3 weeks in and I've just about had enough :-(

I joined MFP 3 weeks ago and since I started I've not even lost 1lb. My profile is all correct, I've got my activity level set to 'Actice' as I'm a painter and decorator and I've been spot on my allowance since I started. Im a male so its not TOTM so WHY AM I NOT LOOSING ANYTHING?
I have been exercising every night of the week but try to eat all my calories so its not that. I drink lots of water although its not 2 litres but I just don't seem to be shifting the pounds. Does anyone have any suggestions please.
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Replies

  • Escape_Artist
    Escape_Artist Posts: 1,155 Member
    I joined MFP 3 weeks ago and since I started I've not even lost 1lb. My profile is all correct, I've got my activity level set to 'Actice' as I'm a painter and decorator and I've been spot on my allowance since I started. Im a male so its not TOTM so WHY AM I NOT LOOSING ANYTHING?
    I have been exercising every night of the week but try to eat all my calories so its not that. I drink lots of water although its not 2 litres but I just don't seem to be shifting the pounds. Does anyone have any suggestions please.

    Open your diary so we can take a look :wink:
  • JoRocka
    JoRocka Posts: 17,525 Member
    can't help you if we can't see your log

    3 weeks isn't much time but you should have seen SOME sort of change... usually it's subtle- but the only way you will do is if you are at a calorie deficit.

    Double check your TDEE (google these things) And figure out what you should be eating to maintain- and then figure out what a 500 calorie deficit is.
  • Lorncampbell
    Lorncampbell Posts: 6 Member
    Sorry :-(. That's it unlocked now
  • momma_gem
    momma_gem Posts: 11 Member
    Did you take your body measurements? You could be losing inches while the scale hasn't caught up yet.
  • nxd10
    nxd10 Posts: 4,570 Member
    I did not lose until I set myself to sedentary and then logged actually exercise.

    I am a teacher and move around a lot. I used to be a designer. Ithought I was active. I wasn't. Most people walk 3500 steps a day without additional exercise.

    Try going to sedentary and get a cheap pedometer or an expensive fitbit or other counter and see what you're actually doing.

    Also, measure and log every stupid thing you put in your mouth. Mayo. Mustard. Cream in your coffee.
  • nxd10
    nxd10 Posts: 4,570 Member
    I looked at your diary. You are eating a lot. A lot of it is straight carbs - soda, jam, etc. Your body responds to that with an insulin spike and stores it directly as fat. It's the worst stuff you can eat unless you really need immediate energy because you are doing things like backpacking or running marathons.
  • Lorncampbell
    Lorncampbell Posts: 6 Member
    I did try this the second week but the general advice is I'm not eating enough
  • Lorncampbell
    Lorncampbell Posts: 6 Member
    I needs carbs though - I'm diabetic :-(
  • nxd10
    nxd10 Posts: 4,570 Member
    Come on. It's been 3 weeks and already you've upped your calories because you've plateued?

    Let MFP calculate your calories for you. Set yourself at sedentary. Log the exercise you actually do. This isn't rocket science. You can do this. Be patient.
  • JoRocka
    JoRocka Posts: 17,525 Member
    Pepsi-Cola - Diet Pepsi 330ml Can (Uk), 1 can

    for breakfast?

    You can definitely do better than that- sausage sticks and pepis for breakfast.

    I am a firm believer in all food is not bad, good of indifferent- it is just food... but there is something to be said for eating good quality less processed food.

    You need more protein and less junk.
  • Lorncampbell
    Lorncampbell Posts: 6 Member
    I know it's not rocket science but I'm far from sedentary. I climb up and down ladders and roofs for 9 hours a day. Hardly sedentary is it?
  • flitabout
    flitabout Posts: 200 Member
    The one thing I noticed it that your sugar is intact is kinda high. That in itself isn't going to make you gain or in your case not lose. But if you already set your activity level at active don't log your exercise calories. That should be calculated in calories. You might also want to run your actual TDEE. Google a calculator there are a tun on the internet that are great.
  • lilRicki
    lilRicki Posts: 4,555 Member
    I needs carbs though - I'm diabetic :-(

    carbs and sugar are bad for a diabetic aren't they?
  • happygranny13
    happygranny13 Posts: 9 Member
    Much of the time when you exercise you are building muscles and muscles weight more than fat, but you should lose inches.
  • bugtaylor
    bugtaylor Posts: 77 Member
    THE RACE DOESN'T GO TO THE SWIFT NOR THE STRONG BUT THE ONE WHO ENDURES.
  • Calliope610
    Calliope610 Posts: 3,783 Member
    Did you close your diary just now?
  • Achrya
    Achrya Posts: 16,913 Member
    Much of the time when you exercise you are building muscles and muscles weight more than fat, but you should lose inches.

    You do Not build muscle at a calorie deficit.
  • QueenWino
    QueenWino Posts: 106
    I only looked at your diary quickly but I noticed your sodium is completely wrong. All cheese has sodium in it, as does the bread you are eating and the ham. I'd suggest really varying your food and looking up the values through this site or packaging. I'm not saying the sodium is so off you are retaining water, but there is no way that with lunch meat or packaged bread you are under 400 mg of sodium a day.
  • rml_16
    rml_16 Posts: 16,414 Member
    I needs carbs though - I'm diabetic :-(

    carbs and sugar are bad for a diabetic aren't they?
    It's complicated. They have to regulate them and watch blood sugar, but generally they shouldn't have a ton of carbs. My father is Type 2 and I've learned a lot about Type 1 over the years and both cannot go way over on carbs, though they need SOME carbs.
  • connie_messina
    connie_messina Posts: 495 Member
    can't help you if we can't see your log

    3 weeks isn't much time but you should have seen SOME sort of change... usually it's subtle- but the only way you will do is if you are at a calorie deficit.

    Double check your TDEE (google these things) And figure out what you should be eating to maintain- and then figure out what a 500 calorie deficit is.
    I agree maybe your daily calories are to low! i was at 1200 lost nothing i increased to 1460 and i lost 40 so far!
  • amandamaren
    amandamaren Posts: 16 Member
    I know it's not rocket science but I'm far from sedentary. I climb up and down ladders and roofs for 9 hours a day. Hardly sedentary is it?

    it's not rocket science- change your eating habits. eat healthier foods and stop drinking pop.
  • rml_16
    rml_16 Posts: 16,414 Member
    I looked at your diary. You are eating a lot. A lot of it is straight carbs - soda, jam, etc. Your body responds to that with an insulin spike and stores it directly as fat.
    No.

    Just ... no.
  • witmer1
    witmer1 Posts: 128 Member
    .
  • NovemberJune
    NovemberJune Posts: 2,525 Member
    Do you weigh and measure your food? I know with your diary open people are going to nit pick and say "oh, bad you, you ate doritos" etc, but it really shouldn't matter WHAT you eat, how high your sodium is, etc but just the calories for weight loss. You do want to make sure you get enough protein to make sure you're losing mostly fat and preserving as much muscle as you can. If you don't weigh/measure your food, I'd start there. Sara and SS in this group are awesome and if you ask them for help and answer all of their questions, they give great advice imo http://www.myfitnesspal.com/forums/show/10067-eat-train-progress-
  • dont give up you could just be gaining muscle turning fat you losing to solid muscle did you know what your bmi was when you started
  • Working in an office, I have found that MOST of what I am ordering from local restaurants has hidden calories or foods making weight loss harder. A veggie burger might have been toasted with butter or worse. A grilled chicken may be grilled in the same. The liquid butter some places use would make your head spin if you read the label. Mayo on a roll, BBQ sauce, all that stuff can jack your calories up. I had the same issues at first, I now watch every last ingrediant going into my meal, only then did I start putting ALL calories into the log. The healthiest of foods can sometimes be hurting you if all ingrediants aren't accounted for. Don't give up, tweek what you are doing until you find something that works. It can and will happen. I am almost 50 pounds lighter from Feb 26th. My blood pressure is now near perfect and big biggest problem is finding clothes that fit!!
  • Achrya
    Achrya Posts: 16,913 Member
    I know it's not rocket science but I'm far from sedentary. I climb up and down ladders and roofs for 9 hours a day. Hardly sedentary is it?

    it's not rocket science- change your eating habits. eat healthier foods and stop drinking pop.

    Soda doesn't determine if you gain or lose weight.

    OP, eat back only half of your exercise calories, as perhaps your burns are over estimated. Do that for three weeks, report back. Ignore everything else about building muscle, setting as sedentary, and dropping carbs.
  • RGv2
    RGv2 Posts: 5,789 Member
    dont give up you could just be gaining muscle turning fat you losing to solid muscle did you know what your bmi was when you started

    ^^No.

    You do not gain muscle on a caloric deficit.
  • Achrya
    Achrya Posts: 16,913 Member
    dont give up you could just be gaining muscle turning fat you losing to solid muscle did you know what your bmi was when you started

    Lies people tell themselves to justify not losing weight...
  • ladynocturne
    ladynocturne Posts: 865 Member
    To be honest, it's probably due to the calorie cycling you have going on.

    Every other day you seem to be under your calories by a thousand, and then the next day over your calories by similar amounts. While this doesn't actually affect fat loss provided you are coming up with a deficit every week, the scale is definitely NOT the best way to measure weight loss.

    If you want to see very consistent weight loss every week then you're going to have to stick to your calorie goal every single day and watch your sodium intake.

    If I cycled like that I wouldn't expect to see a loss except at the end of every month.