Week 8, no significant weight loss

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lelandgroup
lelandgroup Posts: 6 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hey there, so I have been VERY diligent and religious about tracking everything (food & exercise) but have only lost about 2 pounds. My goal is 1570 cals per day and if I take my average over the last 7 weeks I have eaten about 1413 per day. Most days I am under or at goal, a couple days when I play 2-3 hours of tennis, I am significantly under, but I have a couple days when I am a little over. Based on this I should have lost about 12.5 lbs. by now. I am very frustrated. Any suggestions? Thanks.
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Replies

  • jshinoff
    jshinoff Posts: 25 Member
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    If you haven't lost weight it means you haven't run a caloric deficit so your estimation of calorie intake, BMR, and/or exercise are off. This site just estimates BMR, your true BMR may be lower. Also this site over estimates calories used in exercise. The easiest thing to do is to further reduce your caloric intake by maybe 5% and find a more accurate way to gauge exercise calories like using an HRM device or Nike Fuel Band.
  • Sidesteal
    Sidesteal Posts: 5,510 Member
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    Hey there, so I have been VERY diligent and religious about tracking everything (food & exercise) but have only lost about 2 pounds. My goal is 1570 cals per day and if I take my average over the last 7 weeks I have eaten about 1413 per day. Most days I am under or at goal, a couple days when I play 2-3 hours of tennis, I am significantly under, but I have a couple days when I am a little over. Based on this I should have lost about 12.5 lbs. by now. I am very frustrated. Any suggestions? Thanks.

    Are you using a food scale and measuring devices to make sure that your caloric intake estimations are accurate? Do you log every single thing you eat or drink (including condiments/etc) always?
  • naysjp
    naysjp Posts: 6 Member
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    Do yourself a favor and don't weigh yourself so much. I weigh myself once a week around the same time of the day on an empty stomach with my shoes off. Don't drive yourself crazy(not saying know your on the scale alot) looking at the scale. You are probably losing inches. Go by how your clothes fit or sometimes people(co-workers and friends) can tell and will let you know.
  • fmbomzo
    fmbomzo Posts: 382 Member
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    I wholeheartedly agree with both responses. Get a food scale or measuring devices and an HRM.

    Make sure your food and exercise calories are being accurately calculated. If you use the food calories in the MFP database, always double check them with another site or the item itself. I have found some large errors on some foods or some people don't add all of the details. For instance, there was a meat that didn't have any grams of protein indicated or a dessert that had no sugars entered. Those things may make a difference if they are grossly over or underestimated. Those days you are way under may be working against you. If you're averaging 6-9 hrs of tennis per week, your calorie goal may actually be too low.

    Change on or the other (food intake or amount of exercise) and hold that pattern for 2-3 weeks. That will help you determine which area needs to be tweaked.
  • kiminikimkim
    kiminikimkim Posts: 746 Member
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    I maintain my weight on those same caloric numbers.

    I was at 1200 when I was on my weight loss journey.
  • Prahasaurus
    Prahasaurus Posts: 1,381 Member
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    Your diary is closed. Make your diary open, please. Then we have a better idea of what you're eating.

    Also, before the inevitable "eat more or you'll be in starvation mode" discussion starts, let me say that, in general, the most likely explanation is that you are either underestimating calorie consumption or overestimating calorie loss due to exercise. Or both.

    You need to invest in a digital scale and weigh everything. Also, you must include everything. For example, that pat of butter seems inconsequential, but depending on its size, it may contain 150 calories... That's 10% of your daily allotted calories, so it's a major oversight.

    Also, be very conservative with exercise calories. Firstly, this site usually overestimates calorie loss from exercise. Secondly, only include if it's really exercise. Yes, I know you are burning calories when you go outside to get your mail, but don't include it. Try to keep the recorded cardio for proper exercise. Otherwise, you'll just use it to buy yourself more and more calories, which is a bad habit. If I jogged 30 min after walking for 45 minutes to and from the track, I typically recorded a jog of 25 minutes. If I drove to the track and jogged for 30 min, I recorded it as 20 min. And so on, and so on...

    --P
  • wlkumpf
    wlkumpf Posts: 241 Member
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    I maintain my weight on those same caloric numbers.

    I was at 1200 when I was on my weight loss journey.

    I agree, but if I eat 1/2 my workout calories I actually lose more weight than when I don't eat them. If I mainly eat protein anyways.
  • Sarauk2sf
    Sarauk2sf Posts: 28,072 Member
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    How much do you have to lose?



    Edited: just realized you had the answer to my first question in your post.
  • porcelain_doll
    porcelain_doll Posts: 1,005 Member
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    Also, before the inevitable "eat more or you'll be in starvation mode" discussion starts, let me say that, in general, the most likely explanation is that you are either underestimating calorie consumption or overestimating calorie loss due to exercise. Or both.

    You need to invest in a digital scale and weigh everything. Also, you must include everything. For example, that pat of butter seems inconsequential, but depending on its size, it may contain 150 calories... That's 10% of your daily allotted calories, so it's a major oversight.

    Also, be very conservative with exercise calories. Firstly, this site usually overestimates calorie loss from exercise.

    This. All of it - read it a few times over! :smile: That is exactly why I stalled (and it was for much longer than 8 weeks, and somehow I did not end up in a sanitarium). Do you use a heart rate monitor? That will tell you how much you burn during exercise and you will be shocked at how different it can be from MFP's database.
  • lbe1982
    lbe1982 Posts: 20
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    I"ve been working out since Feb. Haven't lost any weight but down 2 sizes and much stronger. I broke my ankle 3 years ago and severely sprained it last year, followed by a torn rotters cup after falling while on crunches, and this past Feb. broke a toe while exercising. I'm far from the weight goal of 135, but I'm so pleased with the strength I have gained. If I workout too much my foot starts hurting, so I must continue at a slow pace.
    I watch everything I eat, most day's under 1000 calories.

    5 years ago I weighted 110pounds, I didn't eat!!!! I was very under weight and looked horrible.

    Don't give up!!! I never want to be at 110 again. I want to loose weight and be strong.
  • lelandgroup
    lelandgroup Posts: 6 Member
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    Ok, I believe that I am counting everything, yes, the butter, mayo, etc. I will get a scale (both types) and start weighing the food. I usually check what mfp states as calories against the package and make sure the calories match. In terms of over gauging the exercise, I have looked at multiple sites to find out what an hour of tennis singles is and mfp seems to be in line. I would think that the exercise count is accurate, the tennis I play is not hit and giggle, I'm a nationally ranked singles player, so it's pretty serious. Thanks, will open up my food diary.
  • amnsetie
    amnsetie Posts: 666 Member
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    If you lose half a pound a week that's fine. 8 weeks in you lost 3 pounds, that's only 1 pound less than half a pound a week.
    1 pound can fluctuate easily

    keep at it. your are at least heading in the right direction
  • Kim55555
    Kim55555 Posts: 987 Member
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    the tennis I play is not hit and giggle, I'm a nationally ranked singles player, so it's pretty serious. Thanks, will open up my food diary.

    You need to fuel yourself for the athlete that you are! The amount that you eat is for someone who is pretty much sedentary or who does occasional walking. Us athletes have to eat a lot more. I am 5 foot 2 and have always eaten at just a small defecit anywhere between 1700 - 2300 depending on my activity. My tdee is estimated approx 2100 - 2300. Its taken me 2 and a half years but I've lost 33 kgs. I have become really fit and have retain and perhaps even put some muscle on.

    Also if you only have a small amount to lose it might take you a while. In my 1st year I lost the majority of my weight. In the past 9 months just 2 kgs. Even though I platued on the scale for 6 months a little while ago I still was losing body fat it just wasn't showing on the scale yet. It is going to take time and patience when you have just a few pounds to lose. If I were you I'd up my calories to around 1700 - 2000 and see how that goes.
  • lelandgroup
    lelandgroup Posts: 6 Member
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    Thanks! When you say "deficit", what do you mean? MFP, based on my desired weight of 175, came up with the 1570 per day. Are you saying your deficit is based off your TDEE ?
  • lelandgroup
    lelandgroup Posts: 6 Member
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    Oh, and the only exercise I record is tennis and dedicated walking (taking the dog for a walk, walking 18 holes of golf, etc.)
  • thewinged
    thewinged Posts: 42
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    It is entirely possible that you are gaining muscle, which weighs more than fat. Have your measurements changed at all? Oftentimes measurements are more meaningful than the scale.
    Also, get your body fat % tested if possible.
  • BR3ANDA
    BR3ANDA Posts: 622 Member
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    I went through your diary, I went back about a week or so, I didnt see a single vegetable in there, and you drink a lot of your calories as well. Go to your setting and add fiber and sugar to your diary so you can see how much of those you consume in a day. Eat some veggies with every meal, at least a cup full, try it for a couple weeks and see if you get some results.
  • lelandgroup
    lelandgroup Posts: 6 Member
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    Ok, will do. I am trying to add more veggies. I do a number of salads per week, but know I need to add more. Just started drinking Naked juices- not exactly the same I know, but lots of fruit and veggies in them. Thanks :-). Oh, and for the other post, I never took my measurements, but my clothes fit about the same.
  • gaylynn35
    gaylynn35 Posts: 854 Member
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    I agree with the previous poster: Not enough veggies and too much alcohol and Starbucks. I also noticed to much butter and to much bread. Good Luck to you!! I hope you get it figured out.
  • AVinmill
    AVinmill Posts: 88 Member
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    If you need more vegetables, get a blender and make a morning vegetable/fruit shake. it'll make getting them a little less painful.

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