Can anyone help!
Lullaby2021
Posts: 121 Member
Hi everyone, I've been trying to lose weight. for the past three weeks. Nothing seem to be working. I workout 3 times perweek. for 25 min each of them days. I also walk a few hours each week. I eat 165g carbs per day and 1,460 calories perday. I weigh my food and haven't lost anything. I don't have any diary data for you. I don't track my food on this app. I use another one to do so. BTW I just started 3 weeks ago. So I doubt this is a plateau. I am 5'6 and weight 141.8(1)pound up from the other day. I'm stuck and I just started! What am I doing wrong???? Anyone has got stuck in the beginning with no progress at all?
3
Replies
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@Lullaby2021 I totally understand your frustrations! Have you taken progress photos or measurements? The scale truly isn't your friend unless you are focused on the number vs. body composition. What are your goals? If you are looking strictly to lose weight, I suggest maximizing your time in the gym. Perform 30 - 45 minutes of HIIT. During your walks incorporate light weights (dumbbells or ankle weights) and perform some strength training. A food suggestion is to lower your carbs. Add a lean protein to each meal and always have a green veggie. If that does not work, you may have to readjust a few more times but that happens. Good luck on your journey!
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Several things strike me.
First, you’re already very close to goal. Weight loss is painfully slow when you have small amounts to lose. Even the slightest thing can mask loss- too much salt, new foods added, wholesale turnaround of diet, fiber causing constipation, monthly, stress etc.
I bought some One protein bars - which I loved- and ballooned badly over the next few days. My body didn’t like their sweetener. I had to leave the rest out at the front desk of the gym as freebies.
Second, this exercise you mention. Is it a new routine? Did you do like many new dieters and throw yourself enthusiastically at it? Are you sore? New exercise, soreness can cause water retention as your body directs it towards healing.
Third: are you weighing everything that crosses your lips? In grams? How reliable is your other food diary? This close to goal, every gram counts. And there are, btw, no “free foods” under MFP’s system.
Fourth: three weeks (and in my experience a lot of anxious users call a week and a day “three weeks”, lol) isn’t enough time to judge results. Give it four, preferably six full weeks, and remember, if you’ve set your goals fit half or quarter pound a week, as you should this close to goal, it’s going to take at least that long for it to even show on the scales.7 -
Is the workout routine and/or walking new, alongside the calorie goal? If so, that can result in water retention that masks fat loss on the scale, for up to several weeks. Since you're at 1460 calories, I'm thinking you may be targeting a pound a week loss rate, or slower - just a guess? Are you logging and eating the exercise calories on top of the 1460, or just straight-up eating 1460?
In addition, if you're female and premenopausal, hormonal water weight fluctuations can be a factor, too. Some women only see a new low weight once a month, in extreme cases. I'd always urge someone to stick with a new regimen for at least 4-6 weeks, at least one or maybe two menstrual cycles if applicable in order to compare bodyweight at the same relative point in at least two if not three different cycles. In shorter time horizons, water weight fluctuations and dietary changes can serious confuse matters on the scale.
How long have you been calorie counting? If that's new, that's a skill that can require refinement and practice, plus learning. That could also be a factor, but I can't say much more without being able to look at your diary. Key things for best accuracy are being sure to log every bite, lick, taste; using a food scale; not relying on other people's data for recipes or whole meals; and more. (I'm not saying those things MUST be done in order to lose weight; I'm saying that those things are useful to make calorie counts more accurate as a guiding tool for weight loss, if that's a concern.)
My advice would differ from the first reply to your question. Those things might be productive, but it's not universally essential. I lost 50+ pounds in less than a year, and have maintained a healthy weight for 5+ years since, doing no standard HIIT (by current definitions), changing nothing much about my exercise routine (I was already active for over a decade while obese), and eating 150g plus of carbs most days (alongside overall good nutrition). Strength training is good, but ankle weights while walking or doing cardio can create injury risk.
As an aside, the PP's current profile photo is the wonderful and inspirational Ernestine Shepherd, a famous older bodybuilder. I believe she (Shepherd) would advocate some, but possibly not all, of what's in the PP. Shepherd's certainly a good role model, given similar goals to hers. My profile photo is 60-something year old me, after weight loss. (I'm now 65, look about the same.) I'm only saying what worked well for me. 🤷♀️
Wishing you much success!6 -
You started 3 weeks ago. How often are you getting on the scale? Is it the same scale each time? And are you weighins consistent? For example if I check my weigh today at 3pm a couple of hours after eating lunch, it is not a good comparison to checking my weight tomorrow morning after I wake up. Remember that the scale weight is not just a readout of your body weight: but also whatever water/food is in your body as well as the clothing you are wearing. So to be consistent and track CHANGE in weight, use the same scale, weigh at the same time/routine in your day, same level of clothing.
Other than that: aim for accuracy in your logging. Use a food scale for solids if you're not already. And give it time. If the exercise is new, you are likely retaining water for muscle repair & preparation. Give it 6-8 weeks. Though with accurate logging you will probably start to see results sooner.3 -
If you’re female, 3 weeks probably isn’t long enough to see a difference. Water weight is a thing for women and it can mask results for 1 month.3
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springlering62 wrote: »Several things strike me.
First, you’re already very close to goal. Weight loss is painfully slow when you have small amounts to lose. Even the slightest thing can mask loss- too much salt, new foods added, wholesale turnaround of diet, fiber causing constipation, monthly, stress etc.
I bought some One protein bars - which I loved- and ballooned badly over the next few days. My body didn’t like their sweetener. I had to leave the rest out at the front desk of the gym as freebies.
Second, this exercise you mention. Is it a new routine? Did you do like many new dieters and throw yourself enthusiastically at it? Are you sore? New exercise, soreness can cause water retention as your body directs it towards healing.
Third: are you weighing everything that crosses your lips? In grams? How reliable is your other food diary? This close to goal, every gram counts. And there are, btw, no “free foods” under MFP’s system.
Fourth: three weeks (and in my experience a lot of anxious users call a week and a day “three weeks”, lol) isn’t enough time to judge results. Give it four, preferably six full weeks, and remember, if you’ve set your goals fit half or quarter pound a week, as you should this close to goal, it’s going to take at least that long for it to even show on the scales.
I am constipated I think. I just added only the target exercise of 25min. I already had been doing walks before this.
I was sore last night from working out.
I'm weighing almost everything.. Sometimes I do skip the mayo or syrup. I use (lose it to track Btw)
Yes, I'm at 0.5 pounds per week...1 -
Lullaby2021 wrote: »springlering62 wrote: »Several things strike me.
First, you’re already very close to goal. Weight loss is painfully slow when you have small amounts to lose. Even the slightest thing can mask loss- too much salt, new foods added, wholesale turnaround of diet, fiber causing constipation, monthly, stress etc.
I bought some One protein bars - which I loved- and ballooned badly over the next few days. My body didn’t like their sweetener. I had to leave the rest out at the front desk of the gym as freebies.
Second, this exercise you mention. Is it a new routine? Did you do like many new dieters and throw yourself enthusiastically at it? Are you sore? New exercise, soreness can cause water retention as your body directs it towards healing.
Third: are you weighing everything that crosses your lips? In grams? How reliable is your other food diary? This close to goal, every gram counts. And there are, btw, no “free foods” under MFP’s system.
Fourth: three weeks (and in my experience a lot of anxious users call a week and a day “three weeks”, lol) isn’t enough time to judge results. Give it four, preferably six full weeks, and remember, if you’ve set your goals fit half or quarter pound a week, as you should this close to goal, it’s going to take at least that long for it to even show on the scales.
I am constipated I think. I just added only the target exercise of 25min. I already had been doing walks before this.
I was sore last night from working out.
I'm weighing almost everything.. Sometimes I do skip the mayo or syrup. I use (lose it to track Btw)
Yes, I'm at 0.5 pounds per week...
The bolded is likely to be at least a part of the issue. Both mayonnaise and syrup are hugely high calorie items which are very easy to ‘over serve’.
Even a small amount could easily be close to wiping out your deficit when you’ve not got much to lose.4 -
Is the workout routine and/or walking new, alongside the calorie goal? If so, that can result in water retention that masks fat loss on the scale, for up to several weeks. Since you're at 1460 calories, I'm thinking you may be targeting a pound a week loss rate, or slower - just a guess? Are you logging and eating the exercise calories on top of the 1460, or just straight-up eating 1460?
In addition, if you're female and premenopausal, hormonal water weight fluctuations can be a factor, too. Some women only see a new low weight once a month, in extreme cases. I'd always urge someone to stick with a new regimen for at least 4-6 weeks, at least one or maybe two menstrual cycles if applicable in order to compare bodyweight at the same relative point in at least two if not three different cycles. In shorter time horizons, water weight fluctuations and dietary changes can serious confuse matters on the scale.
How long have you been calorie counting? If that's new, that's a skill that can require refinement and practice, plus learning. That could also be a factor, but I can't say much more without being able to look at your diary. Key things for best accuracy are being sure to log every bite, lick, taste; using a food scale; not relying on other people's data for recipes or whole meals; and more. (I'm not saying those things MUST be done in order to lose weight; I'm saying that those things are useful to make calorie counts more accurate as a guiding tool for weight loss, if that's a concern.)
My advice would differ from the first reply to your question. Those things might be productive, but it's not universally essential. I lost 50+ pounds in less than a year, and have maintained a healthy weight for 5+ years since, doing no standard HIIT (by current definitions), changing nothing much about my exercise routine (I was already active for over a decade while obese), and eating 150g plus of carbs most days (alongside overall good nutrition). Strength training is good, but ankle weights while walking or doing cardio can create injury risk.
As an aside, the PP's current profile photo is the wonderful and inspirational Ernestine Shepherd, a famous older bodybuilder. I believe she (Shepherd) would advocate some, but possibly not all, of what's in the PP. Shepherd's certainly a good role model, given similar goals to hers. My profile photo is 60-something year old me, after weight loss. (I'm now 65, look about the same.) I'm only saying what worked well for me. 🤷♀️
Wishing you much success!
Thank you, The workout routine is new.
The walking I been doing that.
I eat exercise calories sometimes.
I've been calorie counting for over a year. I lost 28lbs previously.
Yes I agree with logging everything. I might need to come here. The other app(Lose it) I don't feel is as accurate as MFP. It might be stalling me as well..
2 -
nanastaci2020 wrote: »You started 3 weeks ago. How often are you getting on the scale? Is it the same scale each time? And are you weighins consistent? For example if I check my weigh today at 3pm a couple of hours after eating lunch, it is not a good comparison to checking my weight tomorrow morning after I wake up. Remember that the scale weight is not just a readout of your body weight: but also whatever water/food is in your body as well as the clothing you are wearing. So to be consistent and track CHANGE in weight, use the same scale, weigh at the same time/routine in your day, same level of clothing.
Other than that: aim for accuracy in your logging. Use a food scale for solids if you're not already. And give it time. If the exercise is new, you are likely retaining water for muscle repair & preparation. Give it 6-8 weeks. Though with accurate logging you will probably start to see results sooner.
I get on the scale once, every Tuesday morning after pee..
I have use my only one scale
Yes I should give it more time. It's just weird.. normally when first starting back. I get a drop like one lb.. 2lbs something...butt this time not at all.
1 -
You skip weighing the mayo or syrup? Thats big calories that add up quick. Weigh and track everything.1
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.5 pounds per week means aiming for 250 deficit daily. This is about where I am... It is EASY to overeat by 250 if not being precise. But you are almost certainly retaining water if you have sore muscles from the new workouts, and you mentioned being constipated. And some women retain during ovulation or TOM or before/after one or both of those. So keep tracking, and get 8 data points since you are weighing in weekly. You're bound to see a downward trend in that time.1
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I always give a new routine 6 weeks, and I completely ignore and impact of exercise.
For women, water retention can mess with results for about a month, that's why I always stay consistent for 6 weeks.
I log my weight every day, but ignore it until the 6 weeks are up, and then look at the graph of my weigh ins. They will tell you exactly what is happening.
If you aren't losing over the course of 6 weeks and you have logged your eating and been under your caloric allotment the entire time, then it's highly probable that you aren't logging accurately.
The other possibility is that your metabolism is just lower than one would expect, but this is exceedingly rare, and tends to mostly happen with people who have already lost enormous amounts of weight.
So if you are a healthy person with adequate energy to function properly, then chances are, it's not your metabolism. It's your logging or measuring.
It's entirely possible for someone your height and weight to maintain at 1600-1800 calorie range, and if you are off on your logging by even a bit, then you might actually be eating in that range and not realizing it.
I'm an inch taller and 8lbs heavier, and I wouldn't lose very quickly if I were eating ~1500 daily. So it could just be slow.
Wait the full 6 weeks, and then adjust accordingly if the numbers don't drop.
At your weight, the margin of error is very small.1 -
Thanks everyone one for your input. I will re-evaluate and come back later. Also will log my food here for now. To have data in my diary later show.1
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UPDATE: Hi all I'm back and I lost a little weight finally. I lost 0.8 Lbs in a week. since logging here and weighing my food. My diary have some data now. For any of you who are interested to see. As I didn't have any data before. I know every week won't be like this. It's good to, know things are finally moving.3
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Lullaby2021 wrote: »UPDATE: Hi all I'm back and I lost a little weight finally. I lost 0.8 Lbs in a week. since logging here and weighing my food. My diary have some data now. For any of you who are interested to see. As I didn't have any data before. I know every week won't be like this. It's good to, know things are finally moving.
With relatively little to lose, 0.8 pounds in a week is pretty perfect. That said, it's reasonable to expect loss to be uneven: More some weeks, less others. Hang in there, just keep going.
I took a quick look at your diary: Appears reasonable. I see you've logged some cold/cough remedies recent. I hope you're OK, feel better soon!
IMO, logging carefully can be a pretty useful tool for getting weight loss on track, as long as one is not in the minority that find counting too stressful or obsessive. It's surprising how, without logging, little things can slip through the cracks and make loss difficult. I know you said you were logging elsewhere, but sounds like you've maybe tightened things up a little on that front.
Just keep up the good work, I think you're going to do fine, with patience and persistence!3 -
Lullaby2021 wrote: »UPDATE: Hi all I'm back and I lost a little weight finally. I lost 0.8 Lbs in a week. since logging here and weighing my food. My diary have some data now. For any of you who are interested to see. As I didn't have any data before. I know every week won't be like this. It's good to, know things are finally moving.
With relatively little to lose, 0.8 pounds in a week is pretty perfect. That said, it's reasonable to expect loss to be uneven: More some weeks, less others. Hang in there, just keep going.
I took a quick look at your diary: Appears reasonable. I see you've logged some cold/cough remedies recent. I hope you're OK, feel better soon!
IMO, logging carefully can be a pretty useful tool for getting weight loss on track, as long as one is not in the minority that find counting too stressful or obsessive. It's surprising how, without logging, little things can slip through the cracks and make loss difficult. I know you said you were logging elsewhere, but sounds like you've maybe tightened things up a little on that front.
Just keep up the good work, I think you're going to do fine, with patience and persistence!
thanks, Yes I'm doing okay(slight cold) I'm trying to rid of.
I'm hanging in there yes
I find tracking useful here
Yes not logging condiments in my case. was the stall of me..
I log here now.. the app I used was lose it. I saw that the login there. are no so accurate as here. I was eating about 200 calories more than what I should. when I compared it to mfp login. of the same exact dates.
Yes this take a lot, Working on the patience and persistence more : ).
2 -
Lullaby2021 wrote: »Is the workout routine and/or walking new, alongside the calorie goal? If so, that can result in water retention that masks fat loss on the scale, for up to several weeks. Since you're at 1460 calories, I'm thinking you may be targeting a pound a week loss rate, or slower - just a guess? Are you logging and eating the exercise calories on top of the 1460, or just straight-up eating 1460?
In addition, if you're female and premenopausal, hormonal water weight fluctuations can be a factor, too. Some women only see a new low weight once a month, in extreme cases. I'd always urge someone to stick with a new regimen for at least 4-6 weeks, at least one or maybe two menstrual cycles if applicable in order to compare bodyweight at the same relative point in at least two if not three different cycles. In shorter time horizons, water weight fluctuations and dietary changes can serious confuse matters on the scale.
How long have you been calorie counting? If that's new, that's a skill that can require refinement and practice, plus learning. That could also be a factor, but I can't say much more without being able to look at your diary. Key things for best accuracy are being sure to log every bite, lick, taste; using a food scale; not relying on other people's data for recipes or whole meals; and more. (I'm not saying those things MUST be done in order to lose weight; I'm saying that those things are useful to make calorie counts more accurate as a guiding tool for weight loss, if that's a concern.)
My advice would differ from the first reply to your question. Those things might be productive, but it's not universally essential. I lost 50+ pounds in less than a year, and have maintained a healthy weight for 5+ years since, doing no standard HIIT (by current definitions), changing nothing much about my exercise routine (I was already active for over a decade while obese), and eating 150g plus of carbs most days (alongside overall good nutrition). Strength training is good, but ankle weights while walking or doing cardio can create injury risk.
As an aside, the PP's current profile photo is the wonderful and inspirational Ernestine Shepherd, a famous older bodybuilder. I believe she (Shepherd) would advocate some, but possibly not all, of what's in the PP. Shepherd's certainly a good role model, given similar goals to hers. My profile photo is 60-something year old me, after weight loss. (I'm now 65, look about the same.) I'm only saying what worked well for me. 🤷♀️
Wishing you much success!
Thank you, The workout routine is new.
The walking I been doing that.
I eat exercise calories sometimes.
I've been calorie counting for over a year. I lost 28lbs previously.
Yes I agree with logging everything. I might need to come here. The other app(Lose it) I don't feel is as accurate as MFP. It might be stalling me as well..
You're quite likely retaining water from the new workout routine, which is masking fat loss on the scale.
I GAINED 7 pounds when I started working out again. It took a few weeks to come off and keep going down.
Also, until I got really close to menopause I'd retain 2-3 pounds at ovulation and premenstrually (like many woman with menstrual cycles) so it's important to compare myself to the ***same point in my cycle as last month*** rather than worrying about the previous few weeks.
These days I can retain 10 pounds at ovulation and nothing premenstrually. I have a big whoosh when my period starts.2
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