I don't seem to be getting any smaller?

ek121
ek121 Posts: 8 Member
I've struggled with my weight my entire life and this year I've decided that I'm going to try to lose at least 50 lbs in a year. Unfortunately that didn't happen I lost 28 lbs which makes absolutely no sense since I had started on a vegan diet this year and started working out in an actual gym. I eat on average about 1200 calories per day. I walk about 40 minutes at 2.8 on a treadmill and using the weight machines. I have practically doubled the amount of activity I do during the week.

I've also have noticed that my muscles have become more defined but I still have lots of fat. My parents have commented on the fact that I look healthier and I have been able to be more active.

My family has always struggled with their weight and it seems that I'm no different. Is there anything that I might be missing or overlooking that might be preventing me from further losing anymore weight?

Replies

  • ILiftHeavyAcrylics
    ILiftHeavyAcrylics Posts: 27,732 Member
    Your diary is blank. How do you track your calories?
  • jofjltncb6
    jofjltncb6 Posts: 34,415 Member
    Are you really 18?
  • Nana_Booboo
    Nana_Booboo Posts: 501 Member
    You're on the right track but vegan diets are not for losing weight, if that is your reasoning. Be sure you are getting your protein in on a daily. ALSO educate yourself on food. ALL Calories are not the same. Make them count.
  • brower47
    brower47 Posts: 16,356 Member
    Your diary is blank. How do you track your calories?

    This. It's very hard to give any sort of useful advice if you don't provide the most important information component to weight loss.
  • You need to make sure you get protein in each meal and snack on fruit. You need to check your calories in and out. If you exercise a lot you need to eat more.
  • DopeItUp
    DopeItUp Posts: 18,771 Member
    No one loses 28lbs and doesn't get smaller. I'm not seeing any real problem here? Progress is progress, keep up the good work :)
  • bombedpop
    bombedpop Posts: 2,230 Member
    I lost 28 lbs

    You lost 28lbs and are more than halfway to your 50lb goal. Sounds like you need a bit of patience, and perhaps need to take a look at your food intake via using the logging component of this site to keep on track.
  • GingerLolita
    GingerLolita Posts: 738 Member
    You may not have hit your weight loss goal yet, but don't forget that plenty of that fat has become muscle!
  • Capt_Apollo
    Capt_Apollo Posts: 9,026 Member
    One pill makes you larger
    And one pill makes you small
    And the ones that mother gives you
    Don't do anything at all
    Go ask Alice
    When she's ten feet tall
  • ILiftHeavyAcrylics
    ILiftHeavyAcrylics Posts: 27,732 Member
    You may not have hit your weight loss goal yet, but don't forget that plenty of that fat has become muscle!

    I realize that you're trying to encourage the OP, but fat cannot become muscle. You can lose fat by eating at a deficit, or you can gain muscle by eating at a surplus. You can recomp, which means you VERY slowly build muscle and lose fat at the same time by eating at maintenance, getting enough protein, and lifting weights. But you can't change fat into muscle, because they're completely different kinds of tissue.
  • jofjltncb6
    jofjltncb6 Posts: 34,415 Member
    You may not have hit your weight loss goal yet, but don't forget that plenty of that fat has become muscle!

    Oh really?
  • PikaKnight
    PikaKnight Posts: 34,971 Member
    You may not have hit your weight loss goal yet, but don't forget that plenty of that fat has become muscle!

    I don't think you understand that muscle and fat can't turn into the other.
  • Cranquistador
    Cranquistador Posts: 39,744 Member
    You may not have hit your weight loss goal yet, but don't forget that plenty of that fat has become muscle!
    HD
  • metaphoria
    metaphoria Posts: 1,432 Member
    28lb. loss IS you getting smaller. Pictures and food diary info would be helpful.
  • meshashesha2012
    meshashesha2012 Posts: 8,329 Member
    are you tracking measurements from multiple places on your body rather than just tying to eyeball yourself?

    sometimes people have a tendency to look at one part of their body like a problem area and if that doesnt go down then they get some idea in their head that they havent lost weight or gotten smaller same thing happens with people you know.
  • gigglesinthesun
    gigglesinthesun Posts: 860 Member
    I've struggled with my weight my entire life and this year I've decided that I'm going to try to lose at least 50 lbs in a year. Unfortunately that didn't happen I lost 28 lbs which makes absolutely no sense since I had started on a vegan diet this year and started working out in an actual gym. I eat on average about 1200 calories per day. I walk about 40 minutes at 2.8 on a treadmill and using the weight machines. I have practically doubled the amount of activity I do during the week.

    I've also have noticed that my muscles have become more defined but I still have lots of fat. My parents have commented on the fact that I look healthier and I have been able to be more active.

    My family has always struggled with their weight and it seems that I'm no different. Is there anything that I might be missing or overlooking that might be preventing me from further losing anymore weight?

    you lose weight on a deficit, whether you eat vegan or not (in fact there are quite a lot of chubby vegans on this website). When you say you eat on average about 1200 calories, are you tracking this elsewhere? If so, how accurate is your tracking? Are you weighing everything and only measuring the liquids?

    50lbs means 1 lbs a week i.e. a deficit of 500 calories a day, since you lost 28, I go with you are actually having a 250 calorie deficit a day. That's not a terrible deficit or a terrible result. I do think however you are estimating your calories is not accurate and you are undercounting. Now that is not a bad thing, because, even without your other stats, I somehow doubt you really should be eating 1200 calories. One issue would be if you lose all your weight on 1200 calories as soon as you go back to eating like the rest of your family, you are likely to gain it all back. It might be worth, if your whole family struggles with weight, to look at portion sizes and calorie values of popular family foods in general. Eating healthy doesn't have to mean eating vegan or vegetarian or low carb or low fat or whatever else the popular opinion seems to tout as the best thing ever.

    a little reading as well:
    http://www.acaloriecounter.com/blog/why-am-i-not-losing-weight/
  • soulynyc
    soulynyc Posts: 302 Member
    you may need to increase your calories.
  • Jen8000
    Jen8000 Posts: 91 Member
    Don't short change yourself--28 pounds is quite the accomplishment! You are being too tough on yourself. Your goal was 50 lbs--you lost 28. You could have gained 28 pounds, but because of your hard work you lost 28 pounds. Chin up and keep going. :wink:
  • ek121
    ek121 Posts: 8 Member
    I've been keeping a journal at home and I haven't been updating the one on MFP since I've been studying for college finals.
  • ek121
    ek121 Posts: 8 Member
    Are you really 18?

    Yeah... Why?
  • ILiftHeavyAcrylics
    ILiftHeavyAcrylics Posts: 27,732 Member
    I've been keeping a journal at home and I haven't been updating the one on MFP since I've been studying for college finals.

    Are you using a food scale to weigh out the ingredients? Where are you getting your calorie counts?
  • AmyZ46
    AmyZ46 Posts: 694 Member
    I weighed 270 when I started and I didn't notice any difference until I lost about 40 lbs . none . But I did feel better and I did feel stronger .. So do you ?

    Also , do you challenge yourself to push harder on the treadmill ..you said your speed is like 2.8 have you tried 3.0 after ten minutes? I know when I started I could barely go 2.4 for ten minutes and now I'm at 3.5 with a 4degree incline ... try that it may help you . You can add an incline without increasing your speed to start if you want ... . but you need to push your self to do more and harder workouts - it feels good too .

    Good luck .
  • ek121
    ek121 Posts: 8 Member
    I weighed 270 when I started and I didn't notice any difference until I lost about 40 lbs . none . But I did feel better and I did feel stronger .. So do you ?

    Also , do you challenge yourself to push harder on the treadmill ..you said your speed is like 2.8 have you tried 3.0 after ten minutes? I know when I started I could barely go 2.4 for ten minutes and now I'm at 3.5 with a 4degree incline ... try that it may help you . You can add an incline without increasing your speed to start if you want ... . but you need to push your self to do more and harder workouts - it feels good too .

    Good luck .

    Thank you Amy,

    I have felt much better since I've started improving my diet and working out. I have been gradually increasing my speed on the treadmill. I haven't been pushing myself as much as I probably can since I'm still young.
  • sarahrbraun
    sarahrbraun Posts: 2,261 Member
    I've struggled with my weight my entire life and this year I've decided that I'm going to try to lose at least 50 lbs in a year. Unfortunately that didn't happen I lost 28 lbs which makes absolutely no sense since I had started on a vegan diet this year and started working out in an actual gym. I eat on average about 1200 calories per day. I walk about 40 minutes at 2.8 on a treadmill and using the weight machines. I have practically doubled the amount of activity I do during the week.

    I've also have noticed that my muscles have become more defined but I still have lots of fat. My parents have commented on the fact that I look healthier and I have been able to be more active.

    My family has always struggled with their weight and it seems that I'm no different. Is there anything that I might be missing or overlooking that might be preventing me from further losing anymore weight?

    the scale isn't everything. Take pictures in the same outfit on a monthy basis, then put them side by side. As you gain muscle and lose fat, your body will shrink, and people will tell you that you look like you've lost ( even though the scale says you haven't). Years ago, I was a snug size 14, and I weighed about 175-180lbs. I have been a size 14 for about a year now, and weighed in the range of 190-200lbs.

    6 months ago I could barely jog at 3.8mph for more than 5 min at a time. Yesterday was my cardio day, and I jogged at 4mph for like 15 min. Last year at this time I was on 3 asthma meds, 6 months ago my doctor gave me her blessing to drop 2 of them.

    In february I could barely squat 120lbs. Now I regularly squat 140lbs, and I have done 150lbs.

    With all those NSVs ( non scale validations/victories) should I be upset that the scale has only dropped 6lbs in the last YEAR? I think not.
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
    You may not have hit your weight loss goal yet, but don't forget that plenty of that fat has become muscle!

    negative...no way op is gaining muscle on a 1200 calorie vegan diet...