Weight not coming off, what am I doing wrong?

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I started on MFP the 2nd week in January, at the time I had been dabbling with the Slim Fast diet but it had stalled when I took up Insanity and I was sent the link to IPOARM. From that I calculated that at my weight my TDEE was 2857 (that included the exercise level as moderate) so my TDEE - 30% was 2022. My weekly deficit was therefore mainly food but just need to burn 915 calories extra to make a 2lb a week deficit.

I know the Insanity is included in the TDEE but then I have also started a C25K program so should be burning some of those 915. Even if I dont burn all of them I am burning a few so should therefore mean I lose AT LEAST a pound per week.

I havent lost a single pound in the two weeks I have been doing it so can anyone suggest what I might be doing wrong. Can I afford to drop to maybe 1800, is that going to be classed as starvation. Is it what I am eating or do I need to up the exercise even more?

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Replies

  • oohmercyme
    oohmercyme Posts: 279 Member
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    Breath. Keep working. Don't lose heart. This doesn't happen over night. Focus on all you are doing to make your life better (eating, exercise, attitude) and don't let yourself be owned by the number on the scale.

    ETA: Sounds like a simplistic response, but with 110lbs gone, I know it works (for me anyway!)

    Good luck!
  • spamantha57
    spamantha57 Posts: 674 Member
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    I don't do that roadmap thing.
    I started MFP about a month ago around the time I started Insanity - just finishing my 4th week.
    It took me 2&1/2 weeks to lost my first pound, but my body measurements were already changing for the better after my first week.
    I eat great & have lost 2&1/2 more pounds - about 1 every 7-9 days, since losing my first a couple weeks ago.
    Have you been taking measurements? Sometimes the scale can be discouraging in the beginning when everyone else is losing like 3lbs/ week & you haven't lost any. Stick with it though, cuz it took a bit for the scale to start showing too.
  • Energizer06
    Energizer06 Posts: 311 Member
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    NO Worries. Keep on Track...Some weeks & months are better than others. Our bodies are very adaptive, Sometimes we sleep better, Sometimes less stress. Sometimes we eat more salt than usual. Sometimes we eat out. No Worries. Keep on track and stop weighing so much. The scale is last thing that catches up. Physical changes occur first - BF%, inches, the way you feel, the way you sleep. the way you look. A 3-4 lb loss in a month is great. Keep up the good work.:smile:
  • symonspatrick
    symonspatrick Posts: 213 Member
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    Whenever I up my exercise it seems like it takes longer to see the scale drop, I assume that it is because my body is holding more water in my muscles. I have waited 3 weeks once and then a huge drop all at once. So I would say just keep doing what you are doing and eventually you will see the scale drop. If you feel comfortable with the 1800 calories and still have plenty of energy to get the exercise you need then it may speed up weight loss a bit.
  • skinnyinnotime
    skinnyinnotime Posts: 4,141 Member
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    With Insanity the weight loss usually comes in the 2nd month. Make sure you take measurements, you will see a difference.
  • mockchoc
    mockchoc Posts: 6,573 Member
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    If you PM Dan that wrote the road map I'm sure he could help you out if you need to. He really doesn't mind.

    I've seen lots of people do insanity and say they aren't losing weight but they lose inches so maybe it's the same with you.
  • toddis
    toddis Posts: 941 Member
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    If you are brand new to weight loss AND exercise your body is going through a lot of changes. As others have said, make sure you check your measurements. Note if your pants feel a bit looser, etc.

    I'd assume your goal is too look good and be healthier. Using the scale as a measurement tool doesn't always correlate to looking and feeling better.

    That being said, if you get further in your journey and don't note progress, adjust your calories up or down ~200 for two weeks and check for results.
  • wickedwendy6
    wickedwendy6 Posts: 117 Member
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    Firstly, good on you for having your food diary open when asking this question. Secondly, if it's only been two weeks then that's early days so don't be too concerned just yet. And thirdly, I truly believe that our intake is very important - when I started eating as clean as I possibly could, the weight came off a lot quicker than before. Try eating cleaner and see if it works for you, more fruit and vegies, less processed foods (cookies, chips, processed meats) and lean meat in it's true form. And fourthly (is that even a word? lol) keep at it, you can do this! You go girl! *\o/* *\o/*
  • ScarlettDam
    ScarlettDam Posts: 32 Member
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    Don't give up! Everything is possible!
  • kimmrdodge
    kimmrdodge Posts: 190 Member
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    I'm not sure how tall you are but to me your calories could be a little high depending on your stats. It is also what you are eating. It looks like your salt intake is likely very high which is not a good thing when your trying to loose weight. You should be tracking salt. Your sugar intake looks to be pretty high as well. When you eat sugary things fruit, candy (pre packaged products tend to have a lot of salt and sugar in them), and it spikes your insulin. Your body cant process fat while your body's insulin levels are high. So if its constantly spiked there is no fat loss going on.

    Also are you weighing and measuring everything? This includes oils, butter, condiments. Drinks? and what you put in them? There are a lot of calories in those things so you need to count them too. And if you are not always weighing and measuring everything your not seeing the whole picture. No guestimating no matter how good at it you think you are. it is usually the cause of platues. I learned this the hard way, lol. Also water intake is VERY important. I can't stress this enough. Diet is 80 % of weight loss. You can't out excersize a poor diet. My first 3 months dieting I lost 30 lbs and did zero excersize.

    And forget about starvation mode your calories are no where near the level they would need to be at if you believe it's relevant. When your stuck always go back to basics. Measure, weigh everything, track every bite. Drink lots of water and stick to your calories which may take some trial and error to figure out. Everyone's body is different and it does not always come down to a formula, as nice as that would be. Good luck and keep working at it even when you think your not progressing you are. And tiny changes add up in the long run. I've been working at this almost 3 years. I have learned a ton and never ever stop researching and learning.
  • Oldtyme72
    Oldtyme72 Posts: 12 Member
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    Whenever I up my exercise it seems like it takes longer to see the scale drop

    Thanks for that reply. I "hope" that's what is happening w/ me. I've upped my workouts & haven't lost any weight in a while.

    To the original poster....just keep on keepin' on. It will happen. :)
  • BohemianCoast
    BohemianCoast Posts: 349 Member
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    Thanks for opening your diary. My guess is that it's one of two things. The good option -- that you're doing a ton of new exercise, your body's aching and holding water, and you'll see a good loss in the next week or two. The not-so-good option -- that you're really 'guessing' at the amount you're eating; so when you go out for a meal, you're using the calories for the same meal at a different restaurant, or you're not paying too much attention to oils and fats when cooking (it's easy to double the calories in an ordinary home cooked meal this way), and so you're underestimating your calories.

    In either case, I'd recommend that you have a week where you eat as cleanly as you possibly can, and make sure to count every single calorie that you eat -- weigh everything. You should see a loss then.
  • sammichPG
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    I started on MFP the 2nd week in January, at the time I had been dabbling with the Slim Fast diet but it had stalled when I took up Insanity and I was sent the link to IPOARM. From that I calculated that at my weight my TDEE was 2857 (that included the exercise level as moderate) so my TDEE - 30% was 2022. My weekly deficit was therefore mainly food but just need to burn 915 calories extra to make a 2lb a week deficit.

    I know the Insanity is included in the TDEE but then I have also started a C25K program so should be burning some of those 915. Even if I dont burn all of them I am burning a few so should therefore mean I lose AT LEAST a pound per week.

    I havent lost a single pound in the two weeks I have been doing it so can anyone suggest what I might be doing wrong. Can I afford to drop to maybe 1800, is that going to be classed as starvation. Is it what I am eating or do I need to up the exercise even more?

    Any help would be greatly appreciated.

    I'm a 29yo male I'm at 84kg and 175cm, I'm eating 2050-2100 calories with a job in retail and weightlifting at least twice a week and I'm currently losing less than 500g per week.
    2800calories is a freaking bulk, use always the lowest activity level unless you do some real phisically intesive job (builder for example).
    Not losing weight? Eat less until you're comfortable with your losing rate and the caloric deficit, or do more exercise.
    I know I may sound lazy but for me it's easier to eat 200 less calories than burning them.

    You also listed quite a few fitness fads and a diet with a dumb name, just count your calories and fit your macros. It's easy like that.
  • AmandaW01
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    Most of us will tell you that it can take 6-8 weeks to know if its 'working' and what is 'working' anyway? Is it a number on a scale, or is it how you look and your size? I work out 6 days a week (normally) and have my activity level as light - not moderate. I try and make sure I eat at least my BMR each day, and aim for TDEE -20 (don't manage if often as I'm too full) and am losing a steady .5lb a week or so now whereas I had stalled and not lost a thing on 1200 cals. Its slow, but I'm sure it'll be far more attainable than when I dieted in the past, lost 2-3lb a week, then stopped 'dieting' ate 'normally' and piled it all back on again! I'd recommend the Roadmap to anyone - its not dieting, you aren't remotely deprived, its hard to eat enough, but you're working out and changing your body for the better :-)
  • laddyboy
    laddyboy Posts: 1,565 Member
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    I'd start with cleaning up my diet. McDonalds, Birthday Cake and all that other junk isn't helping. Then pick a program and stick with it. Follow the nutrition plan of Insanity if doing Insanity. You can do it.
  • this_time_nextyear
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    Thanks for all the replies. Im going to try and eat cleaner and i'll have a look at my calories and lower my activity level and then recalculate. As much as I want to lose the weight I am not totally going to give up everything I like all of the time, past experience has shown that its just likely to make me binge and i feel small steps at a time are better than non at all. Where i knew i was eating out i tended to cut back on calories during the day rather than eat it as well as.
    I think i'll try and drop my carbs and stick to one only food a day that is higher in sugar etc. I dont add any salt extra but I get that it may be higher in the foods I have been eating so I will start trying to track that too. Im just worried that too large a calorie deficit will result in me eating very little in order to maintain a weight loss over the 90lb I have to lose.
    I agree with tracking my inches, my body shape has changed so i know its working, will try and be more patient with the results on the scale.