Please help - I'm really trying and failing

Frankietb

Your calories don't add up to your macros. I would try and ensure

1) You hit or exceed the protein every day
2) you stay under on the carbs and sugar
3) you make sure your food info is correct

I counted up the macros to several days and one was off by 700 calories! You thought you ate 1700 but you ate 2400!! That is a big difference...

Thanks for the response. Could you explain this to me? I'm not clear as to what you mean about counting up the macros...

ami5000psu

Keep in mind 80% of the food database is inaccurate. Most of the time, people enter the correct calorie count - but not the correct macros. Many people also enter net carbs as total carbs. Always double check

I've seen people log things like "Pasta - Homemade, 2 cups" and it says 10g carbs. Come on now. 2 cups of pasta with only 10 carbs?

I've noticed the same thing. So of course your macros won't add up if they're not correct to begin with.

Frankietb

Do you have a food scale?

I do and use it for everything. Thanks.

Faunsnyder

Your calories don't add up to your macros. I would try and ensure

1) You hit or exceed the protein every day
2) you stay under on the carbs and sugar
3) you make sure your food info is correct

I counted up the macros to several days and one was off by 700 calories! You thought you ate 1700 but you ate 2400!! That is a big difference...

^^^^^^^Could someone please explain this to me? Something I've never really heard about, but I find it interesting!

I just checked my own. The don't add up. They're out between 49 and -35 everyday, and average out to 7.375 over the course of eight days.

Carbs are 4 calories per gram.
Fats are 9 calories per gram.
Proteins are 4 calories per gram.

Calculate your total calories for each of your macros. Add them together. Do they match your total calories consumed?

Frankietb

I don;t see anything absolutely crazy in your diary so I would just recommend making sure that the amount your are eating is accurate and properly measured so you are logging your calories correctly (you may already be doing that) and make sure that when you are working out that you change it up and it may help you. If you are working out a lot 5x a week you might even need to adjust your calories and possible eat more. Besides that, I am not completely sure what to tell you except to be patient, sometimes it doesn't happen right away. Focus more on body fat percentage and inches lost, your lifting may be making your body leaner, but the scale is not moving. Good luck!

Thank you! Perhaps patience is key...

Faunsnyder

Your calories don't add up to your macros. I would try and ensure

1) You hit or exceed the protein every day
2) you stay under on the carbs and sugar
3) you make sure your food info is correct

I counted up the macros to several days and one was off by 700 calories! You thought you ate 1700 but you ate 2400!! That is a big difference...

^^^^^^^Could someone please explain this to me? Something I've never really heard about, but I find it interesting!

I just checked my own. The don't add up. They're out between 49 and -35 everyday, and average out to 7.375 over the course of eight days.

Carbs are 4 calories per gram.
Fats are 9 calories per gram.
Proteins are 4 calories per gram.

Calculate your total calories for each of your macros. Add them together. Do they match your total calories consumed?

What?

muriah2

Your calories don't add up to your macros. I would try and ensure

1) You hit or exceed the protein every day
2) you stay under on the carbs and sugar
3) you make sure your food info is correct

I counted up the macros to several days and one was off by 700 calories! You thought you ate 1700 but you ate 2400!! That is a big difference...

^^^^^^^Could someone please explain this to me? Something I've never really heard about, but I find it interesting!

I just checked my own. The don't add up. They're out between 49 and -35 everyday, and average out to 7.375 over the course of eight days.

Carbs are 4 calories per gram.
Fats are 9 calories per gram.
Proteins are 4 calories per gram.

Calculate your total calories for each of your macros. Add them together. Do they match your total calories consumed?

Thank you!!!

Frankietb

I think you're doing everything you need to be doing. Are you eating less or more than you were before?

Am I understanding that you have lost no weight and no inches, or very little weight and very little inches? Have you tracked your body fat?

My suggestion would be to let it go for another month (I see that you've been doing this for almost two months so far). That will give your lifting a chance to have an impact on your metabolism.

If you still don't see a change, get checked out by your doctor to see if you have a deficiency or other issue.

Then drop another 200 calories if everything checks out.

Thanks. I don't know for sure what my bodyfat % is but from calipers and measurments it seems to be between 26-27%.

thesoup11

It doesnt show your drinkin water thats very important also if your workin out really hard or alot u would need to eatalittle more hope this helps

rosiereally2

It looks like we're in the same boat. I'm the same age, though taller, and my scale has been stuck for months as well. I have little advice since I'm still trying to figure this out as well.

What I've done is put the scale away for the time being and am focusing on my strength training. I'll reevaluate after a month to see where I stand.

I've sent you a friend request. Good luck!

Frankietb

Personally i think you're eating too much. You only eat 350 less than me and i only drop 1lb a week and train a similar amount to you.

Why aren't you hitting your protein? That should be your minimum. If you don't want to eat more meat then maybe consider adding whey to your diet.

1800 a day without eating back the 350 I burn would bring me to a net of 1450 which is close to my BMR (I think I'm getting this right?) but perhaps I could drop it... But you are right about my protein. I have good days and bad days with regards to hitting it. I'm working on it. Thank you for your response.

M00NPYE

I never knew about macros... thanks for that info Faunsnyder!

Frankietb

Hi. I noticed that you were not counting your sodium intake and I see that you eat a lot of things that have extremely high sodium. I would suggest tracking that as well and see if you can get the numbers down.

I agree that my sodium is high. I drink tons of water though so I always thought it would balance itself off. Could it be as simple as just lowering it and the weight would come off withough changing anything else? I could try to lower it. Thanks!

Frankietb

I would eat less than 20% TDEE. There is an error factor which can be as high as 20% so you may be ending up eating pretty much at your maintenance level. In the end, if your calories at 1800 are not leading to a weight loss, then eat less calories. I would think you need to be down another 200-300 to see a measured result.

Would you recommend that I lower it to say 1500 and still not eat my exercise calories back? Thanks for your response.

neacail

what? i dont understand adding macros?? how do you do this??

When you're entering a food into the database you enter all of the information off of the label (calories, grams of carbs, etc.). Apparently, MFP doesn't have an algorithm which verifies that everything adds up correctly when the food is submitted. This seems like a huge oversight, as I know that two of MFP's competitors do run an algorithm to ensure that the math is correct on user entered data.

Frankietb

Your calories don't add up to your macros. I would try and ensure

1) You hit or exceed the protein every day
2) you stay under on the carbs and sugar
3) you make sure your food info is correct

I counted up the macros to several days and one was off by 700 calories! You thought you ate 1700 but you ate 2400!! That is a big difference...

Second this guy.

Also, you need to watch your sodium content and your fat/carbs as well as snacks. All those chips are going to add up as well as weekend binges with drinks and what not that are most likely keeping you at maintenance. You seem to divulge everyday in at least chips or popcorn or something of that nature as a "treat" - try eliminating that or at least taking it down to 1-2 times a week.

I do eat chips and other not so good foods often but I was under the impression that what was most important at the end of the day was that I didn't go over my calorie allowance limit. I will re-evaluate this. Thanks for your time!

neacail

Keep in mind 80% of the food database is inaccurate. Most of the time, people enter the correct calorie count - but not the correct macros. Many people also enter net carbs as total carbs. Always double check

I've seen people log things like "Pasta - Homemade, 2 cups" and it says 10g carbs. Come on now. 2 cups of pasta with only 10 carbs?

I don't ever even look at entries like that. Perhaps if I had I would have noticed that something wasn't quite right. I do check the entries I'm using pretty closely, and maybe that's why I haven't found anything horrifically out in my diary.

sweetpea03b

Hi. I noticed that you were not counting your sodium intake and I see that you eat a lot of things that have extremely high sodium. I would suggest tracking that as well and see if you can get the numbers down.

This. It's something people often overlook. Whenever you get something that is pre-packed and processed its LOADED with sodium. Also, you don't log water.... are you drinking atleast 8 glasses? This is VERY important. you're probably holding onto lots of water weight.

Frankietb

Hi Looks like you're doing great so far! Congrats! I just looked at some of your diary posts on meals. One recommendation I noticed is that I would up your protein intake. For example, yesterday's meal posts you had an intake of 50 or so grams of protein, but carbs were around 200 grams or something like that. If you are lifting 3 X a week then I would definitely up your protein to at least 100 or 150. Sometimes if I don't get enough protein in my meals I'll add whey protein to meet my protein needs/goals. Also, I would maybe do cardio 2 or 3X a week. Also, maybe focus on calories burnt on cardio sessions instead of amount of time spent on them. For example, I used to do endless hours on cardio machines. ...didn't work lol Now, I lift 5 X a week and only do cardio 2 X a week for 400 calories burnt sessions. I just started logging my meals again on here. Again, these are just suggestions. It seems like you eat pretty healthy are are active Good Luck!!

Thank you for the recommendations!

neacail

Double post.

elainecroft

What do you do to workout? You say you burn 350 calories - how is this calculated? Can you up the intensity of your workouts, e.g. do interval training?

Frankietb

Why did you put moderately active? Not saying you aren't, just curious.

I'm 150 pounds, 5'9", 30 years old, and male. We obviously have different BMR's and goals, but my maintenance is about 2000 calories a day for just going to work, cleaning around the house, running errands, etc.

That's my grey area. I put moderately active because I work out 5 days a week for an average of 50 minutes (intense enough) and I'm a busy mom before and after work so I never really sit down other than the 6 hours at work and then later in the evening. What would you recommend i set it at? Thanks!

Frankietb

You might consider adjusting your macros a little. MFP sets the carbs a little high and the fat a little low, IMO. Your carbs don't look terribly high to begin with, but your fat is awfully low. Try eating more olives/olive oil, avocados, real butter (full-fat dairy if you're into dairy), coconut oil...etc. You'll be surprised how eating MORE fat can actually help move fat off your body, especially if you're physically active.

Thank you for the suggestions! I've actually read up on it not long ago and was thinking of upping my fat. I see you've lost some good amount of weight, is this what you did? Thanks!

Trilby16

I think this is one instance where no one's gonna tell you to eat more to lose more.

xilka

Up the proteins (eggs, not cereal for breakfast, every day)

lower the carbs a little - don't go crazy.

Try to lessen the canned foods.

More real food - raw veggies - LOTS!
I know it's expensive in the some places, but if you can... do.

50 minutes 5 days a week is GREAT! Keep it up. I bet your body is healthy and happy.

yankeedownsouth

I'm going to agree with some of the others and say that I think you might be eating more at maintenance. Some people just don't fit into those TDEE calculators (myself for example). I'm 5'7", 133 pounds, 44 years old, and maintain at what you are eating. If I want to lose, I have to drop my calories from there.

I also agree with what the others are saying about food choices. I find that if I eat a bunch of junkie foods, even if I stay within my calorie limits, I don't have the results I do if I'm eating healthy, whole foods.

I'm glad you're sticking with it! Keep at it, and you'll find that sweet spot that works for you!

M00NPYE

Why did you put moderately active? Not saying you aren't, just curious.

I'm 150 pounds, 5'9", 30 years old, and male. We obviously have different BMR's and goals, but my maintenance is about 2000 calories a day for just going to work, cleaning around the house, running errands, etc.

That's my grey area. I put moderately active because I work out 5 days a week for an average of 50 minutes (intense enough) and I'm a busy mom before and after work so I never really sit down other than the 6 hours at work and then later in the evening. What would you recommend i set it at? Thanks!

I would think moderate is correct.. It's like my activity level also.

Frankietb

Wow, I looked at your food diary and I eat close to the same type of food you do each day and I am struggling also. I am also 5ft 3in and currently 154. Recently I had gotten down to 145 and maintained that for about 2 years until the holidays. When I get down that low (for me) I am eating about 1400-1500 cal/day and I really watch my carbs (maybe about 100-120g/day). I have been under stress recently and have gained about 9 pounds. I have also been reading about the Road Map and am curious about it. I am very interested in seeing what kind of replies you get b/c I feel as if I could have written the same post! I workout 6 days per week. Usually P90X or right now, Chalean Extreme. Hope you can find what works soon! It is frustrating.

Isn't is frustrating! I feel for you. It's like there is a missing piece somewhere that if I just "go it" it would all fall into place and I would reach my goal size (size 6). If someone told me, and knew for sure it would work, I would totally do it. I just seem way off somehow. I thought what I was doing was the way to go because soooo many others seem to have results doing it (eat less than TDEE and exercise). Did all the calculations possible from fat2fit.com to scoobysworkshop.com and got basically the same results so went with that and it's not working. Good luck to you! Hopefully we will find that missing piece and reach our goals.

Frankietb

How much water do you drink? This could also influence weight loss. Sodium is also a killer.

Thank you. Sodium is high but I do drink over 10 cups of water a day if not more. I will try and watch my sodium better though.

Frankietb

Off the top of my head:

Be sure you used the appropriate activity level when figuring your TDEE. If you have a desk job but DO NOT just sit on your *kitten* when you are at home, then you are not sedentary. Include how often do you workout, clean house, do yard work, walk around, run errand, etc.

Be sure to weigh with a digital scale every morsel that passes your lips. No guesstimating or eyeballing.

Remember, heavy worked muscles will retain water and mask your loss. Do not rely on scales for progress measuring. Get a tape measure. Try on clothes that were previously too tight. Look in the mirror for subtle changes to your physique. Take pictures every month or two and compare. All of this counts as progress.

I weight lift also and been hovering around 151 for months now, but my body definitely has been changing. Slowly but surely.

Thanks for your response. I have activity to moderate and do lift very heavy and 3x a week, unfortunately my measurements are the same.