Burning calories and still not losing weight

shana1925

I am 23 years old and weigh 241lbs. I have been trying to lose weight for the past 2 weeks now but nothing is coming off? I dont understand what I am doing wrong- I eat or try to eat 1687 calories a day and so far I have been burning between 500-700 cal on the treadmill walking on average 3.5 or 4.0 at 45-60min a day in the morning before I even eat. I would like to get down to 220 in the next 5vwks. Can someone please explain to me what I am doing wrong? My boyfriend has been working out with me and he has already lost 11 pounds! Please reply with seriousness. Thanks

jacksonpt

My guess is your calculations/estimates are off. Either 1687 is too high for you, or you aren't actually eating 1687. Or both.

Lbf321

Try some weights. Nothing happens to me if I only walk, I did have good result at first with walk at home with Leslie Sansone (sp?) but quickly progressed. I would also try eating a bit more because eating more alows muscle development, which will shape your body creating a more compact look even if weight isn't coming off. Eating more also gives you energy to do to more intense exercises.

shana1925

Well I got 1687 by multiplying my weight times 7.....but sometimes i dont actually eat 1687. Is it a must to do so? Or should I be eating more calories? 1687 was my amount given to lose weight

dupaboo

How did you come up with 1687 - is that your BMR? Does that include calories you eat back from your exercise? Two weeks isn't very long, so perhaps give it another few weeks. If still no progress then cut 100 cals and see if that helps, but you need to be patient.

kgoodman0108

You should be losing weight at 1687 calories per day. Are you measuring/weighing your food? You might be consuming more than you think. If you are accurately tracking your food, you might want to schedule an appointment with your doctor.

jacksonpt

Well I got 1687 by multiplying my weight times 7.....but sometimes i dont actually eat 1687. Is it a must to do so? Or should I be eating more calories? 1687 was my amount given to lose weight

You shouldn't be eating more... weight loss comes from a calorie deficit, and you won't get into a deficit by eating more.

Lbf321

I would head over to scoobysworkshop.com and try that calorie calculator. Lots of people have great results using it if you use accurate info.

jacksonpt

You should be losing weight at 1687 calories per day. Are you measuring/weighing your food? You might be consuming more than you think. If you are accurately tracking your food, you might want to schedule an appointment with your doctor.

Agreed.

Chances are your estimates are off. If they aren't, something else is at play here that we probably won't be able to nail down.

Mokey41

At 241 lbs and eating 1600 or less a day you should be losing. I'd suggest a food scale and measuring cups for all your food to ensure you really are only eating that much and remember everything that goes in your mouth counts, beverages, tastes of food, candy, cream in coffee, etc.

shana1925

The 1687 doesnt include the calories I eat back from exercise. And I usually dont measure. I eat meat baked boneless skinless chicken breast 2 times a week and they are individually wrapped. And I eat baked fish salmon mostly 2 times a week which are also individually wrapped.

viragoeap

You mention that you haven't lost any weight, but what about measurements? You may be building muscle which per pound in weight is smaller in mass than fat!

fitfreakymom

1687 was most likely a number given to you assuming you work out, walking is not really a workout unless you are really working up a sweat and you heart is pounding, instead of just walking try throwing a ten lb backpack on and hike through the woods and hilly terrain. Also how tall are you? and how active are you during the day?

shana1925

@sherrimiller12 I do sweat a lot on the treadmill sometimes its hard to keep up with 4.0 and my incline is always at 2. I havent measured my waist and other things and I am 5'7 and if I am building muscle when will I actually start to lose the weight or at least see that im losing on a scale?

shana1925

Also I am a CNA so im always on my feet if that helps

DanielM71

Are you eating 1700 calories plus whatever the treadmill says you burned? I don't believe any of the "calories burned" numbers spit out by exercise equipment, or the ones reported by myfitnesspal database. I definitely don't believe 700 calories burned by walking on a treadmill for an hour. If you're aiming for around 1700 calories, and then eating an additional 500-700 because the treadmill told you burned that much, then you're probably eating way too much to lose weight.

dietstokes

I would do a few things. 1. Make sure you a re drinking enough water 2. If you aren't already, make sure you are tracking your sodium 3. Even though things come individually wrapped, the calorie count is still mostly likely off. Get a food scale and measuring cups/spoons and use them 4. Lift weights.

I am 5'4 and 146 and I lose weight on 1600 calories when I am working out. But I also make sure I am measuring everything. Good luck.

fietsvrouw

I would give it another couple of weeks. It is not uncommon to not see a change in your weight right away, and that does not necessarily mean your counts are off. (Be aware that the calorie counts for exercise on here are generally a bit high). I didn't see any change on the scale at all for the first three weeks and am dropping 2 or more pounds a week now on the same regimen. That can be because you are gaining muscle and it is offsetting fat loss (especially if you have been inactive and are now exercising regularly). It can be that you are not hydrating enough and are storing water, etc. Double check your numbers but don't assume they are wrong. Track your calories in and out carefully. Myfitnesspal should give you an estimated BMR and what you should be eating - I would stick with that and not drop your calories until you have given your regimen a month.

nadz6012

The 1687 doesnt include the calories I eat back from exercise. And I usually dont measure. I eat meat baked boneless skinless chicken breast 2 times a week and they are individually wrapped. And I eat baked fish salmon mostly 2 times a week which are also individually wrapped.

You've really GOT to measure. The treadmill could be overestimating the amount of calories you burn and then you eyeball your eat-back portions? Asking for trouble...

lcfairbairn74

Well I got 1687 by multiplying my weight times 7

Sorry? Is this how you decided on your calorie target? I don't understand this! What did MFP give you?

Kimaw65

I am 5'6" and weigh about 217. On the days I only do the treadmill I walk for 75 minutes at speeds anywhere from 3.0-3.5 mph and inclines anywhere from 0-4 and I only burn 538 calories. I think your calorie burn estimation is off and also measuring and weighing your food is a big YES. You might be surprised at how much you are actually over estimating on your food intake.

Don't give up though. Every little baby step in the right direction will lead you to where to you want to be in the long run. It's a journey not a race to see who can get there faster. As for your boyfriend losing weight faster than you, that's just the law of men v. women. Men always seem to lose the weight faster.

DebbieLyn63

Are you eating 1700 calories plus whatever the treadmill says you burned? I don't believe any of the "calories burned" numbers spit out by exercise equipment, or the ones reported by myfitnesspal database. I definitely don't believe 700 calories burned by walking on a treadmill for an hour. If you're aiming for around 1700 calories, and then eating an additional 500-700 because the treadmill told you burned that much, then you're probably eating way too much to lose weight.

^^ This. Also, because your BF% is so high, your BMR is probably a lot lower than the calculator figures for you. And you are probably burning about half the calories the database and machines tell you. Try eating 1600-1700 total, and don't eat back any of your calories. See if that works.

ETA And weigh and measure everything! Be very diligent on your measuring and logging.

TeaBea

Are you eating 1687 & then burning 500 ? ..... If so, that leaves you with a NET total of 1187 calories for the day. 1187 calories is not very much.

Another approach: are you eating 1687 + the 500 calories you burn? MFP asks you to eat exercise calories back because the deficit is built in BEFORE exercise. If this is the case ..... then you need to consider 2 things .... are you really burning 500 calories (machines & MFP can over state calorie burns by quite a bit) OR ...... if you are not weighing (or at least) measuring your food .... your calorie intake maybe higher than you think.

shana1925

I drink 8 bottles of water a day. I never eat back all of my workout cal and if I do I only eat half. Its like im doing everything right but its still wrong if that makes since? For breakfast I eat 2 eggs with mushrooms and spinach, a cup of blueberries and I take women one a day multivitamin. At lunch I have either a salad with baby spinach leaves fat free vinagrette only 1tsp a yogurt and a cup of carrots and some fruit...or I might have a turkey breast sandwhich. At dinner il have either salmon or i might eat tons of mix veggies and a turkey burger

lagray13

First of all, great job on the strides you've made in your journey thus far. Getting to the point where you're eating healthy and making the effort in the gym is great. However, I can tell you from experience...get off the treadmill, elliptical, etc. Unfortunately, you're not going to get to a point where you're pushing your body to an uncomfortable point. I started working out with a trainer a little over a month ago, and the ONLY time he has me on a machine is during warm up, or if running is part of my circuit that day. Start interval circuit training. Getting your heart rate jacked up, then allowing it to come down for just a bit, while still moving, and then jacking it back up. Good luck! You can do it!

charliemalbaurn

the number seems weird. I'm 6'2 and 235 and my daily calories are 1560. I'm guessing you probably calculated more activity than i have.
My only suggestions is watch what you are eating. Stay away from frozen food and things with a lot of sodium and eat often. My meals consist of 300 for breakfast, 400 for lunch and around 500-600 for dinner. The other calories I eat throughout the day. And I don't eat back the calories that I burn. But i could if i was hungry.
I'm averaging a healthy 2 pounds a week.

Hope that helps

TeaBea

Well I got 1687 by multiplying my weight times 7

Sorry? Is this how you decided on your calorie target? I don't understand this! What did MFP give you?

This!^ ..... I don't understand how 1 number (multiplier) can be right for every one.

Try this calculator .......BMR - basal metabolic rate ..... calories needed if you were in a coma

http://www.fitnessfrog.com/calculators/bmr-calculator.html

jacksonpt

Are you eating 1700 calories plus whatever the treadmill says you burned? I don't believe any of the "calories burned" numbers spit out by exercise equipment, or the ones reported by myfitnesspal database. I definitely don't believe 700 calories burned by walking on a treadmill for an hour. If you're aiming for around 1700 calories, and then eating an additional 500-700 because the treadmill told you burned that much, then you're probably eating way too much to lose weight.

Why not? They may well be the most accurate. Of course, they could be the least accurate too, but don't discount them just because they come from a piece of cardio equipment.

Kettle_Belle14

Are you eating 1700 calories plus whatever the treadmill says you burned? I don't believe any of the "calories burned" numbers spit out by exercise equipment, or the ones reported by myfitnesspal database. I definitely don't believe 700 calories burned by walking on a treadmill for an hour. If you're aiming for around 1700 calories, and then eating an additional 500-700 because the treadmill told you burned that much, then you're probably eating way too much to lose weight.

^This. Don't believe the numbers on the treadmill, they're LIARS
You should look into HR monitors...more accuracy.

shana1925

I got 1687 by the formula used in the biggest loser food journal. And I try to eat 1687 and burn 500 a day. Should I just go off of MFP calories per day for myself? And I set my treadmill on interval training every time I get on it. Two days out of the week I do jillian micheals 30 day shred

jacksonpt

Are you eating 1700 calories plus whatever the treadmill says you burned? I don't believe any of the "calories burned" numbers spit out by exercise equipment, or the ones reported by myfitnesspal database. I definitely don't believe 700 calories burned by walking on a treadmill for an hour. If you're aiming for around 1700 calories, and then eating an additional 500-700 because the treadmill told you burned that much, then you're probably eating way too much to lose weight.

^This. Don't believe the numbers on the treadmill, they're LIARS
You should look into HR monitors...more accuracy.

Actually no. The formulas used by HRMs, fitness equipment, websites, etc run the gammut. You can't guarantee one is going to be more accurate than another.

The best thing to do is to pick one method of estimating burns and use that consistently. Then you can tweak as needed based on comparing actual weight loss results with expected results.