Getting frustrated....

lwielgosz

I joined a weight loss challenge event last week and I have been watching my calories and logging every food and actually entering calories on the higher side just to be safe. I work out at least 5 days a week for at least 45min. I got on the scare today and I GAINED 4 pounds!!! What is going on? I cannot for the life of me figure this out ...

jenncornelsen

Just one week u have been at it correct? If thats the case and your new to working out your muscles are probably retaining water. It can honestly take up to three weeks for this to dissipate. Just hang in there

lwielgosz

I have been exercising (walking) for about 2 weeks. I just started really getting serious when the challenge started last Sunday.

jenncornelsen

K walking shouldnt cause retained water. So... other possibilities are high sodium intake, that time of the month, or not proprely measuring food. Ur diary is closed or I would check it out just to see

lwielgosz

It gave me a calorie goal of 2160 per day. I was hitting about 1600-1700 before exercising. Exercise is the last thing I do before I got to bed. I have reset my calorie goal to 1200 per day. Is that a reasonable goal? I'm a rather large woman but I have no issues with over eating just bad choices in the past as well as having a couple kids. Lol.

jenncornelsen

1200 is very low. Honestly I tried it and couldnt keep it up. Im at 1500. Were u eating back exercise calories?

lwielgosz

Nope. That's why exercise is the last thing I do at night. I try to stay under my goal and then exercise to burn off some of those calories to create my deficit.

BWBTrish

Do you weigh ALL your solid food?

lwielgosz

I don't weigh any food.

jenncornelsen

lwielgosz wrote: »

I don't weigh any food.

this can make a big difference. how are u measuring with cups? calorie dense food should be weighed. this would be your meat, cheese butter oils even potatos and pasta. u might end up getting a big surprise

Torxhart

I've lost 30 lbs since Feb,I consumed under 1000 a day and watched my carb intake.It sucked the first few weeks but I'm a impatient person and if I didn't see results I wouldn't stick with it.I lost about 3 to 5 lbs a week I used and still use EAS carbAvantage that you can buy at Wal-Mart to replace 2 meals a day

SezxyStef

lwielgosz wrote: »

Nope. That's why exercise is the last thing I do at night. I try to stay under my goal and then exercise to burn off some of those calories to create my deficit.

Then you are netting below 1200 and that is very unhealthy....

If you set your goal at 1200 even thou you were given a goal of 2160 (which is probably correct if you are a larger woman) you are already in a very large deficit and you need to eat more.

4lbs tho is probably water retention from new exercise which can last about 2-4 weeks.

But yes weigh your food and log accurately to find out how much you are really eating.

kandell

Weighing food is going to be a huge eye opener. I vastly underestimate how much I'm eating when I don't weigh things. Food scales aren't too expensive, so I would suggest picking one up and using it from here on out.

BWBTrish

lwielgosz wrote: »

I don't weigh any food.

Than there is probably your problem You eat more than you think
Watch this eye-opener video

Start weighing ALL your solid food and measure your liquids
It can make hundreds of calories difference

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JVjWPclrWVY

BWBTrish

1. Weigh all your food
2. Eat at least 1200 calories ( when you have a higher calorie allowance eat more )
3. When you exercise eat on top of your 1200 about 25 to 50% of your exercise calories back
4. Be honest to your self and log everything
5. Be patience
6. Be moderate and disciplined
7. enough rest
8. 2 to 3 liter water/fluid a day.


And the weight will come off.... fast or slow that depends. That is for everybody different.

I lost 80 pounds in 166 days this way.

Capt_Apollo

i weighed and measured everything starting at the end of december, logging every morsal. it took a month of this for my body to start shedding the weight, at a 1lb/week deficit.

jennbo83

Drink lots of water! I drink a minimum of liters a day. This will take care of possible water retention. Check your sodium. Sodium will also contribute to water retention. Try avoiding and prepackaged food because it is often filled with sodium. Weigh and measure everything you eat. You will be surprised by how much you may be over eating. I know I was when I started to measure food.

maillemaker

Great video Owl House.

Here is another video that shows the importance of proper food logging:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vjKPIcI51lU#t=260

If you aren't losing weight, the bottom line is you are eating more than you are burning. Eat less or exercise more.

lwielgosz

This whole thing is so frustrating to me. Lol. I have realized that the gaining was water weight since I had stopped taking my BP pills (which is also a diuretic) since starting them again the water weight is gone and I am back to my starting weight and I have not seen any change in 2 weeks. Everyone that I am in the challenge with is losing weight left and right and I am at a standstill. I have been eating about 1300-1500 calories a day (this total is what I assume without weighting food) and I get on my treadmill for about 45-60min 5 days a week walking for 2-3miles each time. I really want to do good in this challenge and based on the number on the scale it looks like I am not doing anything

Liftng4Lis

lwielgosz wrote: »

I don't weigh any food.

Here is your problem.

BWBTrish

lwielgosz wrote: »

(this total is what I assume without weighting food)

and like i said before
this is your problem!

lwielgosz

I really don't think they the only way to lose weight is to weigh every food that you eat. I don't have a good scale and I really don't have the time to weigh everything I consume. If something is x amount of calories per serving and 1 serving is 5 pieces. Why would you need to weigh it?

BWBTrish

because the serving sizes are NOT accurate

And like the tbs of peanut butter is not always 170 calories but can be 210
So 2 tbs of peanut butter ( which is nothing at all to put on your bread) can be 50 calories more than you think
Do this with a couple of foods a day and you have a 300 or maybe even more calories underestimation.

But well your life, your journey
The advice is here
obviously you didn't watch the videos which explain why you should weigh ALL your solid food.

Your not losing and not weighing your food..... so see the connection

People here told you exactly what is wrong with your way and why you dont lose.

Up to you what to do.


I MAKE time to weigh ALL my food. Its seconds when i cook. And totally used to it.

tibby531

as you get closer to your goal, you'll want to be more specific with your logging. until then, just drink water, keep doing your workouts, and your body will adjust.

I gained three pounds a week for two weeks when I started actually exercising. it just happens.

slucki01

TheOwlhouseDesigns wrote: »

1. Weigh all your food
2. Eat at least 1200 calories ( when you have a higher calorie allowance eat more )
3. When you exercise eat on top of your 1200 about 25 to 50% of your exercise calories back
4. Be honest to your self and log everything
5. Be patience
6. Be moderate and disciplined
7. enough rest
8. 2 to 3 liter water/fluid a day.


And the weight will come off.... fast or slow that depends. That is for everybody different.

I lost 80 pounds in 166 days this way.

Totally agree. This was my approach and I've lost 36 lbs

futuremanda

lwielgosz wrote: »

I really don't think they the only way to lose weight is to weigh every food that you eat. I don't have a good scale and I really don't have the time to weigh everything I consume. If something is x amount of calories per serving and 1 serving is 5 pieces. Why would you need to weigh it?

A good scale is like, $15-$30.

And I find it faster than measuring. I mean. You literally just set down your food. Not time consuming! Making a peanut butter sandwich? Put two slices of bread on the scale. Put your pb, put it back on the scale. Voila! No measuring, no guesswork. You know exactly what you ate (as close as you're ever going to know, anyway).

You won't set your food down a few times during prep if it would mean the difference between succeeding and not succeeding, or getting the pace you're aiming for or not?

Over the weekend, I had two slices of rye bread from a loaf. The package said 2 slices, 140 calories (50g). My 2 slices weighed 76g... that's more like 3 slices. 213 calories. An extra 73 calories that would've been unknown, right there. Enough of those errors, and you're eating enough more than you think to really screw up your losses.

Lots of people can lose, at least in the beginning, without weighing. But if you aren't losing, it's really the best place to start. That, and making sure you're picking good database entries, that you ALWAYS log, that you aren't forgetting anything (licks of a spoon, mints, bit of butter used in cooking, etc).

cresyluna

It is true you don't HAVE to weigh all of your food, but when you're frustrated that you're not losing (although really, giving yourself more time maybe the answer too!) it can certainly provide an answer - I remember awhile ago I thought "I eat pretty healthy, not like a ton or anything" then I was astounded when I actually weighed my food for a day at how off I was on things like shredded cheese or morning cereal or whatever. And I don't really weight everything, once I got a better idea of what actually constituted some proper servings of common foods I didn't bother - thus my weight loss is at a snail's pace (19lb in a little over 6 months). Which I'm cool with. If you're not, try weighing your food for a day or two and see if you're really getting what you think in terms of calories per day.

amy8400

lwielgosz wrote: »

I get on my treadmill for about 45-60min 5 days a week walking for 2-3miles each time.

lwielgosz wrote: »

I really don't think they the only way to lose weight is to weigh every food that you eat. I don't have a good scale and I really don't have the time to weigh everything I consume.

If you have time to walk 45-60 minutes a day, why don't you believe you have a few seconds to weigh your food?

For $20 you can own a nice food scale. Like @futuremanda said, you just plunk your food on the scale. It's easy and in seconds you know exactly what you're consuming.

cavia

lwielgosz wrote: »

I really don't think they the only way to lose weight is to weigh every food that you eat. I don't have a good scale and I really don't have the time to weigh everything I consume. If something is x amount of calories per serving and 1 serving is 5 pieces. Why would you need to weigh it?

It takes seconds per meal to weigh your food. You're letting seconds stand between you and predictable weightloss?

DonnaHilston

Wow! I haven't been weighing my food so I definitely need to get a scale. So now the question is where the heck do you buy one?

jonpat21

lwielgosz wrote: »

I joined a weight loss challenge event last week and I have been watching my calories and logging every food and actually entering calories on the higher side just to be safe. I work out at least 5 days a week for at least 45min. I got on the scare today and I GAINED 4 pounds!!! What is going on? I cannot for the life of me figure this out ...