I need help! Please! What am I doing wrong?

emphoto2003

Hey guys! I am so discouraged right now and I could really use some guidance. I don't know what I am doing wrong. Can someone please look at my diary and help me out. I am alloted 1800 calories per day. I do step areobics for 20-30 mins, and according to MFP and what I have read I am burning about 500 calories per day. I am staying within my calorie range. Last week I decided I wasn't eating enough calories because my net was too low so I started eating closer to my 1800 and I lost about a lb or so.

I keep gaining/losing the same two lbs over and over. Do I need to eat more/less? Workout more? Can someone explain the net vs calorie intake vs exercise thing to me? I know there has to be a formula for losing weight and I'm just not getting something right.

I'd appreciate any insight anyone has. I'm still a newbie and trying to figure things out. I've lost around 13 lbs so far but I cannot manage to get out of the 290's range no matter how hard I try. I'm 5'9", 292 lbs.

thanks!

emphoto2003

Oh, I'm 36 if the age helps. Thanks!

Nikid1926

I am not sure on the net front, as I don't look at that I simply eat my calories that I am allowed and then my exercise is a bonus, I would say you need to be eating your 1800 cals a day otherwise your body is going to have enough fuel and therefore could impact your weight loss, don't know if I have confused you more, soz if i have

merflan

My first thought is you need to eat more. I am allotted 1600 and I'm under 200 lbs. I also eat more on workout days. Although, I've been struggling to lose too -

emphoto2003

So if my calorie goal is to eat 1800 and I burn 500 with exercise that give me a net of 1300. Do I need to make my NET 1800 or just my food? I am so confused. Sorry, I'm such a noob, but I'm trying really hard. I am trying to not get discouraged. It is especially frustrating when my friend is eating everything in sight and losing 2-4 lbs per week! Haha!

alexis831

Get a HRM. I find that MFP overestimates my calories burned by A LOT on all my workouts. Second, incorporate weights 3x a week and cardio 3x a week into your workouts. Cardio alone won’t cut it. If you have been doing the same thing over and over eventually it will stop working. You need different types of cardio so get creative. 3rd Look into HIIT or ladders as well. You can read about them online. 4th make sure you are tracking everything accurately. With these equations, you should be loosing. Try investing in a scale for your food. 5th think about a body fat tester and a measuring tape instead of a scale. Those are more accurate.

These are just some ideas but really play around with them and see where you go. If I were you I wouldn’t eat more though. 1800 is pretty good. I might even go down 100 calories to play with it and see what my body does. It is calories in vs. calories burnt. Something isn’t mathematically adding up here.

Nikid1926

Don't be silly things can be confusing, I would keep your food at 1800 not your net thats the way I do it

freyamaclachlan

Work out your BMR eat less than that, you will lose weight

alexis831

So if my calorie goal is to eat 1800 and I burn 500 with exercise that give me a net of 1300. Do I need to make my NET 1800 or just my food? I am so confused. Sorry, I'm such a noob, but I'm trying really hard. I am trying to not get discouraged. It is especially frustrating when my friend is eating everything in sight and losing 2-4 lbs per week! Haha!

To maintain your weight you need to eat 2600 calories without exercising at your height and weight. MFP is set to subtract around 500 to give you a deficit that would enable you to loose 1 pound a week which would be 2100 calories. If you want to loose 1.5 pounds a week then subtract 750 calories which would be 1850. Your deficit is already their so when you workout you go even more in a deficit. Some people chose to eat those back, some eat half back, and some eat all of them back. It depends on what you want to do.

Feralsquirrel

I've been having the same problem since March. Last summer I was able to lose 20 pounds (which I've since gained completely back) through lots and lots of exercise (700+ calories burned every day for months).

My personal problem is that my ideal diet and activity level don't match my lifestyle. I need a ton of exercise. 20 - 30 minutes isn't enough for me. Try adding a little bit extra to the aerobics and you may see some more loss. Just don't go crazy and do too much and hurt yourself (like I tend to do )

Your age could be a factor, 36 isn't old, but metabolism starts going downhill in the 20s. You may need to just keep at it a bit longer before you see more results.

The obvious could be food. A lot of the entries on here (especially for homemade food) aren't correct so it's best to double check elsewhere as you could be eating more than you think. Also are you measuring everything out or just guesstimating? When I started actually measuring things out I realized I was that I was eating a lot more than I thought I was, and therefore going over on calories more often than not.

One thing you can try is more, smaller meals throughout the day. You seem to stick to a more traditional eating schedule according to your diary. It's a little more to keep up with, but eating small amounts at the first sign of hunger really helps me with not eating a lot during mealtimes and it supposed keeps metabolism up.

vodkoffee

This calculator helped get me on track. I was eating too little. http://scoobysworkshop.com/accurate-calorie-calculator/

Also, I find keeping my carbs under 150 helps a lot.

mom2handh1975

It's really important to remember that food is not the enemy. Food is simply fuel for your body. If you don't have enough fuel, you will feel yucky and your weight loss will slow down. I wouldn't go lower than 1800 calories. You wouldn't have any energy and you'd be STARVING! I read the post about the heart rate monitor. That's a pretty good idea, and I might end up getting one myself. I see a lot of people posting that MFP overestimates how many calories we're burning. Maybe try to vary your workouts. Whatever you do, DON"T GIVE UP! We all hit that wall, and the only way to reach your goal is to knock the stinking wall down or climb over it. You can do it!

sarahleeroy

Ok sorry if this sounds harsh, but I have to be honest. Looking at your food diary, you are eating too much. There is no way you can lose weight eating at restaurants and fast food every day! Yes calories matter with weight loss, but the types of food you eat matter too. When you're eating a lot of processed white flour and fried foods high in sodium, you're not going to get the results you want. Also, 500 calories for 30 minutes of step sounds like too much to me. I wear my heart rate monitor for everything, and I burn around 450 calories doing step for an hour.

ETA: I'm not saying that eating out is bad, or that you need to cut out junk food completely. When you eat out, there are ways to eat healthy foods and still feel satisfied. Take a look at my diary if you want to, there are only a few days on it but I've had a couple of restaurant meals in there since I started this thing on a friday. I still eat what I want at restaurants but in small portions, and I balance it out the rest of the day.

veganbaum

Since it seems like you haven't been following MFP's guidelines for very long, the logical place to start would be to do that. So, eat your 1800. Then eat some or all of your exercise calories. A lot of people find the exercise calorie estimates to be high and will eat only 50-75% of their cals back, while others find it works to eat 100%. You should be eating at least some of them back. I would say 500 for only 20-30 minutes of aerobics seems high, but at your current weight it could be fairly accurate. I would personally probably eat around 300 of those. Try that for four weeks to get an accurate gauge of whether it's working. One or two weeks is not enough time to measure how a change is working.

TenderBranson

You're overestimating what you're burning no doubt. Get a heart rate monitor for a more accurate reading.

zaviersmom07

I'm having the same issue. My first week of 1200 calories and exercise I lost almost 6 lbs, now today I weigh myself and gained 4lbs even though I'm still following the 1200 calories and exercising - I take a 60 min zumba class 3 - 4 times per week. It is frustrating but I'm not going to give up.

trisha671

Hey, I'm no expert but it seems like you are skipping meals on some day. On some days you are either not eating breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Also are you drinking any water because you aren't logging it. Trying drinking at least 8oz of water each day! Also incorporate things like yogurt, fruits and vegetables in addition to your exercise.

lhgmr

try taking your measurements as well. you may be exchanging fat for muscle, yet toning, I watch my carbs as well. good luck, no matter what-- it is a day to day mindful effort,

Lesa_Sass

Okay, the issue is easy, you are eating crap.

I do not care who comes in and tries to say you can eat 1200 calories of twinkies and lose, it is the quality of the calories that matter.

Stop eating out and start eating good, fresh whole foods. If you can not cook and must go out to eat, make better choices. We do not just get fit and eat healthy to be pretty and skinny, we do it so we can be there for the people that love us and we love in the long run. Captian Ds , Chilis and Pappa Johns are not going to get you there.

I have an open diary, please feel free to look at it to get some ideas. I also have a healthy cooking page on facebook , if you are interested in looking at it, private message me and I will give you the link to check it out.

Since I do not make money on it, I will post my facebook page on here for people to look at if they please. https://www.facebook.com/TheSassyGourmet

jaj68

hi......what about your sodium level. Several times you had Pringles...and you had Chili's several times. I know for me, if I eat potato chips, even a small amount.....I gain weight.

RealWomenLovePitbulls

is it possible for you to not eat out every day?? seems like you are eating out a lot and not making healthy food choices and also that you are getting most of your daily calories in one meal and not really having 3 well-balanced meals a day....

emphoto2003

Thank you all for the helpful tips! I really appreciate it. I agree I am not eating enough healthy foods. I am going to try much harder in that regard. I will say I have totally given up Cokes, which I used to drink about 5/day. I have been drinking a ton of water but I forget to add it to the diary. (how much should I be drinking anyway?). I like the suggestion of getting a HRM. Going to do that today before my workout.

I really appreciate the encouragement. I have been way overweight for 10 years and I'm finally ready to change my life. I have been very determined all summer and while I am not perfect at this, I know it's a step in the right direction. I'm not going to give up. I just have to find the secret formula for me and what works. I will take all of your suggestions into consideration. Thanks again!

Anastasiasosa

I noticed that eating out has a lot of extra fat grams. You can't lose weight if you go over your fat for the day.

flaminredhead

You don't seem to be drinking enough water? If you start exercise your body is likely to retain water, Untill
Your muscle are used to working out! When you consider how much of the body is made up of water
You need to drink this stuff, if your properly hydrated you can work out more effectively
And your body won't retain it! Also you cant skip breakfast it boost your metabolism after sleep!
Eat breakfast like a king, lunch of a queen and dinner like a pauper! Stick with it, you have lost and ur body my
Just be adjusting, as frustrating as this is, by eating healthy you will get threw this! For me I was
So impatient I thought the weight would drop
Off, despite the 20 off years it took me to gain it, when I stopped stressing and reliased weightloss was a marathon not a sprint
I relaxed and enjoyed it, I am not dieting just choosing to eat better meal by
Meal and day by day, I also choose to have a "binge" once a month, it's not that I have fallen off the diet but made the choice!
Good luck you will get there

themrsbriggs

I know EXACTLY how you feel! Just keep pushing

amykharvison

Hey girl, Several thing could be going on. First, our bodies are amazing in its ability to adapt. You may need to change up your exercise. 2 months doing the same class for the same 20 -30 min, you'll hit a plateau. Your body may need a shock to the system. Instead try zumba or perhaps a recumbent bike, walking. Just whatever you enjoy that is different from what you are now doing. Also maybe try doing 45 minutes or two 20 min. sessions. Basically just shake things up. 1800 is fine but keep in mind skipping meals causes your body to store fat. Small meals throughout the day are best . Another tip I give my clients is to put lots of raw food into your diet. Our bodies have to work harder to break down those foods. I like to put flax seeds in my yogurt or oatmeal in the mornings. Nuts, fruit, raw veggies (broccoli, cauliflower, cucumbers etc..) The goal wouldn't be to only eat those thongs but to pair your foods with something your body must break down at every meal. I have been a trainer for 8 years, and trust me there are so many people who have the same problem. The main reasons people quit trying is- no results, lack of motivation, and time. Don't be discouraged this is a normal hiccup on your road to good health. Be proud of yourself. 13 pounds is an awesome accomplishment. Switch up that exercise routine and enjoy getting off the next 13:) Good Luck.

jms3533

You might want to add the sodium column to your diary. It appears that you are eating a lot of food that is packed with sodium, which will wreak havoc on weight loss. The recommended daily allotment of sodium is 2500 mg. I suggest you add the sodium column so you can see how much you are actually taking in.

jwk979

I'm not going to get on here and harp on you about the type of foods you eat because personally I have lost 75 pounds ( a lot before MFP) and have eaten pretty much anything I wanted. I will say that I have done aerobics and ran for years at different weights and 500 calories for 20-30 minutes of aerobics is WAY overestimating what you are burning. I would bet you are burning closer to 200. (I am also a group fitness instructor and know how many calories people burn in my classes.) If at all possible get you a HR monitor ASAP...good luck and keep trucking along..you CAN do this!

happyfeetrebel1

I noticed that eating out has a lot of extra fat grams. You can't lose weight if you go over your fat for the day.

completely untrue

likemeinvisible

I'm not going to get on here and harp on you about the type of foods you eat because personally I have lost 75 pounds ( a lot before MFP) and have eaten pretty much anything I wanted. I will say that I have done aerobics and ran for years at different weights and 500 calories for 20-30 minutes of aerobics is WAY overestimating what you are burning. I would bet you are burning closer to 200. (I am also a group fitness instructor and know how many calories people burn in my classes.) If at all possible get you a HR monitor ASAP...good luck and keep trucking along..you CAN do this!

This ^^^, and meanwhile, eat less, work more.

paralegalnc

I wanted to send you a personal message because I had some of the same issues... busy life style... eating out was a biggie. HUGE. It was so much easier. But I learned to make better choices. But the biggest thing... at our age (I'm 43) HORMONES and insulin levels. Alot of people here have alot of opinions...eat this...eat that... watch carbs...watch sodium (well you do have to do that) but to get a good grounding of what you need.... make an appt with your doctor... get a fasting blood sugar... mine was 108 ...not BAD... but my body wasn't using the insulin I was making...thereby making more..cuz it wasnt getting enough... and then since it wasn't using it, it was storing it...as fat...around my middle. It's called insulin resistent and alot of women suffer from it... amazingly...doc put me on high protein diet... 120 grams per day. I drink 2 liters of water per day... no fruit unless I have to have it. stress was a biggie too. I had to meet with a nutritionist to help set up a program that worked for ME. in fact my nutritionist is on my friends list. I was serious about losing weight and I got professional help. My doctor knew what was best for me. and frankly its working. one little blood test... fixed literally years of doing what you're doing now.