Help! What am I doing wrong? :(

billymaxmum
billymaxmum Posts: 25
in Health and Weight Loss
So for the last month or so I've been exercising regularly - running on the treadmill, HIT and some weights as well as making much better food choices- cutting down on processed, fatty foods, smaller portion sizes etc yet I'm not losing weight or cm's :( I joined back up on MFP a week ago so I could track everything more closely and get support. Help!
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Replies

  • healthygreek
    healthygreek Posts: 2,137 Member
    If you are eating at a calorie deficit you should lose. Maybe open your diary so people can help and state your weight and height and calories consumed daily.
    Make sure you're weighing your food on a scale.
  • billymaxmum
    billymaxmum Posts: 25
    Whoops didn't realise it was private- have changed the settings thanks. Yes, pretty much every day it says 'under my calories' but then tells me I should eat more!?!
  • cwoyto123
    cwoyto123 Posts: 308
    You're eating more calories than you're burning.

    Literally no other answer, eat less or exercise more.
  • billymaxmum
    billymaxmum Posts: 25
    See above - I am under my calories and it tells me I should eat more?
  • mndamon
    mndamon Posts: 549 Member
    Try adjusting your settings for a lower calorie goal. It's the only thing that can explain it honestly like the previous poster said.
  • kgeyser
    kgeyser Posts: 22,505 Member
    Are you weighing your food, or just using measuring cups?
  • Wonderob
    Wonderob Posts: 1,372 Member
    See above - I am under my calories and it tells me I should eat more?

    It looks like your Net calories are under 1200 - that's not good
  • billymaxmum
    billymaxmum Posts: 25
    Oh ok. Somehow it automatically decided my calorie goals for me so I didn't know I could change it. Cheers
  • billymaxmum
    billymaxmum Posts: 25
    Yes. Isn't this what I'm supposed to do? Am weighing most things- meat etc but just guessing veges, fruit etc.
  • tryett
    tryett Posts: 530 Member
    You shouldn't net less than 1200 calories a day. Are you weighing and measuring everything?
  • billymaxmum
    billymaxmum Posts: 25
    You shouldn't net less than 1200 calories a day. Are you weighing and measuring everything?

    Why is being under 1200 a bad thing? I thought that's what I was supposed to do in order to be calorie deficient and then lose weight?
  • NoAdditives
    NoAdditives Posts: 4,251 Member
    You started here a week ago. Give it time.
  • tryett
    tryett Posts: 530 Member
    You shouldn't net less than 1200 calories a day. Are you weighing and measuring everything?

    Why is being under 1200 a bad thing? I thought that's what I was supposed to do in order to be calorie deficient and then lose weight?

    MFP already builds in the deficit into your daily calories. If you continue below 1200 calories per day for a long enough period you risk slowing your metabolism and not getting the nutrients your body needs to function.
  • MelodyandBarbells
    MelodyandBarbells Posts: 7,724 Member
    She said she's been doing it for a month

    You should weigh even fruit and veg! I use the 100g entries in the database, that way I can just weigh some veg, it comes in at 52g and enter .52 servings when I log.

    What's with your protein shake? It says 3 scoops for 114 calories? Diet shake or not, that doesn't sound right? What brand is this? Amazon link?
  • janitzagalindo
    janitzagalindo Posts: 2
    have you think not in lower the calories that much but in taking natural shakes that replace a food and give you all the nutrients necessary and also in taking natural medicines that help you burn the fat of your body. If you want more information or help let me know. I can give you an orientation about the process of being healthy and lose weight with natural products.
  • Wonderob
    Wonderob Posts: 1,372 Member
    You shouldn't net less than 1200 calories a day. Are you weighing and measuring everything?

    Why is being under 1200 a bad thing? I thought that's what I was supposed to do in order to be calorie deficient and then lose weight?

    1200 is the arbitrary figure that lots use to be a minimum amount of calories you can have and still maintain your health during your weight loss

    Your body needs a certain amount just to function normally. Unless you are very very tiny, you can still lose weight by having 1200 calories

    Can you post your height/weight etc so we can calculate with you?
  • kgeyser
    kgeyser Posts: 22,505 Member
    Yes, absolutely weigh and measure everything. Fruit and veggie calories add up just like anything else.

    1200 calories is a low goal to begin with, and eating less than that is never a good idea. These links should help:

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/819055-setting-your-calorie-and-macro-targets
  • billymaxmum
    billymaxmum Posts: 25
    She said she's been doing it for a month

    You should weigh even fruit and veg! I use the 100g entries in the database, that way I can just weigh some veg, it comes in at 52g and enter .52 servings when I log.

    What's with your protein shake? It says 3 scoops for 114 calories? Diet shake or not, that doesn't sound right? What brand is this? Amazon link?

    Thanks for that I'll try to be more consistent with weighing. Yeah I think I ticked the wrong thing with the protein shake, I use 1 scoop which is 30g and then just kept ticking the same box. Maybe I need to double check.
  • billymaxmum
    billymaxmum Posts: 25
    You shouldn't net less than 1200 calories a day. Are you weighing and measuring everything?

    Why is being under 1200 a bad thing? I thought that's what I was supposed to do in order to be calorie deficient and then lose weight?

    1200 is the arbitrary figure that lots use to be a minimum amount of calories you can have and still maintain your health during your weight loss

    Your body needs a certain amount just to function normally. Unless you are very very tiny, you can still lose weight by having 1200 calories

    Can you post your height/weight etc so we can calculate with you?

    I am 163 cm tall and weigh 80kg.
  • billymaxmum
    billymaxmum Posts: 25
    Yes, absolutely weigh and measure everything. Fruit and veggie calories add up just like anything else.

    1200 calories is a low goal to begin with, and eating less than that is never a good idea. These links should help:

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/819055-setting-your-calorie-and-macro-targets

    Thank you for the links!! Oh to think I might be able to eat more! Ha ha
  • mandikinz7
    mandikinz7 Posts: 1 Member
    Women should consume 1200cal at the minimum, because that is what you require to support daily body functioning. Otherwise your body perceives itself as being starved and will try to reserve it's stored energy for survival. That would be why you are not losing the weight you were expecting, and why you should eat more. There's more to it, but that's a snapshot of what your body is going through.
  • Wonderob
    Wonderob Posts: 1,372 Member
    You shouldn't net less than 1200 calories a day. Are you weighing and measuring everything?

    Why is being under 1200 a bad thing? I thought that's what I was supposed to do in order to be calorie deficient and then lose weight?

    1200 is the arbitrary figure that lots use to be a minimum amount of calories you can have and still maintain your health during your weight loss

    Your body needs a certain amount just to function normally. Unless you are very very tiny, you can still lose weight by having 1200 calories

    Can you post your height/weight etc so we can calculate with you?

    I am 163 cm tall and weigh 80kg.

    Using an online calculator, your BMR (the amount of calories your body needs just to function without moving) is 1495

    So if you Net 1200 calories a day you will undoubtedly begin to lose weight - you can't fail to

    Good luck, I'm sure things will be just fine
  • SLLRunner
    SLLRunner Posts: 12,942 Member
    So for the last month or so I've been exercising regularly - running on the treadmill, HIT and some weights as well as making much better food choices- cutting down on processed, fatty foods, smaller portion sizes etc yet I'm not losing weight or cm's :( I joined back up on MFP a week ago so I could track everything more closely and get support. Help!
    You can run on the treadmill, do HIIT and weights, make much better food choices, cut out certain things, but the bottom line is that you won't lose weight unless you are eating less than you burn.

    My advice: first set you goals up in MFP and then plan to log each day. Measure all liquids and weight all solids, ensure you are using correct entries (you can always create your own from USDA nutrition information), accurately logging all exercise calories (MFP and gym machines tend to overestimate these burns so it's generally recommended you eat back around 75 - 80% of those calories). I give you this advice because it's what has worked for me and countless others, but you will have to find out what works for you.
  • Nessie112
    Nessie112 Posts: 39 Member
    Besides what they all said just give it some more time. When i first started trying to eat healthier and what not I ended up gaining 6lbs. I would work out a bunch but it would make me so hungry I would eat it all back without even realizing it, that's what rocks about MFP you can track everything. Just try to get your foods imputed correctly, also you may want to try some strength training, it's really good for losing cms :)
  • billymaxmum
    billymaxmum Posts: 25
    Thank you everyone for your advice.

    I'm going to weigh things more accurately and consistently, and aim for 1200 calories a day THEN burn it all off through exercise!

    Cheers!!
  • billymaxmum
    billymaxmum Posts: 25
    Besides what they all said just give it some more time. When i first started trying to eat healthier and what not I ended up gaining 6lbs. I would work out a bunch but it would make me so hungry I would eat it all back without even realizing it, that's what rocks about MFP you can track everything. Just try to get your foods imputed correctly, also you may want to try some strength training, it's really good for losing cms :)

    Thanks Nessie112, all advice is greatly received!
  • missomgitsica
    missomgitsica Posts: 496 Member
    If you've been working out for a month but only logging for a week (that's what I read this as, anyway) then you've probably been eating more than you think the past three weeks. If you're tracking honestly and accurately from here on out you'll be fine, I think.
  • Wonderob
    Wonderob Posts: 1,372 Member
    Thank you everyone for your advice.

    I'm going to weigh things more accurately and consistently, and aim for 1200 calories a day THEN burn it all off through exercise!

    Cheers!!

    I hope you haven't got the wrong idea still billymax

    The 1200 figure is the Net figure, so anything you burn off should still result in a minimum of 1200 calories

    i.e If you burn off 600 calories a day doing exercise - you need to eat a MINIMUM of 1800 calories per day
  • SLLRunner
    SLLRunner Posts: 12,942 Member
    Thank you everyone for your advice.

    I'm going to weigh things more accurately and consistently, and aim for 1200 calories a day THEN burn it all off through exercise!

    Cheers!!
    I just looked at your diary. Are getting your exercise calorie burns from the MFP database and/or from the gym machines? I ask because your exercise calories seem pretty high.

    Also, I notice you have numerous entries with a medium banana being 90 calories. Let's just say "medium" is in the eye the beholder and most bananas don't weigh the same even if they look to be the same size. That's why its important to peel that banana and put it on the food scale. You can find many fruit and vegetables by the gram in the MFP database or online. I weight all my fruits and veggies by the gram.

    In any event, it sounds like you are on the right track Starting out is always trial and error and we've all been there! Good luck!
  • SLLRunner
    SLLRunner Posts: 12,942 Member
    Thank you everyone for your advice.

    I'm going to weigh things more accurately and consistently, and aim for 1200 calories a day THEN burn it all off through exercise!

    Cheers!!

    I hope you haven't got the wrong idea still billymax

    The 1200 figure is the Net figure, so anything you burn off should still result in a minimum of 1200 calories

    i.e If you burn off 600 calories a day doing exercise - you need to eat a MINIMUM of 1800 calories per day
    This is correct.

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