1 month and no loss

Hey all... I’m 5’1” and my SW is 160, GW is 120. I have been on/off exercising since my third baby over a year ago 😖 but for the last month and a half I’ve been much more serious.

Serious as in I’m working out 4-5 days a week (45-60 min a day) and staying under calories (1600) 98% of the time. I try to leave a deficit between 300-500 and I’ve only dropped a pound. I’m ok with slow progress but holy cow 😳

Last night I’d lost my patience and ate a bit more and didn’t workout (I know, but we all have those days) and most half a pound. So now I’m wondering if 1600 is too little or too much? I’m guessing my calorie aim is off.

Replies

  • harper16
    harper16 Posts: 2,564 Member
    When you entered your info into map was 1600 the calories you were given, and do you weigh and log everything you eat?
  • fairestthings
    fairestthings Posts: 335 Member
    I calculated 1600 based on a few different calculators for loss at my CW/height and then MFP also suggested it, so that’s what I stuck with. I do weigh and log everything.
    harper16 wrote: »
    When you entered your info into map was 1600 the calories you were given, and do you weigh and log everything you eat?

  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 34,454 Member
    Are you eating back those Exercise calories? If so, how many?

    Six weeks is long enough to have used those numbers. You have had a one pound loss. If you want to lose more, adjust downward a couple hundred calories per day. Sit there for another month and really tighten up your food logging.

    Your FOOD diary is not Public, so we can't really spot any common mistakes people make.

    Go to FOOD > Settings, scroll down, click "Public" and Save.
  • fairestthings
    fairestthings Posts: 335 Member
    Are you eating back those Exercise calories? If so, how many?

    Six weeks is long enough to have used those numbers. You have had a one pound loss. If you want to lose more, adjust downward a couple hundred calories per day. Sit there for another month and really tighten up your food logging.

    Your FOOD diary is not Public, so we can't really spot any common mistakes people make.

    Go to FOOD > Settings, scroll down, click "Public" and Save.

    Thank you for the advice. No, I’m not eating back the exercise calories. I try to leave a deficit between 300-500 calories a day.
  • eccentricplaza
    eccentricplaza Posts: 115 Member
    Do you count everything?

    - Cooking with oil or butter
    - Using condiments like ketchup and mayonnaise
    - measuring your food properly
    - including little meaningless "snacks" like a little bit of raisins here, a few m&ms there
  • Shortgirlrunning
    Shortgirlrunning Posts: 1,020 Member
    Are you relying solely on your exercise to create a calorie deficit? How are you estimating your calories burned?

    I’m 5’0” and 152 lbs. My maintenance calories are 1680. The only days I actually eat that much are when I run 3-4 miles. Otherwise I eat between 1200-1300 calories, even on strength training days because those workouts just don’t burn that many calories.