Why won't the scale budge?

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JTick
JTick Posts: 2,131 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I am 22, 5'3", and currently 240...down from 265 at my very highest and down about 12 lbs since regularly logging on MFP.

The scale has not budged in several weeks, which is not making sense to me since I still have around 100 lbs to lose. I don't starve myself, my calories are at 1700 and I am very close or even slightly over every day. I do struggle with binging, but in the 45 straight days I have logged I have only binged once or twice, and they have been very controlled and shouldn't have made a large impact on my calories as a whole.

I am not necessarily a clean eater...I am trying to switch over to less processed foods, but obviously I don't want to do it all at once or I fear a major binge. I am trying to incorporate things like fruits, veggies, greek yogurt, good proteins in, but I still have my sweets and such almost every day. I am slowly switching over.

My activity level varies between sedentary and active. I go to school twice a week, and sit on my butt for 6 hours those days. The other days I am at my job, which is very active and involves lots of lifting and moving around. I am currently medically restricted and cannot exercise for a few more weeks.

I will open my diary, but please be gentle. I am a work in progress.

Any thoughts on what I can change to make that scale start moving?
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Replies

  • LoraF83
    LoraF83 Posts: 15,694 Member
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    I took a look at several days in your diary, and I have a few suggestions:

    1. Quick added calories will hurt you. Did you just guess at the total of what you were eating? We often guess incorrectly.

    2. Try to lower your sodium. Or at least balance it out with potassium. Sodium might be causing water retention, which could be masking weight loss.

    3. Are you sure you are entering everything correctly? Are you eating those Cheerios dry? - because no milk was logged. I also saw an entry for Bisquick. Did you eat the powder? No other ingredients needed to make pancakes were logged. Either enter all the ingredients, or enter the recipe. It helps you be more accurate.

    4. Log your binges (if you aren't already). It will help you be accountable.


    Hope that helps a little!
  • JTick
    JTick Posts: 2,131 Member
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    I took a look at several days in your diary, and I have a few suggestions:

    1. Quick added calories will hurt you. Did you just guess at the total of what you were eating? We often guess incorrectly.

    2. Try to lower your sodium. Or at least balance it out with potassium. Sodium might be causing water retention, which could be masking weight loss.

    3. Are you sure you are entering everything correctly? Are you eating those Cheerios dry? - because no milk was logged. I also saw an entry for Bisquick. Did you eat the powder? No other ingredients needed to make pancakes were logged. Either enter all the ingredients, or enter the recipe. It helps you be more accurate.

    4. Log your binges (if you aren't already). It will help you be accountable.


    Hope that helps a little!

    Thanks for looking.

    Quick adds are almost always accurate for me, it's just me being lazy and adding in my head without putting each food in. So if I had a sandwich, I will add it in my head as I throw everything on it and then quick add. I will start actually adding those foods in though, as I do need to watch my sodium better.

    As far as adding milk in on cereals and such, those are the ONLY liquid calories I eat so I always told myself I wouldn't bother logging them until I plateaued...guess it's time to start logging them! :embarassed:

    Thanks!
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 34,015 Member
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    Logging correctly is really important. If you aren't weighing and measuring everything you eat and drink, you are probably making some large errors.

    But you are just starting, and you have lost 12 pounds, so congratulations on that! This is a learning process, and you can best succeed by honesty and accuracy. Make your small changes as you can, like you are doing. There will be stops and starts along the way.

    Also, with the large amount of weight you have to lose, you can certainly cut your calories more. What does this site recommend for a Lightly Active setting and "Lose 2 pounds a week" for you?
  • sarahharmintx
    sarahharmintx Posts: 868 Member
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    Im 26, 5'5" and currently 213ish. Since I started (at 256lbs), I have been from 1470 to 1320 calories per day. Have you ever played with your calorie intake number? I stayed low for a long time then went on my cruise and totally blew it out of the water, after I drank enough water to clear the sodium, I was down quite a few lbs. Sometimes changing your intake can help. Its like muscle memory only with your stomach.

    Oh and drink water. Lots. Like 100+ ounces.
  • JTick
    JTick Posts: 2,131 Member
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    Lightly active is 1440, which I feel is too little for me. I work in a horse barn, and it is HARD work. It's nothing to be swinging bales of hay or bags of feed around all day. I would starve on 1440 LOL. It is hard for me to decide between the two though, as half the week I am sedentary, and the other half very active. I figured that the 1700 (profile set to active) would kind of mesh the two together.
  • jesz124
    jesz124 Posts: 1,004 Member
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    Yep, as it was said already, it's really important to log everything you eat and drink. It's really easy to miss a few things off (e.g milk) on a daily basis and it soon adds up to quite a few calories. Plus with the adding things up in your head as you go along, you may miscount, get distracted, whatever and not be adding the cals properly. I know sometimes it seems a drag listing everything but I think you really have to keep on top of it to keep weight loss consistent. Good luck with the future x
  • 120weeks
    120weeks Posts: 242 Member
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    I think since you are mostly sedentary right now without formal exercise, it would be best to take the lowest TDEE number for you. It's a calculation, a guess even, of what you burn in a day. That number is approximately 2264 for you. So, 1700 + unaccounted for liquids (let's say 200 per day) + if you are not measuring you food accurately with a food scale (are you measuring your TBSP of PB and Jam?)+ a few days of overeating = no weight loss.

    You need to decrease your cals and be honest with yourself. You need to track everything. I started off with a 100 pounds to lose. You can do it :)
  • poedunk65
    poedunk65 Posts: 1,336 Member
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    it's either what you are eating or what you are not doing exercise wise. That simple. I am not trying to be mean just being honest. Red Forks over Knives..........it will help you.

    If you want add me and you can see my food logs and what I am doing to lose my wieght. I AM serious and look at this as a lifelong journey and a complete lifetstyle change.
  • GSCPostBaby
    GSCPostBaby Posts: 111 Member
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    Invest in a food scale and commit to being accurate.
  • JTick
    JTick Posts: 2,131 Member
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    I think since you are mostly sedentary right now without formal exercise, it would be best to take the lowest TDEE number for you. It's a calculation, a guess even, of what you burn in a day. That number is approximately 2264 for you. So, 1700 + unaccounted for liquids (let's say 200 per day) + if you are not measuring you food accurately with a food scale (are you measuring your TBSP of PB and Jam?)+ a few days of overeating = no weight loss.

    You need to decrease your cals and be honest with yourself. You need to track everything. I started off with a 100 pounds to lose. You can do it :)

    Thank you! I have never been able to figure out how to calculate my TDEE and BMR, even though I understand what they mean. So, by cracking down on myself and being more honest, even if I stay at 1700, I should start seeing the scale move again?

    And yes, TBSP, tsp, cups are all measured. I don't own a food scale so have to guess on things like chicken breasts, but I always overguestimate those and hope to buy a food scale soon.
  • LuckyTerrier
    LuckyTerrier Posts: 73 Member
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    Have you thought about setting your calorie goal as the "lightly active" setting and logging extra exercise calories for the days you are more active? 1700 is probably too much for sedentary days, so you may see better results by making sure your eating is in line with your activity for the day.
  • JTick
    JTick Posts: 2,131 Member
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    it's either what you are eating or what you are not doing exercise wise. That simple. I am not trying to be mean just being honest. Red Forks over Knives..........it will help you.

    If you want add me and you can see my food logs and what I am doing to lose my wieght. I AM serious and look at this as a lifelong journey and a complete lifetstyle change.

    I agree it's either eating or exercise. I can guarantee it's my eating right now though as I am not allowed to exercise...can't wait for those restrictions to lift!
  • Anna800
    Anna800 Posts: 637 Member
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    When you're not at the horse barn are you exercising?

    Milk has a lot of sugar in it and maybe fat depends, so it needs to be logged. Not to mention it can be another 100 calories.

    Did you eat s'mores everyday? You have to cut back on the treats if you want to lose, one treat a day is fine but I see several sugary treats a day.

    You can adjust your diary to start tracking sugar instead of fiber.

    I would try to eat a breakfast with more protein. Skip the jam. Scrambled eggs would work.
    McDonalds oatmeal has too much sugar in it.
  • 120weeks
    120weeks Posts: 242 Member
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    Food scales are cheap and MFP is free. Please get a scale.

    Yes, you should lose at 1700. I am about your weight and I lose nicely at 1900 cals. Our main difference is that I formally exercise 3-5 hours a week.
  • AndreaGrace29
    AndreaGrace29 Posts: 51 Member
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    I'd suggest you try lowering the carbs you are consuming and adding more veggies to your diet. Perhaps try working on the sodium too. Even though Subway seems healthy in regards to fast food, the sodium in lunch meats is insane, and that damn sodium will make you retain water. Another thing to try is to stop eating anything major by 6 or 7 in the evening, and if you absolutely need something, drink some water and have a yogurt, or some veggies.. something light and low cal. log everhthing. You'd be surprised how it all really adds up when you see it in writing.

    I was plateauing for about a month, but then I dropped my cals from 1600 to 1300-1400, changed my sodium, and stopped eating meals so late. The scale is finally moving again. Sometimes you just gatta change it up.
  • JTick
    JTick Posts: 2,131 Member
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    When you're not at the horse barn are you exercising?

    Milk has a lot of sugar in it and maybe fat depends, so it needs to be logged. Not to mention it can be another 100 calories.

    Did you eat s'mores everyday? You have to cut back on the treats if you want to lose, one treat a day is fine but I see several sugary treats a day.

    You can adjust your diary to start tracking sugar instead of fiber.

    I would try to eat a breakfast with more protein. Skip the jam. Scrambled eggs would work.
    McDonalds oatmeal has too much sugar in it.

    I'm not particularly worried about sugar as I am not diabetic, and it gets counted into my carbs anyway.

    And while not everyday, I have been on a serious smores kick lately. I need to stop eating them so much!

    And I am not allowed to exercise due to medical restrictions right now.
  • LoraF83
    LoraF83 Posts: 15,694 Member
    Options
    I think since you are mostly sedentary right now without formal exercise, it would be best to take the lowest TDEE number for you. It's a calculation, a guess even, of what you burn in a day. That number is approximately 2264 for you. So, 1700 + unaccounted for liquids (let's say 200 per day) + if you are not measuring you food accurately with a food scale (are you measuring your TBSP of PB and Jam?)+ a few days of overeating = no weight loss.

    You need to decrease your cals and be honest with yourself. You need to track everything. I started off with a 100 pounds to lose. You can do it :)

    Thank you! I have never been able to figure out how to calculate my TDEE and BMR, even though I understand what they mean. So, by cracking down on myself and being more honest, even if I stay at 1700, I should start seeing the scale move again?

    And yes, TBSP, tsp, cups are all measured. I don't own a food scale so have to guess on things like chicken breasts, but I always overguestimate those and hope to buy a food scale soon.

    Here's a link that will help you figure out your BMR & TDEE:

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/654536-in-place-of-a-road-map-2-0-revised-7-2-12
  • JustJennie1
    JustJennie1 Posts: 3,843 Member
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    Definitely get a food scale and weigh and measure everything. Estimating and adding the calories in your head will only lead to you underestimating what you ate. As someone here mentioned either log everything individually or create a recipe and log that but make sure everything is 100% accurate!

    And log EVERYTHING: fruit, vegetables, that pat of butter you put on your toast, the milk in your cereal, the olive oil you put on your salad. . . . you get the point. Everything has calories and if you don't account for every thing that you put in your mouth you're not going to lose the weight.

    Congrats on the loss so far. Keeping accurate track of what you're eating should help.
  • katiejarr
    katiejarr Posts: 251 Member
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    I looked over your diary and I will say this as gently as possibly sweetie, but I would suggest that you try and add some more clean food to your diet, say some raw veggies, maybe salad to a meal or 2, or some veggies and a dip if you would like that? There are some good yogurt ranch dressings out now that taste just like ranch dressing but are made with yogurt so they are much less calories. I think if you add some raw veggies you will be fuller and they are very low in calories plus its fiber and very good for you and helps with weight loss. Im on 1200 calories a day and I exercise about 3-4 times a week and I will be 52 in 2 weeks and Im never starving, Im very satisfied and I feel like I eat all day...feel free to take a look at my diary...and I eat chocolate and or some form of sweets everyday...I have a huge sweet tooth :)
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 34,015 Member
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    Have you thought about setting your calorie goal as the "lightly active" setting and logging extra exercise calories for the days you are more active? 1700 is probably too much for sedentary days, so you may see better results by making sure your eating is in line with your activity for the day.

    I agree with this. I asked earlier what the setting was here. You say 1440. That's for Lightly Active. So that would be good for the every day count. Then add the exercise - and you'll get closer to 1700-1800. So that 's all well and good for the days you spend more than two hours in the horse barn. The days you don't, eat the 1440. I know it doesn't seem like much. But it's what you need to do.

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