Frustrated doesn't even begin to cover it
Replies
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Finally, someone who understands me and where I am coming from! I am def going to add you as a friend. We can keep each other motivated as we are in the same boat it seems. It is frustrating that everyone keeps telling me what I am not doing when I know I am doing it. That is very FRUSTRATING! I do need to measure inches because I can tell a little that my legs and arms are toning up. My belly...that is a whole other issue! I am doing progress pics as well to try and stay motivated and encouraged.I fully intend to keep on keeping on as well. Exercise can't hurt me and I have races to train for. I am going to go by the calories the calculator someone posted for me and see how that works out. Do better at logging the foods and not quick adding. If nothing else...I can't be getting less healthy, right?!0
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I don't think your problem is about eating too much. If you're still counting your calories, even if you're not logging them separately, and if you're also counting them with a reasonable accuracy, this shouldn't be a problem. You would need to exceed your daily goal of a substantial amount to actually mantain your weight instead of losing it. So, unless you've been underestimating your calories of at least 100-200 kcals every single day, I wouldn't worry about it.
Since you're still on a plateau try to be as accurate with calories as you can.
Also, if you can afford it I'd tell you to buy a HRM to accurately track your burned calories. You can find a big difference in this. You might be burning less than expected, I don't honestly know, but it might be a cause.
I hit a plateau myself after 3-4 months of dieting, it eventually went away when I changed my routine and I was back to my everyday life at the university. You might need more time to see some results.0 -
I was going to purchase a Fitbit, but I read reviews about how inaccurate it was. Do y'all like yours?0
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Do you use a HRM? If so, what kind?0
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Do you have a food scale? If not, you need to get yourself one & start measuring everything. It sounds to me like you're eating more calories than you think you're actually consuming.0
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...I am 62 days in. ...8 lbs down the first 30 days and now as of this am I'm up 3 of those 8. .... It's telling me my daily average burn over the last 30 days has been 2367 and intake has been 1581. That is a deficit of 786 per day for 30 days,
Math...
62 days x 786 = 48,732
Projected loss = 13.9 lbs
Actual loss = 5 lbs
Error rate = +/-282 per day
Hmmm. If this trend continues for another 30 days, I personally would go into my FitBit settings and change my stride length. By tweaking my settings, I've been able to get my error rate to +/- 70 over the long term.
Never even occured to me. THANK YOU!0 -
I don't, that is on my list to get.0
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Do you use a HRM? If so, what kind?
I own a Polar, but I think any HRM will be more accurate than any amount of calories displayed by a machine at the gym anyway
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The "quick add cals" is a dead giveaway that you aren't logging accurately, hence your problem.
This, how do you know you are eating 1500?
Because food has caloric content that can be measured whether or not you log the exact thing you ate on MFP. People have been counting calories and losing weight way before this website existed.
Honestly, if I make something at home from scratch I calculate the amount of calories/fat/carbs/protein for the whole thing and divide by the total number of servings. Then I find something on MFP with a similar description and manipulate that serving to match mine (Like say my serving is 1/6 of a pot of soup and the one on MFP is 8 oz, it doesn't matter what I put as long as it is the calories I actually ate) and add that. This is faster than adding each individual item. You just have to be sure that you are eating the calories you think.
I agree that I assume that quick added calories are people guessing what they ate, but it doesn't have to be the case.0 -
I've got a food scale I use religiously and also the fitbit flex.........love both and how the flex works with mfp as well.
I think you are on the right track.......get rid of the negative nellie's here and focus on eating good food, weigh/measure your food and enjoy your workouts!
That way it becomes a way of life, not a chore0 -
you say that you only cheat once a week but when i looked back only a week in your food diary, every day it looks like you eat nothing but fast food or unhealthy food choices (or quick add calories which could be anything)
honestly, your going to get out of your body exactly what you put into it.
even eating under your calories and exercising wont work if you dont give your body the good feul it needs to produce results.0 -
MFP is simply a tool and like any tool you'll only get out of it what you put into it. If you don't log consistently on the weekend, take cheat days, frequently use quick add calories, don't own a food scale, etc., you shouldn't expect very accurate results and this is a game of accuracy. A food log that shows a caloric deficit doesn't do you a lot of good if the food log is inaccurate and incomplete from day to day. If you want to get the most results out of this site, take people's advice and buy a food scale, stop cheating with "quick add" calories, stop having incomplete days/weekends, and again I would cut out cheat meals at least until you actually see some results. If you want MFP to be useful, you need to have as close to a 100% accurate food log as you possibly can get - and you aren't there yet.
If you're actually eating a deficit over a sufficiently long period of time, you will see weight loss. If you aren't seeing weight loss, you're either not eating a deficit (which could be due to inaccurate calories in, inaccurate calories out, or both) or you simply haven't given it enough time. It could be your actual TDEE is lower than a calculator told you or it could be you're eating more than you think you are. But if you're actually at a deficit for a sustained period of time, you will see weight loss.0 -
...I am 62 days in. ...8 lbs down the first 30 days and now as of this am I'm up 3 of those 8. .... It's telling me my daily average burn over the last 30 days has been 2367 and intake has been 1581. That is a deficit of 786 per day for 30 days,
Math...
62 days x 786 = 48,732
Projected loss = 13.9 lbs
Actual loss = 5 lbs
Error rate = +/-282 per day
Hmmm. If this trend continues for another 30 days, I personally would go into my FitBit settings and change my stride length. By tweaking my settings, I've been able to get my error rate to +/- 70 over the long term.
Never even occured to me. THANK YOU!
No SERIOUSLY, this just cleared up a crapload of frustration for me! I went back yesterday to what I was doing when I lost 30lbs 2 years ago (6 lbs a month on average eating crap but under my calories each day) and I was averaging...wait for it, 281 calories less per day then I'm eating now. I was averaging 1300 cals per day.
Fitbit must be WAY over estimating my average burn...
THANK YOU AGAIN!0 -
The "quick add cals" is a dead giveaway that you aren't logging accurately, hence your problem.
This, how do you know you are eating 1500?
Because food has caloric content that can be measured whether or not you log the exact thing you ate on MFP. People have been counting calories and losing weight way before this website existed.
This ^
She is counting calories. She isn't using MFP to do that, but she is.0 -
I am in the same boat as you sister - literally! I have been doing this since the beginning of the year, same height and lost 8 pounds and nothing for the last 4 weeks. I am also at 1500 calorie goal and working out 4-5 days a week. I am so frustrated too! My husband says I need to cut out all processed foods and eat only whole foods (he is a PT and of course he can eat whatever he wants - grrrr!). I am anal about my logging, so I know you feel exactly the way I do. I should be down at least a pound a week with the deficit I have created, but nothing. I wonder if sodium has anything to do with it, or if my husband is right.... (I want to prove him wrong so bad!) Hang in there with me - it's bound to come off eventually!0
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If you want people to tell you how to lose weight, you know what answers to read. If you want people to tell you you are doing things right, that there is some miracle going on, again you can find replies to support this. The question is if you prefer to lose weight or be "right". In the second case, you can use the site just for fun, not as a weight loss tool 0
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Do you use a HRM? If so, what kind?
I own a Polar, but I think any HRM will be more accurate than any amount of calories displayed by a machine at the gym anyway
This.
Plus many machines will sync up with a Polar (not necessarily true with the others).
Greg0 -
For me, there have been a couple times when I first started exercising and then later when I increased or changed up my workouts that the scale stalled for seriously like a month at a time and then all of a sudden there was a drastic drop in weight. Since I've been on MFP I've learned that when you first challenge your body harder, your muscles will basically hold on to water to help repair themselves. This is temporary but can definitely mask fat loss. I would continue what you're doing and give it a few weeks for your weight to adjust.0
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THANK YOU AGAIN!
You're so very welcome
It's funny to me that when something is "wrong," some people (whether it's weightloss or relationships) instantly point the finger at themselves, the other person, or in other random places, instead of being logical about what the causes might be. I might be wrong, maybe it's your food that's off. Maybe it's both. Doesn't matter. What matters is finding what works FOR YOU.
Good luck.0 -
I know how you feel. I've been working out 5x/week and counting cals for 3 months and haven't lost a single friggin pound.. I'm starting to wonder if I should have my thyroid tested.0
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same advice applies.I know how you feel. I've been working out 5x/week and counting cals for 3 months and haven't lost a single friggin pound.. I'm starting to wonder if I should have my thyroid tested.0 -
Honestly research this a little more. When you start working out your muscles need to adjust. And they may swell and add lbs. Also, taking your weight everyday is actually the most accurate way to calculate your weight. Yes it can flucuate from day to day by a few lbs, but if you record your weight everyday and then figure out the average once a week THAT will be your most accuarte weight. There are so many other resources online you can find whenever you feel depressed about a weight loss stand still. You really do need to accurately record your intake also. You want to make sure your adding everything in, not just your calories. Sure, you can eat unhealthy and be under your calorie goal, but ridiculously over your fat, sugar, or salt. What good is that going to do after you meet your goals? AFter you lose the weight you need to adapt with HEALTHY eating habits that you can maintain MOST of the time. Meaning you eat healthy in general. It is ok to indulge sometimes. You should never completely refuse to eat "the good stuff" but you should limit how often. You want to cheat once a week? Then EARN that cheat! Instead of doing a 30 minute workout, do two 30 min. workouts and eat well the majority of the day and splurge on one meal. Don't cheat for a full day.
You have to figure out what works for you! Not one person on here is identical to you, so what works for them might not for you. Keep in mind that there are many things that can make it more difficult to lose weight, such as stress, unknown health issues, and hormones. Go to the doctor and tell him/her your weight loss goals and get some blood work done to ensure there aren't any unknown health issues you might be suffering from. But I will say if you just want temporary weight loss keep doing what you are doing, But if you want a life change....... you have to change the unhealthy eating habits....FOR GOOD. Making better choices, knowing when you're hungry vs. when you want to taste, and knowing how much to eat at once are all key to starting a new healthy life style. It's a life change NOT a diet!0 -
I am definitely not guessing when I do quick add. I can see where that could be assumed, but honestly I am tracking them in a legit manner. There is a way to track without logging everything individual, but I understand the point everyone is making.0
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Thank you for the positive comments! I appreciate encouragement not being told how I am doing everything wrong.0
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I have eaten fast food 3 times in 2 months with the exception of Subway which I eat often, so you are wrong there. On the weekends I may eat at a Logan's style place.0
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mxmkenney glad to hear I am not alone. We will definitely push through this and end up with the results we want. Stay positive!0
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are you actually WEIGHING your food?I am definitely not guessing when I do quick add. I can see where that could be assumed, but honestly I am tracking them in a legit manner. There is a way to track without logging everything individual, but I understand the point everyone is making.0 -
tiffanylinden thank you for being positive in your advice! You are so right. It is a lifestyle change. It takes time to get there, but eventually I will.0
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Maybe your body at the weight it likes and needs to be at. How far are you from your goal weight? Just hang in there and keep pushing on. Healthy is the most important thing even though I know we like the scale to drop!0
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I have definitely found that eating out, whether at a restaurant, diner or fast food restaurant will tend to make my weight loss unpredictable (if not stall it altogether) due to the unreliable calorie counts.0
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