It baffles me how...

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  • AmyP619
    AmyP619 Posts: 1,137 Member
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    I'm not baffled.

    Obviously those that aren't losing aren't working out as much as they think or are not watching calories as close as they assume.

    I am one of those people. My diary is typically fairly good, and I exercise 5-6 days a day, and I still have a VERY hard time losing weight. I still weigh quite a bit too, so it should come off quicker than it does. I've been at this for over a year, I've lost 60 lbs, and now I'm lucky if I lose 2-3 lbs every month or 2. I stick with it, though, as it's now a lifestyle change. It IS possible to have trouble losing weight and still be counting calories and exercising (accurately, at that). Don't discredit their efforts just because the weight isn't falling off. Everyone's bodies are different and function differently.
  • Mainebikerchick
    Mainebikerchick Posts: 1,573 Member
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    I'm not baffled.

    Obviously those that aren't losing aren't working out as much as they think or are not watching calories as close as they assume.

    I am one of those people. My diary is typically fairly good, and I exercise 5-6 days a day, and I still have a VERY hard time losing weight. I still weigh quite a bit too, so it should come off quicker than it does. I've been at this for over a year, I've lost 60 lbs, and now I'm lucky if I lose 2-3 lbs every month or 2. I stick with it, though, as it's now a lifestyle change. It IS possible to have trouble losing weight and still be counting calories and exercising (accurately, at that). Don't discredit their efforts just because the weight isn't falling off. Everyone's bodies are different and function differently.

    QFT!!! This is me too, Amy!
  • CollieFit
    CollieFit Posts: 1,683 Member
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    Your profile says you're 18 and it's your 4th time on MFP.

    Nothing inherently wrong with that but.... perhaps it might be an idea to be a little less smug, as judging by your history you haven't got all the answers either.
  • BrainyBurro
    BrainyBurro Posts: 6,129 Member
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    No amount of exercise will fix a bad diet. It is impossible to burn off excess calories if you are eating crap all day.

    that's garbage.

    it's all about calories in and calories out.

    i can lose weight eating pop tarts and ice cream if i so choose.

    only a poor craftsman blames his tools and only a fool blames his food choices.
  • Gianna44
    Gianna44 Posts: 124
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    Well - some of us aren't 18 year old pre-menopausal females who haven't yet messed their metabolism by 20 years of "dieting".

    And yes - some do not measure or track correctly.
    But some do, and still struggle or lose slowly.
  • Gee_24
    Gee_24 Posts: 359 Member
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    Secret Eaters is what made me realise where I was going wrong!

    Everyone is different. I think some people maybe log things incorrectly. For example in my first week I logged a roll and turkey the way MFP suggested it. So I was getting about 200 calories from 1 roll with turkey.

    However as the month went on I delved deeper into each log and realised the particular roll I choose ( a scotch batch ) is almost 200 calories on its OWN! Then I was adding tonnes of butter and full fat mayonnaise! Also not remembering that I chose a butter basted turkey, over normal turkey. So each roll was coming to more like 400 than 200 calories.

    Things like this are the problem for many. And over estimating workouts.
  • BeachIron
    BeachIron Posts: 6,490 Member
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    Then that person is either eating more than he/she thinks or has his/her goal set too high. This isn't magic.

    Edit: typo
  • AmyP619
    AmyP619 Posts: 1,137 Member
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    and to add to this... my sister was a dancer for 20 years, and she was always involved in school sports growing up. She's always been extremely active, and she's always watched her diet. She has NEVER been thin. No one in our family is thin. Genetics have a lot to do with it, too. While I DO agree that anyone can take off weight no matter their genetics, I also believe the time frame/effort for it to happen is going to be different. For some people, they can drop 120 lbs in less than a year. That's great! For others, it takes 3 years, and they did the same damn thing as each other.
  • live2dream
    live2dream Posts: 614 Member
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    It's not always calories in, calories out. Sometimes, if your hormones are out of balance, your body can hold onto extra weight. If a woman is stressed out and using up all of her stress hormones, it affects the adrenals and the body metabolism overall. I've been reading this book and learning SO MUCH: http://www.amazon.com/Balance-Your-Hormones-Life-Achieving/dp/0738214825. All women should read this.

    We need to pay attention to our inner self through yoga, meditation, breathing, being in nature, spending time with friends, being creative just as much, if not more than working on our outer self (image) through diet and exercise. Eventually it will all balance out.
  • SomewhatCool
    SomewhatCool Posts: 78
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    Oh gosh.

    I didn't mean to start something like this. :/

    Sorry guys, I wasn't trying to be smug--it was an innocent question, but I could see how it could have come across as arrogant. I'm really sorry.

    Won't do it again. : /
  • str8bowbabe
    str8bowbabe Posts: 712 Member
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    I'm not baffled.

    Obviously those that aren't losing aren't working out as much as they think or are not watching calories as close as they assume.

    Or maybe they have some type of medical condition preventing the weight lose. Why must we all judge?
  • CallMeCupcakeDammit
    CallMeCupcakeDammit Posts: 9,377 Member
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    Watch "Secret Eaters" out of Britain and it will explain it all.

    You can watch the episodes on youtube.

    Someone on MFP mentioned it last month and I have seen all 15 episodes.

    Off to look this up!
  • jasonalvear
    jasonalvear Posts: 72 Member
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    No amount of exercise will fix a bad diet. It is impossible to burn off excess calories if you are eating crap all day. If you want to exercise for health benefits, you need to pair it with a healthy diet. There is no substitute for good nutrition.
    Actually if we're speaking from a calorie standpoint, you could eat crap all day and lose weight if output exceeds intake. I wouldn't recommend it because it's usually going to mean inadequate amounts of nutrition though.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal/Group FitnessTrainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
    I'm with this one too, while it is possible to get in a lot of junk food and remain at a weight loss deficit, I have found that getting in proper nutrition has really helped put my body in a better place to be more receptive to the training I do, be it building muscle and eating more, or losing fat and adjusting calories for that goal. Plus, I just feel a lot better too /2cents
  • rml_16
    rml_16 Posts: 16,414 Member
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    some people work so hard to lose the weight. They might exercise 6-7 days a week and be doing everything right and STILL not losing.

    Then, there are people like me, who don't exercise at all, eyeball all their portions, go over calories nearly every day... And lose like it's nothing.

    What's the deal there?

    People like you suck! lol

    The first time I did Weight Watchers, I dropped weight like nothing. It was beyond easy. Then I switched BC methods and started gaining like crazy and couldn't lose to save my life.

    I got rid of all hormonal BC almost a year ago and I'm still struggling. I initially dropped 8 pounds, but I've been pretty stuck ever since. Thankfully, I stopped gaining for the most part.

    Then I broke my arms in June and sat on the couch for seven weeks, lost 2 pounds. When I started watching what I was eating and exercising again, I started gaining. I'm up 4 pounds in four weeks. Grrrr.

    And, to the first response, I AM doing everything right. My body is not responding for some reason.
  • SomewhatCool
    SomewhatCool Posts: 78
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    some people work so hard to lose the weight. They might exercise 6-7 days a week and be doing everything right and STILL not losing.

    Then, there are people like me, who don't exercise at all, eyeball all their portions, go over calories nearly every day... And lose like it's nothing.

    What's the deal there?

    People like you suck! lol

    The first time I did Weight Watchers, I dropped weight like nothing. It was beyond easy. Then I switched BC methods and started gaining like crazy and couldn't lose to save my life.

    I got rid of all hormonal BC almost a year ago and I'm still struggling. I initially dropped 8 pounds, but I've been pretty stuck ever since. Thankfully, I stopped gaining for the most part.

    Then I broke my arms in June and sat on the couch for seven weeks, lost 2 pounds. When I started watching what I was eating and exercising again, I started gaining. I'm up 4 pounds in four weeks. Grrrr.

    And, to the first response, I AM doing everything right. My body is not responding for some reason.

    I have a question-- What's BC mean?

    Good luck to you. ♥
  • Pixi_Rex
    Pixi_Rex Posts: 1,676 Member
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    I think those people who are not losing just *think* they are "doing everything right." Either that or they have some medical condition that is altering their perceived calorie burns.

    Or they have been to a doctor and not even the doctor can figure it out... yup that is me. I even got a BMF to see what the hell was going on. I work out, I eat properly, I weigh and measure all my food and I have been stuck for 3 years.

    I know not everyone is in the same boat but it does chap my *kitten* when I see "they just think they are doing everything right" because some of us really are.

    Edited for typos.
  • RGv2
    RGv2 Posts: 5,789 Member
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    No amount of exercise will fix a bad diet. It is impossible to burn off excess calories if you are eating crap all day. If you want to exercise for health benefits, you need to pair it with a healthy diet. There is no substitute for good nutrition.
    Actually if we're speaking from a calorie standpoint, you could eat crap all day and lose weight if output exceeds intake. I wouldn't recommend it because it's usually going to mean inadequate amounts of nutrition though.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal/Group FitnessTrainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

    But if you eat crap all day (Little debbies, refined sugar sweets, etc), you will not possibly achieve satiety for long and will constantly go back for more food quickly because your blood sugars are all over the map. People who eat junk food all day will end up overweight.

    It is not possible to eat 1,000 calories of chocolate for lunch and then eat 600 calories of ice cream in the evening and be satisfied all day. That does not happen.

    What you are talking about are technically possible situations, they are not realistic expectations. Anyone that eats junk food and refined sugars all day is going to end up overweight in time. Young people who do so will end up overweight as their metabolism slows and muscle mass goes down with age. It is the endpoint for such a diet.

    And, no, only serious athletes get to eat 3,000+ calories a day and still maintain health. They usually are sure to eat healthy when they do this, but they are essentially doing their workouts as if it is a fulltime job, because that's actually what their job is. For the rest of us, it is not possible to workout for 2 hours and burn off the amount of excess calories we would consume if we finished off every huge meal with a huge bowl of ice cream with melted hot chocolate etc. More and more research is showing all the time that moderate exercise cannot balance out for sustained poor food choices throughout the day.

    You may be a physical trainer, so its essentially your job to stay in shape. But the rest of us have responsibilities like 8 hour shifts at a desk or kids and relationships. So treating workouts like a fulltime job is not an option for most people, and thus they must make healthier food choices.

    incredulous.gif

    Interesting read.

    http://www.cnn.com/2010/HEALTH/11/08/twinkie.diet.professor/index.html
  • catneon
    catneon Posts: 911 Member
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    Its-magic....gif
    don't ya know
  • rml_16
    rml_16 Posts: 16,414 Member
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    some people work so hard to lose the weight. They might exercise 6-7 days a week and be doing everything right and STILL not losing.

    Then, there are people like me, who don't exercise at all, eyeball all their portions, go over calories nearly every day... And lose like it's nothing.

    What's the deal there?

    People like you suck! lol

    The first time I did Weight Watchers, I dropped weight like nothing. It was beyond easy. Then I switched BC methods and started gaining like crazy and couldn't lose to save my life.

    I got rid of all hormonal BC almost a year ago and I'm still struggling. I initially dropped 8 pounds, but I've been pretty stuck ever since. Thankfully, I stopped gaining for the most part.

    Then I broke my arms in June and sat on the couch for seven weeks, lost 2 pounds. When I started watching what I was eating and exercising again, I started gaining. I'm up 4 pounds in four weeks. Grrrr.

    And, to the first response, I AM doing everything right. My body is not responding for some reason.

    I have a question-- What's BC mean?

    Good luck to you. ♥
    Birth control. I'd been on the pill for years with no issues and then started having two-week periods, so my doc switched me to Mirena and my nightmare began.
  • strongmindstrongbody
    strongmindstrongbody Posts: 315 Member
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    I wish I knew why I have to work harder at losing weight. Just consider yourself lucky and enjoy the easy weight loss.

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