Why am i not losing?

trogalicious

So here. I put this together a while back. It seems to have helped some folks. It worked for me and tons of others.

1. don't trust the initial setup that MFP provides. If you put in the wrong/inaccurate information, it'll tell you to eat an amount that may not be applicable.
2. Make sure you eat enough.
3. Figure out what works for you and is sustainable/healthy/long term.
4. avoid fads. don't buy in to any "Hey, try the twinkie and vodka diet"
5. Don't cut out anything now that you don't plan on literally giving up forever.
6. GET A FOOD SCALE. Weigh everything. No, seriously.
7. Get an HRM with a chest strap. You'll at least have a better idea of what you're burning. It'll be more accurate than the generic info in the exercise database.. and even more than the cardio machines. This is great for steady state cardio (run/walk/etc)
8. Don't go balls out. You'll burn out. I see 300 lb people show up here, instantly start working out and cutting their intake SEVERELY... trying to cut out all of their carbs at once.. whatever. Take it slow. Figure out how much you need to eat FIRST in order to lose.. then incorporate exercise.
9. Don't cardio yourself to death.
10. Take the information on the forums with a grain of salt. A lot of people that have been here for a while.. and have been successful, may seem jaded. They give out GREAT advice day after day, only to be met with people that refuse to listen.
11. Eat real food. Not diet food. Not "low fat, sugar free, now without X." It's easier to get/find/count.
12. don't set time restrictions.
13. measure yourself weekly. Don't just weigh. Measure and take pictures.
14 BE PATIENT.
15. Avoid forum topics that have "1200" in the title. It's just full of butthurt. Lots of it.
16. This isn't a game, it's about changing your lifestyle. Do that.

pretty much that.

...and don't fall into the "1200 calorie" vertigo of suck because of:

the typical MFP users does this:
1. I wanna lose weight, let's try MFP.
2. OH! Wow, it tells me I can lose 2 lbs a WEEK? AWESOME!
3. I just sit at a desk when I'm not working out, I guess I'm sedentary.
4. MFP tells them 1200 calories, and they don't even eat that.. then they work out on top of it.. creating an even bigger deficit.
5. Lose a lot, fast, brag about 1200 calorie success.
6. Come back in a few months trying to figure out why they're dizzy, tired, not losing weight.
7. Get on the forums, ask why they aren't losing.
8. Get two responses (I eat 1200 and lose) (I eat 2200 and lose)
9. Argument ensues about who is right.

Now. That being said. These threads happen hundreds of times per day. Most times, and I mean really.. seriously.. 95% of the time.. people get the 1200 number because they don't put the right information in when they set up the account. There are a great number of people that are trying to help. I'm one of 'em.

I'm a hardcore advocate of actually finding out what works for the individual.. by means of other calculators, averages, time, practice, and patience.

Blanket prescriptions of 1200 calories "because it worked for me" is more harmful to the generic new user than the "figure out what you need to eat." Unfortunately, one is a LOT easier to type.

Find out what you need: http://scoobysworkshop.com/accurate-calorie-calculator/
Take the tips, links, and info above and make the cart more manageable to stay on.

cooky_monster

I think maybe you aren't loosing because you actually are eating too few calories. I know it's weird right?! But even though you can eat 1300 calories and feel fine and not hungry, you body can think you are in starvation mode which means it will hang on to everything so you don't starve, which means you won't lose anything, believe it or not.

Try eating 1400-1500 calories and do light exersise 3 times a week, like walking for 45 mins. Give it 2-3 weeks and I bet you lose 4-5 lbs!

That's what a few others have told me!
How strange, not losing weight by eating too little!?! Well I have pushed up my calorie allowance to 1500 and am trying to fit in more exercise. I have a new exercise dvd which has got High Intensity Interval Training in it. Which looks like it's short bursts of real hard work, with not so hard exercises in between. Is that right?
Also I am making an effort to eat more fruits and veggies and less crisps and cake :laugh:

Thank you for the advice

trogalicious

Well I have pushed up my calorie allowance to 1500 and am trying to fit in more exercise. I have a new exercise dvd which has got High Intensity Interval Training in it. Which looks like it's short bursts of real hard work, with not so hard exercises in between. Is that right?
Also I am making an effort to eat more fruits and veggies and less crisps and cake :laugh:

Thank you for the advice

keep the exercise the same. you don't want to wind up working out more and still having too large of a calorie deficit. Eat 1500 calories a day. weigh and log your food accurately. Get enough rest. The point is to find a balance. I wouldn't keep changing my routine until I found that I was regularly losing. Like, don't just jump to 1500 calories then add HIIT and other random workouts. Just eat 1500 a day for 4 weeks. Exactly that amount. Weigh at the beginning, weigh at the end. Take how much you've lost and break it down mathematically. If you're losing a steady and good amount, just keep doing what you're doing.

cooky_monster

Well I have pushed up my calorie allowance to 1500 and am trying to fit in more exercise. I have a new exercise dvd which has got High Intensity Interval Training in it. Which looks like it's short bursts of real hard work, with not so hard exercises in between. Is that right?
Also I am making an effort to eat more fruits and veggies and less crisps and cake :laugh:

Thank you for the advice

keep the exercise the same. you don't want to wind up working out more and still having too large of a calorie deficit. Eat 1500 calories a day. weigh and log your food accurately. Get enough rest. The point is to find a balance. I wouldn't keep changing my routine until I found that I was regularly losing. Like, don't just jump to 1500 calories then add HIIT and other random workouts. Just eat 1500 a day for 4 weeks. Exactly that amount. Weigh at the beginning, weigh at the end. Take how much you've lost and break it down mathematically. If you're losing a steady and good amount, just keep doing what you're doing.

Ok will do. I need to learn to be more patient
Thank you very much for the advice, Its nice to know that there are so many good people here that are willing to help :blushing:

EvgeniZyntx

First things first. Eat!! But eat the right food. NO Fast food what so ever! No Suger unless its from fruit. (Not in a can)!! It's all or nothing. How bad do you want to lose weight? Bump up your food intake to 2000 and double up on your cardio! You'll have people tell you different. Here is my opinion. Sweat loss is weight loss. If your not sweating your not consuming enough water and or working out hard enough! Try this. Try to cut out all soda. Eat your calories, Don't drink them. Last but not least. Set a reason to lose weight. Stick with that reason and work your butt off!

When I see advice this good I go and look at the ticker.
Signed up in 2011 and lost 1 lb.

Makes sense.

beachlover317

First things first. Eat!! But eat the right food. NO Fast food what so ever! No Suger unless its from fruit. (Not in a can)!! It's all or nothing. How bad do you want to lose weight? Bump up your food intake to 2000 and double up on your cardio! You'll have people tell you different. Here is my opinion. Sweat loss is weight loss. If your not sweating your not consuming enough water and or working out hard enough! Try this. Try to cut out all soda. Eat your calories, Don't drink them. Last but not least. Set a reason to lose weight. Stick with that reason and work your butt off!

When I see advice this good I go and look at the ticker.
Signed up in 2011 and lost 1 lb.

Makes sense.

my thoughts exactly.

lindsaymarcin

water, water, and more water! Try to get in the 8 glasses. I sometimes use the Kroger fitness flavors in mine especially in the morning when I would like to have juice, but don't want the calories that come with it! It wasn't easy to take in so much in the beginning, but you get used to it and it actually makes you feel full faster.

jennegan1

At this point I would be ready to throw in the towel. If it still doesn't show any changes after a week it's clearly not going to work. You are different from everybody else.

No im not :frown: I just thought that because I have made some quite drastic changes to my diet in past 7 days, I would have lost a little weight. No I did not expect to miraculously drop 10lbs or anything, but just 1lb, or even 1/2lb!

Yes I know I am not exercising "enough" to lose a lot of weight, but im afraid I cant just jump from no exercise to doing lots of exercise. Which is why im starting off gently, doing some light aerobics and spending a little time on an elliptical machine. I know some of you may scoff at how little I do, but at least I am trying, and building up to it sensibly, rather than force myself to jog for 30 mins and cause myself injury.

Dont worry about doing a little bit at a time....I see alot of people say get up and walk around every half hour for 5-10 mins to help build up stamina....When I first started back in Sept first I was doing 20 mins of aerobics but my step dad wanted to help build up his stamina for going hunting then we started out walking 30-40 mins working our way up to 45 mins....You know your body you know what you can or cant do....Dont worry about what others may think worry about your self and how you feel and know that deep down inside you are doing something good for your health

ILiftHeavyAcrylics

First things first. Eat!! But eat the right food. NO Fast food what so ever! No Suger unless its from fruit. (Not in a can)!! It's all or nothing. How bad do you want to lose weight? Bump up your food intake to 2000 and double up on your cardio! You'll have people tell you different. Here is my opinion. Sweat loss is weight loss. If your not sweating your not consuming enough water and or working out hard enough! Try this. Try to cut out all soda. Eat your calories, Don't drink them. Last but not least. Set a reason to lose weight. Stick with that reason and work your butt off!

It is NOT all or nothing. All or nothing makes people burn out and ultimately give up.

Also OP you can lose weight eating whatever type of food you like. Now, you're a lot more likely to stay full if you spend your calories on mostly whole foods, getting enough protein and fat. But weight loss is just about calorie deficit.

Like the other posters have said, have patience. A week feels like a long time when you're first starting out, I know. Stick with it, eat reasonably, get some exercise, and be patient.

haylslade

Excellent advice!! I have just started (6th Jan) and am one of the 1200 allocated by MFP... Will see how that works out for me! Don't want to lose at the beginning then get disheartened, would rather sustaniable weight loss so if I go over on the odd day, fine.

haylslade

So here. I put this together a while back. It seems to have helped some folks. It worked for me and tons of others.

1. don't trust the initial setup that MFP provides. If you put in the wrong/inaccurate information, it'll tell you to eat an amount that may not be applicable.
2. Make sure you eat enough.
3. Figure out what works for you and is sustainable/healthy/long term.
4. avoid fads. don't buy in to any "Hey, try the twinkie and vodka diet"
5. Don't cut out anything now that you don't plan on literally giving up forever.
6. GET A FOOD SCALE. Weigh everything. No, seriously.
7. Get an HRM with a chest strap. You'll at least have a better idea of what you're burning. It'll be more accurate than the generic info in the exercise database.. and even more than the cardio machines. This is great for steady state cardio (run/walk/etc)
8. Don't go balls out. You'll burn out. I see 300 lb people show up here, instantly start working out and cutting their intake SEVERELY... trying to cut out all of their carbs at once.. whatever. Take it slow. Figure out how much you need to eat FIRST in order to lose.. then incorporate exercise.
9. Don't cardio yourself to death.
10. Take the information on the forums with a grain of salt. A lot of people that have been here for a while.. and have been successful, may seem jaded. They give out GREAT advice day after day, only to be met with people that refuse to listen.
11. Eat real food. Not diet food. Not "low fat, sugar free, now without X." It's easier to get/find/count.
12. don't set time restrictions.
13. measure yourself weekly. Don't just weigh. Measure and take pictures.
14 BE PATIENT.
15. Avoid forum topics that have "1200" in the title. It's just full of butthurt. Lots of it.
16. This isn't a game, it's about changing your lifestyle. Do that.

pretty much that.

...and don't fall into the "1200 calorie" vertigo of suck because of:

the typical MFP users does this:
1. I wanna lose weight, let's try MFP.
2. OH! Wow, it tells me I can lose 2 lbs a WEEK? AWESOME!
3. I just sit at a desk when I'm not working out, I guess I'm sedentary.
4. MFP tells them 1200 calories, and they don't even eat that.. then they work out on top of it.. creating an even bigger deficit.
5. Lose a lot, fast, brag about 1200 calorie success.
6. Come back in a few months trying to figure out why they're dizzy, tired, not losing weight.
7. Get on the forums, ask why they aren't losing.
8. Get two responses (I eat 1200 and lose) (I eat 2200 and lose)
9. Argument ensues about who is right.

Now. That being said. These threads happen hundreds of times per day. Most times, and I mean really.. seriously.. 95% of the time.. people get the 1200 number because they don't put the right information in when they set up the account. There are a great number of people that are trying to help. I'm one of 'em.

I'm a hardcore advocate of actually finding out what works for the individual.. by means of other calculators, averages, time, practice, and patience.

Blanket prescriptions of 1200 calories "because it worked for me" is more harmful to the generic new user than the "figure out what you need to eat." Unfortunately, one is a LOT easier to type.

Find out what you need: http://scoobysworkshop.com/accurate-calorie-calculator/
Take the tips, links, and info above and make the cart more manageable to stay on.

Can tell I'm new to this... I posted a reply which was meant for this lol...

Great advice though! I've been advised 1200 by MFP - will see how that works out and won't worry myself too much if I go over. I'm 5'4" CW 156lbs, GW 154lbs and exercise 3 times per week (1 strength 1 cardio 1 mixture)

jennegan1

I forgot to mention if you are eating something that is packaged double check with the database and the package it self. I recently got Fage 2% greek yogurt with honey. I put it in I think it had said something like 160...I thought that was low since its 2% not 0% I checked and it was off by like 30 calories....Not much of a difference but in the long run it probably would of made one.....

girlonfire2913

i had to start exercise slowly too and it took a few weeks before i started to see results ;0) also i have weeks that weight is falling off and others where i feel like nothings happening it just takes time

Jess732008

I have only been trying to lose weight for a week so maybe I am not giving it a chance :ohwell: But I have stuck to my calorie limit all week and done some exercise (albeit not a lot, but bear in mind I never used to do ANY, so im building up to it) and im still exactly the same weight as when I started.

And yes, my scales are fine and fully functional and I do use them to weigh out my portion sizes.

I am 5ft2in and weigh 204 pounds, and have been sticking to 1300 calories. (I did start at 1200 but raised it a little afterwards because I was still hungry).

So should I be exercising more? Or should I go back 1200 calories? My diary is open so please feel free to take a peek and give me your verdict

I will not lose if I eat a lot of sodium. For example, if I have any canned soups, I will not lose weight. If I exercise, and eat back too many exercise calories I will not lose weight, either.

trogalicious

I will not lose if I eat a lot of sodium. For example, if I have any canned soups, I will not lose weight. If I exercise, and eat back too many exercise calories I will not lose weight, either.

water weight...

mumblemagic

Eating too little calories will put your body in starvation mode and you won't lose. In the begining you need to do alot of twerking your diet. Make sure you are eating those 5-6 small meals try every three hrs. And of course drinking water only. Just keep pushing it will happen.

1. The whole "if you eat too little you will go into starvation mode and won't lose" thing is mostly a myth. It comes from the results of the minnesota starvation experiement, which was a study on people of healthy weight on a diet of about half their TDEE. This actually worked out at around 1600 calories in the study for those people as they did lots of excercise. It did show that there were long term, very detrimental effects to their metabolism and health, but such very low calorie diets do not have the same effect on overweight people as they do on healthy weight people - the overweight body just starts burning fat to get rid of the energy deficit, which is what we want it to do!

Some studies have found that there are actually major *benefits* for very overweight / obese people going on a very low calorie diet for at least the first stage of their weightloss, and for people dieting to get gastric surgery a diet of 800 cal for 6 months is not unheard of. The main downside of a VLC diet is more that they are very hard to stick to, and to get enough protein, vits and minerals within that limit.

BTW - I'm not advocating the use of VLC diets, if you're going to do anything extreme like that you need to contact the doctor, but the starvation mode thing is pretty much a myth.

2. I assume you mean tweaking, not twerking

mumblemagic

After my Starvation Mode rant I feel I ought to respond to the original post

To the OP: Be patient, consider upping your calories a bit to make things easier on yourself - see what MFP says for a 1 lb per week loss. If you go gradually, you will still lose weight in the end and you will find it easier to build a healthier lifestyle.

Edit:
I found these links helpful:
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants
http://www.nhs.uk/LiveWell/Loseweight/Pages/Loseweighthome.aspx

LoosingMyLast15

I'm the same height as you and weigh less, and I eat 1800 a day to lose weight. Since you weigh more, you can definitely eat that much or more and still lose. Definitely increase your intake!

Ok I will increase my calories a bit and see if that works I think the overwhelming response is that I need to be patient, and I agree Rome was not built in a day after all

Also I agree with some of the others who are saying I need more fruit and veggies and less sugar and fats. It will take some getting used to im sure, but I WILL succeed

not that you need anything additional advise however here's mine.

give it time, i didn't see the scale move until 3-4 weeks into changing my eating habits (notice i did not say diet because i'm not on a diet)

you might want to consider making some modifications to your food selections: instead of iceburg lettuce (or in additional to it) add some spinach, instead of the white bread roll change that to whole wheat or another super nutritious bread choice. little things like this will help you.

BattlingMaxo

I have not read all of the posts but hopefully this advice will help you. First off I think you need to eat more About 10% less than your TDEEs , don't starve yourself or you will lose too much muscle. Lifting weights helps keeps you from losing too much muscle. Good luck

simonyoung05

Hi, I have just completed my first week. i lost 1lb and was a bit dispondent. But then I have managed to complete week one of the C25K app too and also measured my waist. TO my suprise I have lost 2.5 inches this week. So i guess everyone is right. It takes a week or so for your body to settle down. My body must be confused going from a couch potatoe to a jogger ina few days. I will keep going and not give up. For me my goal is to able to run 5K (weight is important but i am not fixating pn it). Keep up the good work people.