Help me tweak my efforts - not losing

Four_Leaf_Clover
Four_Leaf_Clover Posts: 332 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I have been using MFP for over a year, but have only lost a net total of about 7 lbs. I just looked today and am actually the same weight I was in 10/12. This depresses me greatly (although it is better than gaining).

I have become more vigilant with logging, weighing/measuring, and increased my workouts in the past few months, but I am still just bouncing up and down from 194-197 continuously.

I am looking for suggestions on how to tweak my diet, my workouts, something to help me actually achieve some consistent success. Granted - I am very happy with how far I have come - I am more self-aware, eat better, sleep better, and get up to work out at 5 am - things I was not doing before MFP. I feel better - I probably look better (I have never taken progress photos). I would just like to start losing consistently!

Here is some more information. I welcome your insight and suggestions!

Age 40
5'3"
CW: 196
BF% - estimated at 40% per my scale

TDEE: 1777 sedentary, 2222 lightly active
BMR: 1529 Katch-McCardle/1616 Harris-Benedict
MFP daily goal: 1410 (set at 1 lb loss/week) - which incidentally is about my TDEE - 20%
Macros set at 45% carbs/25% protein/30% fat just to encourage me to eat more protein and less carbs

Workouts - 3x/week with trainer on basic strength training + 30 minutes 3x/wk cardio (treadmill/elliptical)

No medical conditions or dietary restrictions
I cook meals 6 nights per week - generally from scratch.
I am far from perfect, but (save a few days I have missed here and there) I do log everything - even the junk!

Replies

  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,428 MFP Moderator
    How long have you plateaued? Also, do you use a food scale?
  • Four_Leaf_Clover
    Four_Leaf_Clover Posts: 332 Member
    I do use a digital food scale for things like meat, carbs, cooked veggies. I use a spoon for salad dressing, cheese (like Parmesan), oil.

    I do have to estimate if I eat out - but I overestimate and I eat out infrequently.

    I have been between 194 and 197 for the past year. I've gotten as low as 192.5

    This may sound crazy, but I have even had moments when I wondered if I was somehow secretly sleep eating!
  • Rai007
    Rai007 Posts: 387 Member
    how did u lose those 7 pounds. initially or overtime ??

    you are not letting your body create a deficit therefore it wont lose
  • Mdin1029
    Mdin1029 Posts: 456 Member
    Maybe some cleaner eating choices would help? Instead of cereals and packaged meats, perhaps try something like this:

    This is the best thing I think you can do is try to eat healthy nutritious foods and drink enough water:

    Breakfast:
    lemon water
    green smoothie (Mine is 1 cup water, 2 cups baby spinach and baby kale or other greens, 1/2 banana, 1/3 cup blueberries, I also add 1/3 cup fage yogurt or 1 tbl peanutbutter for protein-I don't like protein powders, a few mint leaves, cilantro leaves, a tiny bit of ginger)
    2 boiled eggs with salt, pepper, paprika, and a little extra virgin olive oil

    Snack:
    1/4 cup raw unsalted almonds or other nuts

    Lunch:
    lean chicken or fish
    lots of veggies (especially green)

    Snack
    1 gala apple or other fruits/veggies

    Dinner
    lean chicken of fish
    lots of veggies (especially green)
    sweet potato

    LOTS of water, add lemon, cucumber, mint if you want

    After dinner "tea":
    1/4 lemon juice
    few mint leaves
    few cilantro leaves
    tiny bit of fresh ginger
    add boiling hot water, drink after a few minutes

    Some form of activity as often as possible every day. (cardio 3x, strength 3x, walking whenever possible)

    Medjool dates could replace the m&ms for any sweet cravings. Mix up the fruit and veggies and it can have tons of variety. A high quality multi-vitamin might be worth adding as well. The idea here is to work towards a healthier lifestyle that involves foods that nourish the body with vitamins and minerals, not just empty calories. I really hope this helps.
  • fruttibiscotti
    fruttibiscotti Posts: 986 Member
    I've been on MFP for a long time too, and only recently did I learn that the variation in macronutrients had a huge effect on my ability to lose weight and conquer cravings. When I switched to a LCHF diet, weight started coming off consistently, 1 lbs or more per week. It worked for me - I hope you find what works for you.
  • Four_Leaf_Clover
    Four_Leaf_Clover Posts: 332 Member
    Most of the weight loss came in the first few months (fall of 2012), but since then it seems to bounce around and I haven't seen any real net losses. I have made great strides in behavior and lifestyle, but not on the scale.

    I clearly am not doing something right. 1400 calories a day must be too much for me? How do I figure out what to go down to?
    Shave off 100 calories and see about that?

    I certainly could eat cleaner, but isn't it really about calories in/out? Maybe not over 40?
  • Lizzy622
    Lizzy622 Posts: 3,705 Member
    I started on MFP in 2010 and only lost about 20 pounds in 2 and 1/2 years. Then I switched up my macros and started paying more attention to protein. By increasing protein and decreasing carbs by just a little bit (10%), I was able to really spur my weight loss.
  • fruttibiscotti
    fruttibiscotti Posts: 986 Member
    I started on MFP in 2010 and only lost about 20 pounds in 2 and 1/2 years. Then I switched up my macros and started paying more attention to protein. By increasing protein and decreasing carbs by just a little bit (10%), I was able to really spur my weight loss.

    I agree, the macronutrients will likely make an impact. I would play with macronutrient proportions before lowering number of calories (to avoid risk of putting yourself into starvation mode and affecting metabolic rate). Good luck.
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,428 MFP Moderator
    Do you have an medical conditions (PCOS, hyperthyroidism, or gone through menopause)? Also, have you tried an elimination diet yet? 1400 calories is probably fine, but you really aren't eating 1400 calories; you are eating 1400 net.

    Here is what I would try in order:

    1. Set a standard calorie goal of 1500 and eat the same calories daily while adjusting macro's to 30% carbs, 40% protein and 30% fats.
    2. Eliminate one thing at a time for 1 month - gluten then dairy.


    Also, I would suggest getting blood work done.
  • QuietBloom
    QuietBloom Posts: 5,413 Member
    The only way to lose weight is through a calorie deficit. Nothing else matters, not 'clean' eating, not low carb or high protein. High protein will help you feel fuller longer and preserve lean body mass, so it's a good idea to set it at around 1g/lb of lean body mass.

    Somewhere your calories are not adding up. It's usually a combination of underestimating food intake and over estimating exercise calories burned.
  • QuietBloom
    QuietBloom Posts: 5,413 Member
    I started on MFP in 2010 and only lost about 20 pounds in 2 and 1/2 years. Then I switched up my macros and started paying more attention to protein. By increasing protein and decreasing carbs by just a little bit (10%), I was able to really spur my weight loss.

    I agree, the macronutrients will likely make an impact. I would play with macronutrient proportions before lowering number of calories (to avoid risk of putting yourself into starvation mode and affecting metabolic rate). Good luck.

    Starvation mode is not a risk factor here.
  • Siansonea
    Siansonea Posts: 917 Member
    Maybe some cleaner eating choices would help? Instead of cereals and packaged meats, perhaps try something like this:

    This is the best thing I think you can do is try to eat healthy nutritious foods and drink enough water:

    Breakfast:
    lemon water
    green smoothie (Mine is 1 cup water, 2 cups baby spinach and baby kale or other greens, 1/2 banana, 1/3 cup blueberries, I also add 1/3 cup fage yogurt or 1 tbl peanutbutter for protein-I don't like protein powders, a few mint leaves, cilantro leaves, a tiny bit of ginger)
    2 boiled eggs with salt, pepper, paprika, and a little extra virgin olive oil

    Snack:
    1/4 cup raw unsalted almonds or other nuts

    Lunch:
    lean chicken or fish
    lots of veggies (especially green)

    Snack
    1 gala apple or other fruits/veggies

    Dinner
    lean chicken of fish
    lots of veggies (especially green)
    sweet potato

    LOTS of water, add lemon, cucumber, mint if you want

    After dinner "tea":
    1/4 lemon juice
    few mint leaves
    few cilantro leaves
    tiny bit of fresh ginger
    add boiling hot water, drink after a few minutes

    Some form of activity as often as possible every day. (cardio 3x, strength 3x, walking whenever possible)

    Medjool dates could replace the m&ms for any sweet cravings. Mix up the fruit and veggies and it can have tons of variety. A high quality multi-vitamin might be worth adding as well. The idea here is to work towards a healthier lifestyle that involves foods that nourish the body with vitamins and minerals, not just empty calories. I really hope this helps.

    What's the carb content of copypasta? Seriously, are you going to post this same litany in EVERY thread? No one wants to follow your "sustained misery" diet. :huh:
  • tawanda6329
    tawanda6329 Posts: 139 Member
    I ran your numbers using this site. Try netting 1,600 calories for a month & see what happens. You are eating below your BMR number.

    http://thefitgirls.com/tdee-calculator.aspx
  • QuietBloom
    QuietBloom Posts: 5,413 Member
    I ran your numbers using this site. Try netting 1,600 calories for a month & see what happens. You are eating below your BMR number.

    http://thefitgirls.com/tdee-calculator.aspx

    If she was eating below her BMR, she would be losing weight. And she hasn't. For a year. She is eating maintenance.
  • Mr_Knight
    Mr_Knight Posts: 9,532 Member
    BF% - estimated at 40% per my scale

    This strikes me as unlikely. It would mean you'd be on the edge of "beach body" status at 150 pounds, which is a very high weight for that, for your height.

    I would redo with Katch-McCardle using 50%, which will knock your BMR down by about 200 calories/day and your sedentary TDEE by about 250 calories/day. That alone is enough of a difference to account for the lack of positive results.
  • acogg
    acogg Posts: 1,870 Member
    I am 5'5", exercise with weights and my maintenance @125 lbs. is about 1500 calories. I think your TDEE numbers are high.
  • cafeaulait7
    cafeaulait7 Posts: 2,459 Member
    "MFP daily goal: 1410 (set at 1 lb loss/week) - which incidentally is about my TDEE - 20%"

    But MFP has you eating back your exercise calories, right?


    I'd probably split the difference between sedentary and lightly active and take 20% off that: 1599.6. I'd eat 1500-1550 every day and eat no exercise calories. That's just me, though, and I'm no expert :)

    edit: Oh, and take an average per week of your actual calories. Don't let it be over your number. The little overages add up! And lack of exercise days does too, if that's applicable to you. Eat less that day if you don't work out one required day when doing TDEE. The number of workouts is included in that total.
  • Four_Leaf_Clover
    Four_Leaf_Clover Posts: 332 Member
    Thanks everyone. My PCP has run blood work as even she thinks it is not right that I have not been losing. Everything was normal.

    I do eat back exercise calories now (I use a Polar HRM to log calories burned from all my workouts) - and looking back over this past month - I tend to eat most if not all of them. I rarely go over my 1410 - maybe once or twice this month and less than 100 calories each time.

    If I redo my TDEE/BMR using 50% body fat (as depressing as that is) - my BMR is 1332 (Katch-McArdle), which gives me a TDEE of 1832 for 3 workouts per week (on IIFIYM website). So for that TDEE - 20% would be 1465 (but I would NOT be eating back exercise calories). It is 1280 if I count no exercise.

    So perhaps I should stick with 1410 but NOT eat back my exercise?

    ETA - I worry that if I do not eat back exercise calories (at least some) - I will net less than 1200 per day sometimes. If I eat my 1400 but burn 300 in a workout, I only net 1100. I guess in this case I should eat at least some back?
  • mo7882
    mo7882 Posts: 12 Member
    So perhaps I should stick with 1410 but NOT eat back my exercise?

    I never eat back my calories - If you are being super strict with your diet and logging it just means you are at maintenance. Drop 250 calories a day and try that for a week. If you dont get any weight loss then drop another 250, eventually you will find the sweet spot.

    Or eat the same amount of food every day and increase your exercise every day.

Categories