Frustrated...please help.

[Swuzz]

*******NOTE:  I just found on my profile 30 day average burn vs. intake.  Again, not sure how accurate this is, but according to that it takes me 10 days to lose one pound.  Sooooooo upping my activity and still would LOVE suggestions of what works for you all.

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I don't know if I am looking for advice, solutions, or to talk this through so please bear with me.

I am extremely frustrated.  I am 44, female, 5' 9" and currently about 159ish lbs.  The scale fluctuates as much as 5 pounds each week and has been hovering close to 159 for more than a month.  Here's why I'm frustrated.

1.  Food

I log my food religiously.  I do not eat processed food (sans EAS Carb Conrol protein shakes for breakfast sometimes, diet coke in the tiny cans fewer than 4 times per week, and Garden Lites souffles on occasion, sometimes turkey bacon).

My diet consists of whole, real food.  Today, for example, I did start my day with the EAS shake followed a few hours later by one egg and a slice of turkey bacon.  For lunch I had a salad with kale, grilled chicken breast, 6 grape tomatoes, milled organic flaxseed, 1/2 oz of crumbled goat cheese, and a splash of organic balsamic vinaigrette dressing.

I eat well.  Very well.  Low carb (usually fewer than 60g per day), low fat, high protein.  Lots of water, black coffee only an hour before my cardio to give me a "boost", 2-4 glasses of wine per week.  Daily I consume fewer than 1400 calories, generally closer to 1200.

2.  BMR

I know it is a guestimate.  I cannot fathom that I burn fewer than 1500/day just being alive. Perhaps this is true, but I have picked up my activities and incorporating cardio and strength training.  I also realize that calories burned as shown are not necesarrily accurate (probably closer to 55% of what is reported) See image:

Enough about BMR.

3.  Lack of progress.

This is the largest of all of my frustrations.  I realize that I am not a petite woman.  I am curvy and medium framed.  I am getting older and I work from home.  In the past (as recent as 5 years ago) I had been able to drop pounds through diet alone, though that was not good for my muscle tone.  This time though I feel I am doing everything "right".  My skin glows from the whole foods that I am eating.  

So I guess after all of that I do have a question.  What do I need to do differently?  

My guess is more activity and cardio along with keeping up with the strength training, and I am fine with that, I am just confused by the lack of scale movement.  Since it has only been a month and a half it is difficult to tell if my clothes fit better or if I look better.  I know that I feel better but I want to see the numbers on the scale move and my body show me signs of my efforts.

Frustrated.  I love pizza, bread, sweets, going out to eat, you  name it.  But I haven't been doing any of those things (and honestly, oddly enough, I don't miss them since I eat so well).  I see articles that tout "5 easy things you can do to drop 5lbs in a week", and honestly, I am already doing all of those things.  Ugh.

[divedragon]

Add some High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) twice a week.

[I-train-hard]

If she adds HITT to her training, she would faint running……she has to eat.

[fitmissjen]

I can understand why she is frustrated. For some people, getting your head around the fact that you have to EAT MORE to lose weight, is not that easy!

I am currently trying to get down to a happy summer weight (60kg) My calorie intake up untill recently was 1200...i carried on for a couple of weeks with pretty minimal/no weight change. Even tho i was busting my A$# at the gym, going to crossfit and eating clean. After reading comments on the cummunity, i realised i HAD TO EAT MORE (WHAT!!??) and as hard as it was to come to terms with, i did it...and bugger me days, it is working! 

Even now, if i had a bad day (1200ish caloires) the next day i can guarentee i would have lost no weight, or i would stay the same or possibley increase by e.g 500grams. But if i eat, the next day i can lose up to 800grams! It is hard to understand, as I remember having it drilled in to me that "the less you eat, the thinner you will be"

[I-train-hard]

fitmissjen

I like the way you think. Yes, your almost there.

[Basilia]

i applaud you all especially SWUZZ..such determination! Not giving up and letting the pounds creep back on..you are inspiring. i too have the same issues and feel sad when I do not get the results I feel I deserve because I have worked so hard all week and maybe had one 2000 cal day that week. i will try increasing the calories with good quality food....lets see what happens

[I-train-hard]

You might like the reflection in the mirror.

[Swuzz]

Hi...thanks for the encouragement (and to everyone else also).  I have made some changes and am "really" doing it this time.  I have cut out packaged foods, all alcohol, all beverages aside from hot tea, coffee with a splash of milk (because I haven't YET acquired a taste for black coffee), and water.  Lots of water.  Super low carbs (don't miss them) and moderate exercise (4 mile walk 3-4 times a week).

THIS time, not to imply that I completely gave up since my last posting, I am taking weekly photos in the mirror and emailing them to myself for a visual comparison.  Today is day one of week two and with the subtraction of alcohol and diet soda I can see that my face is less "puffy" and "fat".  Encouraging!

I love the fitbit dashboard to tack my food and use it every day.  It helps me see the "deficit" of intake vs. burn and keeps me going.  No sweets, no added sugar and I don't even miss them.  I do miss cheese though... I was a huge cheese addict 🙂  I will add it back in once I've lost these 11 pounds and my muffin top.  My plan is to continue to walk and to watch my burn charts until the end of April and if there is notable progress I will begin a regular gym routine and just keep it up!  🙂

How are you doing?