Fighting a Losing Battle

A

ANConway

New member
I'm a 24-year old female. I'm 5'9" and 170 lbs. This is my last cry for help. I have been fighting my weight my whole life, and the only time I've ever been thin was in high school when i ran cross country. I was doing 10 miles a day, so of course I ruined my knees.

I have been trying to lose weight for 3 years and have literally not lost a SINGLE POUND. I started with weight watchers and did it for 7 months. I lost 10 lbs and then hit a plateau and didn't lose a single pound for 4 months. I am OCD so when I'm given a plan, I follow it to the point of obsession. I was doing everything by the book. Even the ladies at the meetings didn't understand why I wasn't losing weight.

I got tested for metabolic disorders and thyroid conditions, but all tests were negative. So I tried atkins. At first, it worked like a dream. I got down to 156 and I was so happy. But in the past year, even though my diet has not changed, my weight has crept back up to 170. 6 months ago, I started lifting weights. I bought a women's health book with preplanned workouts and do them faithfully 3x a week along with one mile of jogging with each workout. Still, I haven't lost a single pound and it has been 6 months. I'm panicking. I've been working my butt off and yes, I've seen some visual results. I've toned up a lot. My metabolism is through the roof (i'm hungry all the time), and my stamina and strength are way up. But the scale says nothing has changed.

I'm so discouraged. My diet is as clean as I can possibly make it. I don't eat sweets. I don't drink coke. I consume 30 carbs a day and around 1500-2000 calories. Everything I buy is organic and grass fed. I don't know what I'm doing wrong. Please, please help me. I having fought this hard fight for so long, I don't want to end in failure.
 
Hello and welcome to the forum.

I can relate somehow to what you are going trough, as lately I have been frustrated myself with my weight not going down (but in my case I am not totally sure I have been doing everything the right way). In your case I don't know what it may cause it. You said you have toned up a lot, can it be that the weight just went from fat to muscles? I am not an expert, but I have read that if you exercise a lot and eat right it can be that you are building muscles and that is why you may not see a difference on the scale.
Have you taken mesurements when you started working out?
Do you have any "before" picture you can compare to what you look now?
Do you feel healtier and fitter?

In my case, even if I haven't lost that much weight I can tell I have lost some fat on the upper part of my body (at least a bit) and have strenghten my legs. I just started exercising, so I guess it's easier to feel even the tiny bit differences from the beginning.
 
My first thought is that swimming may be a good form of exercise for you to try if your knees have problems. The water would support your weight so may make things easier...

As for the calorie counting - are you weighing literally everything you eat on digital scales... Lots of people count calories with scoops, spoons and average sizes (e.g. average apple) and this can bring in some quite big errors when people feel they have been accurate because they have been given a number which they have used faithfully...

You say that you are keeping your calorie to a range of 1500 to 2000. That could give an average over the week of 1500 or for that matter an average over the week of nearer 2000. You may do better to shoot for an average over the week of say 1700...

Since you say that your knees are up to jogging - you may well benefit from trying some HIIT exercise...

You do not mention your water consumption or your sodium... I would be drinking 85 ounces of water a day and making sure that your sodium is staying under 2300mg.
 
The 'conventional' approach to weight loss should be consuming less calories than the amount burned in a day. Which is something that never fails, unless there are underlying medical problems.

The 'what' part of what you eat has a lot to do with health, but very little with weight loss.
 
I'm 'following' you because you've been sprouting the same stuff everywhere. I don't know where you have your numbers from, but I'm assuming the 2% were made up on the spot. We have more people who lost weight and maintained on this page alone than that.

So you're basically saying that less calories consumed than burned doesn't work. So please elaborate on how fat loss in a human body happens. Give me the scientific basics of energy expenditure in a healthy human, and then we can take it from there.
 
AN Comway

I have seen and heard your concerns before.
While it is true that there are medical conditions that make weight loss difficult or near impossible, that is only about 0.25% of the population with a true medical hindrance.
For the other 99.75%, it is possible.

Case in point, I recently worked with 2 ladies in their 50s who were around 188-190 lbs
They say they had "tried everything". with no luck.

When closely examined, it was easier to see they had not really tried everything -or- at least may have been following some faulty advice in regards to diet structure and exercise intensity.

In the case of these 2 ladies, I suggested they try a diet plan as described by Diane Kress in hee Metabolism Miracle book.
It is essentially a form of low carb dieting, but NOT the same concept as the Atkins and others.
I feel her approach is much more sound and in fact more closely resembles the kind of "shredding" diet programs people like pro bodybuilders might use to prepare for contests.
On the other hand, people refer to Atkins as a high-protein diet when it reality and actual practice is often becomes a high fat diet.
Totally taken off course by many.

Since a given body requires X amount of protein for repair and maintenace
And a given amount of fat for function
These 2 values should not really change once established for your desired weight ---- regardless of dieting or gaining.
It is indeed carbs where the major fluctuation in diet structure is to be found.

But because of Base metabolic rate slowdowns and such, there is a need to cycle consumption and also incorporate resistance training and cardio for a full all around approach.

In the case of these 2 ladies who had "tried everything", they started in July and are now in the 135-140 lbs range.

But it required a 3 tier approach
1) Lean Protein + Complex Carb (less than 5 net carb per meal) diet structure - (4-6 meals per day)
2) Weight resistance training 3 days per week (stimulate BMR and lean muscle tone)
3) Cardio (lung & heart health and of course some fat burning)

I honestly feel this 3 step idea is the best approach to fitness.
Not diet alone ---- not cardio alone ------ etc....
It is a synergy.

What I have personally seen is sometimes people will feel they are doing right cutting calories -- but the WAY they cut calories it not best.
They cut proteins and fats and keep carbs high with fruits, yogurts, etc.
These are of course not bad foods .. but they are simpler sugars which are killer for a person with unlucky genetics trying to reduce body fat.

OR -- they go thru the motions of doing resistance training, but they are not really WORKING with enough resistance and effort in the 8-12 rep range, spread out over 3 exercises for 9 sets or so

OR -- with the cardio, they may walk around the block , but not really to take care that they work inside their Target Heart Range

So what happens is the good intention is there, they are spending the time, but they are missing the bullseye because they are not getting the benefit from the time being spent.
Analogy - it is like a person learning to play guitar - they are spending hours practicing - only to learn later they were shown the wrong scales.
So all the effort was self-defeating.

I hope these basic ideas and examples of people similar to you might help you find a combination program they will be the one that works for you.

Since you went to the effort to have your testing done to rule out major metabolic or other issues that might prevent weight loss for yourself, you at least know that you CAN do it ........ if you find the right combination of diet structuring and exercise that suits your body

Good luck

Michael Spitzer
Author
Fitness at 40,50,60 and Beyond
 
Last edited:
mikespitzer said:
AN Comway

I have seen and heard your concerns before.
While it is true that there are medical conditions that make weight loss difficult or near impossible, that is only about 0.25% of the population with a true medical hindrance.
For the other 99.75%, it is possible.

Case in point, I recently worked with 2 ladies in their 50s who were around 188-190 lbs
They say they had "tried everything". with no luck.

When closely examined, it was easier to see they had not really tried everything -or- at least may have been following some faulty advice in regards to diet structure and exercise intensity.

In the case of these 2 ladies, I suggested they try a diet plan as described by Diane Kress in hee Metabolism Miracle book.
It is essentially a form of low carb dieting, but NOT the same concept as the Atkins and others.
I feel her approach is much more sound and in fact more closely resembles the kind of "shredding" diet programs people like pro bodybuilders might use to prepare for contests.
On the other hand, people refer to Atkins as a high-protein diet when it reality and actual practice is often becomes a high fat diet.
Totally taken off course by many.

Since a given body requires X amount of protein for repair and maintenace
And a given amount of fat for function
These 2 values should not really change once established for your desired weight ---- regardless of dieting or gaining.
It is indeed carbs where the major fluctuation in diet structure is to be found.

But because of Base metabolic rate slowdowns and such, there is a need to cycle consumption and also incorporate resistance training and cardio for a full all around approach.

In the case of these 2 ladies who had "tried everything", they started in July and are now in the 135-140 lbs range.

But it required a 3 tier approach
1) Lean Protein + Complex Carb (less than 5 net carb per meal) diet structure - (4-6 meals per day)
2) Weight resistance training 3 days per week (stimulate BMR and lean muscle tone)
3) Cardio (lung & heart health and of course some fat burning)

I honestly feel this 3 step idea is the best approach to fitness.
Not diet alone ---- not cardio alone ------ etc....
It is a synergy.

What I have personally seen is sometimes people will feel they are doing right cutting calories -- but the WAY they cut calories it not best.
They cut proteins and fats and keep carbs high with fruits, yogurts, etc.
These are of course not bad foods .. but they are simpler sugars which are killer for a person with unlucky genetics trying to reduce body fat.

OR -- they go thru the motions of doing resistance training, but they are not really WORKING with enough resistance and effort in the 8-12 rep range, spread out over 3 exercises for 9 sets or so

OR -- with the cardio, they may walk around the block , but not really to take care that they work inside their Target Heart Range

So what happens is the good intention is there, they are spending the time, but they are missing the bullseye because they are not getting the benefit from the time being spent.
Analogy - it is like a person learning to play guitar - they are spending hours practicing - only to learn later they were shown the wrong scales.
So all the effort was self-defeating.

I hope these basic ideas and examples of people similar to you might help you find a combination program they will be the one that works for you.

Since you went to the effort to have your testing done to rule out major metabolic or other issues that might prevent weight loss for yourself, you at least know that you CAN do it ........ if you find the right combination of diet structuring and exercise that suits your body

Good luck

Michael Spitzer
Author
Fitness at 40,50,60 and Beyond
Click to expand...



Thats a long winded explaination for a post that is almost 5 months old. The likely hood of the op reading this is almost zero. You might want to check the dates that the op are actually posted. That way you can save yourself some breath...
 
Many people raise a question, then come back looking for responses without adding new replies.
Also some people will read older posts if it sounds like it relates to them -- even if they make no fresh posts

Case in point, you can see the READ activity on this thread.
So time was not wasted if it ends up helping somebody in their quest.
 
mikespitzer said:
Many people raise a question, then come back looking for responses without adding new replies.
Click to expand...

The "about me" tab in the profile for the OP shows
General Information
Last Activity August 14th, 2013 09:34 PM
Join Date August 14th, 2013

It really is unlikely that this OP will be back... They havent logged in since they posted this.
 
Found a video that may help you on your journey to losing weight its from one of my favourite motivational speakers earl nightingale he explains the miracle of your mind. its worth a watch to help you achieve your goals.
 
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