Why am I not losing weight? 1600 calories

aNewYear123

Many suggestions seem to imply that we'd have to do daily cooking - which, for my husband and I , is not always realistic. During the summer this might work, but during the school year I get so swamped (and I'm usually the cook, because I'm better at it) that sometimes ordering out is just easier.

Weekly cooking can help a lot. I get large packages of chicken when it is on sale. On a weekend I cook it all, cut it up and portion it into freezer bags. Getting one of those out to add to something is as easy as cooking chicken nuggets, is healthier, and should be cheaper long term. Cook up a roast and slice it for a couple of days worth of meals.

Also, a crock-pot can be your friend if you are short on cooking time.

Ordering out will still be easier (although usually more expensive), you just have to decide.

NicoleFray

I know you said you are on a budget BUT I just got my heartrate monitor that counts your calories and it mad the BIGGEST difference in how I've been loosing weight because you can see how many you are actually burning (not guessing) and then by knowing how many you burn on average you can go off of that to see how many calories you can/need to take in.
The one i bought was $70 total. I'm telling you it really made the biggest difference and its a amazing motivator
You can message me if you want for info on it

Fitty_Cent

Where are the veggies? Why are you eating so much processed food?

Those are your two problems.

kimosabe1

eat back your exercise calories and u didn't eat much to begin with today.......

Braz76

I agree with all above. Well said :happy:

briannadunn

I was having the same issues and found out my adrenals were messed up and my hormones, get them checked.

arlenem1974

have you thought of adding sodium to your log? If your going over that will cause water retention.

Kholz90

Water, water, water, oh and did i mention water??
Seriously, i used to live off of soda's and energy drinks.
But then i gained a lot of weight during pregnancy so this is my first time dieting ever (i started in march)
The first thing i did was cut out soda and drink mainly only water. I dropped 10 lbs in the first week i kid you not!
Try to drink 2 big glasses before eating, because sometimes if you're dehydrated your body makes you think you're hungry when all you need is water. That might help you eat a little less at meals as well.
8 glasses is recommended, i drink about 4-6 and although that's not enough it's better than 0 glasses!

Also, try to get in at least a little exercise a day.
Try going on a 30 minute walk.

And, i know you posted that you're stressed and that's probably a big reason for your lack of weight loss.
Life in general is stressful, so school on top of that is no good.
But try to do little things to relax once in a while. Give yourself a pedicure, lay put in the sun for a bit, have a day of just nothing..

You can do it though! It's rough dieting, but you can do it!

aimforhealthy

There is a whole lot of nonsense on this thread, I'm sorry.

You do not have to give up any specific food if you don't want to because there is no specific food that makes you gain or lose weight. It's the amounts you eat that affect weight. (Notice I didn't say well-being - the quality of your food affects that much more - but the quantity is what affects weight, period.) There are no "bad" foods that make you pile on the pounds inherently. Too much of ANYTHING makes you gain weight.

A calorie deficit is ultimately the only thing that will make you lose weight. Yes, you should probably eat more fruits and vegetables *for your well-being*, but that has nothing to do with weight loss. There are weeks where I eat fast food every day and still lose a pound or two because track it and adjust my other food and exercise so that I keep within a calorie deficit. There are Olympic athletes who subsist off a ton of junk food and they're still skinny.

You are not losing weight because you're not creating a calorie deficit. That's really all there is to it.

My guess after looking at your diary is that you're likely eating at maintenance accidentally because you're not measuring the amounts you're eating correctly. Most people tend to WAY underestimate how much they eat. I see things in your diary like peanut butter with "2 TBSP." You would amazed (probably in a bad way) how small a serving of peanut butter actually looks like on a food scale - and I see vague measurements of things like this on your food diary every day, on almost every meal.

If you're not using exact measurements, exact brands and a food scale and using that many condiments, you can easily overeat by 100-200 calories or more PER MEAL, which means you're likely eating at maintenance calories. That's all there really is to it.

Track your food more carefully using a food scale - I bought my digital one for $8 on Amazon - and you'll probably start to lose weight again.

ppdes

Great suggestions on this thread.

savithny

There is a whole lot of nonsense on this thread, I'm sorry.
A calorie deficit is ultimately the only thing that will make you lose weight. Yes, you should probably eat more fruits and vegetables *for your well-being*, but that has nothing to do with weight loss. There are weeks where I eat fast food every day and still lose a pound or two because track it and adjust my other food and exercise so that I keep within a calorie deficit. There are Olympic athletes who subsist off a ton of junk food and they're still skinny.

You are not losing weight because you're not creating a calorie deficit. That's really all there is to it.

My guess after looking at your diary is that you're likely eating at maintenance accidentally because you're not measuring the amounts you're eating correctly. Most people tend to WAY underestimate how much they eat. I see things in your diary like peanut butter with "2 TBSP." You would amazed (probably in a bad way) how small a serving of peanut butter actually looks like on a food scale - and I see vague measurements of things like this on your food diary every day, on almost every meal.

If you're not using exact measurements, exact brands and a food scale and using that many condiments, you can easily overeat by 100-200 calories or more PER MEAL, which means you're likely eating at maintenance calories. That's all there really is to it.

Track your food more carefully using a food scale - I bought my digital one for $8 on Amazon - and you'll probably start to lose weight again.

Another factor? She's trusting the online measurements for all the restaurant food, when independent testers have found you're often served 25 to 50% more than the amount they use for testing. The real reason to eat self prepared food at home isn't just cost or food value for money, its that probably she's erasng her entire deficit with a morning bagel that has way more calories than she is recording.

somanyrhoades

I DO have a food scale, and I measure by weight/grams/ounces. For things like the cream cheese (I was actually at Panera yesterday morning) they give you a tiny 2 oz thing and I used less than half by sight. I do measure things, though. I also use smaller bowls and smaller plates to give the illusion that I'm eating more.

I think what I'll do from here, as a first step, is try and incorporate more veggies into my diet. Yes, my husband and I so eat a fair amount of processed foods, but when you try to feed 2 people for $70/week, it's a bit rough to find 'cheap' fresh foods. Many times we only buy what we have coupons for, and that's it. We buy in season, and it helps. Even still, I need to find ways to eat healthier on a budget, because this obviously isn't working.

Does anyone think that if I just worked out harder this wouldn't be an issue?

It is actually a lot cheaper to eat fresh than it is to buy processed garbage. Fresh fruits and veg are one of the most inexpensive things you can buy... frozen is usually even cheaper, and they carry those that at some dollar stores! try a farmers market for cheapest price. Check your local advertisments for who has what on sale, I have several grocery stores and go to them all sometimes! Some other cost effective nutritious items... dried beans, tuna, 32 oz container of plain yogurt (individually packaged things cost more), and I buy my meat in bulk... that may not be an option for you but it saves me a ton. I don't know how much money you make or anything or even if you live in the US but if you only have $35 a week to spend on food for yourself you may qualify for food stamps. Also think about putting yourself on a stricter budget. I don't think I would be able to sustain myself on that little bit of money... see where you can cut costs (one great one is rididng a bike to work to save on cost. if it's too far to ride, consider public transportation. Downgrade your cable or get rid of your internet, stop going out to eat so much, get rid of things that are not a necessity, and when you evaluate what's really necessary, REALLY think about it (i.e. tv is NOT a necessity, going to the movies is NOT a necessity, internet may not be a necessity, unless you use it for work from home).
I know a ton of people have said this, but watch the sugar. not sure if you are aware, or if anyone mentioned this yet, but things that are "low fat" or "light" are usually higher in sugar. i used to drink a ton of cream and coffee in my sugar (yes, I said that right) and I gradually decreased until I just learned to like it with a splash of almond milk... today I cannot imagine putting sugar in my coffee, the same way that you can't imagine yours without it. I also used to drink sugared beverages with every meal (soda, juice, sweetened tea). Switch to water. It was definitely the hardest habit of many I had to break, but once it's broken you can't imagine going back to drinking all those calories. Also I noticed a few times you used the quick calorie thing. That means you didn't measure something. Everything gets measured. butter, the oil you cook with, spices, EVERYTHING!

Exercise more! I know life gets busy, especially while in law school, but make time. Walk to class, park your car far away, take the long route to your next class, etc. even if you can only squeeze in 10 minutes three times a day that's 30 minutes total!

aimforhealthy

It's definitely not cheaper to buy fresh vegetables than pre-processed junk, especially if you eat organic, and in some parts of the US that's never been the case. In most of New England, fresh food has to largely be imported and farmer's markets are hipster cesspools where you can easily pay $5 per 2-inch "vegan brownie" and are actually MORE expensive than supermarkets. There is a reason poverty and obesity are linked in this country and it's because it's much cheaper to buy $1 frozen pizzas, $.89 bottle of soda and $3 package of breadsticks than it is to spend $20 or more on salad, vegetables, fresh ingredients, etc.

You can lose weight eating junk, though. People need to stop conflating weight loss with fitness/well-being.

But, yes, exercise would help someone achieve a calorie deficit.

trisH_7183

Perhaps I've been building it up to be more of a hassle then it actually is. *shrug*

Nope, it's a huge hassle for me too. I hate cooking lol. But you gotta do what you gotta do I guess. Just got to find that extra motivation to get started (and hopefully get some support from your hubby!). We cook really simple here, nothing fancy at all. In Summer hubby grills so it helps, otherwise we just throw chicken sausage or fish in the pan, nuke some veggies, sometimes boil some noodles or rice in the pan for a few minutes, or nuke some couscous in the microwave, and call it a meal. And we could probably try and make more so we have leftovers and don't have to cook as often too. It's pretty boring but you get used to it I guess.

I don't like coffee without sugar either, plus it made me sick so I just quit drinking it and it's been making things easier.

Our daughter has a super busy schedule,plus her husband works a different shift.They grill a lot of food on Sundays.Veggies she eats reheated or in salads.They fill the grill with meat,then keep it in the fridge.She makes a huge whole wheat pasta based salad,using grilled veggies,beans,whatever looks good.Once a wk she makes soup in the crock pot.Enough for a couple meals & lots to freeze in zip lock bags.

It works for her.It's been 6-7 yrs since she lost nearly 100 pds.If she gains over 5pds,it's back to tracking every bite.It's not easy,but can be done by anyone who wants it bad enough.Good luck & remember to think before you choose your groceries ,choose what to eat.

LAW_714

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?

Sugar limits matter. Many people referring to ignoring the sugar in the MFP ap are saying so because the ap gives no way to separate *refined table sugar* from the sugars that naturally occur in fruits and vegetables (treating sucrose, fructose, and glucose -- all sugars -- as one thing). So when people are saying to 'ignore that sugar number', that's not giving the free and clear to eat an unlimited amount of refined sugar. If you're eating more than the sugar alottment MyFitnessPal gives you by eating loads of refined sugar, you are sabotaging your diet. That simple.

Non-glucose sugar is metabolized by your liver. Most of the cells in your body can deal with and use glucose. They CANNOT use fructose. So when you eat sucrose (table sugar) your body metabolizes it by turning it into glucose+fructose... but, again, nothing except your liver can deal with fructose and to do that, your liver turns that fructose into FAT+glucose. So part of table sugar, no matter *what* your caloric load is GOING to be fat at some point because this is the way that your body processes table sugar (and its why those 'low fat' processed foods that replace the fat in the product with sugar are still going be fatty once its metabolized by your liver.) More, if you've exceeded of the amount glucose your body actively needs to function *right now* (meaning if you're Michael Phelps, and burning a ton of glucose while working out at Olympic level, your body can use a lot of glucose before it's more than his body can immediately use but if you're not working out at that level, your body cannot use as much. Period. ) Anyway, if you exceed how much your body can actively when you're eating it, then your body has no choice but to turn even the glucose portion of the sugar into fat because your body cannot take a your blood sugar level exceeding a certain number at any time. That would actually become toxic, so your body releases insulin that triggers your body to store the excess glucose as *fat*.

Put simply, if you're eating more sugar in one meal than your body can actively use your body can only handle it by turning it into fat.

Avoid sugar binges and spread your sugar consumption somewhat evenly through the day, realizing that, yes, the sugar number does generally matter, *especially* if it's in the form of refined sugar (which metabolizes into the body very quickly because it isn't bound with fiber. Sugar bound with fiber (such as in fruit) metabolizes far more slowly, allowing it to be somewhat 'time release' thus helping to avoid a sugar spike that in turn triggers a higher insulin response which in turn leads to storing excess sugar as fat).



Re: sugar in your coffee, I sympathize. I would have made the same comment six months ago.

However, 6 packets of sugar in coffee is rather a lot.

Try cutting back by 1/3. Chances are you won't notice it nearly as much as you think you will. After a couple/few of weeks, cut it by another 1/3. I did that and am now able to drink coffee without sugar. But even if you never go that far, drinking with 2 packs of sugar would be substantially better than drinking it with 6.