Can someone please tell me what I a doing wrong?

Are you weighing your food? If not you could be eating more than you think.
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/872212-you-re-probably-eating-more-than-you-think

So my immediate response would be to invest in a food scale (they're like $20 or less), weigh your food, log it. Looking at your diary, it looks like this is the issue.

I've just flicked through some of your diarys and it seems you have been over your recommended cals regularly and you are choosing processed foods a lot, do you enjoy cooking? Maybe try some home cooked from scratch meals so you can pack them full of veg? I'm not sure the McDs helped...?! Getting creative with cooking would be my advice.

Look at your Wed. That is a huge problem right there. You have a very high calorie goal to begin with so I would suggest NOT eating back exercise calories. I'm at 180 and my goal is to lose 1.0 a week and my calorie goal is 1320 (so I generally do eat back my exercise) Your goal without exercise is 1800 so that seems very high. Maybe try to recalculate your goal. But at any rate, 1,000 calories for breakfast is going to sink you! Even exercising that day really did you no good as you consumed more than you burned even with the exercise.

I just looked at your diary, and you do tend to go over. And it looks like you're not measuring or weighing food. (not necessary for everyone, but if you aren't losing...it's the best place to start)


Figure out how much you're actually eating.
Start logging accurately, and stick to your calorie goal!
Eat back only half of your exercise calories.
Try adding some strength training to your workouts. (even if it's just body weight type stuff you can do at home)

Not sound mean...but on Sunday March 23rd, you were over your calorie limit by 3,000!! Another day over by 600!!! Even with exercise is a wonder you aren't gaining weight.

850 calories for 5 cookies for breakfast??

I'm 5'9 and 242lbs. I have my calorie goal set based on MFP at 1800 calories/day. I work out on the TM every day but Sunday approximately an hour (some days only 30-45min). I do eat back my exercise calories most days as I thought that was what I was supposed to be doing. But now I am thinking maybe I am eating too many calories by doing so? I also recently started doing a challenge that includes planks, squats, pushups, and climbers but I do not log that (I don't know how). I do not work out on Sunday unless it is for fun.

I do drink water (and very rarely anything else) but I tend to not track it. Maybe I should? I don't expect to lose a lot of weight all at once. I'd be happy with 1lb a week. I am not losing weight or inches and I am getting very frustrated! I don't know if I am doing something wrong or if I need to give it more time.


Please be honest with me as I know that is what I need. I do try to weigh my food but often times I go by the measurement (ex cup, tbs, etc.) out of ease. Again, maybe this is wrong?

A couple of little side notes;
I used MFP a year ago and lost 20lbs in two months by watching my calories alone. I feel that since I am also working out now, the weight should be falling off like it was then.
I have three kids that take up a lot of my time (no excuse) and energy. I try to keep the meals quick and easy and as cheap as possible because of this. There are a lot of packaged foods on here for that reason. I am willing to change

Thanks for all the help in advance!

I am the same height 5'9" and weight (I am 246 actually) and my daily calorie goal is 1630, that is with a sedentary life (desk job) and working out at least 3 times a week. Maybe your calorie goal is too high?

Yes, you are going over in cals. You need to be in the green, every day. Eat back no more than 1/2 your exercise cals at first. Weight your food, even meals out. There is more than a serving size a lot of times there. You can try planning ahead for the next day too. Also, do not eat back exercise cals if you did not put your activity level on sedentary life.
ETA: I am a mom of 3 too, and I hardly comment on most things, but looking at your food, you really need to make this a life change, not just for you but for your girls too. I am still trying really hard to improve my kid's diet and my diet. It is hard and a struggle but for them, I need to do better. I do not eat clean, but we are slowly working our way to cleaner and better.

Awww, honey. On one hand, my hat is off to you for opening your diary and actually logging that food. That takes accountability and guts, so good on you. On the other hand, that is ummm....well.....not a good diary of food. None of it looks like the diet of someone trying to lose weight. Huge McDonald's breakfasts and lunches, regular sodas, cakes cookies and candy etc. And I'm guessing a lot of this is eyeballing/sorta measuring...so it's going to be way over even what you are logging.

I'm sort of confused as to how you don't know why it's not coming off? Also do you have a HRM?

You are open to asking for help, and you are opening your diary, and you have logged some foods many would omit...so those are all good things. Time to get serious though and eat some actual food/ and watch portions. Good luck!!!:drinker:

I too lost weight really easy with mfp last year. Restarted about 6 weeks ago, was a little frustrated but continued, as nothing came off the scale (though I am lifting). yesterday dropped a pound and today too! I think just because science says it will go per week, reality works different. You just have to remember you are being truthful with yourself.

Im a mum of 3 too, my youngest is 1 yr old and I know money is tight so this is what I do, I buy veggies I dice and sautee them in olive oil and then marinade in barbecue marinade or something like that and add rice you can make loads and freeze it and you can add meat or salad its really easy,
Secondly measure your water , im amazed if you don't drink like a fish as sodium levels that high would dehydrate you
Thirdly be truthful to yourself yeah we can all have an opinion but you have to be you and I cant believe you eat that amount and cant work out why your not losing weight.
You need to sweat a lot more and eat a lot less and drink as much as you need , cheap meals especially pre-packed are generally high in sodium look up budget meals to cook from scratch its possible and youre worth so much more than whats going in right now, you owe it to yourself and your children to be healthy do it for you and if you cant for you do it for them.
Feel free to add me I will do my upmost to motivate you support you and help anyway I can but its a whole life overhaul a little step at a time. Im not being mean im being real.

First of all - you are way brave sharing your dairy. I've had my own 1000 calorie McDonald's breakfast days, and I don't judge.

I added up all of the calories you've eaten over the last 15 days, and averaged them. You are eating on average about 2350-2400 calories a day, give or take a little. So if your goal is 1800, the first two questions you need to ask is: 1. is what I am logging an accurate reflection of what I am eating, and 2. are the calories I am logging for exercise an accurate reflection of my activity. As I'm sure you are aware from reading above - most people under estimate what they eat, and MFP graciously over estimates what we burn.

I don't claim to be a TDEE expert. But, using your stats and your information about exercising 6 days a week, the first TDEE calculator that came up in google says your TDEE would be about 2800. So, that would mean your calorie deficit for the week is about 2800, less than a pound.

You don't say with how much intensity you are hitting the treadmill, but if you are only slowly walking (which is fine and a great way to get started - BTW) - your TDE could be less than the above estimation. Which would tighten your deficit even more, and explain why you aren't seeing weight loss.

Throwing TDEE out the window (which - feel free to correct me if I am misunderstanding this BTW) - lets just say you want your 1800 MFP calorie goal to be net, off set by exercise. That means your exercise needs to be burning at least 600 calories a day to put you where you want to be, based on your average calorie consumption.

I'm 5'9 and 242lbs. I have my calorie goal set based on MFP at 1800 calories/day. I work out on the TM every day but Sunday approximately an hour (some days only 30-45min). I do eat back my exercise calories most days as I thought that was what I was supposed to be doing. But now I am thinking maybe I am eating too many calories by doing so? I also recently started doing a challenge that includes planks, squats, pushups, and climbers but I do not log that (I don't know how). I do not work out on Sunday unless it is for fun.

I do drink water (and very rarely anything else) but I tend to not track it. Maybe I should? I don't expect to lose a lot of weight all at once. I'd be happy with 1lb a week. I am not losing weight or inches and I am getting very frustrated! I don't know if I am doing something wrong or if I need to give it more time.

Please be honest with me as I know that is what I need. I do try to weigh my food but often times I go by the measurement (ex cup, tbs, etc.) out of ease. Again, maybe this is wrong?

A couple of little side notes;
I used MFP a year ago and lost 20lbs in two months by watching my calories alone. I feel that since I am also working out now, the weight should be falling off like it was then.
I have three kids that take up a lot of my time (no excuse) and energy. I try to keep the meals quick and easy and as cheap as possible because of this. There are a lot of packaged foods on here for that reason. I am willing to change

Thanks for all the help in advance!

Looking at your diary it seems that not only do you ingest too many calories, but you also live of mostly processed simply ( meaning nutritionally worthless ) carbs. You had 1500 calories yesterday just from processed food ( I wonder why for breakfast you think you need a burrito, a sausage & egg muffin, hash browns and juice. The same is true for Tuesday....again 1500 calories alone from food that has no nutritional value. That of course does not matter all that much, if you want weight loss alone . I am not in favor of all the variations of the " Twinky " diet....but it has been proven that you can lose weight without eating healthy by just maintaining an acceptable deficit. But you are not eating at a deficit either. That mean unless you make some changes you will not start losing real weight.
Maybe you need to start slow: I would make a commitment to cook at home from fresh/frozen stuff every other day adding also fruit and veggies to the diet and not eating anything from a box or restaurant that day.Non processed food will keep you satiated longer and you won't feel hungry all the times, as I am willing to bet you do now. If that is too much do it twice a week and once a weekend If you need carbs make a plain baked potato ( it even can be fairly big if you only eat it with natural yogurt or some salsa ), 2 cups of veggies, or a big side salad with minimal dressing and 3-4 oz of protein ( chicken, fish or other lean meats ), weigh and measure everything, stay within your calorie deficit, eat a variety of foods......make a conscious effort ( for example; if you eat almost 1300 calories for breakfast you can't just continue to eat, you have to make your calories fit, especially if you eat as unordered as you do every day ) and be patient......I promise success will be yours.
Good Luck !
ETA:For example: I often bake several potatoes at the same time to last for a while...usually up to a week, or sweet potatoes and use them in a wide variety of ways. A few days ago I even made potato salad from a baked potato.
The same is true for example with chicken: I bake my own, but know that in the US you can buy Rotisserie chicken at a good price. That will save you time ( maybe not salt, but that's ok unless you have kidney disease or high BP) and will provide you with beneficial protein. Just start and make changes that will not overwhelm you....but changes you MUST make, if you want to lose and sustain your newfound weight.

I think you are actually on a wind up

^this, but in to watch

By looking at your diary I would definnately stay away from the fast food!

Good for you for opening up your diary.

As others have said, you are going over calories (some days a lot, some not so much). And probably overestimating your exercise burns.

I have twin boys almost 5, and I work full time, so I understand what it's like to be busy. We go out to eat a lot, and I eat plenty of fast food. It won't hinder your weight loss if you stay under your calorie goals and get plenty of protein.

Here are some swaps you can make:

Instead of a sausage and egg mcmuffin, an egg mcmuffin with ham has fewer calories. I'd skip the hash brown and OJ. If you had just skipped the hash brown, you'd have been under goal. Have you tried McDonald's Oatmeal? Very yummy and filling.

For dinner, you'd probably have been more full with 2 chicken fillets, and 1 piece of bread.

I am a big, big fan or pre-logging my food. That way I can see how I am going to stay under. If I know I want to enjoy a brownie, I'll rearrange things to fit it in. And it enables me to look forward to treats. I buy dark chocolate bars and divide them up. I have 2 squares (about 100 cals worth) entered into my diary every night. I rarely delete it. I rearrange things to fit that it. I never thought I'd be satisfied with 2 squares of chocolate, but knowing I'm going to have chocolate every single day helps keep me on track.

Good luck to you!