PLEASE HELP!

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Can someone/many people please look at my diary and tell me what I am doing wrong? I have been using Fitness Pal for well over a month, am sticking to a 1300 calorie diet, and have lost 1 measly pound. I am beyond frustrated and would love any advice you can offer. *I work full-time and have 2 little ones, so I cannot spend hours at the gym, but I do what I can.

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  • Escape_Artist
    Escape_Artist Posts: 1,155 Member
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    Do you use a food scale? Do you log everything?
  • rooneyt2013
    rooneyt2013 Posts: 7 Member
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    Yes and Yes!
  • diannethegeek
    diannethegeek Posts: 14,776 Member
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    Is your ticker accurate? With only 8 pounds to lose the weight is going to come off slowly, painfully slow. 1/2 pound per week would be a good pace and 1 pound per month doesn't sound out of the question.

    Are you already using a food scale? Your diary looks like you don't, but I want to be sure. Measuring cups are great but they're much less accurate and accuracy matters as you get closer to goal. A food scale obviously isn't a requirement to weight loss, but without one you may have to put up with a little slower loss because of these inconsistencies.
  • DeltaZero
    DeltaZero Posts: 1,197 Member
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    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants

    Food scales are very important, as well as setting realistic calorie reductions and accurately logging burns.
  • wilsoje74
    wilsoje74 Posts: 1,720 Member
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    Current weight and height?
  • diannethegeek
    diannethegeek Posts: 14,776 Member
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    Yes and Yes!

    So the apple you logged today was weighed? I ask because you'd be surprised how many people around here say they use a food scale but don't weigh everything (I know I don't!). Things like apples tend to be deceptive because small apples are *really* small.
  • rooneyt2013
    rooneyt2013 Posts: 7 Member
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    37 years old- 139 lbs and 5'7"- I know I fall within the "normal" range, but this is the most I've every weighed. I am weighing food on a scale and using measuring cups.
  • sargessexyone
    sargessexyone Posts: 494 Member
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    I have only been doing MFP for about 2 weeks but I can tell you, without even looking at your diary, and from what I've learned, you really really need to weigh your food. That is unless you do already. I have only been weighing my food since Tuesday but it has already made a huge difference. Also be very mindful of BLTs. Bites, Licks and Tastes. I used to do them often and not count them because I figured they weren't worth enough calories to worry about but they can add up. Those 2 areas were my biggest issues that I have been working on since Tuesday and even though today isn't my weigh in day, I weighed this morning and lost 1 lb. Another thing that can be very helpful and motivating is a fitbit or some sort of activity tracker that lets you see how many calories you are actually burning in a day. Hope this helps.
  • Jgal8123
    Jgal8123 Posts: 1,378 Member
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    From looking at your diary, you appear to be consistently over your daily limit for sugar. Try cutting back your sugar intake to see if this makes a difference.
  • wilsoje74
    wilsoje74 Posts: 1,720 Member
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    37 years old- 139 lbs and 5'7"- I know I fall within the "normal" range, but this is the most I've every weighed. I am weighing food on a scale and using measuring cups.

    This may be your body's natural happy weight and will be hard to get lower. I'm there too, want to lose 10 lb but my body is fighting hard!
  • mereditheve
    mereditheve Posts: 142 Member
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    I checked out your diary. What stood out immediately is that you have to cut the amount of sugar you are consuming. You're consistently over on your sugar intake each day.

    It looks like you are trying to combine Atkins diet principles (the Advantage bars) with sugary foods like the fruit-on-the-bottom yogurt and marshmallows. That is not going to work.

    Maybe try a day like this:
    Breakfast: 1 clementine, 2 scrambled eggs, 4-5 cherry tomatoes, Coffee/tea and a full glass of water
    Lunch: Tuna salad (1 can tuna, 1 tbsp real mayonnaise, 1/4 cup diced celery) with a high fiber, whole grain bread or celery and carrot sticks, 1 glass of whole milk.
    Dinner: Chicken with rosemary, black pepper, salt, a small amount of cayenne pepper, cinnamon and garlic (or whatever spices you prefer), mushrooms, onions, and green peppers. Toss them all in a pan with a small amount of olive oil. Serve with a side salad made with spinach, romaine, sliced almonds or sunflower seeds and a reasonable amount of salad dressing.
    Dessert (if you must!): Dark chocolate square (rich, but relatively healthy and high in antioxidants)

    I have a number of planned meals that I rotate between -- feel free to message me if you'd like any recipes or alternate meals. Hope this helps.
  • SugarLou57
    SugarLou57 Posts: 84 Member
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    More Vegetables, less sugar.

    I love a cream in my coffee too, but I only allow myself to put real 1/2 + 1/2 in my coffee on Saturdays. Other days no creamer at all but I put in some flavored Stevia like Vanilla or Chocolate Raspberry or a cinnamon stick.
  • gigglesinthesun
    gigglesinthesun Posts: 860 Member
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    unless you have issues with sugar don't track it, track fiber instead. For weight loss it matters very little were your calories come from as long as they are accurate.

    How often do you weight yourself? I am asking because I only have a little to lose and thus my normal daily and monthly fluctuations often cancel out any fat loss. Instead of weighing myself weekly I started weighing myself daily and tracking it in an app. Since doing this I realised that my weight over my monthly cycle can fluctuate as much as 3-4lbs, but overall I am losing and my trend is 2lbs a month downwards. If you catch yourself on a high day it can be very frustrating, but seeing the little graph of averages pointing downwards stops me from feeling disappointed and sad.

    Good luck :flowerforyou: