Can't Seem to Lose a Single Pound
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crownr2882
Posts: 10 Member
I started using this app recently, trying to pinpoint why I'm having so much trouble losing weight even though I feel like I'm dieting. MFP recommends I eat 2000 calories a day to lose 1.5 lb a week, I put I am lightly active (as I am).
I usually eat approx 1300 calories, I am never hungry and my self control is pretty great, I splurge on juice or milk with breakfast pretty often (but it's tracked of course). I drink at least 7 glasses of water a day (I always forget to record them) and walk briskly 5-15 minutes every 30-45 minutes (trying to potty train a puppy). My profession is currently housekeeping about three days a week, 4-8 hours, constantly on my feet. I don't usually track excersise either.
Any tips on how I can actually shed some weight? I can't seem to get an edge. I've gained 3lbs since last month and I haven't changed anything. Ive talked to my doc and she says I'm doing everything pretty well and all of my lab work is normal. She wants to retry in a few weeks.
Help?
I usually eat approx 1300 calories, I am never hungry and my self control is pretty great, I splurge on juice or milk with breakfast pretty often (but it's tracked of course). I drink at least 7 glasses of water a day (I always forget to record them) and walk briskly 5-15 minutes every 30-45 minutes (trying to potty train a puppy). My profession is currently housekeeping about three days a week, 4-8 hours, constantly on my feet. I don't usually track excersise either.
Any tips on how I can actually shed some weight? I can't seem to get an edge. I've gained 3lbs since last month and I haven't changed anything. Ive talked to my doc and she says I'm doing everything pretty well and all of my lab work is normal. She wants to retry in a few weeks.
Help?
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Replies
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Stats? Height, age, weight, etc...0
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Are you 100% sure you are accurately tracking your calories? I ask because on one hand you may be eating more than you think. If not, it is possible you are not eating enough--a 10-20% deficit is usually adequate for some weight loss. 1300 is well below that. It may even be too low. Another aspect of this may be hormones. Weight lifting is a great form of exercise toward increasing your metabolism--certainly better than cardio.0
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How are you measuring your intake? If you aren't losing at a 1450 calorie deficit (and you should be eating what MFP says regardless), you're either eating more than you think or suffering from a health condition that can make weight loss more difficult. Most likely the former.0
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I am with you. I am 5 foot 7, 227 pounds, 39 years old. MFP says to eat 1200 calories a day. I sit at a desk most of the day. I do an elliptical for 30 minutes a day (track that) anything over and above and beyond I do not. I do not use a HRM.
I have gained 6 pounds in 12 weeks. 6!! I do not go over my intake, I track accordingly - nothing is wrong medically. Is it this program is 'off'?0 -
Maybe it would help if you opened your diary? We might have some suggestions0
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These are my really general tips. Maybe something will help.
1. If it's been less than 3 weeks or so, don't sweat it! Normal fluctuations happen and unfortunately sometimes we stall for a week or two even when we're doing everything right. Give your body some time to catch up with the changes you're making.
2. If you aren't already, be sure that you're logging everything. Sometimes people forget about things like veggies, drinks, cooking oils, and condiments. For some people these can add up to enough to halt your weight loss progress.
3. Consider buying a food scale if you don't already have one. They're about $10-$20 dollars in the US and easily found at places like Amazon, Target, and Walmart. Measuring cups and spoons are great, but they do come with some degree of inaccuracy. A food scale will be more accurate, and for some people it makes a big difference.
4. Logging accurately also means choosing accurate entries in the database. There are a lot of user-entered entries that are off. Double-check that you're using good entries and/or using the recipe builder instead of someone else's homemade entries.
5. Recalculate your goals if you haven't lately. As you lose weight your body requires fewer calories to run. Be sure you update your goals every ten pounds or so.
6. If you're eating back your exercise calories and you're relying on gym machine readouts or MFP's estimates, it might be best to eat back just 50-75% of those. Certain activities tend to be overestimated. If you're using an HRM or activity tracker, it might be a good idea to look into their accuracy and be sure that yours is calibrated properly.
7. If you're taking any cheat days that go over your calorie limits, it might be best to cut them out for a few weeks and see what happens. Some people go way over their calorie needs without realizing it when they don't track.
8. If you weigh yourself frequently, consider using a program like trendweight to even out the fluctuations. You could be losing weight but just don't see it because of the daily ups and downs.
9. Some people just burn fewer calories than the calculators predict. If you continue to have problems after 4-6 weeks, then it might be worth a trip to the doctor or a registered dietitian who can give you more specific advice.
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It's really great I got so many replies so quickly, thanks everyone.
Everything that passes my lips is tracked. I read nutrition labels, and input the amount I ate into the diary. I try to avoid not eating a whole serving of whatever it is to avoid issues with how many calories it would have been. When I enter things into the diary I check and make sure everything is according to the label.
Female, 18, 265lbs, 5'4".
Doctor says I'm completely healthy, besides weight obviously. She cant find any problems that would cause so much weight gain. I have struggled with my weight my whole life, even when I was younger than 5 years old. I've been put on so many diets and excersise programs and none have worked. I have worked with a dietician in the past and I didn't lose.
I honestly don't enter how much I exercise because I feel like it gives me a reason to eat more since I have burned more.0 -
crownr2882 wrote: »It's really great I got so many replies so quickly, thanks everyone.
Everything that passes my lips is tracked. I read nutrition labels, and input the amount I ate into the diary. I try to avoid not eating a whole serving of whatever it is to avoid issues with how many calories it would have been. When I enter things into the diary I check and make sure everything is according to the label.
Female, 18, 265lbs, 5'4".
Doctor says I'm completely healthy, besides weight obviously. She cant find any problems that would cause so much weight gain. I have struggled with my weight my whole life, even when I was younger than 5 years old. I've been put on so many diets and excersise programs and none have worked. I have worked with a dietician in the past and I didn't lose.
I honestly don't enter how much I exercise because I feel like it gives me a reason to eat more since I have burned more.
But how do you measure your food? Do you weigh it on a scale or use measuring cups? Also, the way MFP is set up you eat your exercise calories back to sustain your deficit and fuel your body. But you have to make sure your intake is being logged accurately first.0 -
Do you weigh your food on a food scale?0
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crownr2882 wrote: »I try to avoid not eating a whole serving of whatever it is to avoid issues with how many calories it would have been. When I enter things into the diary I check and make sure everything is according to the label.
Unfortunately, labels can be off by up to around 20%. For me, this has meant that weighing my slices of bread shows that I'm eating more calories than are in a "serving" according to the packet. I'd really recommend weighing your portion sizes, to get a more accurate calorie count.
Also, are you logging all your condiments? I can see in your diary that you've logged a burger and a bun for dinner. If you added any cheese, salads, ketchup, etc. that really need to be logged too (it all adds up).
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crownr2882 wrote: »It's really great I got so many replies so quickly, thanks everyone.
Everything that passes my lips is tracked. I read nutrition labels, and input the amount I ate into the diary. I try to avoid not eating a whole serving of whatever it is to avoid issues with how many calories it would have been. When I enter things into the diary I check and make sure everything is according to the label.
Female, 18, 265lbs, 5'4".
Doctor says I'm completely healthy, besides weight obviously. She cant find any problems that would cause so much weight gain. I have struggled with my weight my whole life, even when I was younger than 5 years old. I've been put on so many diets and excersise programs and none have worked. I have worked with a dietician in the past and I didn't lose.
I honestly don't enter how much I exercise because I feel like it gives me a reason to eat more since I have burned more.
OP in order for MFP community to work through this with you, you need to open your diary. This will allow MFP folks here to evaluate your entries, etc.. to better inform you.
And if you are NOT using food scale, you need to get one. This will allow all those entries you say you eat are weighed properly and you are consuming not just portions that are for example 1/2 cup or 2 tablespoons, to be exact weighed entries in the diary keeping your logging accurate and within your calorie allotment.0 -
crownr2882 wrote: »It's really great I got so many replies so quickly, thanks everyone.
Everything that passes my lips is tracked. I read nutrition labels, and input the amount I ate into the diary. I try to avoid not eating a whole serving of whatever it is to avoid issues with how many calories it would have been. When I enter things into the diary I check and make sure everything is according to the label.
Female, 18, 265lbs, 5'4".
Doctor says I'm completely healthy, besides weight obviously. She cant find any problems that would cause so much weight gain. I have struggled with my weight my whole life, even when I was younger than 5 years old. I've been put on so many diets and excersise programs and none have worked. I have worked with a dietician in the past and I didn't lose.
I honestly don't enter how much I exercise because I feel like it gives me a reason to eat more since I have burned more.
But how do you measure your food? Do you weigh it on a scale or use measuring cups? Also, the way MFP is set up you eat your exercise calories back to sustain your deficit and fuel your body. But you have to make sure your intake is being logged accurately first.booksandchocolate12 wrote: »Do you weigh your food on a food scale?
I use cups when I have to measure things, but most things are prepackaged.
Also I just made my diary public.0 -
Looking through your diary, it looks like you are not logging accurately. For example, 1 cup of chinese food and 1 cup of beef strogonoff on Sunday. It is extremely unlikely that you are eating that little. Please note that I'm not at all saying that you're lying - I'm saying that we, as humans, are all pretty poor at estimating portion sizes. Even more than that though, the entry you are choosing is very generic. It's possible for chinese food to vary a huuuuuge amount in calories, depending on the actual ingredients.0
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BEEN THERE! It will come. I didn't lose for about a month- I switched things up (exercise and diet) and at the snap of a finger it started falling off. I started walking and lifting weights, and eating high protein breakfast/high carb lunch & lots of veggies & lean protein for dinner. I would be happy to share with you what helped me if you'd like.0
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crownr2882 wrote: »crownr2882 wrote: »It's really great I got so many replies so quickly, thanks everyone.
Everything that passes my lips is tracked. I read nutrition labels, and input the amount I ate into the diary. I try to avoid not eating a whole serving of whatever it is to avoid issues with how many calories it would have been. When I enter things into the diary I check and make sure everything is according to the label.
Female, 18, 265lbs, 5'4".
Doctor says I'm completely healthy, besides weight obviously. She cant find any problems that would cause so much weight gain. I have struggled with my weight my whole life, even when I was younger than 5 years old. I've been put on so many diets and excersise programs and none have worked. I have worked with a dietician in the past and I didn't lose.
I honestly don't enter how much I exercise because I feel like it gives me a reason to eat more since I have burned more.
But how do you measure your food? Do you weigh it on a scale or use measuring cups? Also, the way MFP is set up you eat your exercise calories back to sustain your deficit and fuel your body. But you have to make sure your intake is being logged accurately first.booksandchocolate12 wrote: »Do you weigh your food on a food scale?
I use cups when I have to measure things, but most things are prepackaged.
Also I just made my diary public.
You need to purchase a 10 - 20 dollar food scale and weigh everything including the prepackaged meals. These are not exact calories enclosed in those packages. And you should weigh all other things you eat as well, and log condiments, dressing, peanut butter, oils you cook with etc.0 -
crownr2882 wrote: »crownr2882 wrote: »It's really great I got so many replies so quickly, thanks everyone.
Everything that passes my lips is tracked. I read nutrition labels, and input the amount I ate into the diary. I try to avoid not eating a whole serving of whatever it is to avoid issues with how many calories it would have been. When I enter things into the diary I check and make sure everything is according to the label.
Female, 18, 265lbs, 5'4".
Doctor says I'm completely healthy, besides weight obviously. She cant find any problems that would cause so much weight gain. I have struggled with my weight my whole life, even when I was younger than 5 years old. I've been put on so many diets and excersise programs and none have worked. I have worked with a dietician in the past and I didn't lose.
I honestly don't enter how much I exercise because I feel like it gives me a reason to eat more since I have burned more.
But how do you measure your food? Do you weigh it on a scale or use measuring cups? Also, the way MFP is set up you eat your exercise calories back to sustain your deficit and fuel your body. But you have to make sure your intake is being logged accurately first.booksandchocolate12 wrote: »Do you weigh your food on a food scale?
I use cups when I have to measure things, but most things are prepackaged.
Also I just made my diary public.
A food scale is going to be much better. Measuring cups can often underestimate. And even prepackaged items can weigh more than what's listed.
Read these two threads, which should be required for everyone starting out:
http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1296011/calorie-counting-101
https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1234699/logging-accurately-step-by-step-guide0 -
crownr2882 wrote: »crownr2882 wrote: »It's really great I got so many replies so quickly, thanks everyone.
Everything that passes my lips is tracked. I read nutrition labels, and input the amount I ate into the diary. I try to avoid not eating a whole serving of whatever it is to avoid issues with how many calories it would have been. When I enter things into the diary I check and make sure everything is according to the label.
Female, 18, 265lbs, 5'4".
Doctor says I'm completely healthy, besides weight obviously. She cant find any problems that would cause so much weight gain. I have struggled with my weight my whole life, even when I was younger than 5 years old. I've been put on so many diets and excersise programs and none have worked. I have worked with a dietician in the past and I didn't lose.
I honestly don't enter how much I exercise because I feel like it gives me a reason to eat more since I have burned more.
But how do you measure your food? Do you weigh it on a scale or use measuring cups? Also, the way MFP is set up you eat your exercise calories back to sustain your deficit and fuel your body. But you have to make sure your intake is being logged accurately first.booksandchocolate12 wrote: »Do you weigh your food on a food scale?
I use cups when I have to measure things, but most things are prepackaged.
Also I just made my diary public.
OP, there are entries that are not weighed, For example bananas, I would not worry so much about the Fiber 1 bars unless you need to tighten up the calories so much that 50 - 100 calories of not logging this type could keep you out of the deficit.
I can promise you and take this from a hard headed person that did not log in the beginning, not weighing can make or break the deficit.0 -
Looking through your diary, it looks like you are not logging accurately. For example, 1 cup of chinese food and 1 cup of beef strogonoff on Sunday. It is extremely unlikely that you are eating that little. Please note that I'm not at all saying that you're lying - I'm saying that we, as humans, are all pretty poor at estimating portion sizes. Even more than that though, the entry you are choosing is very generic. It's possible for chinese food to vary a huuuuuge amount in calories, depending on the actual ingredients.
I get how it can seem like I wouldn't eat that little, but I measured it out.
Watching everyone else eat a plate full was not fun..0 -
BEEN THERE! It will come. I didn't lose for about a month- I switched things up (exercise and diet) and at the snap of a finger it started falling off. I started walking and lifting weights, and eating high protein breakfast/high carb lunch & lots of veggies & lean protein for dinner. I would be happy to share with you what helped me if you'd like.
Please do. It would be nice to be able to snap a finger after years of nothing.0
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