How long until I start losing weight?

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LTKeegan
LTKeegan Posts: 354 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I started using MFP 14 days ago an I still weigh the same.

I'm 5'6" 140lbs and I'm pretty athletic. I'm eating between 1200-1300 calories and exercising every night (CrossFit, rock climbing, cycling). However, aside from initially losing 2 lbs which I've gained back, I've lost no weight and I'm getting impatient. My goal is low 120s high 110s and to drop down to my pre-grad school weight and dess size.

Help!
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  • Greenrun99
    Greenrun99 Posts: 2,065 Member
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    5'6, 140, eating 1200 calories, active, working out daily, probably not eating back exercise calories.. what do you think could be the problem???

    Eating nothing doesn't always mean losing weight... at 5'6 you need to calculate your TDEE for your activity, take a cut of that, start adding in some strength training and log with a digital food scale.. Your already at a normal weight for your height so its mostly calculating your numbers and hitting them.

    Just being honest.
  • Fefe150
    Fefe150 Posts: 5
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    I started using MFP 14 days ago an I still weigh the same.

    I'm 5'6" 140lbs and I'm pretty athletic. I'm eating between 1200-1300 calories and exercising every night (CrossFit, rock climbing, cycling). However, aside from initially losing 2 lbs which I've gained back, I've lost no weight and I'm getting impatient. My goal is low 120s high 110s and to drop down to my pre-grad school weight and dess size.

    Help!

    I'm with ya--2 weeks in- 2lbs lost and that's it. I weigh about 40lbs more but am also doing some serious exercise (Boot Camp & Kickboxing). I understand that my body can hold on to calories if I don't eat enough, but I still worry about eating my exercise calories! I've been averaging 1200-1400 calories without my exercise calories (about 450/daily)... am I really not eating enough?

    frustrating for sure!!
  • LTKeegan
    LTKeegan Posts: 354 Member
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    I'm eating back exercise calories but only if I'm hungry. I'm not going to eat if I'm not hungry. Also, I'm fairly certain that MFP over estimates calories burned rock climbing by a LOT.
  • 2fit4fatmom
    2fit4fatmom Posts: 3
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    My first guess would be water retention, next would be high sodium and third would be that you are eating more than you think, howdo you measure your food? Can you open your food diary?
  • Fefe150
    Fefe150 Posts: 5
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    See that's why I'm hesitant about eating my workout calories-- I understand they're basing the calories off our personal ht/wt but I still think it's an over estimation.

    Experts-- help!
  • LTKeegan
    LTKeegan Posts: 354 Member
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    My first guess would be water retention, next would be high sodium and third would be that you are eating more than you think, howdo you measure your food? Can you open your food diary?


    I measure using cups and tablespoons and whatnot. I have an obsessive personality and if I started weighing my food I would get crazy, fast.

    I feel weird having everyone see my food, but I can give you a typical day. Also, I think its important to note that before I started dieting, I ate under 2,000 calories and gained weight from lifting, so I know a lot of the excess weight on me is muscle, but I didn't lose fat when I started lifting, so I just got bigger in size while still having a lot of excess fat in my thighs and butt.

    Breakfast:

    Meal replacement protein shake w/almond butter ~320 cal
    Coffee

    Lunch:
    Spinach salad w/cucumbers, peppers and Bolthouse farms salad dressing (salad dressing has 15cal per TBSP) ~30cal
    Meal replacement protein shake ~160 cal


    Snack:
    Popcorn, popped on the stove w/canola oil topped with nutritional yeast ~200 calories


    Dinner:
    I'm pescatarian, so I am for a good protein source (beans/tofu/fish) and lots of veggies:

    last nights dinner was black bean and sweet potato lettuce-burritos ~350 cal with mid-climb snack of a sweet and salty nut bar ~170cal and a 2nd dinner of sauteed cauliflower with capers and red onions ~160cal

    the other night was poached cod with zuchini, carrots, and pesto with rice and garlic sauteed spinach ~500 cal
  • Awesomers
    Awesomers Posts: 144 Member
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    My first 5 weeks of regular exercise and calorie counting resulted in ZERO weight loss. I found that I actually needed to eat more (I was averaging 1400 cals when I really needed around 2000). Once I started eating more I started to lose weight. I don't always eat as much as I should, but I get pretty close and it works for me.
  • LTKeegan
    LTKeegan Posts: 354 Member
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    5'6, 140, eating 1200 calories, active, working out daily, probably not eating back exercise calories.. what do you think could be the problem???

    Eating nothing doesn't always mean losing weight... at 5'6 you need to calculate your TDEE for your activity, take a cut of that, start adding in some strength training and log with a digital food scale.. Your already at a normal weight for your height so its mostly calculating your numbers and hitting them.

    Just being honest.


    Well, this is possibly the least helpful post ever. Thanks.


    I'm doing CrossFit (as I stated in my post) which is a lot of strength training-- which just FYI doesn't actually help you lose weight, it just helps you build muscle which is why I'm 140 and looking to lose weight in the first place. I started strength training, put on muscle and didn't lose any fat, so now I just have the same amount of fat and more muscle because I was eating back all of my exercise calories.
  • luismaradiaga
    luismaradiaga Posts: 1
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    Hello, truth is i dont know how to ask a new question, but mine is very close to this one. Im 18 years old, 5'6, 158lbs. Im trying to lose weight and gain strength by doing crossfit. Today im starting my 4th week and to be honest ive seen almost no results. Im eating very healthy, around 1800 calories a day. Any tips to improve my results? Should i drink post workout protein to gain strength or will it affect my weight loss?
    Thanks
  • elyelyse
    elyelyse Posts: 1,454 Member
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    I measure using cups and tablespoons and whatnot. I have an obsessive personality and if I started weighing my food I would get crazy, fast...

    ...Meal replacement protein shake w/almond butter ~320 cal
    have you seen what a real, single serving of nut butter looks like? it's a lot less than most people think. those kinds of things can make the difference between maintaining and losing. I totally get what you mean about the potential for obsession, but unless you are weighing, you are probably eating more than you think. (i started weighing my apples...and I had been underestimating by at least 50+ calories. APPLES!!! )
  • WhisperAnne
    WhisperAnne Posts: 453
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    it's possible you aren't calculating your calories right. But if you are eating to little your body could be in starvation mode..
  • jeffpettis
    jeffpettis Posts: 865 Member
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    First, your body is not in starvation mode.

    If you are not losing you are not in a deficit. Either your eating more than you think or you are burning less than you think. A food scale can be a huge eye opener because going by serving sizes and volume measurements can be way off sometimes. Sounds like you are headed in the right direction just take a good look at what you are doing, log EVERYTHING, and stick with it, you'll figure out why if you are persistent.
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
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    So your method of doing it your way isn't working.

    How about at least trying giving the MFP method a try for a month?

    So what if the calories burned may be inflated (may be on some, under on others, right on for other activities), that inflated eating on some days can make up for the too extreme of a deficit on the other days.

    If you think the biggest extreme deficit is the best way - why don't you just stop eating?

    Do you actually want the exercise to be beneficial to the body?
    You know the body is going to be very resistant to making changes that require more energy to maintain, if it isn't getting enough already.

    Diet is a stress, intense frequent exercise is a stress, food sensitivities is a stress, lack of sleep, life, ect.
    That's all going to fight against fat loss.

    Get ready for the fight of your life, and if you read around you'll find out if you mentally will be the winner, or your body will be.
  • Muddy_Yogi
    Muddy_Yogi Posts: 1,459 Member
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    Measuring cups are not accurate. And since you are trying to lose weight while already at a healthy weight, you are going to need to be extremely accurate. I recommend a food scale no matter how obsessive you think it is. A few oz of some things can really add up. I also think a HRM may help you a lot. Just my two cents. I also think you may want to calculate your BMR to ensure you are eating enough for your body to function properly.
  • ebayaddict0127
    ebayaddict0127 Posts: 523 Member
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    Maybe you don't need to lose weight? You're 5'6" and 140 and said you're athletic. I think that sounds pretty fantastic if you ask me. You sound like you're in great shape already.

    That being said... still give it some time. Because you don't have much to lose, it might go slowly. Just keep at it. You sound very healthy which is great!
  • Ophidion
    Ophidion Posts: 2,065 Member
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    OK first off patience, you have only joined 14 days ago and seen a loss then a gain...not unusual.

    Many factors such as water retention, tom etc.

    BUT it is a numbers game...

    * Using rigorously controlled studies, we’ve found that:

    1. When people are in a caloric deficit, they always lose weight.

    2. When people are in a caloric surplus, they always gain weight.

    *In some cases, people who claim they can’t lose weight by cutting calories underestimate their food intake by 47%, and overestimate their exercise levels by 51% Other data has shown that people can under-report their food intake by up to 2,000 calories per day.

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

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/818082-exercise-calories-again-wtf

    People are all to ready to throw around the term "starvation mode" but if you are at a true deficit you will always lose weight, if you eat too little you may suffer from metabolic damage and other negative side effects BUT you will still lose weight....

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1077746-starvation-mode-adaptive-thermogenesis-and-weight-loss

    *http://evidencemag.com/why-calories-count/
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
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    I measure using cups and tablespoons and whatnot. I have an obsessive personality and if I started weighing my food I would get crazy, fast.

    Also, I think its important to note that before I started dieting, I ate under 2,000 calories and gained weight from lifting, so I know a lot of the excess weight on me is muscle, but I didn't lose fat when I started lifting, so I just got bigger in size while still having a lot of excess fat in my thighs and butt.

    if you gained weight and kept the fat, you were eating in surplus to your TDEE. Now, with measuring being your method rather than weighing, it was more than 2000 probably, you really have no idea how far off your logging is.

    But whether it was a sloppy under 2000, or a actual really accurate 2400 - it was in excess.

    So you cut out a sloppy 250 calories, or an accurate 250 calories - either way it'll let you see if you can reach point of no gain or loss - that's your maintenance.

    Then cut another 250.

    At some points the actual numbers don't matter if you are sloppy or accurate - you'll cut more calories out.

    So while it might look bad telling others the number, in reality with sloppy logging you are in reality eating more.
  • editorgrrl
    editorgrrl Posts: 7,060 Member
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    With only 18 lb. to lose, do not set your goal any higher than .5 lb. per week. The closer you are to goal, the more slowly you lose. Log everything you eat accurately & honestly. Find reliable database entries. (There's a lot of incorrect data in there.) Weigh your food. Eat back half your exercise calories.

    Read this: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-Sexypants
  • urbanplum
    urbanplum Posts: 188
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    I really can't recommend weighing your food enough …

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JVjWPclrWVY
  • Ophidion
    Ophidion Posts: 2,065 Member
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    I'm doing CrossFit (as I stated in my post) which is a lot of strength training-- which just FYI doesn't actually help you lose weight, it just helps you build muscle which is why I'm 140 and looking to lose weight in the first place. I started strength training, put on muscle and didn't lose any fat, so now I just have the same amount of fat and more muscle because I was eating back all of my exercise calories.
    FYI actually not true as weight training is a form of exercise and plenty of people on here myself included have lost plenty of weight just lifting weights....exercise burns calories ergo contributes to weight loss when at a true deficit.

    Besides noob gains you will only build a small amount of muscle when in a calorie deficit, look up catabolic state vs anabolic state.

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