11 Reasons You’re Failing To Lose Fat

likeaslidingrock

I've been eating around 900 calories (sometimes less) for almost a month, I've done 40 minutes (sometimes up to an hour) of stationary bike every morning before breakfast and in the last week I've done 4 days of the 30 day shred.
I'm also 40 kg overweight.
Haven't lost a pound. So, I guess I'm still eating too much. Will 800 calories do it?

Actually, you aren't eating enough...

read the article...underestimating portions. Not sure you could do all that exercise on 900 calories....

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

ETA: OP great post...

I don't think I'm understimating portions. I weight every single thing before putting it in my mouth. It's still an approximation, sometimes could be around 1000, but even without counting calories I know I'm eating very little.

likeaslidingrock

I've been eating around 900 calories (sometimes less) for almost a month, I've done 40 minutes (sometimes up to an hour) of stationary bike every morning before breakfast and in the last week I've done 4 days of the 30 day shred.
I'm also 40 kg overweight.
Haven't lost a pound. So, I guess I'm still eating too much. Will 800 calories do it?

Actually, you aren't eating enough...

That is true. I was just wondering. If starvation mode doesn't exist, then what's my f* problem!

edit: my plan was to stay on 1000 calories for a week or ten days. I ended up eating even less, because of life (mostly because I skip breakfast).
Since I wasn't losing weight I said: well, I'll do another week and it kept going...
Anyway, just today I went back to 1200 calories. Let's see what happens.

Achrya

This is an oversimplification of a such a complex issue. Let's just say that the article is correct and all you need to do for fat loss is reduce calories, nothing more.

How does one know with any accuracy how many calories their body uses a day? There is only one way to know what your metabolic rate is, and even the RMR test isn't very accurate.

If someone is unable to shed pounds, yet is accurately tracking calories and is eating at a deficit every day, I recommend that person get a RMR test done. They may just have a very efficient metabolism and need to eat a lot less than would be considered the norm for their age and gender.

Logic dictates that if a person is accurately tracking/logging and at a "deficit" but not losing then they aren't at a deficit. No calculator online is going to give the exact right number and most people will need to tweak up or down to make it fit, but that doesn't change that the answer is "reduce intake."

I did my TDEE and the number to lose a pound a week had be losing more, so I adjusted up. That part was even simpler than the "eat less." Part.

gailmelanie

I've been eating around 900 calories (sometimes less) for almost a month, I've done 40 minutes (sometimes up to an hour) of stationary bike every morning before breakfast and in the last week I've done 4 days of the 30 day shred.
I'm also 40 kg overweight.
Haven't lost a pound. So, I guess I'm still eating too much. Will 800 calories do it?

Actually, you aren't eating enough...

Wait... didn't the guy say that's not possible? Not sure about EVERYONE underestimating what they eat, but it's easily possible. Every crumb counts. And it could be that what we've been told about the minimum caloric intake necessary for survival just isn't true. That may be more individual than anyone wants to know.

pamperedhen

BooYA baby!!!:drinker:

RozayJones

http://www.acaloriecounter.com/blog/why-am-i-not-losing-weight/

Found this interesting article. Gotta say, I agree.

Summary: 99% of the time, when people say they can't lose weight it's simply because they are eating too much and no longer in a calorie deficit. Nothing else. No starvation mode, no thyroid problems,no hormonal imbalances. Just too many calories.

A lot of the time I see people around here making things way too complicated. Quit giving yourselves ulcers from stress, people! :laugh:

Some people just have to have an excuse as to why it's not their fault. Losing weight is simple. It's not easy, but it's simple.

Not easy but simple??? That makes a lot of sense!
And please do not judge unless you have been there with thyroid issues or homornal imbalances - once you've gone through anything health related repost your thread with FACTS!

elsdonward

I know that this is breaking your heart. But it is the reason why people give up so do not give up. Check your portion sizes carefully because it is simply calories in calories out. I still believe this even though I like you cannot get it off right now

kiykiy79

LOL! Great post!!! I want this to show up in my timeline!!!!

Johanne1957

Good and funny article...I liked it...lol

bcattoes

Cute, and amusing. Unless of course you are one of the people who actually does have a condition such a hypothyroidism or PCOS. I can imagine it's not so funny then.

catherinelauraohare

hahaha nice one

3foldchord

Seriously, if your thyroid was capable of laughter, it would be laughing at you for trying to use it as an excuse for eating and exercising like a dumbass.

Best part ^^

Sabine_Stroehm

Cute, and amusing. Unless of course you are one of the people who actually does have a condition such a hypothyroidism or PCOS. I can imagine it's not so funny then.

EXACTLY.
And many of our community members do.

drams5

can everyone just please put this scottwurley on ignore before he ruins my thread? he just keeps spamming everywhere thanks. I think this is an interesting discussion and don't want my thread hijacked.

I did not know there was an ignore option.
Please accept this flower as a token of my gratitude.
:flowerforyou:

drams5

I might print this article and post it in my kitchen. LOVE it! thanks for sharing.

Akimajuktuq

I've been eating around 900 calories (sometimes less) for almost a month, I've done 40 minutes (sometimes up to an hour) of stationary bike every morning before breakfast and in the last week I've done 4 days of the 30 day shred.
I'm also 40 kg overweight.
Haven't lost a pound. So, I guess I'm still eating too much. Will 800 calories do it?

And that's the problem with stupid articles like the one above.. You get people like this who then think they need to eat less when in fact they are not eating ENOUGH. So yes sometimes people are eating too much . Sometimes there actually ARE other reasons.

Getting into a mindset that you have to eat less and less every time you stall is dangerous and unproductive. Sure you will lose weight by eating nothing, you will also mess up your body, cause yourself added stress, lose your hair and all manner of other fun things not to mention probably gain back all the weight you lost within a year and likely more but hey.. whatever floats your boat.

^this. The "it's only calories in/calories out" theory just makes me laugh (and sometimes want to cry) every time I see it, over and over and over here at MFP. I'm the last person to make excuses and I am losing weight (which is a great side effect of HEALTH) but our body is a very complex system. To say excess fat storage is ONLY due to calories in/calories out is an over-simplification that is so widely believed that anyone who says otherwise is ridiculed, even though it's well known that there are many factors at play in managing metabolism in our body, not just calories in and calories out (hormones!). Just because everyone believes a lie, doesn't make it true. So many people are undereating needlessly, suffering poor health due to inadequate nutrients; it's criminal really.

Briko3

http://www.acaloriecounter.com/blog/why-am-i-not-losing-weight/

Found this interesting article. Gotta say, I agree.

Summary: 99% of the time, when people say they can't lose weight it's simply because they are eating too much and no longer in a calorie deficit. Nothing else. No starvation mode, no thyroid problems,no hormonal imbalances. Just too many calories.

A lot of the time I see people around here making things way too complicated. Quit giving yourselves ulcers from stress, people! :laugh:

Some people just have to have an excuse as to why it's not their fault. Losing weight is simple. It's not easy, but it's simple.

Not easy but simple??? That makes a lot of sense!
And please do not judge unless you have been there with thyroid issues or homornal imbalances - once you've gone through anything health related repost your thread with FACTS!

Easy and simple aren't the same thing. (i.e., if I give you a dollar for every person you talk to today, but you have to talk to at least 1000 people, that's a very simple task, but not a very easy one) And now that you mention it, I do have hormonal imbalances, so thanks for the assumption. Losing weight IS simple. Eat less calories than you use. That's not always easy to do, but it's very simple.

chrisg77

What a silly thing to write. Surely if your using My Fitness it tells you when you complete your diary that your consuming to few calories. By eating such a minimal amount your actually putting your body into starvation mode which is why your probably putting on weight. Before you start dieting maybe you should do research rather than asking silly questions. Faddy diets don't help all you need to acheive the best results is a well balanced nutrional and exercise plan.

RozayJones

Seriously, if your thyroid was capable of laughter, it would be laughing at you for trying to use it as an excuse for eating and exercising like a dumbass.

Best part ^^

Could you please tell me how this is funny? Ever thought that some of us DO NOT even have thyroids anymore?

haroon_awan

tl;dr

1) You are not in a caloric deficit
You a sacrificing lean body mass through:
2) insufficient protein
3) lack of structured strength training