are doing little to no exercise but not when you are getting exercise. Your body needs fuel. Everyone is different and I have found that I lose the most after a higher calorie day. Lower calories/adequate exercise tend to throw the body into starvation mode. Mix it up a little and see what happens. This is my first month tracking with the Fitbit Flex and I have lost 10 lbs. over the month. My calories range from 1300-1800 per day.

[Spang]

I am a diabetic and that is interfering. I am going to an endocrinologist to see how my body is acting. I try and eat much protein and when I ride I eat something every 10 to 20 minutes other wise I lose all energy and can pass out or bonk as cyclest say. This has not been this strong effect until this year. It appears that my body has again taken a change and I will have to get adjusted to it.

[Kerryberry77]

Thanks for all your replies, I have just got back from an amazing boot camp session. I feel much better even though I am fed up with the scales I am going to keep plodding along.

[steff]

You will probably find that suddenly, you drop 5 pounds for no reason.  When the scale bugs you, just remember all it really does is measure the force, gravity exerts on your body.  Kinda makes it seem less sinister that way.

[Kerryberry77]

I really hope so, I would not be so hung up on it if I didn't need the operation.

[Colinm39]

@Kerryberry77You have received many thoughtful and helpful advice from the Fitbitters concerned about your welfare. You are on the right track and I would definitely have your MaxHr checked because I have been a user of HRM's for years and definitely found their inadequacies based on HR. See this link to another post

Another excellent book is Jonathan Bailors "The Calorie Myth" and I follow his principles which are "Quality Calories, Less Exercise and Lose Weight" and it advocates a sensible approach to more protein and less carbohydrate and fruit. It follows the "new Food Pyramid" which appeared in an Australian Magazine. You will notice the lack of grain products. One of my snacks is the high protein Chobani no fat Greek yoghurt.

[steff]

Have you had your trainer measure you with calipers to determine your body fat?  The BMI mathematical equation is just a ratio of height to weight, many people are obese using the equation, but are not when measured.

[Kerryberry77]

Thanks for the help Colin, as you can see from all the different advice, which I am very thankful for, it is all a bit overwhelming.

I am unsure of what MaxHr is so will check out your link and get back to you.

Steff I have loads of measurements taken and the are all moving down but not my weight, I have gone down a dress size and lost 5.5" off my waist, 3" off my legs and hips and 1.5" off my upper arms. This is all great. My surgeon isn't looking at that he is watching my BMI, that's why I am so bothered. Once I have the operation I will be binning my scales and just carrying on making healthy choice and improving my fitness.

[NJMIKE1]

Its hard to explain but what I see is your calories are way too low.You need to eat more and not be so strict food wise and your weight will eventually move lower.A few months back I was in a similar position and my weight loss stopped and what I did was continue to eat well and eventually my body agreed with me and I am back to losing weight. What a lot of people dont understand is certain foods (or lack of ) dont make us gain weight eating more than you use in a day is why we gain weight !! I eat pizza ,ice cream, sweets ,bread etc. The difference in what I do is I fit the foods I like into my daily diet by logging every single thing that I eat through myfitnesspal and I try to not eat out very much so I can control whats in my food. Google BMR calculator (basal metabolic rate) and see what you need calorie wise based on your activity level and use the internet to find the actual calories of the foods you eat not estimates and you will see results eating more and eating more satisfying foods.I have lost about 95 pounds doing it this way and its not magic just basic calories in calories out making sure I eat enough so I dont fall off track and binge

By the way if you dont like nuts dont eat them there are plenty of other foods that you would like to get those healthy fats ,some fiber and protein you just need to do alittle research and find what you like thats all :).

[roxylee]

Thanks so much for all your excellent advice. I think I need to eat a bit more..just have lost my appetite!

Which is a good thing finally!

Jen

[Colinm39]

@Kerryberry77Here is another link @Mary provided in another post topic and helps you select your types of activities.  But you will get there because we all go through these cycles as you see from my weight chart below, at the March 2013 point I dropped from a 42" slacks to a 36" jeans and I was on a plateau.

http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-living/weight-loss/in-depth/exercise/art-20050999

[Kerryberry77]

Thanks again everyone, lots of fantastic advice and I appreciate you taking the time to answer me.

I am feeling much more positive and I am going to carry on with a bit of tweaking to diet and exercise till I find the right balance for my body. My doctor is going to write to my surgeon and explain my struggle and ask if he will see me again.

[Joyrider]

I was completely confused when I first started as to why I was not losing any weight. Months like you. The cals were good, as suggested. About 1400. Then I changed how QUICKLY I wanted to lose weight. I was on 2 lbs a week. When I changed it to 1 lb a week and up'd the calories to 1600, I started losing. It made no sense but my body needed to get into this slowly instead of shocking it into submission. My body was hording whatever I put into it thinking it wouldn't get enough in the future. Thus no weight loss. Your meal plans are okay but may be too minimal to start. Maybe try putting more cals at the beginning of the day instead to the end. I found I was less likely to deviate if I started out with a better foundation at the start of the day versus the end. Good luck and hang in there.