Week 1 and no weight loss

FatEdwards2011

So its my first week. I was probably eating between 3-4k calories a day before and slowly gaining weight. I started MFP for the millionth time and I realy want to stick with it. I'm 5'7" and I weight 215 at age 34. I'd be okay with 1-2 pounds a week, which I know means I have to cut back calories and exercise. Here's the issue, it's been a week of walking with a low calorie diet. I weighed this morning and not even once ounce! I have blood tests on Friday for Thyroid and sugar. What am I doing wrong? I'm so dicouraged.

Ilsa68

I'm in the same boat.... I am really trying to track honestly, and while I was down 2 lbs earlier this week, I am back up 2 lbs today. I am so discouraged, thinking if it does not make a difference, why bother. While it may not encourage you much, at least know you are not alone.

CariS001

Try not to be discouraged!!! One week with no loss could be so many things... likely hormonal. Just stick to it... give it a solid 4-6 weeks. You WILL see progress!

Feel free to send me a friend request and open your diary to friends. I am happy to chime in and assist (or you can message me questions)

AdaVanderlyle

If it is your "milionth time" on MFP, then you have probably read the abundance of threads with the exact same question.

Give it time - you haven't gained in a week, you are not going to lose in a week.

Laurenloveswaffles

Well it's only been ONE week. Give it a few more weeks before you start to question it. Could you also open your diary so we can see how much you're eating? If you are not weighing everything you consume, and just guessing, you are probably eating more than you think and just maintaining your weight.

4legsRbetterthan2

wehn i started or restart after a break it takes me about 3 weeks to see any payoff, patience and determination will be your best friends

chelbell95

I know all about feeling discouraged...but hang in there it does get better. Your body might just need some time to catch up with all the changes. Or possibly you are not taking in enough calories and your body goes into what they call "starvation mode". I am no expert by any means... I can only speak from my own experience. I am just getting started again myself with a little success, but it doesn't happen overnight. (EVEN THOUGH I WISH IT DID).....:bigsmile:

Feel free to add me if you would like.... I would enjoy the additional support as well.

Take care...

Flab2Fab27

So its my first week. I was probably eating between 3-4k calories a day before and slowly gaining weight. I started MFP for the millionth time and I realy want to stick with it. I'm 5'7" and I weight 215 at age 34. I'd be okay with 1-2 pounds a week, which I know means I have to cut back calories and exercise. Here's the issue, it's been a week of walking with a low calorie diet. I weighed this morning and not even once ounce! I have blood tests on Friday for Thyroid and sugar. What am I doing wrong? I'm so dicouraged.

You're impatient. Results don't happen overnight. Give it a month and if you're still not losing, reevaluate your calorie intake.

grannykaren57

I am so sorry you are feeling discouraged. I totally understand how you are feeling. I think once you first get all your test result back, you can better judge where to go from there.
Meanwhile, try not to focus so much on weight loss, but meal planning and sticking within your calorie intake. Easier said then done, trust me I know.
My biggest struggle is not to step on that scale I call my "Monster". It can make my day or break it.
So I am trying to focus on healthier meal plans to be inspired by them.

If you want, you can add me. I would love to take this journey with you!

Karen

November_Fire

That's a bit like complaining it's your first week in your new job and you're not a millionaire yet.

Like every other person who is baffled at their lack of weight loss, your diary is set to private. Open it up and maybe we could offer some tips.

Also, the usual. Weigh your food, don't guess. Don't chomp down buckets of pasta and bananas and oatmeal because the packets say they're 'healthy'. Don't skip logging the little things, like butter on bread and oil in your cooking.

Groto1980

One week is not much time yet. I'm sure if you open your diary you will also get suggestions. Also how low Cal are you going, what kind of activity level.

Jezebel_Barbie

I didn't lose anything for my first month. Don't be discouraged! Keep it up - put it this way, if you give up and go back to how you were before you'll definitely never lose it. So keep it up! Keep reassessing as you go and keep going.

Will32283

It did not take you overnight to put the weight on and you sure will not lose it overnight. Please open your diary. If you are tired of starting over, stop giving up.

nutmegoreo

Without seeing your food diary, it's hard to give thoughts on that. There are various reasons why the scale lies to us. Did you consume more salt than usual yesterday? Is it close to TOM? Did you start a new heavy workout routine? These are just some of the factors. Additionally, you are not going to lose at a steady rate each week. One of my friends took 6 weeks to start getting downward scale movement. It can be frustrating, but weight loss depends on many factors (dieting history, are you weighing your food, exercise, eating back exercise calories, exercise burn estimates, and many, many more).

For coming weeks/months, if you haven't already, I recommend taking a starting picture and take a new one each month for side-by-side comparison. Weight loss can be really obvious in pictures even when we feel no difference. I also suggest measuring yourself in several place monthly for ongoing comparison.

Keep at it, and don't allow the scale to frustrate you so much. Here's some great reading for you:

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

baldmitch

I've been reading about actual fat loss, and this fact caught my eye.

When the fat cells get depleted of their fatty contents, the body fills them up with water. This causes that change from dense, harder fat to "jigglly" softer fat. (This is exactly what's going on with my Mr. Dunlop - y'know, "My belly Dunlopped over my belt").

Don't get discouraged. Once the body starts eating away at the fat and releases that water, you'll "whoosh" down in size and weight, sometimes even 4 lbs after a few days of stagnant weight while exercising and eating clean.

CrunchM

Google and read "Why the Scale Lies."

This is just a one day snapshot.

Look at all you've done to be healthier and take joy in that ... concentrate on the healthy and the weight will follow.

Also, the scale is not linear, I swear. Sometimes what we did the week before doesn't show for two weeks.



But one thing I know for certain? Giving up won't get you the results you want. :-)

DerekVTX

Hi Amber,
Awesome last name (I'm an Edwards as well). Just because you did not see a weight loss this week doesn't mean you didn't lose fat, you may be retaining water. A week ago i weighed myself a day before the offical weigh in and I was 3.5lbs heavier than the offical weigh in the next day.

MFP should work for anyone as long as you are doing it right. When you set up your accound what did you select for weekly weight loss and based on that what are your goal calories? Accurate logging is the most vital part of the process, are you weighing and measuring your foods, logging all liquids? If someone has a bag of chips and you eat one, then log it. Log everything you eat. I also eat back my exercise calories. If you do a lot of hiking or walking I would recommend "Map My Fitness" App, it will link automatically to your MFP when set up to do so.

MFP has determined that I would burn 2750 calories in my daily activities, so therefore I am set at 1750 calories a day (1000 calorie a day defecit x 7 days in a week = 7000 calorie deficit a week divided by 3500 Cal/lb and we get 2lbs per week loss.....it has been a very consistant 2lbs a week loss.

I promise you if you take the good advice from the biggest losers in here (no pun intended) in the community fourms and be honest about your logging and stay under your daily goals, then you will be successful.....honest. Also don't eat too little either, I believe the general agreement in here is that if you try to lose more than 2lbs a week your nutrition/health will suffer and you may be losing muscle mass and not just the fat.

Feel free to add me as a friend if you would like.

amcampbell2342

what does your day look like? How many calories are you taking in? activitiy level etc??? feel free to add me.

DeadliftAddict

First figure out what you need to be in a deficit. This is the ONLY thing you need to lose weight. Worry about the macros once you get the scale going in the direction you want it to. Do you know your caloric maintenance calories? Use a calculator and get an estimate first. Eat that estimate (don't worry about macros) for 7 days straight. Do you best to stay as close as possible. If at the end of the 7 days your weight is the same. Good, now subtract 500 calories from that number and eat that for the next 7 straight days. Did you lose weight? If so, you have a deficit to work with. Now take that amount of calories and create your macro nutrient split for your preference. Start with protein, then fat, then feel the rest with carbs. You just need to get the scale moving in the direction you want it in first without worrying about how much of your calories make up carbs, protein, and fat. That sounds to be adding stress to the equation. None of this will work if you do not use a food scale and ACCURATELY track everything you are eating during this test. Add me if you need help. Good luck.

Flyers1010

But one thing I know for certain? Giving up won't get you the results you want. :-)

This is the point exactly, and the exact reason why so many of us find ourselves "going through this AGAIN."

Don't give up. Don't give up. Don't give up.

trudywc2

So its my first week. I was probably eating between 3-4k calories a day before and slowly gaining weight. I started MFP for the millionth time and I realy want to stick with it. I'm 5'7" and I weight 215 at age 34. I'd be okay with 1-2 pounds a week, which I know means I have to cut back calories and exercise. Here's the issue, it's been a week of walking with a low calorie diet. I weighed this morning and not even once ounce! I have blood tests on Friday for Thyroid and sugar. What am I doing wrong? I'm so discouraged.

Hang in there it may take more than a week to show results. What kinds of food are you eating? I started on MFP about a month ago after a visit to my doctor. I already had hypothyroidism but now I was also diagnosed as type II diabetic. Thankfully, the doctor feels it is manageable and didn't give me meds but I need to control my sugars with food.

What seemed to help so far is limiting my simple carbs (bread etc) and some fruits (ie. bananas). And of course get moving.

Good luck at the doctor and feel free to add me as a friend and we can help motivate each other. DON'T GIVE UP CHANGE WILL HAPPEN

A185945

I didn't lose anything last week, (also being my first week back after a long absence), and have slowly started to drop again this week. Have patience, you will slowly start seeing results over the next few weeks.

ajostraat

That's a bit like complaining it's your first week in your new job and you're not a millionaire yet.

Great analogy!

Give it time, consistency, and patience.

chelsealfinn

Keep at it! It will come as long as you are taking in less than you are burning. Bodies do crazy things. Like recently I was at a plateau then "magically" dropped 2 pounds. Don't be scared by weight fluctuations either. Maybe try measuring your progress with actual body measurements instead of watching the scale. If you're losing inches who cares what the number is!

RunnersLament

Its a marathon and not a sprint. It may take you a long time to see the finish line but if you quit you never will.
How many years did it take you to get to where you are today?

I would be diligent in your logging, make sure you are keeping track of your portions accurately, look for the hidden calories and be patient. If it goes in your mouth, Log it!

Often calories hide in places we least expect them (i.e. low fat foods typically replace the fat with sugar. They are finding more and more that Sugar can be the culprit behind weight gain).

Here are 10 tips to help you along your way.

1. Drink water 10 minutes before a meal. It helps volumnize food and provides an early feeling of satiety.
2. It takes approximately 20 minutes before the brain realizes the stomach is full. Put your fork down between bites to slow down your eating.
3. A concept called 5:30 - Eat 5 servings of fruits and vegetables a day and aim for 30 minutes of exercise per day every day.
4. Sleep is critical during weight loss. Create a proper sleeping environment free of LED screens (laptops/ipads/TV's etc) The environment should be cooler, quiet and dark. Sleep helps keep a proper balance of Grelin and Leptin in the body. Grelin/Leptin regulation are key hormones related to body weight/ food intake. Leptin is only produced during sleep. (more info here http://www.webmd.com/diet/features/lose-weight-while-sleeping )
5. Don't allow yourself to get hungry, but consistently have small healthy snacks thru the day. When get hungry we tend to binge eat ( I keep raisins/carrot sticks etc nearby at work to satisfy those cravings between meals)
6. Portion control. Know what a proper portion is and looks like. A typical plate should be 50% vegetables, 30% complex carbs, 20 % lean protein. (Avoid the condiments as they can be killers)
7. Read the labels.... know what is going in your mouth!
8. I always try to exercise enough during a day to burn off your smallest meal. If Breakfast was the lightest meal, challenge yourself to burn it off.
9. Train with a buddy! It makes you accountable to someone other than yourself.
10. Think LIFESTYLE. The changes you make today... should be changes you make for life!

These changes are ones that I made and contributed to me losing 110 lbs. I have kept 100 of that off for about 5 years now. As a runner, I am now training for some long distance races and want to lose another 30 (maybe even crack 200lbs).

I hope these help you!

One last thing to remember... You are worth it! You can do this!

Keep up the hard work!

robinjohnston5811

I understand...I too am on my second week now. I gained 3 lbs. the first week, with no weight loss this week either!! MFP says that my body was in "starvation mode". BUT, my waistline on my pants is feeling more comfortable with a little wiggle room. So, maybe....soon I will see a weight loss. I have been so discouraged, because my husband loses so easily. Just not fair. I also am going for some tests soon, but I wanted proof of my diet to take with me to the doctor. Now I can print out my daily diet and exercise reports and take them with me. HANG IN THERE!

IlithyaUK

I am a newbie as well and during my first week I didnt see anything special on the scales for 5 days then as if by magic, on the 6th day I weighed myself and I had lost 2lbs, bodies are weird, my scales are weird, stick with it! Definitely take some measurements of your bust, waist and hips today and compare it again next week, I'm not seeing drastic weight loss but I have lost inches so I know my hard work is paying off

I know it sucks to put in effort and not see it reflected on the scales, i'm in the same boat, always thought in my first week of running and 1200 cals I would see a big drop but if we both stick with it, eat right and get the exercise in, those stubborn numbers need to budge eventually!

If you open your diary the people on here will be able to offer loads of advice

sandryc

I was in weight watchers not too long ago. My first week I tracked *meticulously*, I weighed all my foods and ate really healthy food. When I went in for my weigh in I discovered I had gained .2 lbs. I sat there quietly the whole meeting trying not to sob. Every success story, every health tip felt like a personal condemnation. When I got home I did cry. I kept to the same plan though through the next week. My second weigh in I was suddenly down *10* lbs. I was shocked (as were the people weighing me in). Most of that big jump and probably the first gain was water weight.

Don't let it get you down. If you keep it up you *will* lose. Weight loss isn't a strait line and often we are frustrated when our progress doesn't match the trajectory we think it should. I know it is difficult but to give yourself the same patience and support you would have toward a good friend.

FatEdwards2011

Wow so many responses in the last hour. Thank you! Okay so I figured out how to open the food diary.

FatEdwards2011

Thank you, I opened it! I could use all the help. I really want this to be my last time.

LAT1963

Ok, this isn't a brag but more of a "maybe something I'm doing can be copied to work for you".

I have had the opposite issue--partly due to some insane activity levels at an aikido retreat--I lost 6 lbs since July 2. I'm starting to think I need to add back some net calories to avoid losing weight too fast. At 50, I worry about saggy skin.

I think some elements to my success in the short term have been:

1. Using an exercise tracker app in my phone. Several free ones exist that talk to MFP. I use the free version of Runkeeper. They have a pay-version called Runkeeper Elite that has additional features, but the free one is sufficient for me. A couple of family members who live states away also have it, so we can be workout buddies that way as well as MFP (if they would only join here...)

Runkeeper seems to be giving me accurate calorie burn values--my net calories correlate well with my weight loss (which I observe 2-3 days after the net calories in question.)

Pick one that offers features you like, or that your friends and family already use, and scrutinize the user agreement--Nike's is worse about selling your personal information than Facebook, for example.

2. Weigh everything that does not come in a pre-measured package. If you don't have one, you really do need a kitchen scale.

3. Low-carb bias in food choices. This is something that depends on your body. Some people lose easier on a low fat diet, some on a low carb diet. Some feel full if they choose high fiber (ie: lots of veggies).

What makes you feel fuller longer? 100 calories of fat, of sugar, of fiber? Bias food choices toward the things that give you the best feeling of "full" per calorie, so that you feel less hungry and thus don't have to rely on willpower as much in avoiding "wrong" foods. Unless you have a known, named genetic cholesterol problem (eg "familial hypercholesterolemia"), eating low carb/mid-range fat won't zap your numbers--losing weight will fix them regardless of which diet is working for your weight loss.

Anyway, for me, dietary fat = full in fewer calories. So that's what I do.

4. Walking hills. You know that Jillian Michaels advertisement for Nordic Track, where she emphasizes "Incline" as a calorie-burner? That concept seems to be working for me. Fortunately I have a real hill to climb and don't have to rely on a machine unless the weather is bad. I use "target heart rate zones" for exercise intensity. You can read about the target heart rate concept on a web search.

Many gizmos exist to measure it but all you need is the clock in your phone--take your pulse for 10 seconds & multiply by 6 to get beats per minute. I do use a heart rate monitor for convenience but if you're pressed for cash the work-around is simple.

I hope this can help. I tried looking at the OP's diet record but it is friends-only so I can't see what you're doing that wouldn't work for me. (And can't tell you what will work for you since everyone's body is different).

add: and now I see she unlocked it while I was typing. running off to look...

add: don't forget also as females we gain and lose water weight for hormonal reasons. Depending on timing & how your body reacts to your cycle, water retention could be hiding your weight loss.