Frustrated with weight loss

megs982 started this discussion · 9/9/2010

Im at my wits end..I've been trying to loose weight the last 5 months..and have done nothing but GAIN. Here's my background.. I've always had a great metabolism. Had 3 kids and basically left out of the hospital in my pre preggo clothes ect. Early this year i got sick.. My iron stores went down to 3% (they are suppose to be at 20%+) I rapidly gained weight (25lbs) because my body went into defense mode and hung onto EVERYTHING..basically my metabolism took a crap lol. Anywho. I gained 25lbs in 2-3 weeks. I got iron infusions and my iron was great afterwards. April, i got my pole and started working out on it 3-4times a week for a good 45-60 mins atleast, along with stretching. July, i started a pole class. And August i started walking 3-4 miles 5 days a week along with watching what i started eating and 2 weeks ago i completely cut out soda of my diet. I've gained 14lbs since i started poling. There really isn't really a difference in how my clothes feel.. Im just frustrated and do not understand what i am doing wrong. Everyone says that the weight is going to come off fast soon bc muscle burns fat ect ect.. But they've all been saying it for 3mths now. I want to cry and know i shouldn't even step on the scale, but i can't help it.. i was one of those ppl that could eat 10lbs of doughnuts back in the day and loose weight..Help me!! lol Or atleast tell me im not insane lol

27 replies

litlbit · 9/9/2010
Hey hun....if your clothes feel the same (which means, if you have gained weight and your size did not change it is muscle weight not bodyfat that you have gained!)...here's why....1 pound of body fat weighs the same as 1 pound of muscle, HOWEVER! bodyfat takes up 18% more space than muscle! Your metabolism is working right if your clothes still fit with the weight gain. I tell my clients STAY OF THE SCALE!!! If you must weigh yourself do it only once a month, go by how your clothes feel and your body! As women we have gotten so indoctrinated over watching those nasty numbers on a box!! FORGET the SCALE!!! IT DOES'NT know the difference between fat and muscle!!! Here's an example: I was 122 lbs, I worked out and poled...I went up to 148lbs...BUT! I was still wearing the same size clothes!! That was because I had soooo much bodyfat at 122 and replaced it with muscle!! It took me awhile to understand the concept. I do not OWN a scale...I'm weighed at the gym once a month! So keep in mind that if your clothes still fit YOU ARE NOT GETTING FAT!!! You are getting lean with strong muscle, which in turns increases your metabolism as long as you are exercising to burn calories you take in...and your nutrition and times you eat are important as well. I'd say your on track!!! *HUGZ*
redemptionsongs · 9/9/2010
I completely understand your frustration. I had a horrible pregnancy (hyperemesis gravadarium, I was on home IV and medication pump), had a lot of muscle wasting and balooned up after my baby was born. In his first year of life I had two major knee surgeries that I am still not fully healed from. Anyway, I would suggest taking measurements. I have lost 22lbs in 6 weeks and 27.75 inches overall. Last week I was discouraged because my weight was up 2lbs until I did my weekly measurements and I had dropped 3.5 inches that week! Surprisingly, with my amount of weight loss my shirts fit much better, but I have not dropped a pants size yet. My diet right now is pretty restricted- lean protein+ low glycemic veggie 5x/day, very little grains, and very few other simple carbs (I eat a yogurt in the morning that has 20something carbs from sugar) 100+ounces of water per day. Try not to get discouraged, it sounds like you are doing great!
chemgoddess1 · 9/9/2010
Are you on birth control pills/hormones of any sort? Also remember that our metabolisms slow down each year that we age...trust me...my early 30's were NOT KIND to me. I would seriously take a good look at your diet and maybe pick up the clean eating books.
megs982 · 9/10/2010
No, not on Birth control . Been TTC for 15 mths with no luck unfortunetly. I've pretty much am eating healthy except Tuesday nights for dinner bc its one of those i dont have much time to cook for a family of 5. I have pole class amoung other things to do that night..and if i left it up to my husband they would have cereal to eat for dinner 😂 I know i shouldn't like the scale at all..i shouldn't look at it..but regardless if its muscle or fat the damn thing still says 153!! And i've been 115-120. I didn't even weight this much 9mths preggo.. I think its what bugs me the most. I mean am i always going to be at this weight as long as i have the muscle? Im only 5'2"-5"3" ..it is not flattering Also, one more thing..what is a good excersize to get rid of back fat/tone side abs. Thats my main problem area. Before poling it was my theighs and my little bit of pooch..but i can't seem to get those 2 areas to do anything
litlbit · 9/10/2010
Sorry it took me so long to get back on! I have had a long day/evening lol...I will post some menus tomorrow for sure! and megs...what is your typical day like? what do you eat, when do you eat and approx. amounts, and what is your level of activity and how often during a week...that will help to narrow things down. I'm in training right now for a NPC Figure Competition for March...so I am eating clean right now versus just healthy.
Ginger Kitty · 9/10/2010
My iron stores went down to 3% (they are suppose to be at 20%+) I rapidly gained weight (25lbs) Do you know if your doctor has checked your thyroid? I have had thyroid issues for many years. One thing I know is that your thyroid hormone does not function properly if your iron is too low. The thyroid is a big factor in metabolism. Just a thought.
megs982 · 9/10/2010
@lilbit a typical day i will wake up and have my one bad thing a day which is coffee with sugar and cream. I will either have a bowl of oatmeal with fruit or i will have regular cheerios. I will have usually a chicken salad with light ranch dressing for lunch Will have a snack of some sort of fruit when the kids get home and eat there snack. Ill usually have some sort of lean meat, a veggie and salad ect for dinner I've cut down my portion size to where they are small portion size (the correct portion size lol) I drink a good 80+ oz a day I pole about 4 times a week for a hour-hour and a half and walk 5 days a week for 3-4miles a day @ Colette.they have run a whole string of blood tests on me.. My thyroid came back right smack dab in the middle of normal. Everything came back normal except my Iron and FSH (which the fsh is a whole different story lol)
megs982 · 9/10/2010
I also want to add that I've cut out all junk food in the house (poor hubby and kids lol) when I eat bread, pasta ect I only choose whole grains. This is only a sample of my day though of coarse I eat different stuff everyday lol. Just what I had yesterday
Prncsopowr · 9/10/2010
I totally understand what you are saying. I am having the same issue. I think I am going to take all my measurements tomorrow (thats my weigh-in day) so that I have something else to look at. What is TTS? I am also eating cleanly and limiting white carb intake. My only hope is that I add in new goals to focus on the scale will change. I have started small with my goals so that I would be successful, but seeing the scale go the wrong way is truly the worst!!!
megs982 · 9/10/2010
What do you mean what is TTS? ❓
Solya · 9/10/2010
I think I went through the same as you - you just have to realise that pole won't make you lose weight. I actually gained a little weight since I started poling. It totally put me off until I realised that I dropped TWO dress sizes as well! I don't weight myself anymore because it's just disappointing and I don't think it reflects my real size. People generally assume I am a good 20lbs lighter than I actually am. I talked to a personal trainer about this and he said pole builds muscle really fast. You lift heavy weights (your own body weight basically) and you lift it only a few times - exactly what body builders do with heavy weights in the gym. So you get loads of muscles, and we all know muscles are heavier than fat! I haven't poled for 2,5 months now (no pole 🙁), but I do 1 hour of cardio every day. The result is that all my muscle definition is gone and I lost about 8-10lbs. This just shows that pole is going to add to your weight, but frankly I'd rather have my muscles than a slightly flabby slimmer body 🙂 Bottom line is, measure yourself and go by how your clothes fit instead of weighing yourself. As others said, the scales don't make a difference between fat and muscle.
Prncsopowr · 9/10/2010
Oops my bad. I meant TTC. I don't know what that stands for. Gotta love my morning brain!
megs982 · 9/10/2010
lol. TTC=Trying to concieve 🙂 sry about that! lol
litlbit · 9/10/2010
Ok...megs982, one thing it looks like you are not taking in enough protein...you need at least 1 gram per pound of what you want your LBM (lean body mass) to be...so say you want to weigh ideally 120 lbs and you body fat percentage is at 20% you would need a minimum of 96 grams of protein total for the day to get to and maintain that body weight (the lean body mass is 96 lbs). It is beneficial to have your BF checked so you can determine how much protein you need. You need to add a snack in the mid morning so your metabolism doesn't start to lag...you should eat something even a few nuts every 3 hours. You should never have less than 1200 calories in a day as that slows down metabolism...the body requires at least that to burn fat and stay healthy. As far as your coffee...I use sugar and cream still, but am not allowed REFINED sugar, it adds FAT calories...I am allowed to use raw unrefined sugar because it is not stripped of the natural molasses and is much sweeter..it also does not add the unusable fat calories! I found SUGAR IN THE RAW at Walmart, it is a lightly brown crystal and is 100% all natural sugar cane sugar, it is also found in health food stores and co ops under the name SUCINATE or TURBINO sugar, but is more expensive in those stores. I will have to give it up closer to comp, but in the meantime I can enjoy real sugar...my trainer DOES NOT ADVOCATE ARTIFICIAL SWEETENERS because that is not what our body is supposed to try to process. I am pulling together some menus with many food choices for times of day and will post them sometime today. I will help as much as I can...TO YOUR SUCCESS!! *HUGZ*
megs982 · 9/10/2010
Thank you so much lilbit!! I will start eating more nuts throughout the day!! When i go to walmart later i will pick some of that sugar up. With my calorie counter i've been getting anywhere from 1600-1800 ish calories a day. Also with my cream i've decided to go fat free..to help atleast a little bit lol.
Poleluver · 9/10/2010
This is a very interesting thread!
Prncsopowr · 9/10/2010
That was a lot of helpful information. Thanks! Why does your trainer not recommend artificial sweeteners? I use them a lot and I know weight watchers and other programs do recommend them. I drink a lot of tea and have a hard time substantiating the use of sugar in my tea each time I drink it. Also, any thoughts on tea versus water? I have been struggling with my water intake so I drink lots of really yummy teas. I buy loose leaf tea at a store near me and try to drink a combo or herbal, green, black, and white teas. I also drink some rooiboos to help with my allergies.
redemptionsongs · 9/10/2010
Have your considered stevia instead of sugar? My mother works at a weight loss clinic (after dieting to lose more than 100lbs!) and they recommend Stevia as a 0 calorie sweetener because it is blood sugar stable. You can get it in granulated form just like sugar or in liquid form- I have Sweet leaf brand flavored Stevia and it is good to add a couple drops to water to have a "soda". http://www.cookingwithstevia.com/stevia_faq.html
Prncsopowr · 9/10/2010
I use splenda rather than the blue stuff or pink stuff. When I tried Stevia - I got it at Trader Joe's and I found it to have a strange aftertaste.
litlbit · 9/10/2010
Hi ladies, I will try to get those food choices up as soon as I can...but I will be leaving the site for awhile. I have some things to think about, I have a few battles to tend to and I'm afraid I'm of no use to anyone. I realize that I really am of no help to anyone and I don't want to be a negative influence. I wish you all the best! 🥂
Ginger Kitty · 9/10/2010
Why does your trainer not recommend artificial sweeteners? I use them a lot and I know weight watchers and other programs do recommend them. I've worked for WW for 4 years. And no where that I know of does WW recommend to use artificial sweeteners. As a matter of fact I tell my members to stay away from them for the same reason that litlbit mentioned. The body was not ment to process those types of chemicals.
litlbit · 9/11/2010
Okay ladies!! I typed up the menu choices and I don't know what happened but after spending 20 minutes typing it I hit a button and it TOTALLY DISAPPEARED!!! I will do it again shortly UGH!! 😢 LOL
litlbit · 9/11/2010
Food choices. Coffee or tea ok with brkfst. Brkfst: 1/2-1 cup cooked oatmeal, 1/2 banana, or 1/4 cup raisins, water or 3-4 scrambled egg whites, 1 slice multi grain toast, 6 oz. OJ, water (eggs can be seasoned with sea salt and pepper, or other herbs of your choice) or 1/4-1/2 cup cooked oatmeal or steel cut oats (the best choice) with 1/2- 1 scoop protein powder mixed in, 1/2 banana or OJ, water or 1-2 whole or multi grain tortilla or taco wrap, fill with 2-3 scrambled egg whites divided, 1 tbls. salsa and 1 tbls. shredded lowfat cheddar cheese. OJ or grapefruit, or grape juice, water french toast made with egg whites, for 2 slices; 3 egg whites, 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract, 1/2 tsp cinnamon, 1 tblsp 2% or 1% or skim milk depending on your preference. Top with pure maple syrup or natural honey or fruit, OJ , water Mid morning snack: ! serving lowfat yogurt or a small handful raw nuts, walnuts, almonds, etc. or 1/2 an apple with 1 slice of lowfat cheddar cheese or 2 tblsps. natural peanut butter or sunbutter Lunch: small salad, a portion of lean meat, 1/2 cup brown rice, or 1 serving of Tomato basil multi grain pasta, 1 cup of veggie, or a medium homemade chef salad (mixed greens or spinach leaves, cucumbers, tomatoes, 1 hard boiled egg chopped, 1 small carrot sliced), can also add 1 tblsp of salsa. or a protein shake, or smoothie. Water Mid afternoon snack: any of the above morning snacks or a yogurt smoothie (1/2 to 1 cup lowfat yogurt, 1 tsp. cinnamon, 1/2 tsp. nutmeg, 1 sliced banana, a few raw nuts. mix in blender), it can be made ahead and frozen, homemade trail mix. 1/2 cup cottage cheese wit fruit. Dinner: 1 baked potato or sweet potato or 1 serving brown rice, 1 portion of lean meat or fish or steamed shrimp, 1 serving of veggies. water If hungry at bedtime, yogurt or piece of fruit with a few raw nuts. These are just a few suggestions. Tomato basil multi grain pasta: enough pasta for 4 servings 2 large tomatoes chopped (about 2 cups), or 1 lg. can diced tomatoes 2 tblsps. chopped onion 2 tblsps. olive oil 1/8 tsp salt or sea salt 1/8 tsp. pepper 2 tblsps chopped fresh basil or 2 tsps. dried basil leaves Cook pasta per package directions, rinse well. In a 2 quart sauce pan mix pasta with all ingredients except basil. Heat thoroughly then add basil before serving. Is excellent for re heating and a good replacement for potato and bread. There are many more I can add. On Sundays eat a normal breakfast and lunch, then have your favorite meal...it's called a cheat meal. It helps you focus during the week because you know you can have a treat of your choice on Sunday!! enjoy!!
Prncsopowr · 9/11/2010
Lilbit- First off, I want to say I hope everything works out int he best way possible for you. I know how challenging it is when you feel like things are crashing down around you and I truly wish you the best. Although it feels like it will never turn around, I know from personal experience, it can. Stay strong and know that the people on this site are not just here to be supported by you but to also support you. I wish you the best with what you are trying to handle. Secondly, thank-you so much for all of your support with trying to figure out my disaster of a body out! Collette - thats interesting because when I went to WW, my leader definitely touted using splenda versus using sugar to save points. WW also promotes Hungry Girl who very much promotes splenda. But then again, she also promotes the use of many many pre-packaged foods which I do not agree with. So I did as I said I would and took my measurements this morning. I even wrote them, along with my weight, body fat % and water % (my scale does them as well). It is all in black and white and cannot be ignored. I find I just keep saying to myself, I CAN do this! Its hard, but I will succeed!!!
litlbit · 9/11/2010
Thank you Prncsopowr! I really appreciate that!! YOU HAVE NO IDEA HOW MUCH! 🥂 I had an absolutely HORRIBLE week and yesterday the world crashed on me. I'm only one person and trying to fight for what I believe is has never been a problem, HOWEVER, throw in my personal relationship and issues then it becomes so overwhelming and I don't have the stamina I did when I was younger to fight! Now for an UPDATE! I received a call last night from the reporter....he is NOT giving up on my STORY! and will NOT let me give up! I have made some decisions and through some messages I've received and renewed strength (not to mention spending all of yesterday BALLING! my eyes are so swollen today with edema!! LOL), I have PUT MY FOOT DOWN so to speak....I have never been a quitter and I'm NOT going to start at this stage of the game! I just had so MUCH coming at me and got knocked down....time to brush off the dust and get my feet back under me!! I don't belong to any other forum, only SV! I can't imagine not having this as part of my life...VEENA your a GOOD MOTHER to us KIDS and an INCREDIBLE FRIEND!!! LOL SOOOOO! having said that...I will be posting pics again as soon as I get a camera to take them, and vids if I can figure out how to on the mini flip cam (I can't get it far enough away with limited space to video). NOW LAST BUT NOT LEAST!!! I AM SO PROUD OF ALL OF YOU LADIES for taking control of your LIFE and BODIES!!! You are such WONDERFUL examples of what WOMEN can do!!!! So I'm taking BACK CONTROL OF ME!!! LOVE YOU GUYS!!! HUGE *HUGZ*

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