What am I doing wrong?

fearlessly
fearlessly Posts: 51 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
So I've been on a new regimen for about two weeks now. I started at 279, and after dropping down to 272 after two days, I've stayed there +/- an inconsistent pound or two. Because I'm so big, I'm used to losing weight pretty quickly whenever I diet, but it's just not happening, and I have no idea why.

DIET - I take in about 1600 calories/day. My typical morning meal is 3 egg whites + 1 full egg and two slices of turkey bacon. For lunch, either a basic salad just adding grilled chicken and a low-fat vinaigrette or a vegetable soup, and for dinner normally grilled chicken or turkey with steamed vegetables. I'll snack throughout the day, never more than 100 calories... a granola bar, single-serve popcorn, pudding, piece of fruit, whatever. Maybe three per day. I do one cheat day a week where I take in approximately 2500-3000 calories (but that hasn't really significantly raised my weight at all either).

EXERCISE - I've gone six times a week the last two weeks. Every day I do cardio for about 30 minutes to burn off 400-500 calories and stay around 80% max heart rate, then alternate upper body/arms with legs/abs.

I'm sure my diet/exercise routine isn't perfect, but I was at the very least expecting to be down at least another 5 pounds by now. I certainly feel a bit more mass in my arms for example, but I don't think that really compensates for the lack of loss in fat... right?

Any tips or advice would be greatly appreciated.

Replies

  • Anayalata
    Anayalata Posts: 391 Member
    Do the math.

    1600 a day + 2500~ once a week averages out to around 1725 a day.

    You exercise 400~ a day 6x a week.

    Your net calories (on average) each day are a little less than 1400.

    You're not an average sized person so the "1200 calories a day!" rule isn't going to apply to you.

    You'd need around 2800~ a day to maintain weight if you weren't exercising. Even if you subtract 1000 calories a day, that's still 1800 a day. Then add in your exercise and you're well over 2000 a day to LOSE weight. As it stands you're effectively eating at least 1500 calories under your maintenance.

    But that's just my guess based on the math.
  • jwdieter
    jwdieter Posts: 2,582 Member
    Don't expect to lose 12 pounds in 2 weeks.
  • JesterMFP
    JesterMFP Posts: 3,596 Member
    You've lost 7 lbs in 2 weeks? Sounds pretty good to me. Maybe adjust your expectations.
  • fearlessly
    fearlessly Posts: 51 Member
    Well I lost 7 pounds in one day then nothing for twelve. That's why I'm concerned.
  • jwdieter
    jwdieter Posts: 2,582 Member
    Well I lost 7 pounds in one day then nothing for twelve. That's why I'm concerned.

    Give it a couple more weeks. The huge drop up front probably was just a water weight/waste disposal loss. If you've held on to keep -7 at 2 weeks, that's great.
  • kellykw
    kellykw Posts: 184 Member
    Yeah, you didn't really lose 7 pounds in one day. You have to look at the result over time. 7 pounds in two weeks is awesome. I say keep at it! I'm no expert, but personally I think a daily average of 1725 is reasonable as long as you aren't starving and are losing at least a pound a week. Congratulations on your success so far.
  • deksgrl
    deksgrl Posts: 7,237 Member
    Is your ticker correct, you need to lose 33 pounds? Set MFP to lose 1 pound a week. Eat back your exercise calories.

    1600 calories a day does not seem like enough for a young man. I am a 50 year old woman and I eat more than that to lose weight.
  • crisbabe81
    crisbabe81 Posts: 170
    I would start logging your food. Most likely what happen is you lost water weight initially and then over the course of the last 2 weeks you have been loosing fat but are retaining water so you don't see the loss. I don't know if that makes sense... Have you ever heard of the fat loss whoosh? Basically our fat cells end up holding water when they don't normally the fat cell is hoping it will get more fat in it, when it doesnt get more fat eventually the water in the cell releases and you will have a loss on the scale.

    This website to me spelled it out pretty good. http://www.ttfatloss.com/fat-loss-whoosh-effect/

    Don't lose faith, stay the course. I would however increase calories as others have suggested.
  • xinit0
    xinit0 Posts: 310 Member
    I've done a pretty steady 10lbs per month for the past three months on 1900-2100 per day in, and about an 45-60 minutes of moderate to fast walking, and I'm at 216lb now. You're bigger than I am, and you will need more calories than I do.
  • MinnieInMaine
    MinnieInMaine Posts: 6,400 Member
    How do you know how many calories you're eating if you're not logging? As others have said, it sounds like you're not eating nearly enough for a young active man. 1200 is the average minimum for women, I believe for men it's at least 1500 and that's NET calories - meaning you eating 1500 plus whatever you earn from exercise.

    Looks like MFP gave you a daily goal of 2000, based on what I'm not sure but if you're looking to lose about 30 pounds, 1 pound per week is a good goal. Most of us lose more intiially as improved diet, water intake, etc helps to get rid of the excess water weight. Slow and steady (1-2 pounds per week) is much more attainable and you'll be more likely to keep it off once you get to goal by learning portion control and making small improvements in your diet.
  • randomgirlusa
    randomgirlusa Posts: 45 Member
    Maybe you peed 3.5 pounds and then pooed the other 3.5.

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