Why am I not loosing weight? :(

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lucindat12
lucindat12 Posts: 16
in Health and Weight Loss
Hi everyone. I'm 5 foot 8 inches and 192pounds. I'm big boned too. I'm trying to get down to about 160pounds as I am considered as "overweight". I'm on strict 1200 calories a day, which I follow almost every day and I rarely go over. I exercise too, I do about 30-40 min walking a day at a fast pace and I also try to do 30 mins of high impact work out. I haven't lost any weight? It's just not dissapearing and I don't know why. I am on the medication "amitriptyline" which can cause weight gain so maybe this is the reason I just do not know. I have logged into myfitnesspal 25 days straight now and I haven't lost a pound. ??? :-(
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Replies

  • evileen99
    evileen99 Posts: 1,564 Member
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    It's because you're not eating enough.

    Did you calculate your BMR and TDEE (total daily energy expenditure)? Because with your size and level of activity, 1200 calories a day is way too low.
  • chantey16
    chantey16 Posts: 27 Member
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    you need to eat more food! your ruining your metabolism eating like this. 1200 is supposed to be the bare minimum number of NET calories, not the amount of food you eat. so the calories you eat, minus calories you burn doing exercise should equal at least 1200 (which is still not enough really). so if you're set on a 1200 calorie intake, make sure you eat back your exercise calories!
  • lucindat12
    lucindat12 Posts: 16
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    It's because you're not eating enough.

    Did you calculate your BMR and TDEE (total daily energy expenditure)? Because with your size and level of activity, 1200 calories a day is way too low.

    I don't always do the workout everyday but I always do my 30 min of walking.. How do you calculate them and what does it mean?
  • lucindat12
    lucindat12 Posts: 16
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    you need to eat more food! your ruining your metabolism eating like this. 1200 is supposed to be the bare minimum number of NET calories, not the amount of food you eat. so the calories you eat, minus calories you burn doing exercise should equal at least 1200 (which is still not enough really). so if you're set on a 1200 calorie intake, make sure you eat back your exercise calories!

    So i need to always eat my exercise back?? Right?? And if I don't exercise that day 1200 will be ok? So confused
  • hopestreet2470
    hopestreet2470 Posts: 17 Member
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    I found this super helpful when I 1st started out. It might help with a few things

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/654536-in-place-of-a-road-map-2-0-revised-7-2-12
  • jacksonpt
    jacksonpt Posts: 10,413 Member
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    First, there's no such thing as big boned. My bones are, by in large, the same size as yours. You might have a wider frame, but big boned just means fat when people don't want to say fat. Sorry if that sounds harsh, but it's true.

    Second, stop focusing on the scale. All the scale knows is overall body weight. It doesn't know how much water you're holding from recent workouts or how full your stomach/intestines are or how much muscle/body fat you have. Take measurements then be patient.

    Next, weight loss isn't linear... you'll have weeks where you lose nothing and weeks where you lose a lot. Be patient... this isn't a short term effort, it's a lifelong process.

    Last, be sure you are estimating as correctly as possible. Are you weighing your foods? How are you estimating calorie burns? Are you estimating calorie burns? Are your macros reasonably balanced? If you're not losing, chances are good that your estimates are off... you're eating more than you think or burning less than you think. Or both.
  • JanJan060
    JanJan060 Posts: 16 Member
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    Hi everyone. I'm 5 foot 8 inches and 192pounds. I'm big boned too. I'm trying to get down to about 160pounds as I am considered as "overweight". I'm on strict 1200 calories a day, which I follow almost every day and I rarely go over. I exercise too, I do about 30-40 min walking a day at a fast pace and I also try to do 30 mins of high impact work out. I haven't lost any weight? It's just not dissapearing and I don't know why. I am on the medication "amitriptyline" which can cause weight gain so maybe this is the reason I just do not know. I have logged into myfitnesspal 25 days straight now and I haven't lost a pound. ??? :-(
  • JanJan060
    JanJan060 Posts: 16 Member
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    Hi you mentioned amitriplyne.
    the pill itself does not make you gain weight. But it does make you crave more carbs and sugar. So just keep that in mind and stay on you 1200cal plan.
  • chantey16
    chantey16 Posts: 27 Member
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    you need to eat more food! your ruining your metabolism eating like this. 1200 is supposed to be the bare minimum number of NET calories, not the amount of food you eat. so the calories you eat, minus calories you burn doing exercise should equal at least 1200 (which is still not enough really). so if you're set on a 1200 calorie intake, make sure you eat back your exercise calories!

    So i need to always eat my exercise back?? Right?? And if I don't exercise that day 1200 will be ok? So confused

    yes that is correct....but that is the BARE MINIMUM anyone should eat (say a very short, small, elderly female). ideally, you should use a bmr calculator on google to calculate your bmr and eat this amount, plus any calories you burn in exercise.
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,411 MFP Moderator
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    Lets add some perspective.. your estimated BMR is around 1725. Lets say you are sedentary and don't work out. Additionally with 30 lbs to lose, 1 lb per week is ideal. Any more is too aggressive.


    So your TDEE = 1725 * 1.2 = 2070
    caloric needs = 2070 - 500 = 1570

    I would at a minimum aim to eat 1570 or 1600 calories a day. If you go for a walk, eat another 100-200. If you start serious exercise then you will up it accordingly. Also, to ensure you get adequate protein, I would adjust your macro nutrients to around 40% carbs, 40% protein and 20% fats. If you want to drop a little water weight or feel carbs bloat you, decrease carbs 10% and increase fats.
  • FattieBabs
    FattieBabs Posts: 542 Member
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    I found this super helpful when I 1st started out. It might help with a few things

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

    Just read this and it is really interesting. Thanks!
  • dovetail22uk
    dovetail22uk Posts: 339 Member
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    you need to eat more food! your ruining your metabolism eating like this. 1200 is supposed to be the bare minimum number of NET calories, not the amount of food you eat. so the calories you eat, minus calories you burn doing exercise should equal at least 1200 (which is still not enough really). so if you're set on a 1200 calorie intake, make sure you eat back your exercise calories!

    So i need to always eat my exercise back?? Right?? And if I don't exercise that day 1200 will be ok? So confused

    yes that is correct....but that is the BARE MINIMUM anyone should eat (say a very short, small, elderly female). ideally, you should use a bmr calculator on google to calculate your bmr and eat this amount, plus any calories you burn in exercise.

    very short, small, elderly female - errr, no. This is not correct.

    *SIGH*

    use www.fat2fitradio.com/tools or http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/ to do your basic calculations. Find your BMR (basal metabolic rate) and TDEE (total daily energy expenditure (based on your activity level)). Eat somewhere in between those two numbers and, as you have created a calorie deficit, you should start losing the weight. Don't need to eat your exercise calories back using this method.

    It takes time though. Try to be patient. Weigh, measure and log everything. Find lots of supportive friends and keep at it! Good luck!
  • chantey16
    chantey16 Posts: 27 Member
    Options
    you need to eat more food! your ruining your metabolism eating like this. 1200 is supposed to be the bare minimum number of NET calories, not the amount of food you eat. so the calories you eat, minus calories you burn doing exercise should equal at least 1200 (which is still not enough really). so if you're set on a 1200 calorie intake, make sure you eat back your exercise calories!

    So i need to always eat my exercise back?? Right?? And if I don't exercise that day 1200 will be ok? So confused

    yes that is correct....but that is the BARE MINIMUM anyone should eat (say a very short, small, elderly female). ideally, you should use a bmr calculator on google to calculate your bmr and eat this amount, plus any calories you burn in exercise.

    very short, small, elderly female - errr, no. This is not correct.

    *SIGH*

    use www.fat2fitradio.com/tools or http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/ to do your basic calculations. Find your BMR (basal metabolic rate) and TDEE (total daily energy expenditure (based on your activity level)). Eat somewhere in between those two numbers and, as you have created a calorie deficit, you should start losing the weight. Don't need to eat your exercise calories back using this method.

    It takes time though. Try to be patient. Weigh, measure and log everything. Find lots of supportive friends and keep at it! Good luck!


    actually what i said is correct...even an adult female of 4 ft 11, weighing 90 pounds has a bmr of over 1200 (around 1250 to be precise). whereas a 70 year old of the same stats has a bmr of 999. we all know you are not supposed to eat under your bmr...so please tell me, what is wrong with that statement exactly? lol
  • Iron_Duchess
    Iron_Duchess Posts: 429 Member
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    Lets add some perspective.. your estimated BMR is around 1725. Lets say you are sedentary and don't work out. Additionally with 30 lbs to lose, 1 lb per week is ideal. Any more is too aggressive.


    So your TDEE = 1725 * 1.2 = 2070
    caloric needs = 2070 - 500 = 1570

    I would at a minimum aim to eat 1570 or 1600 calories a day. If you go for a walk, eat another 100-200. If you start serious exercise then you will up it accordingly. Also, to ensure you get adequate protein, I would adjust your macro nutrients to around 40% carbs, 40% protein and 20% fats. If you want to drop a little water weight or feel carbs bloat you, decrease carbs 10% and increase fats.

    ^^^ This. (He is really good at all this stuff) Plus, you will feel better and with more energy on a daily basis.
  • fit4lifeUcan2
    fit4lifeUcan2 Posts: 1,458 Member
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    First, there's no such thing as big boned. My bones are, by in large, the same size as yours. You might have a wider frame, but big boned just means fat when people don't want to say fat. Sorry if that sounds harsh, but it's true.

    Second, stop focusing on the scale. All the scale knows is overall body weight. It doesn't know how much water you're holding from recent workouts or how full your stomach/intestines are or how much muscle/body fat you have. Take measurements then be patient.

    Next, weight loss isn't linear... you'll have weeks where you lose nothing and weeks where you lose a lot. Be patient... this isn't a short term effort, it's a lifelong process.

    Last, be sure you are estimating as correctly as possible. Are you weighing your foods? How are you estimating calorie burns? Are you estimating calorie burns? Are your macros reasonably balanced? If you're not losing, chances are good that your estimates are off... you're eating more than you think or burning less than you think. Or both.

    I happen to agree with all of this. Like it or not there is no such thing as big boned. I've looked at many real skeletons in my biology and anatomy and physiology courses. We looked at skeletons from people who were morbidly obese down to very thin people and the actual diameter of the bones were all the same. Some had wider hips or longer broader shoulders, meaning the length across from shoulder tip to shoulder tip was longer in length but the actual size of the bones were the same.

    I've found in my case that I lost more weight faster when I walked 2x's a day 20 minutes each time at a brisk pace every day than when I did any other exercise. Now that I'm trying to build muscle mass I'm not losing any weight but my measurements are going down. So while the scale isn't moving my measurements are. So I'm losing fat and building muscle.

    Take your measurements and see if there are any changes. Don't let the scale get you down. For me once it warms up outside I plan on getting back to walking but will continue to work out with the weights so that I don't just look good with clothes on but will look good with the thinner clothing I like to wear during the summer.

    Remember, there are many different views and ideas of what is healthy and lean. Women in particular need to work with weights to help ward off osteoporosis and keep our bones strong. I like to stay strong so that if I have another MS relapse I will bounce back better and won't have so much muscle loss and weakness over all. For me it helps me to be strong not just thin.
  • belle19822000
    belle19822000 Posts: 62 Member
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    Because you're starving!

    Please try to eat more, like all the others say.

    I've been there, done that years ago when I was in highschool, and had 82 kilograms. For 1 month I was starving and lost 1,5 kg.
    :(

    Later that year I walked like you right now, and ate more, and dropped 6 kg within 2 months.

    That's just one of my personal examples.

    I gained waaaay more kilograms in college - 86 and more, because I was on and off - eating /dieting.
    The moment I stopped doing that, I dropped under 70 kg.

    See what we're saying?

    p.s. I believed myself I was "big boned" once... now I'm doing jillian michael's exercise, almost all of them, and whan I try my old clothes ( I keep some) I can see how fat I was, bones have nothing to do with that. I have my bones still, and I am soooo slimmer.

    GOOD LUCK!
  • pineygirl
    pineygirl Posts: 322 Member
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    actually what i said is correct...even an adult female of 4 ft 11, weighing 90 pounds has a bmr of over 1200 (around 1250 to be precise). whereas a 70 year old of the same stats has a bmr of 999. we all know you are not supposed to eat under your bmr...so please tell me, what is wrong with that statement exactly? lol

    This isn't exactly true. I have a BMR under 1200 and I'm just under 5'0 and 117lbs. I'm not quite elderly, but older (31) and have a high body fat %, which lowers my BMR. Using the Katch Katch-McArdle Forumla my BMR is 1175.
  • corn63
    corn63 Posts: 1,580 Member
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    You're not eating enough and you're not big boned.

    Eat more. Believe crap that people say on the TV to mitigate their obesity less.
  • RobynLB
    RobynLB Posts: 617 Member
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    25 days isn't very long. I'd up the intensity / duration of your workouts and measure all your foods with a scale or measuring cups. It's a little drastic to measure everything like a science experiment, but something isn't adding up, and you should put some extra effort in to figure out what it is. Likewise, 30 minutes of walking a day is not sufficient for basic fitness, and it's too nominal to factor into weight loss at all. I'm not sure what 30 minutes of "high impact" workout means.
  • shutupandlift13
    shutupandlift13 Posts: 727 Member
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    I started with almost the EXACT same stats. I also started out at 1200 calories with a few binges here and there so probably averaging 1500.

    Eat more and have a target of 0.5-1lb loss per week, slow and steady tends to be more sustainable and produce better results overall.
    Weightlift and add in as much cardio as you want without going too crazy.
    Eat enough protein to minimize loss of lean body mass while eating in a deficit.
    Be patient, its not linear, give yourself at least 4 weeks before you reevaluate.
    Measure all of your food (weigh it!) and log EVERYTHING.
    And measure your body (preferably once every 4 weeks or so and try not to weigh yourself daily either, weekly at most or at least don't take the daily weigh ins seriously, you can fluctuate by 5 lbs pretty easily!)

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