This has probably been asked a hundred times but....

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jjalbertt
jjalbertt Posts: 98 Member
in Getting Started
So about 2 weeks ago I started to eat healthier, reduced my calorie intake to 1400 and recently started Focus T25. For my height I am slightly over weight, so I decided to make a change. I work in a kitchen so cutting EVERYTHING out is difficult seeing as I have to actually taste the food. With that being said I sweat, run around, and lift so much it hardly ever made a difference (working in kitchens has actually helped me slim down in the past couple years, just time to make a bigger change).
The question is, how come I haven't lost anything yet?! I've been working pretty hard and I have yet to see a difference even though it's been 2 weeks. I've even been taking green tea extract! in fact today it said I gained a pound in a week. What is going on!?
I worked less hard when I lost 5 pounds cutting sugar and cream out of my coffee!

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  • Lleldiranne
    Lleldiranne Posts: 5,516 Member
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    It has been, but that's okay :wink:

    Chances are that you're retaining water. It's very common for this to happen when you start a new exercise program; your muscles hang on to water as they repair and adapt.

    Still, you do want to be very careful with your logging. Try to limit those taste tests as much as possible. Measure everything accurately. Log your exercise, but for the activity at work set you level to 'active' (rather than sedentary or lightly active). Eat back some of your exercise calories, but be cautious as it's easy to overestimate those.

    Take measurements other than the scale. Have you lost inches? Do clothes fit better? Body fat? (Don't trust the scales that measure bf% ... they are horrible).

    If you still see no change after a couple more weeks, then it's time to really buckle down more on what you're eating (as in log the tastes or don't have them, weigh everything with a scale, etc)
  • arguablysamson
    arguablysamson Posts: 1,706 Member
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    So about 2 weeks ago I started to eat healthier, reduced my calorie intake to 1400 and recently started Focus T25. For my height I am slightly over weight, so I decided to make a change. I work in a kitchen so cutting EVERYTHING out is difficult seeing as I have to actually taste the food. With that being said I sweat, run around, and lift so much it hardly ever made a difference (working in kitchens has actually helped me slim down in the past couple years, just time to make a bigger change).
    The question is, how come I haven't lost anything yet?! I've been working pretty hard and I have yet to see a difference even though it's been 2 weeks. I've even been taking green tea extract! in fact today it said I gained a pound in a week. What is going on!?
    I worked less hard when I lost 5 pounds cutting sugar and cream out of my coffee!

    Hi,

    Well, it has only been two weeks, so I wouldn't be too hard on yourself, but grazers, especially women, tend to have a hard time losing weight while having to keep little bits of food flowing into them. I think you'll still be fine, but do extra diligence to track everything properly and don't overdo it on the exercise. Light, steady cardio only. You won't hear as much about it since it isn't mainstream knowledge yet, but lifting and heavy exercise slow weight loss dramatically, at least in the short term.

    Don't get in a hurry and remember that consistency is key.
  • coretemp
    coretemp Posts: 1,796 Member
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    My only suggestion is to make sure you set the MFP settings to lose the recommended 1 lb. per week after establishing your BMR cals. Choose sedentary as the activity level and then manually add in the calories you expend through exercise and eat those calories back. If your on your feet all day you can add 150-200 cals extra for that also. Keeping track like this worked for me like clockwork. You'll sense whether you have to adjust cals (-/+) within a week or two but be patient! It will happen!
  • melaniecmajors
    melaniecmajors Posts: 39 Member
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    1400 calories is not a lot. I would download my fitness calculator for your phone and run the tests to determine what your calorie intake should be. If you eat too little then you will retain. i'm doing insanity and lost 4 lbs in 4 weeks. I drink a LOT of water tho!
  • jjalbertt
    jjalbertt Posts: 98 Member
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    That's the problem with tasting, I have to do it (asking someone is bothersome, and I could get fired if I send out bad food). It's never anything major just enough to see if it needs adjustments. Also I do try and estimate how much I tasted throughout the day and log it in. Logging that is hard though...there's no real way of measuring a dab of sauce haha.
    I don't think I have, I weighed myself a couple days early so I'll just wait till Sunday like I was suppose to do.

    I guess I will just have to see, it's all just disappointing. I defiantly feel a heck of a lot better though!
  • jjalbertt
    jjalbertt Posts: 98 Member
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    Thanks! I`ll try not to be, it's tough knowing it's harder for me because of my job requirements. It really gets my hopes up when it comes time to weigh in! I try not to seeing as I stand and run around all day! The most I've been doing is the T25 and about half hour of yoga to get my anxiety/stress down.

    Mrsmelaniely, I know it doesn't seem like a lot at all! I've calculated that out a few times on different apps and sites. Maybe I'll check my fitness calculator out as well and make sure.

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