What am I doing wrong?

MissGeorgiaPeachy

Hi I was wondering if anyone could take a look at my food diary and tell me where I'm going wrong besides not eating 1200 calories every day. Last week on day 7 I had lost 9 lbs and this week my scale hasn't budged at all and I'm on day 5. Thursday I go in to my doctor's office to weigh in, have my bp checked and get my B12/B6/Lipo shot.

Is it because my daily calories are so inconsistent or is my body already going into starvation mode and storing whatever it can?

It's so frustrating to get results one week and nada the next.

DanaDark

Whats your BMR and what is your TDEE?

What exercises do you do?

You calories seem frantic and all over the place. Are you logging EVERYTHING you eat?

MissGeorgiaPeachy

Whats your BMR and what is your TDEE?

What exercises do you do?

You calories seem frantic and all over the place. Are you logging EVERYTHING you eat?

I really have no idea. I started the Friday before last and I haven't measured anything but weight and blood pressure. I am logging everything, yes. I'm not eating a lot because I also started with phentermine just to suppress my appetite and get used to portion control.

beezlebubb

Just by taking a quick look, it looks like you are eating out a lot, which may mean that you don't 100% know whats going in your food OR the cals/nutrition. I'm saying that because they way restaurants prepare each item may vary, so the NI may not be 100% accurate.

I think upping the fruits and veg, trying to focus meals around lean protein, not carbs, and cooking more at home would increase losses (and most definitely health!)

DanaDark

Grats on starting... Lets get to work then!

Calculate your BMR here: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/tools/bmr-calculator

Calculate your TDEE here: http://www.fitnessfrog.com/calculators/tdee-calculator.html

BMR = How much you burn simply being alive.

TDEE = How much you burn in your every day life.

You calorie goal should be to eat MORE than your BMR, but LESS than you TDEE.

The deficit of calories you are looking for is 500 to 1000. If TDEE - BMR is less than that, you can throw in exercise to up spent calories for the day.

Try not to have too high of a deficit. Also try to eat more than your BMR. Eating lower than BMR for long periods can cause adverse effects on the metabolism.

ladybug1620

9 lbs is a lot to lose in one week, so it's no surprise you haven't lost this week. You should be losing about 1-2 lbs average a week. So if you think about it, you've lost enough for about a month in just a week's time. You'll lose again eventually, just keep at it. I didn't look at your diary but from your description you probably need to eat more also

nbme

Grats on starting... Lets get to work then!

Calculate your BMR here: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/tools/bmr-calculator

Calculate your TDEE here: http://www.fitnessfrog.com/calculators/tdee-calculator.html

BMR = How much you burn simply being alive.

TDEE = How much you burn in your every day life.

You calorie goal should be to eat MORE than your BMR, but LESS than you TDEE.

The deficit of calories you are looking for is 500 to 1000. If TDEE - BMR is less than that, you can throw in exercise to up spent calories for the day.

Try not to have too high of a deficit. Also try to eat more than your BMR. Eating lower than BMR for long periods can cause adverse effects on the metabolism.

Oh, is this why I've been in such a huge plateau??? MFP has my my daily calorie intake set to about the same amount my BMR is....so days that I eat less than my MFP, I'm not eating enough? Ooops. I'm going to up my calories and see if I can move off this plateau.

needamulligan

I do think that you aren't eating enough calories. Try to eat all of the allotted calories, at least 1200. I also noticed that much of your food choices are prepared and high in sodium. That could make you retain water. I forgot if you mentioned exercise or not. But adding exercise will help your progress. Good luck! and stick to it!

signgrrrl

Eat some REAL food. Tis the season for some fresh veggies... fruit... Stay away from the processed crap. Balance.

jurdejong

I just checked your diary. You need to eat more and not only fruit and bars. Eat some real stuff. Some rice, pasta, veggies. Also, never skip breakfast.
Good luck!

mamasmaltz3

You need to think about the food you eat food not in terms of "Is this gong to make me lose weight?". But, in terms of "Is this good fuel for my body?". Eating 600 to 900 calories even of nutrient rich foods is not going to give your body the number of nutrients it needs. I am trying to get in the mindset that food is fuel. If I want to keep a campfire burning I have to feed it. If you want to keep your metabolism burning you got to give it good fuel. I know you have said you are having energy problems on this number of calories. I eat least 1400 calories and on the days I exercise I eat more. You would feel much better mentally and physically if you up your calories. You would have the energy for more exercise which in turn is going to fuel your metabolism even more and make you feel that much better about yourself. You have taken the hardest first steps in this journey, you CAN do it!

Angebartle

I just took a quick look at your diary and it looks like you may need to bump up your breakfast. Try some grains and protein in with the fruit. I am not a morning person and it kills me to eat breakfast but starting today I'm making a pack with myself to try my best to get a good meal in the am. When I do I feel better and I'm not as hungry when my 10 am break comes around.

keep up the good work!

MissGeorgiaPeachy

Just by taking a quick look, it looks like you are eating out a lot, which may mean that you don't 100% know whats going in your food OR the cals/nutrition. I'm saying that because they way restaurants prepare each item may vary, so the NI may not be 100% accurate.

I think upping the fruits and veg, trying to focus meals around lean protein, not carbs, and cooking more at home would increase losses (and most definitely health!)

I do need to cut back on eating out. My willpower is still very low and when my family brings home restaurant food it's hard to say no, but I do try to log everything and not go over my macros... but I didn't think about possible errors in reporting NI. It's really hard for me to log foods prepared at home also because I have no idea how much of everything my mom puts into dinner... I am living at home at the moment and I work until 6 p.m. so dinner is usually ready and waiting.

I can definitely up the fruits, but I really dislike vegetables unless I have something to dip them in... and the only dressing/dip I like is Hidden Valley Ranch and not the light kind. I can't stand the light one. Also, I only like steamed vegetables if they have butter on them or I just can't force myself to eat them. I promise I'm not making excuses! haha I'm a really picky eater.

MissGeorgiaPeachy

Grats on starting... Lets get to work then!

Calculate your BMR here: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/tools/bmr-calculator

Calculate your TDEE here: http://www.fitnessfrog.com/calculators/tdee-calculator.html

BMR = How much you burn simply being alive.

TDEE = How much you burn in your every day life.

You calorie goal should be to eat MORE than your BMR, but LESS than you TDEE.

The deficit of calories you are looking for is 500 to 1000. If TDEE - BMR is less than that, you can throw in exercise to up spent calories for the day.

Try not to have too high of a deficit. Also try to eat more than your BMR. Eating lower than BMR for long periods can cause adverse effects on the metabolism.

Thanks for the links!! I did the calculations and my BMR is 1770 and my TDEE is 3693. There's no way I'll be going over my TDEE because on a good day I can do 1200 (lately anyway)...so I should be eating more than 1770 calories? I can't imagine how I could eat that much.

MissGeorgiaPeachy

9 lbs is a lot to lose in one week, so it's no surprise you haven't lost this week. You should be losing about 1-2 lbs average a week. So if you think about it, you've lost enough for about a month in just a week's time. You'll lose again eventually, just keep at it. I didn't look at your diary but from your description you probably need to eat more also

I didn't look at it that way. I was so focused on my scale not moving this week that I lost sight of how much I lost last week. I guess I can chill out for a few more weeks before I really start freaking out again, haha.

MissGeorgiaPeachy

I do think that you aren't eating enough calories. Try to eat all of the allotted calories, at least 1200. I also noticed that much of your food choices are prepared and high in sodium. That could make you retain water. I forgot if you mentioned exercise or not. But adding exercise will help your progress. Good luck! and stick to it!

Thanks! I really do need to work on eating more fresh foods, it's just that I'm so picky. I'm definitely not fat because I'm an emotional or boredom eater... I just love fatty, bad-for-you foods. lol

But to combat high sodium I should be drinking tons of water, right? I haven't been logging my water consumption at all, but I'm positive it's too low as well.

direwolfprincess

Grats on starting... Lets get to work then!

Calculate your BMR here: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/tools/bmr-calculator

Calculate your TDEE here: http://www.fitnessfrog.com/calculators/tdee-calculator.html

BMR = How much you burn simply being alive.

TDEE = How much you burn in your every day life.

You calorie goal should be to eat MORE than your BMR, but LESS than you TDEE.

The deficit of calories you are looking for is 500 to 1000. If TDEE - BMR is less than that, you can throw in exercise to up spent calories for the day.

Try not to have too high of a deficit. Also try to eat more than your BMR. Eating lower than BMR for long periods can cause adverse effects on the metabolism.

Thanks for this! I see these discussed around but wasn't 100% clear on some of the suggested guidelines. I knew my BMR but never saw the TDEE and knew that I should range in the middle. Great info!

jmoralesx5

Your sugar is very low...that is great! Your protein is also very low...not so great. You should have 1g of protein for each pound of muscle (some say your weight). So you really need to up that. Protein is what feeds your muscles and repairs your muscles after a workout. Also, you really do need to shoot for hitting your calories per day...and with "healthy" calories. The drink at Applebees helps boost your calorie intake, but you could've eaten 2 chicken breasts (260 calories/46g protein) and gotten better nutrition. I'm not saying skip the drink it didn't have sugar so that's good, but i'm saying think about where you are getting your calories from. You can friend me and look at my diet if you'd like. Good luck and know this is a work in progress!

MissGeorgiaPeachy

I just checked your diary. You need to eat more and not only fruit and bars. Eat some real stuff. Some rice, pasta, veggies. Also, never skip breakfast.
Good luck!

Thanks! I need to wake up earlier to have time to prepare breakfast. It's so easy to just keep the bars in my desk because I'm notorious for not having time for breakfast or forgetting my lunch. I've got to find veggies I like, but as far as pasta and rice... are we talking brown and wheat?

murphy612

Ok everyone is throwing all this information at you but, if you are on phentermine and you are eating Healthwise suppliments you must be under the care of a doctor or nutritionist, no? If not where are you getting these things? If you are then they have given you a diet plan, including calories and a menu, right? sorry I'm just confused by looking at your food log.

SavCal71

You are eating way under your calories.
You are eating very few fresh fruits and vegetables.
You are eating a lot of processed crap.
Where is the real food?

and where is the exercise?