I feel like I'm doing this wrong.
WideAsleepMom
Posts: 15
I've been here for almost two weeks now. I've been trying to be good about accurately tracking my food and exercise. But I have this feeling maybe i'm going something wrong.
I'm under my allowed calories, I do my best to be active beyond my typical day activities. But i'm not seeing any changes. I know two weeks isn't a lot of time. I just thought at least a pound would have changed. Esp with being under my allowed calories.
Should I be staying under my allowed calories before it's adjusted for the exercise i have logged for the day?
I've had the Net number go into the negative. Is that ok? What number do I want to have there?
Sorry if these questions are dumb. I haven't found a MFP 101 yet. LOL
Thanks
I'm under my allowed calories, I do my best to be active beyond my typical day activities. But i'm not seeing any changes. I know two weeks isn't a lot of time. I just thought at least a pound would have changed. Esp with being under my allowed calories.
Should I be staying under my allowed calories before it's adjusted for the exercise i have logged for the day?
I've had the Net number go into the negative. Is that ok? What number do I want to have there?
Sorry if these questions are dumb. I haven't found a MFP 101 yet. LOL
Thanks
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Replies
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We need to be able to see your diary.0
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2weeks isn't long so don't give up
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I eat my calories (1200) + 50% of my exercise calories and it is beginning to work (3 weeks). Whilst the scales have been slow I have lost a little bit off my waist and def feel slightly less blobby. Good luck and keep going.0 -
Allow yourself some adjustment time and be totally honest on your diary--for yourself. No one has to see it but you. If you use a tsp of oil to cook something, write it down. Add and adjust where you need to and in a few weeks you will be shedding the pounds. This works.....do not under eat either that's not healthy and there is no reason for you to starve yourself. You should be able to eat plenty of food to keep you satisfied. The more you watch the fats and eliminate processed stuff you will be amazed at how wonderful you feel and you'll be on your way to success. 0
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I did not see any change for a whole month. It takes your body a little while to catch up. Make sure you're drinking enough water and watch your sodium, that can make your weight seem higher. Good luck!0
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Whatever goals you set in your profile (i.e. how much weight you want to lose per week), MFP allows you a calorie allowance based on that goal. So, even if you do no exercise, you should lose your weekly goal by eating only that calorie allowance. Extra exercise either gives you more calories to eat that day, or is a bonus to your calorie deficit, whichever you prefer. I had to remember to add in things that I didn't think mattered, like butter, salad dressing, condiments, juices or drinks. Sometimes those things add up. Also, some people suggest weighing your food to make sure you are not undersetimating your portions. You may want to adjust your goals, maybe up it by a half a pound a week if you feel like you're not aggressive enough. Stick with it, I have had some good results using MFP.0
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You should not be under your calories - MFP gives you the minium amount of calories....Open your diary - but like others said - two weeks is nothing - you did not gain the weight in two weeks, did you?0
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If you want us to "check your work," so to speak, you'll have to set your diary to public so that we can take a look. Go to Settings at the top of the website and choose Diary Settings and then Public and Save Changes.
It's not uncommon for people to stall out for the first couple of weeks and see no change on the scale, especially if you've added a new workout routine to the mix. Your body may be holding onto some extra water to help cushion and repair those sore muscles, which can mask the fat loss that's happening in the background.
As for an MFP 101, there are stickied posts at the top of each of the forums, including some with really good beginners links. One of my favorite guides to link to is called A guide to get you started on your path to Sexypants: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants0 -
My Food diary is open to friends.
I'm bad for drinking enough water, I'm trying my best and have been better so far today. I haven't been as strict to put in a tsp of oil for cooking. I never thought about that part.
It's funny because I don't feel like i've been starving myself either. I've had days when I've gone for a run I've felt like I was forcing myself to eat.0 -
If you want us to "check your work," so to speak, you'll have to set your diary to public so that we can take a look. Go to Settings at the top of the website and choose Diary Settings and then Public and Save Changes.
It's not uncommon for people to stall out for the first couple of weeks and see no change on the scale, especially if you've added a new workout routine to the mix. Your body may be holding onto some extra water to help cushion and repair those sore muscles, which can mask the fat loss that's happening in the background.
As for an MFP 101, there are stickied posts at the top of each of the forums, including some with really good beginners links. One of my favorite guides to link to is called A guide to get you started on your path to Sexypants: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants
Read Sexypants if you haven't yet. Seriously.
Two weeks is nothing. Log food as accurately as you can, keep going with your activity, and read. Read recommended posts. Educate yourself as much as you can. Lots of great info on this site and others. Some really bad info on this site and others as well, but the more you read the easier it gets to spot the difference between the two.0 -
I've been here for almost two weeks now. I've been trying to be good about accurately tracking my food and exercise. But I have this feeling maybe i'm going something wrong.
I'm under my allowed calories, I do my best to be active beyond my typical day activities. But i'm not seeing any changes. I know two weeks isn't a lot of time. I just thought at least a pound would have changed. Esp with being under my allowed calories.
Should I be staying under my allowed calories before it's adjusted for the exercise i have logged for the day?
I've had the Net number go into the negative. Is that ok? What number do I want to have there?
Sorry if these questions are dumb. I haven't found a MFP 101 yet. LOL
Thanks
A couple of things.......
MFP gives you a calorie deficit based upon "I want to lose XX pounds per week" .....and this is BEFORE exercise.
If you log exercise you are expected to eat those calories back.....just be warned MFP & many machines are "generous"....most people start at eating 50-60% back. This is what the NET number is all about.
The reason............exercise adds to your existing deficit......too large a defict & you loss fat+muscle....as opposed to mostly fat.
Check out your weekly goal...............does it fall in here? This will tell you if your deficit is already pretty big......
Pounds per week
75+ lbs to lose 2 lb range
Between 40 - 75 lbs to lose 1.5 lb range
Between 25-40 lbs to lose 1 lb range
Between 15-25 lbs to lose 1 -.50 lb range
Less than 15 lbs to lose 0.5 lbs range
It's easy to get something wrong............activity level (should not include exercise) .....is a range. How do you measure your foods? Weighing is most accurate. Some people can eyeball successfully (not me). Foods are added to MFP by users .....some are just wrong.0 -
Give it a couple of more weeks. At that point, you can figure it out. If you haven't budged the scale, somehow you're still eating more calories than you're burning. It seems from reading here, and my experience, a lot of people aren't accurately recording their calories. I know I wasn't before I got my food scale. Even now I sometimes wonder if I did something right. But the scale made a big difference. If you don't already have one, might consider buying one.
But the scale you stand on will tell you what's happening. You're either losing weight or not. If not, then you aren't at a calorie deficit. Something probably isn't accurate. Either calories in, or calories burned. Just adjust and move forward. You'll get there.
Hang in there! You'll figure it out.0 -
Don't worry...two weeks isn't very long. And something that my husband and I both noticed, especially when we first started, was that the loss wasn't timed evenly - when I first started, the scale didn't move for a MONTH. Then, I lost 5 pounds in a week. Then another 4 pounds the next week. (Some was probably water weight, but still.) Then it would be a week or two with no movement, then 2-3 pounds would come off the next week, etc, etc.
Trust in the science. As long as you are counting correctly, the weight WILL come off. You can't break biology 0 -
Being too far under your calorie intake can have on opposite effect and be careful not to fall into the trap of basing you calorie burn on MFP estimates. I find MFP overestimates calorie burn on exercises which is why you will see people eating back 50% of their exercise calorie deficit. Good luck and keep at it - two weeks is not very long at all.0
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Didn't even weigh myself in the first week. Just kept my calories at what MFP suggested, went back to my doctor, got weighed, and I had dropped 10kg's.
Too many people get hung up on the number the scales reflect. I got like this at one point, to the point I was weighing myself daily and just getting annoyed when I saw fluctuations. Even though I knew deep down I couldn't have put weight on, it still put me on a downer.
Stick to measurements, weigh yourself weekly and don't starve yourself. Everything should gradually start falling into place.0 -
Why does nobody ever question the scale itself? Did you buy one of the cheapy ones at Walmart? Some scales can have a +/- 3 pound accuracy on them!!!0
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I haven't been as strict to put in a tsp of oil for cooking. I never thought about that part.
Attention to detail is key - oil is very calorie dense and can never be overlooked. Don't worry though, it soon becomes second nature if you tough it out.0 -
I saw this article posted the other day. It has only been two weeks, so I wouldn't be discouraged especially if you don't have a lot to lose and are eating at a smaller deficit. However, if you continue to not lose I would consider what it talks about in this article (which people have already mentioned).
http://www.acaloriecounter.com/blog/why-am-i-not-losing-weight/0 -
As others have said, don't sweat two weeks. Your body is still adjusting. Just because the needle on the scale isn't moving yet doesn't mean it won't. Maybe don't weigh yourself for another week or two and focus on the lifestyle rather than panicking about a number. Good luck!0
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I lost a couple pounds quickly the first week but then was on a plateau for three weeks with even a small gain. I just ignored the scale and noticed that my pants fit better and I felt better. Last week suddenly I was down another 4 pounds and this week another 2. Whether your body is holding water because of increased exercise and muscle soreness or something else, in the end the weight will come off if you keep at it.0
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Definitely read the "Sexypants" thread. A lot of great info there!
2 weeks isn't a lot of time, so I would keep logging and see what happens in another couple of weeks. Make sure you are logging every little thing (like others have said). A food scale seriously helps for making sure you are being accurate.
I know it seems cumbersome at first, but after awhile it becomes part of your routine.0 -
Here's your link to MFP 101!!: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1069275-links-in-mfp-you-want-to-read-again-and-again
All of the links included in that post are incredibly helpful and will probably answer most of the questions you will have.
Eat at LEAST your goal and alway eat back at least some of your exercise calories. Say MFP suggests you eat 1400 calories. They are already sticking you in a deficit so even if you exercise ZERO minutes a week, you will lose that 1lb a week or 2 or .5 or whatever you asked MFP to calculate for.0 -
I understand your frustration!! I too have done everything right, and seen no results. But I do have a question for you. Are you noticing any inches lost? Do you have more energy?
Sometimes it takes your body a while to go into weight loss mode. I did Insanity for 3 weeks, and gained 4 lbs. that being said, I lost 1 inch around my neck, 2 inches in my calf's, and another inch in my ankle... i know.. weird and not exactly where I wanted to lose, but eventually, it should all work out.
Also, the calorie counter is good (don't get me wrong), but the kind of calories matter. For example, processed foods might have a low caloric count, but they aren't helping your body. I know this as I'm starting my weight loss battle once again, after 6 months of eating 900 calories/day, and gaining 25 lbs! it's all about the metabolism, and getting it revved up.
Keep at er, and re-evaluate the types of food, and when they are consumed. (you should be having 5 meals a day to get your metabolism going.)0 -
Each persons body is different, some lose easier than others. Two weeks may just not be enough for you. There are a lot of factors, are you eating enough calories, under 1200 is not good, but some people need to eat way more than 1200. Need to drink enough water to keep you hydrated, try to ensure you have a lot off green veggies in your diet. How intense is your workout or how frequent. You have to tweak it around to find that balance. May need to push harder in your workouts or workout more. Also, make sure you are watching your sodium intake
Good luck!!!!!0 -
Being too far under your calorie intake can have on opposite effect and be careful not to fall into the trap of basing you calorie burn on MFP estimates. I find MFP overestimates calorie burn on exercises which is why you will see people eating back 50% of their exercise calorie deficit. Good luck and keep at it - two weeks is not very long at all.
Agree with most of your post. However, eating too little does not prevent you from losing weight. Search "starvation mode myth" on here for a ton of information. Good one here:
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/761810-the-starvation-mode-myth-again0 -
I have plans to buy a new scale for me. I wanted to get a digital one rather then the dial one we have. I'll also pick up a food scale too.
My goal is to get down 50lbs. I didn't realize that there were different amounts you should be aiming to loose per week based on what your overall goal is. So i will adjust that too.
I haven't noticed any inches. But I also haven't measured. I comfortably can say my pants still fit the same.
We as a family are working towards ditching processed foods. We're starting a dye free and gluten free lifestyle and I keep telling myself just because it's gluten free doesn't mean its good for you.
I'm trying to not get discouraged. Thank you for the links to SexyPants. LOL. I will defiantly get to reading more articles.0 -
Are you both eating better and exercising more? If you are not doing the latter then it can be tough to notice the difference because:
* your body's metabolism will slow down as you eat less requiring less calories and making your deficit smaller.
* seeing 1 pound difference on the scale requires a net deficit of 3500 calories. That's 500 calories a day for a 1 week. That's a tough deficit to maintain on diet alone.
* do you really know how many calories you are burning? when you are working out it is easier to measure your calories burned above your baseline. Exercise also tends to have a bonus of increasing your overall caloric needs. But if you don't exercise it is easy to fool yourself over what your baseline calories really are.
Are you continuing to drink alcohol and / or coffee, smoke, taking appetite suppressants?
* there are other things that can cause this but if you are engaging in any activities that reduce your appetite then you will tend drink less water as well.
If you are exercising then it should be easy to lose weight in the beginning. Many exercise routines will make certain short-term weight-loss promises and it's basically water weight that is cashing that cheque.
I drink 3L of water per day and that's doesn't count the water i get via soups, food, shakes, etc. I also don't count any water I drink as juice nor coffee in that 3L, although I stay away from juices entirely. If I stop drinking water I know I'm going to see a jump on the scale. That doesn't mean I'm gaining fat, but I'm gaining "weight". Also I'm going to be hungrier cuz my body knows that food and water are related.
Salt will certainly affect that as well. If you're buying much of your food pre-made then you're probably getting too much salt. If you're making your own food then don't bother adding any salt. It's easy to find enough salt just trying to get away from it. You can use MFP to track your salt but it's not a default. Be wary of custom entries that have not added the sodium values.
For the first few weeks of a routine that involves exercise just be happy if it's getting easier to walk each day as your body adjusts to the routine.0 -
Should I be staying under my allowed calories before it's adjusted for the exercise i have logged for the day?
I've had the Net number go into the negative. Is that ok? What number do I want to have there?
Your NET calories should NEVER be a negative number. Sounds to me like you're not eating back any of your exercise calories and just sticking to the calorie goal MFP is giving you. I suggest you calculate your BMR and TDEE using an online calculator - many on MFP recommend http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/.
You haven't indicated how much you want to lose but take 5-20% off your TDEE (someone has posted a good guide as to how much to reduce depending on the amount to lose. Work off the idea 500calorie deficit = TDEE -20%). Input this value into MFP and don't log exercise (TDEE takes this into account). You can then work on eating that number of calories each day, and not worry about how much exercise calories to eat back. I find this method the easiest.
Also, as many have already said - 2 weeks is no time. be patient and good luck
*addition - just seen your post re wanting to lose 50lbs. Based on this I would go with TDEE -15-20%0 -
Maybe you're eating more than you think.0
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Why does nobody ever question the scale itself? Did you buy one of the cheapy ones at Walmart? Some scales can have a +/- 3 pound accuracy on them!!!
I seen this on an amazon review:
A U.S. nickel weighs 5.0 grams, so use those to check the accuracy of your scale.
Edit to add:
I just ordered this digital scale, it's only $6 and runs on aaa batteries!
http://www.amazon.com/Digital-Kitchen-Scale-instructions-Unconditional/dp/B00H8WIFZU/ref=cm_cd_ql_qh_dp_t0
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