a little bit of a rant

darbbb · January 2014

Forgive me, but I'm frustrated. I am male, 52, 6'2, 244. I have posted here before about starting with MFP, losing three pounds the first week, and now--a month later--having no further movement on the scale, clothes are not looser, etc. Yes, I weigh and measure everything, precisely. Yes, I track my exercise with a HRM. There are multiple stories here like mine. The contradictions in responses is baffling sometimes. YES I am tracking my food accurately, despite many insisting that I must not be. Yes, I track my exercise. Do I eat my exercise calories or not? I have tried it both ways, but my net calories have never gone over 1700. Some will say eat more. Really? Some will say eat less. Less than 1700? The whole premise of MFP seems to be that of thermodynamics....a calorie is a calorie is a calorie. But then I'm asked, Are you eating enough protein? Can we see your diary? Have you cut your carbs? So then, a calorie is not a calorie, and it's more about macros? Which is it?

Okay, rant over. Just very, very frustrated.

Mr_Knight · January 2014

Your diary isn't open.

MFP is full of people who claimed they were tracking food accurately, but weren't. It is also full of people who are using their HRMs completely incorrectly, but will fight to the death that they aren't.

The bottom line is, no matter what you think you're doing, you are somehow managing to eat at maintenance. Without access to more direct data, all anyone can do is guess as to where the tracking error lies.

mccindy72 · January 2014

Your diary isn't open.

MFP is full of people who claimed they were tracking food accurately, but weren't. It is also full of people who are using their HRMs completely incorrectly, but will fight to the death that they aren't.

The bottom line is, no matter what you think you're doing, you are somehow managing to eat at maintenance. Without access to more direct data, all anyone can do is guess as to where the tracking error lies.

^This^. Uless you are weighing all dry food and measuring all liquid food, it's likely you are underestimating your calories consumed. It's also quite common to overestimate calories burned unless you have good chest strap HRM and know how to use it accurately.

SezxyStef · January 2014

Yes your diary is closed...

No indication of what type of exercise
No indication of what type of HRM (wrist or with chest strap)

Is the exercise routine new?

It really is calories in vs calories out. There are factors that could be affecting your loss such as HRM without a chest strap that are used for non steady state cardio are nortoriously off on their burns.

If it is new exercise you could be holding onto water/glycogen stores to help repair the muscles...

barring this and if you are being totally accurate see a doctor.

ETA: see 3 people saying the exact same thing...give us more data please

bcattoes · January 2014

Weight loss is mostly calories in < calories out. There are medical conditions that can change the rules slightly, but calories are still the main thing.

Eating more protein along with exercise helps you maintain more muscle as you lose fat.

GretaGirl8 · January 2014

Have you talked to your doctor about the possiblility of an underlying medical condition (or pehaps a medication you are currently taking) that may be hindering weight loss?

For a man of your height and weight, 1,700 should result in a loss (even if you have slower than normal metabolism), so I can understand your frustration.

I would rule out any possible medical issues first. i would avoid eating exercise calories back (since sometimes exercise calories can be overestimated by machines and calculators) or be very conservative with the exercise calories estimations. perhaps revisit your daily intake again and confirm there is nothing you aren't catching.

poofoo03 · January 2014

I have a friend who is using this site to lose weight as well and she has a pattern of losing weight not every day, not every week, but every 3 to 4 weeks. She keeps making healthy eating choices and moderate exercise knowing the weight will drop off monthly not weekly. She has lost 35 pounds in 7& 1/2 months. Maybe you have your own pattern. Food for thought.

just35lbstogo · January 2014

1. I totally understand how you feel. Sometimes I feel the same way and then what do you know I'm back to losing weight again.

2. One thing I read about HRM is that the Max HR that they go off of is the average for your height and weight. To get an accurate Max HR you should go to your Dr. Once you have that you will really know what your caloric burn is. I use a Garmin Forerunner 620 and use the chest strap that comes with it. I believe that I can change my max HR in garmin connect so that it's tracking my percentages (and therefore calories) more accurately if I were to go to my Dr and find out what it is.

I hope that helps a little. Although, I'm not sure you're really looking for "help" but just want to rant which is understandable.

Good luck!

chadstrain1 · January 2014

I would recomend starting with the doctor. I have seen a few folks who have been rigorous with diet and exercise who have struggled due to thyroid issues.

SugarLou57 · January 2014

The calorie and breakdowns are interesting to see, but I don't rely on them as a rule. We are all different, and I record my food so I can see what and where I am going wrong. I eat lots of fruits and vegetables, this is good. I eat too much bread and my diet has way too much fat, not so good. Protein? meh! I think I get plenty in my vegies and I still eat meat. Doing this and watching the scale tells me what I need to know and what I need to do.

Listen to your own body, and don't take anyone elses "rules" as the gosple. When you're stuck, add something new, remove something old and see how that works. Getting enough green vegetables? Are you eating enough to keep out of the starvation zone? Getting resistence training to keep your muscle? It's a process, and if we knew how to do it as naturally as we should we wouldn't all be here getting and giving advice.

I've got pleny of advice, it's all free and worth every penny! :happy:

cafeaulait7 · January 2014

I would say that a month is not a long time, particularly if you've already tried two different ways of doing it in that month. These things are much easier to figure out over a longer period of time. Don't try something for just two weeks. Each change you make should be tried for longer, and then you'll get a better feel for what's going on.

And keep very detailed records. If you go over, find what your real average calories were for that week, and of course do measure your food, etc. Keep it up and things will become more clear! I'd even suggest weighing yourself every day and taking a weekly average, and measuring yourself weekly. I was only losing a third of a lb a week for a long time, and that was hard to figure out for a while (for example). I was losing more inches than weight, too. You have to get a good picture of what's going on over several weeks, imho.

perseverance14 · January 2014

Is there a target heart rate you are aiming for (it is probably on here but I have not seen it yet). When I was doing HIIT you had to have bursts where you got as close as you could to a target heart rate (mine was 142), then slow down and keep doing that. That was 85% of (220-your age).

I keep seeing people talking about heart rate monitors on here, but I don't know what your goal is? Just curious. I still try to stay around 140 at least for bursts when I am exercising, for example riding my exercise bicycle.

mccindy72 · January 2014

The calorie and breakdowns are interesting to see, but I don't rely on them as a rule. We are all different, and I record my food so I can see what and where I am going wrong. I eat lots of fruits and vegetables, this is good. I eat too much bread and my diet has way too much fat, not so good. Protein? meh! I think I get plenty in my vegies and I still eat meat. Doing this and watching the scale tells me what I need to know and what I need to do.

Listen to your own body, and don't take anyone elses "rules" as the gosple. When you're stuck, add something new, remove something old and see how that works. Getting enough green vegetables? Are you eating enough to keep out of the starvation zone? Getting resistence training to keep your muscle? It's a process, and if we knew how to do it as naturally as we should we wouldn't all be here getting and giving advice.

I've got pleny of advice, it's all free and worth every penny! :happy:

It really doesn't matter what's being eaten, as long as there is a calorie deficit, if the only goal is weight loss. There really is no "starvation zone", the risk of calories being too low is losing lean muscle mass rather than fat. Since OP is complaining of not losing weight, it sounds as if the problem is a lack of calorie deficit.

Marcia315 · January 2014

I had the same problem. I pretty much held my weight after an initial drop. After a month, it started going down. I also added in a little more cardio. Good luck.

AnnaPixie · January 2014

Are you eating anything salty? Sodium is the major cause of water retention! I ate a pepperoni pizza last week and gained 9lbs overnight! :noway:

Are you new to exercise? Muscle repair is the second major cause of water retention.

It will take your body 6 weeks+ just to get used to a new exercise regime.

There is an answer! Nobody eats below deficit without losing weight, albeit some of us are slower than others.

Give it time. I'd say three months when you first start, for you to adjust and for your body to adjust. I know it's frustrating - I mostly only lose scale weight monthly, but if you persist and are consistent you'll reap the rewards. :drinker:

a little bit of a rant

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