32days - 4lbs [Frustrated]

KellyDean242

Hello pals! Today marks 1 month since i've been logging my food, while trying to stay around 1200-1500 calories per day. I lost 4lbs within the first 2 weeks, but the scale has not moved since! This is so frustrating, I was really pushing for 8-10lbs between April 15 and May 15. I've not been exercising but accoring to my fitbit I average 4,500-5,000 steps per day. I've just ordered a foodscale online to help with my measurments but most of my foods are packaged, so I'm not completey off about my intake. What am I doing wrong?

malibu927

Prepackaged foods can still weigh more than what they say.

Two weeks without a loss is fine, as weight loss is not linear. Once you get your food scale, start weighing and logging everything accurately.

jerber160

if you hang in for 6 months to a year, the steady decline when you run a report will make you smile. pound a week.. wish I had it since february

yirara

I'd think you need to readjust your expectations. Losing 8 lbs in 30 days would mean eating 3500*8=28000kcal less per month, or 933 less per day. You only seem to have 31lbs to lose, which is not much. Be honest: is the amount of calories you need in order to stay on the same weight over 2100kcal? I don't think it is with so little to lose. Thus it is not possible to lose so much weight in such a short time to start with. Rather aim at losing at a rate of 1lbs max per week. I'm sure you didn't gain the extra weight in a month either, didn't you?

cc3833

Honestly I would say 4 lbs in a month is pretty good! I am not nearly as versed as most of the people on MFP. But some things for me personally I've realized is when I don't drink enough water I tend to hold on to weight. Also, I would strongly recommend taking your measurements. I usually see a change in my measurements even when I haven't lost any weight.

Also can I ask why you don't work out? I feel like I look much better when I work out verses just eating right. My first 10 lbs I lost I was really happy but my butt and stomach were getting all flabby. Once I started working out things looked tighter and happier :-P

suruda

Weighing your food will help for sure, without looking at your diary I know what helps me is less processed food and more things close to their natural state...Apples, Celery, cucumbers, chicken breasts (grilled or cooked with a little olive oil) are all staples.

Drink lots of water, count everything you eat...even if you "cheated". Putting it down helps hold yourself accountable!

999tigger

Unrealistic expectations. Tighten your logging.

vinerie

That's still a pound a week, which is a nice rate. I would just give it more time. I started weighing myself every day to see how my body responded to what I ate, and I can say that the fluctuations are real. Yesterday I was down 4 pounds for the week. I wanted to be excited, but I knew that was not just fat loss. Today I am up a pound. I really think it's hard to evaluate in such a short time frame (even though a month seems like a long time). If you're sure about your calorie intake vs. output, then the weight loss will come.

I've been at this since August and it's been SLOW. I think that will help in the long-term, though. I think it is possible to drop a lot of weight fast, but it's not sustainable. If you do it slow, it will last.

Also--you mentioned pre-packaged foods. Is that like frozen dinners, etc.? Lots of sodium in those, which can make you hold on to some water weight. Drinking more water can help with that.

Good luck, though. It's a marathon, not a sprint (as much as I wish it were otherwise!!)

suruda

AND a pound a week is a good rate, as frustrating as it might be. I am currently at .5 a week...so slow but I know it will pay off in the long run! Make sure you have other ways to measure success, some pants that are tight now, or taking measurements...take lots of before and during photos!

nicola8989

that's still a good rate. I know it's disheartening - I've been doing this for 40 days and lost 6lb - 4lb in my first week, 2lb in my second, nothing since. It makes me feel really low sometimes but it will even out and slow weight loss is a good thing - it means it'll stay off long-term.

CSARdiver

Don't get frustrated so soon. This is a marathon - one where small changes over time will produce dramatic long term benefits. Adding a food scale is a great start and I hope you stick with exercising - not only do you get the health benefits, but it occupies you and simply helps building the mind/body/spirit.

I'm not a believer is weight loss for its own sake and to be successful this should be a means to some greater goal.

lrdavenport23

I would recommend for you to take your measurements because you've probably lost some inches too. You've lost 4 lbs. so that's progress, but remember losing weight is a very slow process that takes a lot of patience, determination and consistency. I've learned to not focus so much on what the scale says because my clothes fit better, my skin is looking better than it has in a long time, I'm sleeping better from working out more, and I feel good knowing I'm making healthier choices for my family and me.

Keep pushing forward and the weight will eventually come off in time.

StaciMarie1974

The last 2 weeks of no loss could be related to your TOM/hormones. Or sodium, stress, etc.

I'd suggest get the food scale, aim for precision in logging. And find ways to increase your steps. Challenge yourself to make it 5500-6500, then after a few weeks increase from there. That will mean burning more calories. I don't know your stats, but at 4500-5500 steps a day, you're fairly sedentary. And without additional exercise or activity, your body can only burn so much. Which means your deficit is not going to be huge.

KellyDean242

Thank you all for your replies! I guess being patient is keep. My weekly diet consist of instant oatmeal, whole wheal bread, cheese slices, assorted friut, deli meats, fish, poultry, occasional oreo (3) without the filling, 40z sorbet, white rice (a cup), salads.

I am currently 185lbs, 5'5", 28. Im set as sedentary but clock 4,500 - 5,000 per day on my fitbit flex.

KellyDean242

Thank you all for your replies! I guess being patient is keep. My weekly diet consist of instant oatmeal, whole wheal bread, cheese slices, assorted friut, deli meats, fish, poultry, occasional oreo (3) without the filling, 40z sorbet, white rice (a cup), salads.

I am currently 185lbs, 5'5", 28. Im set as sedentary but clock 4,500 - 5,000 per day on my fitbit flex.

sarahlifts

That averages to 1 lb a week. That is awesome congrats!
You have to curb your expectations, it will come off if you do the work.

Great idea on getting the food scale. that will help leaps and bounds. Sometimes even prepackaged foods are not correct in weight. I wouldn't worry about that.

10,000 steps a day should be your aim. If you practice some form of exercise that you enjoy even if its just dancing in your living room for 30 mins, that would increase your deficit.

The only thing you are doing wrong is not acknowledging your efforts and wanting this to be a sprint. Its a marathon.

What helped me early on is taking weekly photos consistently for 6 months.

Just keep going. Don't lose hope. Just do the work. Barring a medical issue, the results will come.

StaciMarie1974

So your BMR is ~1633 and with sedentary activity you probably burn in a day 1900-2050 calories. Eating 1200-1500 means you have a deficit, roughly, of 625 a day. (I took the averages.) So you're doing good at 4 pounds in 4 weeks. I imagine your main frustration is it seems like you lose 4 pounds in 2 weeks, and 0 in the most recent 2 weeks. If your activity/routine has been consistent then the culprit is almost guaranteed to be water weight.

Your body can retain water for different reasons. A common one for women: hormones/TOM and its not the same for everyone. I retain when I start and for the next 10-12 days. Some women report they retain the week before. Then there is sodium, stress, lack of sleep, and muscle repair. The good news: its temporary. Dont' worry about water weight, and trust the science and give it a chance to work. Compare weight 30 days at a time. So comparing now to 30 days ago: you're down 4 pounds. You'll probably be down another 4-5 at this time next month.

You probably won't see a faster rate of loss unless you're able to increase your activity/exercise. And in time, to sustain the 1/week average you may need to do that anyhow. As you lose weight, your body will burn less calories to take care of itself so your burn will go down. And your deficit.

KellyDean242

@StaciMarie1974 thats it! My main frustration is that it seems like I lost 4 pounds in 2 weeks, and 0 in the most recent 2 weeks!!! lol I won't give up but I'm sure hoping to see the scale move a nudge or for my clothing to fit better. I will take my measurements today to keep track of those and will learn to use my home gym a little more.

KellyDean242

I figured setting an 8-10lbs goal each month was reasonable but I guess I am wrong.

emdeesea

Definitely just be patient. I came back from a vacation at the end of April, where I gained 2 pounds. I came back and immediately went back to logging, weighing, etc. My weight stubbornly stayed basically the same every day, and then last night I dropped a pound overnight.

Just keep doing it. You may be losing weight, but it's just not showing on the scale just yet. But keep doing it. You'd have to be an oddity of nature to not lose weight if you're doing everything right.

StaciMarie1974

If you track your weight over the next few months, you'll probably see a pattern form. Of "losing" for part of the month, and maintaining for part of the month. You may even see some ups on the scale. Think big picture, and try not to panic unless you stay the same or go up long term. If you are less today than 30 days ago, you're good!

Laurend224

KellyDean242 wrote: »

I figured setting an 8-10lbs goal each month was reasonable but I guess I am wrong.

Only if you started out very heavy. Congrats on the loss, keep at it!

krismurphydc

I suggest stepping up the exercise. Exercising at least twice a week where you can build up a pretty good sweat will help.

BramageOMG

You mention deli meat which is extremely high in Sodium. Sodium can contribute to water weight. When I cut Sodium down, a lot of good things happened. Also: Drink as much water as you can. It seems counter productive to drink water to negate water weight, but it does.

drjimmy86

Flat spots in weight loss are going to happen. Be as accurate as you can be with your logging. The food scale was the right move. Results are not "quick" but they are steady. 2 months from now you will look at how much you lost and you will be happy. I am on week 20 and very pleased with the results. BTW, not to sound preachy but packaged food often has a lot of sodium. Sodium = water retention.

coreyreichle

KellyDean242 wrote: »

Hello pals! Today marks 1 month since i've been logging my food, while trying to stay around 1200-1500 calories per day. I lost 4lbs within the first 2 weeks, but the scale has not moved since! This is so frustrating, I was really pushing for 8-10lbs between April 15 and May 15. I've not been exercising but accoring to my fitbit I average 4,500-5,000 steps per day. I've just ordered a foodscale online to help with my measurments but most of my foods are packaged, so I'm not completey off about my intake. What am I doing wrong?

You're likely over-estimating calories out. I've recently decided to sever the Runkeeper-MFP connection, as I surmise it was overestimating my caloric burn, and instead manually enter. And, I'm back on track.

coreyreichle

KellyDean242 wrote: »

I figured setting an 8-10lbs goal each month was reasonable but I guess I am wrong.

Realistically, I would look to do 1lb per week, over a long period average. Sometimes, you just hit a plateau, and I wouldn't worry about it. Just keep on keeping on.

Unknown

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Alligator423

Not to seem as if I am giving praise for a high-sodium diet, but provided your sodium intake doesn't fluctuate, it won't cause you to gain/lose any water weight. It's only an issue if one week (weigh-in) you eat a lower sodium diet and then increase your intake, causing an increase in water weight (and conversely if you generally eat a high sodium diet and then decrease, you will lose that water weight).

KellyDean242

Thank you all for your suggestions! Food scale arrives tomorrow! I hadnt considered the sodium, good point!

cha97shelley

I've only lost a few pounds since January and I am heavier than you, but I am exercising a lot more than I used to and I have pictures that show I have lost a lot from round my tummy area. It is frustrating not seeing the scales move, but you just need to keep doing the small things and eventually they do make a much bigger impact. The 5000 steps is still classed as sedentary. If you are looking at increasing your activity, a good way to start is by just adding 500 extra steps to that goal every day until your doing that comfortably. Then try adding another 500. I have been trying to work out where the tipping point is with walking to see movement on the scales, and I know that its higher than 10,000 from seeing what other people with fitbits do who have lost weight. I've got my average to about 11700 a day, and I am striving to get that even higher. Long term, I want to be at least 15,000 a day, with some days where I am higher. However, at the moment, I am also trying to do other exercises like weight lifting so I am trying not to get too cross with myself.