Help! Frustrated and making no progress

rachelguy
rachelguy Posts: 24
in Health and Weight Loss
I have been doing this for almost 5 weeks now, and have made no progress, both in regards to the scales and my measurements. I'm determined to lose the weight I need to but after seeing no changes it is making me very frustrated!

I religiously weigh everything, log every morsel of food i eat, even when licking the spoons!
I am trying to exercise 4 days a week; consisting of a combination of HIIT on treadmill (only started this week, before that I was just walking), and kettlebell dvds lifting between 4-8kg.

I am using TDEE method, my BMR is 1489, my TDEE 2048, so targeting -20% and eating 1650.
My weight is 149, my height 5ft3.

Am I doing this wrong or why am I seeing zero progress?

My diary is set to open.
Any advice would be greatly appreciated! Thanks.

ETA: I admit I am no angel, I do indulge in the occasional treat but as long as it fits within my macros or is a close to them as possible.

Replies

  • Branstin
    Branstin Posts: 2,320 Member
    Have you ruled out any medical reasons that could be preventing your weight loss?
  • lemonsnowdrop
    lemonsnowdrop Posts: 1,298 Member
    Are you eating back your exercise calories? You could be overestimating your calorie burn and eating too much.
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
    Are you eating back your exercise calories? You could be overestimating your calorie burn and eating too much.

    You don't eat exercise calories back with TDEE.

    What's your TDEE activity level? I would use lightly active. Probably a dumb question but do you log your drinks too? And do you use any medication that could affect weight loss?

    Otherwise, I don't know, I'd give it a couple more weeks then I'd go see a doctor too to make sure there isn't an underlying condition.
  • rachelguy
    rachelguy Posts: 24
    I have no medical issues which would hinder weight loss. I am on the contraceptive pill which I know has caused some of my friends to have issues with their weight, however it hasn't affected me in this way.

    And I don't eat back any exercise calories, but I do agree I need a HRM to monitor my calorie burn.

    Would smoking have an impact on my weight loss? Just trying to think of everything that could be stopping me from reaching my goal!

    Thanks for the responses
  • MinnieInMaine
    MinnieInMaine Posts: 6,400 Member
    Are you eating back your exercise calories? You could be overestimating your calorie burn and eating too much.

    OP said she's doing TDEE so exercise calories are already included.

    How long have you been doing TDEE? How long have you been working out and how consistent are you with workouts?

    Smoking shouldn't effect weight loss unless you're trying to cut down or quit in which case the lowered amounts of nicotine may mess with your metabolism a bit.
  • rachelguy
    rachelguy Posts: 24
    Are you eating back your exercise calories? You could be overestimating your calorie burn and eating too much.

    You don't eat exercise calories back with TDEE.

    What's your TDEE activity level? I would use lightly active. Probably a dumb question but do you log your drinks too? And do you use any medication that could affect weight loss?

    Otherwise, I don't know, I'd give it a couple more weeks then I'd go see a doctor too to make sure there isn't an underlying condition.

    As I said above, the only medication is the pill. And yeah I log my drinks, and my activity level is set at lightly active, I did have sedentary but I changed it a few weeks ago.

    Thanks, I will continue with what I'm doing and if its the same I'll take your advice and visit the doctor!
  • rachelguy
    rachelguy Posts: 24
    Are you eating back your exercise calories? You could be overestimating your calorie burn and eating too much.

    OP said she's doing TDEE so exercise calories are already included.

    How long have you been doing TDEE? How long have you been working out and how consistent are you with workouts?

    Smoking shouldn't effect weight loss unless you're trying to cut down or quit in which case the lowered amounts of nicotine may mess with your metabolism a bit.

    I've been doing TDEE for 4 weeks. I am usually working out for 30-40 minutes, and am pretty consistent with getting at least 3 workouts a week.

    Ok, thanks alot, I haven't altered my smoking habits since starting this.
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
    It could be the pill. Honestly I'd wait a couple more weeks - you just started a new workout regimen and sometimes it can lead to water gains at first. Your pill might not have caused weight gain, but it could impact weight loss too. When is your period due? I'd wait for it then see if you lose then.
  • Chickaboo2014
    Chickaboo2014 Posts: 136 Member
    Bump. I'm interested in your progress with this. I'm in the same boat, basically, as you are; although, I have been able to lose weight, it just stopped coming off and i'ts been about 3 weeks since I've seen a loss. In fact, I've gained. I workout 8-10 times a week and am also eating TDEE of 1594. I am also on Nutrisystem...I read so many conflicting things about not eating enough calories...Anyway, I'll be checking in to see your progress. Good luck!
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
    Bump. I'm interested in your progress with this. I'm in the same boat, basically, as you are; although, I have been able to lose weight, it just stopped coming off and i'ts been about 3 weeks since I've seen a loss. In fact, I've gained. I workout 8-10 times a week and am also eating TDEE of 1594. I am also on Nutrisystem...I read so many conflicting things about not eating enough calories...Anyway, I'll be checking in to see your progress. Good luck!

    I get stalls every month before my period - up to 3 weeks at a time. It's not unusual. That's why I asked the OP when her period is due... Most women retain water and gain a bit of weight before that time.
  • wilsoje74
    wilsoje74 Posts: 1,720 Member
    Maybe try decreasing your cals a bit 100-200 and see if that helps
  • lisaabenjamin
    lisaabenjamin Posts: 665 Member
    Just had a flick through the last couple of weeks of your diary and you seem to be eating a lot of takeaways, convenience food etc. If you're within your calorie goal then this shouldn't really be a problem for weight loss, but the high salt content of these foods may cause water retention. Your macros aren't showing that you're consistently over your sodium (salt) goal, but I don't think some of the entries are correct (this is a common problem on MFP where people input their own foods - they tend to put the calories into the database but not any of the other macros..) For example, you had a KFC for dinner on 28th March and this apparently has no sodium!? I'd VERY much doubt that!!
  • sarahg148
    sarahg148 Posts: 701 Member
    I'm not one to be patient, but unfortunately patience is key in losing weight...along with consistency! I've found that once I start being consistent that the weight does come off. But it'll be .2 lbs one week...1.8 lbs three weeks from then. As others on this site have said, weight loss isn't linear...it has ups and downs. I'm also doing TDEE with only eating at about 1900-2000 cal/day. I had my RMR tested and it said 1850 min and add in about 500 for added daily activity. I've set MFP at losing .5 lbs/wk and KNOW this is sustainable. I'm still eating what I want, just in more proper portions and it IS working...albeit very slowly. But it is working.

    I've also gone to the doctor to check my blood, vitamin levels and thyroid recently. I'm going back tomorrow to get the results. Maybe there is also something slightly off that can be adjusted that will allow the losses to become slightly more. But if not, then I will keep plugging along. Do give it a bit longer and also gauge how you FEEL...not just how you think you look. It's 100% mental for me...and I'm still working on it. Damn hormones. :wink:
  • hitsnooze
    hitsnooze Posts: 79
    hormonal treatments actually can make a difference as stupid as it sounds. before i was on the depo i insisted that people who get fat off them are just giving in to increased appetite, and they just need to stop putting hand to mouth, and i still think this is true and it doesn't make you gain, but losing is significantly harder for me since i got it and i have no idea why. just carry on doing what you're doing and it will start coming off eventually, unless you're grossly overestimating your tdee which is possible
  • klingonbarbie
    klingonbarbie Posts: 23 Member
    suggest getting your thyroid tested, I have an under thyroid, the reason why i can't loose weight quickly is partially due to that and i had mini stroke last year so I can't exercise as much as I would ALSO (THIS IS THE MAIN REASON) I'm a serial killer and despite being a veggie I gorge on cheese, crisps, chocolate & cake, i have just joined and don't enjoy weighing my food out, but I'm hoping in my 1st week (weigh myself on 9th April) i will have lost at least 2-3 lbs (goal is 100lbs)
    i need all the guidance i can get as I've been a yo-yo dieter since mid 80's
  • tycho_mx
    tycho_mx Posts: 426 Member
    The math seems to be a bit suspect. I'm no expert on TDEE ( I workout differently every day, so I "budget" differently every day).

    But there's no way a 40 minute workout adds up to 500 calories (in case your daily life has little physical activity, like many of us keyboard surfers). With 2 hours of exercise a week, I'd be tempted to just remove those from the calculation and see how they weight (and mood, appetite, etc.) behave.

    Weight gain is a numbers game (allowing for fluctuations, it's not linear): if you're consistently gaining, you're consuming more than you're burning. If you're losing, you're burning more than you're consuming. Tracking down the causes for the discrepancies is the tricky part (is my BMR lower than I thought? [it depends on the amount of muscle you have, not so much on total mass!], are my workouts overestimated? Is some medical condition lowering my metabolism? And so on).

    For reference, an elite cyclist of your height, giving her all, can probably burn 1200 on a hard one hour workout. Averaging it out to 4 days/week, it seems like your exercise calorie burn is overstated. MFP and may other places unfortunately inflate their workout calorie expenditures, sometimes bad math, sometimes they add the basal calorie burn, etc.
  • rachelguy
    rachelguy Posts: 24
    thanks to everyone for the responses, it's greatly appreciated!

    I've just finished my period so will i expect to see some losses even if its just water retention?

    lisaamartin1 - yes I have been bad with takewaway this past week but it mostly fits in my goals, although I agree about the KFC I couldn't find the sodium content but I should have guessed rather than put at zero haha!

    what I'm sensing is patience is key and I have to stick it out, hopefully see some form of losses soon!

    thanks :)
  • klingonbarbie
    klingonbarbie Posts: 23 Member
    i'm not a serial killer just a serial comfort eater (oops):love:
  • rachelguy
    rachelguy Posts: 24
    The math seems to be a bit suspect. I'm no expert on TDEE ( I workout differently every day, so I "budget" differently every day).

    But there's no way a 40 minute workout adds up to 500 calories (in case your daily life has little physical activity, like many of us keyboard surfers).

    For reference, an elite cyclist of your height, giving her all, can probably burn 1200 on a hard one hour workout. Averaging it out to 4 days/week, it seems like your exercise calorie burn is overstated. MFP and may other places unfortunately inflate their workout calorie expenditures, sometimes bad math, sometimes they add the basal calorie burn, etc.


    My workouts burn 200 cals max, I never said anywhere 500? Now I'm confused lol
  • rachelguy
    rachelguy Posts: 24
    i'm not a serial killer just a serial comfort eater (oops):love:

    it's ok I assumed you meant the latter haha! :laugh:
  • tycho_mx
    tycho_mx Posts: 426 Member
    yeah, 200 per day. But taking it over a week (3 non-workout days per week, but maybe your calculations assume you workout every day for your TDEE of 200 0cal).

    Your consumption is adjusted from 1500 to 2000 (aprox.) brom BMR to TDEE, over a week. You eat 1650 to make it 20% deficient, that is 11,550 cal. Your base is 1489 x 7 = 10,423. The superavit is 1127 calories. (and the BMR seems high, depending on how much muscle you actually have - fat is pretty much metabolically inert.

    So you're eating 1,130 calories per week over your "base". You work out a bit (800 calories? 200 x 4 times a week). So you have a superavit of 330 calories, pending your non-logged activities. Is your non-exercise activity (commuting, doing house work, etc.) burning this much? More? Less?
  • zoeysasha37
    zoeysasha37 Posts: 7,088 Member
    Personally I think you should give it more time. It took a while for the scale to move for me as well. Just don't give up and keep measuring and weighing. I use the depo provera injection, and have no issues losing on it. I know it's frustrating, but just keep it up and you'll start to lose
  • ArmyWife4106
    ArmyWife4106 Posts: 29
    When I first started working out I was eating 1400 calories and working out 5 days a week with no results. I dropped 200 calories and went to 6 days a week and the lbs started dropping. I was just doing treadmill an running then also. Now I do more intense cardio when my kids are in school anyway, because they are awful needing when they are home..lol jk I also stopped using the scale so much because not seeing results was aggravating, I weigh in once every 2 weeks and use the tape measure once a week.
  • kari31p
    kari31p Posts: 10 Member
    I too am on the pill and did some research. I found that taking a B12 supplement can offset the negative side effects that the pill can have. I've noticed big time changes in my energy and a budge in the scale since I started taking it! Just an idea!
  • ParkerH47
    ParkerH47 Posts: 463 Member
    If you're truly logging everything your eating (which I don't doubt) Than you should consider lowering your calories, maybe try 1400 for a bit?

    TDEE calculations are just that - they are calculations and they can't account for every variable in each individuals body. If you have been consuming 1650 calories each day and your not losing - its simple math you likely need to reduce the calories.

    I know its sucks :( but 5 weeks is long enough that water retention etc can't explain it all away.
  • AleciaG724
    AleciaG724 Posts: 705 Member
    The math seems to be a bit suspect. I'm no expert on TDEE ( I workout differently every day, so I "budget" differently every day).

    But there's no way a 40 minute workout adds up to 500 calories (in case your daily life has little physical activity, like many of us keyboard surfers). With 2 hours of exercise a week, I'd be tempted to just remove those from the calculation and see how they weight (and mood, appetite, etc.) behave.

    Weight gain is a numbers game (allowing for fluctuations, it's not linear): if you're consistently gaining, you're consuming more than you're burning. If you're losing, you're burning more than you're consuming. Tracking down the causes for the discrepancies is the tricky part (is my BMR lower than I thought? [it depends on the amount of muscle you have, not so much on total mass!], are my workouts overestimated? Is some medical condition lowering my metabolism? And so on).

    For reference, an elite cyclist of your height, giving her all, can probably burn 1200 on a hard one hour workout. Averaging it out to 4 days/week, it seems like your exercise calorie burn is overstated. MFP and may other places unfortunately inflate their workout calorie expenditures, sometimes bad math, sometimes they add the basal calorie burn, etc.

    This is a great explanation! It took me almost a year of being frustrated with the numbers MFP gives me to figure out that even HRM's are inflated because the basal calorie burn is included. I'm switching to TDEE soon for the summer to change things up a bit. Thanks Tycho_mx - you seem very knowledgeable!
  • slk_5555
    slk_5555 Posts: 177 Member
    I was in a similar position a few weeks back, but am now loosing again. I always hate when people ask if I weigh all my food - I always said I weigh everything, but out of interest I started weighing things which I had got into the habit of guessing - salads, veg, salad dressing, milk in my tea, pine nuts in my salad - it was a massive eye opener. It basically meant that I didn't have the 500 cal a day deficit I thought I had....hence no weight loss. For the last 2 weeks everything goes on the scales or a measuring spoon - no guessing at all & for the last 2 weeks I lost weight.

    I notice you have quite a few take-aways in your diary - thats great if its within points, but take aways and restaurant meals are very hard to calculate - its a guessing game. I was doing the same at lunch - now I make it at home to eliminate guess work. If I were you, I would try to go 1 week with no take-aways (ie no guess work) and weigh absolutely everything you eat.
  • Bounce4
    Bounce4 Posts: 288 Member
    Maybe try decreasing your cals a bit 100-200 and see if that helps

    That is what I would do.
  • rachelguy
    rachelguy Posts: 24
    I've taken on board what everyone is saying, I'm reducing my daily intake to 1500, will try to avoid any indulgences such as take-aways for the first couple of weeks and will up my vitamins to try to counteract any issues with the pill! thank you all for your help :smile: it's really appreciated!

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