Losing Weight -- hardest thing I've ever had to do

chunky_monkey26

According to MFP, I should be in the 180s within 5 weeks. I don't see how when I have been fluctuating between 200lbs then I'll get down to 196 and then it somehow goes back up to 200. This has been happening for the last 3 weeks roughly.I get so disappointed but it's like...with changing my eating habits and exercising...I'm still not making any progress. Feel free to look at my food diary and tell me what to stop eating or what to eat more of.... any help would be great.

Jams009

Hey

TL;DR; Don't worry about it, carry on, but you might need some food scales.

You probably are making progress, but progress can be hidden sometimes due to factors I'll explain below. You could also be making progress in the sense that you are learning how to track your calories and you are introducing the habit of exercise and good eating. Once those habits are established they will become easier and easier to you, and all you need to do to turn those habits into noticeable weight loss is a few minor tweaks here and there. Also yes; it is very tough, but it is so worth it when you look in the mirror and like what you see.

Here's a few general pointers:

Regarding the 5 week weight estimator:

1. The MFP exercise calorie burn calculator is way off. So if you are logging exercise MFP will think your deficit is way higher than it actually is, the 5 week estimator uses this info so it will be inaccurate.

2. The 5 week estimator is working on the premise that you weigh and log food perfectly, eat exactly the same thing, do exactly the same exercise, in exactly the same conditions, at the same time, in the same way, at the same rate etc etc... every single day for 5 weeks solid. That's pretty much impossible.

Because of the above the 5 week estimator is rubbish, and should be taken with a very large pinch of salt, or just ignored completely. Also, don't eat back all the calories MFP tells you you have burnt off, because it tends to overestimate a lot. Maybe 50% would be ok if you are hungry, but otherwise take the deficit!

Make sure you are accurately and honestly weighing and logging EVERYTHING you eat or drink. Calorie values are inaccurate enough on their own; they don't need any help to be inaccurate. A few mouthfuls and drinks here and there can make the difference between a good day and a bad day, but when you look at your history they will all look like good days and it won't make any sense.

There are lots of factors involved in weight loss; water retention, glycogen levels, insulin levels, hormone changes, metabolism changes, your body is constantly breaking down tissue and building it up at different rates etc. etc. so weight loss is never going to be in a straight line at a constant rate, some days you will go up, some days you will go down, some days you will stay the same. It won't make any sense day to day, so you need to take an average weight movement over 2-3 weeks or longer to see what direction you are going.

If you are doing all the above and still not losing weight over a few weeks. Then you are still eating more calories than you are burning off... reduce your calories a little (like 100cal) and watch what happens over the next few weeks, if still no change reduce again and repeat until you start to lose weight. You can also step up your exercise if possible to help this along. Whatever you do don't rush it or make extreme changes that you can't maintain; it's a lifestyle change, not a race, if it takes a month or two just to get your macros right and lose that first 1lb then so be it; in the long run it doesn't matter how long it takes to get it right.

Looking at your diary, there are only 2 weeks worth of logging in there, which isn't enough to get a good impression of your diet. On they days that aren't logged you could have eaten 5 calories or 5000 calories... you can make a guess, but really you just don't know.

Looking at the info that is logged, overall your macros are pretty good, and you are eating well - lots of nice nutritious food there. It's a little inconsistent day to day, calorie wise, which can make it harder to find specific problems, but that's to be expected and shouldn't really make any noticeable difference in the long run.

I think the problem is likely more to do with inaccurate logging, and not doing it long enough; I see quite a few cup measurements in your diary, which are not as accurate as using scales, and there's only 2 weeks worth of info to look at. It might be that you are eating more calories than you think, but you can't know that for certain unless everything is perfectly logged. Also make sure you choose the right entry in the database, as there can be huge differences between entries; look at a few different ones and pick one that is average.

My advice:
Get yourself some cheap digital scales on ebay and make sure you weigh and log everything accurately. Watch the scale for another 3 weeks and see if that makes a difference, then reassess.

chunky_monkey26

yes i was definitely thinking of investing in some scales. ill keep working on it. within the next few weeks but I've been wanting to grab a nice big pack of oreos...lol.

Jams009

Ha ha, maybe not a full pack... you could probably fit one or two in without going over your limit, but if you're like me and having one means you have to have them all, then none at all is probably the easier option. Chocolate is probably my biggest weakness right now; I have a mean sweet tooth when I get going.

carriecarrio

chunky_monkey26 wrote: »

yes i was definitely thinking of investing in some scales. ill keep working on it. within the next few weeks but I've been wanting to grab a nice big pack of oreos...lol.

I am having a sweet tooth lately as well. I have been getting the semi-sweet chocolate morsels (the ones you use for baking), the ones I buy are vegan but they add up a lot of calories to my day! and it is hard to stop after just eating a handful...

My scale isn't moving lately, so I know how frustrating it can be. I'll just keep logging and focusing on staying motivated to work out as often as I can.

I agree with Jams, maybe try measuring/weighing food?

qxana1969

It can be very discouraging to fluctuate or hit a plateau - usually when that happens for me I need to tweak my diet or take more walks. I can get in a rut of eating the same foods because a) it seems safe and b) it's easy. I didn't look at too many of your diary days but the first thing I noticed is foods that have sugar in them - sugar can compromise our healthy eating. Instead of Jif peanut butter, buy an organic or natural peanut butter with no added sugar. Also yogurt is surprisingly riddled with sugar. You have to be a super sleuth because sugar plus other junk is added into our foods - read every label!!!

I wish you the very best on your journey!!! Don't lose faith, it will happen.

Peace and well being!!!

Amy

chunky_monkey26

Thanks Amy! I'm actually giving up yogurt and the Jif peanut butter for now. I'm switching to nuts and grains. I had a great talk with one of the personal trainers at my gym about what to eat and what not to eat. So I am going to try things his way from now on. Thank you all for the support.

qxana1969

Good for you for being proactive and willing to follow the advice of your trainer.

Again, good luck!!!

15off

I have to say that after YEARS of dieting and losing the SAME 10 pounds 10 times, I cannot see putting even more energy into losing weight that does not seem to want to stay off my body. I am a bit older than some of the people posting here (mid 50's) but I'm very active (personal trainer, fitness teacher), I work out 5 days a week, change it up, "watch" my food, don't drink and don't eat out more than maybe once a month. In my head I can get these 10 pounds off, but in reality, I'm not sure I have the self control to eat 1400 calories a day, (everyday, for 60+ days in a row) exercise 6 days a week, weigh each morsel of food that goes into my mouth, and deny myself things like dark chocolate, which I love...In the past I was able to live on salads and smoothies, I can't deal with that past 2 or 3 days anymore. I LOVE bagels, (eat a half at a time, maybe 3 times a week), dark chocolate (maybe 150 calories a day 2 - 3 days a week), and in general am sick to death of always watching. If I am PERFECT, I lose about 1/2 pound a week, sometimes 1/4 a week. It takes a monumental effort that is held up for months at a time...imagine being hungry most of the time and losing 1- 1&1/2 pounds in a month...I know I know if I keep going I will lose 12 pounds in a year, but like I said, I'm so done with the denial routine. It feels like all I do is watch what I eat with VERY small teeny tiny results. I last usually 2 weeks, 3/4 of a pound and then eat for 3 days (my "eating" is usually around 22-2300 calories a day, which with my activity level should not be enough to gain, but rather maintain) and have to start all over again. I can't give up, because what I do for a living depends in large part in how I look, and I want to be slender again, without a pouch belly..but nature seems to be refusing!

chunky_monkey26

15off -- mmmmm bagels. Yum. You're probably not even that bad especially if you are VERY active. I hope you get to the weight that you want

I have changed up my eating habits and so far so good. I know its only been like 3 days but so far what the trainer said has kept me full and not craving anything else. Eating every 3 hours small portions seems to be working so far at least in terms of my appetite and being full. I will keep you all posted on my weigh in next week. Hopefully i will have some good news.

15off

CM- Hope it works for you too. The cravings are a HUGE deal..I believe most of it is emotional..I think it is for me, and believe it or not, even with a packed schedule, boredom. I'm on day 4 of Shakeology, and have seen 3 pounds evaporate on the scale.. (I was UP 5 pounds from the last weigh in before I started which was only 13 days before...so the 3 pounds while in the right direction, is not really a loss)...like I said, I gain and lose the same (now its 5 I haven't been able to lose 10 in YEARS) few pounds probably 5 times a year..so that's enough self control to lose 25 pounds over the course of a year, but each time it takes 3 months to lose 5 pounds and I gain all 5 back in 2 weeks. Its maddening!
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