If I am at a deficit, why am I not losing weight?

RoseTears143

Everyone already gave fantastic advice, so the only thing I'll chime in on is this:

Don't blame a thyroid disorder (that's undiagnosed) on your inability to lose weight. This is coming from someone that has autoimmune thyroid disease. A messed up thryoid will not make it impossible to lose weight, I don't care who you are. You have to do things a little differenly and not eat certain foods to help your body absorb your medication properly, but you can still lose weight. I've been around the block with figuring out what was going on, dosage of medication and what kind works for me, and what I can and can't eat to support weight loss. I can't stand seeing people talk themselves into defeat over thyroid disorders.

/rant

Oh..and peace, sunshine and rainbows to everyone! :flowerforyou:

shrcpr

I also don't seem to really know when I am full unless I am completely stuffed. There isn't an in between. it goes ok, ok, ok, ok, ok, stuffed.

I don't know if that's normal, but regardless. I really need to be stricter on eating more nutritious foods.

I had this problem, too, so I just took my daily target and split it by the number of meals I want to eat and then made each meal that many calories. This helped me find the right food to keep me full until my next meal and has seemed to work well for me. Personally, I do 5 meals of around 300 calories each but ONLY because that's what seems to work for me an my body and situation. Now I know off the top of my head a bunch of different 300 calorie food combinations that work for me. Number of meals isn't important but if you can't tell when you are full then pick a number of calories, eat that, and then stop.

Odinalove

I'm not trying to say it is impossible for me to lose weight at all, or that I'm perfect and not doing anything wrong etc.

I have had my cheat days, but even if I do I try to keep my week at the correct total, i.e I would eat less the next day or exercise it off, etc.

I try my best to weigh everything correctly, or scan things I can't, and I try avoid eating anything I can't properly track to make sure I am not eating more than I am supposed to.

I can guarantee, even if my entries are just estimates (scanning or picking from a list instead of weighing) I am never eating at any less than a 100 deficit on any given day, my goal is at about a 400-500 deficit.

I also exercise for at leats an hour 3 times a week besides the last 2 weeks just gone as I was sick, so I think I only went one or twice a week.

I haven't been to the doctor yet about whether it is a thyroid problem, he says I look fit so I shouldn't worry anyway, but that isn't the point. I want to lose weight for me.

Does anyone have any tips or opinions on what I may be doing wrong?

I don't care about criticism, I just want to get on the right track, so any help at all is greatly appreciated. I am getting very demotivated, and I don't want to give up, but I don't know why I am not losing anything.

With a quick look at your diary it seems your cal. intake is all over the place.

My advise is, weight your food and log everything. And I mean EVERYTHING!

Drink more water! I drink 1 gallon everyday, sometimes 2.

And last but not least, your 19 years old. Stop stressing about the little stuff and enjoy your youth.


p.s. Don`t go to McDonalds anymore. Or that other burger place you ate today. But out of curiosity, how did you even eat all of this in one sitting?

Mcdonald's (Australia) - Big Mac, 1 burger 492 35 27 25 859 6
Mac Donalds - Medium Fries, 1 medium fries 340 41 17 4 800 0
Mac Donalds - Quarter Pounder With Cheese, 202 g 490 37 25 30 1,180 10
Mac Donalds - Small French Fries, 70 g 230 29 11 3 160 0
Mac - Nuggets , 0.5 box (6 pices) 162 11 10 7 256 0
Cocacola - Coke, 83.33 ml 36 9 0 0 8 9

Odinalove

well...

Odinalove

you read right,
1, I did not lose weight because i kept craving more, eating it and pretending like i did not. It is almost impossible to eat a big mac and not want a sweet drink.
2, also it doesn't give the same energy, your work outs will suffer.
3, and don't forget the lack of fiber which encourages the rubbish to sit in you while your body absorbs every single fat in it.
A calorie is not a calorie. Please do some research on how our bodies process different food groups and you will see what i am saying.

A big mac won't cause any problem, add that with a chocolate, a cup of coke and some biscuits and your tummy will just sit there. better still, don't. it defeats the purpose of the fitness journey.

Ang108

But you are not eating at a deficit ! I went back ten days in your food diary and in those ten days you were over a total of seven days. and as much as 600, 690 and 883 calories. It comes out to a total of 2781 calories which means that you eat 278 calories on average a day over. That will assure that you lose very little or nothing, because at best you are eating close to maintenance.
Also what is going on with not eating one single piece of fruit or any vegetables and nothing really nutritious, because you live of simple carbs and fast food. Also do you really skip that many meals, or are you just not logging ? We all know that for weight loss the quality of food is secondary and you could lose even by just eating junk. However eating a more varied diet that also includes fruit, vegetables and quality protein as well as additional complex carbs will keep you from craving the processed stuff as much and that in return will make it easier for you to stick to your deficit.
Good Luck !

ETA: Also, if you are really gluten and dairy intolerant, why do you eat pasta and yogurt ? It shows up frequently in your food log.

Erika44095

Are you taking measurements. When I worked at a gym I would do measurements for the members. With as much as you say you are working out, I'm wondering if you are gaining muscle while you are losing fat. So you my in fact be getting skinnier but not losing any weight. The other thing is that the trainers there found is that when people don't eat enough calories, their metobolism started shutting down because their bodies were going into starvation mode. Example, one member worked out 2-3 hours per day & only ate 1500 calories. Based on the types of work outs she did, and then add in her normal calorie burn, she was burning around 3000 calories per day. So she was in a 1500 calorie deficiet. She stopped losing weight. When she cut back her excercising a little and ate a little more, not only did she start to feel better, but she started seeing changes on the scale again going down.

Is a thyroid issue a problem? possibly, never hurts to get it checked out.

tolynkenl

She is not the only person who is trying to lose weight unsuccessfully. It can be incredibly frustrating! I keep hoping for a magic pill but ... ;-)

I've been on MFP for just a few weeks now. I've logged every bite that I've put in my mouth. I have gone over my allowed limit 3 times, but am usually under by 100+ each day. Some days I am closer to my limit. I am exercising regularly. I haven't lost much - less than MFP says I should have.

My general day is: breakfast is fiber and flax seed whole grain toast (2). I was having peanut butter and a sugar free preserve, but to cut calories, I have now switched to Nutella chocolate hazelnut spread. I measure out the spread to be sure I am eating what I log. And coffee (black). ~300-400 cal.

Lunch is typically a Chobani yogurt, apple and sparking ice beverage, eaten at my desk (I use an insulated lunch bag and ice block). I will often eat a 2nd apple before or shortly after lunch, which I log in with my lunch. Sometimes I'll have a protein bar (190 cal.) as well. Then I usually only have 1 apple. ~300 cal.

Dinner varies quite a bit...if I eat at McDonald's, it is generally a classic grilled chicken sandwich, no mayo and a diet coke. At home, it can be any type of meat, veggies and a starch. I try to measure my quantities to be sure I am logging the correct amount. ~350-500 cal.

Snacks are ice cream or Chick-a-boom popcorn. The popcorn is only 37 cal. per cup, so that's not bad. The ice cream is only when I have calories left over.

I'm allowed 1460 per day without counting exercise. I try my best to stay at that level or below, even when I exercise (but some days I am just HUNGRY and eat some of my exercise calories as well). I've floated between 2-4 lbs lost...generally closer to the 2 lb lost for the last 1.5 weeks. I'm also 50 yrs old.

Any idea what I'm doing wrong?

Lynn

ChrisM8971

you read right,
1, I did not lose weight because i kept craving more, eating it and pretending like i did not. It is almost impossible to eat a big mac and not want a sweet drink.
2, also it doesn't give the same energy, your work outs will suffer.
3, and don't forget the lack of fiber which encourages the rubbish to sit in you while your body absorbs every single fat in it.
A calorie is not a calorie. Please do some research on how our bodies process different food groups and you will see what i am saying.

A big mac won't cause any problem, add that with a chocolate, a cup of coke and some biscuits and your tummy will just sit there. better still, don't. it defeats the purpose of the fitness journey.

I refer you to 1 you did not lose weight because you craved more and ate more not because you got more calories from it because it sat in your stomach longer. Also 1. is the result of your ability to stick to an eating plan, I manage to have the occasional burger without a sweet drink

However if you are referring to the nutritious content of foods then they do vary greatly but fast food isnt the only way of not getting enough fibre into you

If you make claims you really should be providing study links not telling people to do the research

ChrisM8971

She is not the only person who is trying to lose weight unsuccessfully. It can be incredibly frustrating! I keep hoping for a magic pill but ... ;-)

I've been on MFP for just a few weeks now. I've logged every bite that I've put in my mouth. I have gone over my allowed limit 3 times, but am usually under by 100+ each day. Some days I am closer to my limit. I am exercising regularly. I haven't lost much - less than MFP says I should have.

My general day is: breakfast is fiber and flax seed whole grain toast (2). I was having peanut butter and a sugar free preserve, but to cut calories, I have now switched to Nutella chocolate hazelnut spread. I measure out the spread to be sure I am eating what I log. And coffee (black). ~300-400 cal.

Lunch is typically a Chobani yogurt, apple and sparking ice beverage, eaten at my desk (I use an insulated lunch bag and ice block). I will often eat a 2nd apple before or shortly after lunch, which I log in with my lunch. Sometimes I'll have a protein bar (190 cal.) as well. Then I usually only have 1 apple. ~300 cal.

Dinner varies quite a bit...if I eat at McDonald's, it is generally a classic grilled chicken sandwich, no mayo and a diet coke. At home, it can be any type of meat, veggies and a starch. I try to measure my quantities to be sure I am logging the correct amount. ~350-500 cal.

Snacks are ice cream or Chick-a-boom popcorn. The popcorn is only 37 cal. per cup, so that's not bad. The ice cream is only when I have calories left over.

I'm allowed 1460 per day without counting exercise. I try my best to stay at that level or below, even when I exercise (but some days I am just HUNGRY and eat some of my exercise calories as well). I've floated between 2-4 lbs lost...generally closer to the 2 lb lost for the last 1.5 weeks. I'm also 50 yrs old.

Any idea what I'm doing wrong?

Lynn

Opening your diary up would certainly help people make suggestions but I do notice that you say you "try" to measure your dinner quantities but started by saying you log every bite you put in your mouth

Logging helps you keep a track of what you are eating but you have to weigh all solids and measure all liquids to be really accurate.

Are you weighing things like nutella or using a tbsp?

ChrisM8971

check out xxxxxxxxxx.com and see if that may be the answer to your problems. It helped me go from size 18-20 to an 11-12 and lose over 40 pounds. I love using myfitnesspal because it helps me stat on track.

Sorry I believe trying to get people to buy things from your website is against MFP T's&C's

Reported

tolynkenl

Nutella: I am measuring with a tbsp. The calories on the jar are by tbsp (2 tbsp per serving = 200 calories). I measure out 1 tbsp. (using a measuring spoon), which goes surprisingly far since it is so creamy.

I don't have a scale for food yet. I plan to get one following payday. :-) In the meantime, I usually measure items in measuring cups, but I do sometimes eyeball it and try to be conservative in my guesstimate. Meaning, if it looks like the 1/2 cup I had last time, I'll count it as 3/4 cup, since we naturally underestimate portion sizes.

With meats, I'll look at the pounds in the package and divide it out by the portion I am eating. For example, if it is a 1 lb kielbasa ring, and I eat 1/4 of the ring, I'll count it as 1/4 pound (4 oz). If it is a package of hamburger patties that weighs 1 lb, and there are 4 patties, I count it as a 1/4 pound of hamburger.

Until I get a scale, that's the best I can do. If the calorie count on the container is in tsp or tbsp, etc. why can't we use that as a measure? Nutella is a viscous liquid, so it kind of has to be measured in tbsp's.

What do you do when you stop and get something to eat unexpectedly? Like an unplanned stop at DQ for ice cream? How do you measure the calories you get then? Each person preparing the ice cream will add a slightly different amount of ice cream and toppings.


Lynn

tolynkenl

I opened my diary. You will see the three days I went over for sure! Those were family outing days and I just said, "Too bad, I'm going to enjoy myself today."

ChrisM8971

Nutella: I am measuring with a tbsp. The calories on the jar are by tbsp (2 tbsp per serving = 200 calories). I measure out 1 tbsp. (using a measuring spoon), which goes surprisingly far since it is so creamy.

I don't have a scale for food yet. I plan to get one following payday. :-) In the meantime, I usually measure items in measuring cups, but I do sometimes eyeball it and try to be conservative in my guesstimate. Meaning, if it looks like the 1/2 cup I had last time, I'll count it as 3/4 cup, since we naturally underestimate portion sizes.

With meats, I'll look at the pounds in the package and divide it out by the portion I am eating. For example, if it is a 1 lb kielbasa ring, and I eat 1/4 of the ring, I'll count it as 1/4 pound (4 oz). If it is a package of hamburger patties that weighs 1 lb, and there are 4 patties, I count it as a 1/4 pound of hamburger.

Until I get a scale, that's the best I can do. If the calorie count on the container is in tsp or tbsp, etc. why can't we use that as a measure? Nutella is a viscous liquid, so it kind of has to be measured in tbsp's.

What do you do when you stop and get something to eat unexpectedly? Like an unplanned stop at DQ for ice cream? How do you measure the calories you get then? Each person preparing the ice cream will add a slightly different amount of ice cream and toppings.


Lynn

I would seriously not worry about whether you are losing weight until you have a food scale and can keep an accurate track of calories. Not sure about nutella but I have seen a lot of posts from people who have weighed their tablespoon and realised that there is more in it than they thought, a lot more.

I am also not a fan of cup measurements, for example if it says a cup of chopped?? how finely do you chop them? the finer the more weight you get in the cup.

Don't get me wrong I think you are going about this the right way but if you are eating a calorie deficit you will lose weight barring any medical conditions (these can make it much harder to get into deficit)

ChrisM8971

Also forgot to ask how you calculate the calorie burns from exercise

acorsaut89

Also forgot to ask how you calculate the calorie burns from exercise

I agree - I would like to know too as I noticed you log that you burn 500+ calories/day from exercise and one day was 1,100 . . . that's some pretty vigorous exercise.

So maybe you aren't burning as much as you think??

endermako

Me again. There as been a lot of posts so once again I will try answer all the questions.

I don't actually enjoy fast food, like at all. I get bored of food easily, and I only like a select few things from each take out place, so after a week I don't really want to go, but either my partner goes or it is easier and quicker than cooking.

I actually don't enjoy most food. I do try new stuff a lot, but I have certain foods and meals I like, and that's pretty much it. I am also gluten and dairy intolerant. Which is why i don't eat the buns of burgers when I have take out and I try not to have cheese on stuff. The only dairy I do want to eat is yoghurt. I don't always stick to this though, I love certain things too much, i.e pizza.

Also, if my week evens out, it doesn't affect or "sabotage" me. That's ridiculous. Your weight fluctuates so much over a week anyway there would be no point weighing yourself every day, because at the end of the week when you weigh in, your weight is affected by both the day you overate and the other days you underrate to make up for it. If I ate 3000 calories on Monday and ate 500 or less every day ( not healthy obviously but for arguments sake) for the rest of the week, I would still be under my weekly goal and I would have still lost weight. That's the same as thinking eating at any time of day would affect digestion of the food.

I like the idea of the soup bags, in my environment that may actually really work, and someone else mentioned a cooler in my room due to the lack of space, which is also a really good option for me. It will make it easier to preprepare.

As I stated before, waking up early is not an option. I would if I could but the owners of the house are very snooty about any noise, ironically they make a lot themselves, but whatever.

I have a very tiny room that literally only has room for our desk, our bed, a built in robe and me and my partner, so I can't even exercise before work because my gym is pretty far from home and work.

I agree that it doesn't matter what I eat as long as I am at a deficit, whether it is fast food or better stuff, if I am trying to lose weight. I am more disappointed in myself for the fact that I started dieting and calorie deficits to be healthier and lose excess weight, and eat better, and now I just try eat below a deficit regardless of what I eat.

I made a food plan today for the rest of the week, so if anyone wants to see it let me know, but I think between me and my partner and the cooler I bought last night, we should be able to start having pre prepared meals. And then when we move out we wont even have a space or time issue coz we will have our own place.

for my bmr and tdee, a1400 calorie goal is just over a 500 cal deficit. Which I think is about 1poound a week? Which I am happy to do. atm the rate seems to be over the last 2 months, its been about 250g a week so I have only lost 2 kg.

It isn't horrific but it could be better. It is honestly convenience that I eat the way I do.

I barely ever have an appetite or am hungry. I eat at night because my partner makes me and I know I should, and occasionally I will get peckish throughout the day, but not often, I am usually preoccupied. So hunger isn't the reason I overeat, its more I see food I like, like a chocolate pudding lets say, and I will eat it. Even if I am not hungry.

I also don't seem to really know when I am full unless I am completely stuffed. There isn't an in between. it goes ok, ok, ok, ok, ok, stuffed.

I don't know if that's normal, but regardless. I really need to be stricter on eating more nutritious foods.

I do take multivitamins and fibre and iron and vitamin c every day. So my body isn't completely malnourished, but it would help eating better, I know.

I suppose now it is just finding a way to do that for me that I will actually stick to.

Also, I did do intermittent fasting for a while there at the beginning, didn't see much of an effect. Not sure if I didn't give it long enough or it just doesn't work for me, but I was eating only 1200 calories (healthy food too, didn't have this work schedule then) and fasting for about 20 hours, so if anything should have worked, fasting should have, and it didn't. Everyone said they lost about 8kg/ 16ish pds on average after a month of fasting, I lost about a kilo, maybe half. AND I was also exercising too.

I dont see anyone saying this yet. But these are just excuses. If you really really want to lose the weight and be fit you have to motivate yourself and hold yourself accountable. No one is perfect but using food scales will help reduce the portion estimations and making your own food will help tremendously in getting you where you want to go.

tolynkenl

For the 1100 calorie day: 90 minutes with 15 lb load - that was actually pushing my 220# husband in a wheelchair for three hours (with some uphill pushing and downhill speed controlling). Since we did stop and sit down a couple times, I only counted 1/2 the time.

I also walked for another 3 hours at a leisurely pace that day. I am using the calorie counts provided by MFP.

Days with the higher exercise numbers are usually walking at work over my lunch break for 20 minutes, plus a very challenging exercise class for 50 minutes (aerobics, general), plus going out for a long walk in the evening. I generally walk at about 3 mph, but I log it as 2..5 mph, in case I am going slower than I think I am, unless I happen to really push it on my walk, then I'll log it at 3 mph.

I am trying to be conservative in my estimates, but that depends on how accurate the MFP calorie counts are for exercise and if I am selecting them appropriately.

Lynn

ChrisM8971

MFP Calorie burns are thought by many to be on the high side.

Are you taking any medication that could affect your weight loss or have any medical conditions, thyroid diabetes etc?

acorsaut89

For the 1100 calorie day: 90 minutes with 15 lb load - that was actually pushing my 220# husband in a wheelchair for three hours (with some uphill pushing and downhill speed controlling). Since we did stop and sit down a couple times, I only counted 1/2 the time.

I also walked for another 3 hours at a leisurely pace that day. I am using the calorie counts provided by MFP.

Days with the higher exercise numbers are usually walking at work over my lunch break for 20 minutes, plus a very challenging exercise class for 50 minutes (aerobics, general), plus going out for a long walk in the evening. I generally walk at about 3 mph, but I log it as 2..5 mph, in case I am going slower than I think I am, unless I happen to really push it on my walk, then I'll log it at 3 mph.

I am trying to be conservative in my estimates, but that depends on how accurate the MFP calorie counts are for exercise and if I am selecting them appropriately.

Lynn

Well lets look at it this way - I do spin classes, which are intense if you've never been to one/seen one, and I only burn about 700 calories from 60 minutes of spin.

I don't do aerobics classes, so I have no way of knowing this, but would you say you work as hard in one? MFP can also grossly overestimate what you burn.