3 months, ZERO PROGRESS

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  • aimeejolene
    aimeejolene Posts: 51
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    Oh, nevermind - i thought my account was different because I logged in through FB. I dunno. No matter. I gave an example.
  • aimeejolene
    aimeejolene Posts: 51
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    Years?! I am so sorry. That's so strange - everyone makes it seem so easy. Cut your calories! Workout more! Every body is different. I wish there was one formula for us all. I hope we do eventually reach that day when all our hard work suddenly profits.
  • PikaKnight
    PikaKnight Posts: 34,971 Member
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    Years?! I am so sorry. That's so strange - everyone makes it seem so easy. Cut your calories! Workout more! Every body is different. I wish there was one formula for us all. I hope we do eventually reach that day when all our hard work suddenly profits.

    Well if you think eating at a calorie deficit to lose weight while exercise for fitness isn't the same for everybody.....then best of luck OP. Obviously we can't really help you in your special situation.
  • DBiddle69
    DBiddle69 Posts: 682 Member
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    I have been on my healthy journey for three months now. I work out at least 5 days a week (sometimes more), lifting weights and doing cardio. I have a calorie tracker similar to the Polar watches that lets me know I am burning at least 300 calories in a half hour.

    Maybe you could have the same problem I had...I have a HRM that counts calories but have never seen it come close to what the treadmill or MFP says should be my calorie count. It has always been higher. So, if I were to use those numbers I would be eating back way to many calories.

    What I would do is match utilize other calorie counters to see if the Polar watch matches them.
  • aimeejolene
    aimeejolene Posts: 51
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    I think my thread has proved that it DOESN'T work the same for everyone.
  • FlaxMilk
    FlaxMilk Posts: 3,452 Member
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    1. Do you log every single day, without fail? No. I used to, but fell off that bandwagon. Since my days are pretty much identical during the work week, they are close enough. Mostly I discovered that being OCD about it was making me feel worse.

    Thanks for answering all of that! I unfortunately am still going to go with logging and portioning. For instance, I noticed the ravioli. I may be way off on this because I am vegan and haven't even dreamed of ravioli in years (jealous), but it seems like 244 calories would be a small portion.

    Since you aren't losing and want to be, I would find a way to make peace with your OCD about the numbers. If you can, meet with a registered dietician who can help you understand the science of weight loss and nourishment. I think if you are more clear on what it all means, you won't have the anxiety. If it's deeper than that for you, you may want to talk to a therapist. If paying for a dietician is out, there are often free community resources, fairs, and classes that will teach you what you need to know. Barring that, there is plenty of good information online about how the body works, just make sure it's reputable. (The US goverment's website has lots of free information.)

    I think there is a chance that once you are more comfortable with your understanding of how your body works, logging and weighing will be more information and tools than something to drive yourself crazy with.
  • QuincyChick
    QuincyChick Posts: 269 Member
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    I think my thread has proved that it DOESN'T work the same for everyone.

    No, this thread proved that you're eyeballing portions and overestimating your exercise.

    It does work the same for everyone. Follow the (good) advice here. Find your TDEE, subtract 15-20%, and eat that amount of calories. Done.
  • Debbie_Ferr
    Debbie_Ferr Posts: 582 Member
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    I think my thread has proved that it DOESN'T work the same for everyone.

    you're right, everyone is different. with that being said....
    We'd love to help you. Would you be open to opening your diary for us ?
  • theoriginaljayne
    theoriginaljayne Posts: 562 Member
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    OP, you've already received some very good advice.

    Start weighing your food. You're probably overestimating your intake. In any case, what have you got to lose by breaking out the kitchen scale?

    Log daily. Seriously. I cannot overstate how important this is.

    Understand that your exercise calories are probably inflated. HRMs are designed for steady state cardio and are pretty damn inaccurate for other activities. Try eating only half of your exercise calories back. (Alternatively, switch to a TDEE-x% method; there's lots of information about how to do that on the forums.)

    If you're eating at a caloric deficit, you'll lose weight. If you're not losing, then you're not in a deficit. There's no getting around it.

    I think my thread has proved that it DOESN'T work the same for everyone

    No, I think your thread has proved that you're frustrated and you don't want to accept that your estimates are probably wrong. As FlaxMilk said below, you're being honest -- just not accurate. Which is as expected, because you're human.
  • aimeejolene
    aimeejolene Posts: 51
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    And this is helpful, HOW? Seriously, why do people feel the need to do this? I am not pulling numbers out of my butt or lying about what I am doing - I am being 100% honest or I wouldn't have come here with my denial. Please, PLEASE just don't bother if you want to make me feel like an idiot.
  • carol5047
    carol5047 Posts: 44 Member
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    What kinds of protein are you eating?
  • aimeejolene
    aimeejolene Posts: 51
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    Thanks, Flax. (I keep reading your name as Flex, hah.) I appreciate all the time you've put in to help here.

    I will return to measuring. I can't do anything if my chest strap is lying to me about what I am burning - that is my only way I currently have of knowing if I am burning anything at all or not. I am trying to do things to get my heart rate up and keep it there for periods of time. All I can do is go by what it tells me.

    Oh, and the ravioli is a steamer by Lean Cuisine. Not the best choice ever, but it was quick and easy for lunch at work and pretty darn good. Higher in sodium than I would like, but it is what it is.
  • aimeejolene
    aimeejolene Posts: 51
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    I try to stick with chicken or fish. I know beef of any kind is higher in calories and fats.
  • FlaxMilk
    FlaxMilk Posts: 3,452 Member
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    And this is helpful, HOW? Seriously, why do people feel the need to do this? I am not pulling numbers out of my butt or lying about what I am doing - I am being 100% honest or I wouldn't have come here with my denial. Please, PLEASE just don't bother if you want to make me feel like an idiot.

    I believe that you are being 100% honest, but due to human error, I don't think you are being 100% accurate. Studies show that almost all of us underestimate our intake and portion sizes, and that weight loss is greatly increased by keeping an accurate food log. (I'm not at all trying to be mean to you or accuse you of lying, I promise. I myself pay a lot of attention to my intake and cannot lose weight or even stay at maintenance without logging. It's not a personal failing, 90% of us are like that.)
  • Dmkolls
    Dmkolls Posts: 150 Member
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    7. Can you post the sample day? This was yesterday:
    Special K - 2/3 cup, 100 calories (this I do measure, with an actual measuring cup, because it's easy to pour)
    Coconut milk - 45
    20 oz coffee - 6
    Hazelnut liquid creamer - 35

    Riccota and spinach ravioli and chicken - 244
    Chips - 130

    Two hamburger patties, homemade, lean - 488
    Ketchup - 20
    Lettuce - 10
    Tomato - 16

    Clif bar - 240

    Circuit training - 183 (this was pretty darn close to my chest strap, which showed 180)

    Water - 12 cups

    My suggestions:

    1) Ditched processed junk. Special K is chemical junk in a box. It will keep you hungry and fat. If it has ingredients you cannot pronounce or know how it's made - don't eat it! I'm guessing the ravioli is a frozen meal, right? JUNK.

    2) Eat whole foods! WHOLE eggs, veggies, meats, fruits (not too much), etc. And ideal breakfast would be 2 eggs scrambled with some roasted vegetables and 2 slices of REAL bacon. It will keep you full and happy for hours and is full of nutrition.

    3) Half of your plate should be vegetables! No joke...at least 5 servings per day.

    4) Don't use BMR to calculate how much you eat. Go here and calculate your TDEE and pick -15% or -20% and eat that EVERY DAY - even non-workout days.
    http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/

    5) Try to eat clean for at least 30 days. Your body has had junk in it through boxed meals, bars, fast food, etc. Give it a tried and true 30 days with the stuff above, and you'll see a big difference.

    I'm not trying to be mean at all. I want to give you the real world sense of what needs to be done. This low calorie, 1200 per day and junk food that's on TV is garbage and will set you up to fail. You have to ask yourself, do you want to lose for NOW or for LIFE?
  • aimeejolene
    aimeejolene Posts: 51
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    I agree with this. I try to go with things that are already measured or are easy to measure (a measuring cup is my friend), but maybe I am missing something. I am ok with going back to measuring. I just don't want this to consume my life.
  • DBiddle69
    DBiddle69 Posts: 682 Member
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    Not to be rude or anything but the further we get into this the more you are divulging information and it's changing from the beginning.

    You were asked if you log everything...you said yes...later you said no that you fell off the bandwagon...then you say you do not count your cheat meal.

    You need to be honest with yourself in this lifestyle to succeed.

    That being said...I recommend that you take a few weeks and just log everything every day to get a serious look at what you really are eating. To include your cheat meal. IMO you cannot discount a meal especially a cheat meal. You can have a cheat meal but you should make up the deficit in another way e.g., during the week...on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday, you burn an extra 100 calories, on Wednesday you have your cheat meal....that cheat meal becomes 600 calories over your daily calories....you now have a 200 calorie deficit you need to make up for the remainder of the week...Friday and Sunday you burn an additional 200 calories....calorie deficit gone...you are now even for the week and still working on your overall deficit.

    PS...I have never changed any of the foods I eat...just better choices on the portions.
  • Mcgrawhaha
    Mcgrawhaha Posts: 1,596 Member
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    ITS VERY SIMPLE REALLY.

    there are 2 options.

    1) you are not eating at a deficit, you can say you are, think you are, and believe you are, but your not... you are measuring wrong, or estimating wrong, or forgetting to log things, or logging the wrong things, or lying to yourself when you log. either your eating at a deficit, or your not. thats it.

    or

    2) somethings wrong with you and you should see a dr. maybe you have a underlying health condition, but thats very rare... chances are, number 1 is correct.
  • rhileyschubbygranny
    rhileyschubbygranny Posts: 145 Member
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    For those eating at TDEE -20%, do you eat that amount of calories even on the days that you are not exercising? For example, I am starting TDEE -20% tomorrow 10/16. Scooby states I should be eating 1571 cal per day. On my non-workout days should I eat at 1200 calories?

    No, eat as close to 1571 as you can EVERYDAY, regardless of exercise. What I have found that works is to eat within 50-100 calorie of that, either way, EVERYDAY. Consistancy really pays off.

    Thanks for anwering my question! I feel a lot better now about starting this method tomorrow!

    This! I even eat at my TDEE on days I don't work out, still losing.
  • Holly_Roman_Empire
    Holly_Roman_Empire Posts: 4,440 Member
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    And this is helpful, HOW? Seriously, why do people feel the need to do this? I am not pulling numbers out of my butt or lying about what I am doing - I am being 100% honest or I wouldn't have come here with my denial. Please, PLEASE just don't bother if you want to make me feel like an idiot.

    You're not lying and you're not being treated like an idiot. You asked for help or suggestions while giving very limiting information (no food diary to go off of), and you're unhappy with the answers. Human error is a big part of non-weight loss. Take that part out of it, be consistent for a while on your food diary, and see how it works.

    In the meantime, instead of focusing on losing weight (since that is frustrating you), set yourself some fitness goals. That way, you will still feel like you are achieving something if you aren't losing weight.

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