Help! Why am I not loosing?

dbernst3

So I joined MFP 25 days ago today. I have been working out anywhere from 3-5 days a week, and religiously counting my calories. I feel healthier, but I don't see the number changing on the scale. I know that weight loss takes time, but this is very discouraging. Is there any advice you guys can give me? MFP has me at a 1200/ day calorie goal, I am 5'6, 150 lbs. I am trying to loose 25lbs. I mix up my work outs; usually I do kickboxing one day, elliptical for 30 mins and walking 3.5- 4.0 uphill on the treadmill 2-3 times a week, and cycling class 1-2 times a week. I haven't really been lifting weights, because in the past lifting weights has caused me to bulk up when I want to tone up and slim down.

If there is anymore information you need from me let me know. I don't understand all the terms that you guys use on here and how you could possibly eat more to loose weight. I am considering going to a dietition or a nutritionist, but I figured I would ask you guys first before I actually spent money on advice.

_HeathBar_

Are you sure you are measuring your food properly and counting the calories correctly? If you have really been eating only 1200/day for 25 days without cheating, plus working out you should have lost something by now.

Also, what do you have your weekly weight loss goal set to? If it's 2 lbs per week I would suggest moving it to 1lb per week.

now_or_never12

What do you eat in a day? It would be helpful to see your diary.

Are you measuring your foods? Weighing them when needed? Or do you "eyeball" your servings?

Do you pay attention to the portion sizes on things? For example, the small cartons (500mls) of milk/chocolate milk most people drink in a sitting but that carton is actually two servings.

Do you drink enough water? Do you eat a lot of processed and packaged foods? As quick and easy as frozen lunches/dinners are they are LOADED with sodium.

Do you eat back your exercise calories? What is your weight loss goal set at?

1,200 may be too little for you. This site puts a lot of people at that goal and for most people it's far too little. It's weird but you can lose weight (and sometimes lose it faster) eating more.

Females don't really bulk up with lifting weights unless they are taking some form of suppliment. Do you think you are bulking up because your muscles look bigger afterwards? Could be water retention/muscle repair. Do you think you are bulking up because of gains on the scale? Again could be water/muscle repair however could be increasing muscle mass (which can be hard to do at such low calories though).

dbernst3

I made my food diary public so you guys can see it. I don't always put the water in there but all i pretty much drink is water and I drink A LOT of it. I have my settings set to loose 1.2/ lbs a week.


Yes I do fault at eyeballing my portions, but I do have an idea about the portion sizes. I do NOT eat a lot of processed foods, and I try to not intake a lot of sodium because it reacts bad on my body.

I feel like I bulk up because when I work out a lot my clothes feel tighter, but I feel like I am in better shape if that makes sense.

aroby001

First of all it's important you don't get discouraged. Now, this could be happening for different reasons:

1. Too much sodium: If you are eating too much canned food (including tuna), too much salt, or not drinking enough water, you might be retaining liquid in your system.

2. Not tolerant to Carbs: You might not be so tolerant to big amounts of carbs. Have you noticed you tend to gain weight easily while having an average amount of carbs? The next day after eating carbs you tend to feel heavier, or bloated? Have you suffered from hyperinsulinism in the past? If any of these is your case, you might need to go to your goals and reset them. Instead of using the "custom" ones by MFP, you should create your own, where you eat at least 40% of protein, 30-40% carbs 20-30% fat.

3. Too many cheat meals: We tend to believe cheat days or cheat meals are necessary for us, when actually what would be ideal is to add some calories once or twice a week, while still making good choices. So if you've been having one cheat day a week, you might be gaining some of the small amount of weight you've been losing. Instead try to add around 200 calories once or twice a week in high protein, high fiber food, such as veggies, fruits, lean meats, and nuts

I hope this helps you.

now_or_never12

I would suggest you measure and weigh your foods for a while just to make sure you are using the correct portions you are accounting for. I thought I could eye ball portions and once I stopped losing and actually weighed and measured everything I realized I was eating more than I was counting. It's far too easy to think something is a certain amount without actually measuring it.

You do go over your sodium often so that may be something for you to keep an eye on. Some days you are over by 1,000mg... some days you are pretty good with it.

Do you count all the little things? Sugar in coffee/tea? Milk/cream in them? Condiments? Mayo on a sandwich? Etc. Those add up a lot.

Make sure that the information you are recording is correct. There are foods from all over the world in the tracker (which in a way is great!) however different areas make the same foods a little different (one thing from canada will have so many calories but the same thing in the states has more or less for example). Always double check the nutritional information on the packages you have to what is in the tracker. Far too many times I've noticed wrong information

NoAdditives

I suggest you eat more fresh vegetables and less refined sugar. Those two changes should help a lot. Also, you might try increasing your calories. 1200 is too little for most people.

dbernst3

Well I don't drink tea or coffee much, so I definately add the little things. And the only time I use mayo is if I'm eatting canned tuna or something. I've been trying my absoulte best to record everything and be honest about it, because if I wasn't honest I would know why I am not loosing!!

I suppose I should invest in a scale, because that might be the problem.

I feel better when I don't have a lot of sodium or carbs, yes, but I haven't had a problem medically with either of them. This past weekend for me was bad with going out, etc. But other than that I feel like I have been doing a pretty good job. I don't know, maybe I should give it another month and see what changes.

About my work outs, do they seem like they are okay? Or should I really be doing more weight training? I have been told that I should do light weight and more reps, or should I have it heavier weight and less reps?

Thanks for all of your help, I really just want to do this the healthy way. 7 years ago I did it the unhealthy way and I have gained about half my weight back.

dbernst3

I suggest you eat more fresh vegetables and less refined sugar. Those two changes should help a lot. Also, you might try increasing your calories. 1200 is too little for most people.

What am I eatting that has a lot of refined sugar? Is it the jello snacks?

Susan923

Please check out the forum "Eat more to weight less"
Take a day to really read everything and watch the videos and you will learn a ton and it will change your life.
GOOD LUCK!!

AnnieFJ

LOSE
LOSING

dbernst3

Please check out the forum "Eat more to weight less"
Take a day to really read everything and watch the videos and you will learn a ton and it will change your life.
GOOD LUCK!!

I have read some of it, but I really don't understand it. I'm scared, if you will, to try it and have more weight to lose.

meshashesha2012

eat more or at least eat the 1200+ half your exercise calories back

start taking your measurements and keep track of that

exercise isnt necessarily going to help with weight loss but it will definitely help with how you lose the weight. i lift heavy and am not bulking up because bulking up is more a factor of how many calories you are eating than how much weight you are lifting. if you're eating at a deficit then lifting heavy will make sure that you safe guard as much of your muscle mass as possible while losing weight. when you lose weight, your body will burn muscle as well as fat and glycogen, but if you lift heavy you tell your body to preserve the muscle since you're using it. you want to preserve muscle because that keeps your metabolism high since muscle is more active tissue than fat

chris_sy

About my work outs, do they seem like they are okay? Or should I really be doing more weight training? I have been told that I should do light weight and more reps, or should I have it heavier weight and less reps?

Do you use a heart rate monitor (HRM) to keep track of your calories burnt? If not and if you are really serious about your weight loss and fitness journey, it might be wise to invest in a decent HRM. I found that the calories burnt suggested by MFP and/or cardiovascular machines at the gym or your home sometimes are way off from the information I get from my HRM.

Don't give up on your journey. Read through the great advice from fellow MFPals on the forums and give it a try. It's well worth it - even if it takes a little longer.

pesigrandi

I looked at the last few days of your food diary. You're not eating real food. Too many carbs/sugar and not enough protein or fat. Not to mention too many processed foods. I realize not everyone likes to cook or has time but here's a sample diet that is easy to make and far more nutritional.

Breakfast: two eggs, berries with almond slivers
Lunch: salad with olive oil/basamico and meat (chicken, tuna or similar)
Dinner: meat, salad, green veggies

Skip the jello, corn products, etc.

calroseangelo

I had lost about 14 lbs and stopped losing. I asked around and one of my MFP friends suggested checking my sodium. Turns out I was eating like 3,000 mg of sodium a day!!! That's WAY too much!! I dropped it to 1500 for a couple days and started to lose again!! I have raised it to 1700 now, but I think watching your sodium intake is really important! It made a huge difference for me!! Don't give up!! There is a way. A lot of this is trial and error and what works for one person may not work for another. As a side note...I always try to net as close to 1200 cals a day. I eat my exercise cals back. Good luck!!