confused!

EmmaMay93

i'm 188lbs and my goal is to get down to 140, so about 3 stone. Preferably more! And im 5"8

Thing is, I've been going to the gym a lot, and ive cut out bread, pasta, rice, crisps, chocolate, cheese etc and am only really eating fruit, vegetables, yoghurt, and crackers. Yet not only have i lost NO weight since doing this, but ive PUT ON 2lbs!!

Anyone have any idea why??

rbryntes

Have you been cutting the calories, or just the types of foods you eat?

jazzalea

how are your clothes fitting?

EmmaMay93

I've been cutting calories as well as just certain foods. I mean, I couldn't really cut much else from the above list, being a vegetarian as well.

And my clothes are fitting just as they were before I started my diet Can't feel any difference.

This is really sucking motivation from me!

UpEarly

I'm about a half inch taller than you and started out a little bit heavier. I lost 50 pounds without cutting bread, pasta, chocolate and cheese. I focused on slow weight loss (1/2 lb a week), exercise and enjoying all the food I liked in moderation. The weight came off pretty easily and without plateaus. In the beginning, I ate between 1800-2400 calories most days - you can enjoy a lot of food for that!

Since your diary is private, I can't even begin to guess where you're going wrong. Maybe you're eating too little?

EmmaMay93

I'll make my diary public, iI'd be interested to know where I'm going wrong!!

EmmaMay93

Bear in mind that I only joined today, so there is only today's food and exercise so far, thanks

UpEarly

Is this a normal day for you? If so, I bet your body is panicking that it's about to be starved, and is holding onto every calorie you're feeding it for dear life!

I'll add you as a friend, so you can check out what I've been eating. I'm not saying my diet is perfect, but it's been very effective for me.

ChristineDiet

I'll make my diary public, iI'd be interested to know where I'm going wrong!!

I just view your diary and if that is a 'normal' day then you are eating way to little.

Remember it's not about being on a diet, it's about changing your lifestyle. Do you really want to cut out bread, pasta, cheese etc for the rest of your life? I'm sure you don't, so eat it - just in moderation.

I've just been doing this for nearly 3 weeks now. I eat what ever I want, my diary is open too if you want to look. I just eat smaller portions and don't go back for seconds etc.

Good luck.

p.s. I too am 5ft 8 but I'm a lot heavier than you (215lbs).

EmmaMay93

Wow, you guys are amazing! Thank you!

You've been very helpful!

EmmaMay93

Just another thought, surely if I eat more, then I'll need to exercise more? So it just makes me think, if you eat less, you therefore can exercise less.

SavCal71

Is this a normal day for you? If so, I bet your body is panicking that it's about to be starved, and is holding onto every calorie you're feeding it for dear life!

I'll add you as a friend, so you can check out what I've been eating. I'm not saying my diet is perfect, but it's been very effective for me.

This. 502 calories wouldn't sustain a fly!

UpEarly

Just another thought, surely if I eat more, then I'll need to exercise more? So it just makes me think, if you eat less, you therefore can exercise less.

The numbers MFP gives you are the calories you should eat to lose weight WITHOUT exercise. If you exercise (and it looks like you do!) those calories can be eaten in addition to your base calories. You should still continue to lose!

Rae6503

No, no. You don't need to exercise more if you eat more.

You burn calories just by living and doing your normal every day activities. Probably around 2000.

So to lose a pound a week you subtract 3500 calories from your weekly total, or 500 from each day, so you should eat about 1500 calories.

If you exercise and burn 500 you are now burning 2500 a day. Subtract the same 500, you should eat 2000 calories a day.

erickirb

sounds like you are not eating nearly enough. Eat all of the calories that MFP tells you to (including the calories you burned from exercise)

HauteP1nk

Some questions:
How long have you been doign this for? It will not happen over night.
Are you watching the calories? Ya, you might have cut out a lot from your diet but if you are still consuming too many calories it will take a long time to see results.
Have you also measured yourself? Sometimes we lose inches before we lose pounds.
What kind of exercises are you doing and what is the frequency?

These are all things you need to consider. However, most of the time not losing weight does stem from not eating properly so I would focus more on the diet at first....as the saying goes 'abs are made in the kitchen'. 70% of what we look like is from what we eat...

Also, maybe consider going to the doctor. Sometimes we have hormonal imbalances that affect the speed at which we lose weight. Thyroid problems could be a reason too.

sarafil

as others just said.....no, you don't need to exercise more. You always need to make sure you are eating enough calories to support your body. When I look at your diary, it does not appear you are eating enough. My trainer has told me time and time again that often when people are complaining they aren't losing, it is because they aren't actually eating enough food! Make healthy choices, as you have been doing, just eat more of them.

NaomiLyn15

If your food diary today is a normal day, then you definitely are not eating enough. You need to eat more, or your body thinks that it is starving.

EmmaMay93

I am watching the calories I consume, and I go to the gym about 4-5 times a week for about an hour or so.

dmustlose

If you are truly counting calories, what 1200? You have no choice but to lose weight. Drink lots of water and write down every bite you eat.

EmmaMay93

Perhaps you are all right, maybe I am not eating enough. However, when you have cut so much from your diet, and are determind to eat healthily, when it comes to choosing between another apple, of banana, or salad etc, I'd rather choose not to eat, just because I know I will get no satisfaction from the food, just as i won't if i dont eat... so id rather not consume extra calories that i dont appreciate.. if that makes sense?

peanut1012

Muscle weighs more than fat. You may gain before you lose, don't stop what you're doing. Do you drink water that helps too.

erickirb

Perhaps you are all right, maybe I am not eating enough. However, when you have cut so much from your diet, and are determind to eat healthily, when it comes to choosing between another apple, of banana, or salad etc, I'd rather choose not to eat, just because I know I will get no satisfaction from the food, just as i won't if i dont eat... so id rather not consume extra calories that i dont appreciate.. if that makes sense?

this is a bad choice that will lead to a loss of lean muscle, not just the fat you are looking at losing.

Try eating nuts, seeds, nut butters. Add olive oil to soups, sauces and salads, add avocado to salads and sandwiches. Drink some calories, have a glass of milk or a glass of juice
Avoid diet and lite foods and eat the full fat, full calories version (usually much healthier and more natural)
eat/drink higher MF% milk product. i.e. eat 3% Yogurt instead of fat free.

erickirb

Muscle weighs more than fat. You may gain before you lose, don't stop what you're doing. Do you drink water that helps too.

No muscle will be gained on a diet that low in calories, muscle needs energy to build, so if you eat less then you burn, there is nothing left to create muscle.

rbryntes

Perhaps you are all right, maybe I am not eating enough. However, when you have cut so much from your diet, and are determind to eat healthily, when it comes to choosing between another apple, of banana, or salad etc, I'd rather choose not to eat, just because I know I will get no satisfaction from the food, just as i won't if i dont eat... so id rather not consume extra calories that i dont appreciate.. if that makes sense?

I know it sounds counterintuitive but not eating enough foods can cause loss in muscle mass, not fat. You need to eat. Cutting out food isn't the answer. There's nothing inherently evil about bread or pasta or cheese, etc. Just control the portions. Your body will thank you.

dls06

Have you been cutting the calories, or just the types of foods you eat?

This!

pinkita

Hi Emma,

I agree that you need more food. Looks like you need more protein too. I'd also recommend tracking your sodium (go into Settings and you can add that to what you track) as high sodium consumption can hinder weight loss.

I'd also recommend getting a heart rate monitor or BodyBugg to accurately track your calorie burns during exercise. We tend to underestimate portions and overestime our exercise intensity

And please get yourself a tape measure and start tracking your body measurements! The scale doesn't always reflect our true progress.

Good luck and welcome to MFP!

SavCal71

Perhaps you are all right, maybe I am not eating enough. However, when you have cut so much from your diet, and are determind to eat healthily, when it comes to choosing between another apple, of banana, or salad etc, I'd rather choose not to eat, just because I know I will get no satisfaction from the food, just as i won't if i dont eat... so id rather not consume extra calories that i dont appreciate.. if that makes sense?

They aren't *extra* calories. They are calories your body desperately needs to function properly.

EngiAli

i'm 188lbs and my goal is to get down to 140, so about 3 stone. Preferably more! And im 5"8

Thing is, I've been going to the gym a lot, and ive cut out bread, pasta, rice, crisps, chocolate, cheese etc and am only really eating fruit, vegetables, yoghurt, and crackers. Yet not only have i lost NO weight since doing this, but ive PUT ON 2lbs!!

Anyone have any idea why??

While you are eating "healthy" food, there is nothing healthy about your diet. I think you need to do some serious research on proper eating and nutrition especially if you are a vegitarian - you can't live off crackers, fruit, yogurt and lettuce. Where is your protein, healthy fat and grains? I would guestimate you need to be netting a minimum of 1500 calories a day - meaning if you burn 400 cals a the gym you need to eat 1900 calories - and not 1900 cals of apples. You need to add nuts, grains, beans, eggs, tofu to your diet and make sure you are getting complete proteins.

myak623

i'm 188lbs and my goal is to get down to 140, so about 3 stone. Preferably more! And im 5"8

Thing is, I've been going to the gym a lot, and ive cut out bread, pasta, rice, crisps, chocolate, cheese etc and am only really eating fruit, vegetables, yoghurt, and crackers. Yet not only have i lost NO weight since doing this, but ive PUT ON 2lbs!!

Anyone have any idea why??

Does not look like there are any significant protein sources in your described diet.

GoreWhore72

Sometimes when changing to a new diet, adding a tonne of fresh fruits and veggies, can hinder your digestive system, and make you plateau.
Try to eat all your fruit in the morning before noon, and as much as you want as long as it's fresh.
Also, at lunch is when you consume all your fresh veggies with protein or starches.
As will be at dinner.
No fruit after Noon.
and see how that goes.