Why have I not lost weight?

littlemsfattie · March 2014

I started working out last Thursday, March 13. I weighed myself this morning, Thursday march 20 and didn't lose any weight, not even 0.1lbs. I'll tell you what my remaining calories were everyday. (The first number is the number of calories I consumed that day, the second number I am subtracting if the calories I burned doing exercise and the last number total is the net.
March 13: 1122 - 516 = 646
March 14: 828 - 516 = 312
March 15: 1830 - 646 = 1185
March 16: 1315 - 688 =627
March 17: 1807- 616 = 1191
March 18: 1996-616 = 1380
March 19: 1235 -673 = 562
As you see, my net calories are very low, I don't starve myself or skip meals. I eat normally and work out at the gym (1 hour 5 min of AMT -advanced motion trainer- and then 15-20 minutes of strength). Today I was so pissed off that I didn't lose any weight I went and burned 913 just on the AMT (And probably more like 1000 when I was finished my entire workout) I am 18 years old, I'm 5'8 and I weigh 240lbs. My recommended calorie intake is 22, 113 cals a week to maintain my weight. Since last Thursday I had 5903 cals which means I should've lost at least 4.5lbs right? PLEASE HELP! I thought I would've lost 2lbs of water weight at least...thank you so so much

Btw don't tell me to eat more. I already snack and pig out so much, I don't try and stay under my calorie goal of 1252 it just happens, that's just me on a regular day so I'm not going to eat more and stuff myself to lose weight. That doesn't make sense.

Aaron_K123 · March 2014

You can lose and gain 5 pounds worth of water weight due to numerous things such as sodium intake, amount of water you drink, your monthly cycle if you are female...all of these things can mask fat loss over the period of just a week. I'd recommend keeping it up over a longer period like a month before you could reliably see a loss.

If you really care about the number on the scale you could track your sodium and make sure it isn't elevated by your diet or drink more water but really you shouldn't care about the number on the scale as much as just eating healthy and getting in your exercise. Measure progress in months not days.

Also I know you asked not to be told this but you probably should eat more, your calorie intake is very low given that you are regularly exercising.

mactaffy84 · March 2014

You are crying about not losing weight in one week? What are you going to do when it is 4 weeks and no budge? Are you weighing your food? How are you getting your calorie burns? Not much more difficult than calories in vs calories out. You are either eating too much and not realizing it, not burning what you think, or a combination of the two. No sense being angry. Pick yourself up by the bootstraps, figure out what the problem is, and do something about it!

19TaraLynn84 · March 2014

You do not have to eat as few calories as possible in order to lose weight! In one week, you had only one day that you netted anything close to a healthy calorie amount. Eat more and be patient!

littlemsfattie · March 2014

I know exactly how much I'm eating because I track my calories. The numbers I told you that I am burning off are actually LOWER then what I am doing so I know that's not the problem. I am not eating as few calories as possible! I'm eating normally! I eat chips and brownies but I just manage to eat healthy stuff that is not high in calories so most of my calories are from junk food that I burn off anyway. I am only complaining because I have hit plateaus before like last year and earlier this year, I have for some reason lost 20 lbs last year without trying and now that I'm trying nothing is coming off! But I guess it could be my sodium. I will try weighing myself in a couple of weeks, I'm also measuring myself (hips, waist, neck, arms and thighs) so hopefully those numbers will go down!

QuietBloom · March 2014

1. You didn't gain the weight in a week, and you won't lose it in a week either. It will take time - months even.
2. Figure out a REASONABLE calorie deficit, and stick to it.
3. Buy a food scale for weighing solid food (and peanut butter, etc) and measuring cups for liquids.
4. Don't over estimate calories burned (I don't know how you are getting your numbers now, but they sound pretty high to me).

Read this post: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants

19TaraLynn84 · March 2014

I was simply going off the numbers you gave.

CLFrancois · March 2014

Sometimes eating higher sodium foods can cause water retention that is easily lost. Just because a food isn't salted doesn't mean it isn't high in sodium.
An example would be eggs. I am not saying you do or do not eat eggs, it is only an example.
Each egg white contains approx. 55 mg of sodium before I ever dash some salt on it.
Processed foods are likely to contain high amounts of sodium also.
"Your body tries to maintain a sodium/water concentration outside cell walls that's approximately the same as sea water. When you consume sodium, your body holds on to water to maintain the right ratio. Consuming 400 milligrams of sodium, the amount in a single gram of table salt, causes your body to retain an extra 4 cups of water, which equals roughly 2 pounds. Drinking more water flushes out the extra sodium, returning water levels to normal."
Again, I don't know what you eat, I am merely giving an option as to why.

RllyGudTweetr · March 2014

Never mind, more info in the first post than I originally saw.

19TaraLynn84 · March 2014

And all this! ^^^

Aaron_K123 · March 2014

Given your numbers and the fact you have tracked over the period of a week rather than months I'd guess its just water retention which can happen also with vigorous exercise in addition to small changes in sodium levels.

Chances are with your calorie intake you have lost fat, and muscle...and bone density. Again you should probably eat more and stop thinking in the short term. This should be something you aim at in year long intervals not week long intervals or you are going to cause yourself more harm than good.

chrisram88 · March 2014

Keep at it! I started strength training and cardio about a month ago. I didnt see a loss all month until today. You will gain water weight the first couple weeks. Dont get discouraged. Keep doing your thing. Sooner than later youll see the scale move. Another thing might be that you lost inches instead of weight. Have you checked that?

ndj1979 · March 2014

probably better to be netting 1200 not 300 as you are on some days..

As others have already pointed out, it has only been one week ..take a breath and have some patience. It can take your body four to six weeks to adapt to any change ..

You did not get obese overnight, and you will not lose the weight over night...

ndj1979 · March 2014

sorry but netting 500 calories on some days is not "eating normally" ….

and if your lost 20 pounds without trying, why didn't you just keep doing what you were doing before…

I sense a troll...

Beet_Girl · March 2014

Are you sure that you are tracking the number of calories you are burning correctly? The elliptical at the gym was telling me I burned 300 calories in a half hour, but based on online estimates, I probably only burned 150.

We tend to underestimate what we eat and overestimate the calories we burn. Maybe that is your problem.

littlemsfattie · March 2014

What the ****? I'm not a troll. Yeah it is eating normally because I BURNED it all off in the gym. I'm serious about the gym that's why im netting so low. **** off

ndj1979 · March 2014

Ok, then you have an eating disorder…seek help, immediately…

there is nothing normal about your eating habits…

also, your burns are probably off if you are using gym equipment to measure them ...

littlemsfattie · March 2014

I'm getting my numbers from the AMT. The AMT is an advanced motion trainer that adapts to your movements, it burns much more then an elliptical. The AMT is based on someone who is 150lbs, since I weigh a lot and heavy people burn more calories (that's why on biggest loser the heavier the contestants were the more then lost in one week) the numbers should be correct. AMT's are quite expensive but they work very very very well in toning muscles and burning fat. I'm eating whatever I want and going to the gym, I'm not going to change that by eating more, I don't want to feel stuffed. I drip with sweat after every workout and eat like a horse. Eating vegetables are very low calories that's why my intake is low. Thank u though for trying.

littlemsfattie · March 2014

Thanks, this is the only answer that made me feel like I didn't do something wrong. I'll keep at it and hopefully the scale follows along!

littlemsfattie · March 2014

For breakfast I had three apple pancakes, for lunch I had roasted vegetable lasagna, for lunch I had a fruit smoothie, I worked out and burned a little more then 600 calories. Another day I had scrambled eggs, turkey bacon and a pita bread for breakfast, for lunch I had a sandwich with soup, for dinner I had roast vegetable lasagna, for a snack I had chips. I burned 616 calories. Does that sound like an eating disorder to you? It's quite offensive that you would suggest that. My doctor is fine with what I'm doing. I eat a breakfast, lunch and dinner and I always snack throughout the day. so if you would please stop telling me what's normal and what's not that would be great

ndj1979 · March 2014

again, netting 300 calories for the day is not "normal" if a DR is telling you that then get a new DR…

but good luck with what you are doing …it seems to be working

littlemsfattie · March 2014

I only netted 300 calories once because i slept in and skipped breakfast. Stop talking about it, my doctor is fine, one of the best in my province.

Graelwyn75 · March 2014

Have fun messing up your metabolism and burning away your muscles.
This system is designed as such that you eat back your exercise calories.
1200 calories is the bare minumum anyone should be netting to lose weight. Even those under 5 foot are eating more than you are.
But since you seem to know it all, and have no wish to take on board the perfectly sensible advice of those who have been successful here, by eating enough to fuel themselves properly, I have no idea why you wasted time posting this topic.

flippy1234 · March 2014

Is that your stomach in your picture? I want a stomach like that!!!!
Really? If that is you...you look fantastic and don't need to lose anything!!!

Maleficent0241 · March 2014

This bolded part makes me very concerned (among other things). That is not a healthy relationship with food or exercise, and may be something that needs attention. I can understand where ndj1979 is coming from.

ALNoog · March 2014

So you ate 16,219 calories less than recommended for the week... That is a large deficit if that isn't even including what you worked off exercising.

I can see the concern. If your goal is 1252 a day but 22,113 is what is recommended for a week then why the drastic difference?

jofjltncb6 · March 2014

Okay, now I'm in...

...to tell OP that she should listen to the very people who seem to have rustled her jimmies. They might just be right.

jofjltncb6 · March 2014

Seriously? "Keep at it"? What part should she keep at? Netting as low as 300 some days? Punishing herself with additional exercise? Lashing out at those trying to help her fix/understand her problem?

Nah, forget it. Great advice.

Keep at it, OP. You got this! :flowerforyou:

catherinemaxwell566 · March 2014

I think the OP is massively overestimating calories burnt! I suspect its half what was posted as 600 cals a day burnt off most days seems like torture

Graelwyn75 · March 2014

Op weighs over 240 Ibs.
A 240 Ib body burns a lot of calories.
I am under 140Ibs.
I often have 1100 calorie burns. Because I workout hard.

AwesomeGuy37 · March 2014

I would check out my blog. I address the scale issue. I hope it helps
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/AwesomeGuy37/view/answers-to-why-am-i-not-losing-weight-639657

Why have I not lost weight?

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