In 5 weeks you'll lose 10lbs... why is it not working?

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Replies

  • hoca1001
    hoca1001 Posts: 8
    Wonderful post, thanks!
  • hearthwood
    hearthwood Posts: 794 Member
    Excellent post. Lots of people who are sedentary, will say lightly active, meaning they walk 1/2 a block a day so they pick that.

    If you really don't know what you are pick sedentary.

    I let 25 pounds sneak up me over several years and it's taken a long time to lose it. Since I didn't consume that many calories in the first place, and in order to maintain the 1200 calories a day, I have had to burn a lot of it off with exercise.
  • hearthwood
    hearthwood Posts: 794 Member
    If you don't know pick sedentary. It's not a good idea to up it giving you more calories to eat. I work out 3 to 4 times a week, I will hike 8 to 9 miles a week and I still don't consider myself as active.

    Active to me means someone who works 8 hours a day framing houses, and or other physical type work.
  • stephanne13
    stephanne13 Posts: 212 Member
    OK, so when I first joined MFP a couple years ago (and didn't use it) I DID put in the 2lb/week and sedentary because I do have a desk job and I knew I was going home and watching TV or reading at night. Now, I still have the desk job but work from home so it's more flexible and I am usually going to the gym 4 times a week. Granted, it is just cardio at this point, but I will move on to lifting after a while. I do still have myself listed as sedentary, but I changed my loss goal to 1lb/week. Guess what...MFP still has me at 1200 cal. I assume it is due to age and the sedentary classification, but I do think that I still fit that category...no kids to chase after or anything - I really think if I even lowered it to .5/lb that the calorie count would stay the same. Luckily, I typically have no problem with that number - especially when I exercise and can eat a little of it back. - Oh, and I started with about 20lb to lose.
  • codycsweet
    codycsweet Posts: 1,019 Member
    Great info that I've learned over the last year. Wish I had known this when I first started.
  • MireyGal76
    MireyGal76 Posts: 7,334 Member
    OK, so when I first joined MFP a couple years ago (and didn't use it) I DID put in the 2lb/week and sedentary because I do have a desk job and I knew I was going home and watching TV or reading at night. Now, I still have the desk job but work from home so it's more flexible and I am usually going to the gym 4 times a week. Granted, it is just cardio at this point, but I will move on to lifting after a while. I do still have myself listed as sedentary, but I changed my loss goal to 1lb/week. Guess what...MFP still has me at 1200 cal. I assume it is due to age and the sedentary classification, but I do think that I still fit that category...no kids to chase after or anything - I really think if I even lowered it to .5/lb that the calorie count would stay the same. Luckily, I typically have no problem with that number - especially when I exercise and can eat a little of it back. - Oh, and I started with about 20lb to lose.

    I'd be curious to see what your cals would be, if you were set to maintenance. I'm guessing you're coming in fairly low to start.

    If this is the case, and you are somewhat active, then be sure to keep track of your exercise/activity during the day.

    What I did, was actually check the value for sedentary, and then for lightly active... And figured out what 5 days at sedentary and 2 at active would be... And manually set my cals to that. Gave me a bit more room, and is more reflective of my lifestyle.

    :)
  • Effalunt
    Effalunt Posts: 40 Member
    Thank you for this. I was feeling bad about setting my pounds per week to 1 from 1.5. I wasn't losing much at the more aggressive setting, but I started dropping slowly and steadily when I upped my calories. Plus I get a little more food now, so the whole thing feels less restrictive and more appropriate for a long-term lifestyle.
  • stephanne13
    stephanne13 Posts: 212 Member
    I'd be curious to see what your cals would be, if you were set to maintenance. I'm guessing you're coming in fairly low to start.

    If this is the case, and you are somewhat active, then be sure to keep track of your exercise/activity during the day.

    What I did, was actually check the value for sedentary, and then for lightly active... And figured out what 5 days at sedentary and 2 at active would be... And manually set my cals to that. Gave me a bit more room, and is more reflective of my lifestyle.

    :)

    Wow...thanks for that tip. I will definitely check it out.
  • Stopin_da_yoyo
    Stopin_da_yoyo Posts: 138 Member
    Love it! I already knew most of . This and did it but I never could have put it into words as well ad you did.

    Brava!
  • jenanon1
    jenanon1 Posts: 58 Member
    So very very true :)
  • Cheddars13
    Cheddars13 Posts: 38 Member
    Bump! Great post, thank you! :flowerforyou:
  • Yagisama
    Yagisama Posts: 595 Member
    Nothing about paleo, keto, low carbs, cleansing, or detrox? What have you done with the MFP that I loved so much?! :noway:
  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,267 Member
    tagging so my friends list can see this...and gonna copy the link so I can paste into threads later...great info
  • _HeartsOnFire_
    _HeartsOnFire_ Posts: 5,304 Member
    Awesome!
  • GiveMeCoffee
    GiveMeCoffee Posts: 3,556 Member
    Awesome post! Thank you!
  • srslybritt
    srslybritt Posts: 1,618 Member
    giphy.gif

    This is awesome.


    Edited... typing is hard.
  • Dancing_Laeti
    Dancing_Laeti Posts: 752 Member
    Loved this, thanks a lot!
  • tanyaelise
    tanyaelise Posts: 28
    Excellent post! Noticed this too. On days when I paddle board or kayak I burn a whole lot of calories (according to my heart monitor). I keep my water intake high (mostly because it's hot now) but I can't possibly eat all of that back, and in THAT week, when I did it 3 times, I lost 2 lbs. (and MFP says I should be at 1200 cals)
  • That's nit practice my friend, it is insanity. When something is not working you look for something else that will work for you and keep doing that. That's practice
  • Losing 10lbs in 5weeks is bs, one of my clients \lost 20kg in 12 weeks and the latest one lost an amazing 18kg in one months.
  • TLB86
    TLB86 Posts: 275 Member
    BUMP! Love this & makes me feel a little happier having a cheeky vino IF it's within my cals :drinker:
  • Michelle_Padgett13
    Michelle_Padgett13 Posts: 417 Member
    Yay! Eat moar foodz!
  • ScientificExplorerGirl
    ScientificExplorerGirl Posts: 535 Member
    Thanks for the excellent post! This should be a sticky :-)
  • MireyGal76
    MireyGal76 Posts: 7,334 Member
    Losing 10lbs in 5weeks is bs, one of my clients \lost 20kg in 12 weeks and the latest one lost an amazing 18kg in one months.

    Congratulations to them. I'd be interested to hear more... How long have they kept off the weight? What was their starting weight?

    Like I said earlier... It IS possible to lose faster, if you have more to lose, or if you have a higher maintenance level.

    But sadly, that tends to be the exception, rather than the rule... And is often unsustainable.
  • Khankimba
    Khankimba Posts: 7 Member
    Great info! Thanks!
  • kethry70
    kethry70 Posts: 404 Member
    In for lovely, practical advice! :bigsmile:
  • deksgrl
    deksgrl Posts: 7,237 Member
    << this is me, pleasantly surprised.

    Oh, and did you address that men need more calories? I know a guy, he and his girl decided that 1500 was the proper amount for them both to eat, and they also exercised heavily, and he burned up insane muscle mass.
  • jmangini
    jmangini Posts: 166 Member
    Good post.

    Here's an interesting new study for people who are afraid to lose weight quickly.

    http://www.reuters.com/article/2010/05/07/us-diet-weightloss-idUSTRE6464BQ20100507
  • teresa011
    teresa011 Posts: 101 Member
    This was an awesome post!! Thanks so much for taking the time to post this! I also would like to know when you eat under your calorie goal, you get this message that if you keep eating like this, you will weigh ...so much in 5 weeks.........well guess what i've been told that for a year and I still haven't got to that weight that they told me I'd be at.......lol

    Once again thanks so much for the post!!!
  • angelam82
    angelam82 Posts: 61 Member
    Excellent :) I have set my profile as lightly active, I am a nurse and spend 5 days per week running around at work.

    I am 5'3 and 200 pounds/93kg. My calories are automatically set at 1750 per day.

    Now my iPhone 5s is synced up to track and add my steps.

    Should I be setting my profile at sedentary and allow it to add the calories from my steps added each day plus exercise that I do? I carry my phone in my pocket at all times to track my steps.

    I am determined to succeed and don't want to over eat.