Anyone else losing slowly?

I've been logging my calories on here since January 19th, and I've always lost slowly. But in the past two weeks, I've only lost half a pound. If it's a plateau, I feel like I've been on it since I started.

I'm averaging 3/4 lb. a week, which is ok on the surface. But I take spinning classes and I run 3 miles in 30 minutes. I work out hard, on top of cutting calories. According to the numbers, I should have lost twice the weight that I have.

And if I don't work out 6-7 days a week, I don't loose anything. It doesn't matter if I only eat 1000 - 1200 calories a day. I was sick two weeks ago, barely ate anything but low-cal chicken soup and sugar free jello for 3 days, and I put on half a pound due to my inactivity.

I gained this weight really fast, too. A little over a year ago, I put on 20 pounds in two months and I've been working at losing it since Jan '05. I lost 10 pounds, got busy and stopped working out and the weight piled back on last fall in 6 weeks.

Is this just what happens after 30? I don't eat fast food, ice cream or chips and I've cut out the occassional glass of wine. I feel like I can't let anything slip. Ugh. Discouraging.

I am only losing one pound per week also - waiting for the week when I lose two or maybe even three!!  I don't however gain it back that fast.  That must be hard!  Have you asked your doctor about it?  Maybe he can suggest something...Hang in there - I don't blame you for feeling discouraged but I bet you can figure this out and be where you want to be!  Good luck!

Ok - everyone say it with me... "MUSCLE WEIGHS MORE THAN FAT"

The more you work out - the less the scale is going to move - because you're gaining muscle - which is a great thing.  Did you guys take measurements when you started?  Do you notice your clothes are looser?  Can you see better tone?  If you're exercising a lot - these are much better tools than weight loss.

You are doing fantastic - keep in mind, too, that the more muscles (pronounced Mus-kles) you have, the higher your metabolism.

Thanks Cheatingirl - I am not too sure if that is what it is though...living with a cook used to be more fun that when I started dieting!!  LOL  I am thinking sabotage..... Not really...I hope not anyways!  :)

totally. I have averaged a little over 1 and 1/2 lbs per week (since 1/30), but in reality I have stayed at particular weight for as long as 10 days- and have even gone up 2 or 3 lbs only to go back to my plateau. I think weekly weigh-ins are best- the daily thing is killer. Some people just lose faster and we hate them, but hang in there!!!

Hi Roxanned - Thanks. Yeah, I did bring it up with my doc. She said it was really quick and looked a little concerned, but that was it. We did blood tests and the results came back in the normal range, but my thyroid was low, only 2 points into "normal." That's part of the reason I'm counting my calories, so I have a record of what I eat, if I need it.

Hi Cheatingirl - I really appreciate the encouragment. I do know that muscle weighs more than fat. Weight training is why I look so good at 150 (I'm 5'8"). I've been working out off an on (breaks for pregnancies, etc) for about 10 years. My measurements and pants size aren't any different than you'd expect for 8 pounds and I've got a lot of flab clinging to my hips and thighs.

Hi Mbdb. It's good to know someone else is in the same spot. I seem to do that, too: stay at a weight, then drop a few pounds. Losing weight has never been this hard before - I just hit the gym 3 times a week and didn't watch what I ate. I'm thinkin' this might just be a change I have to adjust to now that I'm *cough, cough* over 30. I really hope I don't have a thyroid problem (my mom has had thyroid problems and had thyroid cancer when she was in her 40s).

All you quick loosers are so happy and vocal - and that's great! I'm happy for you too! But I know there has to be more slow loosers - the Tortises of Calorie-Count.com - out there, quietly plugging away. Right? lol!

I actually went to our local health food store the other day.  I am one of the millions of Americans that does not have health insurance.  Anyways the gal that owns this place is amazing.  She does some special testing and can tell me what is wroing.  I found out my thyroid is really low.  She gave me some herbs to take.  Also I found out eventhough I was taking a multivitamin my body wasn't absorbing them.  I learned a lot and I am hoping to increase my weight loss in a healthy way.

I lose between .5 to 1.5lbs a week and its fine! I gain, I lose, I survive..but over time I lose..In 6 months Ive lost 35lbs..thats..ummm..less than 1 and half pounds a week..its ok..I could do better I know but I'd be misreable..besides I tell my self the slower I lose the better for my skin and the longer  can hang around here:)

My loss is very slow as well.  I've lost 23 pounds since January, and 15 of that was in January.

What I didn't do was measure myself, which I regret, because I know I have shrunk substantially (now 2 full sizes smaller!).

I do not exercise regularly yet (one thing at a time) but am now adding walking.

If you are exercising that much and that often, you might want to reconsider your calories.  Could be that you're eating too little and that your body has moved into starvation mode.

I had a four week plateau, and then suddenly dropped another three pounds at this week's weigh in.

There's an ebb and flow to this, and slow and steady will get us there.

Hang in there.  You're doing great!

I was losing slowly, but I changed my diet as of the end of Feb. I was averaging about 1-2 lbs a week. Since the change, so as of this month, I have lost a total of 25 lbs since March 1st. I feel great and have lots of energy. Exercise is important, but not as important as what we put into our body. I had a total mind transformation, I have a new lifestyle now. You really have to be mentally ready, otherwise you are just going to fail again. If you can make your mind think that your body is a machine, an expensive one, and if you don't take care of it, then its going to be broken alot or going to be dead soon. Once you can that into your head, and you are more focused on your "soul energy" versus your living desires, cravings, wants, you are doing well. This is so hard to do if you are addicted to toxic waste, such as fast food and processed food. Think about it, when prehistoric man was around, what did we eat? We are like animals, what are we supposed to put into our bodies? I am pretty sure that our bodies are not made to take in the crap that we have been taking in, there isnt any nutritional value in any of it. It just tastes good, so in goes more crap. If you can get your mind and willpower to think like this, read some articles and testimonies, forums, etc then its on to a new way of eating. I am almost 100% raw, and I did it quickly because I realized what I was doing! Since I started eating raw, the weight is coming off effortlessly, my energy to get through the day is AMAZING. I wake up on my own about 5ish and I am not ready to sleep until about 11pm...no naps! I am so HAPPY! I can't stop smiling, like I have won the lottery or going to disney. One friend referred me to as the energizer bunny, the other rubbed up on me trying to get some energy. Another jokingly told me I was on crack or something, I was just going and going! No I don't do drugs! My skin looks great, my tummy is flattening!! Even my gray hairs are turning back to normal color??? How is that possible? I don't know, but why question it?! I have been over weight since I was 19 and was always 20-30 lbs overweight in school. I have never been successful at losing weight, I am not taking any supplements or drugs. No tricks, just eating raw. There are no diet schemes, I have nothing that I am selling, there is no cost to you except fruits and veggies (and maybe a juicer of your choice). Detox can be a little brutal, but just think what you have put in your body, and think what has to come out. You will send your body into "healthy mode" and it's going to wonder what the heck? I recommend it to anyone who is mentally ready, but know you will never eat like you once did before. I recommend a few websites for more information. I posted them on an earlier site titled "plateau". Read that post and follow the links. Good luck! Lynette

lj jacobs

wow. Loved that post. I too no longer nap and am lovin life. This way of eating is great.

secret:

your story is a medical impossibility. How can you be eating 1200 cal a day and still work out and not drop dead due to malnutrition is amazing in its own right. But lets say thats possible, you are not eating enough , and burning tons of calories , but are not losing weight. If you dont work out -you gain weight? Weight appears out of nowhere and attaches itself to your body? Your calorie intake suggest it impossible for you to maintain the body muscle you have now, let alone build more. How do you add extra weight? You dont eat enough as it is.

What i am thinking, is perhaps you are miscalculating how many calories you are taking in. But whatever u are actually taking in, you are burnging slightly more than when you dont work out.  are you drinking enough water when you arent working out? Maybe your body is retaining water, thus the slight weight gain.

Hope this helps

Yesterday's intake: Approximately 71 oz of water (yes I counted just for you). 9 oz of fresh juice made of 3 carrots, and large handful of broccoli, a banana, and an apple--this is juiced so the caloric intake is different. I also had 7 oz of my green juice- kale (one whole bunch that you buy in the store), two handfuls of spinach, and a handful of spring salad mix, and an apple. I had four pieces of canteloupe and two brazillian nuts (these are higher in protein than meat!), and two pieces of whole wheat bread. I have yet to give up bread--think I need to increase my nut/grain intake because of my craving for them. That is all I had. My last nibble was at 4pm, I went to bed about 10:30. Woke up on my own about 5:15am.  

I have been drinking only water for two years now, except for this past month after I got my juicer. If you read other posts from overweight people who have become vegans/raw, this is typical weight loss. We are only putting food into our body that was meant to be consumed. Like I mentioned before, there is ALOT of mental involved, especially if you arent ready or willing to give up food for comfort or pleasure. There are alot of people who criticize this way of life. But as they criticize, I have to think, who is the thin one, never gets sick anymore, has the energy of a kid, and looks so young? That has to mean something! So to answer your question, I drink lots of water. I have my water bottle that I use daily that I fill with distilled water about 5-6 times a day..its a 16 oz bottle. I also drink a couple glasses of fresh juice--one is mostly carrot juice and the other is a green juice consisting of spinach, kale, and other greens. The rest of the day I eat fresh fruit and nuts. My appetite has decreased because my body is getting what it needs. Before I was feeding myself things that weren't high in nutritional value so my body kept telling me "hungry" looking for those needed nutrients. Now all I am doing is giving my machine the needed oil and gas to operate and my body is feeling great. Keep in mind I have weight lifted and did Alot of cardio in the past! Losing the weight was such a battle! I was working out like I was supposed to about 2 hours a day, drinking my water, counting calories, portioning my food correctly, no sugar, trying to get enough sleep, and the weight just wasn't coming off like it should. I kept telling myself that maybe I was just gaining muscle and so the numbers weren't showing it (but neither were pants really). I can bench 90 lbs and my legs are maxed out at 240 lbs- I can run a mile in 8:30 minutes. I get my aerobic and anerobic in, I mixed up my routine. Before, I did the fad diets, Atkins and what have you. Now I still hit the gym occasionally, not as much as I used to though, not enough time with the new energy, I spend my energy doing other things and since it is getting warm, I prefer to jog/walk outside. I try and get my cardio in and continue to lift--I love to powerlift! I have NEVER EVER felt this great. Many will criticize, but that's ok- I no longer have any health problems, my body is repairing itself, the weight loss is just an added bonus to my new lifestyle- RAW!!

lj

great post!!! you are an inspiration to all of us.

secret: your story is a medical impossibility.
At times it feels like it, lol! But I'm pretty sure it's not that crazy!
How can you be eating 1200 cal a day and still work out and not drop dead due to malnutrition is amazing in its own right.
That sounds unneccessarily sarcastic to me, but maybe I misunderstood you. It's also not quite what I wrote. Sorry, I may not have been clear. I was trying to say that if I only reduce my caloric intake without also exercizing, I don't loose weight. I'd like to think I could still make a bit of progress that way. But, alas... c'est la vie.
I'm 33 years old and I've been interested in fitness and healthful living for the last 11 years. And longer if you consider my upbringing: I grew up eating wheat germ on my breakfast cereal and dried kelp instead of salt on my popcorn - yum (seriously). There was no hamburger helper, wonder bread, or kool-aid in my house. My grandmother had the Jack LaLane fitness albums, the vita-mix juicer, made her own fresh yogurt and grew her own fruits and vegetables - she was into fitness and healthy living before it was cool and passed it down to her family.
(I don't juice myself. In fact, just last night I was eating a bowl of fresh strawberries and I was thinking, "how can anyone blend these beautiful berries into a pulp when they're so good on their own?" but that's my preference.)
I'm not saying I'm perfect - LOL - I do enjoy good food! And I have a weakness for sourdough bread, cheese, dark chocolate and wine. But I do know how to read a nutrition label.
And I've noticed a marked difference in the way my body has been responding to food in the last year. That's why I started keeping a food diary in August - not dieting, just writing down what I ate to track and found this site (it's so helpful!). I have a family history of packing on 20+ pounds after 30 and I don't want it to happen to me.
It has been frustrating. But I still feel like I am in the spectrum of normal. I suspect my body is adjusting my metabolism to hold on to my reserves. Perhaps slowly weaning myself off a low-carb diet over a year wasn't as effective as I thought?

Either way, I thought there would be other slow-losers like me who could voice our frustrations and encourage each other. Just because I'm frustrated doesn't mean that I don't think this is worthwhile. Like countless have said before me, this is a lifestyle change, not a diet. When I do reach my goal, it will be because I've found the right mix of portions and activity to live at that weight.
It may be slow, but it's still 8 pounds gone eating regular food. Now, that is something I can do for life! :D
Ljacobs - I'm glad that you are having success with a raw-food diet and I appreciate your inspirational advice. I successfully did low-carb (modified to allow for fruits and veggies) for a few years, too. But I found it difficult to stick to with a new carb-eating husband. Now my goal is to eat a wide-variety of different foods in a healthful manner and proportion. But I'm happy that you've found something that works for you!

I feel your pain. I have been intensely dieting for 3 weeks now & have only lost 4 pounds. I have 16 more pounds to go. I have lost inches though, thanks to exercise. I just wish the scales would move a little faster. I have noticed that my jeans are a little looser. I have cut back to 1000 calories a day & I am exercising for 1 hour a day, 6 days/week. I haven't dropped dead yet. It is possible because I am living proof.

Good luck to all trying to win the battle with weight loss!

FYI--the general rule for going raw and when juicing is that you juice your veggies and eat your fruit. but to be honest, drinking veggies makes me gag, so i also add a fruit to it and it overpowers the taste so it taste like i am drinking apple juice, or pear juice, or strawberry banana juice. sine the juice is so HIGH in nutrients it fills you up, so it doesnt take much to become full, and hence a low low calorie meal. have your ever read anything about the diet of a person who has had gastic? well, without surgery and by juicing, you are taking in a similar diet. juice, but organic juice. if you buy juice at the store it has been processed/cooked, which kills the beneficial enzymes and nutrients that our body wants. it is a good way to start though if interested. buy the most organic juice you can get and try drinking that first for a meal. if still hungry eat some fruit. but i would wait a little before eating the fruit. you might find ten minutes after drinking the juice that you are actually content, not really hungry. i try and drink my juice in the morning and in the evening and then mid day i will eat my banana or apple or melon. If I am still hungry in the day, i grab some nuts of some kind. If i am craving protien, i eat brazillian nuts or my fav sunflower seeds. the rest of the day i am downing lots of water, cleaning out my system. you will find your appetite decreases and they say if you aren't hungry, don't eat.

today: banana, three bites of apple (my son's so i didn't waste it) 9 oz of juice (kale, parsely, 2 carrots, pear, and banana) and a handful of sunflower seeds, two whole wheat rolls. the day isnt over eat, so i could have another juice this evening. my water intake today is kinda low because i was somewhere where they wouldn't allow water bottles for 3 hours. AND LOTS OF ENERGY! Still stable at 203 this morning.

For those interested on going raw:..

http://abcinternetmarketing.com/dtgw/ebook/fr ee/rawfoods/DTGW.pdf

Yaharmon - Wow! An hour a day, six days a week. That's great! Did you know that our goals are almost identical? I have 16 pounds to go, too!

United2gether wrote:I do know that juice (1/2 cup of oj) packs a calorie punch compared to an orange and I feel fuller after eating that orange :)

Me too! My husband is a huge juice drinker (a couple gignormous glasses a day) who ignores my warnings that he's getting all the sugar w/o any of the good fiber. If I'm craving juice, I splash a little bit into a glass of diet 7-up with Splenda (I really ought to switch that to sparkling water, though. *Makes mental note*).

Just realized I've made the same spelling error over and over in this thread. loosers? LOL! I guess I do want my clothes to be looser, so maybe it wasn't as wrong as I thought! Anyhoo, edited posts to avoid further embarassment.

Hey secret_squirrel, happy losing on that 16lbs! I'm working really hard at it. I would like to have it all off by June 1st, but if I just keep losing 1lb a week that will be the middle of July. Toning means just as much to me as the weight loss. That is the main reason for all of the exercise.

I hear you. I can't stand how flabby my body has become in the year and a half I dropped workouts. I really feel that weight is only a small part of the goal: toning is so important. I look at pictures of me from two summers ago when my weight was ok, but I was all flab. Not pretty, but it really makes the point!