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Old 02-16-2008, 07:19 PM   #1  
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Default Weight all over the place

I am started to get a little annoyed. It seems my weight is all over the place, but just bounces up and down in the same area... for the past 3 months! I dropped 30 pounds from Aug to Nov, and since then it has been 241 to 251, up and down all the time. When I was sick I got down to 241 but then bounced right back to 245. When I overate, I got up to 251 but within a couple days of eating right I was back down to 245. Generally, I am just seeing 244-248 on the scales. It is getting frustrating.

So this month I started exercising more (not a lot, just more). I started really watching my intake and eating healthier. I went from 248 to 244. Great! But then I have one day eating less healthy and I am back to 248. Takes me 3 or 4 days to re-lose to 244. I just can't seem to get out of this RUT of the mid-240's!

Do you think my body is just trying to take a break from losing? Or is that just an excuse? Should I ramp it up even more, be more strict? I don't want to maintain forever.

All tips appreciated!
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Old 02-16-2008, 07:36 PM   #2  
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I am started to get a little annoyed. It seems my weight is all over the place, but just bounces up and down in the same area... for the past 3 months! I dropped 30 pounds from Aug to Nov, and since then it has been 241 to 251, up and down all the time. When I was sick I got down to 241 but then bounced right back to 245. When I overate, I got up to 251 but within a couple days of eating right I was back down to 245. Generally, I am just seeing 244-248 on the scales. It is getting frustrating.

So this month I started exercising more (not a lot, just more). I started really watching my intake and eating healthier. I went from 248 to 244. Great! But then I have one day eating less healthy and I am back to 248. Takes me 3 or 4 days to re-lose to 244. I just can't seem to get out of this RUT of the mid-240's!

Do you think my body is just trying to take a break from losing? Or is that just an excuse? Should I ramp it up even more, be more strict? I don't want to maintain forever.
Warning some tough love ahead:



I think you kinda answered your own question in the previous paragraph. When you are really watching your intake and eating healthier, you lose, then you have one day of eating less healthy and you gain. Those were your words. And right within there most likely lies the answer to your next set of questions. You need to have many, many more days of watching your intake (counting calories just to be sure) and many, many less days of eating less healthy. Unfortunately one "off" day of eating can really set us back. So, I'm thinking that your body is absolutely not trying to take a break from losing, it's just responding to what you are feeding it.

String some good days/weeks back to back and before you know it you will be busting out of those 240's and then you will conquer the 230's and then the 220's and before you know it, you will be in ONEderland.
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Old 02-16-2008, 07:50 PM   #3  
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Lyn, if you've maintained roughly the same weight for three months, it means that your body is in energy equilibrium. That is -- your input equals your output. The amount of energy that your body is expending in a day through activities of daily living and exercise is matched by your food intake. And so your weight stays the same, unfortunately.

The only way to lose fat is to create an energy deficit, where your input is less than your energy expended and then your body is then forced to dip into its stored fat reserves to make up the difference. You can create an energy deficit in one of two ways: eating fewer calories than your body requires or burning more calories than you're consuming. Ideally, we use a combination of the two: eating less and moving more.

I'm afraid that the only way you're going to get back to fat loss is by lowering your calories, increasing your exercise, or preferably both. Can you tell us about the plan you're using now and maybe we can suggest some tweaks to get you back on track?
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Old 02-16-2008, 08:21 PM   #4  
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Also, if you have lost some weight, your BMR is going to drop. You don't need as much food because you aren't carrying around as much weight. I would consider dropping calories by 200 per day. I don't find exercise burns as much as generally promised. Listen to your body. It is trying to tell you what to do.
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Old 02-17-2008, 12:27 AM   #5  
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Thank you for the tough love, Robin. I have a lot of repect for you (and you Meg and AnnRue) because you have DONE it. You've been there and succeeded. I will certainly take all of your tips to heart.

Robin, I think you hit the nail on the head:
"You need to have many, many more days of watching your intake (counting calories just to be sure) and many, many less days of eating less healthy."
True. I have to stop shoving reality under the carpet. Just because I eat well for a week does not mean I can go ahead and eat poorly for a couple days. I guess I am doing that more often than I want to admit. A family birthday with cake and ice cream and pizza, and then Valentine's day with fondue, and then a day not feeling well with macaroni and cheese. That is not going to make any weight come off. I have to quit indulging myself. It's more important to be healthy.

Meg, another aha moment for me, about the energy deficit. In fact I knew this but it seems so easy to ignore it and "hope" the fat goes away if I do "enough." I count calories... not always on paper or online but I always run it through my head before dinner and try to stay under 1500/day. When I eat 1400-1500 calories a day, I lose weight. When I eat 1600 or so, I maintain. If I eat 1800 or more, I start gaining, and fast. I guess I need to be more diligent about staying under 1500. Too many times, I think, "oh, it's just this one day at 1800, it won't make me gain." But then if I have 4 or 5 days a month eating over 1800 calories, it is bringing my monthly average up above 1500... to the point I am no longer losing weight. Aha!

I drink a lot of water and green tea. I try to base my intake on produce. Veggies, some fruits. Whole grains. Chicken, egg beaters, fish. I have lean ground turkey or burger, lean pork or beef too sometimes. I try to avoiud junk and processed foods as a rule... although I have slacked on that over the winter, too. Instead of summer's fresh berries, I have been eating things like Fiber One bars or Quaker mini drizzle rice cakes.

I have a real problem with my knees (seeing specialists, needing surgery) and the only exercise I can do is recumbent bike, very low resistance. I have been doing this 3x a week for 12 minutes each time. I am increasing the time each week as long as I dont have pain. I need to stay consistent with this as well, I am sure.

AnnRue, you're right too... I was eating 1600-1700 calories before, when I was losing the first 30 pounds, and now I have had to cut that back.

Guess I need to give MYSELF some tough love. Thank you guys so much for the help. I am going to start marking my calendar with a green X for every day I stay under 1500, and a red X if I don't. Let's see what happens when I string a bunch of green X's together!
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Old 02-17-2008, 06:05 AM   #6  
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Oh boy, Lyn, I hear you on the knees! I'm stalling on two knee replacements myself, so I feel really your pain. Is your issue arthritis, like mine? (I'm totally bone on bone, with no cartilage left thanks to years of obesity ) Strengthening the muscles that support our knees is the best thing we can do for bad knees because it creates an internal knee brace and support. I think the only reason I can still walk is because of my strong leg muscles.

You might want to check out the sticky called My KNEES! I feel so old.... in the Exercise forum for some ideas on exercises for bad knees. The recumbent bike is good, as are ellipticals -- do you have access to one? It's about the only cardio I can consistently do without pain (some days I don't have enough range of motion for the bike). Keep building up on your bike and you'll love the results!

And don't forget about lifting weights! Maintaining and building your muscle mass will burn calories, keep your metabolism running high, plus you'll look tight and toned instead of skinny and flabby when you reach your goal.

As to calories ... the sad reality of weight loss is that we can undo a day or even a week's hard work with just a little bit of off-plan eating. I love your green X idea and I'm sure you'll be happy with the scales as the string of green X's builds up! Maybe you should put green X's in your signature?

Best of luck to you, Lyn!!
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Old 02-17-2008, 07:02 AM   #7  
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Count me in as another who has shot my knees due to years of morbid obesity. Have you thought about swimming? Do you have access to a pool? That's also pretty easy on the knees. I'm real happy that you can use the recummben bike, I for one can not use it, I just can't get my knee into the position needed to turn the pedals. I am lucky though that somehow I am able to walk and walk a lot. Everyone tells me that I limp, I don't even notice it though. My knees aren't in agony anymore, except for when I first get out of bed or have been still for a while. Within a few minutes of moving around the discomfort almost completely disappears. I used a great set of DVD's called, Walk Away the Pounds by Leslie Sansone for quite a while. I really enjoyed and benefited from them. I would probablly still be using them if I didn't start working in a gym several months ago. They are simple to follow. I think you may benefit from them as well. I got mine on ebay.

It really seems like everything is all coming together for you and you have "figured out" and more importantly have accepted why your weight is "all over the place". And that's a good thing. A VERY good thing. Now you know what needs to be done in order to get the results that you want - and deserve. I too love the idea of those X's. I'm excited for you and look forward to hearing about you breaking through the 240's and lower!

Wishing you tons of good luck. Keep us updated!
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Old 02-17-2008, 12:40 PM   #8  
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When I was 278 pounds, I was in so much pain with my knees that I could not even walk to the mailbox ACROSS THE STREET. I could barely shop for groceries, and I would have to take motrin and not walk for several days after I did shop. I limped and could not go up or down stairs...at 36 years old!! I have five kids. This was not working.

I had an epiphany when I limped to my son's soccer game and plopped into my lawn chair, and when I turned my head for 5 seconds, my toddler (who was 20 months at the time) went running away from me, down the chain link fence towards an opening in the fence... which was right next to a very busy street. I hauled up and tried very hard to run after her, screaming her name, telling her to stop, but she laughed and kept running. Just as she got to the opening, a lady was walking on the sidewalk and I yelled to her to PLEASE grab that baby. She did, saving my child's life. My daughter was mere feet from running in between parked cars to dart into the busy street... she was trying to get to our car across the street. I have never felt so sick, scared, ashamed, horrified. NEVER AGAIN.

Since then I have lost 30 pounds. I can walk several blocks now without TOO much pain. I can do stairs again, but slowly. I had xrays and an MRI of my knees. I have severe degenerative arthritis (genetics + obesity) with almost no cartilage left, and bone spurs in both knees. I also have a torn meniscus on one knee.

I take glucosamine, use tart cherry concentrate when the pain is bad, and do knee exercises. The orthopedic surgeon told me to swim or use the recumbent bike. I went to swim aerobics with a bunch of old ladies (which was fun, but I thought it was easy) and I literally could not walk without staggering in pain for a couple weeks afterwards. It has to do with the spurring or something... but there is no way I am doing that again anytime soon. So I bought a nice new recumbent bike and I am working up. I started at 5 minutes 3x a week and now I am up to 12 minutes 3x a week.

That's probably more than you wanted to know... but my knee issues have really defined my life for the last few years and I am sick of it. The best thing I can do right now is lose the weight. Surgery later.
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Old 02-17-2008, 01:13 PM   #9  
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Lyn, that is quite the story. I can't imagine the horror you must have felt. As I was reading your post, I was sitting here nodding my head in agreement. There were so many times I felt helpless as a mom and that I let my kids down and yes, even put their very lives in danger. I was so handicapped by the weight. What immediately comes to mind is a story I'm pretty sure I've mentioned here at 3FC before. That terrible day back in 2001, September 11, when the World Trade Center was bombed and so many innocent people lost their lives. Well, the following day, September 12, my 3 daughters were given the day off of school. We had a family function coming up in October and I used that day off as an opportunity to take them clothes shopping to get them something for the event. It felt kinda strange going, given what had occured the day previously, but nevertheless we hit the mall. Well, sure enough, we're in the middle of shopping, clothing in our hands and the alarms sounded everywhere. There was a bomb threat (turned out to be a prank, though we didn't know it at the time), and we were told to evacuate. So we had to find the nearest exit and STAIRCASE. Well me and my knees and stairs don't get along very well. The mall was quite crowded and I had to take those steps one at a time and let me tell you, people were not patient and kind. They were frightened and wanted to get out of there as quickly as possible and I stood in their way of doing so. I told my kids to go on ahead of me. They wouldn't. I begged them, absolutely begged them to go on without me. That look of terror on their faces were almost too much to bear. They were terrified about the bomb and now they were even more terrified about their mother being trampled to death. I will never, ever forget that day and the horror, shame and fright that I felt.

Anyway, yes, losing the weight is the very best thing you can do for your knees. Though your knees will not repair themselves completely, just having less weight on them will make an AMAZING diffrence. I am pulling for you Lynn, like you can not believe. Take heart and know, absolutely KNOW that you CAN do this. Losing weight is a DOABLE thing. Though it can be hard at times to stick to a certain calorie allotment, it is nowhere near as hard as being morbidly obese. That day back in September was one of the hardest days of my life, just like that day at your son's soccer game. It makes me sick to my stomach to even think about it. I will take the hard of sticking to my calorie allotment any and every day over the hard of ever having to repeat a day like that one back in 2001.
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Old 02-17-2008, 02:49 PM   #10  
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Lyn, at my gym, they have a thing...lol, I don't know what it is called,so 'thing' is the best I can do. It is a bicycle wheel and you can sit at it and pedal it with your hands. If your gym has one, maybe you can move over to it after you've done your max on the bike, just to keep that heart rate up a while longer. Does your gym have a pool? We have a warm water therapy pool at ours that is great for low impact walking.

Robin, maybe if you try and adjust the seat back on the recumbent bike, you can pedal at the right angle. If you can do WATP with all the leg lifts, kicks, etc, then you should surely be able to pedal the bike. If you push your seat back, your knees should bend even less than with WATP, and with less impact.
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Old 02-17-2008, 02:58 PM   #11  
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Thanks Lyn for posting this and thanks gals for your responses. It was just what I needed to hear this morning.
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Old 02-17-2008, 04:02 PM   #12  
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Lyn, at my gym, they have a thing...lol, I don't know what it is called,so 'thing' is the best I can do. It is a bicycle wheel and you can sit at it and pedal it with your hands. If your gym has one, maybe you can move over to it after you've done your max on the bike, just to keep that heart rate up a while longer. Does your gym have a pool? We have a warm water therapy pool at ours that is great for low impact walking.

Robin, maybe if you try and adjust the seat back on the recumbent bike, you can pedal at the right angle. If you can do WATP with all the leg lifts, kicks, etc, then you should surely be able to pedal the bike. If you push your seat back, your knees should bend even less than with WATP, and with less impact. Do you still work at Curves? Have they got one there you can experiment with?
Sorry for hijacking your thread Lyn. Jennifer thanks for the suggestion. Pedaling is just very difficult for me, it's that constant back and forth motion while bending the knee. Though, I haven't tried the recumbent bike in a while. Now you've got me curious, though I don't see how I could possibly push that seat back enough for me to be able to comfortably bend my knees.

I was able to do the WATP because while I am kicking I am not bending my knee much. I never did the knee lifts. I usually just jogged in place (luckily I can do that) or did something else when the knee lift portion came on.
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Old 02-17-2008, 04:31 PM   #13  
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Robin, that story is touching. I don't think most thin people have any idea how much we suffer due to our weight. And our children... well, it just isn't fair. I want to give them better. I want to give ME better.

I don't have a gym membership, but I have decided to get back to using hand weights 3x a week for my arms/back. I am not starting yet, though. I think I will start next month when it is more spring-like and I will have more energy.

I am well on my way to my first green X today
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Old 02-17-2008, 04:33 PM   #14  
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Robin, I don't think you're hijacking! I love the support

Robin I had a recumbent bike years back that I absolutely could not ride. It had a seat that left my knees higher than my hips when I pedaled. Now I have a bike the has my knees lower than my hips and out in front of me. So far so good. Gotta be careful with the knees though. I dunno about you but if I overdo it for one day, I pay for it for weeks.
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Old 04-11-2008, 11:29 PM   #15  
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Rockinrobin (long pause) your story struck like nothing before!! This is my relax day, where I let myself enjoy my favorite nono, Dr. Pepper. Reading your story about the day after september 11th 2001, I literally spit out my Dr. Pepper and ran for my water.

I am so grateful for 3fc I know that it is truly saving my life!!
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