Am I the only one who can't lose weight?!

JasmineDiver22

I've seriously been dieting for almost 4 weeks now and either I stay the same or I gain. I started out @ 1400 calories and I saw that I gained, so then I went down to 1200 and now I'm maintaining that same weight. I've gained 35 pounds since my last weight loss experience last year, and I feel hopeless like I can't lose weight no matter how hard I try. I haven't started exercising yet because I figured like last year when I lost 30 pounds I only ate healthy and didn't even exercise so I thought this experience could be the same. I don't know what to do at this point. I'm doing all veggies fruits and high protein low carb. I average like 50g of carbs a day.. that's low. So I don't know what I'm doing wrong. I'm frustrated and feel hopeless. Anyone else?

gen39

Not counting correctly. Use a food scale if you haven't already. OR your maintenance is actually 1200 kcal / day, which is doubtful unless you're already tiny.

Calories determine fat loss, not carb count.

janejellyroll

Four weeks is a bit early to get freaked out (although I understand it is frustrating).

Usually when people don't lose when they expect to, it's due to some common logging errors. If you open your diary, we may be able to help.

quiksylver296

Do you use a food scale to weigh all your food, and log everything into your food diary here on MFP? Start there.

Geocitiesuser

Yup you are the only one

joking obviously.

In seriousness, plug your information into MFP then faithfully and honestly log every bite you eat. If no weight loss after a month, manually decrease calories or exercise more but make CERTAIN you accurately logging every single bite and sip that goes into your mouth. Every. Single. One.

JasmineDiver22

@ gen39. I've thought that too. But I literally count everything I eat even if it's a bite of something. Not sure what else to do.

janejellyroll

JasmineDiver22 wrote: »

@ gen39. I've thought that too. But I literally count everything I eat even if it's a bite of something. Not sure what else to do.

Are you using a food scale? Are you choosing any generic/homemade entries from the database?

gen39

JasmineDiver22 wrote: »

@ gen39. I've thought that too. But I literally count everything I eat even if it's a bite of something. Not sure what else to do.

If you are measuring by volume (e.g., using cups or tbsp instead of food scale), this can be a huge cause of inaccuracy for solid foods.

Another thing is, since MFP uses a user-entered food nutrition data, try and verify what you're entering actually matches the nutritional label on the packaging. There's a lot of crappy entries in the database with wrong information.

quiksylver296

Read this thread, OP...

http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10543923/why-should-i-use-a-food-scale/p1

RuNaRoUnDaFiEld

JasmineDiver22 wrote: »

@ gen39. I've thought that too. But I literally count everything I eat even if it's a bite of something. Not sure what else to do.

Can you open your diary and we can help you spot potential errors?

rileysowner

Basically what everyone else said. Unless you are under 5' tall or very elderly, you should lose on 1200 calories. Not losing at that level is most likely as result of eating and drinking more calories than you think you are. The biggest cause of this is not measuring portions properly either by estimating, by trusting single serving items are the size they say they are, by using measuring cups/spoons for solids rather than using a kitchen scale, and selecting incorrect database entries by not verifying them.

This illustrates how much of a difference accurate measurement of what you consume can make.
https://youtu.be/vjKPIcI51lU

JasmineDiver22

@gen39 usually I measure by pieces. Like almonds. But fruit I don't count. I eat very little probably 1/4 cup. 1/2 of veggies, then the rest is mainly chicken and protein shakes. I only drink water. Rarely I'll drink almond milk. I usually eat raspberries, blueberries, pineapple, cabbage, brocoli, carrots, Brussels sprouts, peppers, chicken and protein shakes, and sometimes yogurt. That's literally all I eat, but I scheduale it different on different days. Am I not eating right?

Spliner1969

gen39 wrote: »

JasmineDiver22 wrote: »

@ gen39. I've thought that too. But I literally count everything I eat even if it's a bite of something. Not sure what else to do.

If you are measuring by volume (e.g., using cups or tbsp instead of food scale), this can be a huge cause of inaccuracy for solid foods.

Another thing is, since MFP uses a user-entered food nutrition data, try and verify what you're entering actually matches the nutritional label on the packaging. There's a lot of crappy entries in the database with wrong information.

Agree x1000. Weigh it or it isn't accurate.

RuNaRoUnDaFiEld

If it goes in your mouth count it.

JaydedMiss

JasmineDiver22 wrote: »

@gen39 usually I measure by pieces. Like almonds. But fruit I don't count. I eat very little probably 1/4 cup. 1/2 of veggies, then the rest is mainly chicken and protein shakes. I only drink water. Rarely I'll drink almond milk. I usually eat raspberries, blueberries, pineapple, cabbage, brocoli, carrots, Brussels sprouts, peppers, chicken and protein shakes, and sometimes yogurt. That's literally all I eat, but I scheduale it different on different days. Am I not eating right?

you can lose weight eating donuts if you properly weighed and logged and stayed at your defecit. Get a scale

DeficitDuchess

JasmineDiver22 wrote: »

@gen39 usually I measure by pieces. Like almonds. But fruit I don't count. I eat very little probably 1/4 cup. 1/2 of veggies, then the rest is mainly chicken and protein shakes. I only drink water. Rarely I'll drink almond milk. I usually eat raspberries, blueberries, pineapple, cabbage, brocoli, carrots, Brussels sprouts, peppers, chicken and protein shakes, and sometimes yogurt. That's literally all I eat, but I scheduale it different on different days. Am I not eating right?

Eating right (certain foods) doesn't do anything for weight loss, you must eat less calories of everything you eat to; lose weight & this' why you must use, a food scale since; you aren't losing because you're eating more, calories than; you believe!

JasmineDiver22

@JaydedMiss OkWhat do you recommend?

JaydedMiss

An example...i have a loaf of bread that says 40g per slice is 100 calories. EVERY slice in the loaf is 65-67g so if i listened to the packaging itd be me logging 100 calories and eating 160~ and thats just if i have 1 piece of bread. Repeat that a few times a day with different foods and your defecit is gone. You could cram alot of stuff into measuring cup even without trying, Think if it broke into smaller pieces during shipping youd fit alot more in the cup than if it was in big whole pieces.

Packages lie and theres to many variables to say your counting calories without a food scale

JasmineDiver22

@JaydedMiss okay I see what you're saying. Okay so where and want kind of scale should I buy for the most accuracy?

AliceDark

Get a scale that allows you to change the units of measure (so it will measure in grams and ounces), and that has a Tare button that allows you to zero out the scale in between ingredients (so if you're having blueberries and raspberries, you can put one kind in the bowl, record the weight, then zero out the scale before you add the second kind). Beyond that, whatever kind of scale you want is fine. I got mine on Amazon and it was like $15.

JaydedMiss

JasmineDiver22 wrote: »

@JaydedMiss okay I see what you're saying. Okay so where and want kind of scale should I buy for the most accuracy?

Buy any old simple one that weighs in grams and ounces i believe are the go tos....they are cheap around 15-30$. Tare option is a huge bonus (you can put a plate on it and tare it it will go back to 0 grams then you can add whateer you want and keep taring and weigh everything in 1 dish if you need to) (or put a jar of something on it tare it and then take away how much youd like until its - your serving size)