Very slow weight loss and would love suggestions or advice

cebelton
cebelton Posts: 18 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I started MFP on January 7th and have been very diligent on my weight loss journey. I workout five days a week and count every meal every day with very few slip ups since I've started. When I first started tracking I would eat back my workout calories but started to question if MFP was overcalculating the amount I burned. I tried one week not to eat them back and stay around 1400 calories a day but that didn't seem to make much of a difference. I have my MFP setting to lose 2 pounds a week and was hoping by now I would be closer to a 16 pound loss. In 8 weeks I have lost 9 pounds which is just a little over a pound a week. Don't get me wrong a pound a week is really good and I'm definitely going in the right direction, I'm just trying not to get discouraged by how slow my progress is. If anyone has any suggestions on what to do to make the pounds come off quicker so I can continue to be encouraged by all the hard work I'm putting in I would greatly appreciate it.

Replies

  • OkaNekko
    OkaNekko Posts: 33 Member
    You sound like me! I get very frustrated with the lack of movement on the scale. About three weeks ago I started resistance training (which is good) and within a week, my weight was up two pounds! For a Type-A person who admittedly gets too much satisfaction from seeing the numbers drop on the scale, I was needless to say unhappy. The interesting thing is that I took my measurements and computed my body fat percentage. Even though the scale was up, my lean body mass was up and my BF% was down 2%. So with eating clean, exercising regularly, drinking all my water--I know I will lose weight; but it has to be on my body's terms. My advice is to keep doing what you are doing. You will get there!
  • mumreeder
    mumreeder Posts: 222 Member
    I know it's hard but this isn't a "quick fix" - you didn't put the weight on overnight and it won't come off that fast either. It has took me 6 months to lose 14 lbs! But the slower it comes off then the more likely it will stay off.
    Don't get me wrong - I get frustrated with the slow loss, but just keep telling myself to be patient. It will come off - 1lb a week is amazing really - you aren't doing anything wrong - just try not to get so hyped up with the scales - it will come off.
  • Alta2000
    Alta2000 Posts: 655 Member
    Read this thread to learn about BMR and TDEE and will help you a lot.

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/912920-in-place-of-a-road-map-3-2013
  • Princess_Lee2013
    Princess_Lee2013 Posts: 48 Member
    Hi! I have a few suggestions for you - while it looks like you are doing GREAT and I would definitely keep up the consistency and heathy mind frame you're going about your weight loss in for a long term win - here are some quick things that I do when I want to up it to a 2 lb per week loss -

    Watch carbs in addition to, or even more than calories. I know that there are controversies about this and how ppl say you will gain weight back right after but this is not my experience. I am not talking about eating 20 -30 carbs and close to a pure protein diet with a few veg. I mean keep your carbs within the 50-60 range which is very easy to do. I can get into ketosis on this amount of carbs per day and that really quickens the pace of loss!

    Secondly, I don't see what you have your workouts as - but I know that the weeks I up the sweat factor through cardio while keeping the resistance/strength steady - I lose.

    Also - watch your sodium intake! Again don't see what your 1400 calories consists of ..if you want me to look at your diary and make some suggestions about what you could cut/ substitute for accelerated weight loss for a few weeks...let me know!
  • Calliope610
    Calliope610 Posts: 3,783 Member
    I started MFP on January 7th and have been very diligent on my weight loss journey. I workout five days a week and count every meal every day with very few slip ups since I've started. When I first started tracking I would eat back my workout calories but started to question if MFP was overcalculating the amount I burned. I tried one week not to eat them back and stay around 1400 calories a day but that didn't seem to make much of a difference. I have my MFP setting to lose 2 pounds a week and was hoping by now I would be closer to a 16 pound loss. In 8 weeks I have lost 9 pounds which is just a little over a pound a week. Don't get me wrong a pound a week is really good and I'm definitely going in the right direction, I'm just trying not to get discouraged by how slow my progress is. If anyone has any suggestions on what to do to make the pounds come off quicker so I can continue to be encouraged by all the hard work I'm putting in I would greatly appreciate it.

    How long did it take for the pounds to come on? I am encouraged every time I step on the scale and I weigh less than the time before. I'm not winning a race; I'm winning a lifestyle.
  • amyllu
    amyllu Posts: 432 Member
    I cannot add much to what the others have stated except that my weight loss has been soo slow over the last year or so..actually been stuck for most of that time so I do understand your frustration!
    Just keep doing what you are doing and I am quite sure that you will get to your goal.
  • benflando
    benflando Posts: 193
    Too many Carbs? Too many Fats? Too little Protein? Cleaner sources of food? Fiber? Water? Goodluck
  • LemonMint6
    LemonMint6 Posts: 76
    I know it's hard but this isn't a "quick fix" - you didn't put the weight on overnight and it won't come off that fast either. It has took me 6 months to lose 14 lbs! But the slower it comes off then the more likely it will stay off.
    Don't get me wrong - I get frustrated with the slow loss, but just keep telling myself to be patient. It will come off - 1lb a week is amazing really - you aren't doing anything wrong - just try not to get so hyped up with the scales - it will come off.

    Thank you for saying this. Month one I lost 11 pounds, Month 2 I gained 2 pounds... I'm starting month three and with the exception of last week I have counted every calorie and worked out 4-6 days a week. (ESPECIALLY in month 2.) I keep telling myself, "nothing you're doing for your body is bad, keep going, weight loss can be a side effect of your improved health rather than the other way around."

    But it's still frustrating, so thank you again for saying this.
  • Katetw
    Katetw Posts: 188 Member
    also, a pound a week is a very healthy rate. Too much more and it can be difficult to sustain.
    Sounds to me like you are doing great! Keep it up. :)
  • willing2try
    willing2try Posts: 23 Member
    I am also sort of stuck at around 15 lbs. of weight lost. I was as low as 19 lbs. lost. Nevertheless, I'm glad that for this whole year, I have managed to KEEP THAT 15 LBS. off! I never went back to around 191 lbs. For years I was around 188 lbs. Now thanks to this program, I am usually around 176-177. That is progress for me.
  • Ed98043
    Ed98043 Posts: 1,333 Member
    Losing a pound a week is pretty good. Two lbs a week means you have to keep a daily deficit of 1,000 calories and it's not very realistic for most...especially since most of us don't know our exact TDEE for sure - all we have is what the computer tells us is average for our particular age/gender/weight/activity level. Those who may have depressed metabolisms due to years of yo yo dieting (or known/unknown health issues, or whose activity level doesn't perfectly fit a category, etc.) are just having to feel our way through - it's like driving a car with a GPS but with your eyes closed. Sometimes you're gonna hit obstacles and have to make adjustments.

    Did your weight come off steadily, or in spurts? I lost 6 pounds in the first 10 days, and then it became a cycle of of no loss for weeks, then lose two, gain one, lose one, gain it back...My only advice would be to maybe try something different. I'm trying intermittent fasting now and find that I lose a couple of pounds on the fasting days and then gain a pound back when I eat again. But at least the scale is moving generally downward instead of staying the same like it was when I was eating similar calories every single day.
  • LisaMfit4life
    LisaMfit4life Posts: 567 Member
    Losing a lb a week is good, but I know it can get discouraging if the scale isn't moving at a quick enough pace for you. Keeping track of everything you are eating is an excellent idea, but like someone else mentioned what are those 1400 cals/day consisting of? What is your activity level in working out? How much cardio? Are you doing any resistance training? There are many factors that could explain what is going on? I would take a step back and re-evaluate what you are eating, such as are you drinking enough water? Are you eating a clean diet? Nutrition is a big factor in losing weight. Hope this helps and good luck. Keep us posted on your progress.
    Lisa

Categories