Help! Please look at my food diary!

kellmark32
kellmark32 Posts: 5
in Health and Weight Loss
Hello!

I feel like I had such a great week with my eating and exercising and I had my weekly weigh in this morning and only lost a pound! I'm so disappointed as I'm bigger and feel like I should be losing more weight right now. Maybe I need to up my calories although I'm finding I'm comfortable at the amount I'm eating now..I'm not hungry and it's easy to stay within my calorie limit. So if you don't mind, I'm open to any advice and please feel free to look at my food diary, it is open to the public.

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/food/diary/kellmark32?date=2014-07-30

Also, feel free to add me as a friend, I could use some on here!!

Thank You!

Kelly
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Replies

  • iggyboo93
    iggyboo93 Posts: 524 Member
    You are making great food choices. How is your water intake? I've been drinking a lot of water (mostly due to the heat wave) and I credit that with helping me recently lose weight. Don't stress too much about the weight loss this week. I have the same problem when I work out hard at the gym - it is so disappointing to see the scale barely move. Another friend of mine has the same problem. I'm sure you will see a good drop in your weight next week. Don't give up. :smile:
  • redwoodkestrel
    redwoodkestrel Posts: 339 Member
    No particular answer for you, but here are some thoughts I have from looking at your diary from the past week:

    1. Are you weighing everything you eat?

    2. What almonds are you eating that are only 69 calories for one cup?! Send those my way, since generally, one cup of almonds is about 530 calories! :happy:

    3. Why are you creating such a large deficit? It looks to me like you are likely netting negative calories most days. That's unsustainable and NOT healthy for your body. You don't have to eat back ALL of your exercise calories, but a good rule of thumb is to eat back 50-75% of them.
  • maidentl
    maidentl Posts: 3,203 Member
    What almonds are you eating that are only 69 calories for one cup?! Send those my way, since generally, one cup of almonds is about 530 calories!

    I caught that too! I looked them up and the database said a cup of whole almonds is over 800 calories!

    OP, one pound is not shabby! But try to be accurate when logging. Although, it's kind of good that you made a mistake on the almonds because you only ate 799 calories that day. Starving yourself is not necessary.
  • FitMelody4Life
    FitMelody4Life Posts: 106 Member
    I agree with the poster above, your log is not accurate the almonds are the biggest red flag! Then you should be weighing everything with a food scale, and I mean EVERYTHING.
  • babbsisthebest
    babbsisthebest Posts: 18 Member
    What type of exercise are doing.? That's alot of calories burned.
  • RobynDCrossman
    RobynDCrossman Posts: 252
    Almonds have a frick-ton of calories. Very good for you, but that's definitely not right for a cup.
    I'd also assume that based on the amount of bread you're eating - that may play a part in a slow loss.
    (That's my perspective, obviously - bread is my danger food.)
    When looking at the food you eat, I'd tell you to increase protein and increase your veg intake. A lot of what you're eating is processed food - and dropping some of those out may help you.

    I'm not a nutritionist, obviously. But those are some things I notice.
  • jasonmh630
    jasonmh630 Posts: 2,850 Member
    I agree with the others above... The almonds are a MAJOR red flag. There's no such thing as a 69 calorie full cup of almonds. That cup of almonds is more around 500 calories. My suggestion is when you're adding things to your diary while on a computer, search for each item and click each one and CHECK to see how many confirmations each of them have. This tells you that the item's nutritional data has been verified by multiple users. Not always accurate, but most of the time it is. If there is only a few items for the food you're searching for, cross check the data on the website with the data on the nutrition label of the item.
  • jmtris
    jmtris Posts: 7 Member
    Pass those almonds onto me too.
    Blue Diamond Natural with Sea Salt 1oz (16 nuts) is 170 calories.

    I think you are miscalculating somewhere. Like others; you will need to weigh everything and list any and everything you put in your mouth. Little things can add up quickly. Things like condiments are sneaky (butter, mayo, olive oil, etc.).

    I am not a fan of the low calories "snack treats" but understand that many need that to satisfy their sweet tooth. Try fresh vegetables or berries instead.

    Good Luck
  • naynaytater
    naynaytater Posts: 13 Member
    Also, are you logging any condiments, butter, oil etc you are eating or cooking with? Those can add up very quickly!
  • Laurenloveswaffles
    Laurenloveswaffles Posts: 535 Member
    Weight loss is not linear. You could be holding onto some extra water lately. Give it a few weeks before you think something is wrong, or you aren't doing something right.
  • javore
    javore Posts: 1 Member
    Your sodium is pretty high, which would cause water retention possibly, And if the calories are accurate(measured and weighed) you are not eating enough. 1200 calories is VERY low.
  • mrogers52
    mrogers52 Posts: 378 Member
    I didn't see any water logged. It really helps me:smile:

    Some weeks are slow like this. Hang in there!
  • lanhing
    lanhing Posts: 1
    Yes, the almond calorie count is incorrect, still a good option. I agree that you take in some carbs throughout the day, but they are not crazy. What jumped out at me were 2 things:
    Sodium is high - DITCH THE PROGRESSO! Yikes! and -- GIRL, WHERE ARE YOUR FRUITS AND VEGETABLES??? You would up your calories a bit, but not the other areas by adding those! I agree with those who have said, based on your caloric need, you are not getting enough, but you need to get the right ones...
  • dalesimpson1
    dalesimpson1 Posts: 26 Member
    I want some of your almonds!

    Before I decided to get serious about this weight loss I used to pick the lowest calorie choice when logging foods, then I realized I was only trying to fool myself. Now I am much more honest/accurate about my calorie logging.
  • kellmark32
    kellmark32 Posts: 5
    You are making great food choices. How is your water intake? I've been drinking a lot of water (mostly due to the heat wave) and I credit that with helping me recently lose weight. Don't stress too much about the weight loss this week. I have the same problem when I work out hard at the gym - it is so disappointing to see the scale barely move. Another friend of mine has the same problem. I'm sure you will see a good drop in your weight next week. Don't give up. :smile:

    I'm drinking about 44 oz of water a day so I can probably up that! Thanks for the encouragement!!
  • gwensoul
    gwensoul Posts: 87 Member
    Your exercise calories may be too high also. I find it very rare I burn more than 10 calories a minute and you are burning 800-900 in 50 minutes.
  • levitateme
    levitateme Posts: 999 Member
    1 pound per week is good progress. Echoing everyone else: I see a lot of "cups" in your diary. Are you weighing food?
  • nicsflyingcircus
    nicsflyingcircus Posts: 2,894 Member
    I won't bang on the 1200, I eat between 1200-1300 a day, but I am making my calories "mostly" out of whole foods, including lots of protein (over 100 grams per day), and usually hitting my fiber goals too. I get fruits and veggies in there too, with little by way of overly processed foods and lots of water :) I work things that don't fit those parameters in, like Nothing but Noodles the other night, lol.

    So, my advice: up the green things, lower the processed things (sodium!), up the protein and drink lots of water.

    Edit: Also, I weigh EVERYTHING and if the calories seem fishy, do an online search to verify.
  • kellmark32
    kellmark32 Posts: 5
    No particular answer for you, but here are some thoughts I have from looking at your diary from the past week:

    1. Are you weighing everything you eat?

    2. What almonds are you eating that are only 69 calories for one cup?! Send those my way, since generally, one cup of almonds is about 530 calories! :happy:

    3. Why are you creating such a large deficit? It looks to me like you are likely netting negative calories most days. That's unsustainable and NOT healthy for your body. You don't have to eat back ALL of your exercise calories, but a good rule of thumb is to eat back 50-75% of them.

    I am being good about weighing everything! On the almonds...I eat 10 whole natural almonds with no salt added. When I goggled to find out how many calories it is for 10 I found a few places that said 69 calories so I stuck with that and when I found the 69 calories on MFP for a cup I just was lazy and added that! Sorry about that confusion!

    I guess I'm not understanding the "Net calories" so any explanation would be helpful! I always thought if I exercise then I don't want to eat back the calories that I have burned but I obviously need some knowledge in this area!!!
  • supermodelchic
    supermodelchic Posts: 550 Member
    You are eating way to many easy to grab foods, instant oatmeal , soup , fruit yogurt ect, i do not see alot of whole foods, no salads no green veggies, no lean protein, ditch all that stuff, eat plain oatmeal with fresh berries ,stevia, lean chicken breast , asparagus, brown rice or quinoa, healthy fats limit it to 1 oz of nuts, all natural peanut butter 1 tbl or 3 small slices of avocado a day , pick one a day, if you want to lose fat , you are going to have to work for it, start making fresh food in your kitchen , i would add in a low carb protein shake in the morning...
  • kellmark32
    kellmark32 Posts: 5
    Due to a stress fracture in my foot I'm swimming for about 90 minutes or doing water bootcamp classes. Maybe MFP is a little generous on its exercise calories!
  • gwensoul
    gwensoul Posts: 87 Member
    For most people it is.
  • kellmark32
    kellmark32 Posts: 5
    Yes, the almond calorie count is incorrect, still a good option. I agree that you take in some carbs throughout the day, but they are not crazy. What jumped out at me were 2 things:
    Sodium is high - DITCH THE PROGRESSO! Yikes! and -- GIRL, WHERE ARE YOUR FRUITS AND VEGETABLES??? You would up your calories a bit, but not the other areas by adding those! I agree with those who have said, based on your caloric need, you are not getting enough, but you need to get the right ones...

    The Progresso!!! I had a feeling those were a bad choice!!! I don't log my fruits and vegetables because I guess I'm used to the weight watchers method of not counting those. I do make a Spiru-tein shake though and count that and it adds to my fruit and veggies requirements. So...I need to drop the Progresso and actually start logging my fruits and veggies!!!
  • _lyndseybrooke_
    _lyndseybrooke_ Posts: 2,561 Member
    Your exercise calories may be too high also. I find it very rare I burn more than 10 calories a minute and you are burning 800-900 in 50 minutes.

    It doesn't look like OP is eating back exercise calories (gross intake hovers around 1200, lord help us all), so it doesn't really matter if she's overestimating calories burned.
  • doctorsookie
    doctorsookie Posts: 1,084 Member
    simple: eat back your exercise calories; at least 75 %. MFP already factors your deficit and when you are working out your deficit grows which is why we eat them back. so enjoy some more food because you are simply not eating enough.
  • ksy1969
    ksy1969 Posts: 700 Member

    I guess I'm not understanding the "Net calories" so any explanation would be helpful! I always thought if I exercise then I don't want to eat back the calories that I have burned but I obviously need some knowledge in this area!!!

    Let me explain it this way. MFP is giving you 1200 calories. Lets say you exercise and using a HRM it says you burned 500 calories and you input that into the tracker and it now says you have 1700. That is what you should eat or at least most of it. Since you only ate 1200 that day, in reality, you only netted 700 calories because you did not eat back the 500 calories.
  • _lyndseybrooke_
    _lyndseybrooke_ Posts: 2,561 Member
    Yes, the almond calorie count is incorrect, still a good option. I agree that you take in some carbs throughout the day, but they are not crazy. What jumped out at me were 2 things:
    Sodium is high - DITCH THE PROGRESSO! Yikes! and -- GIRL, WHERE ARE YOUR FRUITS AND VEGETABLES??? You would up your calories a bit, but not the other areas by adding those! I agree with those who have said, based on your caloric need, you are not getting enough, but you need to get the right ones...

    The Progresso!!! I had a feeling those were a bad choice!!! I don't log my fruits and vegetables because I guess I'm used to the weight watchers method of not counting those. I do make a Spiru-tein shake though and count that and it adds to my fruit and veggies requirements. So...I need to drop the Progresso and actually start logging my fruits and veggies!!!

    This isn't Weight Watchers. Of course you should log fruits and vegetables. They have calories, don't they?
  • ginakiki
    ginakiki Posts: 226 Member
    Your sodium is pretty high, which would cause water retention possibly, And if the calories are accurate(measured and weighed) you are not eating enough. 1200 calories is VERY low.


    i agree sodium to high i dont see any water. can soup and process foods have a lot of sodium try eating tuna for lunch instead or maybe salad. also try a protein drink maybe in the am
  • jessilee119
    jessilee119 Posts: 444 Member
    Maybe MFP is a little generous on its exercise calories!

    It most certainly is. When I compare what MFP says compared to when I manually calculate exercise calories based off of my average heart rate, MFP usually triples the amount of calories I actually burned.

    This along with the other suggestions people mentioned might help you to lose weight faster. If not, don't fret and don't give up. I am obese and my weight loss has been slow. My body seems to like to halt weight loss after 5-10 pounds for a couple of weeks and then another 5-10 pounds will drop off. It's not coming off super fast, but I am losing weight and haven't gained it back which is what I'm ultimately after.

    Good luck :flowerforyou:
  • levitateme
    levitateme Posts: 999 Member
    Yes, the almond calorie count is incorrect, still a good option. I agree that you take in some carbs throughout the day, but they are not crazy. What jumped out at me were 2 things:
    Sodium is high - DITCH THE PROGRESSO! Yikes! and -- GIRL, WHERE ARE YOUR FRUITS AND VEGETABLES??? You would up your calories a bit, but not the other areas by adding those! I agree with those who have said, based on your caloric need, you are not getting enough, but you need to get the right ones...

    The Progresso!!! I had a feeling those were a bad choice!!! I don't log my fruits and vegetables because I guess I'm used to the weight watchers method of not counting those. I do make a Spiru-tein shake though and count that and it adds to my fruit and veggies requirements. So...I need to drop the Progresso and actually start logging my fruits and veggies!!!

    There's nothing wrong with progresso. There is however something wrong with not logging foods, I think you just answered the question of why you aren't losing as much weight as you feel you should be. Fruits and vegetables have calories, some have a lot more than others.

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