completely frustrated - different results, same effort
Replies
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try to drink more water and eat foods that accelerates metabolism0
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^except that's not actually a thing though.0
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jofjltncb6 wrote: »successgal1 wrote: »jofjltncb6 wrote: »successgal1 wrote: »Don't listen to the people that say you can't gain muscle and lose fat at the same time. Maybe it's true at a certain level of fitness but I always stall on scale when I start new exercise. My suggestion would be to do longer workouts but with a day off between them for awhile. Give your body time to recover, be extra careful with calories on the days you don't exercise. Like workout an hour then take a day off, instead of 30 minutes each day. Good luck!
That's because new workouts means water retention (but not new muscle. Muscle growth takes considerably more time than a few days.)
Well duh, doesn't mean its not also happening at the same time as water retention. And yes i can gain muscle in a week or two.
I'm curious, but just how much muscle do you believe one can gain in a week or two while eating at a calorie deficit?
(Hint: not enough to even show up on a scale.)
Sorry not buying it. The evidence of larger muscles in someone who has NONE to speak of is there, all over my arms and shoulders in fact. Newbie quick gains are real. Is it a lot? No, but its there, its real, and it weighs something. Spread that out over an entire body with every muscle and it exists on the scale. When you're at a level where .25 of a pound can look like a complete stall believe me its a factor. Now you can go on bashing me and the poor OP with your supercilious attitudes. I bid you GOOD DAY.
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What bothers me about the OP's post is that they not only called other people mean and bullies for not telling them what they wanted to hear, but they refuse to accept responsibility that they pretty much set the tone with their original post. That standoffish attitude of "Don't tell me it's not this because I KNOW it's not" is irksome because if you know that's not what it is, then why are you even asking? What is it you wish to be told? Based on all the information they decided to provide, logic points to the fact that they are eating more than they think.
Furthermore, upon returning to the post, OP said: "I clearly asked in my OP not to just say 'weigh your food'. That's because I spent a LOT of time on the boards last winter/spring. Enough to know that is the standard answer for so many things and I was looking for different feedback." So if you know that's the standard answer, again I ask, why would you even bother to make a post knowing the probability of a food scale being mentioned? Why not go to a professional instead of to these boards?
OP also came back to say: "Most importantly - though I still have not lost weight, when I measured this morning, I have lost 1-1.5 inches each on chest, hips, waist, and each thigh. Now I feel better - my body is changing things, even if it isn't the scale, and that's all I was looking for." You mean to tell me that from January 26th until yesterday, OP didn't even bother to take measurements in the first place to see if any changes in their body had occurred when they were so fussed about the scale not changing to their liking? That seems highly unlikely, especially since this is apparently not OP's first rodeo. I feel like that was made up as a last ditch effort to be able to say "See! I don't have to weigh my food! It's something else!" All those inches lost and no more than a two pound movement on the scale, especially when there is no weight training happening? OP never noticed their clothes fit a bit better? They stated they couldn't wear any of their clothes except sweats, but even with sweats on you would notice if they feel more roomy.
People aren't trying to bully the OP by suggesting a food scale. It's more of the notion that OP really has nothing to lose by using one. That way if they measure everything for a few weeks and still see no progress, then they can be certain something else is at play and get to the root of the matter.
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successgal1 wrote: »jofjltncb6 wrote: »successgal1 wrote: »jofjltncb6 wrote: »successgal1 wrote: »Don't listen to the people that say you can't gain muscle and lose fat at the same time. Maybe it's true at a certain level of fitness but I always stall on scale when I start new exercise. My suggestion would be to do longer workouts but with a day off between them for awhile. Give your body time to recover, be extra careful with calories on the days you don't exercise. Like workout an hour then take a day off, instead of 30 minutes each day. Good luck!
That's because new workouts means water retention (but not new muscle. Muscle growth takes considerably more time than a few days.)
Well duh, doesn't mean its not also happening at the same time as water retention. And yes i can gain muscle in a week or two.
I'm curious, but just how much muscle do you believe one can gain in a week or two while eating at a calorie deficit?
(Hint: not enough to even show up on a scale.)
Sorry not buying it. The evidence of larger muscles in someone who has NONE to speak of is there, all over my arms and shoulders in fact. Newbie quick gains are real. Is it a lot? No, but its there, its real, and it weighs something. Spread that out over an entire body with every muscle and it exists on the scale. When you're at a level where .25 of a pound can look like a complete stall believe me its a factor. Now you can go on bashing me and the poor OP with your supercilious attitudes. I bid you GOOD DAY.
That's because new workouts means water retention (but not new muscle. Muscle growth takes considerably more time than a few days.)
Where have I read this before??
To be clear, that retained water is also in the muscles giving the appearance of growth.
And this is true whether you approve of my attitude...er, attitudes or not. But if you believe you can gain measurable muscle while eating at a calorie deficit, then I certainly won't try to stop you. No worries to me.
I will, however, respond if you try to teach others this untruth.0 -
You're not the only person here who feels the "weigh your food" response is a pat answer. I lost 200 lbs without ever weighing a thing I ate.
You did not mention (that I saw, I didn't read all the responses) if you've seen your Dr. It could be a new thyroid issue that has just surfaced, early menopause, etc etc. If you're that sure it's not what you're eating and your exercises are the same it only leaves a health issue. Hope you find your answer!0 -
Jesslan_Rose wrote: »You're not the only person here who feels the "weigh your food" response is a pat answer. I lost 200 lbs without ever weighing a thing I ate.
That's the difference between you and the OP, though. "Weigh your food" is not a suggestion for every single person using MFP; it's a suggestion given to those who claim they're plateauing or otherwise aren't successful with weight loss. A food scale isn't necessary for everyone but when someone cannot make progress after several weeks, or even months, weighing their food is going to be one of the first suggestions given because, the majority of the time, people underestimate what they eat, overestimate how much they burn, or some combination of the two.0 -
booksandchocolate12 wrote: »*wanders into thread*
Hey, has anyone suggested a food scale?
*wanders out of thread*
Why so much attacking???0 -
Christine_72 wrote: »What I don't understand is why someone would find measuring cups and spoons easier to use than a food scale :huh:
I get twitchy when I see a recipe with tablespoon and cup measurements...
I thought this was a place for support?0 -
How is it unsupportive to suggest that weighing is easier and more accurate than using measuring cups and spoons?
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I am going to focus on water - that could be a part of the problem.
Water is important for health and consumption can impact water weight, but it's not going to make calories or fat disappear.
If you were eating 1000 calories a day, you'd be losing weight.
Since it seems you came here convinced already, what answer were you looking for? People have given you great advice and resources. But you seem avidly against what they're suggesting. Even though it works.
Best of luck, hope you find what you're looking for.0 -
Jesslan_Rose wrote: »You're not the only person here who feels the "weigh your food" response is a pat answer. I lost 200 lbs without ever weighing a thing I ate.
You did not mention (that I saw, I didn't read all the responses) if you've seen your Dr. It could be a new thyroid issue that has just surfaced, early menopause, etc etc. If you're that sure it's not what you're eating and your exercises are the same it only leaves a health issue. Hope you find your answer!
That's the thing tho. You've got 200 pounds to lose, then it's pretty easy to eyeball some smaller portions, or switch from soda to water, or make better meal choices. When a person is significantly overweight, it means they are consistently overeating and any break in that pattern will result in losses.
But once you've lost that initial weight or just never had that much to lose, you have to start being more accurate. ESPECIALLY if your weight begins to stall.
Use a scale isn't a pat answer. It's the right answer. Suggesting someone check to see if they have a thyroid condition before suggesting they log accurately is just bewildering to me.0 -
Actually, with all the items you mention, those are pre-weighed. If you buy one pound of crab legs at the store, you know it's one pound. If you always buy the same pack of deli ham, with a weight on it, you can divide the number of slices by the weight to know how much a certain number of slices weigh.
So how about you stop making assumptions?
In my experience, going by the packaging is not exact, they're approximate. I use a food scale and while three slices of honey roasted turkey breast is approximately 2oz according to the packaging, it's usually more like 2.25 oz. Those little extras do add up over time. Bread, eggs, protein bars, they all vary. And when you're close to your goal weight/maintenance, every little bit matters. Especially if you're sedentary with little exercise.
The comment you made about assumptions, quoted above, honestly seemed more snarky to me than the replies you've received. The poster cared enough in trying to help you to look at your diary and ask some clarifying questions and you treated her disrespectfully. Just because people aren't saying what you want to hear, doesn't make their responses snarky.
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Actually, with all the items you mention, those are pre-weighed. If you buy one pound of crab legs at the store, you know it's one pound. If you always buy the same pack of deli ham, with a weight on it, you can divide the number of slices by the weight to know how much a certain number of slices weigh.
So how about you stop making assumptions?
In my experience, going by the packaging is not exact, they're approximate. I use a food scale and while three slices of honey roasted turkey breast is approximately 2oz according to the packaging, it's usually more like 2.25 oz. Those little extras do add up over time. Bread, eggs, protein bars, they all vary. And when you're close to your goal weight/maintenance, every little bit matters. Especially if you're sedentary with little exercise.
The comment you made about assumptions, quoted above, honestly seemed more snarky to me than the replies you've received. The poster cared enough in trying to help you to look at your diary and ask some clarifying questions and you treated her disrespectfully. Just because people aren't saying what you want to hear, doesn't make their responses snarky.
This is correct. I use a food scale and you'd be surprised how off some packages are. Part of my breakfast this morning was a dark chocolate peanut almond bar from Trader Joe's. The nutritional facts say the bar is 40 grams and 200 calories. My bar weighed 59 grams. 59. That brought the calorie count up to 295 and that's without considering the rounding done on nutrition labels. It was like eating a bar and a half. Imagine that happening with a few things per day and it really adds up. That can completely wipe out a deficit.0 -
Jesslan_Rose wrote: »You're not the only person here who feels the "weigh your food" response is a pat answer. I lost 200 lbs without ever weighing a thing I ate.
I'm always saying that a food scale is not a prerequisite when trying to lose weight. Many, many people manage just fine without one.
A scale however, is usually the first thing that is brought up when someone is NOT losing weight, or gaining. It is the most simple way to see if you truly are eating how much you think you are.
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Please don't go below 1,500 calories per day. I think you are starving your body and when that happens, you will retain calories because your body doesn't know when it will receive nutrients again. Please go to a nutritionist if your doctor doesn't have a plan for you. You have to do this in a healthy and safe way,0
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Actually, with all the items you mention, those are pre-weighed. If you buy one pound of crab legs at the store, you know it's one pound. If you always buy the same pack of deli ham, with a weight on it, you can divide the number of slices by the weight to know how much a certain number of slices weigh.
So how about you stop making assumptions?
In my experience, going by the packaging is not exact, they're approximate. I use a food scale and while three slices of honey roasted turkey breast is approximately 2oz according to the packaging, it's usually more like 2.25 oz. Those little extras do add up over time. Bread, eggs, protein bars, they all vary. And when you're close to your goal weight/maintenance, every little bit matters. Especially if you're sedentary with little exercise.
The comment you made about assumptions, quoted above, honestly seemed more snarky to me than the replies you've received. The poster cared enough in trying to help you to look at your diary and ask some clarifying questions and you treated her disrespectfully. Just because people aren't saying what you want to hear, doesn't make their responses snarky.
This is correct. I use a food scale and you'd be surprised how off some packages are. Part of my breakfast this morning was a dark chocolate peanut almond bar from Trader Joe's. The nutritional facts say the bar is 40 grams and 200 calories. My bar weighed 59 grams. 59. That brought the calorie count up to 295 and that's without considering the rounding done on nutrition labels. It was like eating a bar and a half. Imagine that happening with a few things per day and it really adds up. That can completely wipe out a deficit.
A lot of pre-packed food is over what is stated on the label due to the way packaging and the law work together. The law simply states if it is says 100g it needs to be 100g otherwise you get a (hefty) fine. - and yes I know there are some guidelines surrounding that figure, but in essence it is like this.
A packing machine has an error margin of x% Hence a packing machine is set so that, in most cases known too me, 95% of the packs will be filled with a minimum of that 100% that means that the change is significant that it is over packing. In some packing machines that can be as much as an increase of 15 to 20 % on the heavy fills.
An easy one to see it is if you see clear bottles filled up, for instance soda or milk. You can actually see the difference in fill height.
It is the one reason why the kalibration of scales both in the food industry and at home is also an important issue.0 -
I find people here have been through all of this, figured this stuff out and try to save anyone who asks a lot of wasted time by getting you to that point of realisation a lot quicker than they did. Using a food scale is such a repeated suggestion because it works, if you know how much something weighs, you'll know how many calories it is worth. You can ignore people if you want, it's your body. But to claim people are not supporting you is completely dismissive of the effort they've made here. You asked for help, you were given it, you rejected it because it wasn't what you wanted to hear.LoCascio65 wrote: »Please don't go below 1,500 calories per day. I think you are starving your body and when that happens, you will retain calories because your body doesn't know when it will receive nutrients again. Please go to a nutritionist if your doctor doesn't have a plan for you. You have to do this in a healthy and safe way,
If your body needs energy, it will use what it has. But what it has for energy isn't just fat. You won't hold onto weight by eating too little, that defies the laws of energy use. But it certainly isn't healthy.0 -
Godd@m it ... those shares I have in the world food scale markets have been completely thwarted in this thread
I'm never gonna get rich at this rate
hey scale guys .. do better
:bigsmile:0 -
Please don't tell me to buy a scale and weigh, that measuring isn't enough. It worked very well for me last year, so that's not the issue - don't make it the issue.
..... so what do you want to hear? You know the issue but don't want to hear it.
We can't help you if you don't want to listen.
Last year is last year. This year is this year.
This is pretty pushy I think... We all know what year it is but don't KNOW each others problems from guessing, that's what makes it a guess.
Don't add exercise calories onto your regular calories and be aware that you can appear kilograms heavier when you've had a lot of water. It'll all happen if you put the effort in.
I personally got to 20 kilograms lost, then I was caught up novel writing last year and didn't get the the gym so it is up a bit again.0 -
LoCascio65 wrote: »Please don't go below 1,500 calories per day. I think you are starving your body and when that happens, you will retain calories because your body doesn't know when it will receive nutrients again. Please go to a nutritionist if your doctor doesn't have a plan for you. You have to do this in a healthy and safe way,
@LoCascio65 I'm sorry but you've been misinformed here - the body does not do this. Starvation mode is not a thing. Please research adaptive thermogenesis - there is a small amount of loss in BMR with weight loss but nowhere near enough to stop / significantly weight loss in defecit - if you want real world proof look up the Minnesota Experiment, Famine victims and pictures from the Holocaust - if people eat fewer calories than they burn they will lose weight .. until they die from starvation
Also nutritionist is not a protected profession - meaning anybody can call themselves a nutritionist, even qualify as one in an evening online course.. they also tend to extrapolate badly from scientific studies to create fads that keep the unwary coming back
as in all things - caveat emptor0 -
No - you are wrong - a scale is not the issue. If it was the issue, I would not have lost weight last year. Using a scale is a thoughtless pat answer on these boards - which is why I say that.
I lost all my weight last year without a scale, by measuring. I am doing exactly the same thing now. That is the issue I want help with - not some mindless MFP mantra of 'buy a scale'.
I am also not trying to lose additional weight. I am trying to lose the same weight (sadly) a second time.
Same starting weight
Same recipes
Same measuring system
Same exercise amounts
Very different results - the same methods with different/no results is what i'm looking for insight on. Why is this happening.
I asked nicely for help - so please don't throw your nasty 'you're sloppy, don't want to hear it, etc comments at me - not the case.
Last year, your estimations were better, this year, they are not.0 -
dutchandkiwi wrote: »
Actually, with all the items you mention, those are pre-weighed. If you buy one pound of crab legs at the store, you know it's one pound. If you always buy the same pack of deli ham, with a weight on it, you can divide the number of slices by the weight to know how much a certain number of slices weigh.
So how about you stop making assumptions?
In my experience, going by the packaging is not exact, they're approximate. I use a food scale and while three slices of honey roasted turkey breast is approximately 2oz according to the packaging, it's usually more like 2.25 oz. Those little extras do add up over time. Bread, eggs, protein bars, they all vary. And when you're close to your goal weight/maintenance, every little bit matters. Especially if you're sedentary with little exercise.
The comment you made about assumptions, quoted above, honestly seemed more snarky to me than the replies you've received. The poster cared enough in trying to help you to look at your diary and ask some clarifying questions and you treated her disrespectfully. Just because people aren't saying what you want to hear, doesn't make their responses snarky.
This is correct. I use a food scale and you'd be surprised how off some packages are. Part of my breakfast this morning was a dark chocolate peanut almond bar from Trader Joe's. The nutritional facts say the bar is 40 grams and 200 calories. My bar weighed 59 grams. 59. That brought the calorie count up to 295 and that's without considering the rounding done on nutrition labels. It was like eating a bar and a half. Imagine that happening with a few things per day and it really adds up. That can completely wipe out a deficit.
A lot of pre-packed food is over what is stated on the label due to the way packaging and the law work together. The law simply states if it is says 100g it needs to be 100g otherwise you get a (hefty) fine. - and yes I know there are some guidelines surrounding that figure, but in essence it is like this.
A packing machine has an error margin of x% Hence a packing machine is set so that, in most cases known too me, 95% of the packs will be filled with a minimum of that 100% that means that the change is significant that it is over packing. In some packing machines that can be as much as an increase of 15 to 20 % on the heavy fills.
An easy one to see it is if you see clear bottles filled up, for instance soda or milk. You can actually see the difference in fill height.
It is the one reason why the kalibration of scales both in the food industry and at home is also an important issue.
Exactly. This is why I weigh everything. There are certain items that are pretty consistent though and if I'm in a rush I don't weigh them. For example, Chobani yogurt cups should have 150 grams in them. I know that if the unopened yogurt is 162 grams, I have 150 grams in the container. It's only been off by 2 grams maximum and only a few times. Usually everything I weigh is off by just a few grams, maybe a +/-5 gram difference max. Most things are within 2 grams. Whenever it's lower, I just put a full serving. My eggs from Whole Foods are always under the 50 gram serving size. The two biggest shockers to me have been Quest bars and the Trader Joe's nut bars. Quest bars list their facts for 60 grams and the bars are normally 62 to 68 grams. I've received bars that were 58 grams, but rarely, and a few times I've had bars as high as 71 grams. Overall, this adds ~30 to 50 calories, which is probably even more due to rounding on the labels.
The Trader Joe's bar being off by 19 grams, almost half of another bar, has been the craziest I've seen thus far. It's highly amusing to say the least. This is why I'm such an advocate for using a food scale, especially as people have less weight to lose. It can drive you nuts to see no progress and think you have to cut your calories so low that you should just give up when the reality is that it could just be prepackaged foods that you eat being much higher in calorie count than you expect.0 -
Mayonnaise is basically the reason I started weighing everything. I always logged "1 tbsp", turns out my idea of a tablespoon was double that size. So basically 100+ calories more than I thought. Same with my "1 pita" that after weighing turned out to be 140 calories instead of 88 or so.
Seriously, using a food scale really helps. Can't understand why one would avoid it at all costs.. especially since it's easier than using cups etc.0 -
Hi Ellaskat -
all I know, what I did to keep my weight in check or lose weight when I was younger does not work now at all. I know one year should not make a difference but it seems to have. If everything else is the same your body is not responding then it might be time for a yearly check up. 5"7 and 150 lbs is not that far from your goal? When I start an intense exercise program I seem to hold on some water and numbers don't change BUT my clothes feel better. Did you take measurements prior? I measure monthly...it is so much more rewarding that looking at numbers on the scale and wondering what state of dehydration or fluid retention the scale is reflecting.
What works for me...and please don't everyone jump down my throat for this, I am just saying avoiding white sugar and flour works for me with calorie control. I do have to measure and weigh because I can lie to myself. I love my fitbit too...the facts are there staring at me on a lazy day....I have been to known to grab the dog and get a 3rd walk in late at night to reach my activity goal.
I am sorry for the loss and trauma you went through losing children you cared about.0 -
What works for me...and please don't everyone jump down my throat for this, I am just saying avoiding white sugar and flour works for me with calorie control. I do have to measure and weigh because I can lie to myself.
Even though I'm in the "don't avoid any food unless you have a medical reason" camp, I'm not going to jump on you for this, because you don't think that white sugar and white flour are evil foods with nefarious properties that magically make you gain weight. You understand that avoiding these foods (and weighing and measuring everything else) help you with calorie control, and that that is the key to weight loss.
CICO is immutable. How you do it is up to you.
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I think michelle172415 has some good points. Although I do believe in calorie in - calories out, adjusting macros can make a difference. I would also suggest keeping an eye on your grams of sugar, even from fruit. Perhaps cut any alcohol you may be enjoying.
Finally, stress plays a role in weight loss and if that is a factor in your life, then you may need to address that. I know that for me, there is a sweet spot between high intensity exercise (weight lifting and Crossfit), calories, sleep, work and weight loss. More exercise and less calories does not always mean weight loss, for me.
Hang in there and be patient.0 -
I used to HATE HATE HATE the responses I used to get on this site!!!
Seriously! OMG I would get INFURIATED.
This is what changed.. I did.. I stopped taking it personally and read what they were saying. These people know what they are talking about. They lived it! they did the hard work.. they are doing the hard work. They KNOW what works.
Everyone is saying the same thing for very valid reasons..
You can stay like I was and continue to be frustration with no results and with their answers, or ( and this is gold) listen and drop the weight and be overall happier and realize these people are honestly trying to help. They are.
This is a great post. Thumbs up.
OP, if your vociferous objection to using a food scale is due in part to thinking of it as a life sentence, it doesn't need to be. You can go on to maintenance without weighing your food. However, using a food scale was the golden ticket for me, and I wouldn't hesitate to pull it out again if my weight were to start the upwards creep.
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Jesslan_Rose wrote: »You're not the only person here who feels the "weigh your food" response is a pat answer. I lost 200 lbs without ever weighing a thing I ate.
You did not mention (that I saw, I didn't read all the responses) if you've seen your Dr. It could be a new thyroid issue that has just surfaced, early menopause, etc etc. If you're that sure it's not what you're eating and your exercises are the same it only leaves a health issue. Hope you find your answer!
That's the thing tho. You've got 200 pounds to lose, then it's pretty easy to eyeball some smaller portions, or switch from soda to water, or make better meal choices. When a person is significantly overweight, it means they are consistently overeating and any break in that pattern will result in losses.
But once you've lost that initial weight or just never had that much to lose, you have to start being more accurate. ESPECIALLY if your weight begins to stall.
Use a scale isn't a pat answer. It's the right answer. Suggesting someone check to see if they have a thyroid condition before suggesting they log accurately is just bewildering to me.
^^truth and worth noting that OP is 150lbs (BMI of around 26 if I remember correctly when I calculated it back 1979 when this thread started).0
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