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Not quite sure what I'm doing wrong?

jessicakels
jessicakels Posts: 14
edited February 7 in Health and Weight Loss
Hi everyone -

So I started my weight loss at 220 lbs and I am now down around 203ish lbs. I started at the beginning of August, but every month, I seem to only be losing around 5 lbs MAX. I'd like it to be more in the 8lb range. I eat fairly well and in reasonable amounts and have always stayed within my calories, give or take here and there. At first I was eating 1350 calories and not eating back anything that I earned through exercise. Now I've scaled back to 1200 calories (since I work a desk job). On occasion, I will eat something "unhealthy," but I don't think that's what's causing me to completely stall since it's rare that it happens. I also tend to overestimate my calorie intake too, rather than underestimate.

Some weeks I can only work out 2-3 times because my other evenings are booked with friends or family. Other weeks, like this week, I will work out 4-5 times. My workouts consist of cardio and according to the equipment (in which I enter my weight to get a more "accurate" calorie reading), I burn between 300-500 calories during a 40 minute workout. I am going to invest in a HRM within the next few weeks, but given my weight and how hard I work during workouts, I believe that my calorie burn is somewhere in that range, regardless of how inaccurate machines can be.

The thing is, I'm not seeing much in the way of results and I'm not quite sure why. I am also confused about eating back burned calories from exercise. I have looked through past posts, but I'm still confused about it. I feel like I shouldn't eat back calories I work hard to burn, but at the same time, I don't want to NOT give my body the energy and food it needs to be healthy.

Help please! Any and all input would be welcome.

Thanks! (:

Jess

Replies

  • Mokey41
    Mokey41 Posts: 5,769 Member
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1135499-eating-more-than-you-think

    Read the first post in this thread for a place to start.
  • foremant86
    foremant86 Posts: 1,115 Member
    You're asking for 2lbs a week and that's not actually realistic nor healthy for most people.

    5lbs a month is great

    You should eat back your exercise calories because MFP already gives you a deficit regardless of exercise so when you exercise you're making that deficit larger and when it becomes too large your body doesn't want to let go of weight for fear it might starve.

    Our bodies don't know there is a supermarket and restaurant just down the street, they are accustom to thousands of years of scavenging so they've become very good at holding onto fat stores so you don't die.

    If you feed your body properly it won't be afraid to let go of excess weight.
  • candacet36
    candacet36 Posts: 353 Member
    I never eat my exercise calories back.

    Maybe you need to evaluate where you are at on protein, carbs and fat and make sure you are balanced and getting what you need that way
  • meeper123
    meeper123 Posts: 3,347 Member
    Step 1 eat more 1200 is not enough for your weight no matter how little you move also did you know the more you lose the less your going to need to eat or more calories your going to need to burn to KEEP losing. Don't make my mistake and stall yourself out because you started at the bottom and had no were to go.

    Step 2: Food scale. Best 16 bucks I ever spent! You will be very surprised how inaccurately you can log and not even know it.

    Step 3: there is no demon food. You can eat anything in moderation. Over deprivation will mean a higher chance of binge eating. If you can't do moderation then sub out those bad foods for a bit leaner options until you can. ( aka mug cakes, mini candy, or just fruit for salt roasted veggies, those single packs of chips, ect)

    Step 4: 1-5 pounds WILL go up and down no matter what you do. It could be anything from water to well other things. Weighing everyday can be discouraging. If you find yourself being let down by the scale change the way you measure. Take photos, your measurements, but don't let that number get you down.

    Step 5:Forgive yourself. You will mess up. You will eat that cookie ( or whatever). When you start to beat yourself up is when you do stupid drastic things that will hold you back.

    I know because I have been there.
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