I'm stuck and I don't know what to do!

LenaNicole15

Hey everyone . So, I've been on this site for about 16 days now, and I'm really enjoying it! The only part that I'm not really loving is the fact that I haven't lost a single pound since I've been here. What's with that?? I'm monitoring what I'm eating, and I'm working out quite a bit. I'm starting to get so frustrated because everyone around me is losing weight, but I'm still in the same spot, and any change I see on the scale is an increase of 1.4 pounds (not cool). I've made my diary available for anyone to look at...I'm very confused as to what I'm doing wrong, so please help! Any advice would be very much appreciated.

Jerzeeblondie

Hey I havent had a chance to check our your diary just yet, but don't get too frustrated. If you weren't working out a lot before now, you may be putting on some muscle. I know when I started working out I'd gain a couple pounds and then lose them, but never lose what I was originally. I was noticing difference in inches lost, so try taking your measurements, maybe the exercise is making you lose inches first. Also when you are stuck they say it is really good to do some interval training, getting your heart rate up, then level it off, then back up, etc. There's a walk/jog dvd that I use for that time to help boost the weightloss

mangirl

you might be over estimating the calories you are burning during your work outs

chevy88grl

I took a brief look at your diary and you seem to do okay -- except that most days you have anywhere from 200-600 calories leftover at the end of the day. Try and get the number closer to zero. It is possible that you simply aren't eating enough.

korygilliam

1-Are you using a heart rate monitor for your calories burned? If not, I think MFP calories in the cardio section are highly over calculated (sometimes my HR monitor is up to 250 calories less than what the MFP states)

2-Are you using stregth training or tonight in your daily stuffs? If so, then your weight gain is most likely due to water retention and muscle building. Take pictures and do measurements to really see the difference...the scale will take a while to catch up when you are working on toning, but the pics and measurements will really show the difference, even if your scale doesn't

3-For your frequent foods...are you measuring and verifiying the entries that you are selecting. Sometimes they can be way off

After doing all of that and verifying that you aren't eating extra calories somewhere or not burning as many as you thought...may just want to drop your caloric intake by a couple hundred for a week to see if that helps (especially since you eat so much to make up for your exercise)

fitby2012

After looking at your diary, your cals, water, and workouts look good, but your fat and protein levels are kind of low and your sodium is a little elevated. Try to add more lean protein and healthy fats to your diet, and lower sodium to maybe around 1800 mg (no more than 2300 mg) per day. My scale was stuck until I dropped my carbs for healthy fats and lean protein.

rainbowbuggy

I'm bumping to see others answers. You seem to be doing fine so I have nothing to offer other then if you not using at HRM you might be over estimating how much your really burning hence you might be eating to much.

Also you could attempt to eat back only half of your exercise calories instead of them all. That might work too.

ambermichon

closely monitor cals burned and I would increase your protein and lower carbs some

jeepgirl001

I looked at your diary and when I calculated your daily calories less your extra calories from exercise your starting calories are at 1710. Check your goals and see if they are set up correctly. Most daily starting calories are set at 1200. Yours may be set up at the maintenance level. Hope this helps.

Skeith5

There could be a few things going on. How did you figure out your calorie goal? I imagine I weigh a LOT more than you do and my calorie goal is about the same as yours, sure I have more to lose but I'm also burning a lot more.

- Overestimating the calories you are burning. You can look into getting a heart rate monitor that will calculate calories burned when you exercise.

- Incorrect portioning - Are you measuring what you are eating or just estimating? I thought I was doing fine with estimating portion sizes until I got a food scale and started using measuring cups.

- Measure by inches - Muscle weighs more than fat. If you are doing a good amount of strength training you could be putting on muscle and losing fat without losing overall weight. Do you notice a difference in the way your clothes feel at all?

Scott

MsKeelah919

Hi! I'd take a look at the sugar in your diet and all of the things that convert to sugar. (bread, potatoes, tortillas). Also the desserts are regular. When I started having dessert more than twice a week, my weight loss stalled-even though I was under calories and still exercising. Also the cheese. Try and half the cheese you eat or just forego it sometimes. Mind you, this is all trial and error info that I've found has been the culprit for me...so take it with a grain of salt. NOt real salt, that holds weight too! LOL Good luck!

ChantalGG

You might be eating too many calories. How much do you want to lose in a week? I would lower you calories to 1200 and then eat back you workout but you need to know how much you are actually burning.

mkingraham

I looked at your diary and your food isn't too bad. However I see you have a lot of "generic" items from the food database. If you made a fruit salad or potato salad yourself you should enter it in the receipe because your verison may be way more or way less in calories. Also if the site doesn't have your brand you can add it. Make sure you are actually measuring you food as well. One of the hardest things for me to learn was that what I thought a portion was, really isn't a single portion. I would also say, if you can measure more then just your weight. For example, you might be seeing flucuations up and not down simply due to water weight since you may be working out a lot more than you use to. Otherwise you seem to be on track and you just need to be patient. The other thing to keep in mind- you said the people around you are dropping weight easily, if they have a lot of weight to drop they will do that in the beginning, and if they are men its just easier for guys in general, at least initially. Hang in there!

LenaNicole15

Hey I havent had a chance to check our your diary just yet, but don't get too frustrated. If you weren't working out a lot before now, you may be putting on some muscle. I know when I started working out I'd gain a couple pounds and then lose them, but never lose what I was originally. I was noticing difference in inches lost, so try taking your measurements, maybe the exercise is making you lose inches first. Also when you are stuck they say it is really good to do some interval training, getting your heart rate up, then level it off, then back up, etc. There's a walk/jog dvd that I use for that time to help boost the weightloss

Every week I check out my measurements. For the past 30ish days I've been doing the Shaun T interval training, which has helped me lose a couple inches. I'm just wondering why I'm not losing anything, you know? My BMI is considered overweight, so I need to start losing weight in order to have a normal BMI again!

HealthyAlp

I looked at your diary and you are eating some very wholesome meals. The thing I would concentrate on first is what time of the day the calories are placed. What always works for me is to eat the heaviest (calorie-wise) meal(s) during the beginning of the day and the lighter meals at night. This ensures that the calories you gain from your morning food should be burned off by the end of the day. For instance, peanut butter (which I love!) is a great morning food. It fills you up fast so that you don't get hungry during your work day, and it's quite healthy.

LenaNicole15

Thanks everyone for your help and advice! I really appreciate what you are all saying....I will continue to measure myself, and I've upped my exercise minutes per day, as well as lowered the amount of calories I can eat per day. I'll continue doing my interval training each day as well, and hopefully I'll start seeing changes! I know I need to be patient, but I'm so eager to see changes!

jaibird01

I suggest you increase your cardio and decrease any weight training exercises you may be doing. I haven't looked over your food diary yet; I'm just going to take a shot and share what I've been doing for the past 8 days! I've started working out at 5am 5 to 6 days a week for 2 hours, all cardio (i.e. brisk walks, jogging, running, elliptical machine, etc.). I alternate my cardio exercise daily so I won't get bored and my muscles can't adjust to them. My meal plan has changed as well, I eat organic eggs maybe 3x a week and I allow myself to have 3 strips of center cut bacon 2x a week, fat free yoplait in a various flavors, raw tuna (vaccum packed in water), cheerios, lactaid milk, all the veggies I want, tilapia fillets (4 to 6oz), boneless skinless chicken breast. I've discovered that I can't eat any fruit I want because some of them are loaded with sugar so I stick to low sugar fruits! Of course no sweets, fried foods, no eating late at night, and lastly and most importantly drink half your body weight in water! It flushes you out and helps you lose weight! Oh yes, no sodas or sweet juices, water only!!!! I hope this helps and if my spelling sucks...I'm in a hurry!!!