please help, stopped losing weight???
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Snazzler
Posts: 3
firstly, hi! i'm new here. i joined because i'm sick of going week by week and not even losing half a pound!!! i'm going to go insane if i don't lose any weight this week. it will be my 4th week without a loss. it makes me mad... i exercise daily (but only for about 30 minutes 
) and i eat less than 1000 calories a day.
today i ate a banana for breakfast, homemade carrot soup for lunch with a bit of soya cream but without bread and a skinless chicken breast with some broccoli for dinner! can someone tell me where i'm going wrong?
) and i eat less than 1000 calories a day.today i ate a banana for breakfast, homemade carrot soup for lunch with a bit of soya cream but without bread and a skinless chicken breast with some broccoli for dinner! can someone tell me where i'm going wrong?
0
Replies
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Hi There,
I can't see your diary. I would say you are not eating enough. If you have a calorie deficit you should lose. But under 1000 calories is not the answer. Did you plug your numbers into MFP and what did it give you... no less than 1200 I am sure?0 -
Snazzler, you're doing it wrong.
Seriously.
If you're not losing, you're not at a calorie deficit. You aren't actually weighing all of your foods accurately.
Here's some info that might help:
1. don't trust the initial setup that MFP provides. If you put in the wrong/inaccurate information, it'll tell you to eat an amount that may not be applicable.
2. Make sure you eat enough.
3. Figure out what works for you and is sustainable/healthy/long term.
4. avoid fads. don't buy in to any "Hey, try the twinkie and vodka diet"
5. Don't cut out anything now that you don't plan on literally giving up forever.
6. GET A FOOD SCALE. Weigh everything. No, seriously.
7. Get an HRM with a chest strap. You'll at least have a better idea of what you're burning. It'll be more accurate than the generic info in the exercise database.. and even more than the cardio machines. This is great for steady state cardio (run/walk/etc)
8. Don't go balls out. You'll burn out. I see 300 lb people show up here, instantly start working out and cutting their intake SEVERELY... trying to cut out all of their carbs at once.. whatever. Take it slow. Figure out how much you need to eat FIRST in order to lose.. then incorporate exercise.
9. Don't cardio yourself to death.
10. Take the information on the forums with a grain of salt. A lot of people that have been here for a while.. and have been successful, may seem jaded. They give out GREAT advice day after day, only to be met with people that refuse to listen.
11. Eat real food. Not diet food. Not "low fat, sugar free, now without X." It's easier to get/find/count.
12. don't set time restrictions.
13. measure yourself weekly. Don't just weigh. Measure and take pictures.
14 BE PATIENT.
15. Avoid forum topics that have "1200" in the title. It's just full of butthurt. Lots of it.
16. If you ask a question on the forum, give as much information as you can ("yes, I have a food scale and weigh my food" is worlds better than "I eat a palm full of miscellaneous boiled chicken parts..sometimes.")
17. Be honest with yourself and honest with us.
18. This isn't a game, it's about changing your lifestyle. Do that.
pretty much that.
...and don't fall into the "1200 calorie" vertigo of suck because of:
the typical MFP users does this:
1. I wanna lose weight, let's try MFP.
2. OH! Wow, it tells me I can lose 2 lbs a WEEK? AWESOME!
3. I just sit at a desk when I'm not working out, I guess I'm sedentary.
4. MFP tells them 1200 calories, and they don't even eat that.. then they work out on top of it.. creating an even bigger deficit.
5. Lose a lot, fast, brag about 1200 calorie success.
6. Come back in a few months trying to figure out why they're dizzy, tired, not losing weight.
7. Get on the forums, ask why they aren't losing.
8. Get two responses (I eat 1200 and lose) (I eat 2200 and lose)
9. Argument ensues about who is right.
Now. That being said. These threads happen hundreds of times per day. Most times, and I mean really.. seriously.. 95% of the time.. people get the 1200 number because they don't put the right information in when they set up the account. There are a great number of people that are trying to help. I'm one of 'em.
I'm a hardcore advocate of actually finding out what works for the individual.. by means of other calculators, averages, time, practice, and patience.
Blanket prescriptions of 1200 calories "because it worked for me" is more harmful to the generic new user than the "figure out what you need to eat." Unfortunately, one is a LOT easier to type.
Find out what you need: http://scoobysworkshop.com/accurate-calorie-calculator/
and make sure to read: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants
TL;DR?
Weight loss is a math equation. Your equation is wrong somewhere. Get a food scale, EAT, and wait.0 -
actually, i have never used mfp. i found this forum in a google search. i already weigh all my food and keep a food diary. i am 100% sure that i weigh my food and calculate my calorie intake accurately. if i can't figure out how many calories something is, i won't even eat it. i started of at 1500 calories a day but eventually stopped losing, dropped down to 1200 and still wasn't losing so i decided to try 1000. there is no way i can eat any more than 1200 and lose weight.0
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so follow the links in that huge list of tips I gave. Read them. Use the calculators. Figure out, roughly, how much you need to eat.actually, i have never used mfp. i found this forum in a google search. i already weigh all my food and keep a food diary. i am 100% sure that i weigh my food and calculate my calorie intake accurately. if i can't figure out how many calories something is, i won't even eat it. i started of at 1500 calories a day but eventually stopped losing, dropped down to 1200 and still wasn't losing so i decided to try 1000. there is no way i can eat any more than 1200 and lose weight.
Eat that amount for 4-6 weeks. Be precise.
At the end of 6 weeks, you'll have a better idea of which way to go. It isn't a "well, I didn't lose this week at 1500, lets do 1200" thing. The body takes longer to adjust than just that.0 -
i have read it but i don't believe in the "if u eat more then u will lose weight". mfp gives me a daily calorie intake of 1240. i am not going to eat that for 4-6 weeks to find out that i gained weight, that's a huge waste of time. i SHOULD be losing weight on 1000 calories a day. as a girl i am suppose to eat 2000 calories a day right? and 3500 calories is 1 pound of fat? i should be losing at the least 2lbs a week.0
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Sounds like your metabolism is slowing down. Try switching up the foods you eat each week so that your body doesn't go into starvation mode. Eat more one day less another, but don't go under your 1000 calories (which is already way too low). It will then shut down the weight loss because your brain tells your body you don't have enough calories. Its all a very tricky thing when trying to lose weight. You have to remember that your body needs fuel (food) to burn fat and to build lean muscle. Hope this helps.0
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Snazzler, you're doing it wrong.
Seriously.
If you're not losing, you're not at a calorie deficit. You aren't actually weighing all of your foods accurately.
Here's some info that might help:
1. don't trust the initial setup that MFP provides. If you put in the wrong/inaccurate information, it'll tell you to eat an amount that may not be applicable.
2. Make sure you eat enough.
3. Figure out what works for you and is sustainable/healthy/long term.
4. avoid fads. don't buy in to any "Hey, try the twinkie and vodka diet"
5. Don't cut out anything now that you don't plan on literally giving up forever.
6. GET A FOOD SCALE. Weigh everything. No, seriously.
7. Get an HRM with a chest strap. You'll at least have a better idea of what you're burning. It'll be more accurate than the generic info in the exercise database.. and even more than the cardio machines. This is great for steady state cardio (run/walk/etc)
8. Don't go balls out. You'll burn out. I see 300 lb people show up here, instantly start working out and cutting their intake SEVERELY... trying to cut out all of their carbs at once.. whatever. Take it slow. Figure out how much you need to eat FIRST in order to lose.. then incorporate exercise.
9. Don't cardio yourself to death.
10. Take the information on the forums with a grain of salt. A lot of people that have been here for a while.. and have been successful, may seem jaded. They give out GREAT advice day after day, only to be met with people that refuse to listen.
11. Eat real food. Not diet food. Not "low fat, sugar free, now without X." It's easier to get/find/count.
12. don't set time restrictions.
13. measure yourself weekly. Don't just weigh. Measure and take pictures.
14 BE PATIENT.
15. Avoid forum topics that have "1200" in the title. It's just full of butthurt. Lots of it.
16. If you ask a question on the forum, give as much information as you can ("yes, I have a food scale and weigh my food" is worlds better than "I eat a palm full of miscellaneous boiled chicken parts..sometimes.")
17. Be honest with yourself and honest with us.
18. This isn't a game, it's about changing your lifestyle. Do that.
pretty much that.
...and don't fall into the "1200 calorie" vertigo of suck because of:
the typical MFP users does this:
1. I wanna lose weight, let's try MFP.
2. OH! Wow, it tells me I can lose 2 lbs a WEEK? AWESOME!
3. I just sit at a desk when I'm not working out, I guess I'm sedentary.
4. MFP tells them 1200 calories, and they don't even eat that.. then they work out on top of it.. creating an even bigger deficit.
5. Lose a lot, fast, brag about 1200 calorie success.
6. Come back in a few months trying to figure out why they're dizzy, tired, not losing weight.
7. Get on the forums, ask why they aren't losing.
8. Get two responses (I eat 1200 and lose) (I eat 2200 and lose)
9. Argument ensues about who is right.
Now. That being said. These threads happen hundreds of times per day. Most times, and I mean really.. seriously.. 95% of the time.. people get the 1200 number because they don't put the right information in when they set up the account. There are a great number of people that are trying to help. I'm one of 'em.
I'm a hardcore advocate of actually finding out what works for the individual.. by means of other calculators, averages, time, practice, and patience.
Blanket prescriptions of 1200 calories "because it worked for me" is more harmful to the generic new user than the "figure out what you need to eat." Unfortunately, one is a LOT easier to type.
Find out what you need: http://scoobysworkshop.com/accurate-calorie-calculator/
and make sure to read: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants
TL;DR?
Weight loss is a math equation. Your equation is wrong somewhere. Get a food scale, EAT, and wait.
LISTEN TO THE MAN!!!
He is absolutely correct in EVERYTHING he just said. I can guarantee you, if you follow this advice, you will LOSE weight. Unfortunately weight loss is all about trial and error. You should be trying to find the maximum number of calories you can eat and still lose weight. Yes, you may gain a little but in the end you will get to where you want to be.0 -
Well, if you already know it all.. why are you here asking us...? You aren't losing weight because you're doing it wrong.
An active 18 year old girl can lose at MUCH more than 1000.. 1500.. 1800 calories. Don't believe me, it's fine. You ask for advice, get it, but I'm not sure where the disconnect is.0 -
Google metabolic calculators. Think I posted this twice. Sorry. Good luck.0
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It may seem backward and silly, but sometimes you actually do have to eat more to lose. When I initially started tracking I was barely averaging 1300. Since going down wasn't an option I actually forced myself to eat 1800 a day. Mfp and other calculators can give you a good idea of where to start but you have to figure out what is best for you and your body. Eating under 1000 calories a day is also not healthy by any standard and if you're working out on top of it you can actually put your body into a sort of starvation mode where it stores everything and you get stuck.0
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Just google metabolic calculators.
Good Luck on your weight loss journey.0 -
If you already know everything, why bother posting here? You should be well on your way.
Oh wait, you aren't losing.
So shut up and listen up.
There is so much to learn on this forum. I suggest you start listening.
1000 calories a day... get smart.0 -
thank you for this black and white clear understanding. I've been lost trying to figure out how & what to do. Your post just made everything clear to me. Thank you thank you.Snazzler, you're doing it wrong.
Seriously.
If you're not losing, you're not at a calorie deficit. You aren't actually weighing all of your foods accurately.
Here's some info that might help:
1. don't trust the initial setup that MFP provides. If you put in the wrong/inaccurate information, it'll tell you to eat an amount that may not be applicable.
2. Make sure you eat enough.
3. Figure out what works for you and is sustainable/healthy/long term.
4. avoid fads. don't buy in to any "Hey, try the twinkie and vodka diet"
5. Don't cut out anything now that you don't plan on literally giving up forever.
6. GET A FOOD SCALE. Weigh everything. No, seriously.
7. Get an HRM with a chest strap. You'll at least have a better idea of what you're burning. It'll be more accurate than the generic info in the exercise database.. and even more than the cardio machines. This is great for steady state cardio (run/walk/etc)
8. Don't go balls out. You'll burn out. I see 300 lb people show up here, instantly start working out and cutting their intake SEVERELY... trying to cut out all of their carbs at once.. whatever. Take it slow. Figure out how much you need to eat FIRST in order to lose.. then incorporate exercise.
9. Don't cardio yourself to death.
10. Take the information on the forums with a grain of salt. A lot of people that have been here for a while.. and have been successful, may seem jaded. They give out GREAT advice day after day, only to be met with people that refuse to listen.
11. Eat real food. Not diet food. Not "low fat, sugar free, now without X." It's easier to get/find/count.
12. don't set time restrictions.
13. measure yourself weekly. Don't just weigh. Measure and take pictures.
14 BE PATIENT.
15. Avoid forum topics that have "1200" in the title. It's just full of butthurt. Lots of it.
16. If you ask a question on the forum, give as much information as you can ("yes, I have a food scale and weigh my food" is worlds better than "I eat a palm full of miscellaneous boiled chicken parts..sometimes.")
17. Be honest with yourself and honest with us.
18. This isn't a game, it's about changing your lifestyle. Do that.
pretty much that.
...and don't fall into the "1200 calorie" vertigo of suck because of:
the typical MFP users does this:
1. I wanna lose weight, let's try MFP.
2. OH! Wow, it tells me I can lose 2 lbs a WEEK? AWESOME!
3. I just sit at a desk when I'm not working out, I guess I'm sedentary.
4. MFP tells them 1200 calories, and they don't even eat that.. then they work out on top of it.. creating an even bigger deficit.
5. Lose a lot, fast, brag about 1200 calorie success.
6. Come back in a few months trying to figure out why they're dizzy, tired, not losing weight.
7. Get on the forums, ask why they aren't losing.
8. Get two responses (I eat 1200 and lose) (I eat 2200 and lose)
9. Argument ensues about who is right.
Now. That being said. These threads happen hundreds of times per day. Most times, and I mean really.. seriously.. 95% of the time.. people get the 1200 number because they don't put the right information in when they set up the account. There are a great number of people that are trying to help. I'm one of 'em.
I'm a hardcore advocate of actually finding out what works for the individual.. by means of other calculators, averages, time, practice, and patience.
Blanket prescriptions of 1200 calories "because it worked for me" is more harmful to the generic new user than the "figure out what you need to eat." Unfortunately, one is a LOT easier to type.
Find out what you need: http://scoobysworkshop.com/accurate-calorie-calculator/
and make sure to read: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants
TL;DR?
Weight loss is a math equation. Your equation is wrong somewhere. Get a food scale, EAT, and wait.0 -
You are ruining your metabolism but if that's your goal then go for it.?0
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i have read it but i don't believe in the "if u eat more then u will lose weight". mfp gives me a daily calorie intake of 1240. i am not going to eat that for 4-6 weeks to find out that i gained weight, that's a huge waste of time. i SHOULD be losing weight on 1000 calories a day. as a girl i am suppose to eat 2000 calories a day right? and 3500 calories is 1 pound of fat? i should be losing at the least 2lbs a week.
Weight loss is controlled by hormones in part. Hormones are controlled by diet and other things. One particular hormone can prevent weight loss, it is cortisol and it is produced when we are stressed. Eating too little can cause this stress (among other things), and can result in no weight loss.
Where did you get the 2000 calories a day number? How much you need to eat is dependent upon many factors, your age, height, weight, and your activity level. Losing 2 pounds per week isn't a realistic goal for many people, this depends on how much weight you have to lose. If you don't have 75+ pounds to lose, then 2 pounds isn't a realistic expectation.0 -
Where you are going wrong is that you are starving your body. 1000 calories is seriously low and your body is clinging onto every last morsel of food you put into your mouth. It never knows when it will be feed next. You need to do some calculations like your BMR, TDEE to figure out how much you should actually be eating. Once your body knows it's being nourished properly you will start to shed that extra weight. I highly suggest reading the link posted above- guide to sexy pants. It's long and informative and will educate you in nutrition and exercise, which it seems like you really need. Clearly what you've been doing isn't working so time to try something else, and be patient- you didn't gain all the weight in a week and you certainly won't lose it in a week either. Good luck to you0
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If you're confident in your caloric intake (as you seem to be as you said you weigh everything), then you may want to see a doctor to see if there are other medical issues afoot -- thyroid, insulin resistance, adrenal issues, liver issues, key vitamin deficiencies, etc.
I agree with most posters that most people are just way underestimating their caloric intake and need to weigh everything to be sure or are overestimating their calorie burn and aren't in much of a deficit, if any. But, if you feel confident in those, then a health issue is likely what's causing the calculations to falter and skew. For example, the American Thyroid Association estimates something like 20 million Americans with a thyroid disorder, 60% which are undiagnosed/unknown. Or insulin resistance is believed to affect up to 80 million Americans (or 25% of the population).
Aside from the difficulty losing weight, do you notice any other symptoms? Difficulty sleeping, fatigue, difficulty concentrating, losing hair, very dry skin/hair, etc.? If so, something else may be afoot.0 -
actually, i have never used mfp. i found this forum in a google search. i already weigh all my food and keep a food diary. i am 100% sure that i weigh my food and calculate my calorie intake accurately. if i can't figure out how many calories something is, i won't even eat it. i started of at 1500 calories a day but eventually stopped losing, dropped down to 1200 and still wasn't losing so i decided to try 1000. there is no way i can eat any more than 1200 and lose weight.
How long were you 'not losing' at 1500 calories before you decided to lower your weight?
There are a variety of factors other than fat loss or gain which can impact on your weight (for when you weigh in)
These include
1) Time of day you weigh
2) Amount of yesterday's food you still have in your digestive system (did you poop or no?)
3) Your water intake
4) Your salt intake
5) Your carb intake
6) How much exercise you did the day before (especially resistance training, this can make your weight do up)
7) For women- the time of month (most women experience an increase of weight before or during their period)
For example on Monday I did weight training and ate lots of carbs and my weight jumped up 2 pounds when I weighed in on Tuesday morning. I know that weight jump was because of the weight training and carbs, and not because I gained fat.
For these reasons you really need to go 4-6 weeks without seeing a change to conclude that 1500 calories was not working.
At 1000 calories, with exercise, you are probably putting your body under stress, which causes it to increase stress hormones etc. etc. which can slow down weight loss. You really don't want to have to struggle at 1000 calories trying to lose weight, when you could be eating more, understanding how weight fluctuates and lose weight.0 -
Snazzler,
I have read all of the posts in this thread and without a doubt you have been given some great advice. trogalicious' blow by blow is spot on and you need to do as he says if you want things to change. When I started on MFP I weighed 183 lbs. I plugged all my info into the generator and was given a 1435 cal goal. I read a lot of different input and luckily saw a lot of the advice you have been given. I ate my 1435 a day (sometimes even went over a little out of lack of knowledge) and lost and average of 1/2 to 1 lb per week from July 1st to December 1st of last year. My lowest weight so far has been 151 lbs. As of right now I am up to 153 on average as it does fluctuate a bit from day to day. But I am not unhappy that I haven't lost any weight since before Christmas. I am not dissatisfied because I know that I am capable of losing weight, I am capable of continuing to retrain myself to live a healthier lifestyle and I know exactly why I am where I am today. Because I am not eating at a deficit and I have not been consistent in my exercising. I am human and I accept that. I am here to change my life because I can!
After 8 months I know that I am still just beginning to understand the complexity of weight loss, proper nutrition, and how to do what is right for me. As for the link to the the road to sexy-pants, it might as well be a treasure map because it will guide you to the place you want to be, guaranteed. I have most of the links in it bookmarked and read them often. Some of the info I have printed out for quick reference as well.
You do not have to believe a word anyone tells you here but I would ask that you look closely at the ones who are trying to help you. major weight losses listed here. I have even sent friend requests to some of them as I know how valuable they can be to my journey.
I am also sending you a friend request. I hope that I can be of some benefit to you in your quest for better health. If not, I wish you all the best. And here's my best advice...Baby steps... don't rush it. You didn't gain your weight in a day and you will not lose it in one. Slow and steady really is the best choice.
CW0 -
Starving yourself is foolish and will not yield the results you desire. Sorry if that's not what you want to hear, but it's the truth. Eat more and don't expect a loss of 2 lbs a week. That's not realistic UNLESS you're morbidly obese.0
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