Why am I not losing weight? 1600 calories

Athena1007

MyFitnessPals, I open my diary to you so you can help me figure out why I'm not losing weight. I'm familiar with the concept of not eating enough to lose - in 2006 I had to *increase* my intake to lose.

Now, 7 years older, I'm not as active as I used to be (in 2006 I was a waitress, now I am a law student). UNDER THE SUPERVISION OF MY DOCTOR I am taking an appetite suppressant and trying to stay below 1600 calories. At my latest visit, my doctor advised me to try not to reach 1600 if I could, and stay within the 1200-1600 range. I've been averaging around 1450 lately. No dice.

I've been trying to get active and walk more, when outdoor allergies don't keep me holed up inside. Somehow, things aren't adding up.

THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW BEFORE YOU REPLY
- I do not deprive myself of tasty not-so-good for you things, like beer, ice pops (25 calories, my compromise on ice cream) and such. I believe that such deprivation leads to binge eating and that's not good, either.

- I WILL NOT EAT things like eggs (ick) raw kale (blegh), mushrooms, peppers, cucumbers, pickles (I HATE pickles), raw tomatoes, shrimp. I also don't like IPA beer, if that helps you.

- I LOVE carbs, but I aim to eat high-fiber whole grain foods already.

- I am super stressed, because, you know. Law school.

- I already use low-fat, low sugar, low sodium everything (mostly).

- I am on a budget like woah, so I cannot afford to buy ridiculously priced supplements/foods.


So, let me know your thoughts. Please be nice

cab1974

I don't have any answers for you but sympathize with your frustration. For years I tried to do things the right way with very little results. In the end I had to deprive myself of some things in order to kick start my progress. Right now I'm eating higher protein, low carbs, low sodium/sugar/blah, blah, blah. Mostly I make sure I get a LOT of fresh veggies and at least one serving of fruit each day.

For May I did not eat desserts, soda (and I don't drink alcohol or coffee), but I would treat myself at least once a day with 2-3 junior mints. They are low fat low cal with just enough chocolate for me to not feel deprived. I do that a lot. I'll buy a Sea Salt Soriee candy bar and make it last a week by only eating one square a day. It's enough for me. Not eating desserts is not a sustainable lifestyle, but I can do it for the summer just to get back to where I want to be. I've lost 12 lbs in the last month. The goal is to get healthy so I can enjoy cake on my birthday in August!

Good luck!

pastryari

MyFitnessPals, I open my diary to you so you can help me figure out why I'm not losing weight. I'm familiar with the concept of not eating enough to lose - in 2006 I had to *increase* my intake to lose.

Now, 7 years older, I'm not as active as I used to be (in 2006 I was a waitress, now I am a law student). UNDER THE SUPERVISION OF MY DOCTOR I am taking an appetite suppressant and trying to stay below 1600 calories. At my latest visit, my doctor advised me to try not to reach 1600 if I could, and stay within the 1200-1600 range. I've been averaging around 1450 lately. No dice.

I've been trying to get active and walk more, when outdoor allergies don't keep me holed up inside. Somehow, things aren't adding up.

THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW BEFORE YOU REPLY
- I do not deprive myself of tasty not-so-good for you things, like beer, ice pops (25 calories, my compromise on ice cream) and such. I believe that such deprivation leads to binge eating and that's not good, either.

- I WILL NOT EAT things like eggs (ick) raw kale (blegh), mushrooms, peppers, cucumbers, pickles (I HATE pickles), raw tomatoes, shrimp. I also don't like IPA beer, if that helps you.

- I LOVE carbs, but I aim to eat high-fiber whole grain foods already.

- I am super stressed, because, you know. Law school.

- I already use low-fat, low sugar, low sodium everything (mostly).

- I am on a budget like woah, so I cannot afford to buy ridiculously priced supplements/foods.


So, let me know your thoughts. Please be nice

If you're under the supervision of your doctor, why aren't you asking him why the plan he has put you on isn't working?

Your diary also isn't open.

Athena1007

If you're under the supervision of your doctor, why aren't you asking him why the plan he has put you on isn't working?

Your diary also isn't open.

Oops! It should be open now.

I guess I'm embarrassed. I've seen her once a month for since I think March, and all I have to show for it is 8 lbs (which I lost in the first month after she put me on the appetite suppressant). I feel like a big louse going back twice now and trying to explain why I haven't lost any more weight.

Besides, I'm curious to glean the collective wisdom of the MFP community.

LeBartlett

Perhaps change the types off foods you're eating? Instead of fish, maybe tofu. Instead of white potatoes, maybe sweet potatoes... etc. More veggies, more water... you almost can't go wrong there.

I know this is not the case with everyone, but if I really want to lose weight, I have to stop drinking beer (and I love dark beers!). Even staying within my calorie range, I just won't lose if beer is in the picture, it's so unfair. But it's the case with me.

Good luck!

Athena1007

Perhaps change the types off foods you're eating? Instead of fish, maybe tofu. Instead of white potatoes, maybe sweet potatoes... etc. More veggies, more water... you almost can't go wrong there.

I know this is not the case with everyone, but if I really want to lose weight, I have to stop drinking beer (and I love dark beers!). Even staying within my calorie range, I just won't lose if beer is in the picture, it's so unfair. But it's the case with me.

Good luck!

I should clarify, I don't actually drink a whole lot of beer But it's one of those things I won't deny myself on a weekend night while hanging out with friends.

I should really look up more veggie recipes. I get bored with the same stuff over and over... perhaps that's part of my problem.

pastryari

Perhaps change the types off foods you're eating? Instead of fish, maybe tofu. Instead of white potatoes, maybe sweet potatoes... etc. More veggies, more water... you almost can't go wrong there.

I know this is not the case with everyone, but if I really want to lose weight, I have to stop drinking beer (and I love dark beers!). Even staying within my calorie range, I just won't lose if beer is in the picture, it's so unfair. But it's the case with me.

Good luck!

In regards solely to weight loss, if you're in a caloric deficit, you WILL lose weight. It's not the drinking beer or types of food you eat that stops that. Just an FYI.

maegmez

Too much junk and no fresh fruit and veggies!

There is a difference of depriving yourself and giving into temptation. If the food is once a week or bi weekly and in moderation then not so bad but saying I'm not depriving myself of that food because I will end up binging, and then eating more than the portion won't work with that mindset. Ex, I love those huge cookies freshly made at the bakery. I could say I'm not going to deprive myself and eat one. But they are 300 cals each and the sugar content is too high. So I find a healthier alternative to replace that. I might have one of those cookies every 6 months and I sure don't feel deprived because I'm enjoying so many other healthy alternatives.

Yes this is a life long journey and you need to be happy about your food. However, you still have to make healthy choices.

Thinking about all that sugar, do you track yours? You eat a lot of sugar and the excess will get stored as fat. Your liver can only process so much. Yogurts are full of sugar.

You don't NEED to exercise to lose weight, that's just a bonus part to getting healthy. You condition your heart and boost your metabolism.

You def need to alter what you're eating though. I didn't like eating all that healthy stuff when I first started but now love it and love trying new things.

Also, how tall are you? I'm 5' 5" and eat just over 1400 cals for a 1 lb weekly loss.

You can do this! Stay strong

LeBartlett

Well, that's why I mentioned that it was my personal experience. I have 12 years of dieting and maintenance of my weight... and I've been an avid journal-keeper. Maybe it's water weight, maybe it's sugar... I don't know. But when I am serious about losing, I have to cut beer out while my goal is to lose. If I want to maintain my weight, I can drink a beer within my calorie budget.

But you are correct: most people can operate on calories in calories out and it works for them.

mrsek09

I see a lot of processed foods in your diet, and a lot of sugar laden drinks (6 packets of sugar in your coffee, kool-aid). I would suggest trying to cut back on the sugar going into your coffee (when I cut back on sweeteners, I cut back by one unit for a few weeks, then down another.)

I would suggest you try adding in some sort of activity. I know it's easier said than done, but try taking a 30 minute walk to get away from the studies for a bit. There are weight training programs that you can do at home with light hand weights and little else. (I used the Joyce Vedral books years ago when I dropped 90lbs.)

Good luck! It's a worth journey!

coreyreichle

If you're under the supervision of your doctor, why aren't you asking him why the plan he has put you on isn't working?

Your diary also isn't open.

Oops! It should be open now.

I guess I'm embarrassed. I've seen her once a month for since I think March, and all I have to show for it is 8 lbs (which I lost in the first month after she put me on the appetite suppressant). I feel like a big louse going back twice now and trying to explain why I haven't lost any more weight.

Besides, I'm curious to glean the collective wisdom of the MFP community.

Take your food diary to your doctor, and show him/her. Your doctor will most likely be able to take that, plus run whatever tests, and be able to give you a very accurate answer.

Melo1966

Liquid creamers are more expensive than protein powder. Try upping your protein and fat go slightly lower carb. Also how much fluids to you take in? Go for at least 12 8 ozs. Replace the regular yogurt for Greek. Avacados are not expensive and are great, just weigh them. It is spring time. You should be able to get more in season fruits and veggies.

wannabpiper

For what it's worth, I have to stay low on the carbs because they make me crave more. I do eat some things I don't absolutely love, i.e,. kale. Over the past few months, my sense of taste has begun to accommodate a healthier eating habit. Not saying you need to do that to lose weight, but just thought I'd share my experience with you in case you're interested in making some dietary changes.

Law school is very stressful; maybe you're experiencing some hormonal issues as a result of the consistent stress and it's impacting your ability to lose the weight. Either way, you don't pay your doctor to judge you negatively and make you feel bad. Go back, open up your food diary, and make her work for her fee. Best of luck!

wannabpiper

Liquid creamers are more expensive than protein powder. Try upping your protein and fat go slightly lower carb. Also how much fluids to you take in? Go for at least 12 8 ozs. Replace the regular yogurt for Greek. Avacados are not expensive and are great, just weigh them. It is spring time. You should be able to get more in season fruits and veggies.

Excellent ideas!

resilient86

Perhaps change the types off foods you're eating? Instead of fish, maybe tofu. Instead of white potatoes, maybe sweet potatoes... etc. More veggies, more water... you almost can't go wrong there.

I know this is not the case with everyone, but if I really want to lose weight, I have to stop drinking beer (and I love dark beers!). Even staying within my calorie range, I just won't lose if beer is in the picture, it's so unfair. But it's the case with me.

Good luck!

In regards solely to weight loss, if you're in a caloric deficit, you WILL lose weight. It's not the drinking beer or types of food you eat that stops that. Just an FYI.

Unless you're like me and have hormone issues (hypothyroid, insulin resistance and PCOS)... have you been checked for any of those issues? Good luck!

lauraleighsm

Do you have a food scale? They are not expensive and some of your food seems like it might be measured incorrectly. For example, the 1.5 ounces of pork. That's a really small amount! I measure everything.

I will second eliminating the sugar! You have to really limit that to help with the cravings. Find some recipes for more whole food snacks like homemade larabars. Find foods that has some nutritional values. The salt in processed foods is a killer!

Good luck! Weight loss is SO hard but feels so good!

smn76237

I hear you, before law school i was running 4-5 miles a day and in the best shape of my life...fast forward 3 years and I was the heaviest I've ever been in my life. It is stressful. I wish i had kept up my exercise-it seems like you don't have time but it is a great stress reliever, and helps with weight loss.

Do you have a food scale?

gmallan

How accurate is your tracking? Are you weighing or measuring everything strictly? Do you track everyting including oils used for cooking/sauces etc.? If not and you are just guesstimating then you could be consuming a lot more calories than you think

RockMe777

I would back way off on breads and increase veggies / fruits. Too much bread / carbs will sabotage your diet

jolt28

No expert by any means, but I've cut down on carbs, increased protein and looks to me like you eat a lot of carbs. Just a suggestion.

Bonnieg318

I have not mastered anything but I agree with other posters the processed food needs to go, there is a lot of sugar in your diet. Up your water intake and more fruits and veggies. I bought a food scale and it has made a world of difference in knowing how much I am actually eating.

crissygm

I would try to lower your carbs a little and raise your protein. Also are you exercising at all? I personally do not lose weight if I don't exercise.

meeper123

If you're under the supervision of your doctor, why aren't you asking him why the plan he has put you on isn't working?

Your diary also isn't open.

Oops! It should be open now.

I guess I'm embarrassed. I've seen her once a month for since I think March, and all I have to show for it is 8 lbs (which I lost in the first month after she put me on the appetite suppressant). I feel like a big louse going back twice now and trying to explain why I haven't lost any more weight.

Besides, I'm curious to glean the collective wisdom of the MFP community.

Take your food diary to your doctor, and show him/her. Your doctor will most likely be able to take that, plus run whatever tests, and be able to give you a very accurate answer.

I like this idea might do it myself

CrazyAnimalLady

Hi there It looks to me like you're eating a LOT of carbs and very little fresh pure protein, fresh veggies and fruit. I am a Carb Queen, so I get it, in fact that used to be all I'd ever eat which is how I wound up at 345 lbs. I think if you try to eat a cleaner diet you'll find the weight falling off. Friend me if you want to take a look at my diary and how I eat on a daily basis, I'm currently losing 2.5 lbs a week on average, have lost 29 lbs in 10 and I don't feel like I deprive myself of anything.

chelctate

From what I can see by looking at your diary there are a lot of sugars and processed foods in your diet. For example - frozen meals include additional sugars + a (TON) of sodium which is in no way beneficial for your body. What has really helped me is thinking food as FUEL for your body because that's what it is! I still enjoy everything that I am eating because I know it's beneficial to my body. You can make any type of food taste GREAT with the right recipes. Try hitting up foodgawker.com or pinterest. There are also some amazing recipes on http://undressedskeleton.tumblr.com and http://www.health-bent.com. Best of luck!!

nikkiw29

You don't track your sugar intake. Based on what I was reading from your log, your intake is far too high. When you consume too much sugar or carbs which break down into sugar once its processed, your body ends up storing the sugar in your fat cell instead of using it as energy. This makes it much more for difficult for you to shed pounds. Often times your brain won't process the levels properly and will signal that you are hungry when in reality you aren't which easily leads to over eating as well!

Bottom line. Start watching your sugar intake, I think you will be surprised to see a change in your body once you begin to consume a normal healthy dose.

I hope this helps! Best of luck!

micheleb15

Just a question, what kind of doctor are you seeing? Nutrition isn't something that general practitioners are required to fully comprehend. Depending on the dr., you may be better seeing a nutritionist.

h9dlb

TBH I'm not surprised you're not losing weight your diet is terrible.

What has being in law school got to do with your diet? (20 years qualified lawyer here running a business and I can guarantee I have more stress than you!)

Simply too many carbs, not enough (good) fat, not enough protein and you are eating 1600 cals of crap everyday - eat some proper food and get some nutrition in your body.

In the last week you have eaten tortillas, ritz crackers, hersheys chocolate syrup, pizza, m&m's, jelly, bread, chicken nuggets, ice cream, bagels, 6 packs of sugar on several days, mini wheats, corn on the cob (probably the worst vegetable you can eat), potatoes, cheese, pop corn, pretzels, lemonade, french toast maple syrup.....and then you wonder why you aren't losing weight.

A calorie is not a calorie, it is not just about eating a calorie deficit, it is about making those reduced calories count healthily.

You obviously have a sweet tooth so instead of eating all that sugar, eat blueberries, plums, strawberries, raspberries, yoghurt, low cal instant hot chocolate, but only if you really have to. Sugar is an addiction and if you get off it for a couple of weeks you wont miss it.

If you want a healthy 1600 cal diet to follow try:

Breakfast: Porridge oats with almond milk (200 cals)

mid morning snack: Apple and blueberries (100 cals)

Lunch: Tuna/chicken salad (no dressings) + a 0 fat yoghurt + ice pop (400 cals)

mid afternoon snack: 25g almonds (150 cals)

Dinner: large salmon/steak/chicken breast/pork/turkey, low fat cottage cheese and 2 boiled veg (brocolli/asparagus/peas/green beans) (700 cals)

supper: hot choc (40 cals)

Drink all the green tea & coffee with skimmed milk you want, plenty of water throughout the day (cals in the milk 100)


total 1790 cals, low fat, low carb and lots of protein.

I also recommend supplementing with 6g fish oil capsules per day & 2g CLA oil. If you do manage to work out it would be a good idea to have at least 1 low carb low fat protein shake (100 cals). They are pretty cheap in the supermarket. Protein powder is cheap if you buy online.

You also need to do HIITS preferably running for 20 mins and lift heavy weights - do all this and the weight will drop off but don''t expect to see decent results for at least 4 weeks. I know I've done it !

smn76237

TBH I'm not surprised you're not losing weight your diet is terrible.

What has being in law school got to do with your diet? (20 years qualified lawyer here running a business and I can guarantee I have more stress than you!)

Simply too many carbs, not enough (good) fat, not enough protein and you are eating 1600 cals of crap everyday - eat some proper food and get some nutrition in your body.

In the last week you have eaten tortillas, ritz crackers, hersheys chocolate syrup, pizza, m&m's, jelly, bread, chicken nuggets, ice cream, bagels, 6 packs of sugar on several days, mini wheats, corn on the cob (probably the worst vegetable you can eat), potatoes, cheese, pop corn, pretzels, lemonade, french toast maple syrup.....and then you wonder why you aren't losing weight.

A calorie is not a calorie, it is not just about eating a calorie deficit, it is about making those reduced calories count healthily.

You obviously have a sweet tooth so instead of eating all that sugar, eat blueberries, plums, strawberries, raspberries, yoghurt, low cal instant hot chocolate, but only if you really have to. Sugar is an addiction and if you get off it for a couple of weeks you wont miss it.

If you want a healthy 1600 cal diet to follow try:

Breakfast: Porridge oats with almond milk (200 cals)

mid morning snack: Apple and blueberries (100 cals)

Lunch: Tuna/chicken salad (no dressings) + a 0 fat yoghurt + ice pop (400 cals)

mid afternoon snack: 25g almonds (150 cals)

Dinner: large salmon/steak/chicken breast/pork/turkey, low fat cottage cheese and 2 boiled veg (brocolli/asparagus/peas/green beans) (700 cals)

supper: hot choc (40 cals)

Drink all the green tea & coffee with skimmed milk you want, plenty of water throughout the day (cals in the milk 100)


total 1790 cals, low fat, low carb and lots of protein.

I also recommend supplementing with 6g fish oil capsules per day & 2g CLA oil. If you do manage to work out it would be a good idea to have at least 1 low carb low fat protein shake (100 cals). They are pretty cheap in the supermarket. Protein powder is cheap if you buy online.

You also need to do HIITS preferably running for 20 mins and lift heavy weights - do all this and the weight will drop off but don''t expect to see decent results for at least 4 weeks. I know I've done it !

He is right, the stress of law school doesn't get any better once you're out of law school...in fact it's worse. First will come the studying for the bar (which will make you miss the happy go lucky days of law school). Then when you're a lawyer there will be no more summer vacation/spring break/Christmas break and whatnot. It's better to get a handle on things now than try to catch up later...life will not get any less stressful, I promise!

I do recommend buying a food scale and weighing everything. Most important advice is that. Food scale.

Rather than buying pre-made frozen meals, buy a mixture of frozen vegetables and raw chicken/other proteins. You can buy protein in bulk and freeze them individually so you don't have to shop as often. Canned tuna keeps for a long time as well. I also have fresh spinach and tomatoes on hand (for salads)--both will keep a week and are relatively cheap. I have a sweet tooth too, but I satisfy it with more nutrient rich things--strawberries and dark chocolate almond butter, raw macaroons, frozen choc bananas, a couple squares of dark chocolate. Your money on higher quality foods goes a lot farther when you're eating less.

In conclusion, food scale.

Athena1007

Wow, great suggestions and pointers. I do confess I have a sweet tooth, I just figured if I stay within my 1,600 calories it wouldn't much matter, that a calorie is a calorie. I know there are many schools of thought on that, though.

I don't track sugar (like many of you have suggested) mainly because I'm not sure what kind of level I should be shooting for. I refuse to compromise with the sugar in my coffee, though. I can take coffee without cream, but without sugar, bleck. Maybe I could learn to live with less, though.

What kind of sugar "limit" should I be looking for?

CrazyAnimalLady

One of the best things about MFP is that it will tell you where your sugar intake should be, you just need to edit your diary to display sugar and remove something that you maybe don't care as much about. Watch the sodium too, a diet too high in sodium will cause you to retain water and therefore make you heavier than you actually are. If you try to keep the sodium down (this I have trouble with) and you drink lots of water it'll help flush your system out, but yeah I agree with every other poster about the sugar intake. A calorie is definitely not a calorie, they have to be the right kind of calories and if you can start to reduce your sugar you'll find you don't crave it as much. Honestly the best thing you could do for yourself is a 10 day sugar/carb cleanse, it'll be tough and you'll feel like a raging B*tch during that time but by the end of the 10 days you won't crave it nearly as much.