Behaving...but no results....

Dickersondiva

Welp, I have learned to celebrate NSVs here on MFP. I can live with the fact that I have more energy and feel better since I changed my eating and activity habits. However, I can't help but notice the scale hasn't moved in FOUR WEEKS. I have lost a net of 1 pound, and my clothes fit a LITTLE better, but I'm still wearing the same size. Am I just being impatient? Surely I should have lost more than 1 pound....I weigh 210 pounds, so it's not like I'm a tiny little thing that doesn't drop tremendous weight at first. Any suggestions?

Lozze

Well from looking at your diary you eat at fast food resteraunts every day. While you can try and fit them into your calories (and some days you do) they are very high in sodium and are best not to eat every day as they won't help your weight loss.

You also seem to be skipping meals. Or are you not logging them?

There was also precious little fruit and veg. Cut down on the fast food and eat more fruit and veg and it might help.

Can I ask your current height and weight?

Do you drink water?

Meliklotz

My trainer put me on a 1200 calorie goal that when I excercise I get more calories to use. How did you come by the goal you have? That may be the issue?

MoVerdugo

I would suggest for you to take daily walks and drink water like crazy, even if you're not thirsty always carry a water bottle. Start eating smaller portions until your body feels satisfied not full but satified and sometime our body confuses thirst for hunger we tend to eat. I started to snack every two hours... I would wake up drink my black coffee, eat my oatmeal with a bannana for breakfast two hours later I would eat my string cheese or even a fiber one bar. for lunch I would eat Tuna or salmon out of a can plain with unsalted cracker and for dinner I would eat lean meat. By changing your lifestyle you will see hugh results in a month... it all takes time and give yourself a break dont be to hard on yourself so you can enjoy it and not feel like its hard. I also deducted all the sugars out of my diet because I wanted fast results. Hope this helps.

LuciaLongIsland

I didn't lose weight for a month. I went way over a few days, my limit is 1000 according to my doctor. I have eaten only healthy foods, no restaurant foods at all and finally lost 3 more pounds. I don't record exercise as I don't eat back the calories. That is the only thing that works for me.

krissypea79

I took a look at your diary as well, and I agree with everything Lozze said, and I will also add that you should be watching your intake of "processed" foods as well - they tend to be very high in sodium, as well as a wealth of other things that aren't good for us (refined sugars, etc) - things like Chef Boyardee ravioli have enriched wheat product (as a guide, anything including the words "enriched," "unbleached," or both are normally no good - (keep this in mind when buying breads, pastas, too). I think if you add in some more fruits and veggies, leaner meats, and less pre-packaged, processed foods. and make fast food just an occasional treat, you will start to see those results!!!

taso42

Looks like you are logging very diligently, which is great.

I would suggest tipping the balance more on the protein side. Aim for 100+g per day.
As much as possible, replace some of that processed food with home cooked. You will have finer control of what goes in, and often home cooked food is more satiating.

Try to keep your net calories consistent day after day. Planning in advance and preparing food yourself may help in this regard.

BigDaddyBRC

Without knowing everything....here is what I recommend:

1. Ensure that you have your settings correct
2. LOG EVERYTHING. If you are not, you are doing it WRONG
3. Try to do something active for 15-30 minutes per day.
4. If you are doing all of this...track your sodium.

As previously said, it appears you are eating too much fast food. Not so much as with say, subway, but with the Hardee's, Chic-fil-a, and McD's. I believe that you are retaining water. The fat loss cycle goes: Water Weight, Muscle, Fat. If your sodium intake is high, all the water you are consuming just stays.

noexcuses84

First of all i know how diff it can b when ur on the go all the time, takeaway is the easy option. and u seem to b making ok choices but i noticed from ur diary that u don't track ur sodium intake?! Sodium plays a major role in water retention which my be the main contributer as to why ur not losing weight. Secondly if ur clothes feel looser than ur body is at least doing something! I weigh myself but the main thing i look at is the clothes i wear regularly; and if ur clothes r looser than ur still doing something right! I'm about ur size and i have onsistantly lost a kilo (about 2 pounds) every week since i started (1-1-12) so i would b more inclined to think it comes back to ur sodium intake. if i were u i'd go into ur settings an add sodium to ur daily intakes. hope this helps and good luck!

Dickersondiva

Well from looking at your diary you eat at fast food resteraunts every day. While you can try and fit them into your calories (and some days you do) they are very high in sodium and are best not to eat every day as they won't help your weight loss.

You also seem to be skipping meals. Or are you not logging them?

There was also precious little fruit and veg. Cut down on the fast food and eat more fruit and veg and it might help.

Can I ask your current height and weight?

Do you drink water?

I am currently 5'8, 209.8 lbs. I drink water like a camel hump. If my meal times looked skewed, it's because I work 12 hour nights 3 nights a week (I'm a critical care nurse). I snack throughout my shift, so that's why most of my journaling is very snack heavy. I tend to eat those said snacks every three hours or so. You are sooo right about the eating out....I'm always on the go....and I am SLOOOOOWLY (lol) but surely getting in the kitchen more.

Dickersondiva

My trainer put me on a 1200 calorie goal that when I excercise I get more calories to use. How did you come by the goal you have? That may be the issue?

The goal I have was generated by MFP. I often wondered if I was either getting too few calories for a net goal, or whether I shouldn't be eating all of my exercise calories back.

SergeantSunshine_reused

I ran a report on your diary. Your sodium is very high often. 3000mg+ and one day you had almost 7,000mg.
sodium can mask fat loss because you retain water. So you may be holding on to a lot more water than you would think

I would suggest tracking it and trying to keep it around 2,000mg

Dickersondiva

I took a look at your diary as well, and I agree with everything Lozze said, and I will also add that you should be watching your intake of "processed" foods as well - they tend to be very high in sodium, as well as a wealth of other things that aren't good for us (refined sugars, etc) - things like Chef Boyardee ravioli have enriched wheat product (as a guide, anything including the words "enriched," "unbleached," or both are normally no good - (keep this in mind when buying breads, pastas, too). I think if you add in some more fruits and veggies, leaner meats, and less pre-packaged, processed foods. and make fast food just an occasional treat, you will start to see those results!!!

Avoiding processed foods is actually a new goal of mine. That stuff is LOADED with sodium! It was only in the last couple of weeks that I realized just how MUCH sodium is in processed foods! I am trying to incorporate more whole foods into our diet. I thoroughly enjoy stir frys with fresh veggies. Those refined sugars are a booger too! So quite a few of you have mentioned sodium...I PROMISE to work on that and see how it goes. I am about to add sodium as a tracked nutrient in my journal. Everyone here is soooooo helpful!!! Thanks guys!!!

SergeantSunshine_reused

Yup! That should help. You might drop a good amount of water weight in the next couple of weeks

Dickersondiva

OMG!!! I went back and added sodium as a nutrient that I wanted to track....GEEZ! I should look (and taste) like a potato chip! o_O

em9371

My trainer put me on a 1200 calorie goal that when I excercise I get more calories to use. How did you come by the goal you have? That may be the issue?

The goal I have was generated by MFP. I often wondered if I was either getting too few calories for a net goal, or whether I shouldn't be eating all of my exercise calories back.

Are you set for 2lb/ week?
If so goal looks about right, you need to eat exercise cals to ensure net doesn't drop below 1200.. Mine is 1200 for 2lb, 1660for 1lb (I'm 5'4,221lb). I usually eat around 1740 and net 1340 and I've lost 21lbs in 13 weeks.

Making sure you hit your cal goals combined with reducing sodium and processed foods should help you out x