Stuck in Reverse

DeathByCheesecake116

Hello fellow MyFitnessPal users,

I am an 18 year old stuck in reverse during my weight loss journey. Here is my info -
Weight: 138
Height: 5'4"
Moderately-Lightly Active (20 Minute Workouts for four days a week plus a basketball practice)

For the first month of the year, everything was going good. I lost a good 5 lbs like I wanted, eating 1800 calories a day. Then, I hit February. Man I have never seen such a plateau. On the weekdays, things go pretty good, but on the weekends I lose it.

I don't know why. I'm doing literally everything right. Eating greek yogurt, eggs, whole wheat bread, almond butter, drinking water/green tea/lemon water, fruits, vegetables..etc..

What am I doing wrong? My goal is 125 lbs and to lose 5lbs per month. I feel like I get my emotions in the way sometimes. If that's the issue, what do I do to change that?

Thank you all for your help in advance!

vespiquenn

If you supposedly lose it on the weekends, you already answered your own question. A day or two of poor eating can be enough to wipe out a good week.

Also, how are you measuring calories? Are you using measuring cups/spoons or just package servings/MFP scanner? Because for an accurate calorie count, you're going to need a food scale. Packaging is notorious for being inaccurate.

Lastly, you will not lose 5lbs a month with that little to lose. At most, you're looking at about a 2lb ball park because you should be at about .5lb loss a week at this point.

arditarose

You say you lose it on weekends, then don't know why you're not losing? It's because...you're losing it on weekends.

I'm 5'4" as well. When I was 138 I had to get STRICT with my logging. I shaved off 100 calories from my deficit during the week to give myself some extra calories on the weekend. EVERYTHING got weight. I packed lunch every day, found a few things I wasn't logging as carefully...and stuck to that calorie goal on the weekend (which was easier since I reduced my deficit during the week).

DeathByCheesecake116

I mean I eat like a pig on the weekends, but weekdays I'm eating right. If that makes sense. And if I'm not strict..then I think I have more flexibility than I think.

DeathByCheesecake116

I have done both measuring ways.

vespiquenn wrote: »

Lastly, you will not lose 5lbs a month with that little to lose. At most, you're looking at about a 2lb ball park because you should be at about .5lb loss a week at this point.

What do you mean?

DeathByCheesecake116

arditarose wrote: »

You say you lose it on weekends, then don't know why you're not losing? It's because...you're losing it on weekends.

I'm 5'4" as well. When I was 138 I had to get STRICT with my logging. I shaved off 100 calories from my deficit during the week to give myself some extra calories on the weekend. EVERYTHING got weight. I packed lunch every day, found a few things I wasn't logging as carefully...and stuck to that calorie goal on the weekend (which was easier since I reduced my deficit during the week).

And it worked? How fast did you go from 138 to 135. Because I seem to struggle getting below 137.

kimny72

OP, in order to lose weight, you need to eat less calories than your body burns in a day. If you aren't losing weight, then you aren't in a calorie deficit. Based on what you posted, it sounds like you are eating enough extra on the weekends to put you over for the week. Plus you are already at a healthy weight for your height, so you need to be on point to keep losing.

Are you logging everything? Are you using a food scale? If not, start doing it, see how much you are really eating, and then tweak from there. To lose weight, how much you eat is more important than what you eat.

arditarose

DeathByCheesecake116 wrote: »

arditarose wrote: »

You say you lose it on weekends, then don't know why you're not losing? It's because...you're losing it on weekends.

I'm 5'4" as well. When I was 138 I had to get STRICT with my logging. I shaved off 100 calories from my deficit during the week to give myself some extra calories on the weekend. EVERYTHING got weight. I packed lunch every day, found a few things I wasn't logging as carefully...and stuck to that calorie goal on the weekend (which was easier since I reduced my deficit during the week).

And it worked? How fast did you go from 138 to 135. Because I seem to struggle getting below 137.

Yes. It worked. I lost at a .5 lb per eek rate. So...a bit over a month.

arditarose

DeathByCheesecake116 wrote: »

I mean I eat like a pig on the weekends, but weekdays I'm eating right. If that makes sense. And if I'm not strict..then I think I have more flexibility than I think.

Honestly...calorie wise, you don't have that much flexibility. You're in a healthy weight range and it doesn't seem like you're that active. You can just go for it on the weekend and not log. You need to stay in a weekly deficit. You're wiping your deficit out over the weekend and possibly not even logging that accurately during the week. You're in maintenance, sorry.

DeathByCheesecake116

kimny72 wrote: »

Plus you are already at a healthy weight for your height, so you need to be on point to keep losing.

Are you logging everything? Are you using a food scale? If not, start doing it, see how much you are really eating, and then tweak from there. To lose weight, how much you eat is more important than what you eat.

I may be, but it doesn't look like I am at a healthy weight. The bulging clothes and excess (unneeded sweat) are not very fun things to deal with. I weighed about 125 a year ago and I REALLY want to be there again.

Yes, I log everything. I have used a food scale, but not many times. I seemed to have no problems before with calculating food, but..idk.

vespiquenn

DeathByCheesecake116 wrote: »

I have done both measuring ways.

vespiquenn wrote: »

Lastly, you will not lose 5lbs a month with that little to lose. At most, you're looking at about a 2lb ball park because you should be at about .5lb loss a week at this point.

What do you mean?

With less than 20lbs to lose, your goal should be .5lbs a week, max 1lb. More than that and all you're doing is losing lean muscle which will give you the skinny fat look.

DeathByCheesecake116

arditarose wrote: »

DeathByCheesecake116 wrote: »

I mean I eat like a pig on the weekends, but weekdays I'm eating right. If that makes sense. And if I'm not strict..then I think I have more flexibility than I think.

Honestly...calorie wise, you don't have that much flexibility. You're in a healthy weight range and it doesn't seem like you're that active. You can just go for it on the weekend and not log. You need to stay in a weekly deficit. You're wiping your deficit out over the weekend and possibly not even logging that accurately during the week. You're in maintenance, sorry.

Okay, I will see what I can do. Thank you.

vespiquenn

DeathByCheesecake116 wrote: »

kimny72 wrote: »

Plus you are already at a healthy weight for your height, so you need to be on point to keep losing.

Are you logging everything? Are you using a food scale? If not, start doing it, see how much you are really eating, and then tweak from there. To lose weight, how much you eat is more important than what you eat.

I may be, but it doesn't look like I am at a healthy weight. The bulging clothes and excess (unneeded sweat) are not very fun things to deal with. I weighed about 125 a year ago and I REALLY want to be there again.

Yes, I log everything. I have used a food scale, but not many times. I seemed to have no problems before with calculating food, but..idk.

Also, use your food scale. Logging calories on MFP and actually weighing out your food is completely different. As others have said, your calorie counts need to be accurate. Food scale and measuring in grams is the only way to ensure that.

DeathByCheesecake116

vespiquenn wrote: »

DeathByCheesecake116 wrote: »

I have done both measuring ways.

vespiquenn wrote: »

Lastly, you will not lose 5lbs a month with that little to lose. At most, you're looking at about a 2lb ball park because you should be at about .5lb loss a week at this point.

What do you mean?

With less than 20lbs to lose, your goal should be .5lbs a week, max 1lb. More than that and all you're doing is losing lean muscle which will give you the skinny fat look.

Oh okay I see. Would 1800 calories be the best for me..or should I go higher?

vespiquenn

DeathByCheesecake116 wrote: »

vespiquenn wrote: »

DeathByCheesecake116 wrote: »

I have done both measuring ways.

vespiquenn wrote: »

Lastly, you will not lose 5lbs a month with that little to lose. At most, you're looking at about a 2lb ball park because you should be at about .5lb loss a week at this point.

What do you mean?

With less than 20lbs to lose, your goal should be .5lbs a week, max 1lb. More than that and all you're doing is losing lean muscle which will give you the skinny fat look.

Oh okay I see. Would 1800 calories be the best for me..or should I go higher?

Enter a .5lb/week goal in MFP and let it do the rest.

arditarose

DeathByCheesecake116 wrote: »

vespiquenn wrote: »

DeathByCheesecake116 wrote: »

I have done both measuring ways.

vespiquenn wrote: »

Lastly, you will not lose 5lbs a month with that little to lose. At most, you're looking at about a 2lb ball park because you should be at about .5lb loss a week at this point.

What do you mean?

With less than 20lbs to lose, your goal should be .5lbs a week, max 1lb. More than that and all you're doing is losing lean muscle which will give you the skinny fat look.

Oh okay I see. Would 1800 calories be the best for me..or should I go higher?

Enter your stats in MFP. We can't tell you that. I'm around your weight and height at the moment and 1800 is my maintenance.

Mavrick_RN

Logging calories on MFP and actually weighing out your food is completely different.

I had always assumed this would be completely obvious. (palm to forehead gesture)

Guess we all gotta learn.