Help! Please look at my food diary!

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rougenoire

Hi, I think you have already said mfp is generous on the exercise calories burnt but in your case I think what is logged is far from realistic. Not to be rude or anything as I have no idea how fit you are but I seriously doubt most people could keep up the kind of pace required to burn 900+ calories in less than an hour of doing anything. For context for me running on a treadmill for 20 minutes I can burn 250 ish calories but the treadmill is definitely over stating the calories burnt as general consensus is that all machines do and some up to 50% more than you are actually burning. So that isn't really 250 calories at all, I'd guess to be safe probably 150, and after that 20 minutes I am pretty much done in! I think mfp is even more generous than the machines in the gym too. Oh and not to forget that the calories from exercise aren't all bonus calories as you were alive and breathing and regulating your body temperature all that time you were exercising too and you would have been doing that anyway so that shaves a few calories off too. What I mean is in the end you aren't burning as many calories as you think and if you are also underestimating the amount of food you eat as well as over estimating the burn then the deficict made really shrinks.

Sounds depressingly dull I know but far better to have realistic expectations that you can hope to meet than beating yourself up over a "disappointing" 1 pound loss which sounds pretty good to me by the way!

lizarddev

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!

This might help get you on the right track for your swimming. http://www.swimming.org/swimfit/calorie-cruncher/?stroke=Breaststroke&minutes=15

hdtoolgirl

One Pound is what most of us strive for weekly! Perhaps try a heart rate monitor to get more accurate burn while swimming. Water, I go by the drink half your weight in ounces concept. Chin up and keep going!

lizarddev

I would consider lowering your intake on sodium and increasing your protein intake. Also eat clean meaning get away from the processed foods or additives. The Oats you eat every morning, go to regular oats and eat two to four hard boiled or scrambled eggs. Take the almonds out for the moment. Take the lactose entries out also. Incorporate some fish and take a multi one a day vit to help start it all. I also drink 1 gallon of water a day and probably more on weightlifting days. I hope this helps kick-start your research in your body and your goals.

levitateme

Wow I am shocked by the comments thus far. They’re completely missing the mark. There is nothing wrong with your food diary as some have you to believe.

The issue is your expectations. You lost 1lbs in 1 week. What do you expect? 10lbs a week? Your results are completely normal, they are good results. Sometimes water weight gets us, it happens. You’re lucky you didn’t gain 2lbs. If it happened then what?

If you want to be successful in weight loss you have to let go of that mentality. I have seen time and time again, even myself. People set a goal weight and hit it. Then what?

They usually backslide after that. The reason the entire focus is incorrect. The focus should be on bettering your life and health. That would be a lifelong process of constant improvement.Instead of a “temporary” goal.

Right, 1 lb per week is a perfectly good loss, but she asked because she is larger and should be losing more weight with the deficit she's creating. We found out that she is not logging fruits and vegetables and that she is overestimating her exercise burns. This is why she's only losing a lb a week - the deficit is not as great as she thought.

It's fine for right now, because she is still losing but she will come to a point where she stops and wonders why (we see these threads all the time) but now we know why.

OP Log everything you eat. Don't trust calories burned estimates unless they are based on steady state cardio with a HRM.

eta: spelling

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melodiarentsen

Do you really swim the butterfly that extensively? Are you timing it? To me, that is the hardest stroke. The amount of calories burned in exercise is astronomical to me.

I would definitely choose a lower calorie yogurt as well. It's pretty high, and there are lower choices. I know it's good for you, but my mom always said, "I'm not going to waste my calories on that little cup of sour stuff." I kind of agree with her and take probiotics instead.

I would love to be friends with you. My diet is not perfect either and could use your motivation too.

AsaThorsWoman

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.

And log your Spiru-tein shake too. All those things add up.

I can easily scarf down 500-700 of veg and fruit in a day. Had over 300 calories of it last night.

melodiarentsen

My husband said you are probably eating 69 grams of almonds. One cup is 529 calories according to Google. You can eat 24 almonds for 164 calories and that's according to Calorie Counter Diet Tracker. Thus, ten almonds would be 70 calories. That alone, if your exercise is correct, is probably a huge part of the problem. You are eating seven times what you thought.

By the way, my husband really got into figuring the math on this.

LakeCountyDiver

Well its only my opinion but I see way to many carbs and sugar. Sodium is through he roof also. Regardless what anybody will say whole foods are are the ticket over processed foods.

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maidentl

Well its only my opinion but I see way to many carbs and sugar. Sodium is through he roof also. Regardless what anybody will say whole foods are are the ticket over processed foods.

That's why i lost over 200lbs eating mostly processed foods.

Pffft! That was all water weight. :laugh: