New here and already discouraged :(

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  • askeates
    askeates Posts: 1,490 Member
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    There are a number of things that can be contributing to this....

    First, are you weighing/measuring all of your food or are you estimating?

    Are you accounting for all foods that you eat (even the little taste testing adds up)?

    Are you staying hydrated? WATER, WATER, WATER.... your body needs it!

    And how did you come up with the calories you should eat daily?

    Without being able to see your diary, it is hard to do anything more than ask questions. All I can say is, do NOT give up! You have done the hardest part which is to say enough is enough and start the lifestyle change. Now you just have to figure out what is missing in the equation. There is a wonderful article that says it all... http://www.aworkoutroutine.com/starvation-mode/ It is long, but worth the read. Best of luck!
  • SherryIsRunner5
    SherryIsRunner5 Posts: 74 Member
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    The only advice I have is to keep at it, I haven't had a loss in awhile and I am starting to feel discouraged, too....it will come eventually!!!
  • kell2116
    kell2116 Posts: 77 Member
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    Hi - I totally feel your pain! I also gained weight in my first month, despite mostly sticking to my allotted calorie count and working out 6 days a week. As a result, I've pretty much stopped weighing myself and I'm now charting my progress through body measurements and how my clothes fit. My advice is STICK WITH IT! If the scales are your enemy, then don't use them - there are plenty of other ways to see the difference you're making to your body through diet and exercise and it sounds like you've made a fantastic start with your calorie intake and workout plan over the last month. Keep up the good work and don't be too hard on yourself :-)
  • NC0224
    NC0224 Posts: 11
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    Most of the other people who responded have already covered things to make sure you are doing; logging food, keeping track of an accurate number of calories you have burned, etc etc. If you haven't already, get a heart rate monitor. I use a Polar FT4 and know of several other people who use that one as well, they work great. I have used cheaper monitors, and they did not accurately count calories burned/heart rate. It's a little bit of an investment, but the FT4 was about $60 when I bought it in 2012.

    Lastly, don't give up!!! You have a goal, and you should stick to getting what you want. It is a very difficult journey to lose weight. If I said that I have never fallen off the wagon, then I would be a liar! Actually this last weekend was quite a failure for me, but it's a new week, and I just have to move on and do better! It isn't just a "diet," it's a complete life change.

    Edit: You can also go to freedieting.com, or search for calorie intake calculator in the search engine. It will allow you to put in your height, weight, and all that to determine the correct amount of calories, and will even give you a 7 day list of calorie numbers to calorie cycle. Doing that will jump start your metabolism, because you won't be eating the same exact calorie count each day. It's great for when you hit a plateau (spelling?), and can't lose weight. Another thing, you may want to measure your waist, hips, chest, etc. You could be losing inches, but not "weight."
  • lisaanne1369
    lisaanne1369 Posts: 377 Member
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    If you can, start running/ jogging .
  • quiltchickie
    quiltchickie Posts: 50 Member
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    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/food/diary/tschellhammer">

    I THINK you all should be able see this now, not? I did go in today and reduce my calories down even more. So far I have had a yogurt. Struggled on the weekends (of course) but still moved forward a lot compared to what they USED to look like. Just feel like I'm shuffling forward to the next day.

    I will need to get my scale out to weigh my food. Maybe also look into a heart rate monitor.
  • Steph_in_Mississippi
    Steph_in_Mississippi Posts: 70 Member
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    I had a friend who wasn't losing weight. Then I realized what she was doing wrong. She would scan something and not pay attention to the servings. She counted it as 1 serving although she ate 2 or 3.
  • quiltchickie
    quiltchickie Posts: 50 Member
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    Oh my, running would kill me! LOL One thing I can say is my hubby likes where I gained a lot of my weight. ;)
  • missybrian
    missybrian Posts: 5 Member
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    Don't get discouraged, though I know it is hard sometimes not to. The thing that stuck out to me was the fact that you said you are eating under your calories. How much under are you eating?? That could be the key right there. I read Chris Powell's book, and what I found interesting is that he's had clients that would do the same thing thinking they would lose faster when in fact they would gain because the body will think it is not getting enough nutrients and start holding on to them. Also, are you eating healthy foods, enough fruit and veggies, and watching your sodium intake? Just some ideas. Keep up the good work and it will happen! Besides, would you rather give up and then really gain some weight and feel even worse!
  • MissyBrears
    MissyBrears Posts: 41 Member
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    Don't give up MFP really does work you may have to trey a different way for your body maybe don't eat back excercise calories Etc.
  • CarmenSRT
    CarmenSRT Posts: 843 Member
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    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/food/diary/tschellhammer">

    I THINK you all should be able see this now, not? I did go in today and reduce my calories down even more. So far I have had a yogurt. Struggled on the weekends (of course) but still moved forward a lot compared to what they USED to look like. Just feel like I'm shuffling forward to the next day.

    I will need to get my scale out to weigh my food. Maybe also look into a heart rate monitor.

    A good food scale is a really valuable tool. For homemade foods you eat you can go in and enter the ingredients in the "Recipe" tab so it will be accurate.
  • AllonsYtotheTardis
    AllonsYtotheTardis Posts: 16,947 Member
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    Not sure how to open my log to share. The one thing that I CAN say is that I am sleeping (and feeling) a bit better. I did hear once you hit 40 it's a lot harder to lose. Didn't think it would be THIS hard.

    I'm 43 and it isn't THAT bad to lose, I don't think any way. How many calories do you get a day and how many are you eating?

    Says a guy. :laugh: Mother Nature does things to the ladies starting around that age that it does not do to you gentlemen.

    I'm 41 and female. Age isn't as big a factor as you think - don't let it be an excuse.
  • NYCNika
    NYCNika Posts: 611 Member
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    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/food/diary/tschellhammer">

    I THINK you all should be able see this now, not? I did go in today and reduce my calories down even more. So far I have had a yogurt. Struggled on the weekends (of course) but still moved forward a lot compared to what they USED to look like. Just feel like I'm shuffling forward to the next day.

    I will need to get my scale out to weigh my food. Maybe also look into a heart rate monitor.

    If you don't have a food scale, that's your answer! That calorie number is just a figment of your imagination.
  • Ifly4free
    Ifly4free Posts: 203 Member
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    When I returned to MFP in Sep 2011, I was getting close to my highest weight ever of 141lbs. I set out on a journey to lose 21lbs.
    For the first 6 weeks, I had absolutely no loss at all but a gain of 2 lbs. I was so Mad , it made me more determined than ever to keep going. I was working my butt off and eating within my calorie goal everyday. Eventually it started to come off and in Jan 2012 , I hit my goal plus 5 extra lbs and weighed in at 115.
    It was not easy and I know I drove my husband and kids crazy but I showed them I was not going to give up. Just keep at it! It will come off when it's ready.
    I'm 44 by the way and in better shape now then when I was 25.
    Don't Give Up!
  • quiltchickie
    quiltchickie Posts: 50 Member
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    The other thing I have been doing is I downloaded the Fooducate app and scan everything I buy at the supermarket. If it "scores" less than a "C", it doesn't come into my house. Driving my family nuts, but this is why it's so aggravating to not be seeing any results. I also bought myself a digital scale this past weekend to get a more accurate reading.

    Any suggestions on gadgets to keep track of my calories burned?
  • laserturkey
    laserturkey Posts: 1,680 Member
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    Okay, having looked at your diary, I have these suggestions:

    Increase your protein goal. (I keep mine at 25% but I know many people have theirs way higher than that.)
    Make sure your NET calories each day are equal to or greater than your BMR. (This is assuming you have reasonably accurate calorie burns from exercise, and accurate calories in because you are weighing and measuring food carefully.)
    Get a food scale if you don't already have one, and use it.

    Try going forward with these changes for a month and I think you will see results.
  • trogalicious
    trogalicious Posts: 4,584 Member
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    Any suggestions on gadgets to keep track of my calories burned?

    A heartrate monitor with a chest strap is fine.. but to lose weight, you don't have to exercise. Just create a deficit and then go from there.
  • LisaDunn01
    LisaDunn01 Posts: 173 Member
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    It's your diet. You can't eat that way and expect to lose weight. Look into www.westonaprice.org, www.wellnessmama.com, check out the books "Wheat Belly", "Eat Fat, Lose Fat", these would be good starts.
  • jrbb03092
    jrbb03092 Posts: 198 Member
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    What everyone else said. Weigh your food and make sure that everything that goes in your mouth is accounted for. I looked through your diary and there were a number of things that made me go huh? For example, on one of the days you have 5 slices of some sausage pizza as 300 calories. I can't imagine how tiny those slices would have to be to come in at 60 calories each.
  • running_shoe
    running_shoe Posts: 180 Member
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    This is a marathon, not a sprint. This is a lifestyle change, not a white knuckle few weeks to your goal. Treat your body right and be honest with yourself about your food intake and exercise. You don't need to throw away the scale, but you do need to map your progress over a year instead of a month. What's your hurry? Do it so that it is sustainable.

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