Been going for a month and lost no weight

Southernb3lle

Give it time. Sometimes it takes a bit before you really start losing weight. You did say that you can tell a difference in how your clothes fit so you are losing inches and you should count that as something. Sounds like you are on the right path. If you still have no weight loss then I would try changing your exercise regimen up a bit. Also, try the TDEE - 20%.

RunForChai

The diet coke and all soda really have to go--- a hard habit to quite, but that stuff is toxic and doesn't lead to weight loss or good health. Try not drinking it for two weeks---good luck!

missescrawford

I am in exactly the same boat. feel free to add me. we can motivate each other. i am determined to get the weight off!

Southernb3lle

Don't eat back the excercise calories. Just eat the 1200. I lost over 13 lbs in 40 days

NO. Just f-k NO.

^^ agreed. You have to fuel your body.

kr1stadee

Make sure you weigh and measure EVERYTHING. Log everything correctly (some of the foods listed in the database are incorrect - google helps with foods that do not have nutrition labels)

Drink water (personally, I drink up to 3L a day, but that's my preference, you certainly do not need to drink that much). Log any other drinks - a glass of OJ, milk, wine, log it... there's calories there!

Be aware of the fact that MFP could be overestimating your calorie burn.. but at 1200 calories, I don't think it's an issue if your burns are a bit overestimated.

Make sure you are weighing yourself at the same time of day in the same circumstances (I weigh first thing in the AM, after I pee, with nothing but a smile on)

Other than that, take a deep breath and relax. The weight WILL come off! I don't eat clean, and I don't pretend I do. I eat ice cream, and chocolate, and pizza... but I make it fit into my day. I've lost 56lbs thus far.

So, like I said, it WILL come off!!

Medusa3

I agree!

cupcakes_and_cardio

I know you've probably gotten all the information you need, but I'll still try to lend a helping hand anyway....maybe you're not eating enough calories, your body may be storing fat due to being too hungry. I would try upping your cal intake. Also, are you drinking enough water? Are you logging every single thing you're eating? Even a packet of sugar in your coffee needs to be logged. I hope you figure this out. Best of luck!

Alta2000

Make sure you weigh and measure EVERYTHING. Log everything correctly (some of the foods listed in the database are incorrect - google helps with foods that do not have nutrition labels)

Drink water (personally, I drink up to 3L a day, but that's my preference, you certainly do not need to drink that much). Log any other drinks - a glass of OJ, milk, wine, log it... there's calories there!

Be aware of the fact that MFP could be overestimating your calorie burn.. but at 1200 calories, I don't think it's an issue if your burns are a bit overestimated.

Make sure you are weighing yourself at the same time of day in the same circumstances (I weigh first thing in the AM, after I pee, with nothing but a smile on)

Other than that, take a deep breath and relax. The weight WILL come off! I don't eat clean, and I don't pretend I do. I eat ice cream, and chocolate, and pizza... but I make it fit into my day. I've lost 56lbs thus far.

So, like I said, it WILL come off!!

This!
Also, find your BMR and TDEE exercise for 3-5 hours and eat that TDEE-20%. also do not forget that you are closer to your weight range for your height so it is more difficult to lose large quantities.

http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/

clarewalsh5477

I', a simliar height and wieght. I', loosing wieght slowly but it's coming off. Keep going

clarewalsh5477

I', a similar height and weight. I'm loosing weight slowly but it's coming off. Keep going

deksgrl

1. When you go from not working out, to working out. Your body starts building core muscles & muscles in general. Muscle weighs a lot more than fat. That is why you are noticing your clothes fitting better, but not seeing the scale go down most likely.

No. She isn't putting on muscle eating just 1200 calories a day. And a pound of muscle weighs the same as a pound of fat. It's a pound. 16 ounces. It's just that the fat takes up more space than the muscle.

deksgrl

The eat more to weigh less science makes sense, but it doesnt work for me. (I know people will now say you ahve to wait 3 months etc to level out etc but it just didnt work for me. Eating less and moving more works for me.)

It works, when you get your numbers accurate.

wiremog

Are you sure your logging is accurate?

It was an eye opener when I started using a digital food scale. A 20g serving of cheese is about the size of a match box.

My second eye opener was when I started using a HRM. My typical workout is 65 minutes on the elliptical trainer. The HRM says I burn 530, the machine itself says around 780, and the MFP database says 926.

That's really interesting actually. I'm logging exercise based on what the machines/MFP calculate. I have looked at HRMs before but they're quite expensive. You might have just convinced me to buy one though!

I do tend to guess weights when I'm confident I know what it should look like (eg tablespoons etc) but I do weigh when I don't know. Will pay closer attention to this in future though, thanks!

wiremog

Also have you measured yourself? You have lost fat and gained muscle which wouldnt have changed your weight but would have changed your size, making you smaller. Effectively what we all want when we say we want to 'lose weight' is actually 'get smaller' which it sounds like you are doing.

That's a really good point and I need to start doing that. As I say, I think there has been some difference in how my clothes fit.

However, I know that when I was smaller a couple of years back I weighed about 20lbs less than I do now. So I know I CAN weigh less, which I guess is why I'm wondering why it's not dropping off

wiremog

more exercise---45 minutes per day--why not push a little harder, longer on the walks?

I know everyone says this, but I do as much exercise as I humanly have time for! I have an extremely busy job involving long hours, so short of missing out on sleep I can't fit any more in.

kr1stadee

more exercise---45 minutes per day--why not push a little harder, longer on the walks?

I know everyone says this, but I do as much exercise as I humanly have time for! I have an extremely busy job involving long hours, so short of missing out on sleep I can't fit any more in.

May or may not be the best advice, but I lost my first 20lbs by food alone. I didn't exercise one bit. I always tended to give up when I'd go all in with exercise, so I decided I needed to get my eating under control before I started with the exercise. After the 20lb mark, I started to walk and lost 15 more pounds. Then I joined a women's TKD class 3x per week and the scale weight slowed but the inch loss went through the roof.

barbd70

bump

stupidhead38

Your body adapts to functioning on lower calories so burns less, you need to rev your metabolism back up, sometimes 1 really high calorie meal per week will do this, plus lots of water. Plus eat good fats like nuts and oily fish, this will help your body in metabolising your fat. Also, vary your exercising, resistance, weight and HIIT are good for fat loss, I am just coming out of a plateau myself and managed to lose 6lbs since I changed my exercise routines just over a couple weeks ago. Good luck xo

stupidhead38

I use the scales at the gym that measures body fat and prints you a mini report which you can keep, I weigh myself once a week and as long as my fat is going down I'm happy, some weeks my fat reduced but my weight hadn't changed much, probably because I am building muscle from doing weight training.

ctinawilson

Don't eat back the excercise calories. Just eat the 1200. I lost over 13 lbs in 40 days

PLease ignore this everyone is different and i can guarantee i bet you lost a high amount of lean mass while you ost weight

give this a read itl explain a number of your questions

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/974888-in-place-of-a-road-map-2k13

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/833026-important-posts-to-read

This ^^^^ Please listen to the people that suggest upping your calories, you need to fuel your body, especially if you're exercising. Eating back exercise calories is very important. You're already eating a deficit.

wiremog

Thanks so much everybody for all your help! Lots to think about. For those that were asking, I've just done the calculator thingy:

BMR: 1542
TDEE: 1851
Daily calories to hit goal: 1481

So that would suggest I do need to up my calories. BUT what if the problem is I've been overcalculating calories burned during exercise? Then surely the opposite would be true.

Oh dear, I'm going to have to try a few things out aren't I?

concordancia

Are you sure your logging is accurate?

It was an eye opener when I started using a digital food scale. A 20g serving of cheese is about the size of a match box.

My second eye opener was when I started using a HRM. My typical workout is 65 minutes on the elliptical trainer. The HRM says I burn 530, the machine itself says around 780, and the MFP database says 926.

That's really interesting actually. I'm logging exercise based on what the machines/MFP calculate. I have looked at HRMs before but they're quite expensive. You might have just convinced me to buy one though!

I do tend to guess weights when I'm confident I know what it should look like (eg tablespoons etc) but I do weigh when I don't know. Will pay closer attention to this in future though, thanks!

Try this: get put what you normally would for a food you feel confident about, then weigh it. How close are you?

Before you decide to eat more or less, you need to know that you are tracking accurately.

cmak2

I agree- everybody's body reacts differently. I rarely eat back my exercise calories, I try to stay just at or a little under 1200 / day and MFP always pops up with "I'm eating too few calories". But I have lost 24 pounds in 12 weeks since I started MFP. You do have to be accurate in food sizes/ weights. Most of all, DON'T GIVE UP. Remember, we did not all gain this much weight in a couple of months and it will take time to get healthy again.

SaraBrown12

First port of call before upping calories and messing with macros when i went trough this was check your measurments. Anyone who is working out several times a week should try this. I would not however suggest this to someone who is losing weight watching diet alone with no exercise.

I think if you measure yourself you will have lost inches. 1lb f muscle and 1 lb of fat are still 1lb but 1lb f muscle takes up less space then 1lb of fat.

Make sure your portions and measurements are correct. I got a shock when i actually bought a digital scale i tell you. My guesstimates were sometimes more then double what they should have been especially with cerial's.

If your inches are still the same then maybe try to up your calories from 1200 to maybe 1500 but do not eat exercise calories back for a short while and see how you go with that. I suggest this as unless you use a HRM everytime you work out and input YOUR OWN bodys personal calorie burn its EASY to over eat with the figures on here. If i ate back the calories this site rekons i burn from an hour on my exercise bike i would be bigger then i was when i started that's for sure.

Get the gym to do a weigh and measure also. They usually have machines that print out your body fat mass and muscle mass so you can see if they change even if your weight stays the same.

Keep at it. There are all sorts of things you can try to break through this but your on the right track. good luck xxx

cherylmonster

according to Jillian Micheals. aspartame/fake sugars throw your hormones (metabolism) out of whack.

paday

Keep going but STOP weighing yourself! I too have a hard time losing pounds according to the scale but when I work out and eat healthily I feel so much better. Finally, as of May 1, I stopped weighing myself altogether. That simple number on the scale can really make or break you. It was coming to the point to where I would get discouraged/lose motivation/get really down on myself because of one single step onto the scale. Try measuring yourself instead but be aware that even then, change takes time. Don't expect to drop pounds immediately. Sometimes when you begin a workout routine, you actually gain a few pounds. I can workout regularly for 3 months and only lose maybe half an inch to an inch. Focus on how you feel instead. You'll start noticing your legs looking more toned, your waist slowly whittling away, or your butt becoming a little rounder. Maybe weigh yourself once a month but wait a few months before doing so. I completely feel your pain but I can promise you, eating better and working out are only doing good things for you inside and out! I find it nearly impossible to think that keeping up this routine, no matter what, will not eventually do wonders for you.

Also, the number on the scale literally means nothing. Google "before and after same weight" and find images of people who are obviously much more toned in the after picture than the before picture yet weigh the exact same in both! I'm talking cut abs, smaller thighs, thin arms, the works but without a change in pounds. Tell yourself that you aren't going to weigh again for 30/60/90 days, and I think it'll make a difference in how you feel about the whole situation.

Join Tumblr and follow anyone under Fitness, Health, Working Out, etc. I don't know how old you are (I'm 34) and it's definitely a site geared more towards teens/20-somethings but I get sooo much motivation from Tumblr. There is a lot of body acceptance and encouraging going on and you will be inspired to become a better you (not just a thinner version!) I joined Tumblr a year ago and it is rare that my motivation ever falters. It's really helped me. Good luck and don't give up!

tinasneed1

I don't use my exercise points either. If I did I would be eating a lot more than 2000 calories when I'm on 1200 calories a day and that is not as much food as you would think. I kinda combine My Fitness Pal with Weight Watchers so I eat a lot of fruits and vegetables (believe me some of them have more calories than you think) that way if I go over my calories I don't feel as bad. You just have to hang in there... Good Luck!!!

emmusich

The first thing I would suggest is do not eat your burned calories from exercising. In doing this you are actually wasting the time and energy you are spending on exercising, in my opinion. If you eat a few of those burned calories it's ok but not all of them, it's pure common sense. I do sympathize with you and understand your aggravation. Plus you have to remember that when your working out and building muscle mass, your not going to lose weight as that will come when it's ready. I mean nothing bad by what I have said to you, just speaking from experience.

Don't up your calorie intake as some has suggested, just don't eat all your burned calories....I treat them as a treat, that's if I feel I need something over the 1200 calories I do each day. So if I go over by 100 or so calories in a day and I have burned calories by exercising, I don't feel bad about going by a small amount. I sure hope this makes sense to you.

Also, another suggestion is if your not already doing it.....don't just eat 3 meals a day, eat 4 to 6 small meals (have a small morning, afternoon and evening snack). Once you spread out these calories throughout the entire day, you will see a difference. I see another member said to quit all the soda's and I have to tell you they are 100% correct. I use to drink close to a 6pack of regular Pepsi a day and now I drink 2 cans of PepsiMax a day (0 calories but twice the caffeine as regular) and I always hated the taste of diet soda but PepsiMax tastes so close to regular Pepsi, it's now the only soda in our house along with Sprite zero. I also never drank water before as I just didn't like it, so I bought some of those water enhancers that are 0 calories and I now drink atleast 9 servings of 8 ounces of water a day. That will help a lot as you will be washing your system out, you will be going to the bathroom a lot but believe me it is well worth it.

One more suggestion....mix it up a bit, change your routine with exercise and see if that helps....do different exercising each day you workout as your body does get use to the same ole same old...understand?

Good luck MFP and I hope all the suggestions you have been given will help you.

SanteMulberry

Eating too little (and eating "empty calories") causes binging. If you are properly nourished, you will not have the appetite that propels binging. When you are eating at a calorie deficit, every calorie must be something that the body can use to build health. You also need to eat your exercise calories back, as you will have increased needs for nourishment as you exercise more. Your body will function better if your deficits are smaller. Huge deficits produce malnutrition and malnutrition (since it is voluntary in dieters) causes binging. But if the binging is on "junk" foods, there will be little nutritional help forthcoming--only calories (and chemical additives that put you at a further disadvantage). When eating at a calorie-deficit, you must eat VERY well to compensate for the overall loss of food. If you are a 200 pound, male, weight-lifter who loses body fat on 2,500 calories a day, you can afford some "luxuries" like a few cookies, cake or pie a day. When you are a plump, 160 pound woman, who must net only slightly more than 1,200 calories (and that is the absolute minimum that we need to keep our bodies functioning properly) to lose body fat, then those 1,200 calories (or 1,500 on exercise days) MUST be chosen very carefully to optimize health (or she will suffer the consequences--binging and regaining, or worse, a breakdown in health). Not fair, but that's the way it is. :ohwell:

Vegetables are your greatest friends (learn to love them). Fruits in moderation are also your friends as are lean meats, fish, poultry, and full fat dairy. And essential fats are just that--essential. You need 35 grams a day of fat just to keep your body functioning properly. Nuts, olives and avocados are great sources of essential fats. The very tasty "Mediterranean" diet is a very healthy and slimming diet. A recent study done by Spanish researchers has shown that dieters drop 3 times as much body fat on a Mediterranean type of calorie-restricted diet as the standard weight-loss diet. And they enjoy good health while doing so.

khall86790

If you really haven't seen a loss eating 1200 calories per day then I think you probably aren't logging correctly (e.g. weighing foods accurately, bar code scanning wherever possible, logging all individual ingredients in home made food, etc.).