Help please! I can't figure out why I'm not losing weight

Jcmd83

Hi everyone!

This is my 1st week on myfitnesspal. My goal was to lose 1-2 lbs. According to my calculations I should have lost 1.6 lbs this week based on my calorie intake and calories burned through exercise. But I only lost around 0.5 lbs, which I found very disappointing. I want to stick with this weight loss journey, but for quite some time now (way before I joined my fitness pal), I've struggled to make a dent in my weight. According to the calculator on this site, my daily calorie goal is 1310, to lose 1 lb/week, which means I should eat 9170 lbs/week. I ate 8027 calories this week ( a little under, but never below my minimal daily allowance of 1200 calories), so I should have lost 1 lb just by meeting the weekly goal, and then another 0.6 lbs between the 1072 calories I burned w/ exercise (all cardio this week) and the 1143 calories I ate below my weekly target. I just made my diary public, so if anyone has any insight into why my numbers seem so off, and what I can do to improve, I'd really appreciate it! I'd like to have a better week this week, and not get discouraged....

Thanks so much!!

bradthemedic

You have to ask yourself: Are you in this for a week, or a lifetime? You won't hit your goal in a week. These things take time and the body can't just work like a computer (like MFP does). It adjusts, stores, loses water, holds water and does things we don't fully understand with science yet.

So - are you in this for the long haul or a quick 2 week experiment?

bobie1978

You should eat more! If you diary is correct!

Barbellerella

Did you just start exercising? Your body holds on to water when you start lifting or heavy exercising for the first time.. Make sure you take measurements, the scale is just a tool, it does not tell you everything.

Cadori

Every time I've started to try to lose weight (after years of starting and restarting...and restarting) it takes a few weeks for it to register on the scale.

itontae

Keep going.
But ditch all that processed stuff.
Eat real food ( not shakes and pizza )
Lean meats , fish, poultry.
Vegetables, fruit. whole grains .
Good luck.

Tashia_HH

I agree with Bradthemedic, how long are you in this for? You have to be patient, because weight loss is not linear. Some weeks you will lose a pound, some weeks you won't. Also, check your sodium intake. If you're eating pre-processed food with a ton of sodium then most likely that is where your problem is. Are you drinking enough water to flush the crap out of your system? I mean, look, losing weight takes a work and you have to stick with it long enough to see what works for you. Good luck.

delonda1

Honestly the calculators on the site are just an estimate.... workout more and eat healthier. eat good lean meats, lots of veggies and a little fruit in there...LOTS AND LOTS OF WATER


it takes time and patience...

make sure with your workouts you are pushing yourself and not just going through the motions. your body gets used to it after awhile and you need to through something new at it

also looking at your diary I would change up your eating habits...add more protein to breakfast maybe eggs and a meat....and take out all the carbs everyday...maybe have them 1 or 2 times a week... and the sugar... it makes a difference. and the sodium level

kdeaux1959

Make sure your portions are correct. Many times we think 9 oz is 6 oz... If you are not using food scales and such, those things can be difficult to assess. Best wishes on your journey.

ginique

Don't feel discouraged! This is a journey that will test your patience like none other. It takes the body a bit of time to adjust to a new way of eating. Sometimes you'll eat by the book and the scale will show a GAIN. It's just all part of the process. In time, you'll get to where you want to be...if you stick with it.

kittyfrost

You have to ask yourself: Are you in this for a week, or a lifetime? You won't hit your goal in a week. These things take time and the body can't just work like a computer (like MFP does). It adjusts, stores, loses water, holds water and does things we don't fully understand with science yet.

So - are you in this for the long haul or a quick 2 week experiment?

This is what I was thinking. You can only really estimate how much you can lose but it's never certain. 0.5lbs is good for a week! Some weeks you might lose more, some weeks less. Just keep at it. Make sure you eat a NET of 1200 on days you exercise.

jfwarman

Yeah brad is talking the truth... You have to hit the diet hard and not worry so much about the weight for now, I've just reached the end of 2.5 months.. 2.5 stone (or 38 lb) loss and to be honest it's been HARD!!!

I was on 2lb a week loss and allowed 1290 calories as a 6ft - 220 lb man... You can imagine it's not been the most fun but now I've reached my normal BMI I'm well pleased. Sometimes you lose little one week, weigh yourself a few days later and you've dropped 4 pounds.. Happened to me a few times during my journey.

Just stick with it... It will happen and it will take a while.. Accept you're not allowed anything nice, drink tons of water and no alcohol at all and you will get there... The less effort you give this the longer it will take... Go hard and good luck!!

Oh and the only exercise i did was to walk for 30 mins a day for 5 days a week... No gym and running or whatever!!

bradthemedic

There's amazing advice in this thread. If you read it and take it to heart and put it in practice, you WILL have success.

tldust

You have to ask yourself: Are you in this for a week, or a lifetime? You won't hit your goal in a week. These things take time and the body can't just work like a computer (like MFP does). It adjusts, stores, loses water, holds water and does things we don't fully understand with science yet.

So - are you in this for the long haul or a quick 2 week experiment?

^this

This is a lifestyle change. There are no quick fixes.

shicken684

What everyone else has said. I was a bit disappointed when I only last 2lb in 3 weeks when I started, regardless of hitting my calorie goals, and exercising every day. Then on weeks 4 and 5, without changing anything I dropped 10lb and it's been a pretty steady 1.5lb/week drop since then. Change of lifestyle is hell on our bodies and it takes time to adjust. Stick with it, be honest with your calories, log everything and if you are hitting your numbers, you WILL lose weight.

killinme

I have stopped losing because I am playing tennis, but my clothes all fit differently. I am soooo much healthier though.

Hang in there!!

LaurenAOK

Unfortunately, weight loss isn't always simple math. There are SO many factors such as hormones, water weight, etc. that can contribute to weight loss week by week. The important thing is that you DID lose weight - that means you're on the right track! One week is not nearly enough time to determine success. Some weeks I don't lose as much as I should based on the math, and some weeks I lose more than I should! This is a lifestyle change. Stick with it and you will see the results. You just gotta give it time! Now if in a few weeks you are still finding that you don't lose much, it may be time to examine your eating and exercise habits, etc. For now it's really just too early to tell.

CristaA42962

Try taking your measurments too! A lot of factors could be playing in. It doesn't mean you aren't losing. Keep track of those too and you will notice a change. Sometimes scales aren't as accurate as we think!! Just keep trying hard and eventually you will reach your goal!!

TR56

0.5 is great for a week!

The biggest thing is to stick with whatever you try. You can't be ready to change a diet after 1 week unless you just want to Yo-Yo diet and never keep your goal. The other hard part is that our bodies don't necessarily lose weight just because of a calorie deficit. It really depends on the macros (carbs, fats, proteins). Bodies respond to different levels than others. I personally do well with low carb. I can take 100+g of fat and 200+g of protein and lose weight if my carbs are under 50-60g. Others can have carbs up in the 150-250g range, keep fat low, and lose weight.

The best thing you can do is try something and stick with it for a few weeks to a month. If that doesn't make you lose weight, then switch to another diet style.

mcarter99

Don't take the numbers so literally. They're just averages. If you average X deficit a day you'll average Y weight loss, but that's over the long term, like months, not one week.

So keep at it and don't consider the scale your report card. Consider your inputs (your daily calorie intake/output goals) to be the score card. Did you do what you set out to all week? If yes, then YOU WIN! The scale will follow eventually. It takes time.

CinJay

Hey there,

It takes more than a week to start losing. Your body doesn't have a schedule. Also, having looked at your diary, it doesn't seem like you're eating enough, and I would definitely up the natural food content (not processed) and drink plenty of water (I drink up to 12 cups a day). It takes a lot of patience - not one of my strong suits so I'm one to talk lol! But it's true... I've been on here for 145 days, and while I've not lost a ton of weight (15.2 lbs), I've lost 15.25 inches, so I would not just rely on the scale but rely more on measurements.

Check out some of the groups on MFP, like: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/groups/home/3817-eat-more-to-weigh-less

When you start something like this, you have to forgo the "quick fix" and do something that you'll be able to manage long-term - nothing worth having comes without hard work and dedication

Good luck :flowerforyou:

Jezebel9

Keep going.
But ditch all that processed stuff.
Eat real food ( not shakes and pizza )
Lean meats , fish, poultry.
Vegetables, fruit. whole grains .
Good luck.

this

Prudiddy

Make sure your portions are correct. Many times we think 9 oz is 6 oz... If you are not using food scales and such, those things can be difficult to assess. Best wishes on your journey.

This is true, I said the same thing at first, I started in April and was very serious about getting the weight off. After I started measuring everything, working out daily and making smarter food choices, within the first two weeks the weight started coming off at about 1.5 lbs a week some weeks 2 lbs. But that is a strict diet, and burning at least 500 per day. Without the extra burn, about 1 lb per week always. I keep my diary open for every one to see, I try not to cheat because I know my old habbits and want to give myself a fair chance this time around. I refuse to weigh in until June 17, 2012 because that is my first goal date of 20 lbs loss. I am sure I will meet the goal+a pound or 2 more. I could not do this if I wasn't consistant with all of it, you can too.
Keep up the good work and add me as a friend if you need more support. My final goal is to reach 80 total by Oct. 21, 2012 It's all about the numbers for me and motivation.

Jezebel9

Unfortunately, weight loss isn't always simple math. There are SO many factors such as hormones, water weight, etc. that can contribute to weight loss week by week. The important thing is that you DID lose weight - that means you're on the right track! One week is not nearly enough time to determine success. Some weeks I don't lose as much as I should based on the math, and some weeks I lose more than I should! This is a lifestyle change. Stick with it and you will see the results. You just gotta give it time! Now if in a few weeks you are still finding that you don't lose much, it may be time to examine your eating and exercise habits, etc. For now it's really just too early to tell.

this also

esphixiet

I would recommend not trusting MFP to give you proper numbers. The calories they offer are too low, and the exercise calories are calculated too high.
I highly recommend doing some research into BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate) and TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure). You will not find success or lasting results if you aren't giving your body the fuel it needs to function on a basic level.
BMR Calculator: http://www.fitnessfrog.com/calculators/bmr-calculator.html
TDEE Calculator: http://www.fitnessfrog.com/calculators/tdee-calculator.html

This gives you the MINIMUM caloric intake (BMR), and MAXIMUM caloric intake (TDEE) for your body to function and still lose weight. of course these are estimates, so you can tweak them to get the best results for you.

You also should find a "style" of eating that suits your needs. I do low carb/pescetarian. After years of being a carbaholic the freedom from food I feel is a revelation. Clean eating is the bare minimum to a healthier lifestyle. Find food products that have as close to one ingredient as possible (broccoli! Chicken!! Cream & bacterial cultures (i.e. yogurt!) etc!)

And allow yourself the odd treat. Depriving yourself will just ensure that when you binge, you binge hard.

Also, go easy on yourself!!! Figuring out all this stuff is HARD. There's a huge learning curve if you want to do it properly. I lost 30 lbs doing weight watchers 6 years ago, but I didn't learn HOW to eat properly, so I gained it back when I stopped counting. This time around with the help of these forums, some REALLY knowledgeable people on here, and sheer determination, I'm learning how to fuel my body, not just shed pounds.

Just for your info, so you know I'm not talking out of my *kitten*, I'm 5'4", SW (January 2012) was 234.5, CW is 193.5.

Good luck, and feel free to add me as a friend if you like

SoozeE512

There was only one day I really noticed you had fruits and veggies a few times in a day. Your portions were low but if you slowly increase them over time, you'll notice more weight loss. Your body will thank you for the nutrients you'll get from fresh unprocessed foods by allowing you to lose weight easier. Include more fruits and veggies in your diet every day, not just on occasion. Make them a daily routine. Also, I noticed that your protein is always pretty low. Try nuts, beans, and meats. And don't be afraid of all fats. The fats in nuts, for instance, will also help your body - just remember, when it comes to fats, moderation is key! Whole grains (oats, wheat, rye, bran, etc.) will also help with weight loss. And drink lots of water!

kris4chloe

you are doing great. i didnt see any loss my first 2 weeks, then week 3 my body played catch up. weight loss is not the same week in and week out. i will go a week or two with no loss, and then the following week my body will lose like crazy. just keep on keeping on.

also take measurements and take photos to track your progress.

if you are exercising keep a log of your endurance and increased strength.

this needs to be about getting healthy and strong not just skinny

Cmonnowguys

.5 lbs is the perfect amount to lose in a week. You probably have to up your cals a bit if you plan on doing this permanently. More than 1lb a week is too much, especially if you don't have a ton to lose. I started with 1200 cals and I have upped it to 1900. I am losing weight consistently and I eat well.

These two articles specifically explain how to get a healthy calorie goal that will give you a slight deficit to lose weight:

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/512956-tdee-what-is-it-and-why-you-should-not-eat-below-your-bmr
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/521728-upping-cals-what-to-expect-why-you-need-patience

Jcmd83

Thanks everyone for the great advice and words of encouragement. I have a lot to learn, but I'm excited. Thanks again!

BOO2819

I really needed to read this! Thanks!

lizziebeth1028

Don't take the numbers so literally. They're just averages. If you average X deficit a day you'll average Y weight loss, but that's over the long term, like months, not one week.

So keep at it and don't consider the scale your report card. Consider your inputs (your daily calorie intake/output goals) to be the score card. Did you do what you set out to all week? If yes, then YOU WIN! The scale will follow eventually. It takes time.

^^ This, very well said!!

Patience!!!!!!! You can not gauge your progress on one weeks worth of work!!!