Should I see a doctor?
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Um, no, but she said it was 2 lbs a MONTH, and that's pretty slow.First of all for a person who is 5ft 2" and still has to intake a full amount of nutrients (I.e. you're playing in 1200 territory) a loss of MORE than 2lbs a week is NOT slow unless you engage in an insane amount of exercise.
OP, I feel for you. I was in the same predicament: 5'2", age over 60, constant struggle, little or no progress for what felt like an eternity. But for the past 8 weeks I've been losing steadily, about 1½ lb/week. I sincerely believe that it was weighing my food and logging everything that made the difference. I don't always stay within my calorie limit, but at least I don't go beyond it without being totally aware of the fact.
Weighing isn't tricker than using measuring cups and spoons, particularly not if you do almost all your own cooking.
Best of luck to you!0 -
You might be in a plateau. I have been in a plateau since Mar. The last plateau (the one that ended in Mar.) started in October.
If you are logging everything with precision and you are at a deficit, you still might not lose weight if you are in a plateau. I get serial plateaus. Eventually I have a big "whoosh" where I'll lose several lbs. in a few days.0 -
DemoraFairy wrote: »Yeah, one glace at the diary and the problem is pretty apparent! You've got a lot of entries in cups, slices, tablespoons, 'servings', etc. Get a food scale and start weighing everything - this is the only way to be absolutely sure of how many calories you're eating. You're probably eating a lot more than you think.
Hopefully someone will post a particular video of a guy comparing measuring cups to the actual weight, it's pretty good for demonstrating this! (I'd post it but can't at the moment)
This one?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JVjWPclrWVY
Thank you for posting this! I kept seeing it but I couldn't watch it at work cause my computer was too slow. Great video!0 -
GreenValli wrote: »TheVirgoddess wrote: »Do you weigh your food using a scale?
Yes, I do use a scale and measuring cups for most things. I do not bother for things like lettuce, or smaller calories items.
For example: This morning I counted out dried raisins, cranberries, and walnuts. Measured out oatmeal using a measuring cup, and teaspoon for measuring out a teaspoon of marmalade. Did not measure out the 2% milk I added to my coffee though, but still logged it.
You can't count dried fruit or walnuts.
For example, I bought some almonds, a serving is 28g (28 almonds), if you believe the package. But if you weigh them, it's more like 20 almonds for a serving. That's 60 calories right there. It adds up, especially with calorie dense foods like dried fruit and nuts.
Your tablespoon of marmelade could be anywhere from 0.8 a serving to 2 servings too... just put the jar on the scale, tare it, then see how much you removed from the jar.
Always weigh solids. Plus really, it's just much easier to just tare your bowl than count raisins!0 -
DemoraFairy wrote: »Yeah, one glace at the diary and the problem is pretty apparent! You've got a lot of entries in cups, slices, tablespoons, 'servings', etc. Get a food scale and start weighing everything - this is the only way to be absolutely sure of how many calories you're eating. You're probably eating a lot more than you think.
Hopefully someone will post a particular video of a guy comparing measuring cups to the actual weight, it's pretty good for demonstrating this! (I'd post it but can't at the moment)
This one?https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JVjWPclrWVY
And this could entirely be my problem, as well;; I've been debating for a few weeks now as to whether I should buy a food scale or not, the very thought makes me feel as if I may be going down a slippery slope of being obsessive.
This video, however, pushes a lot of that uneasiness to the side. Thanks for posting this!0 -
As people have said, you should use a food scale. For things like slices of cucumber or baby carrots, it's not really necessary, since the difference is probably within the margin of error anyway. But for things like dried fruit or nuts, you should definitely weigh them - they are calorie dense (a small inaccuracy can be a significant difference). Also with things like oats, I've found that the "1/4 cup" serving by weight is usually less than 1/4 cup, meaning that if you scoop out 1/4 cup (and level it, as you are meant to do), it's still more than what you are logging.
I should point out that it's especially important to weigh packaged food (such as bread). In my experience, they are almost always larger than they say.
Another thing that jumped out at me is the logging of generic entries, e.g. 1 soft chocolate chip cookie at 80 calories. Unless that's a tiny cookie, that's probably a significant underestimate. If you are making items yourself, you should use the recipe builder, not log a generic entry. If that was a treat out and you can only estimate the calories, then you should probably estimate a higher amount!
I personally prefer this video to the peanut butter video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?list=FLxRg_80KHM-BdcHvV7nkgfg&v=vjKPIcI51lU . In the peanut butter one, the person doesn't know how to use a measuring cup properly. Although I guess this video is more of an argument for not eyeballing than not using measuring cups, but both apply.
Finally, I'll say that it's actually much easier and quicker to use a scale than a measuring cup, and there's fewer dishes! All you have to do is plop your bowl/plate/whatever on the scale, zero it, and add the first ingredient. Zero it again, add the next thing, and so on. Alternatively, you can place the container of food you're serving from and measure what you remove (then you don't have to worry about whatever is left on the spoon).0 -
Peachiko87 wrote: »DemoraFairy wrote: »Yeah, one glace at the diary and the problem is pretty apparent! You've got a lot of entries in cups, slices, tablespoons, 'servings', etc. Get a food scale and start weighing everything - this is the only way to be absolutely sure of how many calories you're eating. You're probably eating a lot more than you think.
Hopefully someone will post a particular video of a guy comparing measuring cups to the actual weight, it's pretty good for demonstrating this! (I'd post it but can't at the moment)
This one?https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JVjWPclrWVY
And this could entirely be my problem, as well;; I've been debating for a few weeks now as to whether I should buy a food scale or not, the very thought makes me feel as if I may be going down a slippery slope of being obsessive.
This video, however, pushes a lot of that uneasiness to the side. Thanks for posting this!
It might seem like it's obsessive or on the road to becoming obsessive, but I find that using a food scale gives me a lot more leeway. I don't have to worry about getting things to an exact number (like exactly one cup) and at the end of the day there are a few less things to wash when doing dishes.
As for the person who says the person isn't using the measuring cups in the video correctly, that's the point that they are trying to make. A lot of us (myself included) tend to fill it to the brim and make sure that it's packed in good.0 -
As for the person who says the person isn't using the measuring cups in the video correctly, that's the point that they are trying to make. A lot of us (myself included) tend to fill it to the brim and make sure that it's packed in good.
Sure, it can be a compelling video if that's what you do. When I first started here, I was using measuring cups, but I wasn't packing or heaping them, so the video didn't convince me to use a scale. I just told myself "well, they're just doing it wrong, that's the problem." If they had measured out the amount properly but still had a significant discrepancy (which happens all the time, hence why a scale is good), it would have been more convincing for me. I ultimately started using the scale because I was tired of scraping out measuring cups and tablespoons, and then I realized the huge differences you can get between (properly performed) volume measurements and weight measurements.
Also, in the video, they are using a liquid measuring cup. You are not meant to fill that top lip - the 40 grams they show you is about where it's meant to be filled to. The lip is to prevent spillage of the liquid. So not only did they heap the measurement (bad), they also used the wrong cup to begin with!
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Start using a food scale and stop using cups.0
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This video is the one I generally show people - I don't really care for the other one.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vjKPIcI51lU&list=FLxRg_80KHM-BdcHvV7nkgfg&index=1GreenValli wrote: »TheVirgoddess wrote: »Do you weigh your food using a scale?
Yes, I do use a scale and measuring cups for most things. I do not bother for things like lettuce, or smaller calories items.
For example: This morning I counted out dried raisins, cranberries, and walnuts. Measured out oatmeal using a measuring cup, and teaspoon for measuring out a teaspoon of marmalade. Did not measure out the 2% milk I added to my coffee though, but still logged it.
You say you measure with a scale, but I don't see you actually mention using a scale above?0 -
Weigh the oatmeal and raisins.
Let's say you'd like to lose 4 lbs per month. That's about 500 calories per day that you need to eat lower than your TDEE. But you're only losing 2 lbs per month. So that means your true deficit on average is 250 calories per day. Every. Single. Person. Who's been giving advice on this forum can tell you that not measuring the weight of things like oatmeal and raisins can EASILY add up to 250 calories in a day. EASILY.0 -
A couple of other things I noticed:
1. Are you using the Recipe Builder tool for your recipes?
2. It's always more accurate to enter the individual components of a dish than it is to look for something in the database that describes the whole dish. For example, you have "Coffee with Milk and Sugar" listed every morning. I would suggest entering the coffee, milk and sugar as separate items, and weighing the sugar using the food scale. Same thing with the scrambled eggs (enter the eggs and then the butter/oil as separate entries).
I didn't use a food scale for a long time, but it really is easier than using measuring cups/spoons. It's a big time saver and there are so fewer dishes I have to wash!0 -
HI Green,
It looks like you've lost 25 pounds so far. Congratulations!
I read up to where you said your diary is open.
It looks like you don't weigh food, so I suggest getting a food scale if you don't have one. There is a big difference between weighing and measuring, as in 1/2 cup of oatmeal is usually more than 150 calories (something like 38-40 grams). In other words you are underestimating calories in.
I see you have burned well over 300 calories for a half hour on the recumbent bike, and then even more with "Crunch". What is Crunch? In any event, it looks to me like your exercise burns are overestimated. If you get your burn estimates from machines or MFP or other internet/phone app sources, you might want to eat only about 60% of those back.
Be sure to allow MFP to adjust you calorie settings for every ten pounds you lose because we need less calories as we get smaller.0 -
GreenValli wrote: »Weighing and measuring: I do weigh meats and most other solid foods. It seems more reasonable and accurate to me to use measuring spoons for small things like salad dressing and marmalade. I do level them off.
The only changes I can imagine implementing from what you are saying is to weigh oatmeal, which I do eat almost every morning. And eggs: I have not been weighing. With shell or after cooked?
Thanks for all the suggestions. It is hard for me to think that those few things would make that much of a difference, but I am willing to make changes. My diary might look very "full" to you, but I do cook and eat at home almost all of the time. So many of my meals have lots of ingredients that I combine to make items like salads, and such. I will leave my diary open for anyone to view, but will close it later today.
BTW, I do not eat back calories per se. I do allow myself to eat more towards 1400 on days I exercise, and closer to 1200 when I don't go to the gym.
I will look up symptoms of thyroid problems later today. Got to run for now. Thanks everyone! I so appreciate it. I have "doctor" phobia and really don't want to see one unless necessary. I am feeling great and healthy other than being frustrated about a slow weight loss.
Weigh eggs without the shell. In the diary, you can find foods in grams and compare them to the package.
Weigh the oatmeal and raisins prior to cooking.
It's important to weigh all solids because, really, the measuring cups can be deceitful.
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midwesterner85 wrote: »You might be in a plateau. I have been in a plateau since Mar. The last plateau (the one that ended in Mar.) started in October.
If you are logging everything with precision and you are at a deficit, you still might not lose weight if you are in a plateau. I get serial plateaus. Eventually I have a big "whoosh" where I'll lose several lbs. in a few days.
I wonder if this is more natural fluctuations? I do this too, and I've been in maintenance for about a year and a half.0 -
midwesterner85 wrote: »You might be in a plateau. I have been in a plateau since Mar. The last plateau (the one that ended in Mar.) started in October.
If you are logging everything with precision and you are at a deficit, you still might not lose weight if you are in a plateau. I get serial plateaus. Eventually I have a big "whoosh" where I'll lose several lbs. in a few days.
I wonder if this is more natural fluctuations? I do this too, and I've been in maintenance for about a year and a half.
No, it's not natural fluctuations. I know the difference... I will have natural fluctuations during a plateau and still consider it a plateau (because it is). Last time, I had natural fluctuations in the upper 170's and lower 180's. Eventually, I dropped into the lower 170's in a week and have mostly stayed there (with the exception of getting up to 176 a few weeks ago before dropping back down to 172 and 173). When I say I stay the same weight during a plateau, I'm truly gaining and losing a few lbs. from day to day and week to week, but staying within the same range for several months before getting a "whoosh" and dropping into a new range.0 -
GreenValli wrote: »TheVirgoddess wrote: »I do not bother for things like lettuce, or smaller calories items.
Every-damned-thing, right?
Weigh everything, and your problem goes away.
Weigh. Not measure.
Everything.0 -
GreenValli wrote: »Weighing and measuring: I do weigh meats and most other solid foods. It seems more reasonable and accurate to me to use measuring spoons for small things like salad dressing and marmalade. I do level them off.
The only changes I can imagine implementing from what you are saying is to weigh oatmeal, which I do eat almost every morning. And eggs: I have not been weighing. With shell or after cooked?
Thanks for all the suggestions. It is hard for me to think that those few things would make that much of a difference, but I am willing to make changes. My diary might look very "full" to you, but I do cook and eat at home almost all of the time. So many of my meals have lots of ingredients that I combine to make items like salads, and such. I will leave my diary open for anyone to view, but will close it later today.
BTW, I do not eat back calories per se. I do allow myself to eat more towards 1400 on days I exercise, and closer to 1200 when I don't go to the gym.
I will look up symptoms of thyroid problems later today. Got to run for now. Thanks everyone! I so appreciate it. I have "doctor" phobia and really don't want to see one unless necessary. I am feeling great and healthy other than being frustrated about a slow weight loss.
This part might be another issue...Depending on what you're doing for exercise you might not be burning an average of 100 extra calories a day. It's harder to burn 100 than a lot of people think.0 -
midwesterner85 wrote: »midwesterner85 wrote: »You might be in a plateau. I have been in a plateau since Mar. The last plateau (the one that ended in Mar.) started in October.
If you are logging everything with precision and you are at a deficit, you still might not lose weight if you are in a plateau. I get serial plateaus. Eventually I have a big "whoosh" where I'll lose several lbs. in a few days.
I wonder if this is more natural fluctuations? I do this too, and I've been in maintenance for about a year and a half.
No, it's not natural fluctuations. I know the difference... I will have natural fluctuations during a plateau and still consider it a plateau (because it is). Last time, I had natural fluctuations in the upper 170's and lower 180's. Eventually, I dropped into the lower 170's in a week and have mostly stayed there (with the exception of getting up to 176 a few weeks ago before dropping back down to 172 and 173). When I say I stay the same weight during a plateau, I'm truly gaining and losing a few lbs. from day to day and week to week, but staying within the same range for several months before getting a "whoosh" and dropping into a new range.
Thanks for the clarification.0 -
midwesterner85 wrote: »midwesterner85 wrote: »You might be in a plateau. I have been in a plateau since Mar. The last plateau (the one that ended in Mar.) started in October.
If you are logging everything with precision and you are at a deficit, you still might not lose weight if you are in a plateau. I get serial plateaus. Eventually I have a big "whoosh" where I'll lose several lbs. in a few days.
I wonder if this is more natural fluctuations? I do this too, and I've been in maintenance for about a year and a half.
No, it's not natural fluctuations. I know the difference... I will have natural fluctuations during a plateau and still consider it a plateau (because it is). Last time, I had natural fluctuations in the upper 170's and lower 180's. Eventually, I dropped into the lower 170's in a week and have mostly stayed there (with the exception of getting up to 176 a few weeks ago before dropping back down to 172 and 173). When I say I stay the same weight during a plateau, I'm truly gaining and losing a few lbs. from day to day and week to week, but staying within the same range for several months before getting a "whoosh" and dropping into a new range.
I had that happen. But it was because I had gotten sloppy in my logging. Once I was able to take a step back and honestly evaluate what I was doing, the "plateau" stopped and I went on to meet my goal.0
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