I've tried it all, but I cannot lose any weight!

RobynDCrossman

If you don't like calorie counting - work out harder.
A job standing around/walking around and two days of running (don't know what distance or pace you're running) and a few days of lifting - won't be enough to rocket you out and make a calorie deficit.
Since you seem adamant about not logging food, I'd say shoot for more cardiovascular activity and for longer times.

lm0703

Yes, it DOES work. I have lost approximately 40 lbs by doing it. No, it's not fun. Yes, it is tedious. No, it doesn't work if you are not honest or willing to make corrections along the way. In fact, Jillian Michaels finally said that counting calories is the only way to lose the weight and keep it off.

Of course, it is possible you are eating at a maintenance level which will not take the pounds off. And, there is the matter of age as well. If you are older (40+) then the weight will not come off as easily.

DalekBrittany

Stop using the word "diet". It implies short term. What we're doing is LIFE LONG, so we have to find what we can incorporate into our lives for the rest of our life. Every single piece of literature I've ever read says count calories for the best results. At the end it's a numbers game and we can't win unless we know the numbers. The most recent book I read really all we have to do is log about 2 weeks because we are creatures of habit and eat the same foods (I know I do, I can tell you every calorie in my breakfast and most my lunches). Once we do that we have an idea of what we're consuming.

The other piece of the puzzle is not eating out so much (if that's something you do). Cook as much at home as possible, no matter what. It can be done in a busy schedule, I've taken one day on the weekend and cooked for the week.

Good luck

di·et1 [dahy-it] Show IPA noun, verb, di·et·ed, di·et·ing, adjective
noun
1.
food and drink considered in terms of its qualities, composition, and its effects on health: Milk is a wholesome article of diet.
2.
a particular selection of food, especially as designed or prescribed to improve a person's physical condition or to prevent or treat a disease: a diet low in sugar.
3.
such a selection or a limitation on the amount a person eats for reducing weight: No pie for me, I'm on a diet.
4.
the foods eaten, as by a particular person or group: The native diet consists of fish and fruit.
5.
food or feed habitually eaten or provided: The rabbits were fed a diet of carrots and lettuce.

Sugar coat it all you want it is diet related. In order to lose weight you must monitor your diet. Some call it lifestyle change some call it getting healthy...wtf does it matter at the end of the day it all goes right back to your diet lol let ppl call it whatever they want.

That was really rude and sarcastic for someone that was offering genuine advice.

JeSuisPrest

Stop trying and start doing. You've been given much good advice, now get to it. It isn't going to happen overnight. Make life changes.

JeSuisPrest

You could always try raspberry ketones.. Or green coffee beans. You know, if you're into the miracle fix, no real work required, snake oil sort of thing.

Coffee beans UNroasted are green. Just saying.....And there is no miracle fix. It all requires effort and work. Please, I pray, you are just being humorous.

melina_bea

Whatever the dictionary definition of DIET, the fact is that in colloquial terms, it does imply something temporary. Something you go on... And then go OFF (and pile all the weight back on). The words we use matter, if only in small ways.

Sparlingo

I see that the OP is starting to take a closer look at what people are saying, and she's logged a few things today, so I'm happy that we're moving in the right direction .

My suggestion would be to start your dedicated logging on the smart phone application. That way, as you start to type things in, after a while when most of the foods that you regularly eat have been entered, you'll find that you're being auto-prompted with the correct foods. Logging a meal goes from a 3-minute process to a 10-second process.

Also, some encouragement if logging foods seems tedious:

I had my daughter in June of last year. I knew that I was out of shape and unhappy in my body, so 3 weeks after she was born I started going to the gym 4 times a week and tried making better food choices. I only lost 2 lbs over the next five MONTHS!

I was desperate, I thought I was broken. I was trying SO hard! I thought the rules of physics somehow didn't apply to me, because how could I possibly not be losing weight?

So, fast forward to November of last year, and I started MFP... I logged faithfully, bought a food scale, measured everything I ate. I got a heart rate monitor to make sure I knew what I was burning when I exercised. It was tedious, yes, but less and less so the more I used the application.

And it worked.

I still stall out from time to time, but I've been losing 5-6 lbs per month ever since I started. And, remember, I already thought I was exercising hard, eating better and less. Truth was I had no idea how big my portions had become!

I will challenge you --- do it accurately and completely every day for one full month! Just try it, what would it hurt? It will give you a much better picture of what's going on.

A last piece of advice, if you try the logging and still honestly can't say that you'll keep it up:

Buy a heart rate monitor and start committing to workouts. Aim to keep your heart rate elevated, and just do something you enjoy and do it hard. It'll become a game for you to try to burn a bit more each time, give a bit more each time. That starts to add up fast .

Vailara

I forgot to mention the 5:2 diet, or similar! It's one I've tried a couple of times, but it doesn't seem to suit me, so I can't personally recommend it. However, some people swear by it. It DOES involve calorie counting, but only two days a week, and you don't get many calories to count (500 for women, 600 for men). The idea is that it's supposed to be sustainable, something that you can stick to for life. It might be worth a try if you don't want to do full calorie counting.

There's some information here http://thefastdiet.co.uk/ .

LittleMissRainey

If you give up after only 2 weeks or a month, you'll never see the results you want. It took more than that to gain the weight, it'll take more than that to lose it.

mockchoc

If that is how you look now in your photo you don't need to drop weight. You look pretty well perfect in your bikini. If you just need to be firmer then do weights, yoga, pilates or similar stuff. You aren't fat, it's in your head if you think you are.

MrsBozz1

Its kind of like noone read my post. I HAVE tried counting calories a while back. That did not work.
I was always left hungry. And even when I was able to follow through, the results weren't significant.
And its not just as easy as typing something in and logging it. I don't always know how many calories the food at my University has so I tried to log in something but it was most likely incorrect.

If it was "most likely incorrect" then you weren't doing it correctly. I'm not trying to be mean but you just answered your own question. You can't say you tried counting calories and then say it was most likely incorrect. Try doing it correctly and see what happens. I agree calorie counting can be annoying and difficult but it is worth it. Don't know what's in the food? Make your own! More work, yes but do you really want to lose weight or not? I wish you the best!

sally_jeffswife

First of all I think you look great. So don't worry it is paying off its just a slow tedious process. My first question would be how much water are you drinking? Maybe upping how much water you are drinking will help some if you are retaining water weight it takes drinking alot of it to lose that. Some of the more successful ones I have found as far as just toning your body alot are the Kettlebell ones like Kettlenetics or any of the Jari Love workouts are really great. If you want a more advanced cardio type one Tae Bo Advanced will burn alot off. If its abs you wanna work on Billy Blanks Sr Ab Bootcamp is really good or Madonna Grimes has a new one you gotta find it on her personal website but its called Sexy Fit Abs that one is really good.

Lupercalia

If that is how you look now in your photo you don't need to drop weight. You look pretty well perfect in your bikini. If you just need to be firmer then do weights, yoga, pilates or similar stuff. You aren't fat, it's in your head if you think you are.

I agree about your photo. Lift weights, track your food intake, and eat at a MODEST caloric deficit if you don't like the composition of your body.

FlaxMilk

I don't usually log here. And I've tried counting calories in the past. Its ridiculous, tedious, unrealistic and didn't work anyway.

Have only read the first page, but while calorie counting can get boring, it's not unrealistic and it will work. If it does not work, your only other option, honestly and in all seriousness, is to consult a doctor. Calorie counting works for anyone with no medical condition impairing them. Once you have the medical condition under control, if one exists, you'll probably need to do some calorie counting or meal planning to get a sense of what your deficit calories would be.

It won't be possible to estimate every calorie perfectly if you eat out a lot or someone else cooks for you, but anything is better than nothing if you aren't losing. If you figure out your issue and lose without counting, awesome!

acarter72

Have you checked your thyroid?

FlaxMilk

Read quickly through the rest of the thread and see that you are on a college campus. There's a reason people gain the freshman 15. Cafeteria food, alcohol, dining out with friends. All of that is surmountable, but it will require you to be truly honest with yourself about what you're taking in, how much your body needs, and whether you are making the choices that will keep you full, energized, AND satisfied.

Check out foods that are known to increase satiety and educate yourself on the average calories of foods you find yourself taking in a lot. You mentioned swapping out a turkey burger for a cheeseburger. I don't know if that swap helped or not, I'm a vegetarian and have no idea about the calories. But foods perceived as health foods like turkey burgers get a "health halo" which means that people underestimate the caloric impact they have on them. Foods labeled as fat free do this too. The bun alone for a turkey burger is probably 150-200 calories or more. You might have taken yourself out of "gain" territory but stayed in the maintenance zone.

I hope you don't get offended, but I would recommend going to your university's dietician or nutritionist, or going to some reputable health websites and learning the basics of nutrition and weight management.

cleback

You're a student. Imagine that you're not doing so well in a class. You go to a professor/teaching assistant asking for advice. S/he asks you how much you're currently studying. You say you have no idea. You think you're studying "just the right amount" doing "all the right things" but, really, you don't keep track and don't know. You tell him/her you've tried studying in an organized way with keeping track of notes, assignments, etc but it just doesn't work.

What advice can you expect that professor or teaching assistant to give? You really have no idea what you're currently doing. All they can give you generic advice, which you probably already know.

How can you expect people to give you advice on making improvements? You need to get data, a baseline of what you're currently doing (even if it's not working) to get the best advice, tailored to you. Otherwise, all you'll get is pointless, generic drivel about what you already know-- eat a healthy balanced diet, exercise, drink water.

PrettyPearl88

You say you've tried counting calories. Okay, but...

Did you do it correctly? You said yourself probably not. So if you haven't tried counting calories correctly, then that's something new to try, isn't it?

Also, for how long did you try counting calories? Was it a few days, a week, or even 2-3 weeks? Honestly, if it was for any less than one month, that's probably why you didn't see results. When you do calorie counting the right way (which ISN'T starving yourself, you're supposed to feel mostly satisfied when you do it correctly) it takes some time to really see results. It's going to take more than a couple weeks and at least a month (maybe more). You just have to be patient and trust the system. And all of us here are living proof that calorie counting works!

Good luck on your weight loss journey!

Casstevens133

Not trying o be funny but 150lbs at 5 feet 5 inches ... Do you really think you're overweight??

PhearlessPhreaks

I don't always know how many calories the food at my University has so I tried to log in something but it was most likely incorrect.

OP, right there is your answer. You weren't truly counting the calories you were putting in your body. You were estimating as opposed to truly eating at a calorie deficit (less than you Total Daily Energy Expenditure). THAT is why it didn't work.

As Quirky and many others have said, it's simple physics- calories in v. calories out. Science doesn't lie or discriminate, so if there is an error, it's a human one.

My advice? Try calorie counting *again*- every single bite of food that goes in your mouth. Bring your own food to school and work. Making your own meals and taking them with you (how hard is it to make up a salad or a sandwich to go?) gives you complete control over what you eat and your ability to log it.

Do you know what your Basal Metabolic Rate is? Do you know what your Total Daily Energy Expenditure is? If so, use those numbers to your advantage. If not, how can you possibly know if you're eating too much or too little?

kmcosgrove115

skullcrush, I know the logging can be tedious but it may give you insight into the problem - you may be eyeballing things but in reality you are taking in too many calories, etc.

I too find this board odd at times - it is meant for support and sometimes the replies can really be hatrsh and I don't get that - I just report the post as I feel it is immature and childish and rude.

I posted this a while back:

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/931670-bmr-and-tdee-explained-for-those-needing-a-guide

It explains the importance of eating at least your BMR but a % below TDEE - I wrote it very plainly so people could really get it - I switched after a stall and slight gain when I was eating under 1200 a day and 5 lbs are now gone. It may be worthwhile to just log at least for a few weeks to see what the #'s are and where you are.

It really can provide you with information on why the scale is not moving - email me anytime you need for support!

wendybird5

Well, you only have ten pounds to lose so it is going to be harder. It could be you are already at the right weight for you and don't need to lose any more. Perhaps instead of focusing on losing weight, you should focus on body fat percentage. Find out what it is and then aim for something in a healthy range. If you are already in a healthy range, but don't like how you look, go for the athletic range. More weight training can help tone you up. Otherwise, without knowing your weight, BF% or food intake or exercise routine, I can only guess.

lynnalip

I calculate my BMR for my goal weight and then multiply it by how active I am (there are all kinds of tools if you google it). I'm a little over 5'5" and I was 138. I wanted to be 128, so using the BMR formula and the fact that I work out 3 - 5 days a week I can net about 1800 calories a day. What I did was try to keep my total calories consumed at 1800 and then "banked" my calories burned that day for weight loss. It worked very well and since Christmas I've lost 10 lbs and now I'm able to eat 1800 calories PLUS whatever I burned of exercising in a day.

BUT ... you have to track what you eat on this app and be honest when you do it. I don't weigh everything I eat, but I have a pretty good idea of the amounts. Basically if you can get used to the portion size and leave yourself a little "wiggle room" you should be fine.

I took off 30 lbs 9 years ago, and until I was laid up with an injury I manged to keep it all off. Be honest with the app and yourself and the weight will come off. If you plateau just double check the food and keep going. It'll work.

BlueInkDot

Problem 1 (In your mind) : Projection of your troubles. You are blaming the method when the blame does not lie in the method, it lies in human error. Accept that it is your flawed carrying out of the method that's been causing your failure, not the method itself. Accept blame, humble yourself, and try again, and try to do a better, more accurate job this time. Getting fed up and giving up never helped anyone to achieve their goals.

Problem 2 (In your strategy) : I highly recommend this website to determine how many calories you should be eating: http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/ and I highly recommend doing more strength training in place of the majority of your cardio now that you are at a healthy weight for your height. (150 lbs at 5'5" is a very good weight for that height - that's another reason it's hard for you to lose weight).

Increase your accuracy, increase protein, increase water, increase strength training, increase positivity, increase patience, increase love for yourself just as you are and get rid of that negativity and impatience.

michellelemorgan

Are you eating starfches? bread, rice, pasta, potatoes, oatmeal?

NikinCilla

I feel your frustration because I too have tried everything under the sun and nothing seemed to work...however, some things DO work. When I keep track of my food intake, it works even if I've overeaten, because it's showing me in black and white the reason I don't lose.

There are ways to change things up without changing your calorie intake if you don't want to go under what you're currently doing. Eat more one day, less the next. Fool your body. Mix up your caloric intake.

Eat the same number of calories if you want but make many of them veggies. Make huge salads and make that your meals sometimes. Increase your fruit. Are you hungry at night and then eating more in the a.m.? Eat veggies and fruit before bed.

Weight Watchers worked wonders for me because I went with my daughter and we kept each other on track. Meeting new friends who were going thru the same thing really helped as well.

I agree that calorie counting is tedious, but I'm willing to do anything to lose the weight I've regained. Right now I've started a pre-packaged food program that is working for me, and I can get through it by knowing the goal IS within reach.

Good luck!

p.s. If you absolutely hate tracking your food, give yourself 2 weeks to do it. You can do anything for 2 weeks!!

Thanks for understanding! I do get hungry at night. I think I eat most at night and lightest at breakfast.

Are you sleep walking & eating at night? I dont know the right term for it but I have heard of cases where people sleep walk & eat during the night without knowing. If you are eating heavy carbs you could be only burning the cals you eat the night before that your weight is not moving??? I dont know but I hear your frustration & mfp is to help each other to motivate them to lose weight not back the other way........see your gp.....wish you luck & dont give up!!!

kristinL16

I know you don't want to count calories, but I would try it at least for a short period of time to see where you are at now that you are eating differently. For a week or so log everything you eat religiously. Like someone else said, you must be at your maintenance intake right now. If you find that you are eating, say, 1800 calories a day, then cut it down by 10-20% to lose weight. You may be eating healthy food, but you can still eat too much of it.

kao708

I haven't read all the comments so this may be redundant but here is my advice:
- Log your food...yes it's tedious but you need to know what you are consuming so you know what to burn
- Don't eat at the school cafeteria...Buy your own food, get a cheap food scale and really know the qty's you are eating
- Change your routine...if you've been doing the same workouts, try something different. Your body may be used to the same thing
- Eat more fiber and protein if you feel like you're still hungry. Eat things that are filling and you won't feel so deprived.

I also agree that your pic looks great. If I looked like that in a bikini I'd be running around Walmart in it! :bigsmile:

Good luck to you!

dangerxbadger

You could always try raspberry ketones.. Or green coffee beans. You know, if you're into the miracle fix, no real work required, snake oil sort of thing.

Coffee beans UNroasted are green. Just saying.....And there is no miracle fix. It all requires effort and work. Please, I pray, you are just being humorous.

There really should be a sarcasm font.

JeSuisPrest

You could always try raspberry ketones.. Or green coffee beans. You know, if you're into the miracle fix, no real work required, snake oil sort of thing.

Coffee beans UNroasted are green. Just saying.....And there is no miracle fix. It all requires effort and work. Please, I pray, you are just being humorous.

There really should be a sarcasm font.

Yes, there should be!!! I am relieved that you were not serious!!!:blushing: