MFP LIED.......HELP!

LuciaLongIsland

So five weeks ago MFP said maintain this calorie count and you will weigh 205 in five weeks..well guess what I still weigh 220...the first two weeks I lost ten pounds and there I have stayed..the last two weeks based on advice from others I have increased my calorie count and yet here I am still at 220....I cut out bread cut out my protein bars...what else do I need to do....

Lower your calories. If you don't lose why are you increasing calories. I will never get that. Ask a doctor how many calories you should eat. People here can offer advice, but we are all different, I use my friends as support. If I need advice I see a doctor.

Sarahmeridith

Based on what Ive learned in my nuttition and anatomy classes... Your body will not allow you to lose weight if you are not taking in enough food, because it knows that it needs to store the fat to ensure it doesnt starve (die) same goes with water if you drink enough you dont retain, if you drink to little you retain because you body is trying to conserve what it has. Eat enough but not too much you will lose, eat too little you will not lose but you WILL make yourself sick. Eat the recomended calories, ear back at the very least half your work out calories. Drink a lot of water. You will without a doubt start losing. Good luck!

ShrinkingSusan

Sweetie, you need to eat. The first week one will drop a large amount of weight (mostly water), but that cannot be sustained over time. Eat 1200 net calories per day and you are nearly guaranteed to drop pounds and be healthy.

antiqueembryo

Another trick someone taught me when you are at a plateau and have stopped losing weight, is to go over by 200 calories or so for a day. My body seems to get used to eating a smaller amount and then stops losing weight, but if I up my calories for a day or two per week (I take one day off per week to eat what I want when I go out with friends), then it seems like my body stops retaining everything. I lost my target weight (6 lbs) in 6 weeks that way. Now I just go over because I don't need to lose anymore but kind of like logging my calories compulsively

RAFValentina

Yeah and did you eat the same thing every day and workout exactly the same every day and was the temperature in the room the same every day and were you awake/asleep for the exact same time every day?!

Basically, all it is saying, if you had actually had that deficit that day then the logic is that if you had the exact same day over and over again for 5 weeks you'd in theory lose that much weight by then. However, as you diet and as you shrink, the less calories you start needing, daily life variations stop you having the exact same day.

nikkisa10

Try http://www.freedieting.com/tools/calorie_calculator.htm to get the calories needed and chg your goals on MFP

Anne14534

Two quick points: First, that "end of day" calculator is simply that, a calculator. It means almost nothing to anyone but the "average" person. And no one is average, the average person is just a mathematical measurement of all of us together. Ignore it. I don't see any value in it at all.

Secondly, what everyone says about variety and nutrition sounds about spot on, as well as the need to bring a doctor or dietician (or good holistic nutritionist). Once a person's weight becomes a serious health problem, it would be foolish not to include professionals in the solution.

So don't be so hard on yourself. :-) Also... I know that losing 2 pounds a week probably feels like you'll never be done when the weight loss goal is large, but it really is the best and healthiest way. Slow and steady wins the race... and develops healthy habits and a healthy body to stay with for life.

Thanks for sharing. :flowerforyou:

cakeums

So five weeks ago MFP said maintain this calorie count and you will weigh 205 in five weeks..well guess what I still weigh 220...the first two weeks I lost ten pounds and there I have stayed..the last two weeks based on advice from others I have increased my calorie count and yet here I am still at 220....I cut out bread cut out my protein bars...what else do I need to do....

Lower your calories. If you don't lose why are you increasing calories. I will never get that. Ask a doctor how many calories you should eat. People here can offer advice, but we are all different, I use my friends as support. If I need advice I see a doctor.

She has nothing to lower her calories to! She is eating under 600 calories some days. Increasing your calories OVER what you burn in a day will cause you to gain weight, yes. Increasing from an unsustainably low number of calories to a healthy, nourishing number of calories a day will often help your metabolism come back up to what it's supposed to be. Say your BMR is 1600 calories a day, and your TDEE is 2300 a day, and you eat 700 calories a day consistently. Your BMR is going to slowly lower itself...then when you do have a day where you eat close to your TDEE - say, 2000 calories - your body is going to say, "OMG, FOOD!!!!" and hang onto every little morsel it can. If you actually eat to a healthy deficit - say, 250 calories off a TDEE of 2300 - and burn an extra couple hundred calories a day, you are setting yourself up for a nice pace of weight loss that you will actually be able to maintain. So yes, increasing calories does make sense if you are eating so few that your metabolism has slowed to a crawl.

Articeluvsmemphis

Drink plenty water

Eat when you get hungry

Choose good foods, fruits, nuts, veggies, proteins, dairy, etc. . .

Move your body, exercise

Don't over think the process

It's okay to go over calories

Be patient

lauriem1974

MFP does not lie, it is merely a guide line to help you lose weight. Quit blaming others for not losing the weight and start doing something about it! I hate when people come on here and bash the site. If you think it's a crock then leave! If you're overweight you and others should all know by now how to lose it. Stop starving yourself and eat the calories you're supposed to and you'll see a difference.

bjohs

I took a quick look at your diary, and I see alot of people remarking your not eating your calories. I agree with this but more importantly just going through about 3 days of your diary its quite evident your also not eating vast varieties of nutrition. I have an awful sweet problem and from what I see you also like them. (PLEASE DON'T TAKE OFFENSE TO THIS!). For example, look at yesterdays food. Take out every item that you had that was a sugary type snack. Including your breakfeast. You didn't have a variety of nutrition at all. Nutrition is the key for your metabo not to be sluggish. You gotta maintain a balanced day of foods to keep your sugar levels maintained so that your body burns and doesn't store. Eating your calories is not the most important thing but what makes up the calories your eating is. Try getting some fiber, good fats, protien, grains, fruits and veggies to make up more calories than anything. Get the right kinds of fuel in your body for your metabo..

Would love to help you on your journey, add me if you like and the best of luck to you.

^^This. Quality of your food is more important than the quantity of your food. I lose weight even when not reaching the 1200 calorie goal. It is not a magic number. When you start replacing your food choices from junk to healthy, whole foods... you'll start seeing results. Learn to love your vegetables and have lots of them! And don't buy anything that comes in a box or can. Shop the perimeter of your grocery store. Good luck!

misslissa121

After looking at your food log I really am not surprised. You are grossly undereating, and most of what you are eating are not good choices. When our body lacks what it needs to function it holds on to everything. I see you eat asparagus, but I have to wonder if it fresh or does it come out of a can. Processed foods are chock full of stuff our bodies don't need. As far under you are with calories, your sodium is not very far under. I see no drinks on there, so I wonder if you are drinking water, or are you not logging soda or other canned drinks. Eat what MFP tells you to eat, 1300 calories, eat back part of your exercise calories, drink 8 glasses of water, and stay away from processed food that have all sorts of hidden sodium.


I do not log my drinks, but I only drink plain water mainly, and maybe a glass a day of home brewed red tea (natually caffiene free) with no sugar/sweetener.

cynthia3010

I know I thought it was accurate. You have to eat enough to fuel the body if you don't it will go into starvation mode and won't release any weight, if you're not careful it will cause you to gain weight. Take your weight x 13 an it should be more accurage about how many calories you should eat. It will seem like a lot and it is when you're trying to eat health, if you went to texas roadhouse you would consume that many calories and more. Don't get disappointed try to stay focused and motivated, keep working out and the weight will come off. Make sure to drink plenty of fluids and try to eat every 2-3 hours. You can do it.

nikkisa10

Also, you may want to pick up The Eat Clean Diet by Tosca Reno....I looked at your diary and it may help to add more REAL food options....really hope that helps...hang in there

StrongGwen

so far no one has mentioned it so I will: it's way easy to overestimate the calories you are burning, so when in doubt estimate low. I've seen lots of posts that say MFP tends to be high on estimated calories for various activites. For example, sometimes I see where people post that they burn over 1,000 calories cleaning house. Maybe, but maybe not...

KDWS

So wait - you weighed 230lbs to start, and were eating to lose 25lbs in 5 weeks? Try setting your goal to 1lb/week and eating your calories. The if you are trying to consistently lose 5lbs/week, you would be creating a deficit of 2500 calories a day...so basically you would have to be eating practically nothing, or working out for hours every day.

Plus, that end of the day calculator is never right.

This!

NO I am on track to lose two pounds a week..I lost six the first week and four the next week and NOTHING the last three weeks...

KDWS

I do not log my drinks I drink mostly water and green tea if I drink a soda I log it...I will look into better food choices! I do eat fresh veggies when I can or I get the steamables in a bag...

gp79

Please post your height, weight, age and the frequency and duration of your workouts.

Jenne1979

So wait - you weighed 230lbs to start, and were eating to lose 25lbs in 5 weeks? Try setting your goal to 1lb/week and eating your calories. The if you are trying to consistently lose 5lbs/week, you would be creating a deficit of 2500 calories a day...so basically you would have to be eating practically nothing, or working out for hours every day.

Plus, that end of the day calculator is never right.

This!

NO I am on track to lose two pounds a week..I lost six the first week and four the next week and NOTHING the last three weeks...

The first 3 weeks are the easiest for weight to come off, it is mostly what they call "water weight". Variety is key, a variety of sensible foods and exercises. Aim to eat foods that have 1 ingredient... chicken....turkey...eggs...tomato etc. And remember sugar is enemy # 1!!!!

slightner

How do you know what your "net" calories are? I am wondering if I am not eating the correct amount of calories because at first I was losing and now I seem to have hit a plateau even though I am still doing Jillians 30 day shred and staying under my calorie goal. Also, have been very hungry this week and its been harder to stay within calories, where a couple of weeks ago I was eating snacks at night to get my calories to 1200 without ever feeling deprived. Any advice? Thanks!

russellma

Did it also say that based on your daily calorie intake, you may be eating too few calories?

As you know, it's important to eat fewer calories than you burn in a day in order to lose weight. 3500 calories is supposed to equal 1 lb., so that's where MFP gets that magic "in 5 weeks" number.

But... your body uses a different formula. Think of it as saying, "At this rate, in 5 weeks this gal is going to completely deplete my energy stores and I'd better hang on to this hunk of fat here to snack on later!" So while it's important that you don't eat enough calories to make your body store the extra as fat, it's also VERY important that you eat ENOUGH calories to convince it that it doesn't need to hang on to the fat it's already stored.

If I were you, I would try to make sure that the calories you eat minus the exercise calories you burn equal at least 1200 calories. Give your body a few weeks to notice the difference, because you've been telling it that it needs to hang on to every calorie for dear life.

Once you raise it up that far, you might find that need to raise it even further, based on your current weight and daily metabolic rate.

Good luck!

KDWS

I am 5'8", 45, bike for 30 to 45 minutes a day three times a week,

Athijade

You are not eating enough. There are days where you are only logged as eating 400 or so calories! This is below even medically supervised VLC diet amounts.

So either you are eating way to low for your body or you are not logging correctly.

abetterjune

NOT ALL CALORIES ARE MADE EQUAL.


Stop eating junk food like fast food and sweets.

Start eating 4-8 servings of vegetables a day.


You are what you eat, stop complaining.

bevskiwolf

You are what you eat, stop complaining.

THAT is completely unnecessary and rude. Don't speak to others like that.

wendinbill

I agree with many others that you aren't eating enough! Try getting close to your suggested calories, and be sure to log your exercise and eat those calories. Hang in there! 9 lbs in 2 weeks was a huge loss I've lost 9 in about 5 weeks.

hdlb123

I'm with the other too, you aren't eating near enough, and a lot of what you are eating is junk.

Try eating your daily calories (all of them) and making sure those calories are good calories (instead of chips or fast food) and see what happens after a few weeks.

tinattinat

I'm with the other too, you aren't eating near enough, and a lot of what you are eating is junk.

Try eating your daily calories (all of them) and making sure those calories are good calories (instead of chips or fast food) and see what happens after a few weeks.

I didn't look at your diary, but you need a minimum of 1200 calories a day. Another thing is 10 pounds in 2 weeks is A LOT! Your body is catching up! I wouldn't exactly call it a plateau, but your body can't keep up with that pace of weight loss. Give it time to catch up. I bet in a week or two if you stay consistent (and eat enough nutritious food and drink water) you'll be losing again at a nice clip! And when the scale stops, start measuring. Just because the scale won't budge, doesn't necessarily mean you aren't making progress! Good luck, dear.

yuckidah

So five weeks ago MFP said maintain this calorie count and you will weigh 205 in five weeks..well guess what I still weigh 220...the first two weeks I lost ten pounds and there I have stayed..the last two weeks based on advice from others I have increased my calorie count and yet here I am still at 220....I cut out bread cut out my protein bars...what else do I need to do....

I was going to start this very thread yesterday!
5 weeks ago it told me I'd be under 200lbs by now - well that didn't bloody happen!
Total lies unfortunately. I really wished it had been true.

biancardi

Just from viewing your diary - you do need to add more fresh fruits and veggies to your diet and cut out fast food/cookie/chocolate snacks.

I have a HUGE sweet tooth myself, and I understand the need for it, but MFP didn't lie - you aren't eating enough of good calories and eating too many empty calories.

I have found this great water drink for my chocolate sweet tooth - and it has NO calories and NO sugar: MetroMint chocolatemint water = made with real mint & cocoa essence - give it a try. I found it in the natural/organic section of my grocery store - they have a store locator at their site http://metromint.com/products/

you also need to journal better with your food diary. You skip meals and I am not sure if that is because you skipped that meal or you forgot to add it in.

anyway, if you are skipping one of the 3 major meals, you shouldn't. Even just have a nice salad with cucs, tomatoes, chickpeas, shredded carrots with low fat dressing is getting your veggies in.

instead of those bars you are having for breakfast, why not get unsweetened shredded wheat & bran cereal, with 1% milk and some fresh berries? You will feel more satisfied than a bar. I eat fiber bars myself, but I save those for a snack and I eat Fiber One - Fiber One, Oats & Chocolate - 140 cals per bar. It is much less Abbott - Classic Zone Perfect® - Fudge Graham Nutrition Bar.