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Not losing weight, only maintaining?

gabriellax92
gabriellax92 Posts: 65 Member
edited November 2024 in Fitness and Exercise
I've been on MFP for about 2 weeks now. I have my calories set at 1,400. My goal is to burn about 500 calories a day. Unfortunately some days I don't get to work out because it's so busy at work (I work a desk job) pulling 12 hour days. But I do work out at least 5 days a week. I do a mix of 30 minute workouts (21 day fix CD) and walking/sprinting every night. My weight is fluctuating between 5 pounds, seems to be water weight but I haven't noticed any loss. Should I decrease my calories and increase my exercise? Also I try not to eat my exercise calories.

Replies

  • RuNaRoUnDaFiEld
    RuNaRoUnDaFiEld Posts: 5,864 Member
    Can you open your diary so we can see how you are logging? Most of the time the answer is that the logging isn't spot on.

    It can be water weight from working out also. 2 weeks is nothing, it can take longer.
  • ryan_rousseau
    ryan_rousseau Posts: 1 Member
    I had the same problem and then realized that with exercise, my net calories were < 1200 for the day. I started to eat to make up for the exercise so that my net calories met my daily goal (~1600) and the scale started moving again.
  • gabriellax92
    gabriellax92 Posts: 65 Member
    I opened
  • girlwithcurls2
    girlwithcurls2 Posts: 2,289 Member
    Open your diary. It's usually that logging needs to tighten up. This happens to me when I "log" my calories as opposed to LOGging them ;) (Kinda logging, doing a little guesstimating, forgetting a few little nibbles, etc)
  • gabriellax92
    gabriellax92 Posts: 65 Member
    I opened it. I try to be as accurate as possible, but how can you when some things don't have calories posted to them? I find whatever looks closest to what i'm eating.
  • RuNaRoUnDaFiEld
    RuNaRoUnDaFiEld Posts: 5,864 Member
    You are not weighing your food. Buy a cheap kitchen scale and start weighing all solid foods.

    You are also using generic entries, the calorie contents on them are far from accurate. When you have a wrap etc, don't choose a ready made entry. Log the wrap, then log each thing you use by brand and weight.

    Not using a scale can have your calorie counts wrong by 300 a day.
  • gabriellax92
    gabriellax92 Posts: 65 Member
    The wrap was catered to my job, idk what they used to put in it and what kind of wraps.
  • kimny72
    kimny72 Posts: 16,011 Member
    edited March 2016
    gabriellax92 wrote: »
    The wrap was catered to my job, idk what they used to put in it and what kind of wraps.

    OP, the point of logging your food is to get a good idea of what exactly you're eating, where all your calories go. I'm sure you have a reasonably good idea of what was in the wrap. Log each individual item as best as you can. Part of this is learning as you go.

    Having said that, you want to start setting up your day so you know what you're eating. The more you have to guess, the less useful logging your food is.

    Don't use generic entries, they were entered by users and you have no idea whether the numbers are correct or not.

    Get a food scale, and weigh out your portions as much as possible. The more you do that, the easier it will be for you to estimate accurately when you are eating food you haven't prepared.
  • RuNaRoUnDaFiEld
    RuNaRoUnDaFiEld Posts: 5,864 Member
    gabriellax92 wrote: »
    The wrap was catered to my job, idk what they used to put in it and what kind of wraps.

    What I do then is to open it, see what is in it and over estimate. Most wraps are around 200 calories. Then log the ingredients over estimating each one.

  • gabriellax92
    gabriellax92 Posts: 65 Member
    Okay thanks! I'll definitely try this :)
  • 7elizamae
    7elizamae Posts: 758 Member
    RuNaRoUnDaFiEld wrote: »
    gabriellax92 wrote: »
    The wrap was catered to my job, idk what they used to put in it and what kind of wraps.

    What I do then is to open it, see what is in it and over estimate. Most wraps are around 200 calories. Then log the ingredients over estimating each one.

    I wish most wraps were around 200 calories. Wouldn't you say that just the tortilla is close to 200 calories?
  • RuNaRoUnDaFiEld
    RuNaRoUnDaFiEld Posts: 5,864 Member
    7elizamae wrote: »
    RuNaRoUnDaFiEld wrote: »
    gabriellax92 wrote: »
    The wrap was catered to my job, idk what they used to put in it and what kind of wraps.

    What I do then is to open it, see what is in it and over estimate. Most wraps are around 200 calories. Then log the ingredients over estimating each one.

    I wish most wraps were around 200 calories. Wouldn't you say that just the tortilla is close to 200 calories?
    Yes that was what I meant. Sorry, should have been clearer.
This discussion has been closed.

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