Weight go away!

mrsfabbanks

Hello everyone I'm trying to understand exactly what I'm doing wrong and correct it (and stick with it). So I've been trying to lose weight for a while now, but really got motivated a few months ago with a month or of two generously over indulging here and there(and not consistent daily workouts). I recently set a goal for myself to lose 50 lbs by March, and also walk 3 miles a day(today will be my 3rd day in a row of this). I also lowered my cal intake from 1500 to 1400 thinking this would yield immediate results, but it hasn't. How can I speed things along and my reach my 50 lbs lost by March. Anyone with advice, please help!

Machka9

You've only been doing this for 3 days? It doesn't happen that quickly. I know for me, it took 10 days before I saw any results.

Think about it ... if you're in deficit by 500 calories, and 1 lb = 3500 calories, it would be a week before you might possibly see a small result.

Just stick with it. Weigh and log everything you eat meticulously ... and stick with it.

999tigger

Targets should be realistic otherwise they end up frustrating and cause people to feel like failures when they arent met.

Weight loss isnt linear nor will you get immediate results, you need to learn patience and accept things take time. Its the trend you are looking for and not the results of any one day.

Learn how weight loss works: http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1080242/a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants/p1

Be patient realistic and consistent.
Master your deficit by weighing with a scale and logging. This makes you effective.
3 miles a day, every day and without eating back is likely to yield about 300 cals or just over 1/2lb a week loss on no eatback. Exercise is beneficial and handy but dont overestimate how many calories it burns.

The mistakes people make are, not being patient or realistic, not being at consistent deficit, thinking they burn more than they do. If you avoid those then you are a good way onto losing weight successfully.

mrsfabbanks

Sw:314
Cw:290
I lost about 10 lbs(maybe water weight),the first month. I guess I thought it would be the same throughout my journey. 1400 calories and burn 500. Am I too just eat all of the 1400?

tkphotogirl

Machka9 wrote: »

Just stick with it. Weigh and log everything you eat meticulously ... and stick with it.

^^^ This.

Machka9

mrsfabbanks wrote: »

Sw:314
Cw:290
I lost about 10 lbs(maybe water weight),the first month. I guess I thought it would be the same throughout my journey. 1400 calories and burn 500. Am I too just eat all of the 1400?

You're not burning 500 walking 3 miles. Maybe 300 ... and as you lose weight, even less than that.

Eat the 1400 cal and if you have the occasional day where you're feeling especially hungry, you could probably go to 1550 cal (1400 + half of 300) = 1550.

mrsfabbanks

You're not burning 500 walking 3 miles. Maybe 300 ... and as you lose weight, even less than that.



[/quote]
The runners app I use tracks my daily walks, is this not a good app?

Machka9

mrsfabbanks wrote: »

You're not burning 500 walking 3 miles. Maybe 300 ... and as you lose weight, even less than that.

The runners app I use tracks my daily walks, is this not a good app?[/quote]

Most apps tend to overestimate calories burned. Some are probably sort of close, some overestimate by quite a bit.

If your goal is to lose weight, it is better to underestimate your exercise calories. And then only eat back about half of that number.

999tigger

I think the walk is more than 300 considering the OP weighs 290.
You cna probably lose 2lb a week OP, but to do that you need to be creating a daily deficit of 1000.
The less you weigh the harder this gets.
Keep things accurate and adjust as needed.

boricua3177

OP, I would suggest you buy yourself a heart rate monitor...the kind with a chest strap. That will give you an accurate assessment of how many calories you are burning. I got a nice one from Amazon (this is the one I have: http://www.amazon.com/Polar-Heart-Monitor-Black-Silver/dp/B001U0OFDC/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1442413423&sr=8-2&keywords=polar+heart+rate+monitor). Those apps that track your walks don't give an accurate number of calories burned, they are estimates & often times OVER estimate. Even in MFP they over estimate the calories for an exercise.

Another thing is to invest in a kitchen scale. Weigh your food, that way you are logging in your portions accurately. I also create recipes in MFP to see exactly how many calories my meals are.

Also, scales aren't the end all be all. Loss of inches is huge too. I have plateaued in weight for the past 2 months, but yet I am still losing inches. I rarely weigh myself, I prefer inches lost over weight. Inches lost means I am literally smaller. ;-)

It takes patience. I would take the focus off your March deadline....that will discourage you. Just log, exercise, & measure yourself. As the inches go down, so will your clothes size.

mrsfabbanks

You guys are awesome and I truly appreciate your feedback! Hr monitor and food scale will be purchase next week. Any suggestions on food scale??

Lizzy622

24 pounds is a great start. If you lose like me though, it may not come off as scheduled. Don't get discouraged or make really drastic changes like a 900 calorie a day diet. You have this.

Machka9

mrsfabbanks wrote: »

You guys are awesome and I truly appreciate your feedback! Hr monitor and food scale will be purchase next week. Any suggestions on food scale??

My food scale came from the local grocery store. They had two or three different kinds ... and that one seemed the nicest.