Healthy Diet But No Progress One Month In
AGetsFit1
Posts: 13 Member
Hi there,
So I've been trying to eat healthy lately (yes I've had a few slip ups) but I am not losing weight. I've remained 145lbs (I'm 5ft 6in) for a month now. Though I've had the occasional cheat meal, I thought that I'd be five pounds down by now. Before I have been eating steamed veggies, grilled chicken (about the size of my palm), oatmeal, fruit, and have been drinking lots of water since I month before I created this account. During the holidays I watched my portion size and didn't eat food that I knew was super unhealthy. But, the weight isn't coming off. I eat six small meals a day (usually: if not I eat three normal size meals), sticking to the diet that was recommended to me. Everyday I spend an hour doing strength training and dance. I look the exact same as when I started this journey. Can anyone give me some explanation? Advice?
So I've been trying to eat healthy lately (yes I've had a few slip ups) but I am not losing weight. I've remained 145lbs (I'm 5ft 6in) for a month now. Though I've had the occasional cheat meal, I thought that I'd be five pounds down by now. Before I have been eating steamed veggies, grilled chicken (about the size of my palm), oatmeal, fruit, and have been drinking lots of water since I month before I created this account. During the holidays I watched my portion size and didn't eat food that I knew was super unhealthy. But, the weight isn't coming off. I eat six small meals a day (usually: if not I eat three normal size meals), sticking to the diet that was recommended to me. Everyday I spend an hour doing strength training and dance. I look the exact same as when I started this journey. Can anyone give me some explanation? Advice?
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Replies
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Have you been counting calories accurately? Even if all the food is healthy, eating at maintenance or possibly over maintenance is entirely possible and that will lead to a lack of progress.14
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You mentioned nothing about calorie counting. Are you logging everything on MFP with as close to 100% accuracy as possible? Additionally, since you're at a healthy BMI already, your loss will likely be slow (around half a pound a week).16
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You mentioned nothing about calorie counting. Are you logging everything on MFP with as close to 100% accuracy as possible? Additionally, since you're at a healthy BMI already, your loss will likely be slow (around half a pound a week).
^^ this
also have you been measuring yourself? if you have been working out there has to be inch loss?
the most likely answer is that you have been eating more than you think so time to get serious about accurate logging.
All the best.5 -
Healthy does not mean you are in a calorie deficit!17
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how many calories though?
you only have a little to lose, so should be aiming for 0.5lbs per week which means its easy to eat at maintenance, like you are doing now.8 -
Hi again! I have a food journal I keep since that is what I used before I joined MFP a few days ago. I eat 1300 to 1400 calories a day. Yea, maybe it might be taking me longer because I'm at a decent weight already. Or maybe I might need to focus more on veggies and less fruit?0
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OP--I agree with all of the above. Get a digital food scale and log accurately for a couple of weeks. If you're still not losing come back for a tune-up.1
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Also, no I haven't been measuring myself either. I need to buy a new tape.1
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How accurate is that count of 1300/1400 though? Are you weighing everything?3
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AdriGetsFit1 wrote: »Hi again! I have a food journal I keep since that is what I used before I joined MFP a few days ago. I eat 1300 to 1400 calories a day. Yea, maybe it might be taking me longer because I'm at a decent weight already. Or maybe I might need to focus more on veggies and less fruit?
can you open your diary?0 -
trigden1991 wrote: »Healthy does not mean you are in a calorie deficit!
I would disagree.
I would say "healthy" is eating firstly consuming the proper energy balance needed to lose, gain, or maintain a proper body weight AND THEN consuming the proper macronutrients and micronutrients. One's diet cannot be "healthy" without all of these factors being met.
OP, I believe if you were in a calorie deficit you would have seen some weight loss during this time. This leads me to believe that you are eating more calories than you think you are, OR, those "cheat days" are undoing your weekly calorie deficits.
My advice to you would be to invest in a food scale and hit your calorie goal consistently and re-evaluate in 4-6 weeks.2 -
rainbowbow wrote: »trigden1991 wrote: »Healthy does not mean you are in a calorie deficit!
I would disagree.
I would say "healthy" is eating firstly consuming the proper energy balance needed to lose, gain, or maintain a proper body weight AND THEN consuming the proper macronutrients and micronutrients. One's diet cannot be "healthy" without all of these factors being met.
OP, I believe if you were in a calorie deficit you would have seen some weight loss during this time. This leads me to believe that you are eating more calories than you think you are, OR, those "cheat days" are undoing your weekly calorie deficits.
My advice to you would be to invest in a food scale and hit your calorie goal consistently and re-evaluate in 4-6 weeks.
Your definition of healthy is great and wish it was what was generally accepted BUT most other people have a different idea. Healthy on here apparently means; no bread, no carbs, no sugar, no soda.13 -
One other important thing to note is the OP is already within a healthy BMI range. This makes weightloss much tougher, and precision in measuring much more important.3
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Are you counting your cheat meals? Make sure you are weighing everything with a digital food scale using grams or oz. Also make sure you are using correct entries (no homemade or generic). Remember weight loss isn't linear. Take pics and measurements.0
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AdriGetsFit1 wrote: »Hi there,
So I've been trying to eat healthy lately (yes I've had a few slip ups) but I am not losing weight. I've remained 145lbs (I'm 5ft 6in) for a month now. Though I've had the occasional cheat meal, I thought that I'd be five pounds down by now. Before I have been eating steamed veggies, grilled chicken (about the size of my palm), oatmeal, fruit, and have been drinking lots of water since I month before I created this account. During the holidays I watched my portion size and didn't eat food that I knew was super unhealthy. But, the weight isn't coming off. I eat six small meals a day (usually: if not I eat three normal size meals), sticking to the diet that was recommended to me. Everyday I spend an hour doing strength training and dance. I look the exact same as when I started this journey. Can anyone give me some explanation? Advice?
Doesn't matter if you're eating 'healthier'-in terms of weight loss the only thing that counts is that you're eating at the correct calorie deficit for your weight goals. Are you accurately tracking all your calorie intake? Are you using a food scale to measure out portion sizes? Are you tracking calories from your slip ups/cheat meals?
And what do you mean you're following a diet that was recommended to you? Who recommended it and what does it look like like? Again-what you're eating doesn't matter for weight loss, how many calories you're consuming does
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AdriGetsFit1 wrote: »Hi again! I have a food journal I keep since that is what I used before I joined MFP a few days ago. I eat 1300 to 1400 calories a day. Yea, maybe it might be taking me longer because I'm at a decent weight already. Or maybe I might need to focus more on veggies and less fruit?
If you're not losing weight then you need to focus on being more accurate in your tracking and make sure you're eating at a calorie deficit. What you're eating to make up your calories doesn't matter though in terms of weight loss.2 -
I agree losing weight when overweight is crucial for health.rainbowbow wrote: »trigden1991 wrote: »Healthy does not mean you are in a calorie deficit!
I would disagree.
I would say "healthy" is eating firstly consuming the proper energy balance needed to lose, gain, or maintain a proper body weight AND THEN consuming the proper macronutrients and micronutrients. One's diet cannot be "healthy" without all of these factors being met.
(But the OP is maintaining a proper body weight. Her BMI is 23.4.)1 -
trigden1991 wrote: »rainbowbow wrote: »trigden1991 wrote: »Healthy does not mean you are in a calorie deficit!
I would disagree.
I would say "healthy" is eating firstly consuming the proper energy balance needed to lose, gain, or maintain a proper body weight AND THEN consuming the proper macronutrients and micronutrients. One's diet cannot be "healthy" without all of these factors being met.
OP, I believe if you were in a calorie deficit you would have seen some weight loss during this time. This leads me to believe that you are eating more calories than you think you are, OR, those "cheat days" are undoing your weekly calorie deficits.
My advice to you would be to invest in a food scale and hit your calorie goal consistently and re-evaluate in 4-6 weeks.
Your definition of healthy is great and wish it was what was generally accepted BUT most other people have a different idea. Healthy on here apparently means; no bread, no carbs, no sugar, no soda.
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" I've been trying to eat healthy lately (yes I've had a few slip ups) but I am not losing weight. "
There is your answer. A sensible calorie deficit at your size is 250 calories per day. A few slip ups in a month replenishes all the calories you lost on your few disciplined days and you are altogether eating at maintenance.
Work on understanding why you slip up. Quantify your slip-ups. Control your slip-ups. Reduce the frequency of your slip-ups. Drink more water and get plenty of sleep. You'll lose weight.4 -
Healthy to me is a good balance of fat carbs and protein. It will be different for others. My rule is if I can't go the rest of my life without it I'm not taking it out of my diet, I'm fitting it in.
You don't have much to lose, 5lbs in a month will be very hard for you 2.5 a month is reasonable, but still hard.
I think that you may be eating more than you think with your description of chicken the size of your palm. Invest in a food scale and tighten up on logging.
You're only a month in so don't be discouraged you can do this!3 -
JeromeBarry1 wrote: »" I've been trying to eat healthy lately (yes I've had a few slip ups) but I am not losing weight. "
There is your answer. A sensible calorie deficit at your size is 250 calories per day. A few slip ups in a month replenishes all the calories you lost on your few disciplined days and you are altogether eating at maintenance.
Work on understanding why you slip up. Quantify your slip-ups. Control your slip-ups. Reduce the frequency of your slip-ups. Drink more water and get plenty of sleep. You'll lose weight.
^^ great reply0 -
AdriGetsFit1 wrote: »Hi again! I have a food journal I keep since that is what I used before I joined MFP a few days ago. I eat 1300 to 1400 calories a day. Yea, maybe it might be taking me longer because I'm at a decent weight already. Or maybe I might need to focus more on veggies and less fruit?
Nope, just calories.
Weight loss isn't determined by veggies vs fruit vs oreos vs whatever else. Weight loss is determined strictly by calories.
It sounds like you're already being careful to eat a healthy balanced diet which is fantastic for your health. However, for weight loss, the part that matters is calories.
I recommend getting a food scale if you don't have one already. Being accurate with calorie counting without one is extremely difficult even for professionals.6 -
Get a food scale. Weigh all solids in grams ("about the size of your palm" could be three ounces, could be six, the world will never know), liquids with measuring spoons. Peanut butter is a solid - weigh it. Try that for a few weeks.0
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I ate "healthy" and worked out regularly for like 10 months with absolutely no weight loss. It's easy to maintain your weight eating healthy, it takes being in a calorie deficit to actually lose weight!
Start actually weighing and logging all your food and pay attention to your macronutrients too.
Once I started using myfitnesspal to actually track calories (not just track my weight) it actually worked.
Just do it.3 -
as others said "about the size of your palm" is certainly not a measurement on any scale I've seen...you have no idea how many calories you are eating - start with that.1
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Here is a good visual...
The difference between not tracking calories and tracking calories (results):
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Just got back from being in vacation, that's why the big blip recently...
But can you see what a difference it makes?? I don't know why I just used myfitnesspal to track my weight and not calories for so long, but I finally started tracking and logging my food and the results started coming immediately! When you don't track calories you tend to eat at about maintenance level, even if it's healthy food choices.1 -
Morning!
I do not have a food scale so I will go ahead and purchase one when I go out tomorrow. You guys are right, I need to stop giving in to the occasional slip ups (goodbye for now sushi, IHOP, and teriyaki!). I go off of what google tells me is a good portion size, but I'll start measuring.
Also, overnight I surprisingly lost a pound! It's the first I've lost since I began this journey! I'm so happy right now!
I think that answered the majority of responses that I've gotten.2 -
Oh also I'll start using this app more often. I only started this app like five days ago, so there isn't much history to my account stuff yet1
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AdriGetsFit1 wrote: »Morning!
I do not have a food scale so I will go ahead and purchase one when I go out tomorrow. You guys are right, I need to stop giving in to the occasional slip ups (goodbye for now sushi, IHOP, and teriyaki!). I go off of what google tells me is a good portion size, but I'll start measuring.
Also, overnight I surprisingly lost a pound! It's the first I've lost since I began this journey! I'm so happy right now!
I think that answered the majority of responses that I've gotten.
You don't have to give up sushi, IHOP & teriyaki. Just eat an amount that fits it into your calories for the day!6
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