I'm doing everything right and not losing. help!

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  • DocMarr
    DocMarr Posts: 132 Member
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    One thing that I don't think that has been mentioned so far is that no weight loss does not necessarily mean no fat loss. I am 5 ft 5in and over the past year lost 30lbs eating an average of 2000 calories per day. I exercise 6 days per week burning between 300-800 calories in a 1-2 hour session (so not excessive).

    I started at 80kg but once I got to 67 kilos (about 147lbs) my weight stabilised and I have remained that weight since about last April. However, as the months progressed I continued to lose inches, especially around my tummy, where I was carrying it all - so I surmised that I must be still losing fat even though I wasn't losing weight.

    About a month ago I bought an Aria wifi scale that measures not just weight but also body fat %. I've weighed myself every day and my weight fluctuates on a daily basis between 66.1 and 67.1kilos - but my fat loss continues to fall. A month ago it was 35%. This morning it was 31%.

    So my lean body mass is increasing at approximately the same rate as the fat is being lost - so weight-wise I remain the same, but I am getting thinner and leaner.

    To the OP - don't get despondent. Get out the tape measure and measure yourself at strategic points and then measure every month and even if the scales say you aren't losing weight then if the inches are melting away then you are losing fat (which is really what you want isn't it?). I think that you are eating a sensible amount and would resist pressure to cut your calories and 'go on a diet'.
  • d3mon4ngel
    d3mon4ngel Posts: 242 Member
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    To those who are saying that 1700 is high for a 5'8" woman...

    I am a 5'3" woman, and I eat around 1900 each day with an average net of about 1700. Over the last four weeks I've lost just under 6lbs, nearly half a stone. You don't have to eat next to nothing to lose weight.

    To the OP...

    I wouldn't lower your calorie count, but I would suggest that you do try to weigh and measure your food whenever possible. It seems like a pain to begin with, but it really does help. I was surprised by how much I was underestimating how much I was eating when I first started. I really didn't have any clue how big serving sizes of foods were.
  • Janey142
    Janey142 Posts: 50 Member
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    It doesn't sound like your doing everything right to be honest..

    Guessing calories, not weighing food accurately, going over your calorie goal to over 2000 sometimes, doesn''t sound like your sure what your calorie goal is supposed to be either.,
  • ArroganceInStep
    ArroganceInStep Posts: 6,239 Member
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    I think a 1750 intake is reasonable.

    If you're guesstimating calories though, those estimates are all too often too low.

    Either a) More accurately estimate intake (better option) or b) reduce your target intake and continue guesstimating; assume you're underestimating calories (easier option)
  • myofibril
    myofibril Posts: 4,500 Member
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    You really need to watch this...

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JVjWPclrWVY
  • Crankstr
    Crankstr Posts: 3,958 Member
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    You really need to watch this...

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JVjWPclrWVY

    Wow....thank you...

    methinks i need a digital scale
  • bananapancakebella
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    I saw some 2500+ days in there. Maybe these are occasional? Stick to your 1750 goal. It's nice to stay you eat 1750 but your diary indicates otherwise.

    There is nothing wrong with carbs, but I noticed lunch one day was a hamburger bun with margarine. That's not doing you any favors- no fiber, protein. Eat nutrient dense food instead.

    Good luck!
  • halllar
    halllar Posts: 10 Member
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    Many great responces but I went back and looked at your food log. From Sunday through Saturday last week. You ended up with a 1612 calorie surplus.Thats enough to add a 1/2 pound to your weight. certainly not any loss. I also added all the cupcakes and cheesecake and it was 1746 calories. I think maybe the problem is food choices. How much good food could you consume for those empty calories. My guess is by making smarter choices you will fill up easier and stay under your calorie goals.
    Stay with it, its a learning curve of one. Only you can figure out what will work for the long run for you.
    Good luck on your goals
  • michellekicks
    michellekicks Posts: 3,624 Member
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    BTW, I lost 5.6 lbs in 2 weeks netting 1700... that's about 2100/day gross. I'm now netting 1850 to slow down the losses. I'm 5'7", 158-ish lbs and 37 years old. Everyone is indeed different. Maybe she also doesn't have her goal set to 2 lbs/week, which is insane for some people.
  • michellekicks
    michellekicks Posts: 3,624 Member
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    Many great responces but I went back and looked at your food log. From Sunday through Saturday last week. You ended up with a 1612 calorie surplus.Thats enough to add a 1/2 pound to your weight. certainly not any loss. I also added all the cupcakes and cheesecake and it was 1746 calories. I think maybe the problem is food choices. How much good food could you consume for those empty calories. My guess is by making smarter choices you will fill up easier and stay under your calorie goals.
    Stay with it, its a learning curve of one. Only you can figure out what will work for the long run for you.
    Good luck on your goals

    That's not true. A 1612 surplus is enough to "not lose" 1/2 a pound her goal had her set to lose. If her goal was to lose 1 lb/week, and she had a 1612 surplus, she would still have a weekly deficit of a little over half a pound loss.
  • EvgeniZyntx
    EvgeniZyntx Posts: 24,208 Member
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    You really need to watch this...

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JVjWPclrWVY

    Wow....thank you...

    methinks i need a digital scale

    Added to my list of top advice. When I don't ave access to a scale I'll try t round up a little. Except on the protein scoops which are always weighing less when I check.
  • PetulantOne
    PetulantOne Posts: 2,131 Member
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    That seems like a lot of calories if you're trying to lose weight. You say you don't eat processed foods, but you do. Anything that is made commercially (like restaurant or store bought) is processed. You don't have any control over what is in it. Unless you are six feet tall, I don't understand why your calorie count is set so high. Maybe you should recalculate your weight loss goals. Try upping your vegetable intake and lowering your carb intake. As the person before me said, you're going to get lots and lots of advice.

    I'm 5' 3" 142 pounds, and just had to bump my calories up to 1990 a day, because I was losing to quickly. :huh:
  • green_owl
    green_owl Posts: 62 Member
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    cut down your sugar intake!!! you know what i'm talking about - muffins, cupcakes, cheesecakes, cookies...etc. looks like you eat them every single day.
  • jenillawafer
    jenillawafer Posts: 426 Member
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    I set it for MFP's lose a pound a week. do you think I should lower it? I had it at 1200 once upon a time but that was just too low. I was always miserable. but 1750 does feel quite roomy! I just blindly trusted MFP... but maybe 1500? do you think that would make a difference?

    I'm no where near 6 feet!! 5'8"

    I'm 5' tall and eat around 1760 for maintenance. I don't think you're eating too much. Sure, your weight loss progress will be slower.. but at least you're not miserable. Invest in a food scale to ensure you're logging correctly. Remember, little things can add up quickly.
  • emmalousmom1
    emmalousmom1 Posts: 121 Member
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    I too a look at your diary, I think you need to increase your protein and decrease your carbs, being vegan, this is some info I found, do you eat eggs or any dairy products??
    The highest sources of leucine containing foods are animal and dairy. Cottage cheese and red meat top the list; other sources include milk, cheese, eggs, pork, fish, chicken, legumes, peanuts, nuts, and seeds. If you avoid red meat and dairy products, it is harder to get leucine containing foods in higher amounts, though not impossible. Using whey protein makes it easy. I always recommend individuals stay away from processed soy protein (like soy protein drinks), as it is anti-thyroid in higher amounts.