What am I doing wrong? (Please help!)

wrecked_willow

Hello!

I am looking for some tips to help me lose weight. I think I might be doing something wrong because it has now been a month that I started these changes:

Before: No exercise at all and a desk job
Now: Still a desk job, but exercise 5 times a week (3 days of 30-45 minutes of cardio and 2 days of 20 minutes cardio + 25 minutes of weight lifting)

Before: about 3-4 cups of water a day
Now: about 8-9 cups of water a day

Before: about 3 cups of coffee a day
Now: only 1 cup of coffee a day (with milk only) and 1 cup of green tea or oolong tea each day

Before: not counting calories at all and probably eating around 2,500 calories a day (i was eating a LOT of cakes and candies)
Now: counting calories, eating maximum 1,500 calories a day

Before: sleeping around 5-6 hours a night
Now: sleeping 8 hours a night

What am I doing wrong? Maybe go see my diary too if it helps? Also, send me friend requests, I love to be surrounded and supported!

Please help!
Xo

EDIT:
1- I AM NOT PREGNANT, I TAKE PRE-NATAL VITAMINS BECAUSE WE ARE TRYING TO GET PREGNANT
2- I DIDN'T LOG EXERCISE THIS WEEK BECAUSE I WAS SICK AND RESTED ALL WEEK (GO SEE THE WEEK BEFORE)
3- THIS WEEK'S DIET WAS A LITTLE WONKY ALSO BECAUSE I WAS SICK (LOT OF CHICKEN SOUP, I KNOW)
4- I NOW TRACK SODIUM AS SOME PEOPLE SUGGESTED
5- I ALSO TRACK SUGAR (BUT I ALWAYS WAS)

wrecked_willow

I haven't lost ANY weight with this (I lost like 0.6lbs of water weight the first week, that is all)

wrecked_willow

Anyone...?

soccermom004

I would make the following suggestions. Track sodium. I would guess your sodium intake is very high because you have a lot of processed foods in your diet. I would add a lot more fresh fruits and veggies to your diet and try to limit the processed stuff to only one meal per day. As much as possible eat real fresh foods over processed. Calorie wise I think you're doing great but what you're eating may be holding you back.

wwww1199

I would make the following suggestions. Track sodium. I would guess your sodium intake is very high because you have a lot of processed foods in your diet. I would add a lot more fresh fruits and veggies to your diet and try to limit the processed stuff to only one meal per day. As much as possible eat real fresh foods over processed. Calorie wise I think you're doing great but what you're eating may be holding you back.

Agreed. My sodium was very high too. I'm trying to cut it down.

momofgilliam

I agree to check on your sodium...

Also, perhaps you aren't eating enough for all of the calories you are burning. Check out this calculator:

http://nutrition.about.com/library/bl_nutrition_guide.htm

Good luck... it'll happen!

wrecked_willow

Oh well for the sodium I don't really have the choice :S I have low blood pressure and my doc wants me to have ''a lot''... Well at least more than the recommended daily intake...

cpa8198

I had the same problem in the beginning. I agree with the other posters... look at your diet. Also, if you can, try to break down your meals into smaller meals. And if you have to eat "bad", try to do it earlier in the day.

As far as your workout, you may need to cut down on cardio a bit and lift more weights. Not necessarily heavier, just more reps.

Good luck!

PS. I also recommend the DVD series, "Mama Wants Her Body Back". It's a good combo of cardio, weights, and core.

marquesajen

Are you logging your exercise here? If not, you might not be eating enough calories. For awhile I would burn many calories, so my net intake of calories for the day was quite low. Some people don't eat back their exercise cals, but if you're not seeing movement maybe you should try eating them back. also increase your intake of fresh veggies. You're getting a lot of vitamin C! Are you taking it for a specific reason? Just curious.

soccermom004

I too have low blood pressure but I think you might be surprised just how much sodium you are getting with the foods you are eating. Just try it for a few days then ask your doctor how much you should be taking.

Shariet0630

Agree, When I started to watch sodium and also added more fruits, I saw a diff pretty fast. Sodium retains a lot of water for some. Me up to 5 lbs diff. I try to stay under 1200 sodium per day. Also I am a coffee drinker and noticed that with my 8 glasses of water added to that. It was too much. I know that doesn't make sense, but found out that 4 glasses with coffee n tea if enough for me.

jabba11

You may be adding some muscle in place of the fat you have lost. Are you clothes fitting better? Do you take measurements??

swtpea9191

Hmm I know I may get attacked on here for suggesting this.. but maybe cut your calories back just a bit? I take in 1200 and eat back whatever calories I burn. So I usually take in more like 1600 calories.. but I burn around 400-450 per day. I just lost 3.5 lbs this week and am pretty happy with that.

Also I would try cutting back (not sure what you are eating) on too many flours or carbs. Yes, carbs are good for us, don't cut them out.. but maybe limit them a bit? Maybe try to eat more "clean". Meaning, lean meats, fruits, veggies, and whole wheat grains. This should help tremendously. Some people can't lose when eating too much gluten.. not sure if that could be your problem or not. You still need carbs.. but fruits and veggies have them. Maybe switch your carbs to those and add some oatmeal and whole wheat grains.

Another thing I would try is eating every 3-4 hours. Even if it's just a snack of 1 oz of almonds.. or an apple.. its better to eat often. Have you had your thyroid checked? It's probably not that, but just a thought.

Also, if you are really working out (not sure if you are or not) but chances are you won't see results on the scale at times, but your clothes will fit better and you will look better. Muscle weighs more than fat.. remember that it's very true. So maybe you lost 5 lbs of fat and gained 5 lbs of muscle so you would'nt show a loss, but you really DID lose it and look better.

I would do take your measurements today. Log them in. Then start going by those, not so much the scale. Also places like Walmart have scales that also measure your body fat. Only like 39 bucks or so. That way you can maybe see if the lbs aren't going down but your body fat is.. due to working out. and THAT is what really matters.

good luck! hang in there you can do it. you may also want to try spiking your cals. either make sure you have ONE splurge meal a week to spike it.. or mix them up like 1200 one day and 1400 the next.

hklaquadra

I looked at your diary and I don't see the sodium being tracked so that part is hard to tell. And I agree, you are eating a lot of processed foods.

But I also noticed you are taking pre-natal vitamins, soooooo ..... could it be that you are losing YOUR weight but gaining BABY weight?

Captain_Tightpants

I'd listen to your doctor, low sodium diets aren't for everyone.

But you could also research other ways to increase blood pressure and discuss them with your doctor too.

Fluid retention or not, if you are maintaining a caloric deficit you will eventually lose adipose tissue. It may be slow and fluctuating due to fluid but it will happen.

So the important thing is to try to be as accurate as you can. Weigh your foods, read your labels, log everything. When you exercise, use an HRM instead of relying on mfp or the machine readouts to see how many cals you burned. Eat at least half of them back.

Also read this: http://body-improvements.com/resources/eat/

Hope that helps!

kirstyg1980

Oh well for the sodium I don't really have the choice :S I have low blood pressure and my doc wants me to have ''a lot''... Well at least more than the recommended daily intake...

Change to home cooked foods rather than processed packaged or out of jars and use sea salt so much better for you than processed salt - just look at the ingredients that go into ordinary table salt

That way you will still get plenty of sodium but you will be eating clean

sazzet

I thought I would never lose weight till i started the GI diet. It is all about healthy eating. It is not only counting calories. It is what you eat. I lost 11 pounds in a month without exercise. I know that is wrong but I will start the exercise soon. It is the first time i connect the type of food i eat with calorie counting. I drink 3 cups of instant coffee a day with skimmed milk and a tsp of honey. I eat healthy food all day long and never let myself get hungry. I drink the 8 cups of water and more sometime. I haven't eaten white flour or white sugar for a month now. I don't have cravings anymore. I get my sugar from fruits. Go for those low glycemic foods. They will keep your metabolism working.

deninevi

I think you need to eat more. I'm as tall as you and when I was on 1500-1600 cals my weight didn't move for a long time. Now I'm doing 1800-2000 cals, lift heavy things 3 times a week and do kettlebell workouts the other 2 days and I loose weight. Up your cals. with 100 to 200 a day and see how thing go for 2 weeks. If that doesn't work, adjust again. Good luck to you.

wrecked_willow

Are you logging your exercise here? If not, you might not be eating enough calories. For awhile I would burn many calories, so my net intake of calories for the day was quite low. Some people don't eat back their exercise cals, but if you're not seeing movement maybe you should try eating them back. also increase your intake of fresh veggies. You're getting a lot of vitamin C! Are you taking it for a specific reason? Just curious.

This week only I took Vitamin C supplements because I was battling a cold!

raisingbabyk

I noticed you don't log your exercise calories which means your not eating them back. You are probably eating too little for the amount of work your body needs to fuel itself after exercise.

Check out this thread:
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/501511-great-read-on-plateau-ing?error_user_id=9724272&error_username=raisingbabyk&hl=plateau

livestar

track sugar also. There are a lot of hidden sugars, esp in processed foods, so track both sodium and sugar. I hadn't been making ANY progress until I started tracking these.

Shaz_74

But I also noticed you are taking pre-natal vitamins, soooooo ..... could it be that you are losing YOUR weight but gaining BABY weight?

I noticed that too! OP are you pregnant?
Also, I don't see any exercise calories logged ... so on a day when you ate around 1300cals, you might have burned 300-400 in exercise and only had a NET intake of 900-1000 cals ..... WAAYYY too low.
Log your exercise calories and eat back at least half of them to fuel your workouts.

wrecked_willow

You may be adding some muscle in place of the fat you have lost. Are you clothes fitting better? Do you take measurements??

I do take measurements, it hasnt gone done, and my clothes dont fit better...

addisondisease2

Also, if you can, try to break down your meals into smaller meals.

No science behind this what so ever, it doesn't matter if you eat 1,500 calories in one meal or 5 meals. 1,500 is 1,500.

And if you have to eat "bad", try to do it earlier in the day.

NO science behind this what so ever, you can eat big macs at 10pm and still lose weight, there is no "magic eating time"

As far as your workout, you may need to cut down on cardio a bit and lift more weights.

Lifting weights, with a proper diet, will help you look better than cardio ever will. Aim for a 80-20 strength/cardio routine.

Not heavier, just more reps.

If you can get more than 10 reps the golden rule is to go heavier.

wrecked_willow

I looked at your diary and I don't see the sodium being tracked so that part is hard to tell. And I agree, you are eating a lot of processed foods.

But I also noticed you are taking pre-natal vitamins, soooooo ..... could it be that you are losing YOUR weight but gaining BABY weight?

I'm not pregnant yet, we're trying though! I read in a lot of books that it's good for your body to start taking them before pregnancy!

iuangina

My suggestions:
1. You are not eating enough calories if you are exercising as much as you stated.
2. You are having too many carbs and not enough protein on most days (I only looked at about a week of stuff)

Are you pregnant?

havingitall

Cut back on carbs and up your protein. Eat lots of fruits and veggies

SuzyQq02

I take a PNV and am definitely not PG, but my doctor suggested them for any woman of child bearing age as well as for sure taking them for 6-12 months before you try to get pregnant, so it's not always related. :-)

I agree with watching sodium. I have low blood pressure too, but my doc has never been concerned with upping my sodium intake, and has actually told me drinking enough water and getting enough veggies is actually more beneficial than the small bump I might see from increased sodium. (I'm still over most days and don't really sweat it, but I do notice a difference in my water retention.)

wrecked_willow

I noticed you don't log your exercise calories which means your not eating them back. You are probably eating too little for the amount of work your body needs to fuel itself after exercise.

Check out this thread:
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/501511-great-read-on-plateau-ing?error_user_id=9724272&error_username=raisingbabyk&hl=plateau

I do log my exercise, this week I couldn't go to the gym because I've been sick since last sunday. But usually I do log them in.

jmaffett

I don't believe that you're not eating enough food. Are you measuring your portions? Could be that you're not eating as little as you think? That's always my problem!!!

Are you also working out as hard as you think you are? Do you base your calorie burn on a heart rate monitor?

Just a couple of suggestions

lisaidem

cgwatson is right--even if you are retaining a buttload of water from sodium, if you are truly losing fat, you would still see a change in the scale. I agree with the suggestions that you should try tracking your measurements, because you may be gaining muscle. And if you ARE pregnant, then I can't imagine you are doing anything wrong...
BTW
Calorie deficit is calorie deficit, from a weight loss perspective, and you will still lose weight eating processed foods. Nutrition and overall health is another issue, but calories are calories. And if someone says that your body burns "good" calories faster than "bad" calories, please run.
You don't need to eat small frequent meals, that is a matter of personal preference. Now this is my OPINION, but eating 100 calorie packs or snacks does not work--I am "hungry" 20 minutes later. 100 calories is nothing to your body.