Sooo depressed...what could i be doing wrong?

I work out 5 - 6 days a week, I stay between 1200 and 1400 calories a day and I eat healthy meals...I've been doing this for over a month now and to date I have lost no weight. I lost 2lbs but then when i weighed a couple days later I was 3lbs heavier...now back to 207.

I am 5 ft. 2in and 207lbs. I just dont understand why this isn't working...I'm so depressed because I feel like I put in so much effort and yet I see no results...what the heck!!!

Just a thought.. try increasing your calories by a few hundred a day. I hear that it can 'kick-start' your metabolism into working.

 

What is your recommended daily according to the calorie meter? 

It sounds like you should talk to your doctor to make sure everything is normal.  It doesn't sound like it's your fault at all, and that's why it's time to check in with your doc.  She can run some tests to make sure it's not thyroid or whatever.  Keep exercising and eating healthy!

When I do the allowance calculator it says I should be eating 1202 calories a day. Do you think I should be eating less?

That really sucks. Maybe you're not eating enough? It looks to me like you should be eating 1500-1800 calories/day. Our bodies want nothing more than to hang on to the fat. On the other hand, your body has to give in and start burning fat eventually with so few calories coming in. I would consult with a nutritionist.

Edit: another thought. Don"t eat less. Did you run the "burn meter" in "tools?" I just ran it with the info you posted (207, 5'2", 5 workouts a week). It came up with a daily burn rate of 2300. A 500 calorie deficit from that is 1800. I know you prolly want to lose more than a pound a week, but adding a few hundred calories might get your body more comfortable with the idea that it will be fed.

katielrose, 1202 calories is telling you if you're Sedentary.  You will need to eat more depending on how active you are or how much exercise you get daily.

I think you're trying for much too high of a caloric deficit. As suggested, I believe you should also be eating more.

Your Expenditure is 2100 Sedentary.  This means you can eat 1600 calories per day with ZERO EXERCISE to lose 1lb a week.

Did you measure yourself before you started all this?  I did and discovered I had lost several inches, but no weight.  Not a bad thing at all.  Hang in there!  If there is nothing physically wrong it will just take a while...be patient.

Also there is the water retention thing.  Be sure to weigh first thing in the morning and cut back on the salt. 

Hey Kati!  Don't give up!  You can do it!  Eat more foods high in fiber.  I eat at least 1 apple a day.  Gala apples are yummy!  There are a lot of foods that burn fat.  Do a search on fat burning foods and eat more of those - foods such as oranges, apples, apple cidar Vinigar, oatmeal or just a few.  I'm 5/4 and weigh right now 242.  I've been working at loosing since January 3rd and so far I have lost 12 pounds - eating at least 1500-1600 calories per day and making sure that I get 6 meats, 8 breads, 3 veg., 3 fruits, 2 dairy and 4 fats a day plus eight 8 oz glasses of water.  I have not been able to exercise!  You can do it!  Keep on keeping on!

keep your head up!! dont forget that muscle weighs a great deal more than fat! you very well could be gaining muscle, as well as losing fat...

try taking measurements of yourself as well as weighing in, if you see results in your measurements then dont worry about what the scale says!

also! be sure that your workouts vary from day to day! your body could be adjusting to your workouts, being the reason you dont see results.  another possiblity could be that you're working out too much.  if you are doing a lot of strength training, it is absolutely necessary to let your body rest.  the days you're body is resting... your muscles are recooperating, as well as developing. 

there are so many factors that could be contributing to your lack of weightloss. perhaps you arent working out hard enough, you are staying within your calorie intake limit but not eating the right types of food for your body type, it could be the amount of sleep you get at night, or even a thyroid problem!! the list goes on and on!! but let me suggest a book to you that has helped me immensly!!

its called "the diet for teenagers only" and its written by carrie wiatt and barbara schroeder.  this book is encouraging as well as informative and helpful.  good luck!!

maby you just need to be eating more foods that you like.. :) hope everything works out ok!

You burn 2400 calories per day according to the tools on this site at "light activity". Given your workouts, you burn at least that.    The largest safe deficit is 1000 calories.  Also your BMR is 1743.   So, 1200 calories is too little.   Try upping your calories to 1800.

Hi Katielrose,

Don't give up! You're doing great! I agree with the others, eat more calories.

I find that I have to trick my body when the scale doesn't move. So I vary my *weekly* cal intake every second or third day....something like this...Sun 1800, Mon 1800, Tues 1500, Wed 1800, Thurs 1800, Fri 1500, Sat 2400.....This will avarage out to 12,600 for the week (1800 cal/day).

Hand in there, you got the basics, just need to fine tune it to your body!!

Hi Katielrose,

I feel your pain!!

i, too, started working out -HARD- about a month and a half ago and I am seeing very little movement on the scale! I'm burning between 2500-3500 calories per week and have only lost about 3 pounds.

and, i don't think i've lost many inches either because my clothes are fitting the same.

i have been watching what i eat and have been staying pretty consistanty around 1500 cals per day.  i just don't understand.  

it's so frustrating to workout so hard and not see any return on this investment!

it almost makes me feel like it's just not worth it.

 

i do have a cousin who had thyroid cancer and while i don't think i have anything that severe, i've considered having my thyroid checked.  anyone else who had put in as much effort as i have would've lost 5-10 lbs by now!

keep us posted on your progress!

good luck to you!! 

muscle weighs more than fat. you said uve been working out 5-6 times a week. maybe ur just adding muslce under the fat. get a % body fat check done, they might do it at the gym you go to, mine does. check again after two or so weeks and see if you're really losing fat or not.

ps the problem cant be not eating enough. i know its good to eat a good amount of food but u wont gain weight by not eating enough, hence why anorexia is a dangerous problem. they're not fat, are they?

Are you sure about your food quantities? I weigh everything if I can because I find it's really hard to guess... and unfortunately, I tend to underestimate. Like, what I thought was a small apple is a actually a large one. When I do that instead of guesswork, I find I lose more.

what exactly are you doing when you workout?  that is the key!  that happened to me too, and i talked to my trainers at the gym and they told me they saw what i was doing and werent surprised i wasnt losing weight, even though i was going ot the gym 5x s a week!  i was using the treadmill, for abt 45- 1 hr, at 3.7 - 4 mph.  I thought that was a workout.  thye suggested i use the elliptical for AT LEAST a 1/2 hr.  once i started on the elliptical, my weight melted off!  it was a miracle.   it's a harder workout, but boy does the weight fall off!!!  even if only for 30 mins a time.  try that for a  week.  let me know if you then see the weight loss.