"If every day were like this" question

Godzirra
Godzirra Posts: 19 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
So I ate about 500 over my calories that MFP suggests. Here's my diary for that day:

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/food/diary/Godzirra?date=2013-01-24

MFP says that if every day were like that, I'd lose about 9 pounds in the next 5 weeks. That seems kind of off. I've more or less plateaued over the past month or so. I've been stuck at 280-ish for the whole time and I'm not sure what to do. I usually eat under or right at my calories (that day was a bit bad, because I had a large breakfast).

What am I doing wrong here, and how can I get back to losing weight?

Replies

  • lprictoe
    lprictoe Posts: 11
    I am in the same position, plateaued and can't get going. I feel like I am only eating about 1400 cals but have actually gained 3 lbs in the last month. Not sure what to do-
  • melsinct
    melsinct Posts: 3,512 Member
    Start here if you aren't losing:

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/654536-in-place-of-a-road-map-2-0-revised-7-2-12
  • auddii
    auddii Posts: 15,357 Member
    Are you logging correctly? Yesterday you ate 4.8 pieces of candy. Possible, but that seems odd... Are you feeding a fifth of a piece of candy to someone else? I didn't go back through your diary very far, but if you aren't being accurate with your logging, you could be eating much more than you think you are. Floating around somewhere in the treads are the links to studies that people underestimate how much they eat by a very large amount (easily enough to wipe out any kind of deficit they think they are getting).
  • Lisah8969
    Lisah8969 Posts: 1,247 Member
    Looking at your diary for about a week, it seems like a lot of fast food. Consider cutting back or eliminating that. Also your carbs are really high some days. What are you using to estimate your calories burned? I use MFP's estimates, but only try to eat back half or less of them as I think the estimates are a bit high.

    Just my thoughts...good luck!
  • cubbies77
    cubbies77 Posts: 607 Member
    The MFP math is kind of weird. It's simply going by X amount of calories over 5 weeks' time would equal this loss.

    But that assumes everyone fits the math, and we don't. Those of us who've been here awhile ignore that little message.

    (Ignore my join date. I created a new account to hide from a stalker.)
  • kcallas88
    kcallas88 Posts: 192
    Start here if you aren't losing:

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/654536-in-place-of-a-road-map-2-0-revised-7-2-12

    THIS!

    Its hard to wrap your mind around at first...but it works :)
  • Godzirra
    Godzirra Posts: 19 Member
    I log pretty carefully. In this case, they had an option for 3 pieces of candy, but not 5 which I had. So I put in 1.6 servings of 3 pieces of candy. If I wanted to be really specific I'd have put in 1.6666(repeating of course).

    I'm using a Fitbit One to estimate calories burned throughout the day.

    Thanks for the other advice. I'll be trying to cut back on carbs and fast food, as I do eat out often.. I assumed eating out would be fine if I'm still under my calories, but I guess that isn't the case? I'm reading the article posted now.

    Thanks guys!
  • palmerar
    palmerar Posts: 489 Member
    I'm not sure if you're on an exercise plan, but if you are try changing that up a bit. A lot of times I get stuck in the habit of doing the same routine at the gym, once your body and muscles get used to a certain exercise it becomes easier and therefore your body is doing less work to get the desired number of reps or amount of weight or distance or speed etc etc. When your body does less work you are using less fuel...which would result in a plateau or gain if your eating habits remain the same. Good start by asking for opinions, review your plan and make some adjustments and you should be on your way soon.
  • Godzirra
    Godzirra Posts: 19 Member
    So I'm following that link...

    I know that currently I have a body fat percentage of 26.6%. I'm 281 lbs and 6'4" and I want to lose weight. Putting that into the BMR calculator gets me a chart saying that light activity, I burn 3,499 calories per day.

    I don't eat anywhere close to 3,499 calories per day, nor have I ever... But anyway...

    So the guide suggests 20% lower than that, so 2,800 calories per day. I don't eat close to that except on Wednesdays when I play soccer and have a lot more than normal activity. The guided goal that MFP suggested is 2,120 before I do a custom goal. That seems like a very large difference. On average, I seem to be burning 3,000ish calories a day according to the fitbit site.

    I'm not sure whether I should use the fitbit averages or the BMR calculator averages for what I'm burning on a normal day.

    I guess I'm just confused as to the best way to get started losing weight again.
  • Godzirra
    Godzirra Posts: 19 Member
    I'm not sure if you're on an exercise plan, but if you are try changing that up a bit. A lot of times I get stuck in the habit of doing the same routine at the gym, once your body and muscles get used to a certain exercise it becomes easier and therefore your body is doing less work to get the desired number of reps or amount of weight or distance or speed etc etc. When your body does less work you are using less fuel...which would result in a plateau or gain if your eating habits remain the same. Good start by asking for opinions, review your plan and make some adjustments and you should be on your way soon.

    That makes sense. So far I haven't been lifting at all, I've just been running and climbing stairs. I've been doing the couch to 5k plan so my distance and amount I'm running vs. walking is definitely going up...
  • LINIA
    LINIA Posts: 1,159 Member
    Personally, all numbers aside, i think you have to eat a little more clean! So that means cutting out quite a bit of the processed food u r consuming!
  • Godzirra
    Godzirra Posts: 19 Member
    So, I was wondering about that... a few people have said that, but at the same time, looking at the article that someone posted further up, it says that it really doesn't matter what you're eating as long as you're staying under your calories/fat intake. Which I in general am..

    My biggest frustration with losing weight so far is that there is soooo much conflicting information. :/
  • LINIA
    LINIA Posts: 1,159 Member
    Did you say, I didn't go back to reread everything, how old are you?
  • Godzirra
    Godzirra Posts: 19 Member
    I didn't say I don't think. I'm 35, 6'4", 281 pounds.
  • LINIA
    LINIA Posts: 1,159 Member
    OK....sorry....my hubby and i visit Vegas several times a year....so here is my suggestion.....go n2 the nearest "fresh and tasty" or Whole Foods...for breakfast and for lunch purchase a ready made salad topped with protein ( chicken or tuna) .

    Try eating those for about 2 weeks, then have your normal dinner. Avoid extra snacks, if u must snack , eat a cpl apples or some raw veggies.

    Changing over to some veggies will give your body a kind of jump start, at 35 some people can not continue to eat so much processed food....i think u r in that category.

    Good Luck
  • Godzirra
    Godzirra Posts: 19 Member
    I've heard that under eating your calories tends to be bad as well (although there's conflicting information on that too).

    My dinner tends to be ~800 calories on average. Assuming I don't snack, and I eat a salad for lunch and dinner, based on the MFP for 3 cups of lettuce, a cup of spinach, 2 tbsp of fat free kraft ranch dressing and 4 oz of boneless skinless grilled chicken breast ends up at ~180 calories. That makes my calories per day with no snacks 1200 calories.

    Considering my BMR is at 3500 calories for light activity, this seems like it would be a bad idea? Am I figuring this out wrong?
  • msprettycutie
    msprettycutie Posts: 20
    Cut down on the fast food & processed food. Try to add some fruits & veggies. Also, up your water intake. Try to eat a little more "clean" and you'll break your plateau. I think there's a little more to it than just calories in, calories out. You need to make sure you're healthy & giving your body what it needs.
  • Godzirra
    Godzirra Posts: 19 Member
    I'll definitely cut down on the fast food. I eat out way too often. Water intake, I don't think I can up anymore else I'd be in the bathroom every 5 seconds (instead of every 10). I was raising Las Vegas, so I tend to drink 4-6 32 oz bottles of water a day. ;)

    From what everyone has said, cutting out fast food and upping my fruits & veggies instead will help a lot, so I'll be trying that more.
  • krosssyd
    krosssyd Posts: 1
    Go look up Rusty Moore and Visual Impact. It is a great way to lose weight and re set, so to speak the metabolism. I do Ironman races and usually eat clean, but do have cheat days. I need to get to racing weight and I use this plan for that. It is also good for someone to start to lose and learn how to eat and train. Then you can use it to maintain or right after the holidays or right before a vacation. Several of my friends and family members use this and have had great success.

    It is about what you eat and how much you eat no matter what anyone says. Bad food is bad for you even if under you cal goal for the day. The fat content will be way higher than what you need, not to mention it makes your body feel bad. Eat clean and healthy and change your habits, not diet, and you will learn to like the healthier foods. When you eat and when you train also has a lot to do with losing fat and not just burning the stored glycogen. You also have to change up your training as well has up the intensity.

    Hope this helps. I am an ex personal trainer and ironman racer and have been learning about all this for years. There is a ton of info out there and can be confusing. You have to just pick what you feel speaks to you and give it a try. If it works stick to it.

    Good luck
  • msprettycutie
    msprettycutie Posts: 20
    If you're not much of a person to cook, Subway, Whole Foods Market, etc. have better options for ready to go food. Congrats on your progress so far.
  • Naynayjones
    Naynayjones Posts: 33 Member
    Eating out is bad for you!!!! LOL the food is so high in Sodium and other additives they put in the food :)
  • A_nori
    A_nori Posts: 30 Member
    Start tracking your sodium, and try to stay close to the 2500 for that. I find salt makes me gain a ton of weight so that could explain why you are plateauing. Once you get rid of the water weight, I bet you see a drop.

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