Not working out so far ... Why?

sara1077
sara1077 Posts: 89 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Joined in May,but very spotty until Jan 2. I bounced from172-179 depending on my focus. I gained about 5llbs holidays and thought it would fall off quickly after I got serious on Jsn 2; Been NETTING 1500-1650 most days (ok, only aboutba week) and working out. Scale has not really budged!! I am 5'5 180lbs and 39!(almost). Have a desk job, but 3 kids under 6-4-2'. Am I eating to much? I was actually weighing less when NOT tracking! It is new for me ( this time) but have been doing mix of 30DS, pilates and walk/run intervals for 30 min. About 3-4 work outs a week. Any feedback is appreciated. I know it has not been long, but do let me know if my calorie net sounds too high.

Replies

  • Textmessage
    Textmessage Posts: 387 Member
    So what you're saying is that you've only been 100% dedicated a week and are wondering why you haven't seen results?
  • Lleldiranne
    Lleldiranne Posts: 5,516 Member
    You need to give it more time. It's been all of a week since you "got serious" on Jan 2. I seriously doubt you're eating too much … too little, maybe, but not too much. Check out the eat more to weigh less group if you're interested in that line of thinking. But for now, I would suggest to give it more time. It might take a couple of weeks to see results.
  • rockangel8907
    rockangel8907 Posts: 429 Member
    Just give it some time. Let your body figure out what is happening. It might take a few weeks maybe even a month or two to see real loss on the scale. Measure your progress in other ways like how you feel how your clothes fit, how much stronger you are getting, how much easier workouts are becoming!
  • JasonsSoulMate
    JasonsSoulMate Posts: 115 Member
    I just had a quick look at your diary.... one word SODIUM!!! You are eating a LOT of processed foods with high sodium. To counteract this you need to drink LOTS and LOTS of water to flush it. Maybe try cutting that down for a start?? I know it's not easy to change your eating habits over night, trust me I know this, but salt will cause your body to retain water so it is possible that what you are seeing is a lot of water weight and the only way to lose it is to lose the salt.
  • Lmezz11
    Lmezz11 Posts: 619 Member
    Your sodium intake is kind of high which can result in water retention. Plus you need to give it more than a week.
  • giggitygoo
    giggitygoo Posts: 1,978 Member
    Give it 12 weeks, and then readjust as needed. It's impossible to gauge effectiveness in such a short time period.


    In the mean time: Track your food accurately (by weight if possible); Be persistent with the workouts; Have patience.

    You can do this.
  • kumica
    kumica Posts: 18 Member
    Hi there! I'm in a similar situation. 5'3", 162lbs and just turned 40 last week. I'm a mother of 4 as well. I know my numbers are a little off of yours, but I do know that I wouldn't lose any weight at those calorie counts. Is that what MFP recommended? I started Rockin' body last week for my workouts. I also know that I really have to watch my carbs. Make sure that you are having protein after your workouts too. I hope this helps! I know how frustrating it is when the scale doesn't move!!! I also noticed that in the last couple of years that it's been so much harder to get weight off. I think it comes with the age we're at, unfortunately!
  • SweetLillyM
    SweetLillyM Posts: 58
    Watch your sodium intake and drink lots of water!!
  • ilikecats01
    ilikecats01 Posts: 3 Member
    Agree with the other posters. You need to give it more time. Keep at it.
  • kjbutcher
    kjbutcher Posts: 5
    if you are sitting most of the day you may only be burning 1700 or so calories per day and if you are eating 1650 calories per day, you only have a deficit of 50 calories per day. you need a 3500 calorie deficit to lose one pound. your walking/ running for a half hour is probably burning about 250 calories so you are at 300 calories per day deficit, meaning it will take you 11 days to lose a pound. The new fit bits are $59, might help you out in gettting it all figured out.
  • belizsera
    belizsera Posts: 82 Member
    You gotta be patient. It took you months to gain weight, you can not expect to just lose it all quickly. Slow weightloss is the best because at that rate it tends to stay lost. Adjust little things... decrease sodium, boost protein, eat more real foodies.
  • allaboutthecake
    allaboutthecake Posts: 1,535 Member
    Try adjust down cal and definitely cutting sodium in half. If you stick more with fresh & non-processed foods, you will find the scale dropping...giving you momentum. Read EVERY label. You will be shocked at how much added sodium and sugars there are!
  • sara1077
    sara1077 Posts: 89 Member
    Thank you so much!! In did not think at all about sodium ... Will watch that. I know itbhas only been 1 week and time will tell. Justbwanted to know if perhaps I should net 1350 - 1400. I guess I will give it a at least a month before goingndwn.

    I have it set to 1lb loss, lightly active, but thinking i should put sedentary if i am eating exercise calories.
  • Textmessage
    Textmessage Posts: 387 Member
    Thank you so much!! In did not think at all about sodium ... Will watch that. I know itbhas only been 1 week and time will tell. Justbwanted to know if perhaps I should net 1350 - 1400. I guess I will give it a at least a month before goingndwn.

    I have it set to 1lb loss, lightly active, but thinking i should put sedentary if i am eating exercise calories.

    I think you should read this:

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/654536-in-place-of-a-road-map-2-0-revised-7-2-12
  • Bobby__Clerici
    Bobby__Clerici Posts: 741 Member
    Just keep doing the next right thing, and let's see where you are in 3 months.
  • DebbieLyn63
    DebbieLyn63 Posts: 2,654 Member
    Thank you so much!! In did not think at all about sodium ... Will watch that. I know itbhas only been 1 week and time will tell. Justbwanted to know if perhaps I should net 1350 - 1400. I guess I will give it a at least a month before goingndwn.

    I have it set to 1lb loss, lightly active, but thinking i should put sedentary if i am eating exercise calories.

    How are you figuring your exercise burns, do you use a HRM? If you are going by MFP or the computer on the machines, your burn numbers may be greatly inflated. They have been known to give up to twice as many cals as you actually burn. Try eating just a flat 1500 a day without adding back cals, or change setting to sedentary and only eat half of cals back. Most people looking to lose on here don't eat all their cals back, usually only a portion.

    Be consistent and patient, And trial and error to find the perfect range for you.
  • sara1077
    sara1077 Posts: 89 Member
    No hrm, but thinking of one now! In had asked for one for Xmas. I did read the roadmap, that is why in tried 1500 instead of 1350. I got Bmr of 1400 (using the body fat calculator) and I think sedentary TDEE was 1830ish?
  • DebbieLyn63
    DebbieLyn63 Posts: 2,654 Member
    If you use the road map plan, you do NOT eat back your calories. You just stick with the same number everyday. Your exercise is already factored in.
  • cheryl529h
    cheryl529h Posts: 19 Member
    What is the RMP (Road Map Plan)? I'm new and haven't figured out all of the acronyms yet. :)
  • sara1077
    sara1077 Posts: 89 Member
    What is the RMP (Road Map Plan)? I'm new and haven't figured out all of the acronyms yet. :)

    Cheryl -- there is a link to it earlier in this discussion. I've read it dozens of times, but I can't figure out if I should be sedentary or lightly active. Plus, I like the motivation of eating back my exercise calories (which I know you do not do with that). I think I just need to make sure I'm not eating back too many of them! I feel like the calories I put in are pretty conservative, but better to be sure.
  • deksgrl
    deksgrl Posts: 7,237 Member
    Sodium is a really big issue for me. After a few days of limiting sodium, my weight drops 2-5 pounds. All water weight obviously, not real fat loss.
  • sara1077
    sara1077 Posts: 89 Member
    If you use the road map plan, you do NOT eat back your calories. You just stick with the same number everyday. Your exercise is already factored in.

    Yes, I understand that part of it at least -- LOL! I just don't know then if I should take my 20% cut from sedentary (TDDE = 1830-ish) or lighly active (TDEE =2100 ish). I have an office job, but I have trying to work out AT LEAST 3x per week plus I am pretty active with the kids on the weekends. I got a BMR of 1400. If i used sedentary, I would only be eating about 50-75 calories more than my BMR. That seems kind of low, no? If took the cut off my lighly active TDEE, I would get 1680.

    LOL -- typing this out... I basically think I am eating too much now. Maybe I need to follow the roadmap and eat 1450 on days I do not work out and more like 1650-1700 on days I work out. But then again, I do like eating back excercise calories. It motivates me. Maybe I should just get the HRM to make sure it is accurate.
  • MinnieInMaine
    MinnieInMaine Posts: 6,400 Member
    I would try netting closer to your BMR if you're going to be eating your exercise calories back. 1400 might be too low so I'd go with 1500. And like others said above, give it another week or two to know it's really working. We think our body should respond immediately because that's what we hear on weight loss commecials and reality tv but it just doesn't work like that for most of us.
  • prokomds
    prokomds Posts: 318 Member
    My two cents is that I don't think you need to eat less, I think you need to give it a few more weeks

    Any time you dramatically change your daily routine, your weight is going to freak out (could go up, could go down). After a few weeks you will start to see if your new routine is actually working for you or not.

    I've lost weight eating around 1600 calories on days when I don't exercise, and I eat more than that when I do exercise. After one single week the lesson isn't to dramatically cut your calories, it's just to learn a little bit about needing more patience. How long did it take you put on the weight? It's not going to come off immediately. Good luck! :)
  • sara1077
    sara1077 Posts: 89 Member
    My two cents is that I don't think you need to eat less, I think you need to give it a few more weeks

    Any time you dramatically change your daily routine, your weight is going to freak out (could go up, could go down). After a few weeks you will start to see if your new routine is actually working for you or not.

    I've lost weight eating around 1600 calories on days when I don't exercise, and I eat more than that when I do exercise. After one single week the lesson isn't to dramatically cut your calories, it's just to learn a little bit about needing more patience. How long did it take you put on the weight? It's not going to come off immediately. Good luck! :)

    Thanks Prokomds! Although you're 25 - LOL. I'm pushing 39 :-). Still, point taken that changing the calories is probably not as important right now as just keeping on this new path. It is a marathon, not a sprint. I think I'm going to keep netting int he 1500-1600ish range until the end of January and then re-evaluate. The sodium . I am going to watch right away. I am OK at breakfast and dinner and snacks, but terrible at lunch. I rely on lean cuisines and such and they have a lot of salt.
  • weird_me2
    weird_me2 Posts: 716 Member
    What does it mean when you aren't seeing any progress "really"? To me, that sounds like have seen some movement, just not as much as you expected. I would say to manage your expectations. It's hard to do, but don't expect to lose 2 or 3 or 5 pounds per week. If you're losing even 1/2 a pound per week, you're doing something right.

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