Where did I go wrong?

MysticalT

Weigh in day today and I am totally gutted that I haven't lost a thing, not even 0.1lb, nothing. OK so I haven't stuck to the calories religiously but I've looked at what my maintenance calories would be and most of the time I don't come near it.

So my maintenance calories are 2040. My current goal is 1200.

Monday and Tuesday - didn't log but the OH was off work so all we tend to have is dinner and a packet of crisps - exercise 30 minutes.
Wednesday - 1129, 380 remaining - exercise 1hr 15 minutes.
Thursday - 1095, 379 remaining - exercise 1hr 7 minutes.
Friday - 1731, 39 remaining - exercise 148 minute walk.
Saturday - 1896, 598 over - exercise 30 minutes.
Sunday - 1854, 530 over - exercise 31 minutes.

The calorie counts do include exercise calories as I have never had a problem eating them before. I haven't reached maintenance calories.

Where am I going wrong? I know I should be eating less but even on previous weeks when I did this before I have lost something! My body isn't used to the daily exercise which is why I haven't been doing a lot and I still ache. I use weights for some exercise but I don't add anything extra for using them.

I feel really fed up now and can feel myself slipping into the 'what's the point' frame of mind. Do I stop eating exercise calories? This is usually my motivation for exercising, that I know I will be under on my diary. Am I not exercising enough? Have I not lost because I've exercised everyday and my body isn't used to it?

Please help

Alatariel75

I notice your 3 most recent days are the ones that you went higher/over - would they also be high sodium days? I'm ALWAYS up on Mondays from the weekend due to sodium, it's one of the reasons I weigh in on Fridays so I have all week to ditch the water retention.

middlehaitch

Are you actually weighing and measuring your food or just guesstimating and going off package labels?

If you are not weighing there is a good chance that you are eating more than you think.

Are you overestimating your calorie expenature through exercise? Eat back 50% and see if that makes a difference. MFP is notorious for over estimating calorie burns.

You don't say how long you have been losing weight on MFP. If it has only been a few weeks, give it a couple more months with your logging tightened up.

Weight loss is a slow process that is not linear.

Cheers, h.

dakotababy

"What is the point" is that you will at least keep the weight you have already lost and not gain it back - do not let yourself slip back because then you will REALLY be upset with yourself.

You are practicing for maintenance at this point.

tomnev1

Don't use this set-back as an excuse to give up.

Nobody here will tell you something you already don't know or can't google for yourself.
1. Exercise more and faster - try cycling if you feel that running is not for you. Less impact.
2. Talk a walk with headphones and some wrist weights. Go about 2 miles (3ks) but don't run.
3. Log everything - that means everything. No days off, no weekends off, no "it's just a pack of crisps with the hubby."
4. Google "SMART Objectives". It works in every other aspect of life - work, money etc, so it will work in weight loss. It's not rocket science and it's something you know yourself.
5. Exercise calories - the more you exercise the more you can eat, but it's not a target. If you can eat more 600 cals more per day, great. But you don't need to have a bar of chocolate just because you have room to spare. The greater the deficit, and the more days of deficit, the faster you will lose weight.
6. Stay motivated - this is the hard bit. You've had a sey back and you feel awful right now. Read some of the success stories here, everything from the guys that lost 300 lbs to the guys that dropped one jean size.

You can do it if you believe in yourself. If you find yourself saying "what's the point", try to meet other people who are determined. If you can't meet them, become friends with them here.

If you say "what's the point", you will not lose weight. If you say "I feel awful, but I'm going to go for a short walk and listen to some tunes to clear my head", then you will succeed.

LivingtheLeanDream

You might step on the scales tomorrow and see a loss, thats how it goes, weight fluctuates... keep on going, you will lose.

Machka9

I weigh every day because weight fluctuates. It's interesting to see the effect of things like increased sodium, extra exercise, etc. And because there's a pattern, I don't worry about it.



But ... it does help to stick to the diet every day. 1200 might be a little low ... maybe try for 1250 or 1300. That might be more manageable. Also note that things like packets of crisps tend to be very high in calories. If you're craving salt, have a salted whole wheat biscuit, a pickle, or some sliced and salted cucumber instead.

And the exercise you're doing is good, but it doesn't burn a lot of calories. 100 cal/30 min for a walk.

MysticalT

Thank you for all your replies, it is appreciated.

I didn't realise that I could look at sodium, fat etc day by day and it seems I go over on fat and carbs quite often so now I have something to work on.

I try not to eat all of my exercise calories because they are so low at the minute but I find it difficult to stick to 1200 a day, maybe upping my calories a little could help. I do like the smart objectives, they make sense.

I did give myself a kick this morning and did 40 minutes of Zumba.

Thank you to everyone for the advise, I'm going to watch other aspects as well as the calories from now on and try to fit in more exercise without consuming the extra calories it gives.

Sometimes I just need someone else to confirm what I already know but I've learnt something from this too

alyssagb1

tomnev1 wrote: »

Don't use this set-back as an excuse to give up.

Nobody here will tell you something you already don't know or can't google for yourself.
1. Exercise more and faster - try cycling if you feel that running is not for you. Less impact.
2. Talk a walk with headphones and some wrist weights. Go about 2 miles (3ks) but don't run.
3. Log everything - that means everything. No days off, no weekends off, no "it's just a pack of crisps with the hubby."
4. Google "SMART Objectives". It works in every other aspect of life - work, money etc, so it will work in weight loss. It's not rocket science and it's something you know yourself.
5. Exercise calories - the more you exercise the more you can eat, but it's not a target. If you can eat more 600 cals more per day, great. But you don't need to have a bar of chocolate just because you have room to spare. The greater the deficit, and the more days of deficit, the faster you will lose weight.
6. Stay motivated - this is the hard bit. You've had a sey back and you feel awful right now. Read some of the success stories here, everything from the guys that lost 300 lbs to the guys that dropped one jean size.

You can do it if you believe in yourself. If you find yourself saying "what's the point", try to meet other people who are determined. If you can't meet them, become friends with them here.

If you say "what's the point", you will not lose weight. If you say "I feel awful, but I'm going to go for a short walk and listen to some tunes to clear my head", then you will succeed.

Great advise.

tomnev1

MysticalT wrote: »

Thank you for all your replies, it is appreciated.

I didn't realise that I could look at sodium, fat etc day by day and it seems I go over on fat and carbs quite often so now I have something to work on.

I try not to eat all of my exercise calories because they are so low at the minute but I find it difficult to stick to 1200 a day, maybe upping my calories a little could help. I do like the smart objectives, they make sense.

I did give myself a kick this morning and did 40 minutes of Zumba.

Thank you to everyone for the advise, I'm going to watch other aspects as well as the calories from now on and try to fit in more exercise without consuming the extra calories it gives.

Sometimes I just need someone else to confirm what I already know but I've learnt something from this too

Well done on the zumba. If you enjoy it, go for it.

As regards the calories, it is really hard but there are two things which I find really help me.
1. Do not under any circumstances eat mainstream boxed breakfast cereals. Even low sugar cereals like Bran Flakes and Cork Flakes contain sugar, give you a sugar rush and leave you feeling empty by 10am. Have porridge instead. Leave it to soak in a bowl with low fat milk for about 10 mins (or in the fridge overnight if you can) then zap it at 800watts (a normal microwave) for one minute. Assuming you use low fat milk, then you should be coming in around 70 cals depending on portion and most of that is the milk. It will keep you going for three hours. If you can tolerate porridge with just water, even better.
2. Drink water. I love tea. I drink tea like there's no tomorrow. And tea itself is fine. But psychologically tea means a biscuit (cookie). So until I can uncouple the concept of having a biscuit with tea, I drink water.

In short, you'll always find an excuse not to do it. These aren't magic solutions but they help me.

Keep the spirits up. You can do it.

MysticalT

I do enjoy the Zumba, another 40 minutes done this morning

I don't usually eat cereals anyway. he only thing I have is Special K porridge made with skimmed milk which is 154 calories. I much prefer a slice of toast with a scrambled egg unfortunately it doesn't seem to fill me up for long.

I'm trying to swap coffee for fruit teas not a great calorie difference but it's got to be better than 6/7 coffees a day.

I enjoy food and love cooking new recipes etc, I just find it difficult to find low calorie ones that don't leave everyone else diving on the fridge later on in the evening which just sets me off!

I weighed again this morning and it did show a slight loss so maybe it was just a bad weekend along with too much fat content.

Spirits are higher than yesterday! Thanks

healthygreek

Are you weighing everything you eat?
Measuring all your caloric be beverages?

MysticalT

healthygreek wrote: »

Are you weighing everything you eat?
Measuring all your caloric be beverages?

Yes I weigh everything and create my own recipes which I stick to. I do log drinks etc too.

999tigger

Accept the cico, am sure everyones said it above, but when I hit a slowdown then I dont let it get to me and look for the solution rather than feel sad about it.

Not losey weighty, then I think im eating more than i realise, im burning less or im just being impatient. It boils down to that. have a look at the calorie counting 101 sticky and you need to go over the accuracy of your input and output calories. I will point out if you are eating back exercise calories then you are burning less than you think. Expermient be patient and focus on doing the right things.

Start by reducing eatback calories by 50% for 3 weeks and see what happens. Do not get fooled by fluctuations.