Newbie needs help!!!

sectornine

It's been a while since I've tried losing weight the correct way, so I need a little help.

OK, some basic info before my question. I am trying to change my lifestyle rather than jump on some fad bandwagon. I have a lot of weight to lose (150 lbs). For now my basic changes are that I have cut fast food and sodas, drink a ton of water, try and stay under my calorie goal here on mfp, and work out at least 3 times a week (cardio mostly). My weigh in day is Tuesday, and will be 3 weeks in on this next Tues.

Week 1 I dropped 12 lbs. Week 2 I dropped a total of 7 lbs. This week I have been killing it in the gym and been great on my calories (better than the first two weeks), but I stepped on the scale to make sure I was on track this week and I haven't lost a single ounce. Am I doing something wrong? Am I plateauing after 3 weeks? Also, because I am so overweight, I have a high calorie MFP goal, but I have been eating healthy (and what seems like all damn day) and I end up consistantly 500-1000 calories below my goal. Could that be a problem?

I am not discouraged by today's numbers, I just want to make sure what I am doing is correct. Any help is greatly appreciated.

Drew

Adarsta

After such huge losses your body might just be getting used to it. At weight watchers they said to look at weight over a month as the body changes at different points in the month. Weight weekly but look at it monthly.

mermx

Hi Drew,

What is the daily calorie goal MFP has given you??

IMO to start try to eat the full amount that has been set by MFP. If you under eat too much then you wil have nowhere to go with it!

So try to relax a little and eat your exercise calories.

I find that eating more protein and less carbs helps. I only drink around 6-7 glasses of water a day so not sure if the water thing is a big hype. I lost my smaller goal weight than you are looking at in 6 months by taking it steady. I have maintained for the last 3 months due to choice.

The main thing is it has to be a whole new life style so make sure what you implement you can stick to in the long run

Good luck :-)

japruzze

Make sure you are eating enough...you will stop losing if your intake is too low. I try to eat my full calorie allotment and just started eating at least half my exercise calories. You don't want to starve and you want to be able to reach your goal AND be healthy not just slimmer!

sectornine

Thanks for the help.

mermx - my calorie goal is 2740 if I don't work out at all. I looked at the report here on MFP and it looks like I average right around 2100 cal/day. Sometimes more sometimes less. I am definitely not changing so drastically that I will not be able to keep this up. I am still eating the foods I like, I just cut out all the crap. I also stopped fast food, which was a HUGE factor due to convenience. I don't really worry that I can't keep this up. It feels different than when I tried Atkins, south beach, weight watchers, etc. I don't feel as tied down.

Japruzze - I don't ever feel starving. I eat when I am hungry, I just eat way healthier than before. I am trying to get to my calorie level each day, but I feel conflicted. It just doesn't seem right to eat (if I am not hungry) just to get the calories.

mermx

If your calorie goal on MFP before exercise is 2740 and you are averaging 2100 then IMO you are not getting enough calories. Especially if you are hitting the gym and getting extra cals.

Do you like nuts? They are high in cals but very good nutritionally. so its not like you have to sit down to a meal but you can have them as snacks between meals? Or protein shakes?

I would try to at least hit your MFP calorie goal of 2740....if you don`t try then you won`t know if this is the reason for your plateau at this stage.

Keep up the good work

AmyJackson1990

HEY ANYONE LOOKING TO LOSE 3 STONE OR MORE WEIGHT TRY THE 3 DAY DIET TO START YOU OFF. IT WORKED FOR ME A LONG TIME AGO N DEFFO TRYING IT THIS WEEKEND. ITS FROM THE BRITISH HEART FOUNDATION. U LOSE UP TO 10LBS IN 3 DAYS ON IT. THE FOODS NICE, AND ITS NOT HARD TO DO. BUT ONLY DO IT FOR 3 DAYS... IT GIVES U A KICK START TO LOSING A GOOD BIT OF WEIGHT,,,AND U CAN CONTINUE WITH UR EXERCISE AND EATING TO LOSE MORE AND THE RECOMENDED 1-2LBS A WEEK AFTERS X