Please look at my Diary

tracymayo1

CurlyCockney wrote: »

I think you just need to tighten up your logging. There's no need to over-estimate 'just in case'; be as accurate you can be with both measuring and choosing database entries. If you can't find an accurate entry, create your own. Personally, I would never use an entry that's been misspelled - if they can't get the name right what confidence can I have that they've got the nutrition right? I create my own entries from either the packaging, the manufacturer's website or the store website. Don't go by 'servings', use the per 100g information.

You've already lost weight (well done!) and it may be that your estimates worked out well for that, however they might not now you've lost weight so quit estimating and carry on losing. Best of luck!

but I am not estimating... I am using the information (in grams) from packages for my food.
I THOUGHT I was using the proper entries for other items like fruit, vegetables, etc... but as @kshama2001 pointed out - she found entries that were slightly off from mine (kiwi and corn on the cob - 1 lower by a bit and 1 higher)

Overall my entries are not off by any significant amount in the case of the fresh items.
packaged foods I enter the information that matches the package I bought. It won't always match the USDA because I live in Canada and our packaged foods is not the same as USA. Portions and servings are also not the same - which is why I use the packaging to be sure I have a matching entry.

If I weigh a piece of bread - and it weighs LESS than the package serving size - I log the package serving size anyway. If my bread weighs more, I will log it accordingly.

I think what I may HAVE to do is create my own entries - but the problem is like the Kiwi and Corn on the Cob - how could I know the information I looked up online was wrong?
I type Kiwi Fruit into Google - and a nutritional chart pops up on the right of the screen. THAT was what I used to find a matching entry.

I haven't found a Canadian food database similar to the USDA site... if anyone has a link to share I would appreciate it!

Edit to add: I found a Canadian food database and looked up Kiwi - which shows 61 calories for 100g which was the entry I chose on MFP

CurlyCockney

I'm not in the US either, but that doesn't make the USDA nutrition for fruit and vegetables wrong. Packaged goods will have the nutrition on the packaging. Portions and servings are irrelevant if you use the per 100g data, which is why I suggested it. I appreciate that not every country shows this on the label though. I don't understand why you would weigh something and then log it as something else?

Tightening logging is, in my opinion, the easiest fix. It's not necessary for everyone, but if the scales aren't moving it's such a simple way to get on track.

JeromeBarry1

For Monday you logged "Peppers - Sweet, yellow, raw, 425 g" which is nearly 15 ounces and that's almost a pound. That's a lot of crunchy vitamin C! I just wonder if you really did eat that much. I cooked half a bell pepper last night in my stir-fry and my logged weight for that was 65 g

Speaking of weighing things and package labels. I use a tortilla which the label states has a weight of 45 g and calories of 50. I weigh it each day. When it is 45 g, I claim 1. When it is 44 g, I claim .97777, When it is 46 I claim 1.0222222.

enterdanger

I think you can't call this a plateau...It's only been 11 days since you posted a loss. Your logging is fine. You probably won't have water weight from walking....but the weather could impact it. Seriously, when it is hot an humid here like it's been for the past 2 weeks I retain water like crazy. Today the humidity came down and I'm down 3lbs this morning.

I'd give it a full 30 days. If you still haven't lost any weight then it's likely your calories need to be adjusted. I'd drop them by 250 and eat that for a week. If you lose .5lb that week, you found your answer. Your calorie burn should be close to what MFP says it is, but calorie burn isn't once size fits all...even if it takes your size into consideration.

tracymayo1

CurlyCockney wrote: »

I'm not in the US either, but that doesn't make the USDA nutrition for fruit and vegetables wrong. Packaged goods will have the nutrition on the packaging. Portions and servings are irrelevant if you use the per 100g data, which is why I suggested it. I appreciate that not every country shows this on the label though. I don't understand why you would weigh something and then log it as something else?

Tightening logging is, in my opinion, the easiest fix. It's not necessary for everyone, but if the scales aren't moving it's such a simple way to get on track.

I only log the serving size as higher when I am just under the serving size.
I have always done this out of habit 'just in case' I figure it isn't doing any harm and is helping make sure I am not over on anything. I don't know - I just always did this.

I am going to check the fresh stuff against the USDA (as you say it would be the same information) and packaged stuff on the prepacked foods. I may just do my own entries now and see what that gives me.

But I still maintain my entries are not so far off that I would be eating at maintenance or over... I cannot see where that would be happening on the entries I made from the start...

tracymayo1

JeromeBarry1 wrote: »

For Monday you logged "Peppers - Sweet, yellow, raw, 425 g" which is nearly 15 ounces and that's almost a pound. That's a lot of crunchy vitamin C! I just wonder if you really did eat that much. I cooked half a bell pepper last night in my stir-fry and my logged weight for that was 65 g

It was 2 peppers before I cut out the seeds and such... that entry was overestimated because the calories are minimal for the food anyway...

and when my bread weighs LESS than the suggested serving, I log 1.
When it weighs MORE I log is accordingly 1.23 etc...
I did mention that in an earlier reply...

tracymayo1

enterdanger wrote: »

I think you can't call this a plateau...It's only been 11 days since you posted a loss. Your logging is fine. You probably won't have water weight from walking....but the weather could impact it. Seriously, when it is hot an humid here like it's been for the past 2 weeks I retain water like crazy. Today the humidity came down and I'm down 3lbs this morning.

I'd give it a full 30 days. If you still haven't lost any weight then it's likely your calories need to be adjusted. I'd drop them by 250 and eat that for a week. If you lose .5lb that week, you found your answer. Your calorie burn should be close to what MFP says it is, but calorie burn isn't once size fits all...even if it takes your size into consideration.

I log my walks with MapMyWalk - I don't know how accurate the calories burned are with that app - but it wouldn't matter as I don't eat them back anyway.
I also use my fitbit flex which keeps my calories in line with the actual activity I do in a day (set to sedentary and negative calories are allowed)

I will keep plugging away at this, I do know 11 days isn't much - but normally after the weight gain from TOM when that is done I have my drop... it isn't happening and I got worried.

JeromeBarry1

tracymayo1 wrote: »

JeromeBarry1 wrote: »

For Monday you logged "Peppers - Sweet, yellow, raw, 425 g" which is nearly 15 ounces and that's almost a pound. That's a lot of crunchy vitamin C! I just wonder if you really did eat that much. I cooked half a bell pepper last night in my stir-fry and my logged weight for that was 65 g

It was 2 peppers before I cut out the seeds and such... that entry was overestimated because the calories are minimal for the food anyway...

and when my bread weighs LESS than the suggested serving, I log 1.
When it weighs MORE I log is accordingly 1.23 etc...
I did mention that in an earlier reply...

Exactly! Weighing means nothing if you are going to arbitrarily deflate and inflate your logging.

tracymayo1

JeromeBarry1 wrote: »

tracymayo1 wrote: »

JeromeBarry1 wrote: »

For Monday you logged "Peppers - Sweet, yellow, raw, 425 g" which is nearly 15 ounces and that's almost a pound. That's a lot of crunchy vitamin C! I just wonder if you really did eat that much. I cooked half a bell pepper last night in my stir-fry and my logged weight for that was 65 g

It was 2 peppers before I cut out the seeds and such... that entry was overestimated because the calories are minimal for the food anyway...

and when my bread weighs LESS than the suggested serving, I log 1.
When it weighs MORE I log is accordingly 1.23 etc...
I did mention that in an earlier reply...

Exactly! Weighing means nothing if you are going to arbitrarily deflate and inflate your logging.

I can understand the issue if I don't take heed of the EXTRA I eat - but I don't see what harm it does if I take the higher number to be logged.

If I ate something worth 120 calories but logged it as 130 calories as that is a serving - it isn't detrimental to my weight loss.
And I don't arbitrarily deflate my logging. If I eat more I log more.

all that does is make me be a little more cautious if I get close to my goal (which honestly happened maybe 2-3 times MAX)

CurlyCockney

Try being more accurate for 4 weeks. Your way isn't working at the moment, so what (other than lbs) do you have to lose by trying?

tracymayo1

CurlyCockney wrote: »

Try being more accurate for 4 weeks. Your way isn't working at the moment, so what (other than lbs) do you have to lose by trying?

absolutely nothing!
I will try to stick to it.

CurlyCockney

Best of luck, please let us know how you get on :-)

enterdanger

tracymayo1 wrote: »

enterdanger wrote: »

I think you can't call this a plateau...It's only been 11 days since you posted a loss. Your logging is fine. You probably won't have water weight from walking....but the weather could impact it. Seriously, when it is hot an humid here like it's been for the past 2 weeks I retain water like crazy. Today the humidity came down and I'm down 3lbs this morning.

I'd give it a full 30 days. If you still haven't lost any weight then it's likely your calories need to be adjusted. I'd drop them by 250 and eat that for a week. If you lose .5lb that week, you found your answer. Your calorie burn should be close to what MFP says it is, but calorie burn isn't once size fits all...even if it takes your size into consideration.

I log my walks with MapMyWalk - I don't know how accurate the calories burned are with that app - but it wouldn't matter as I don't eat them back anyway.
I also use my fitbit flex which keeps my calories in line with the actual activity I do in a day (set to sedentary and negative calories are allowed)

I will keep plugging away at this, I do know 11 days isn't much - but normally after the weight gain from TOM when that is done I have my drop... it isn't happening and I got worried.

Still, how do you know the baseline set on your fitbit is right? I use a Garmin and I know that sometimes it is wrong. Map My walk and Map my run always over inflate my burn...but I see you aren't eating stuff back. Maybe you were ovulating...I gain during ovulation as well as during my actual period...again...11 days. Who knows? Too early to get excited. I see you took off the sodium measurement on your food diary (or mfp did or something)...Sodium could play a part too. Those prepackaged hummus are mad salt bombs.

tracymayo1

enterdanger wrote: »

tracymayo1 wrote: »

enterdanger wrote: »

I think you can't call this a plateau...It's only been 11 days since you posted a loss. Your logging is fine. You probably won't have water weight from walking....but the weather could impact it. Seriously, when it is hot an humid here like it's been for the past 2 weeks I retain water like crazy. Today the humidity came down and I'm down 3lbs this morning.

I'd give it a full 30 days. If you still haven't lost any weight then it's likely your calories need to be adjusted. I'd drop them by 250 and eat that for a week. If you lose .5lb that week, you found your answer. Your calorie burn should be close to what MFP says it is, but calorie burn isn't once size fits all...even if it takes your size into consideration.

I log my walks with MapMyWalk - I don't know how accurate the calories burned are with that app - but it wouldn't matter as I don't eat them back anyway.
I also use my fitbit flex which keeps my calories in line with the actual activity I do in a day (set to sedentary and negative calories are allowed)

I will keep plugging away at this, I do know 11 days isn't much - but normally after the weight gain from TOM when that is done I have my drop... it isn't happening and I got worried.

Still, how do you know the baseline set on your fitbit is right? I use a Garmin and I know that sometimes it is wrong. Map My walk and Map my run always over inflate my burn...but I see you aren't eating stuff back. Maybe you were ovulating...I gain during ovulation as well as during my actual period...again...11 days. Who knows? Too early to get excited. I see you took off the sodium measurement on your food diary (or mfp did or something)...Sodium could play a part too. Those prepackaged hummus are mad salt bombs.

I am on birth control - so ovulation isn't a problem.
As for the Sodium I had replaced it with Iron because I had been told an iron deficiency could be cause for fatigue and such - which I have been experiencing lately. Generally my sodium was within the limits set by MFP (sometimes over for sure - and I would retain water the next day) so I replaced it with Iron instead.

As for the fitbit - I suppose I don't know if it is right - but I have to use something to give me an idea - and like you mention, I don't eat my calories back - so it should be a bonus anyway.

I do gain as much as 8lbs when I am leading up to my period - and always would drop it + more afterwards within 2-3 days being finished - but this month that didn't happen.

tracymayo1

So, this morning I weighed in at 197.6.
Yesterday was 198.8.
I am leaving on a camping trip tomorrow and will be back on Monday. Not sure if I will get reception (as I didn't own a cell phone last time we were there last year) - hopefully we will and I will be able to continue logging.

tracymayo1

for those who wanted an update - today I weighed in at 196lbs.
I finally got below the 198 mark!

CurlyCockney

Well done Tracy!