First Month HELP

Hey everyone,
I started using this app about half a month ago, after the first week of May. At that time, I was running 1.5-2 miles a day, with push ups and pull ups before hand and regular stretching. I weigh about 220 when I started and I'm about 5 '9.
In the past week I increased my running up to 3 miles per day, 5 days a week and increased the number of push ups and pull ups per day. Unfortunately, I don't have time to go to a gym, so I have to use what I can at home (I also run outside, not on a treadmill).

I'm averaging 1400 calories a day and coming within -1% of each Protein, fat and carb goal for the day. I am also vegan, so I only eat fruit, veggies, nuts and beans (totally cut out processed vegan foods including tofu). I am also really careful about how many nuts I consume a day, as too many can counter balance the protein to carb ratio.

I feel better, I feel that I am successfully controlling portion sizes, and I am getting the best encouragement by friends and my fiance... Stress is not a factor.

All in all, I think I am doing good. I take Tuesday and Saturdays off running so that I can let my muscles recover a bit. I bike here and there casually, usually to get to the grocery store and back.

However, since starting I have not seen any weight loss. I wear the same cloths when I weight in, and I try to do it soon after I wake up, before I consume copious amounts of water and my breakfast.

It could be water weight - is there a way to tell? Any other words of advice or encouragement?

Breaking vegan is not an option - I've been vegan for 4-5 years for moral reasons, not dietary reasons.

Replies

  • Vigilance88
    Vigilance88 Posts: 95 Member
    Male, eating 1400 and running 5 times a week you are definitely losing weight.
    It is most likely masked by water retention since you just started all the exercising.

    I suggest eating more, because you won't last on such a big deficit.
    Find out your BMR and TDEE. read:
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants

    ETA: I'm 5'9" as well, currently 154lbs, and eat 1750 on sedentary days, 2000-3000 on cardio days.
  • ath459
    ath459 Posts: 10
    I should have taken those measurements when I started, but I didn't. I did, however, measure my neck, chest and stomach in inches before I started. I think my stomach has gained a half inch. Could that also be water? As far as calories and such, I feel great. I can definitely feel some sort of conditioning, and I drink a lot of water per day.
  • Vigilance88
    Vigilance88 Posts: 95 Member
    To expect measurements going down inches after 2 weeks isn't very realistic, especially when just starting a new exercise regime.

    To put it into perspective here are two progress graphs of myself. Lots of stalls and sudden drops, it's never linear. I like to weigh and measure daily, but I don't freak out if they go up or stay the same, because I know my diet works.

    weight: http://i.imgur.com/QCFGihY.png
    measurements: http://i.imgur.com/OFcwWz9.png
  • ath459
    ath459 Posts: 10
    Generally looks like it was slow at first, but then kind of took off. I may have worded my original post wrong - I started running 1.5 - 2 miles a day, 5 times a week about 2 months ago (a month before I started this app, but I did not weigh or measure then). When I started this program around May 7 i measured and weighed and increased my distance to 3 miles. It is possible that I dropped some before starting this app, but I was certainly taking in more calories at that time (hence, I started this to keep track).