Help! Not losing weight (while weighing food , counting calories and exercising).

13

Replies

  • Myjourney2345
    Myjourney2345 Posts: 116 Member
    Kimo159 wrote: »
    SezxyStef wrote: »
    zyxst wrote: »
    It's .2 of a pound. Calm down.

    I was just thinking this...2 pages of posts for 0.2lbs...are you freakin kidding me?

    The paranoia stems from the fact that I am scared that I destroyed my metabolism by bingeing for 3-4 months and that my body is looking to hold onto to the 10 pounds I gained.

    It takes a lot more to ruin a metabolism than you think it does. If anything my body lost fat better after an extended binge.
    Kimo159 wrote: »
    SezxyStef wrote: »
    zyxst wrote: »
    It's .2 of a pound. Calm down.

    I was just thinking this...2 pages of posts for 0.2lbs...are you freakin kidding me?

    The paranoia stems from the fact that I am scared that I destroyed my metabolism by bingeing for 3-4 months and that my body is looking to hold onto to the 10 pounds I gained.

    It takes a lot more to ruin a metabolism than you think it does. If anything my body lost fat better after an extended binge.

    That's encouraging. Thank you!
  • Myjourney2345
    Myjourney2345 Posts: 116 Member
    aub6689 wrote: »
    SezxyStef wrote: »
    zyxst wrote: »
    It's .2 of a pound. Calm down.

    I was just thinking this...2 pages of posts for 0.2lbs...are you freakin kidding me?

    The paranoia stems from the fact that I am scared that I destroyed my metabolism by bingeing for 3-4 months and that my body is looking to hold onto to the 10 pounds I gained.

    I was a binge eater from age 9 to 21. Sure it put on weight but I don't feel my metabolism is ruined. I think the only times it seemed affected were following severe restriction. Many of these suggestions might be food for thought but I wouldn't stop your calories a lot after a .2 during menstruation. It just isn't logical to react as if you are putting on pounds. Set aside the paranoia and don't jump to conclusions.

    I am more surprised that I haven't lost any weight, I understand that .2 is negligee....but due to my period and relatively low calorie deficit it makes sense...
  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,267 Member
    SezxyStef wrote: »
    zyxst wrote: »
    It's .2 of a pound. Calm down.

    I was just thinking this...2 pages of posts for 0.2lbs...are you freakin kidding me?

    The paranoia stems from the fact that I am scared that I destroyed my metabolism by bingeing for 3-4 months and that my body is looking to hold onto to the 10 pounds I gained.

    I would say you need help outside of these forums then.

    If your metabolism was destroyed you would be dead...
  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,267 Member
    737jac737 wrote: »
    The only way to lose weight is to exercise your @$$ off, eat a high protein diet, and cut your sugar to 30 grams a day. NO WHINING. DO IT.

    just so much NO in this post.
  • MissusMoon
    MissusMoon Posts: 1,900 Member
    737jac737 wrote: »
    The only way to lose weight is to exercise your @$$ off, eat a high protein diet, and cut your sugar to 30 grams a day. NO WHINING. DO IT.

    Nope.

    The only way to lose weight is be in caloric deficit.
  • MissusMoon
    MissusMoon Posts: 1,900 Member
    SezxyStef wrote: »
    zyxst wrote: »
    It's .2 of a pound. Calm down.

    I was just thinking this...2 pages of posts for 0.2lbs...are you freakin kidding me?

    The paranoia stems from the fact that I am scared that I destroyed my metabolism by bingeing for 3-4 months and that my body is looking to hold onto to the 10 pounds I gained.

    Your metabolism is fine.
  • sarahlifts
    sarahlifts Posts: 610 Member
    I log my steps, I never ACTIVELY eat those cals back. I may go over by 50-100 but I never say Oh I can eat more.

  • cerise_noir
    cerise_noir Posts: 5,468 Member
    737jac737 wrote: »
    The only way to lose weight is to exercise your @$$ off, eat a high protein diet, and cut your sugar to 30 grams a day. NO WHINING. DO IT.
    No, no no.

    A calorie deficit is needed for weight loss.

  • Maxematics
    Maxematics Posts: 2,287 Member
    Looking beyond the fact that it's just .2 pounds, I wanted to chime in on the whole walking as exercise thing.

    I'm 5'3" and 111 pounds. I use a Fitbit Charge HR and I usually eat all of my calories back, sometimes a bit more. I'm set as sedentary on MFP. I average 15,000 to 25,000 steps per day and some of them come from 15 to 30 minute walks and a longer five mile walk. I walk 4 miles per hour as that is my normal walking speed. I also exercise six mornings per week on top of all the walking. If I didn't eat my calories back from walking, I'd be severely underweight right now. I have not gained a pound using the calories I'm given from Fitbit. My maintenance calories for the day usually end up being 2,000 to 3,000 depending on how much I've moved around. Also, I am an extremely fidgety person. So obviously everyone's experience is different, but to discount any calories earned from a fitness tracker because it's "just walking" is erroneous at best. Eating all earned calories back will not work for everyone, but to eat none at all isn't the best course of action either for most people.
  • Christine_72
    Christine_72 Posts: 16,049 Member
    I'm 5"8 and 147lbs, I'm older than you, 44. My maintenance calories are around 1800 set at sedentary.

    The only exercise I do is walking, minimum 20,000 steps a day. I have my fitbit synced to mfp. Did you say you have 2 separate trackers?? If so, choose one, sync it with mfp and eat back 50-75% of your exercise calories back to start. Reassess in a few weeks.
    Enter your info, choose the option to lose 0.5lbs a week and you should be good to go.

    If you have a HR monitor device, do not worry about entering any exercise manually. Set it, forget it and let it do it's job :smile:
  • wizzybeth
    wizzybeth Posts: 3,578 Member
    SezxyStef wrote: »
    zyxst wrote: »
    It's .2 of a pound. Calm down.

    I was just thinking this...2 pages of posts for 0.2lbs...are you freakin kidding me?

    Seriously? What do you care?
  • ogtmama
    ogtmama Posts: 1,403 Member
    737jac737 wrote: »
    The only way to lose weight is to exercise your @$$ off, eat a high protein diet, and cut your sugar to 30 grams a day. NO WHINING. DO IT.

    Lol...I'm just "loitering" around all day, I've cut down on meat and dairy, and I eat chocolate every day and the weight is melting like the wicked witch in the rain. No suffering needed my friend, I am sad for you
  • arditarose
    arditarose Posts: 15,573 Member
    I'm 5'4" and about 137 lbs. I will NOT lose weight on 1800 calories. I get about 12,000 steps in daily too. Nope. That's about my maintenance. I know fitbit says 2,000+ but it just ain't true.
  • sclark2017
    sclark2017 Posts: 12 Member
    I always gain on my period, I wouldn't be worried about .2 lbs
  • ZRx4
    ZRx4 Posts: 158 Member
    I'm in the same boat as you! I walk a ton! Lift weights, run on the treadmill average 15k steps a day and still no loss. I did get a food scale for Mother's Day and am using it more to help me, but my daughter bday is Sunday and I'm a baker, so I'm indulging in everything. Lol. But I totally understand your frustrations. I'm about 15lbs from goal and at this rate, it'll take me a year or heck even another 3 to get there. I've lost 20 in the last 3 years. Uber slow!! Just don't give up, understand this is a lifestyle and there are no short cuts, days, weeks and months vary, on how we eat and such. Come June first I'm dropping my calories to 1400 (per beach body.com) to see if it makes a difference. Btw I'm 5'7" and 153lbs. Pre bday treats I ate around 1800 too.
  • Dnarules
    Dnarules Posts: 2,081 Member
    500 calories for 10'000 steps? That seems awfully high. I did a lot of walking on holiday the past two weeks, I'm 172lbs or there abouts currently and got 400 calories for 20'000 step days. An instense cardio workout for about an hour would give me tops 500 calories (I also wear an HRM, Vivoactive and GymTimer app). I think you are quite possibly eating too much to lose.

    That said, it's only two weeks and you could well just be retaining water.

    Fitbit is adding 500 for the overall day, not just intentional exercise.

  • DeficitDuchess
    DeficitDuchess Posts: 3,099 Member
    edited May 2016
    Pertaining to period weight gain, it might not just be; when you have your period. I get thirsty approximately a week before & then have my period for 4 days, skip a day & then have it 1 final day. So for about 2 weeks a month, my weight loss can't be accurately determined. Since periods occur every 28 days (for most), your month to month (every 28 period days, not 28/29/30/31 monthly days); is where you can expect there to be a consistent loss of weight. Also whether in deficit or maintenance, I increase my calories by only 100 daily; once I begin to feel thirsty because our bodies're doing extra work but not so much, that more than 100 calories'd be sufficient; unless you're periods're long & heavy. Possibly to prevent overeating, you shouldn't wait until you have your period to increase your calories; increase them when you start to notice your body making monthly changes before because that's when the work begins.
  • Dnarules
    Dnarules Posts: 2,081 Member
    OP, lots of great info here. It is getting late, and I may have missed it.....I understand where the fitbit adjustment is coming from. What type of exercise are you doing that you wear a heart rate monitor for. Is it step based?
  • kimny72
    kimny72 Posts: 16,011 Member
    I don't understand why this thread is 3 pages long?

    OP, it seems like everything was going along fine until you gained 0.2 lbs over the last 2 weeks which includes your TOM. Which means there is no problem to solve and you don't have to change anything. Weight can naturally fluctuate as much as 5 lbs or even more on a day to day basis. You are probably just retaining water, and it will even back out in a few days. If you were having success up till now, don't change what you're doing based on your body reacting wonkily to your TOM. If it ain't broke, don't fix it :)
  • Myjourney2345
    Myjourney2345 Posts: 116 Member
    edited May 2016
    Dnarules wrote: »
    OP, lots of great info here. It is getting late, and I may have missed it.....I understand where the fitbit adjustment is coming from. What type of exercise are you doing that you wear a heart rate monitor for. Is it step based?

    My exercise is mostly not step based ( not spinning at least which takes up the majority of my exercise time).

    I spin and take bootcamp classes that involve strength training, and HIIT on the rowing machine and treadmill. I average around 3,000 steps for bootcamp and disregard those from my daily step count to avoid double dipping. My average heart rate during exercise is 165 for both bootcamp and spinning (max heart rate is 192) and my sessions last anywhere between 45-75 minutes, 6-7 times a week.
  • Myjourney2345
    Myjourney2345 Posts: 116 Member
    edited May 2016
    I'm 5"8 and 147lbs, I'm older than you, 44. My maintenance calories are around 1800 set at sedentary.

    The only exercise I do is walking, minimum 20,000 steps a day. I have my fitbit synced to mfp. Did you say you have 2 separate trackers?? If so, choose one, sync it with mfp and eat back 50-75% of your exercise calories back to start. Reassess in a few weeks.
    Enter your info, choose the option to lose 0.5lbs a week and you should be good to go.

    If you have a HR monitor device, do not worry about entering any exercise manually. Set it, forget it and let it do it's job :smile:

    I have two separate trackers, but I mostly only use PolarM400 to track steps and calories burned from workouts (I use the chest strap when I workout). This week, I am using my Fitbit to track steps and I am manually entering the calories burned from my workouts as my PolarM400 is currently being repaired....
  • Myjourney2345
    Myjourney2345 Posts: 116 Member
    edited May 2016
    sarahlifts wrote: »
    I log my steps, I never ACTIVELY eat those cals back. I may go over by 50-100 but I never say Oh I can eat more.

    Yes, this is where I went wrong. I will only be eating back 50% of calories burned during my workouts and not from daily activity (i.e steps).
  • Myjourney2345
    Myjourney2345 Posts: 116 Member
    edited May 2016
    I'm 5"8 and 147lbs, I'm older than you, 44. My maintenance calories are around 1800 set at sedentary.

    The only exercise I do is walking, minimum 20,000 steps a day. I have my fitbit synced to mfp. Did you say you have 2 separate trackers?? If so, choose one, sync it with mfp and eat back 50-75% of your exercise calories back to start. Reassess in a few weeks.
    Enter your info, choose the option to lose 0.5lbs a week and you should be good to go.

    If you have a HR monitor device, do not worry about entering any exercise manually. Set it, forget it and let it do it's job :smile:

    I don't use both my Fitbit and PolarM400 and add activity related calories from both...just to clarify :)

    Normally when my PolarM400 is working properly my exercise and daily activity caloric input looks like this.

    5jemhi0r7wod.png

  • amusedmonkey
    amusedmonkey Posts: 10,330 Member
    edited May 2016
    500 calories for 10'000 steps? That seems awfully high. I did a lot of walking on holiday the past two weeks, I'm 172lbs or there abouts currently and got 400 calories for 20'000 step days. An instense cardio workout for about an hour would give me tops 500 calories (I also wear an HRM, Vivoactive and GymTimer app). I think you are quite possibly eating too much to lose.

    That said, it's only two weeks and you could well just be retaining water.

    This is what I think too. That's what I get at 5'6 and 230 lb, so something seems wrong. Are you doing incline on a treadmill by any chance? Because it sure doesn't seem like you are doing hills since your floors aren't that high. You may need to fiddle with your stride length. 4 miles looks like a lot for not even 8000 steps.

    Edit: also, are you sure you have your gender set correctly on fitbit? When someone got accesses to my account a few months ago I was getting insanely inflated burns because it was switched to male.
  • Myjourney2345
    Myjourney2345 Posts: 116 Member
    edited May 2016
    500 calories for 10'000 steps? That seems awfully high. I did a lot of walking on holiday the past two weeks, I'm 172lbs or there abouts currently and got 400 calories for 20'000 step days. An instense cardio workout for about an hour would give me tops 500 calories (I also wear an HRM, Vivoactive and GymTimer app). I think you are quite possibly eating too much to lose.

    That said, it's only two weeks and you could well just be retaining water.

    This is what I think too. That's what I get at 5'6 and 230 lb, so something seems wrong. Are you doing incline on a treadmill by any chance? Because it sure doesn't seem like you are doing hills since your floors aren't that high. You may need to fiddle with your stride length. 4 miles looks like a lot for not even 8000 steps.

    Edit: also, are you sure you have your gender set correctly on fitbit? When someone got accesses to my account a few months ago I was getting insanely inflated burns because it was switched to male.

    I double checked my profile settings and my gender, weight and height are correctly setup. Yesterday I walked around 12,000 steps and according to Fitbit I burned 2,259 calories for the whole day without exercise...still seems high though.

    pppap9stq9w7.jpeg

  • amusedmonkey
    amusedmonkey Posts: 10,330 Member
    edited May 2016
    500 calories for 10'000 steps? That seems awfully high. I did a lot of walking on holiday the past two weeks, I'm 172lbs or there abouts currently and got 400 calories for 20'000 step days. An instense cardio workout for about an hour would give me tops 500 calories (I also wear an HRM, Vivoactive and GymTimer app). I think you are quite possibly eating too much to lose.

    That said, it's only two weeks and you could well just be retaining water.

    This is what I think too. That's what I get at 5'6 and 230 lb, so something seems wrong. Are you doing incline on a treadmill by any chance? Because it sure doesn't seem like you are doing hills since your floors aren't that high. You may need to fiddle with your stride length. 4 miles looks like a lot for not even 8000 steps.

    Edit: also, are you sure you have your gender set correctly on fitbit? When someone got accesses to my account a few months ago I was getting insanely inflated burns because it was switched to male.

    I double checked my profile settings and my gender, weight and height are correctly setup. Yesterday I walked around 12,000 steps and according to Fitbit I burned 2,259 calories for the whole day without exercise...still seems high though.
    pppap9stq9w7.jpeg

    This sounds a bit more reasonable. It appears your heart rate monitoring is pushing your calories way too much. You might have an atypical heart rate with a greater variance than usual. Here is what I would do:

    1. Decrease your stride length (if that's an available feature for charge)
    2. Eat back only 50% of the calories on exercise days and 75% on non-exercise days
    3. Patience


    Edit: one of my days for comparison, I'm nearly 2 inches taller and more than 80 lb heavier than you

    sgsfqjd9gflm.png
  • firef1y72
    firef1y72 Posts: 1,579 Member
    I'm a shortie at 5'1" and 212lb but these are my stats from yesterday which gave me 1251 calories on top of the 1480 MFP gives me for 1lb/week at sedentary. There is some actual exercise in there, but only around 300 calories and I never log exercise in MFP, I just go by the Fitbit calculations and am losing in line with what Fitbit says I should.
    ii0wp87657e3.png
  • ShrinkinMel
    ShrinkinMel Posts: 982 Member
    edited May 2016
    Why would you add the 1200 basal it's already ingrained in mfp's calculations. Stop adding anything other than your actual intential workout. Eat what mfp gives for target and the workout calories if you are hungry enough.

    Steps from everyday life regardless, of what you did "before" are on your basal target of you want to count that pick a bit more lightly active and again only track or sync intentional workouts.
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