been MFP for over a year- no loss- open to suggestions

progressplease

I've been logging food and within cal range(mostly) for over a year and no loss. Exercise 30 min/day 4 times a week and still, no loss. Low (not no) carb, no loss. Went to the Dr.- no thyroid prob, no prob at all... anyone??? Understandably, I am pretty frustrated gaining, losing and never getting under my start weight of 190 2 years ago!! Open to suggestions.

Nurse_Christy

I'm no expert, but I think the first thing most people are going to say is open your diary so they can make suggestions.

Mslmesq

It took you a year to get frustrated? Well, you get lots of brownie points for patience.

If you open up your diary, you'll get more feedback.

jjones62301

"Within calorie range(mostly)" seems to stand out to me. If (mostly) you are eating an extra 1000 calories here and there, you're going to maintain your weight. Sounds like you need to put your true food calories in check and/or step up the intensity in your exercises. Weight loss is not some medical mystery, it's simple math: If you burn more calories then what you eat, you're going to lose weight.

progressplease

my food log is open now- and I feel super self conscious about it... I bet everyone does. it's all such an emotional topic even though I know it's math... I'm long past thinking I am the only one that feels this way.. low carb, paleo, high carb(really ???), sugar free, whole foods... all super moderately- what works? And, super rarely are there an extra 1000 cal. as in, maybe once every few months...

lorenzovonmatterhorn7549

You should be losing if you calculate TDEE -20%

- http://www.fitnessfrog.com/calculators/tdee-calculator.html


If I had to guess, you are not logging everything you eat or you are under estimating your calories.

pcastagner

Eat less

deksgrl

Are you measuring & weighing ALL of your food, everything you eat?

If yes and you are certain you are logging accurately, then your calculated calorie needs are wrong, or, your logged exercise burns are too high.

txwarriormama

Are you measuring your portions? It is SO easy to under estimate your portions and eat a lot more calories than you think if you aren't. Food scale and measuring cups/spoons are my friends - they help me stay in check.

Hope this helps!

edenburnin

You might want to keep track of your sodium levels instead of something else. I notice there is salami, hot dogs, those things harbor a lot of sodium and in turn keep a lot of your water weight on. No this won't do everything about your weight but I notice the more salt and prepackaged foods and restaurant food I eat the more weight I pack on even if I stay within my calories for the day.

ryansgirl101302

I would agree with others. Try reducing the calorie intake (keep it to 1400), try watching WHICH foods you are eating. Like mozzarella sticks and fried or salty foods. What are you doing as cardio maybe you need to increase it to an hour of a fast paced walk rather than a slower pace? Also weights are amazing to help shed those lbs!

I know it is hard opening up the food diary. I keep mine open so that I AM more self conscious about what I eat. Hope we can help you! Good Luck!!

130annie

Try to work a lot more veggies and fruit in there....

mjgo56

My progress has been slow as well, but I think tracking your sodium, as was suggested, is good advice. I also noticed that your exercise is "walking the dog" at various rates of speed. Not knowing your physical condition, or if you have medical conditions (bad back, or knees, etc) I believe you need to vary your exercise, or add 20 minutes every other day until you can do more or some other cardio or light weight training. I also noticed that today your hour was worth "500 calories" and the other day only 107. I know there was a speed change, but I don't think walking the dog could actually be burning 500 calories. And don't eat them back if that is what you are also doing. These are just ideas.

mountaingirl1961

1. Really focus on eating 5 300-calorie meals/day or 6 250-calorie meals/day. Try not to eat a big meal and then fast for hours. Hammer water.
2. Commit to eating no processed anything for a few weeks and see where that gets you. I see a lot of processed meats in your diet as well as ice cream and cookies, and that's not helpful for either nutrition or weight loss. Good for you for journaling them, though! Eat grass-finished beef, wild-caught fish, pastured poultry and pork if you can find it. Overall, though - if it comes in a box or pre-made, really minimize it in your life.
3. Working in enough veggies can be a real PIA. Gotta do it, though. I often make myself an absolutely HUGE salad a couple times a week - enough that it'll make salads for meals three or four times. It takes 15 minutes to do and really helps me keep the veggies going. The times when I DON'T keep a big-*kitten* salad in the fridge ready to eat really show up in my food diary. I haven't made one for several days and my veggie quotient is really low right now. Better go make myself a big-*kitten* salad...

Good luck!

thefitmess

What helped my husband is to quit eating at night. I know it sounds ridiculous but it's just when his metabolism slows to a crawl. Also, do you know what blts are? (Bites, licks, tastes) if you have kids, huge huge problem! Gotta drink that water, I've been told that dead fat cells are actually urinated out! So it serves two purposes when you're trying to lose weight chemical changes require water. I'm a horrible logger, I give you props for being much better than I am!

nichi123

I would say to make sure you're always under your calorie goal and I would step up the intensity of the exercise

anlibo

Have you tried adjusting your macronutrients? What helps me is increasing my lean proteins and cutting or eliminating my sugar intake.

taso42

either your cal target is off or you are under-counting your food logged

laserturkey

It looks like there are days when you are drastically underfeeding yourself. It may help to be more consistent and make sure you NET your calorie goal each day. Just make sure you are weighing your food on a kitchen scale to get the most accurate log, and be careful not to overestimate calories burned from exercise. MFP reads very high on some exercises, so use their numbers with caution.

spirit05

bump

taiyola

I notice you've added things like "Oxford Cafe - Small Lettuce, Veg Salad With Italian Dressing, Turkey, 2 cup" and "ZJ's salad" etc.

If you have a meal, log each individual item YOU have used, and weigh those ingredients too.

My version of a salad/lasagne is different to yours. Be as accurate as you can, rather than 'near enough' whenever you can. I always try and use the exact brand sauce I am using etc.

Also, I haven't looked at your exercise diary, but you need to be consistent. 1 hour walking wont burn 100 calories, and is unlikely to burn 500.

Tips:

- Buy a food scale, and weigh everything you eat where possible (obviously can't if eating out, but then their website should have the calories etc on).
- Add all your ingredients separately.
- Log drinks. People seem to think drinks other than water don't count.
- Try to be consistent in logging your exercise.
- Try some new exercise.

minijuggernaut

I don't mean to sound harsh, but the answer is almost certainly inaccurate logging and eating over your TDEE.

kristyb1982

As everyone else has said, make sure you are accurately accounting for portion sizes with a scale and measuring spoons/cups. Something I did notice in your diary was a lack of condiments on things. One meal was a hamburger patty and potato salad with nothing else. Did you have a bun, mayo, cheese, etc? The condiments and dressings can really add up throughout the day. I didn't look at your exercise, but if you don't have a heartrate monitor, you should invest in one if you can afford it. It will give you a more accurate calorie burn. Good luck to you!

Francl27

Use a scale to measure your food. Measuring cups and spoons often overestimate a serving. And enter every single individual thing you eat... I see a lot of 'generic' or 'sauteed veggies' etc in your diary, and unless you're measuring everything yourself and actually created the entry, it's probably pretty far from your own sauteed veggies... especially as everything is in cups... Or 'spinach salad with olive oil'... that's not how you enter your food. You enter the spinach then how much oil you actually used... very easy to underestimate everything.

Basically, you're probably eating more calories than you think because you're not logging properly.

walleymama

it's simple math: If you burn more calories then what you eat, you're going to lose weight.

Unless you eat too few calories...or ingest too much sodium, or too many carbs, or not enough carbs, or too much protein, or don't drink enough water...or any of a dozen suggestions given to people in the OP's shoes seemingly every day on this site.


Yes, overall, caloric intake is important, but that alone won't necessarily get you where you want to be. The relationship between net calories and weight loss is not necessarily linear, and definitely not over the entire range of values. So it isn't "Just that Simple".

Unknown

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13suzie

I'd cut out the simple sugars. Your fluctuating blood sugar levels are likely interfering with "it's just math" algorithm for losing! I could be eating 1200 cals every day and actually gain weight if the calories aren't well spaced and well-used. Simple sugars kill any chance of me losing weight regardless of total count for the day. I do eat fruit (fructose sugar) but when I need to cut for losing I do my best to avoid junk sugar. It makes a world of difference.

jbonow1231

You seem to often eat very few calories for breakfast, and then eat all your calories for lunch/dinner.

Perhaps this isn't working for your body - perhaps you need to spread out your calories more evenly over your meals.

twinketta

I agree with Suzie.

Also, you are eating a lot of processed foods with sodium (you could try monitoring it?)

Your calories in your diary are up and down (could make a joke here but I won`t)

Maybe plan your next day before you go to bed, measure your portions, try to make your own meals.

If you haven`t got a medical problem then if you eat less and move more then you will lose weight.

You really have to look at your diary for yourself and see what you can learn from it.

If I can do it you can too

SideSteel

Get a food scale.
Use it regularly.
Log everything.

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/872212-you-re-probably-eating-more-than-you-think

katrinaneuman

I noticed that on the days I looked at you had no beverages logged at all, only on a few days did I see water logged. I was wondering if you are missing empty calories, in coffee, tea, soda, energy drinks and alcohol, you can really rack up the calories. I log everything that enters my mouth I the app on every electronic device I own so no matter where I am I see the ugly truth. Props on your determination and guts for opening your journal, keep up the good work!