CANNOT. LOSE. WEIGHT. SOS

So I'm 19, college girl who just got out of class for summer in April. I told myself I would lose atleast 25 pounds this summer. Now, rewind for a second. I was 280lbs back in October. Cut out sodas and walked on the treadmill. Got down to 250 and stopped. Started again I'm January and worked my *kitten* off, only lost a total of 14 pounds during Jan. and Feb. During March and April, I didn't eat clean but I never overrate. I didn't gain but I didn't lose either because I just wasn't thinking about the weight loss. Now May has come and my goal as to lose 8 pounds BUT nothing. I'm 236 and have been for forever. I try to eat 1500 a day, it's difficult for me to reach that sometimes eating nothing but fruits and veggies and stuff. I started walking for 30-45 minutes and I'm just not losing. Should I go back to what I was doing/eating in Jan and Feb to see if I can lose that way? It's already halfway into May and my goal is slipping away. Thanks for any advice.

Replies

  • thavoice
    thavoice Posts: 1,326 Member
    Many people "Try" to eat a certain amount of calories.

    It is simple. Find out how many calories you need to maintain, and eat 15-20% less than that each day and you will lose weight.

    Doesnt matter what you eat. YOu can still eat your favs, just stay within your calorie limit an dkeep on walking.
  • akh1981
    akh1981 Posts: 67 Member
    It's not that you "cannot" lose weight - you've shown that you can! And yay!! If what you're doing now isn't working, change it up. Is there a reason you eat only fruits/veggies? Your body needs more than just that - you need protein and healthy fats, too.
  • tibby531
    tibby531 Posts: 717 Member
    definitely get a food scale.

    give it time. sometimes our bodies need to adjust to changes. :)
  • TaintedVampyre
    TaintedVampyre Posts: 1,428 Member
    I found jogging was the greatest thing invented when I first started losing weight. Perhaps some extra protein and a couple slices of avocado and you should be on the right track with your veggies and fruit. Oh and plenty of water.
  • ladybarometer
    ladybarometer Posts: 205 Member
    I can't say that it's working for weight loss yet, but I have seen that I have been over estimating my burn. MFP gives me 1260 calories to burn 2 lbs a week, but if I look at my burn per my FitBit, it's like 1000 cals a day for 2 lbs. Of course that changes with activity. I have been using my FitBit to see how much I'm actually moving on the days I don't do a specific workout, and I've been trying to nail the 10,000 step goal. I have a desk job, so I have to make an extra effort - it's been encouraging!

    With eating 1200-1400 though, I still should have seen SOME loss. Nothing seems to work though. I'm going to see the Doc in a couple of weeks, since Hypothyroid runs in the family, and I've had a pretty rapid weight gain despite my work.
  • Branstin
    Branstin Posts: 2,320 Member
    You have to make sure you are at a decent calorie deficiency in order to lose weight. Here is a great place to start:

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

    Invest some time in reading it and you'll be on your way.
  • ambrekachappell
    ambrekachappell Posts: 13 Member
    Thank you all!
    akh1981, oh no I eat way more than just veggies and fruits. I'm just saying that it's difficult for me to get my calories up with them. I should definitely add more protein and water though.
  • AlyssamR6712
    AlyssamR6712 Posts: 114 Member
    Here is a good website to see how much you should be eating (https://www.exercise.com/tools/bmr-calculator) and don't forget its not always how much you eat its also what you are eating.. make sure you are getting enough protein and healthy fats (along with your fruits and veggies). Have you considered lifting? most people who think cardio is the only answer to weight loss platuea at a certain point and time. In order to burn fat you need muscle. i lift 4-5 times a week and do cardio 2-3. But everyone is different you have to find what works for you.. do lots and lots of research! www.bodybuilding.com has amazing articles. When i was deployed thats all i did in my spare time was research fitness and nutrition, that website helped me ALOT. I started lifting with Jamie Eason's Livefit program, it was perfect for beginners. Good luck with your journey! hope this helps!

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  • smn76237
    smn76237 Posts: 318 Member
    Between April 1 and today, you've only logged 15 days--several of which are incomplete days or contain quick add calories.

    Now, I don't say that as a criticism, really. We as people are really good at fooling ourselves about our intake. It's very easy to say or think you're eating x amount of calories every day, but without actually logging them EVERY DAY as accurately as possible (with a food scale), you most likely are eating waaaay more than you think or hope you're eating (it's not just you, you'll see it's really common if you spend any amount of time in the forums).

    My advice: log every single thing you eat for 2 solid weeks--including weekends or when you've eaten something "bad." Use a food scale and hit your goals. See what happens on the scale.
  • EandA85
    EandA85 Posts: 63 Member
    First off, congrats on losing almost 50 pounds since October! That by itself is a huge accomplishment.

    My advice:

    1. You aren't tracking consistently. There are a lot of incomplete entries in you diary.
    2. Are you weighing and measuring or guesstimating amounts? Weighing is much more accurate
    3. I'd incorporate more healthy fats and whole grains. I'm seeing white bread, American cheese, etc. Try whole wheat bread for a protein and fiber boost.