Frustrated. Can't Lose Weight. Lots of Advice Needed.

platformsprout
platformsprout Posts: 3 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I have been trying to lose weight my whole life. I have only ever been successful once, and it was after a stressful time when I completely lost my appetite for two weeks. I lost about 15 pounds, and I was so happy. I kept it off for three months just walking an hour every day. I graduated college, came home, stopped working out, and then gained it all back in less than a month. I have been fighting back for a year now l, with no success. The last few months I have been riding the exercise bike 1+ hours every day, and working off the calories I eat in excess of my goal of 1,313 every day as well. But I'm still not losing. I don't eat all fruit or anything, but I do work off my calories almost every single day. What am I doing wrong here?

Replies

  • Tillyecl1
    Tillyecl1 Posts: 189 Member
    Hi, do you weigh your food portions? Also looking at your diary you seem to eat back all or most of your exercise calories but I wonder where you are getting those values from? Because the MFP database is pretty generous and from my experience (and everyone is different obviously) they are overestimated by between 30 and 50% (i.e an exercise which MFP states as a 1000 calorie burn is actually between 500 and 700 calories). So maybe a combination of not measuring accurately and over estimating your exercise is negating your hard work? Maybe try only eating back 50% of your exercise calories and see how that goes? Best of luck with everything :-)
  • LadyTalulah
    LadyTalulah Posts: 174 Member
    Don't try and outrun your diet! Often times machines will overestimate calories burned and humans tend to underestimate calories consumed! Cut just a couple hundred calories to begin with. Losing weight is all about slow and steady changes. Don't waste your time with cardio (unless you enjoy it) because it's the most time consuming yet least effective way of losing fat (again, unless you enjoy it, then continue). The best way to burn fat and build muscle is through strength training).
    If you want to learn more about strength training, I highly recommend this website:
    http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2011/07/21/meet-staci-your-new-powerlifting-super-hero/
  • I_Will_End_You
    I_Will_End_You Posts: 4,397 Member
    Check out this thread, it's all very good advice: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants
  • platformsprout
    platformsprout Posts: 3 Member
    Ok, that's a good idea. I think I'll start inserting about half of my actual exercise time so that my numbers are more accurate.
  • diannethegeek
    diannethegeek Posts: 14,776 Member
    The last few months I have been riding the exercise bike 1+ hours every day, and working off the calories I eat in excess of my goal of 1,313 every day as well.

    If you are trying to burn off every calorie that you eat through exercise, then you are doing it wrong and could potentially harm yourself.

    When people talk about burning more calories than they eat, you have to take into account the number of calories your body burns in a day just keeping your body alive (your BMR) as well as all of the calories your body burns doing everyday activities (your NEAT). By trying to burn 1300 calories through exercise every day you are putting your body at a massive deficit that could do more harm than good.

    Please, read through the Sexypants guide linked above, and give all of the linked posts a read too. Then set yourself a reasonable goal and adjust your routine accordingly.
  • skullshank
    skullshank Posts: 4,323 Member
    wait.....are you "netting" a negative number?

    please read the thread provided to you.
  • danniedudas
    danniedudas Posts: 6 Member
    You may be tracking every calorie you are eating, but it seems like you are eating a lot of empty calories. I'm not seeing any vegetables, fruits, or much protein. And where's the water? From your diary, it looks like you are eating a ton of salty foods but zero glasses of water (tortilla chips, popcorn). (If you can't give up salsa, try dipping veggies in it!) There's no use in kicking your butt with exercise if you aren't going to eat foods that will nourish your body.

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