Not Losing... WHY?

I have been on my "diet" and "exercise" program for 2 weeks now. MFP has been my greatest tool, along w/ the gym at work. I have a caloric intake between 1200-1400 daily and exercise between 4-5 times a week - ex: Cardio, weights, toning. I "shock" my body w/ my exercise routine meaning, I switch it up b/c I don't want my body / brain saying, "oh we are running again".. (I was actually told to "shock" my body from a bodybuilder...

So why am I "not" losing any weight? My diary is open. I don't know why it says I lost 7 lbs when I didn't, so I need to change that on my profile.

Thanks!

Replies

  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
    It's only been 2 weeks. Give it time. If you are new to exericse or recently increased the intensity of your exercise you should expect some temporary water weight gain.
  • martyqueen52
    martyqueen52 Posts: 1,120 Member
    You don't need to shock your body, that "bodybuilder" is a tool.

    To lose weight it's as simple as calories in vs out.


    1. Make sure you're current weight, height, and activity level are up to date.

    2. Are you eating back calories? (I'm noticing a lot of people on here saying they eat back workout calories.)

    3. Within two weeks you probably dropped a lot of water weight. Give it another 2 weeks and see what happens. If you stay true to you're diet and count calories as accurate as possible it's 100% you will lose weight. I took me a week to drop the 10lbs. of water weight I gained on Christmas.
  • editorgrrl
    editorgrrl Posts: 7,060 Member
    Your diary's not open: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/account/diary_settings

    If you're not losing, you're not eating at a deficit. You're underestimating your food &/or overestimating your burn. Log everything you eat & drink accurately & honestly. Weigh everything. Find accurate database entries. (There's a lot of junk data in there.) Eat back half of your exercise calories.

    Read this: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants
  • Holly_Roman_Empire
    Holly_Roman_Empire Posts: 4,440 Member
    Your diary isn't viewable, so a guess is all I can do for now. Have you considered that you are overexercising? I imagine you have quite a bit of water retention if you are switching up your workout a lot.

    Are you taking measurements, pictures, etc.? I always advise people will minimal weight loss to use other measures of progress to keep them from freaking out.
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
    If you're not losing, you're not eating at a deficit. You're underestimating your food &/or overestimating your burn.

    This is not true after only 2 weeks. A lot of people don't see a loss in the first couple of weeks of a diet, especially if they've also increased their burn during that time.
  • ScorpionQwean
    ScorpionQwean Posts: 1,013 Member
    Thanks... it's just frustrating when I see and hear people losing weight the 1st week or 2 and I haven't lost a pound. I eat back maybe 1/2 of what I used during my exercises. PS: The bodybuilder is also a nutrionist who is my brother...LOL. However, he lives in FL and I'm in Boston and we speak about every few weeks and we speak about what to eat and not to eat and what to do for exercises. Thus trying to get support and responses here.

    Diary is now available... thanks for point that out.
  • jennegan1
    jennegan1 Posts: 677 Member
    It took me over 4 weeks to see any change. My body was holding onto water weight and I actually gained weight....Plus you are a female, females lose slower then men. Dunno your age but age does play a factor a little....If you have thyroid problems that run in your family maybe get it checked out. Also dont forget to log all of your calorie drinks as well
  • ScorpionQwean
    ScorpionQwean Posts: 1,013 Member
    Thanks - I am 48 so that may be playing a large factor...hypothyroidism does run in the family but as of now, my numbrs are normal. Ok, I'll keep patiently waiting ...
  • A year and a half ago, I signed up for personal training and was killing myself at the gym and adjusted my diet and I too saw no weight loss. If your thryroid isn't a problem, as it turned out mine was, then it's your diet. I had to significantly adjust my diet a few months ago when the scale would not move no matter how much I worked out to finally see the weight drop off. If you work out, don't eat extra because you burned more calories. What worked for me is keeping my carbs under 50 net grams. It will get your body used to burning fat instead of carbs. But you will have to eat more "good fat" to make up the carbs you are not eating. My sister and I are both eating extremely low carb, she is keeping her's at under 20, and high good fat and protein and are having amazing results. I'm at 22 lbs lost. Good luck to you. The best advice is dont' give up even if the scale isn't moving you are improving muscle tone and energy.
  • Greenrun99
    Greenrun99 Posts: 2,065 Member
    You don't need to shock your body, that "bodybuilder" is a tool.

    To lose weight it's as simple as calories in vs out.

    ^^This.. the shock your body thing.. maybe after 6 months with no change in any performance you can switch it up.. but not 2 weeks your body isn't that good..

    Also as important as calories in vs out is.. so is using a food scale to measure your food AND I looked at your diary and notice you didn't log Saturday and Sunday.. So I am guessing you may have eaten more than 1200 calories.. Just remember 1 cheat day can erase your deficit for the week.. so..
  • 19TaraLynn84
    19TaraLynn84 Posts: 739 Member
    I have been using MFP religiously for 50 days now. I've only lost 4.5 pounds, most of that in just the past 2 weeks. It is definitely discouraging, but it took me a while to get my calorie intake adjusted. My advice is to give it some time. Let your body get used to what you're doing to it. Keep it up and you WILL get results.
  • mistykuhn81
    mistykuhn81 Posts: 1 Member
    I have the same problem and always have. I once tried insanity for 2 weeks and gained 5 pounds. Don't give up though and stay off the scale for at least 3 weeks. Everybody is different. I used to do weight watchers and it would take me 3 weeks of NO CHEATING dieting to lose anything but once it started coming off, it came off fast! I read somewhere recently that some people's bodies just take longer to react. Also, with the exercise your doing, your body will retain water for a few weeks. When we work out we tear down our muscles and your body sends water to those areas to protect and "rejuvenate". Don't quote me on any of this. A fitness instructor explained all of this to me and I am quite possibly not repeating it back to you verbatum but just know that your going to retain fluid for a little while when you first start a new workout routine. Hang in there girl! My scale hasn't budged in 2 weeks but I am noticing the muscles in my legs toning and bulging!
  • LoosingMyLast15
    LoosingMyLast15 Posts: 1,457 Member
    I have been on my "diet" and "exercise" program for 2 weeks now. MFP has been my greatest tool, along w/ the gym at work. I have a caloric intake between 1200-1400 daily and exercise between 4-5 times a week - ex: Cardio, weights, toning. I "shock" my body w/ my exercise routine meaning, I switch it up b/c I don't want my body / brain saying, "oh we are running again".. (I was actually told to "shock" my body from a bodybuilder...

    So why am I "not" losing any weight? My diary is open. I don't know why it says I lost 7 lbs when I didn't, so I need to change that on my profile.

    Thanks!

    checked out your food diary. wow your numbers are low especially if you are working out as often as you say you are. 1100 calories is not enough to sustain a person that is working out as hard as you are. you say are you eating between 1200-1400 calories a day so either you are not entering everything you eat or this is just an exaggeration because 1100 is not 1400.
  • QuietBloom
    QuietBloom Posts: 5,413 Member
    1. It's only been 2 weeks.
    2. No such thing as 'shocking' your body. But change things up if you get bored.
    3. Do you weigh your food? Use measuring cups? You may be eating more than you think.
  • Tandksmommy11
    Tandksmommy11 Posts: 399 Member
    I agree that you probably aren't eating enough. I've always been told that you should never go below 1200 calories even AFTER exercise. If you only eat 1200 and then subtract your burned calories- you're much to low.
  • ScorpionQwean
    ScorpionQwean Posts: 1,013 Member
    You don't need to shock your body, that "bodybuilder" is a tool.

    To lose weight it's as simple as calories in vs out.

    ^^This.. the shock your body thing.. maybe after 6 months with no change in any performance you can switch it up.. but not 2 weeks your body isn't that good..

    Also as important as calories in vs out is.. so is using a food scale to measure your food AND I looked at your diary and notice you didn't log Saturday and Sunday.. So I am guessing you may have eaten more than 1200 calories.. Just remember 1 cheat day can erase your deficit for the week.. so..

    I don't have a laptop at home (as of yet) thus not entering my meals on Sat and Sun. I'll write them down and then enter. Thanks for the input, much appreciated.
  • Scarlett_S
    Scarlett_S Posts: 467 Member
    My advice -- give yourself a break from the scale. DO "total compliance" to your plan, keep exercising, and weigh after about 3-4 weeks of total compliance. Drink plenty of water, and definitely weigh your food. That was eye opening for me, and I bought an electronic scale that is very accurate (in comparison to the old WW one I had.) After a few months, you will know your portions pretty well, but starting out, it might surprise you.

    Another thing - I agree you aren't eating enough. I am not sure of your height, weight, etc...or body type, but I would eat more along the lines of 1500-1700 calories a day. You can goodle TDEE on MFP and come up with a formula for your body based on your activity.
  • ScorpionQwean
    ScorpionQwean Posts: 1,013 Member
    I have been on my "diet" and "exercise" program for 2 weeks now. MFP has been my greatest tool, along w/ the gym at work. I have a caloric intake between 1200-1400 daily and exercise between 4-5 times a week - ex: Cardio, weights, toning. I "shock" my body w/ my exercise routine meaning, I switch it up b/c I don't want my body / brain saying, "oh we are running again".. (I was actually told to "shock" my body from a bodybuilder...

    So why am I "not" losing any weight? My diary is open. I don't know why it says I lost 7 lbs when I didn't, so I need to change that on my profile.

    Thanks!

    checked out your food diary. wow your numbers are low especially if you are working out as often as you say you are. 1100 calories is not enough to sustain a person that is working out as hard as you are. you say are you eating between 1200-1400 calories a day so either you are not entering everything you eat or this is just an exaggeration because 1100 is not 1400.

    Monday I did not enter all my meals... Tues and Wed wasn't "hungry" and ate what I could; Thurs ate over 1300 and today; kind of feeling the same as Tues and Wed ( not hungry). Trust me, on a typical day I eat between 1200-1400 calories.

    I got some great advice from a couple of people and now I will work and manage that lifestyle and hopefully I will see results by my 1st month's end.

    Thanks everyone!!
  • 1princesswarrior
    1princesswarrior Posts: 1,242 Member
    Try increasing water intake. It may seem counterintuitive but drinking more water will help with water retention and also helps your muscles recover after workouts. Someone recommended a gallon a day to me and it does help a lot. I can't get there now because it's so cold but I do usually get 100 oz a day. I will also drink unsweetened teas.
  • I hear you, I've been dieting for 2 weeks and only lost 1 pound! :(
  • I have the same problem and always have. I once tried insanity for 2 weeks and gained 5 pounds.

    I could relate to this...I started Focus T25 on Monday 13th and have put on 4.6lbs. However I can see a distinct difference with two things:
    (1) my body is now retaining water. I go to the toilet less frequently during day and night...before going was extremely often.
    (2) my hunger pangs are unusual. I would eat breakfast at 8am, and by 10am, my stomach's growling like I never had breakfast. I try to hold out until lunchtime with a cup of tea, but it's difficult. So I usually have to pop a few crackers in.

    Nevertheless, from reading these posts...I'm contented to believe that I should give it some time because this is what usually happens when you change your routine, esp if you intensify your exercise routine. I've taken my measurements before I started T25, and am looking for the results in that area, rather than the scale.

    I'll advise you to take measurements and use that as your measure...don't rely on the scale to show changes.
  • rockmama72
    rockmama72 Posts: 815 Member
    Did you take your measurements at the beginning? If you haven't yet, do it! It's so much more rewarding to see that you actually are shrinking in size. Nobody can see the number on your scale, but they can see a smaller gut. :smile: