Why am I not losing weight

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13

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  • joshdann
    joshdann Posts: 618 Member
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    the best advice possible is to see a doctor or other health professional. Have your actual BMR measured and start from there. The second best is to not trust your HRM so absolutely. It's one of the better estimates, but an estimate nonetheless. Your body also adapts to any exercise you do regularly, becoming more efficient. Your HRM does not account for this. Go watch this video:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0CHWwSnMQ6o
  • sammi674
    sammi674 Posts: 41
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    What you need to do is go through your settings on MFP. Enter your stats, and then eat how many calories that it tells you to. You can adjust it later when you get the hang of it.

    Truthfully, I lose weight when I'm eating the right amount of calories vs. eating too little. People like to disprove the starvation mode theory, but I always lose weight the fastest and most steady when I eat my calories vs. when I'm eating too little.

    You can't get nutrients off 800 calories. That will cause hair loss, hurt your organs in the long-term etc... You probably think you are doing good by eating so little, but it's going to cause more harm than good. It's also not something you can keep up with for life, and eating so little will guarantee that the second you go back to eating normal, you will gain a lot of weight. So, please, try to do it right the first time around to avoid issues in the future.

    - Make sure you're not eating back over your exercise calories! The numbers on machines are not accurate, and it's hard to measure exercise calories accurately so I suggest not eating them back, unless it's an intense work-out such as running, then only eat back 100-200 at the most.

    - Weigh/measure your food on a food scale. It's very easy to overestimate or underestimate calories. Don't forget to count things like creamer, condiments, etc... as they add up quickly.

    Good luck!
  • AngelaAwesome97
    AngelaAwesome97 Posts: 216 Member
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    maybe your metabolism has crashed. you gotta eat good foods and im not sure that 800 calories per day with exercise is healthy... tho im not a doctor or anything so i could be wrong. also the gaining back 2lb- you might not have actually gained weight, if weighed yourself after you've been awake for a bit. i read online that you can waiver between 1-3 lbs throughout the day simply from drinks and food. weigh yourself in the morning right after you wake up :)
  • jeanjones71
    jeanjones71 Posts: 2
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    Thank you. I just watched the video and that all makes sense. I have been doing some interval training but only once a week so I will incorporate that more beginning tomorrow. My husband tells me I have to remember what I have accomplished and how far I have come physically and not get so down on myself. I need to try on those "fat" pants I kept to remind me of my progress.
  • redraidergirl2009
    redraidergirl2009 Posts: 2,560 Member
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    don't listen to the people that are saying eat more food, I mean most people that are thin don't eat alot. If you are hungry eat something. If you aren't hungry then you don't have to eat. Try mixing up your exercise, the body gets used to the same ole same ole
  • kkerri
    kkerri Posts: 276 Member
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    I agree she needs to eat more, but toddlers do not eat more than 800 calories a day.
  • kkerri
    kkerri Posts: 276 Member
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    At least mine didn't.
  • linsey0689
    linsey0689 Posts: 753 Member
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    Don't know what size you are and how much your goals are but I don't think you are eating enough. And how much protein are you getting? I understanding being big and wanting to make changes ASAP but that just doesn't work in the long run
  • hilaryhill
    hilaryhill Posts: 156 Member
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    Well, believe it or not, but the sure fire why I can get my weight loss going is to have a few binge days of 3000+ calories, then go down to 2000 calories the next few days. A lot of people say the same thing, from what I've read on this site. Its NOT as simple as "calories in, calories out". Your metabolism has a lot to do with it and if you're eating as much as someone would eat out in a vast desert, then your body doesnt know the difference and you wont lose weight.
  • touchafaith
    touchafaith Posts: 112 Member
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    I agree with most of the people here you could do with eating a little bit more than 800 cals, you could try upping it by 50/100 cals a week however I think it's probably the logging you've got wrong and your possibly eating more than you think you are? I'm only saying this because regardless of slow metabolism etc you should definitely be losing weight on 800 calories a day doing what your doing-unhealthy weightloss sure but you should definitely be seeing weightloss nonetheless.I lost 22lbs with a weightloss clinic who had me on 750 calories a day for 2 weeks and of course as soon as I came off the programme (it wasn't sustainable for me personally) I gained it all back and then some. Anyways remember to log everything that goes into your mouth and take it from there :)
  • joshdann
    joshdann Posts: 618 Member
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    Well, believe it or not, but the sure fire why I can get my weight loss going is to have a few binge days of 3000+ calories, then go down to 2000 calories the next few days. A lot of people say the same thing, from what I've read on this site. Its NOT as simple as "calories in, calories out". Your metabolism has a lot to do with it and if you're eating as much as someone would eat out in a vast desert, then your body doesnt know the difference and you wont lose weight.
    That does work for a lot of people, but not for the reasons you seem to be thinking. Your metabolism does not slow down that quickly (this can be measured and verified). The reason the "refeed" process works for people is usually because they were missing their macros on a LCD/VLCD and that helps supply the missing nutrients. Other times, it's an illusion of sorts. Water weight changes on refeed days can make it look like you've broken through some plateau when you go back to the diet. There is also the bowel-regulating effect that comes with higher calorie eating that can give the illusion of plateau-breaking.

    Not that any of those things are particularly bad... but they're also not particularly necessary unless you're shorting yourself on vital nutrients. If it works for you, then it works for you. Just don't mistake an illusion for reality. IMO it's better to understand what is actually happening with your body than to just look at the scale and think "well, that moved the scale, so it has to be the answer."

    Go check out some of the studies that have been done on this very subject. They can be very informative. I know I've personally learned a /lot/ from reading Lyle MacDonald and a few others. Prefer the authors that use real science and actually take the time to figure out the reality of what's going on, and you can't go wrong. Lyle is great - bodyrecomposition.com - but having multiple perspectives is also a good thing.
  • BIRD0
    BIRD0 Posts: 74 Member
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    WTH is a sugar free pickle?
  • ktsimons
    ktsimons Posts: 294 Member
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    I'm going to just start posting these links every time "starvation mode" is mentioned.

    http://www.aworkoutroutine.com/starvation-mode/
    http://www.aworkoutroutine.com/how-to-lose-fat/

    You are NOT in starvation mode. You're burning far fewer calories than you think with exercise and most likely consuming more calories then you think you are.

    If you want to be sucessful, you first have to educate yourself and then get real about your food intake and energy output.

    Ok, Bound4...I FINALLY went to this website and good lord it is an eye opener. I have known for years that the "you are not eating enough" statement isn't going to work for me. I have done that type of diet 3 times for an extended period of time - 4 months each - and all I did was gain. This website explains it so perfectly that I now KNOW I am finally on the right track with counting calories that this is bound to work this time.

    I can't thank you enough for continuing to put that website in front of my face! Anyone on this website should go and read...go now...now....
  • bound4beauty
    bound4beauty Posts: 274 Member
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    I'm going to just start posting these links every time "starvation mode" is mentioned.

    http://www.aworkoutroutine.com/starvation-mode/
    http://www.aworkoutroutine.com/how-to-lose-fat/

    You are NOT in starvation mode. You're burning far fewer calories than you think with exercise and most likely consuming more calories then you think you are.

    If you want to be sucessful, you first have to educate yourself and then get real about your food intake and energy output.

    Ok, Bound4...I FINALLY went to this website and good lord it is an eye opener. I have known for years that the "you are not eating enough" statement isn't going to work for me. I have done that type of diet 3 times for an extended period of time - 4 months each - and all I did was gain. This website explains it so perfectly that I now KNOW I am finally on the right track with counting calories that this is bound to work this time.

    I can't thank you enough for continuing to put that website in front of my face! Anyone on this website should go and read...go now...now....

    I'm glad you found the articles helpful. Just for the record, I'm not advocating an 800 calorie diet. If you are morbidly obese and under a doctors supervision, at VLCD can be a life safer if you have an obesity related medical condition.

    For the vast majority of the population, creating a modest caloric deficit is all that's needed. What I am advocating is educating yourself on what's fact and what's fiction.
  • joshdann
    joshdann Posts: 618 Member
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    What I am advocating is educating yourself on what's fact and what's fiction.
    Thankfully, some people here *are* interested in actual facts. For others, well... we try.
  • rosellasweet
    rosellasweet Posts: 163 Member
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    WTH is a sugar free pickle?

    I know right? I guess a pickle...without sugar. But why one would care about the grams of sugar in their pickles is beyond me. Is there some poor soul who is like, "Damn my addiction to pickles! They will be my downfall into diabetes."

    Anyway OP, I've never seen a single success story of someone who ate 800 calories, looked amazing, and has been able to keep that progress for years. I wonder why?
  • shinkalork
    shinkalork Posts: 815 Member
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    can't see your diary but....eat smaller portion, but more...lots more...5 meals a day....don't starve. Eating makes you burn, just eat good stuff. Try to see what fits you...... most of people gets it easier with less carbs and sugar...more protein and good fat.
    Calories aren't the main thing...it's the macro that count. It's like if you eat chocolate bars all day and you're under your calorie goal...you won't lose weight lol....

    Walking is super great but you should do other things...work upper body. Some weights and other type of cardio and core workouts. Weight lifting won't make you bulky don't worry.

    Take care
  • Markguns
    Markguns Posts: 554 Member
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    Eat more & read this for an education on how your body burns calories and why. :bigsmile:

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/931670-bmr-and-tdee-explained-for-those-needing-a-guide

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/10589-for-those-confused-or-questioning-eating-your-exercise-calo
  • CycleGuy9000
    CycleGuy9000 Posts: 290
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    I couldn't figure it out either and then... I realized... I probably shouldn't be holding my cat while on the scale, sorry puddy.
  • NoAdditives
    NoAdditives Posts: 4,251 Member
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    I know it is only been since August 19th but I walk 2.5- 3.3 speed 1- 3 miles daily (avg 1 1/2). I dont eat before morning work out and eat before evening work out- I do not consume more than 1000 calories and sometimes my average is less than 800.

    I truly do not think I am starving myself I am just not hungry - I snack on Skinny pop popcorn (1 bag a day) or sugar free pickles (about 6).

    I lost 20 lbs just with calorie counting in January-March my real 1st push at weight lose and didn't work out- now i lost 2 lbs last friday just to gain it back this week.

    I have worked out a total work outs- 35 Miles 40.95 mi time put in 14.58 h 8,759 kCal: huh:

    What Am I doing wrong??????????????????

    EAT MORE.
    EAT REAL FOOD.

    Toddlers eat more than 800 calories a day.

    This. Not even joking, my kids probably eat twice what you do and they weigh 25-40 pounds. Jeez, I put more calories into breast milk every day than you eat (I'm pumping about 60oz a day). Eat. Your body needs food.
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