I don't understand what I'm doing wrong

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  • 3dogsrunning
    3dogsrunning Posts: 27,167 Member
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    Read this
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/350212--why-scales-lie

    THe scale is the least reliable way to measure your success.
  • geluf2
    geluf2 Posts: 12
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    Opening my diary would, unfortunately, be useless for you. I'm very, very bad about actually entering everything in the diary. I keep track of everything during the day on a post-it note but almost never input it into the diary because I'm usually only on the computer once or twice a day and never think about it when I'm on.

    I'm 6' 1". I measure *everything*. I have a small kitchen scale that I use for this purpose. I know precisely what I'm putting in my body. I don't eat out. As near as I can tell, my clothes fit exactly the same and I've seen no noticeable change in measurement around the waist.

    I changed a LOT of stuff about my lifestyle to start trying to lose weight. And if I'm still not doing enough, then I just don't think its worth it.
  • 3dogsrunning
    3dogsrunning Posts: 27,167 Member
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    Water retention is something I've never bought into (seems like an easy excuse to me) so I would disregard that personally.

    Could be muscle gain. Again, this is often used as an easy excuse, and in many cases I very much doubt it's validity as an excuse for gaining weight, but in this case (only 2lbs in 2 months) it's possible.

    But more likely, I would suggest that it's something in your diet. how confident are you about those 1700 calories? Do you weight everything accurately? Do you count all snacks, dressing, and the lot?

    Are you eating your exercise calories back? If not, there is absolutely no doubt that you should be.

    if you are, then be careful about the reported calorie burn figures here on MFP, they're widely agreed as being far too high (leading you to eat back more calories than you burned, which could well explain the weight gain).

    I'd buy water retention over gaining 2lbs of muscle in a month.
    Being someone who has dropped water weight intentionally, I completely believe in it. Our muscle retain water when storing glycogen. Increase exercise can increase glycogen, which means increased water stored, which means extra weight. How we eat can affect this as well. It plays a huge role in our weight.
  • geluf2
    geluf2 Posts: 12
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    I *will* say that I have noticed a minor change in the muscles in my arms. There is definitely some build there, but the discouraging thing is my waist. I'm at 42 inches, I have a loooooooong way to go and nothing is happening there.
  • cgrout78
    cgrout78 Posts: 1,679 Member
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    OK. I'm 5'4", and I net 1700 a day. So i'm thinking you might need to eat more.
  • warmachinejt
    warmachinejt Posts: 2,167 Member
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    Yeap, you definitely are undereating since i suspect you're eating too little for your weight.
  • geluf2
    geluf2 Posts: 12
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    So myfitnesspal is off? Because its telling me I should shoot for 1720.
  • 3dogsrunning
    3dogsrunning Posts: 27,167 Member
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    So myfitnesspal is off? Because its telling me I should shoot for 1720.

    Well it depends on the goal you chose. HOw much weight do you have left to lose? What did you choose as a goal per week?

    And don't forget, MFP suggests you eat back your exercise calories because they don't account for it. IF you weren't working out, 1700 might be ok. But when you add in exercise, you need to eat more.
  • rhichi
    rhichi Posts: 133
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    How did you set up your goals? If you put in a different level of activity, or an inaccurate workout frequency, that could cause the system to generate the wrong calorie goal for you.
  • 3dogsrunning
    3dogsrunning Posts: 27,167 Member
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    It looks like you have less than 20lbs left to lose. 1lb or less a week should be your goal, not 2 lbs. If you select that MFP is going to tell you to eat more calories.
  • geluf2
    geluf2 Posts: 12
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    It looks like you have less than 20lbs left to lose. 1lb or less a week should be your goal, not 2 lbs. If you select that MFP is going to tell you to eat more calories.

    I just re-adjusted my goals. I wonder if that was the issue because now its telling me to eat 1930.
  • warmachinejt
    warmachinejt Posts: 2,167 Member
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    Unless you're really short 1930+ eating back exercise calories sounds right to me.
  • geluf2
    geluf2 Posts: 12
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    I guess I'll give that a shot then. I'll probably go for 2,000 since thats a nice round number I can work with.

    It's going to feel really weird eating more though.

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