I have been working really hard and not seeing results

ashley22238

Hi All,
I have been at it for about 2 months or so. I have not been hitting the gym on an average about 3 times per week, doing around an hour of cardio on the machines and some strength training as well. I have took a break from logging my food, because its really time consuming, with the knowledge of what I have learned by logging in the past, I am eating a balanced diet without a lot of fat and sugars. I lost the first 7 lbs that I had gained over the holidays pretty fast, but I have not lost a pound in a month or so. I am stuck at a weight and I seems no matter what I do, I am not seeing the results. I had gotten down to this weight last summer and the same thing happened. After not seeing any results I just gave up and gained 7 lbs over winter. I don't want this to happen again. Any advice on what to do to help me get past this hump. Thanks :-)

LoraF83

If you're not logging, you can't be 100% sure of what you are eating.

MFP is a program designed around logging your food. If you're not doing the program, you can't complain about a lack of results.



Logging takes me 5 minutes a day at most. It's not that time consuming. Log all of your food - and fat isn't a bad thing. You need fat in your diet. Also, most "low fat" products actually have higher calories than regular products since they have to make them taste good somehow. Just something to consider.

mowree

It really comes down to calories in vs. calories out. You'd be surprised at how much you take in when you don't log.

Katetw

congrats on your progress so far! I suggest that you start logging what you eat again, and all that comes with it....weigh everything. Weight is more accurate than amount, by the way. So if a serving size is 1/2 a cup/50 grams and you have been giving yourself half a cup, switch to weight. You might be eating more than you think.

Also, are you eating back exercise calories? If so, where do you get that number? if you get them from the machine at the gym, I suggest you either do not eat them back at all or eat back half if you are hungry. Most of the gym machines overestimate your cals burned by quite a bit.

Just a few ideas to try to get over your hump. Good luck!

eloisemonteiro

It is time consuming if you don't plan your meals.
I usually do my things in the morning and log my breakfast with my entire day, it's less then 10 minutes and I have all set up.
Try to do that, know what are you gonna cook/eat one day before and everything will be fine.

heyyoudontgiveup

Just think -- if you hadn't given up, you'd be 7 lbs lighter. This isn't supposed to be a "diet" in your life. You're supposed to have a lifestyle change. If you "give up" and then just go back to eating crap, then it wasn't successful. I suggest logging and working out more. I have been logging and working out for over a month now and have barely lost anything. I log everything and track workouts on my Fitbit and bust my *kitten*.

Real talk: if you haven't been logging, have only been working out 3 times a week, and you've "given up," you are not working hard. Change your mentality and start ACTUALLY working hard.

ashley22238

Thanks everyone. I will try and start logging things in again and see if it helps.

ILiftHeavyAcrylics

Go back to logging. Weight loss is mostly about diet.

It doesn't have to be time consuming. It takes awhile to enter your own recipes at first but once they're in the database it's a lot easier.


ETA: just saw that you replied while I was typing. Best of luck.

melod101y

Of all the people who lose weight and keep it off, keeping a journal was one of the best tools. It's so easy to add extra calories having a spoonful of this or a taste of that. Sometimes you also need to change up your exercise routine. Try something different. Also are you really working hard enough?interval training is a great way to pick up the pace and get your heart pumping. Keep trying and the weight will come off. Good luck!

ashley22238

Or should I say no thanks, I really thought that I might get some helpful suggestions on here, not a bunch of criticism. I have been working hard I go to the gym as much as possible with three kids. I just joined the gym 2 months ago. I just thought that since I have been working out 3 times more that I ever have before that I would see results. I do not just east a bunch of crap. I try to eat as healthy as possible.

ashley22238

And to all of you that are being nice and helpful I really do appreciate the advice. Thanks :-)

Cr01502

Get back to us when you're logging.

It's calories in vs. calories out.

If you're not accurately keeping track of those it's rather hard to make suggestions.

You could be over eating

You could be under eating

No one knows . . .

psuLemon

One thing to note is make sure you account is set up correctly. With 18 lbs to go the best you should aim for is 1/2 - 1 lb per week. Also, being a mother of three you are probably at a minimum of lightly active. Outside of that if you go to the gym eat 50% of your calories back to ensure you body is being fueled correctly. Also, mfp has the protein and fats kind of low so i would suggesting adjusting to around 40% carbs, 40% protein and 20% fats. Protein will help with muscle retention. On top of that i would suggest concentrating on weight training while at the gym. A good beginners program is strong lift 5x5. When you do compound moves it will work your cardiovascular system as will running after children.

sunnyside1213

Clean eating is important.

jrutledge01

Or should I say no thanks, I really thought that I might get some helpful suggestions on here, not a bunch of criticism. I have been working hard I go to the gym as much as possible with three kids. I just joined the gym 2 months ago. I just thought that since I have been working out 3 times more that I ever have before that I would see results. I do not just east a bunch of crap. I try to eat as healthy as possible.

it's a shame that you haven't learned throughout your days how to take criticism - that's a pretty important part of life... the worst part is that they are all being very nice and supportive. don't ask for help if you don't want honest answers

with that said, "abs are made in the kitchen, not the gym" - you can go to the gym all you want, but if you are eating more calories than your body is burning in the day, you will not lose weight

amruden

Or should I say no thanks, I really thought that I might get some helpful suggestions on here, not a bunch of criticism. I have been working hard I go to the gym as much as possible with three kids. I just joined the gym 2 months ago. I just thought that since I have been working out 3 times more that I ever have before that I would see results. I do not just east a bunch of crap. I try to eat as healthy as possible.

Everyone gave helpful suggestions ..and was super nice!

Just not what you wanted hear.

Log everthing you eat.

mayflowermn

I don't see any criticism, people have made suggestions. Even if it was "criticism", it was constructive.

From all the posts I see every day about "I've been working really hard and not seeing results", I would say that probably 90% of them are because people aren't truly being honest about what they are eating and how hard they are working out.

You have to weigh every bit of food that goes into your mouth and record that here in MFP. If you don't weigh your food, you're not getting an accurate count of what you are eating

We all like to think that we are working out really hard with whatever exercise we are doing, but I would say alot of people tend to overestimate how hard they are working out. For one thing, you can't go by the calories burned based on the machines you are using ie elliptical. How can you when you do not enter any information about your weight? How can it accurately calculate calories burned? Plus if you aren't watching your heart rate and getting that up to the appropriate levels again, how can you get an accurate amount of calories burned?

I have gotten into the habit of only counting 75% of the exercise calories I supposedly earn. I would much rather under-estimate those calories in order to keep my numbers as accurate as possible.

You don't say what type of workout you are doing and for how long.

None of the comments here are mean nor are any meant to be. Call it tough love or honesty or whatever.

The truth is if you really want to lose weight, you have to make a lifestyle change and that means committing to a decision to be healthier through exercise and diet. And it's not going to happen overnight either. The weight didn't magically show up one day and it ain't going to magically disappear in one day. Two months is nothing in the overall scope of life. Plus sometimes you've got to be happy with the smaller changes that you are having success with ie you said you are eating healthy. That's a great start and something to be proud of. Nothing wrong with small steps.

I've been overweight the majority of my life and each time I had to get to a point where I really, really wanted to make a change. Only then was I able to make it happen. If we want something bad enough, we will work at it. Question is, do you want it bad enough now or do you just want to give up? Either way is fine. It's your choice and only you can make the choice.

Good luck in your journey!

PosterPens

pls dont give up. you might be gaining muscle working out, since muscle weighs more than fat. also, if youre working out that much, you might be under your calories, so youre body will hold on to your weight in fear of it being in starvation mode. the body is a weird thing! or you could be consuming sodium hidden in the foods on a high level which will hold on to water weight? it could be a million things, but you wont know if you dont log and look at how much youre consuming.

either way, i think its great you can make it to the gym that often. but until you know what youre calories intake in vs calories out is.. you wont be able to really figure out why.

but keep at it and try try try to log everything! i know its a pain sometimes, but we need to afford that time for ourselves to get to where we want to be. dont give up!!!

ashley22238

Or should I say no thanks, I really thought that I might get some helpful suggestions on here, not a bunch of criticism. I have been working hard I go to the gym as much as possible with three kids. I just joined the gym 2 months ago. I just thought that since I have been working out 3 times more that I ever have before that I would see results. I do not just east a bunch of crap. I try to eat as healthy as possible.

I want to say I'm sorry for this post because a lot of the post are helpful. One post in particular got my feathers a little ruffled. My Bad.

vcancel

This is going to sound crazy but I actually love to log my food. Since I wear the BodyMedia Fit armband and it counts my calories burned for me and then inputs it into myfitnesspal via my phone app, it's actually fun to log my food. I'm always amazed at how much I actually eat during the day. How much I GET to eat... Obviously I kind of stick with the same foods for breakfast and sometimes lunch but my husband loves to cook and makes dinner almost every night so he helps me input all the things he makes.

To me logging my food makes all the difference.

DarrelBirkett

Or should I say no thanks, I really thought that I might get some helpful suggestions on here, not a bunch of criticism. I have been working hard I go to the gym as much as possible with three kids. I just joined the gym 2 months ago. I just thought that since I have been working out 3 times more that I ever have before that I would see results. I do not just east a bunch of crap. I try to eat as healthy as possible.

Heya.

Ok, deep breath aaaand relax

Dont worry, firstly. sounds to me like you're half way to being on track. Now lets get the other half sorted.

First - Food. Probably the most important thing. Forget diets, they dont work. Let me explain. I've "dieted" or had periods of "being healthy" for years but only by actually changing the way I approach food did I have success. 20 years too late maybe but at least Im there now. Sorry if a lot of this you know but here you go anyway :

- People who dont log typically eat too many carbs. Even when "being good". Thats speaking from experience. I used to track for one week of the month and by the 3rd week I was eating 70% carbs which is way too much.
- Fat is good. Good fats at least. nuts, seeds, avocado, fish are all good fat.
- Fat is bad. Yeah, not all fat is good. Biscuits, cake, hydrogenated fats, saturated fats. All things generally found in processed foods.
- Protein is needed. Not sure if you are veggie. If so, consider lentils, chickpeas, quinoa etc. If not, then Chicken, Tuna, Salmon, Turkey. Ideally fresh, grilled.
- Carbs. Here is the biggy. Try and cut right down on bread, pasta, breakfast cereals. Basically starchy carbs. Sugars and processed carbs try to get rid of. I still have the odd choc bar or treat. But its odd, once a week maybe and not daily like I was. I dont eat breakfast cereal anymore and seldom have bread.
- Carbs - fibrous. Veg, salad are excellent sources of vitamins etc Some fruit but not too much. I have 1-2 bits of fruit per day but much more veg.
- Drinks. Take milk in your tea/coffee? Thats calories in every drink. I have it black these days and while I had to get used to it now prefer it.

So, an example of meals for me is a nice big pile of chicken / tuna with salad or a big portion of broccoli/asparagus. I dont have a starchy carb anymore. I still have home made chilli but rather than on rice I have on a bed of kale/spinach. you get the idea.

Finally log it and log it ALL. Sure it gets boring but after a while its second nature (imo). I also find it interesting so as I go I can see whats what.

Now, kids. I understand. I have two. The hardest bit is feeding them and you different and but more so picking off their plates as feeding them


Water - Drink plenty. Aim for 2L per day for now.

Exercise - do what you can. Its hard when having kids to look after but if you are managing 3 days a week then make them count. Work hard and maybe harder in those sessions. Mix cardio and weights as you have been but make every rep and every step count.

So how much should you eat?

http://www-users.med.cornell.edu/~spon/picu/calc/beecalc.htm

Have a look. That tells you what you should eat "if you do nothing and sit still"

Then take away 20%.

Thats how much to eat to start losing weight at a sensible rate "if you sit doing nothing"

On days you go to the gym, eat and extra 300 cals maybe "if you have worked hard for around 45mins"

Or if you know what you burned then replace that so long as your target is the 20% reduction.

Im cautious on what MFP says Im burning in cals, but I find 100-150 cals per 15min is a decent guideline for me personally.

All I can think of for now, feel free to ask anything.