Frustrated and Unsure How to Proceed

[judegirl]

Hi everyone. I'm hoping someone can give me some advice on what to do, because I'm so frustrated this morning with my progress (or lack of) that I'm nearly in tears. Here's my story.

I'm 5'10" and started at 171 lbs. back in January when I first purchased my bodybugg (it's a device that measures calories burned). Since then I have worn it faithfully and also tracked my calories consumed, and by mid-April I was down to 154, which was great. It was actually pretty easy to lose that weight, but my goal was around 150 and I haven't been able to push past 154. For the past several months I've just been on "maintenance", not really trying to lose more weight because I felt that I looked and felt good enough. Even with this maintenance though, I've still been keeping around a 300 calorie deficit a day, which, if anything, should be leading to a gradual weight loss.

Instead for the past week or so it seems that the scale is just going up. Today the scale read 157, despite me doing a 45 minute lower body workout, a 25 minute ab workout, a 30 minute dance video, and walking around the block 4 times yesterday, along with eating like a saint. I had around a 500 calorie deficit yesterday, and around 700 the day before, and I feel like I'm working my butt off and not only is the scale not going down or even staying the same, it's going up.

What is going on here? I read somewhere that you should take a week off of working out every 12 weeks, and that's certainly not something I've ever done. In fact, the idea kind of scares me, especially at a time when I feel that the scale is slipping out of my control. Currently I follow Cathe video rotations, which typically consist of 3-4 days a week of fairly serious weight training, 2-3 days a week of 60 minute cardio sessions, and then usually another couple of hours of moderate activity like walking or playing drums (Rock Band and Guitar Hero!) each day. I take one day off from workout videos each week.

Perhaps it's the foods I eat, although my diet has not changed much from when I was initially losing the pounds, so I'm not sure. I'm a vegetarian, so my diet tends to be fairly high in sodium and I'm not really sure what to do about that. Other than that I make sure that I'm within the recommended range for fats/carbs/protein (I usually get 85-110 grams of protein a day) and try to eat a good balance of foods. I eat six small meals a day, usually totalling 2200-2400 calories (I burn 2600-3000). I also get 8 hours of sleep a night and usually am lucky enough to be able to get an hour nap in each day.

Basically, I feel like I'm doing everything I should be, and the scale is starting to revolt against me. I'm tired of playing a guessing game with my weight with questions like "maybe I'm eating too much...maybe I'm eating too little...is it that I'm not working out enough or maybe I'm working out too much...maybe it's too much sodium...but wait I thought they said it was calories in/calories out and that was all that mattered..."

Any advice? Is taking a week off from everything a good idea? I'm so frustrated and I've got an event coming up in mid-August that I've kind of been using as my "goal" so this is a bad time for the scale to be going in the wrong direction.

 

[Afreet]

Hi there!

Sorry to hear you've been so frustrated, and I can certainly relate!

One totally unfair thing I've learned about the universe is that I don't get to count exercise against my total intake of calories for the day. That is, I can't add my 600 calories burned from exercise to my total calories burned for the day and eat 600 more calories - or I'll gain weight. If I want to lose, I have to cut WAY down on calories. AND exercise. Like I said, totally unfair.

Someone on this forum used to have a signature line that summed it up nicely. It said something like, "You can exercise until the cows come home, but if you don't change your diet, you'll still be a cow coming home."

It sounds like you might have to fiddle with the Bodybugg and change your numbers around.

Also, I have a question about your sodium intake: I am a vegetarian, and my sodium intake is very LOW (almost always well under 1000 mg /day). What foods in particular are driving up the sodium count?

 

[orphylea]

I'm a tall girl too- 5'9" and first let me say congrats on the weight loss! I know weight is a very personal thing, but I also know that I look pretty good when I'm at 150-155, if I say so myself. I'm sure you look terrific.

Have you kept track of your progress any other way, for instance body fat percentage? Accu Measure makes a cheap caliper that you can do at home- it's a one site pinch test and I'm sure it isn't 100% accurate, but it makes me happy to see progress in the right direction. Some weeks I don't lose weight on the scale, but I see my BF has gone down a bit. That helps.

Also, I find that body has a sticking point. It's really hard for me to get below a certain number- just the way I'm wired. You might be there.

My last thought is this- have you been doing a certain type of rotation? If so, mix it up! Do circuits for a while if you've been doing heavy lifting or vice versa. Make sure you are varying your cardio- if you do mostly step, add in some jogging. Plus, make sure you are doing interval work and steady state in any given week.

Don't be so hard on yourself- sounds like you're doing great!

 

[judegirl]

Thanks for the response. It seems to me like there is sodium in almost everything that I eat unless it's fruits or veggies. Let's see, for today's menu the following things look like they've got a decent bit of sodium in them: Egg Beaters, whole grain english muffin, slice of 2% american cheese, veggie sandwich from Subway, Boca burger, ketchup, Newman's Own low fat dressing, salsa, sandwich thin, and even my light vanilla soymilk has 95 mg. of sodium in a single cup. Looks like my total today for sodium is 4279, which is way higher than it should be.

 

[judegirl]

Thanks for the encouragement Patti. I do feel like I'm looking good (I went from a size 14 to a size 10 pants!), I guess I'm just concerned that I feel like I'm doing enough that I should gradually losing a bit, and instead I'm gaining, and the idea that I have to keep this level of physical activity up forever just to maintain and not even lose, is frustrating.

As far as mixing up my workouts, for example, last month I did a lower body rotation and this month I'm doing one of FitnessFreak's "shed fat" rotations that combine heavy lifting with a good amount of cardio. For cardio I do step, kickboxing, jogging, hi-lo, and include videos from other instructors. Sometimes I take classes at the gym or use the machines there. I can't see how my body could be getting used to all of the varied things that I do, but maybe that's the case. I've been wondering if I should just try to take a week off, not doing any videos, not wearing the bodybugg, and just relax and then see where I'm at. Might not be a bad idea.

 

[sparrow13]

Thanks for the response. It seems to me like there is sodium in almost everything that I eat unless it's fruits or veggies. Let's see, for today's menu the following things look like they've got a decent bit of sodium in them: Egg Beaters, whole grain english muffin, slice of 2% american cheese, veggie sandwich from Subway, Boca burger, ketchup, Newman's Own low fat dressing, salsa, sandwich thin, and even my light vanilla soymilk has 95 mg. of sodium in a single cup. Looks like my total today for sodium is 4279, which is way higher than it should be.

Hey Judegirl!

Sorry you are feeling so frustrated. I'm a vegetarian too and my sodium is generally under 1000 a day. I've only recently started paying attention to it - last few months - and I found that cutting back has really helped me to get lean. A lot of processed food - even healthy versions - is ridiculously high in sodium. You're right, it's hard to avoid! I've found that the best thing to do is just go with the natural stuff, for instance instead of Newman's Own dressing, olive oil and flavored white balsamic vinegar. Instead of a Boca burger, homemade hummus sandwich with tons of veggies. If you don't have time to cook much there are many low-sodium versions of things out there. For instance, if you like beans, Amy's Organic makes low-salt versions of chili and refried beans. Eden Organic is fantastic for that! All its products have no added salt. I love them!!

As for the exercise, I would definitely take a few days off and then maybe hit your bod with something unexpected. Sprints on the treadmill, some HIIT, or even a circuit dvd like 30 Day Shred. All that helped me!

GOOD LUCK! Keep us posted!

 

[Afreet]

Hey Judegirl!

Sorry you are feeling so frustrated. I'm a vegetarian too and my sodium is generally under 1000 a day. I've only recently started paying attention to it - last few months - and I found that cutting back has really helped me to get lean. A lot of processed food - even healthy versions - is ridiculously high in sodium. You're right, it's hard to avoid! I've found that the best thing to do is just go with the natural stuff, for instance instead of Newman's Own dressing, olive oil and flavored white balsamic vinegar. Instead of a Boca burger, homemade hummus sandwich with tons of veggies. If you don't have time to cook much there are many low-sodium versions of things out there. For instance, if you like beans, Amy's Organic makes low-salt versions of chili and refried beans. Eden Organic is fantastic for that! All its products have no added salt. I love them!!

As for the exercise, I would definitely take a few days off and then maybe hit your bod with something unexpected. Sprints on the treadmill, some HIIT, or even a circuit dvd like 30 Day Shred. All that helped me!

GOOD LUCK! Keep us posted!

ITA - that sodium count seems high, and it would probably be good to drop it down a bit even if it isn't what's holding up the weight loss.

Plus, as a bonus, that would mean cutting out some of the more processed foods from your diet, which might help jump-start the weight loss again.

Sparrow posted some good advice, above - I always buy the Eden canned beans because they have no added salt, and I use them to make my own black-bean burgers at home (which have around 100 mg sodium, as opposed to the 400+ in the average packaged burger). I use their garbanzos plain in salads or to make hummus.

 

[maddiesmum]

Thanks for the response. It seems to me like there is sodium in almost everything that I eat unless it's fruits or veggies. Let's see, for today's menu the following things look like they've got a decent bit of sodium in them: Egg Beaters, whole grain english muffin, slice of 2% american cheese, veggie sandwich from Subway, Boca burger, ketchup, Newman's Own low fat dressing, salsa, sandwich thin, and even my light vanilla soymilk has 95 mg. of sodium in a single cup. Looks like my total today for sodium is 4279, which is way higher than it should be.

According to this description you eat a lot of processed foods and a lot of packaged, pre-prepared foods, so no wonder your sodium count is high. Do you not make your own meals at home? You would be better off taking your lunch in to work from home also, less temptation to buy subs.

Where are your fruits and veggies? Yoghurt? Beans and lentils?

I would look to your diet as the reason why the scales are not budging as you would like them to.

I also agree with the above poster who suggested that for your height, your current weight or something near it, may indeed be your "happy weight" and that the scales may not budge much further down for you without seriously starving yourself, which you do not want to do.

Have you tried not actually counting calories but eating more mindfully? I never count calories. I have no idea what the calorie count of any food I eat is. I think instead, as a fellow vegetarian, about healthy eating: yoghurt daily, fruit daily as much as I can eat, salad and veggies with pulses and beans as the main part of the meal (lentil soup or stew, a home made bean burrito), hardly any bread/muffins/bagels at all, some cheese (try jarlsberg, made from semi skimmed milk, lower in calories and fat but loads of flavour and good for snacking), loads of guacamole with red pepper strips and bay carrots. In fact, home made guacamole with veggies to dip in is a hearty meal and fills me up. Low sodium, healthy fats, calcium from the non-fat yoghurt I use to make it, and loads of taste. If I'm hungry I sit with a bag of almonds and eat those.

My mother swears by eating 1-2 pieces of fruit before every meal: it fills her up sooner and she consumes fewer total calories and way less sodium! A meal does not have to contain bread and muffins or subs to be a meal. I don't eat 3 meals a day. I only ever eat when hungry and I graze all day according to how I feel. Currently I am 10 pounds lighter than I was last year, and I don't consider this a diet.

Hope this helps, don't mean to preach, just sharing what works for me,

Clare

 

[judegirl]

Thanks for all of the ideas. I'll try eat less pre-packaged food, but honestly I already feel like trying to move enough is practically a full time job without also changing all of the foods I eat on a regular basis. I'm not sure it's practical for me, but I'll do what I can. I just went out and bought the ingredients to make hummus here as well as a few cans of those Eden beans and rice combos, which look really good.

Also, the foods I listed were definitely not everything that I'm eating today, only the items that are high in sodium. I probably eat 3-4 fruits a day, about 5-6 vegetables, Greek God yogurt once every day or two (usually cottage cheese on the other days with frozen berries). I typically eat 1-2 servings of beans each day as well, and also whole wheat english muffins and bread. Generally I get a good mix of healthy foods, it's just that a lot of them are pre-packaged.