What am I doing wrong?

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ilikejam33
ilikejam33 Posts: 252 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Been on this site for over about 2 months and have been sticking to the calories goals with very few overages, i am honest and track everything, even small things like 5 calorie jello.

I have also seriously upped my excercise, going to the gym a minimum of 4 days a week (from none). Alternating spinning classes and weight training classes.

Everything I have read says I am doing the right things, so why am I not loosing any weight, my goal is realistic at 1 pound a week, and since I am about 15 -20 pounds overwieght this should be happening by now. I am frustrated, any tips would be greatl appreciated.

Thnak you

Replies

  • amcgowan10
    amcgowan10 Posts: 17
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    Are you losing inches? Sometimes it's better to track in inches lost rather than pounds, especially if you haven't seen any weight loss.
  • lsg15
    lsg15 Posts: 14 Member
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    You may not be eating enough calories based on your bmr and activity. Take a look at that. Good Luck.
  • erickirb
    erickirb Posts: 12,293 Member
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    Been on this site for over about 2 months and have been sticking to the calories goals with very few overages, i am honest and track everything, even small things like 5 calorie jello.

    I have also seriously upped my excercise, going to the gym a minimum of 4 days a week (from none). Alternating spinning classes and weight training classes.

    Everything I have read says I am doing the right things, so why am I not loosing any weight, my goal is realistic at 1 pound a week, and since I am about 15 -20 pounds overwieght this should be happening by now. I am frustrated, any tips would be greatl appreciated.

    Thnak you

    Are you eating enough?
    With only 14 lbs to lose you weekly loss goal should be set at 0.5 lbs/week, you may be able to do 1lb/week if you have a high BF%. If your goal is to lose more than 1 lb/week I would suggest changing it to a more reasonable amount, and make sure you are eating back the calories you burn from exercise.
  • End6ame
    End6ame Posts: 903
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    Are you measuring your food properly and counting your calories accurately? If you count 1 cup of something and actually consume 1.25 cups, that can add up to big differences if it is consistent.

    Are you counting your exercise calories accurately and eating them back? MFP’s calorie recommendations are below maintenance so you should be eating back your exercise calories, otherwise you could produce too much of a deficit.

    How far are you typically under your calorie goal? As I said the MFP recommendation is already a deficit, so if you are eating significantly less you could be creating too much of a deficit.

    What kind of exercises are you doing? Unless you are an athlete training for an event, there is little need to exercise more than 3-4 times per week and you should be doing both strength training and cardio exercises 3-4 time per week.
  • CARNAT22
    CARNAT22 Posts: 764 Member
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    Are you eating back your exercise calories?
  • Atthea
    Atthea Posts: 53
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    I totally understand you!
    I have been at it for 5 months..no inches, a couple of pounds BUT nice new muscles everywhere!! :love:

    Thing is, we are reconstructing our bodies...Takes a while...30 to 90 days ++, honest no cheating and all.
    I feel better but it is very annoying to not see results.

    And how about trying different things: Eat more? tried it and not too good for me...try it for a week and see for yourself maybe it'll work!!
    Eat less? nope! can't do it because I am already not too bad and don't want to go in starvation mode...

    So more cardio, more weight training, more water, and more time for us !!!
    Less sugar, less carbs, less evening snacks maybe?

    WHAT'S WRONG WITH US ??? Anyone ?? :laugh:
  • ilikejam33
    ilikejam33 Posts: 252 Member
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    Hi everyone,

    I know everyone says they are honest in their tracking and complain they arent loosing weight, but i really am honest. I plan my meals in advance and i never eat something extra unless i check in the data base first to see what it will do to my daily limits, and what else i may have planned to eat that i have to cut out. So most days I am eating back all the calories, sometimes I end up at most a hundred under.

    I have a digital kitchen scale that i calibrated so i know is right and I weigh/ measure everything so I know I am counting things corectly, I also only eat at restruants (very rarley) that post their nutritional info so i know what i am eating and can keep the cal, carb, fat balacne in check.

    For excercise spinning and body pump. and i have a HRM to ensure i am also tracking the calories i burn correctly.

    I take measurments every 2 weeks so i will see next week if i have lost any inches yet, to date it has been minimal. I guess im so frustrated becuase this is the first time i have actually stuck with the gym and the diet and i feel really proud of myself, just get down when i get on that scale :(

    Thank you for all your tips i love that this site is full of people like all of you willing to reach out and help.
  • soundjunkie
    soundjunkie Posts: 41 Member
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    I'm in the same boat. I've only lost 4 pounds and I'm not eating close to what is "allowed". To be honest, all this talk about not eating enough, stalling your metabolism, consuming more calories wehn exercising is a bunch of crapola, unless you are already at or close to your goal weight. Your metabolism does not "stall" from lack of food. Your body turns to the liver first for glucaose, then to stored fat for energy when you go into starvation mode. If you are overweight, you need to consume far less calories then you require to maintain your weight - period.

    I have figured out that the calorie intake figure this site automatically calculates for you, does not take into account people that basically sit on their *kitten* for a living (super-sedintary). The solution for me is to cut the calculated calories by a third and try to get in some exercise for at least a half hour a day. The more fat you have, the more difficult it is to get rid of it.

    Don't be discouraged. The calculated caloric intake calculations on this site are not a "one size fits all". Reduce your calories till you see a noticaeable drop in weight after a couple weeks and stay on that regimine. It really isn't rocket science.
  • kfitz10103
    kfitz10103 Posts: 354
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    I went 5 weeks without losing until I started zigzagging my calories I lost 1lb last week and 2 this week. I would try that. I can't see your food diary, but if you stay within your calorie goals for the week then you may see results.
    Monday 1650
    Tuesday 1410
    Wednesday 2000
    Thursday 1650
    Friday 1520
    Saturday 1880
    Sunday 1650
  • rachellelevesque
    rachellelevesque Posts: 4
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    Hi I am new to this but have been loosing weight, well a little anyway. Personaly I do not excercise but I have cut carbs, sugar for the most part and have really been sticking to protein mostly. I have always ate healthy enough like veggies and fruit but did love my carbs. Try cutting them out and everyfew days having a little. Like I have a smoothie every day with fruit and yogurt and chicken with veggies or fish with veggies for dinner. Then on the 3rd day I allow myself a little bit of a carb so I don't go crazy. It has been working I was at 154 about a month and a half ago. joined MFP at 145 and now am 140.8. Try it out:) Good luck and don't give up:)
  • erickirb
    erickirb Posts: 12,293 Member
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    I'm in the same boat. I've only lost 4 pounds and I'm not eating close to what is "allowed". To be honest, all this talk about not eating enough, stalling your metabolism, consuming more calories wehn exercising is a bunch of crapola, unless you are already at or close to your goal weight. Your metabolism does not "stall" from lack of food. Your body turns to the liver first for glucaose, then to stored fat for energy when you go into starvation mode. If you are overweight, you need to consume far less calories then you require to maintain your weight - period.

    I have figured out that the calorie intake figure this site automatically calculates for you, does not take into account people that basically sit on their *kitten* for a living (super-sedintary). The solution for me is to cut the calculated calories by a third and try to get in some exercise for at least a half hour a day. The more fat you have, the more difficult it is to get rid of it.

    Don't be discouraged. The calculated caloric intake calculations on this site are not a "one size fits all". Reduce your calories till you see a noticaeable drop in weight after a couple weeks and stay on that regimine. It really isn't rocket science.

    FYI she only has 14lbs to lose, so she is not overweight and your comments don't apply to this situation. and MFP does account for a sedentary lifestyle, which give you maintenance calories of about 1.2*BMR, what you are doing assumes your maintenance calories are below your BMR which cannot be the case as you burn BMR cals in a coma, the moment you wake up you burn more than BMR.

    And the OP should increase not decrease the caloric intake, this advice is horrible, and you should be ashamed of yourself for giving it. Just because this unhealthy style of caloric intake works for you does not mean you should be preaching an unhealthy way for others.
  • travisjw18
    travisjw18 Posts: 5
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    Are you watching the quality of the calories you are eating? I have been here for six months and struggled at first, but now I have lost almost 30 lbs. I have found the foods that you can eat all day and not go over your daily intake. Such as raw veggies and steel cut oatmeal. since you are working out 4+ days a week you need to make sure that about 30% of your calories are protein. Turkey, chicken and fish are all great lean protein that is also easy to eat at two meals a day without going over you goal. Also it is very important that you stay away from sugar (except fruit) and carbonation. Drink only water and maybe a half of a Gatorade a day. Although I mess up sometimes I usually stay to this kind of diet. Good luck to you all!!
  • rachellelevesque
    rachellelevesque Posts: 4
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    First of all I stated I was new at this and am learning as well and am some days a little under but do go over too. I'm sorry you find my comment shameful but this is a site people learn on and your comment is very detouring to want to say anything. Instead of replying the way you did you could of realized, I am new too and learning how to do this and explained how this is not good for me
  • erickirb
    erickirb Posts: 12,293 Member
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    First of all I stated I was new at this and am learning as well and am some days a little under but do go over too. I'm sorry you find my comment shameful but this is a site people learn on and your comment is very detouring to want to say anything. Instead of replying the way you did you could of realized, I am new too and learning how to do this and explained how this is not good for me

    ??, if you are replying to me, I didn't not quote your response, not sure what you mean by this, or am I missing something??
  • tlp8rb
    tlp8rb Posts: 556 Member
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    First of all I stated I was new at this and am learning as well and am some days a little under but do go over too. I'm sorry you find my comment shameful but this is a site people learn on and your comment is very detouring to want to say anything. Instead of replying the way you did you could of realized, I am new too and learning how to do this and explained how this is not good for me

    Rachelle, the poster was NOT referring to you but to the advice given by Soundjunkie and I agree that it was terrible and shameful advice.

    There are hundreds of posts on this site (maybe thousands) that can be helpful to you. Use the search function and look for answers to some of your questions that way rather than starting a new thread on an old subject.
  • rachellelevesque
    rachellelevesque Posts: 4
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    lol sorry I have never used this before I see how it works now and the message was already sent having a very crazy sensitive day sorry again:(
  • Vincenzza
    Vincenzza Posts: 1 Member
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    HI there - lots of good advice on here - have you thought about what kind of calories you are eating? try upping your protien and lowering fat and carb percentages. I'm on a 40% carb, 40% protien and 20% only good fats. (by way of straight protien shakes and roasted chicken no skin) hope that helps
  • CARNAT22
    CARNAT22 Posts: 764 Member
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    I went 5 weeks without losing until I started zigzagging my calories I lost 1lb last week and 2 this week. I would try that. I can't see your food diary, but if you stay within your calorie goals for the week then you may see results.
    Monday 1650
    Tuesday 1410
    Wednesday 2000
    Thursday 1650
    Friday 1520
    Saturday 1880
    Sunday 1650

    That's good idea for some but those on say 1200 cals per day should not really zig zag as 1200 is the daily minimum?

    I guess it all depends o of you zig zag before or after tkaing your exercise cals into consideration?
  • tlp8rb
    tlp8rb Posts: 556 Member
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    I went 5 weeks without losing until I started zigzagging my calories I lost 1lb last week and 2 this week. I would try that. I can't see your food diary, but if you stay within your calorie goals for the week then you may see results.
    Monday 1650
    Tuesday 1410
    Wednesday 2000
    Thursday 1650
    Friday 1520
    Saturday 1880
    Sunday 1650

    That's good idea for some but those on say 1200 cals per day should not really zig zag as 1200 is the daily minimum?

    I guess it all depends o of you zig zag before or after tkaing your exercise cals into consideration?

    Calorie cycling provides same amount of calories per week, but 'tricks' your body by constantly changing daily calories. This helps to prevent or break plateaus.

    You can easily zig-zag without going under the 1200 calories suggested as minimum. Visit this site, and after calculating your calories, click on the link that says 7 Day Calorie Cycle (zig-zag). It will give you a guideline.

    http://www.freedieting.com/tools/calorie_calculator.htm

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