Struggling to lose weight

Masher81

When I first started tracking my calories I was set to eat 2600 Calories a day. In the first few weeks I lost about 10lbs. Shortly after the weight started to come back and I lowered my Calorie intake to 2100 per day. It has been 2 months and I have not lost any weight at all. I hate to eat less than 2100 as it really affects my workout performance but, should I lower the intake more?

quiksylver296

How are you determining that you are eating 2100 calories? Food scale? If not, start there.

http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10634517/you-dont-use-a-food-scale/p1

http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1080242/a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants/p1

Masher81

I expect that if I eat a can of green beans that the calories indicated on the label would be correct. Is this not the case?

quiksylver296

Masher81 wrote: »

I expect that if I eat a can of green beans that the calories indicated on the label would be correct. Is this not the case?

Not always. It depends on the product. Some things are spot on, and some are wildly off.

In the US (I don't know where you are), items are legally allowed to be off up to 20%. That means if something is labeled as 300 calories, it can actually be anywhere from 240 to 360 calories. Those inconsistencies can add up.

Did you check out this thread? It answers your exact question.

http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10634517/you-dont-use-a-food-scale/p1

nighthawk584

what did MFP give you for calorie deficit goal? What activity level do you have it set at? How tall are you and what do you currently weigh? I'm 6'1" and started with a weight of 280 lbs and my base calories at that time were around 1700-1800 plus adding purposeful exercise calories burned. My activity level was set at the lowest. Now I am 184 lbs and eating around 1900 calories plus exercise calories and still losing weight but a lot slower. AND MOST IMPORTANT..weigh everything going in your mouth on a food scale

Masher81

My activity level is set to the lowest settings. I am 6'4" 270lbs. I have it set to 2lbs a week loss. I cycle around 150 Miles a week and run between 10 and 20 miles a week.

Go_Deskercise

nighthawk584 wrote: »

what did MFP give you for calorie deficit goal? What activity level do you have it set at? How tall are you and what do you currently weigh? I'm 6'1" and started with a weight of 280 lbs and my base calories at that time were around 1700-1800 plus adding purposeful exercise calories burned. My activity level was set at the lowest. Now I am 184 lbs and eating around 1900 calories plus exercise calories and still losing weight but a lot slower. AND MOST IMPORTANT..weigh everything going in your mouth on a food scale

Masher81

I don't see anywhere were it says a Deficit. It says if I eat 2140 calories a day I will lose 2lbs a week. I could be over looking it. Could you point in the correct sport to look for this info?

Go_Deskercise

You set it to lose 2lbs per week so what it gave you would be your deficit.

Use the food scale so you can see how much you should be eating

wmd1979

Masher81 wrote: »

I don't see anywhere were it says a Deficit. It says if I eat 2140 calories a day I will lose 2lbs a week. I could be over looking it. Could you point in the correct sport to look for this info?

If you have it set to lose two pounds a week then MFP figures in a daily deficit of 1000 calories which is how it figured your goal calories at 2140. If you haven't lost any weight in two months, then you are most likely eating more than you think. Are you using a food scale and weighing everything you eat AND drink?

Masher81

I am not weighing anything. I will start weighing to see how far off I am. It would have to 1000's of calories a day with my exercise schedule.

With that said. At the calorie intake I am at now if I try to go any lower it really affects my exercise performance. Do you guys have any food recommendations that could help keep my energy up with a lower calorie intake?

ChickenKillerPuppy

In my experience you have to weigh your food to have any sense of how many calories you are actually consuming. It is shocking to see how much smaller actual portions are than you think. If packaged food says one portion is 28 grams, you gotta weigh it to make sure you are eating 28 grams. It’s tedious but essential.

How are you calculating the calories you burn during exercise? Sounds like you may be overestimating. The exercise listings in MFP are notoriously high. If you use those I would definitely not eat back more than 50% of your exercise calories.

Avidkeo

What PP have said. Weigh EVERYTHING.

Example, I bought some pita bread, 12 8n a pack. The nutrition information says each one is 44 grams and has 111 calories. I weighed them. Every single one has been around 55 calories. Thats 25% more, so actually have 140 calories. Now that doesn't seem much, just 30 calories, but if you do that with all your food, it adds up FAST.

So weigh everything.

Some tips, if you are taking a portion from a pack, put the pack on the scale, zero it, take your portion. The negative number is the weight. Great when working from jars. Log it before you eat it.

Yes it sux but it works.

Masher81

ChickenKillerPuppy wrote: »

In my experience you have to weigh your food to have any sense of how many calories you are actually consuming. It is shocking to see how much smaller actual portions are than you think. If packaged food says one portion is 28 grams, you gotta weigh it to make sure you are eating 28 grams. It’s tedious but essential.

How are you calculating the calories you burn during exercise? Sounds like you may be overestimating. The exercise listings in MFP are notoriously high. If you use those I would definitely not eat back more than 50% of your exercise calories.

I measure my heart rate along with my Wattage which should be about as accurate as you can get.

janejellyroll

Masher81 wrote: »

ChickenKillerPuppy wrote: »

In my experience you have to weigh your food to have any sense of how many calories you are actually consuming. It is shocking to see how much smaller actual portions are than you think. If packaged food says one portion is 28 grams, you gotta weigh it to make sure you are eating 28 grams. It’s tedious but essential.

How are you calculating the calories you burn during exercise? Sounds like you may be overestimating. The exercise listings in MFP are notoriously high. If you use those I would definitely not eat back more than 50% of your exercise calories.

I measure my heart rate along with my Wattage which should be about as accurate as you can get.

Devices will estimate our calorie burn, but we have to compare that to our actual results to understand how accurate it really is. Some people have found that even good devices over- or underestimate their calorie burns. What is complicating it in your case is that you're also doing a rough estimate of what you're eating, so it's unclear for you right now where the inaccuracy may be.

Masher81

FWIW I am not relying on a device I am using math Calculating the amount of Joules performed. You can use this formula. energy (kcal) = avg power (Watts) X duration (hours) X 3.6

Here is an example:


I do understand that I need to weigh my food. I am going to buy a digital scale after work today.

janejellyroll

Masher81 wrote: »

FWIW I am not relying on a device I am using math Calculating the amount of Joules performed. You can use this formula. energy (kcal) = avg power (Watts) X duration (hours) X 3.6

Here is an example:


I do understand that I need to weigh my food. I am going to buy a digital scale after work today.

The point is that even if you're using a good formula to determine how much energy you're burning, you have to compare it to your actual results to determine if it is accurate.