Why am I not losing weight? :(

sam_c_93
sam_c_93 Posts: 23 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I've been on a diet for about two months now, yet I've only lost about two pounds. I don't know what I'm doing wrong! I am eating 20%- my TDEE (1700 cals) and doing the 30DS five days a week. I know it would be possible I gained muscle, but on my photos of before and after I don't look any different...I forgot to take inches at the start though so I don't know if I've lost them.

It is just so hard to stick to when it is hard work and I've nothing to show for it. Is there any reason that might be stopping me losing weight? I had a goal in mind for the start of June and now it's not going to be possible :(

Replies

  • _Zardoz_
    _Zardoz_ Posts: 3,987 Member
    You're eating more than you think because your logging is inaccurate. It's full of quick added calories. You need to weigh and measure your food accurately. Once you know how much you are really eating you then have a baseline to work from.
  • yarwell
    yarwell Posts: 10,477 Member
    +1 - try logging the actual foods you are eating and see what's going in for starters.
  • pennyllayne
    pennyllayne Posts: 265
    Your TDEE may be lower than you think and therefore your deficit is only enough to lose half a pound per week. If you're logging accurately and are definitely eating 1700 calories a day this would suggest your deficit is around 250 calories a day. This is a safe rate of weight loss of course, but if you want the weight to come off faster you'll have to create a larger deficit. You can do this by burning an extra 250 calories a day through exercise, or lowering your intake to 1450.
  • GiveMeCoffee
    GiveMeCoffee Posts: 3,556 Member
    Well since your diary is nothing but Quick adds .. how about actually logging what you eat, portions, stop guessing. And since your quick adds are over your daily calories, you aren't in a deficit.
  • soldiergrl_101
    soldiergrl_101 Posts: 2,205 Member
    1700 calories is alot, I couldnt loose weight if i ate over 1400cals. Maybe try loweing the amount of calories you take in, like they said above there are hidden calories as well unaccounted for so quick adding your calories could make you think your at 1700 when you are really at 2000
  • GiveMeCoffee
    GiveMeCoffee Posts: 3,556 Member
    1700 calories is alot, I couldnt loose weight if i ate over 1400cals. Maybe try loweing the amount of calories you take in, like they said above there are hidden calories as well unaccounted for so quick adding your calories could make you think your at 1700 when you are really at 2000

    Can't recommend going up or down in calories until you know what you are actually eating. What's in the OP diary right now is absolutely no information to make any decisions on.

    I lose with no problem at 1700, average .5 a week and works wonderfully
  • asciiqwerty
    asciiqwerty Posts: 565 Member
    There are lots of estimates here:
    - your TDEE may be wrong as it makes assumptions about you based on your height, weight and activity level (another guess) and not everyone your gender height and weight are the same, it may need adjusting to suit you
    - you are likely overestimating your activity and underestimating your food:
    as you are often logging quick add calories - this is the obvious place to start.
    get a food scale and weigh everything that you eat, if you do that and stick to your calorie target for a month (at least) and there is still not change then your activity level in your TDEE calculatio is likely to be wrong

    you may find it easier to go with the BMR + excercise = calories approach as then you may see the effect of your exercise better, but remember not to double count your excercise both in your BMR calculation and by logging it seperately - but there is no reason why the TDEE shouldn't work if used properly and many find it more accurate

    until you log both your calories in (food + drink) and you calories out (exercise and base) more accurately it will be very hard for you, or for anyone else to help you indentify where there is scope for improvement
  • BigTireFlipper
    BigTireFlipper Posts: 116 Member
    You're eating more than you think because your logging is inaccurate. It's full of quick added calories. You need to weigh and measure your food accurately. Once you know how much you are really eating you then have a baseline to work from.

    This.
  • jarrettd
    jarrettd Posts: 872 Member
    When I quit playing around and bought a kitchen scale, I was SHOCKED at how badly I was estimating my portion sizes. Even using measuring cups/spoons, I was WAY over on most things. 50 cals here, 75 there, negates your deficit pretty quickly. You don't have to go all OCD on it forever, if the thought freaks you out. If you commit to weighing EVERYTHING you consume for at least 2 weeks, you will learn a lot about how proper portions sizes look, and be more conscious of it going forward. Good luck!
  • 1stday13
    1stday13 Posts: 433 Member
    First and foremost, Start weighing, measuring and logging your food and exercise. "quick" calories tell you or us absolutely nothing. :noway:
  • asciiqwerty
    asciiqwerty Posts: 565 Member
    When I quit playing around and bought a kitchen scale, I was SHOCKED at how badly I was estimating my portion sizes. Even using measuring cups/spoons, I was WAY over on most things. 50 cals here, 75 there, negates your deficit pretty quickly. You don't have to go all OCD on it forever, if the thought freaks you out. If you commit to weighing EVERYTHING you consume for at least 2 weeks, you will learn a lot about how proper portions sizes look, and be more conscious of it going forward. Good luck!

    ^^^absolutely

    no need to go OCD forever, weigh everything proactively to start with, then startbeing a little lenient on yourself, I "check-weigh" my breakfast cereal and fruit jiuce protion about once a week, as I've now worked out how the right size portion looks in my bowl and cup I'm now within 10ml on the juice when I guess it

    when i notice that i'm not making hte progress that I want I get more picky about my measuring too :) and it tends to help get me back on track
  • asciiqwerty
    asciiqwerty Posts: 565 Member
    To help. I've just done some quick sums for you [plase correct these if you spot a mistake as it's just quick mental arythmetic].

    General guidance for long term progressive weight loss is a deficit of 300 to 500 calories/day, netting not below 1200.

    Estimating that 1lb a week requires a 3500 cal/week deficit or 500 cal/day deficit.

    As you have lost 2lb (approx) in 8wks (approx 2 months): approximately 1/4 lb/week.
    You have in fact been eating and exercising to a deficit of 3500/4/7=125 cal/day rather than your target deficit of 20%.
  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,268 Member
    1700 calories is alot, I couldnt loose weight if i ate over 1400cals. Maybe try loweing the amount of calories you take in, like they said above there are hidden calories as well unaccounted for so quick adding your calories could make you think your at 1700 when you are really at 2000

    Can't recommend going up or down in calories until you know what you are actually eating. What's in the OP diary right now is absolutely no information to make any decisions on.

    I lose with no problem at 1700, average .5 a week and works wonderfully

    I agree 1700 is not a lot...I lose on that...

    quick adds, inaccurate logging is the culprit...

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