DESPERATE AND ABOUT TO QUIT
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punkinjdm6 wrote: »janejellyroll wrote: »It's likely your logging. You're using a mixture of cup and weight measurements -- how are you deciding what to weigh and what to measure in cups? You're using generic database entries for things like soup -- how do you know what you're eating matches what the person who created the entry was eating. "Homemade - Spinach and Tuna salad - 2 bowls," if this entry was created by someone else you not only don't know what was in their salad, you have no idea if what you mean by a bowl matches what they meant. You've got things like "1 banana" (how big was the banana?) and "5 slices" (how much is a slice?). You have some entries that look potentially improbable, like 1 gram of bread (that's a very, very, very small amount of bread).
You're probably not seeing results because you're eating more than you think you are. Improve your logging, get a fix on how much you're eating each day, and then you can make adjustments from there.
Almost all thing i scan the barcode of the product and get the serving size and measure based on this. is this not what im suppose to do?
I did the same thing, used portion sizes, and measuring cups and spoons for months with zero results. Unfortunately aside from what others have said about portion sizes on packages being less than accurate, measuing cups and spoons work by mass rather than weight. A scale is going to measure entirely by weight, and tends to be more accurate. For example, by measuring cup 4 oz of frozen strawberries for a smoothie is more than twice as many berries as 4 oz by weight. Milk comes out about right, measuring cup oz are pretty much dead on with scale, but liquids that are denser or lighter are going to be different.
As soon as I switched to a scale, and started measuring by weight, I started seeing results. After weighing things side by side the old way and with the scale, it turned out I was eating more than twice as much as I thought I was.
It's annoying, because the database has so many items that are not counted by gram or oz weight, but are instead measured by cup, fluud oz and spoonfuls. I really wish people would stop using those to ebter foods in database, because it really does make it harder to count accurately.2 -
punkinjdm6 wrote: »and my peanut butter is 0.5tbsp equals 12 calories thats what i mean.
just no3 -
HellYeahItsKriss wrote: »Half a tablespoon of peanut butter isn't 12 calories... i hope you are not actually logging that as 12.. lol
That's what I was thinking. All peanut butters are different, of course, but considering that I get peanut butter that is 170 for two tablespoons, and it's on the lower side (I don't do that PB2 or "better than peanut butter" nonsense), there's no way half a tablespoon is only 12 calories.1 -
Up thread the OP mentioned that it is PB2.
One thing I've noticed when I scan product labels is that sometimes the entry will be listed by volume only, even though the package also gives a weight for that volume. So when I weigh out 9 grams of Lite Cool Whip, it will record as 2 tablespoons rather than 9 grams, which is the weight the package indicates for that two tablespoons. It would look like I was measuring, even though I had actually weighed out the correct portion. It makes it look like I was inaccurate when I wasn't.7 -
collectingblues wrote: »HellYeahItsKriss wrote: »Half a tablespoon of peanut butter isn't 12 calories... i hope you are not actually logging that as 12.. lol
That's what I was thinking. All peanut butters are different, of course, but considering that I get peanut butter that is 170 for two tablespoons, and it's on the lower side (I don't do that PB2 or "better than peanut butter" nonsense), there's no way half a tablespoon is only 12 calories.
OP IS using PB22 -
You're getting good advice, but I wanted to add that past a certain point there's no benefit to drinking huge amounts of water. Your body needs enough to stay hydrated, but if your pee is light colored and you are drinking other fluids as well (it's not true that only water counts towards hydration) you don't need more than a gallon of water a day. For some odd reason people seem to have gotten the idea that in order to lose weight you have to drink ALL THE WATER. You just need enough. Extra doesn't do anything for you.11
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collectingblues wrote: »HellYeahItsKriss wrote: »Half a tablespoon of peanut butter isn't 12 calories... i hope you are not actually logging that as 12.. lol
That's what I was thinking. All peanut butters are different, of course, but considering that I get peanut butter that is 170 for two tablespoons, and it's on the lower side (I don't do that PB2 or "better than peanut butter" nonsense), there's no way half a tablespoon is only 12 calories.
I didn't know she was using powdered peanut butter before making the comment, but given how crazy some of the database entries are, like the 1000 calorie garlic or whatever it is, who knows what kind of peanut butter entries there is...
especially when it comes to scanned bar codes. A lot of people don't realize that these are also entered into the database by people just like them and not by MFP or the companies. A post one time i am reminded of when someone scanned the bar code for "Tyson Chicken Breasts" and it came out as "Tyson Chicken Boobs". Probably not a typo made by the company lol8 -
punkinjdm6 wrote: »
Here's a handy chart that should help you gain some insight.
Can you help me understand the 3rd green diamond?
because when i see this on my fitness app it does confuse me
1500 - 1489+317= 358
like whaaaa??? does this mean i still have 358 calories to go or is it ok not to eat those??? i am confused
and yes i am on my 3rd week now.
Excercise calories are calories burned above and beyond tbe original 1500 estimated for you to stat comfortably alive and well. MFP plan expects you to eat back most of those calories, since with the excercise you would still be in a deficit. Some people recommend eating back all, some suggest leaving a third or even half. Eating back a good portion of them is healthier, not eating them back can make you good and sick, plus make it harder to lose weight by shutting down "nonessential" body functions like brain alertness, hair growth, healing and kidneys to compensate for "starving" and help hoard thise calories.2 -
Hey OP, here are some accurate logging tips!
1. Because the food database is user-submitted, there can be lots of incorrect entries to wade through. For fresh fruit and veggies, it can be handy to add "USDA" to your search term. For example, if you are eating an apple: slice the apple up and put the slices on the scale - let's say it's 120g. Go to MFP database, search "USDA apple" - find an entry with gram weights, then put in your 120g serving. Simple!
2. With meats, especially - make sure the database entry matches your weighing - cooked or raw. If you weigh a cooked piece of chicken breast with no skin or bone, specify those things in your search term, ex: "chicken breast meat cooked no skin no bone".
3. Measure solids with a scale and liquids with a measuring cup. That means you would measure things like peanut butter, cow's butter, etc - with a scale, not a measuring spoon.
4. When eating pre-packaged foods, choose an entry in the database that matches the bag. Let's say that you are eating some frozen veggies. The bag says 50 calories per 200g serving. You weigh out your portion and it's 100g, so the calories should equal 25 calories. Double check that the database entry matches that.
5. When eating out at a restaurant without nutritional information, just do your best to guess and aim high. I like to try to compare my meal to one at a chain restaurant. So if I'm eating a hefty-sized hamburger with cheese and bacon, I may use a MacDonalds Big Mac for my entry.
Hope that helps.4 -
Ok MFPeops: chill
Very good hint about the USDA database for cross check.
1oz is 28.35g.
at 14.18g your scale will show 1oz. At 14.17g it will show 0oz.
When you switch to g you will get 1g at 0.5g and 0g at 0.4g.
You are better off to measure in g not oz.
Your daily weight depends on things such as whether you have eaten or drunk anything, whether you have pooped yet, what clothes you're wearing, what you ate the night before, your exercise, and your time of the month if pre-menopausal. It is NOT an accurate reflection of fat change over time. Weighing once a week or once a month does NOT eliminate the issue of using a-typical values for your two measurements. Best way to measure your weight trend is under identical daily conditions and by recording the trend in a trending weight app.
Also do concentrate a bit or your movement throughout the day. Quite often it is a bigger contributor to tdee than dedicated exercise which should be done primary for health goals and not just the caloric burn.
I am now returning you to your regular programming
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@Hellyeahitskriss's , Awesome post about the USDA database & how best to use it for accurate MFP logging!
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Go to Ideal Lean and take Trainer Lindsey's 6-week Fit Body Challenge. It will teach you about macros (and how to ACCURATELY measure your food). You aren't eating enough or exercising enough (you need to mix it up. Pure cardio is too stable). Trust me. It'll change your life.8
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...In the beginning, if you're really overweight (I was 140 lbs overweight), you can kind of fudge it and get away with it. The closer you are to your goal weight, the less room for error there is.
This accidentally helped me out, so thank you @aeloine ; I am halfway through losing about 20, and now as I am closer to goal weight I am NOTICING that I am not getting as dramatic results. Thank you for explaining that. I am a pretty tight logger but I can do better.
To the OP @punkinjdm6 it sounds like you are trying to lose about the amount I am, and so smaller deficits and discrepancies make a big difference. You're getting some good guidance here, and don't give up! You're worth it!
Saving this thread so I can come back to @HellYeahItsKriss 's USDA database post - that is ROCKING and thanks for taking the time.2 -
OP, I had a moment this afternoon which reminds me why I weigh everything, even packaged foods. See, I love popcorn, and when I get the "runger" from an intense week of running, it's my go-to snack. I'll pop down to the convenience store at my office and grab a bag of pre-popped jalapeno popcorn. I've uploaded the nutrition label.
If I just scanned the label and logged the 1.5 servings, that would be 210 calories if the amount of popcorn was exactly 42g. But, the weight was 48g, which is 1.7 servings and closer to 238 calories. That's a 28 calorie difference.
As a one time thing, no biggie, but if all of your food is calculated without weighing, those 28 calories add up through the course of a day and week. Combine that with such a small deficit to lose, and suddenly you're eating at maintenance without even knowing it.
I'm grinding away at the last 10lbs I want to lose and it is slow going. Add in some days where I didn't log for special occasions and stuff, and I'm here maintaining for weeks. FWIW, I do eat a decent amount of my exercise calories as I feel pretty confident with my burn levels for running, which is my primary source of exercise.
Anyway, I hope the posts here have helped you understand the importance of accurately measuring your intake. It makes a difference, not only in your body, but in your mind to understand true portions, and ultimately your intake needed for maintenance (which is the real goal, right? to maintain our ideal weight range for life?).
You can do it OP!5 -
Princessmoe333 wrote: »Go to Ideal Lean and take Trainer Lindsey's 6-week Fit Body Challenge. It will teach you about macros (and how to ACCURATELY measure your food). You aren't eating enough or exercising enough (you need to mix it up. Pure cardio is too stable). Trust me. It'll change your life.
Cardio is "too stable"? What does that mean?4 -
fitoverfortymom wrote: »OP, I had a moment this afternoon which reminds me why I weigh everything, even packaged foods. See, I love popcorn, and when I get the "runger" from an intense week of running, it's my go-to snack. I'll pop down to the convenience store at my office and grab a bag of pre-popped jalapeno popcorn. I've uploaded the nutrition label.
If I just scanned the label and logged the 1.5 servings, that would be 210 calories if the amount of popcorn was exactly 42g. But, the weight was 48g, which is 1.7 servings and closer to 238 calories. That's a 20 calorie difference.
As a one time thing, no biggie, but if all of your food is calculated without weighing, those 20 calories add up through the course of a day and week. Combine that with such a small deficit to lose, and suddenly you're eating at maintenance without even knowing it.
I'm grinding away at the last 10lbs I want to lose and it is slow going. Add in some days where I didn't log for special occasions and stuff, and I'm here maintaining for weeks. FWIW, I do eat a decent amount of my exercise calories as I feel pretty confident with my burn levels for running, which is my primary source of exercise.
Anyway, I hope the posts here have helped you understand the importance of accurately measuring your intake. It makes a difference, not only in your body, but in your mind to understand true portions, and ultimately your intake needed for maintenance (which is the real goal, right? to maintain our ideal weight range for life?).
You can do it OP!
I think you meant to upload a different picture. This has personal info on it.
Edit: Never mind, I saw something else initially. It looks right now.1 -
janejellyroll wrote: »
I think you meant to upload a different picture. This has personal info on it.
Edit: Never mind, I saw something else initially. It looks right now.
Yep. I caught it as soon as I published. Thanks, though!
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BarneyRubbleMD wrote: »@Hellyeahitskriss's , Awesome post about the USDA database & how best to use it for accurate MFP logging!brightresolve wrote: »...In the beginning, if you're really overweight (I was 140 lbs overweight), you can kind of fudge it and get away with it. The closer you are to your goal weight, the less room for error there is.
This accidentally helped me out, so thank you @aeloine ; I am halfway through losing about 20, and now as I am closer to goal weight I am NOTICING that I am not getting as dramatic results. Thank you for explaining that. I am a pretty tight logger but I can do better.
To the OP @punkinjdm6 it sounds like you are trying to lose about the amount I am, and so smaller deficits and discrepancies make a big difference. You're getting some good guidance here, and don't give up! You're worth it!
Saving this thread so I can come back to @HellYeahItsKriss 's USDA database post - that is ROCKING and thanks for taking the time.
Thank you! No problem happy to do it. Me and MS paint are besties now since Photoshop and I aren't on speaking terms
I'm glad others are benefiting from it even if I couldn't catch the OP before they left1 -
change 30 minutes to 608
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change 30 minutes to 60
While increasing calories out is a solution. We have to remember that physical capacity is different for everyone. People should do what they can do and what they can stick to. Also in a CICO perspective.. if out has it's challenges the best solution is to control in.
And we won't know if an extra 30 min of cardio will be an improvement until we know just how much someone is actually eating first4 -
@HellYeahItsKriss, that was an great informative post on the use of the USDA data base.
Do you think you could post it as a separate thread (the panic season approaches
) so more people can see it, and it can be nominated for a sticky?
Cheers, h.3 -
soooo, did the OP quit?1
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dimaslopes wrote: »soooo, did the OP quit?
Not that I know of. Her profile is still up, she just hasn't been active on the forum for a few hours.
Cheers, h.2 -
No offence to the OP but needing or wanting to lose 15 to 20lbs should not leave you 'desperate' or ready to quit
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HellYeahItsKriss wrote: »Instead of Keto, how about low-carb? It can be as high as 150 carbs/day. Get a food scale. Don't eat back your exercise calories. I'm your height and my calorie intake is 1340 calories/day.
She doesn't need to go low carb. She also needs to eat back some of her exercise calories.. and so should you!
On what authority do you say she does not need to go low carb? She may not "need" to eat any certain way but there are more than one way to skin a cat as they say and only eating 150 grams of carbs daily might work for her. I think she is very close to getting things going her way because she wants this thing.19 -
I don't think it's the OP's 15-20 but the difficulty in feeling in control or successful. Frustration can do nasty things to your head.
Come on back, OP. We've all been through the frustration! All of us want to be of help.3 -
Rickster1967 wrote: »No offence to the OP but needing or wanting to lose 15 to 20lbs should not leave you 'desperate' or ready to quit
There are numerous posts daily about losing, or losing the last 10-20 lbs filled with desperation.
Those 10-20 lbs can mean the difference between your clothes fitting, or not, having a waist that fits within a w-h ratio, or not, having a flapdoodle (apron) or lose skin.
It can take months to lose those pounds with scale movements so minuscule that they don't show for weeks. (It took ~ 6 long months for me to lose the last 10)
That can make one at the start or the end of their weight loss feel desperate and ready to quit because they feel they are doing something wrong, or the method they are using is not working.
Just because it is 10-20 lbs doesn't minimize the personal angst.
Cheers, h.
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