What am I doing wrong?

CareyGlasscock
CareyGlasscock Posts: 2
in Motivation and Support
Hi,

I started tracking July 9 and have lost 8.7 lbs but I haven't lost anything in 2 weeks. I have been even watching my carbs a little more and still haven't had any more success. I've been working out 4-5 days a week with cardio and light weights.

What's up??

Getting frustrated at this point. Any suggestions? Made my food diary public. Help!!

Carey

Replies

  • _HeartsOnFire_
    _HeartsOnFire_ Posts: 5,304 Member
    Unfortunately weight loss can just take time.

    Are you eating back your exercise calories?
  • JesChernosky
    JesChernosky Posts: 37 Member
    You've hit a plateau. You could try switching up your exercise routine. You may also need to adjust your calories (I have not looked at your diary and am not a health care professional). Have you talked with a trainer or someone at your gym? They may be able to give you some pointers.
  • flynnem4
    flynnem4 Posts: 22 Member
    Two things:

    That much exercise can cause your body to hold on to water weight, so losses in fat may not be shown on the scale because your body is retaining some water.

    Also, you aren't hitting 1200 calories in the days you log (and aren't logging every day). 1200 is okay as a bare minimum, unless you're very very short, and 1200 calories plus 4-5 days of exercise isn't enough food for your body. It's likely holding on to as much fuel (fat) and water as it can, because it's stressed from exercise and a large calorie deficit.

    As odd as it sounds, you eating more (including balancing your macros so you get carbs, fat and protein, not just all of one) will probably help you in the long run for weight loss. You have to fuel your body to get it to function properly, including to get it to lose weight at a steady and sustainable pace.
  • fivethreeone
    fivethreeone Posts: 8,196 Member
    You are not eating enough, and you are logging inconsistently.

    Track your weekends and eat a bare minimum of 1200 calories NET every day.
  • _HeartsOnFire_
    _HeartsOnFire_ Posts: 5,304 Member
    Two things:

    That much exercise can cause your body to hold on to water weight, so losses in fat may not be shown on the scale because your body is retaining some water.

    Also, you aren't hitting 1200 calories in the days you log (and aren't logging every day). 1200 is okay as a bare minimum, unless you're very very short, and 1200 calories plus 4-5 days of exercise isn't enough food for your body. It's likely holding on to as much fuel (fat) and water as it can, because it's stressed from exercise and a large calorie deficit.

    As odd as it sounds, you eating more (including balancing your macros so you get carbs, fat and protein, not just all of one) will probably help you in the long run for weight loss. You have to fuel your body to get it to function properly, including to get it to lose weight at a steady and sustainable pace.

    I agree with this post... :)
  • hollyk57
    hollyk57 Posts: 520 Member
    Weight loss takes time and determination. Based on your diary - you're also not eating enough and there's tons of days you're not even logging, or only logging breakfast. When you don't log your weekends and often only log 300 calories out of your whole day, it's impossible to see the big picture in your intake. There's also tons of days in your diary, if it's accurate, where you ate less than 1200 calories... that's not healthy and won't help your efforts at all
  • ShellyBell999
    ShellyBell999 Posts: 1,482 Member
    It looks like you should eat more.
  • twinketta
    twinketta Posts: 2,130 Member
    It looks like you do not log consistently? What worked for me is logging every day.

    The reason being if you only log when you feel like it then the other days you can be over eating.

    The days you have logged you seem to be under eating.

    It really helps if you log every day, make it a habit, just get into it.

    Keeping your diary is the way MFP works, it worked for me and probably lots of others.

    If you are not losing weight then you are not following the tools on this website
  • Red_Sparrow
    Red_Sparrow Posts: 56
    While you may not be eating enough as other posters have said... it can take more than two weeks to determine if you're on a plateau. I'm guessing, as women, we just retain water more at certain times than at others. I've noticed that while my husband's weight loss seems consistent, mine doesn't, even when we both follow our regular nutrition plan. I won't lose anything for two weeks, and the third week I'll lose several pounds. If we're looking at averages, we both have similar weight loss. It's not that the fat loss is spiking one week and holding steady the others for me and not him. Up your intake a bit, and stick with it for a while so that you can see the average trend.
  • sunshyncatra
    sunshyncatra Posts: 598 Member
    It appears that you aren't eating enough on the days you log. Sometimes the numbers just don't go down, even though you may be getting leaner and more fit. How are your clothes fitting?
  • nomeejerome
    nomeejerome Posts: 2,616 Member
    How did you calculate your calorie goal? Are your goals realistic? Do you weigh everything?

    ETA: 2 weeks is nothing in the grand scheme of things and is not a plateau.
  • CareyGlasscock
    CareyGlasscock Posts: 2
    Thanks for all of the input. I set my calorie goal based on how many pounds I'd like to lose a week and my total lbs to lose. Maybe they're not realistic, I just want it to be.

    I don't log on the weekends and I know I should, especially when I have several glasses of wine and end up eating "drunk eats"...I'm not as disciplined on the weekends and I know that's probably hurting me.

    I'm afraid of eating more calories, but I'll take your word for it.
  • twinketta
    twinketta Posts: 2,130 Member
    Be consistent, log everything otherwise it won`t work
  • ILiftHeavyAcrylics
    ILiftHeavyAcrylics Posts: 27,732 Member
    Thanks for all of the input. I set my calorie goal based on how many pounds I'd like to lose a week and my total lbs to lose. Maybe they're not realistic, I just want it to be.

    I don't log on the weekends and I know I should, especially when I have several glasses of wine and end up eating "drunk eats"...I'm not as disciplined on the weekends and I know that's probably hurting me.

    I'm afraid of eating more calories, but I'll take your word for it.

    Losing 2 lbs per week is only realistic if you have 50 lbs or more to lose. If it's less than that set MFP to lose 1 lb per week, or half a pound if you're down to your last 10 lbs. Eat back half your exercise calories.

    Log everything, even weekends, alcohol and "drunk eats." Use a food scale for accuracy. Be patient.
  • bethannien
    bethannien Posts: 556 Member
    Yeah you definitely aren't eating enough when you do log. I saw one day on there where you ate less than 1000. Eat more, log everything and give it time to work
  • letmebangbro
    letmebangbro Posts: 213 Member
    Also, one thing a lot of people to note is that; when they are in the gym. A lot of people i see leave barely sweating or tired.

    Ask yourself if you've done all you can for that specific body part. Are you tired?
    If not, you probably didn't work out hard enough.

    Every time I go, I sweat buckets, exhaust myself, pushing my limits instead of casually just doing some weight, just for the sake of saying I did the exercise.

    Don't be afraid of pushing yourself, you'll be surprised at where you arrive at.

    Good luck!
  • Doone33
    Doone33 Posts: 171 Member
    Also, one thing a lot of people to note is that; when they are in the gym. A lot of people i see leave barely sweating or tired.

    Ask yourself if you've done all you can for that specific body part. Are you tired?
    If not, you probably didn't work out hard enough.

    Every time I go, I sweat buckets, exhaust myself, pushing my limits instead of casually just doing some weight, just for the sake of saying I did the exercise.

    Don't be afraid of pushing yourself, you'll be surprised at where you arrive at.

    Good luck!


    I have worked out for years.... About 8 to be precise.... Honestly I thought I was doing it right.. except for the diet part... but This response nailed me dead on.... Just in the last year did I learn to push myself beyond what I thought I could do, not to let my mind take over my bodies abilities and that If my shirt is not WET... most likely there is a need for a more high intensity workout!
  • rezn8
    rezn8 Posts: 263 Member
    Sounds like a plateau to me. It may be time to think about upping your calories. Not knowing your BMI and TDEE I can't say for sure but that would be my first guess.
    I had to go up and down several times to break plateaus. The first time I tried it and added 200 calories to my day I lost weight the very next week when I weighed in. Again I hit one, added calories and lost again. The thought of adding to lose is a hard concept to grasp but it has everything to do with working your metabolism and increasing it. If you always cut calories you will slow it down. Once you get to a point you will continue by increasing for a period and then decreasing for a period of time. Everyone is different so you have to learn the when. But it will work.
  • letmebangbro
    letmebangbro Posts: 213 Member
    Also, one thing a lot of people to note is that; when they are in the gym. A lot of people i see leave barely sweating or tired.

    Ask yourself if you've done all you can for that specific body part. Are you tired?
    If not, you probably didn't work out hard enough.

    Every time I go, I sweat buckets, exhaust myself, pushing my limits instead of casually just doing some weight, just for the sake of saying I did the exercise.

    Don't be afraid of pushing yourself, you'll be surprised at where you arrive at.

    Good luck!


    I have worked out for years.... About 8 to be precise.... Honestly I thought I was doing it right.. except for the diet part... but This response nailed me dead on.... Just in the last year did I learn to push myself beyond what I thought I could do, not to let my mind take over my bodies abilities and that If my shirt is not WET... most likely there is a need for a more high intensity workout!

    Glad you can relate.
    I go in dry, leave soaked.
  • rezn8
    rezn8 Posts: 263 Member
    I just saw your last couple of days and would definitely make the suggestion that you increase calories. You may or may not bump up initially but you aren't even hitting the 1200 number. You body is slowing down to save itself from your low calorie intake.
  • ritchiedrama
    ritchiedrama Posts: 1,304 Member
    http://www.leighpeele.com/starvation-mode

    Read, Apply.

    Also start eating the required amount you're supposed to.
  • Turnaround2012
    Turnaround2012 Posts: 362 Member
    ...... Every time I go, I sweat buckets, exhaust myself, pushing my limits instead of casually just doing some weight, just for the sake of saying I did the exercise.....
    ..... Just in the last year did I learn to push myself beyond what I thought I could do, not to let my mind take over my bodies abilities and that If my shirt is not WET... most likely there is a need for a more high intensity workout!

    This is where I finally am at too. It all started when I got serious about lifting weights instead of machines and when I started using an HRM for my cardio.

    I have to bring two towels now!
  • aetzkorn14
    aetzkorn14 Posts: 169 Member
    Your not eating near enough and your eating a lot of processed premade food which are usually high in sodium and will cause you to retain water weight. Try making you own food and eat more of it, you are starving yourself.
  • Maurice1966
    Maurice1966 Posts: 419 Member
    This is a simple estimator for what you should be eating to maintain. If you work out regularly (3-4 days) use the light activity level as your estimator. This is a guesstimate of your TDEE. A sensible approach is not go lower than about 20% of TDEE. It will have you eating more than 1200 but as the other posters have mentioned, this is not enough and you will have way more energy in the long run too.

    http://www.fat2fitradio.com/tools/bmr/
  • csheltra26
    csheltra26 Posts: 272 Member
    Thanks for all of the input. I set my calorie goal based on how many pounds I'd like to lose a week and my total lbs to lose. Maybe they're not realistic, I just want it to be.

    I don't log on the weekends and I know I should, especially when I have several glasses of wine and end up eating "drunk eats"...I'm not as disciplined on the weekends and I know that's probably hurting me.

    I'm afraid of eating more calories, but I'll take your word for it.

    Losing 2 lbs per week is only realistic if you have 50 lbs or more to lose. If it's less than that set MFP to lose 1 lb per week, or half a pound if you're down to your last 10 lbs. Eat back half your exercise calories.

    Log everything, even weekends, alcohol and "drunk eats." Use a food scale for accuracy. Be patient.

    THIS
  • kokorae
    kokorae Posts: 64 Member
    Can someone please take a look at my diary and see if you think I'm eating enough calories for the type of workouts I'm doing or not? I am 5'0", 173# and my BF% is 38.2%, yikes I know, but that's why I'm here. ;)

    I calculated my suggested calories to be 1200 based on another website, but the one posted in here (http://www.fat2fitradio.com/tools/bmr/) says I should be eating 1552 at minimum.
  • ritchiedrama
    ritchiedrama Posts: 1,304 Member
    Can someone please take a look at my diary and see if you think I'm eating enough calories for the type of workouts I'm doing or not? I am 5'0", 173# and my BF% is 38.2%, yikes I know, but that's why I'm here. ;)

    I calculated my suggested calories to be 1200 based on another website, but the one posted in here (http://www.fat2fitradio.com/tools/bmr/) says I should be eating 1552 at minimum.

    If you were completely sedentary and did nothiing, minimum you should be eating is...

    1575 calories
    100g carbs
    142g protein
    70g fat
  • kokorae
    kokorae Posts: 64 Member
    Noted, so if that's how much I should be eating, how am I supposed to lose fat? I'm already pretty much working out as much as I can without joining a gym. I'm sure I could do more. But am just wondering.
  • ILiftHeavyAcrylics
    ILiftHeavyAcrylics Posts: 27,732 Member
    Noted, so if that's how much I should be eating, how am I supposed to lose fat? I'm already pretty much working out as much as I can without joining a gym. I'm sure I could do more. But am just wondering.

    If you're eating at a deficit you'll be losing fat. The idea of a small deficit (plus resistance training and lots of protein) is to make sure that you only lose fat, without sacrificing your muscle as well. 1575 is a deficit for you if your sedentary TDEE is 1725 (which is what I go when I put in your stats).

    You do need to make sure that you use a food scale and log everything you eat so that you don't lose your deficit to inaccurate logging.

    ETA: if you exercise you would eat more to fuel your workouts.
  • kokorae
    kokorae Posts: 64 Member
    I do use a scale and log EVERYTHING that I eat/drink. Although I lived a pretty sedentary lifestyle up until about a month ago, I have a pretty active arrhythmia, and the Mio I bought last month, told me that I burn around 2200 daily lol. How accurate that # is, who knows. I get what you mean now with the deficit. Thanks!

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