If I am at a deficit, why am I not losing weight?
Replies
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you read right,
1, I did not lose weight because i kept craving more, eating it and pretending like i did not. It is almost impossible to eat a big mac and not want a sweet drink.
2, also it doesn't give the same energy, your work outs will suffer.
3, and don't forget the lack of fiber which encourages the rubbish to sit in you while your body absorbs every single fat in it.
A calorie is not a calorie. Please do some research on how our bodies process different food groups and you will see what i am saying.
A big mac won't cause any problem, add that with a chocolate, a cup of coke and some biscuits and your tummy will just sit there. better still, don't. it defeats the purpose of the fitness journey.
I refer you to 1 you did not lose weight because you craved more and ate more not because you got more calories from it because it sat in your stomach longer. Also 1. is the result of your ability to stick to an eating plan, I manage to have the occasional burger without a sweet drink
However if you are referring to the nutritious content of foods then they do vary greatly but fast food isnt the only way of not getting enough fibre into you
If you make claims you really should be providing study links not telling people to do the research0 -
She is not the only person who is trying to lose weight unsuccessfully. It can be incredibly frustrating! I keep hoping for a magic pill but ... ;-)
I've been on MFP for just a few weeks now. I've logged every bite that I've put in my mouth. I have gone over my allowed limit 3 times, but am usually under by 100+ each day. Some days I am closer to my limit. I am exercising regularly. I haven't lost much - less than MFP says I should have.
My general day is: breakfast is fiber and flax seed whole grain toast (2). I was having peanut butter and a sugar free preserve, but to cut calories, I have now switched to Nutella chocolate hazelnut spread. I measure out the spread to be sure I am eating what I log. And coffee (black). ~300-400 cal.
Lunch is typically a Chobani yogurt, apple and sparking ice beverage, eaten at my desk (I use an insulated lunch bag and ice block). I will often eat a 2nd apple before or shortly after lunch, which I log in with my lunch. Sometimes I'll have a protein bar (190 cal.) as well. Then I usually only have 1 apple. ~300 cal.
Dinner varies quite a bit...if I eat at McDonald's, it is generally a classic grilled chicken sandwich, no mayo and a diet coke. At home, it can be any type of meat, veggies and a starch. I try to measure my quantities to be sure I am logging the correct amount. ~350-500 cal.
Snacks are ice cream or Chick-a-boom popcorn. The popcorn is only 37 cal. per cup, so that's not bad. The ice cream is only when I have calories left over.
I'm allowed 1460 per day without counting exercise. I try my best to stay at that level or below, even when I exercise (but some days I am just HUNGRY and eat some of my exercise calories as well). I've floated between 2-4 lbs lost...generally closer to the 2 lb lost for the last 1.5 weeks. I'm also 50 yrs old.
Any idea what I'm doing wrong?
Lynn
Opening your diary up would certainly help people make suggestions but I do notice that you say you "try" to measure your dinner quantities but started by saying you log every bite you put in your mouth
Logging helps you keep a track of what you are eating but you have to weigh all solids and measure all liquids to be really accurate.
Are you weighing things like nutella or using a tbsp?0 -
check out xxxxxxxxxx.com and see if that may be the answer to your problems. It helped me go from size 18-20 to an 11-12 and lose over 40 pounds. I love using myfitnesspal because it helps me stat on track.
Sorry I believe trying to get people to buy things from your website is against MFP T's&C's
Reported0 -
Nutella: I am measuring with a tbsp. The calories on the jar are by tbsp (2 tbsp per serving = 200 calories). I measure out 1 tbsp. (using a measuring spoon), which goes surprisingly far since it is so creamy.
I don't have a scale for food yet. I plan to get one following payday. :-) In the meantime, I usually measure items in measuring cups, but I do sometimes eyeball it and try to be conservative in my guesstimate. Meaning, if it looks like the 1/2 cup I had last time, I'll count it as 3/4 cup, since we naturally underestimate portion sizes.
With meats, I'll look at the pounds in the package and divide it out by the portion I am eating. For example, if it is a 1 lb kielbasa ring, and I eat 1/4 of the ring, I'll count it as 1/4 pound (4 oz). If it is a package of hamburger patties that weighs 1 lb, and there are 4 patties, I count it as a 1/4 pound of hamburger.
Until I get a scale, that's the best I can do. If the calorie count on the container is in tsp or tbsp, etc. why can't we use that as a measure? Nutella is a viscous liquid, so it kind of has to be measured in tbsp's.
What do you do when you stop and get something to eat unexpectedly? Like an unplanned stop at DQ for ice cream? How do you measure the calories you get then? Each person preparing the ice cream will add a slightly different amount of ice cream and toppings.
Lynn0 -
I opened my diary. You will see the three days I went over for sure! Those were family outing days and I just said, "Too bad, I'm going to enjoy myself today."0
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Nutella: I am measuring with a tbsp. The calories on the jar are by tbsp (2 tbsp per serving = 200 calories). I measure out 1 tbsp. (using a measuring spoon), which goes surprisingly far since it is so creamy.
I don't have a scale for food yet. I plan to get one following payday. :-) In the meantime, I usually measure items in measuring cups, but I do sometimes eyeball it and try to be conservative in my guesstimate. Meaning, if it looks like the 1/2 cup I had last time, I'll count it as 3/4 cup, since we naturally underestimate portion sizes.
With meats, I'll look at the pounds in the package and divide it out by the portion I am eating. For example, if it is a 1 lb kielbasa ring, and I eat 1/4 of the ring, I'll count it as 1/4 pound (4 oz). If it is a package of hamburger patties that weighs 1 lb, and there are 4 patties, I count it as a 1/4 pound of hamburger.
Until I get a scale, that's the best I can do. If the calorie count on the container is in tsp or tbsp, etc. why can't we use that as a measure? Nutella is a viscous liquid, so it kind of has to be measured in tbsp's.
What do you do when you stop and get something to eat unexpectedly? Like an unplanned stop at DQ for ice cream? How do you measure the calories you get then? Each person preparing the ice cream will add a slightly different amount of ice cream and toppings.
Lynn
I would seriously not worry about whether you are losing weight until you have a food scale and can keep an accurate track of calories. Not sure about nutella but I have seen a lot of posts from people who have weighed their tablespoon and realised that there is more in it than they thought, a lot more.
I am also not a fan of cup measurements, for example if it says a cup of chopped?? how finely do you chop them? the finer the more weight you get in the cup.
Don't get me wrong I think you are going about this the right way but if you are eating a calorie deficit you will lose weight barring any medical conditions (these can make it much harder to get into deficit)0 -
Also forgot to ask how you calculate the calorie burns from exercise0
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Also forgot to ask how you calculate the calorie burns from exercise
I agree - I would like to know too as I noticed you log that you burn 500+ calories/day from exercise and one day was 1,100 . . . that's some pretty vigorous exercise.
So maybe you aren't burning as much as you think??0 -
Me again. There as been a lot of posts so once again I will try answer all the questions.
I don't actually enjoy fast food, like at all. I get bored of food easily, and I only like a select few things from each take out place, so after a week I don't really want to go, but either my partner goes or it is easier and quicker than cooking.
I actually don't enjoy most food. I do try new stuff a lot, but I have certain foods and meals I like, and that's pretty much it. I am also gluten and dairy intolerant. Which is why i don't eat the buns of burgers when I have take out and I try not to have cheese on stuff. The only dairy I do want to eat is yoghurt. I don't always stick to this though, I love certain things too much, i.e pizza.
Also, if my week evens out, it doesn't affect or "sabotage" me. That's ridiculous. Your weight fluctuates so much over a week anyway there would be no point weighing yourself every day, because at the end of the week when you weigh in, your weight is affected by both the day you overate and the other days you underrate to make up for it. If I ate 3000 calories on Monday and ate 500 or less every day ( not healthy obviously but for arguments sake) for the rest of the week, I would still be under my weekly goal and I would have still lost weight. That's the same as thinking eating at any time of day would affect digestion of the food.
I like the idea of the soup bags, in my environment that may actually really work, and someone else mentioned a cooler in my room due to the lack of space, which is also a really good option for me. It will make it easier to preprepare.
As I stated before, waking up early is not an option. I would if I could but the owners of the house are very snooty about any noise, ironically they make a lot themselves, but whatever.
I have a very tiny room that literally only has room for our desk, our bed, a built in robe and me and my partner, so I can't even exercise before work because my gym is pretty far from home and work.
I agree that it doesn't matter what I eat as long as I am at a deficit, whether it is fast food or better stuff, if I am trying to lose weight. I am more disappointed in myself for the fact that I started dieting and calorie deficits to be healthier and lose excess weight, and eat better, and now I just try eat below a deficit regardless of what I eat.
I made a food plan today for the rest of the week, so if anyone wants to see it let me know, but I think between me and my partner and the cooler I bought last night, we should be able to start having pre prepared meals. And then when we move out we wont even have a space or time issue coz we will have our own place.
for my bmr and tdee, a1400 calorie goal is just over a 500 cal deficit. Which I think is about 1poound a week? Which I am happy to do. atm the rate seems to be over the last 2 months, its been about 250g a week so I have only lost 2 kg.
It isn't horrific but it could be better. It is honestly convenience that I eat the way I do.
I barely ever have an appetite or am hungry. I eat at night because my partner makes me and I know I should, and occasionally I will get peckish throughout the day, but not often, I am usually preoccupied. So hunger isn't the reason I overeat, its more I see food I like, like a chocolate pudding lets say, and I will eat it. Even if I am not hungry.
I also don't seem to really know when I am full unless I am completely stuffed. There isn't an in between. it goes ok, ok, ok, ok, ok, stuffed.
I don't know if that's normal, but regardless. I really need to be stricter on eating more nutritious foods.
I do take multivitamins and fibre and iron and vitamin c every day. So my body isn't completely malnourished, but it would help eating better, I know.
I suppose now it is just finding a way to do that for me that I will actually stick to.
Also, I did do intermittent fasting for a while there at the beginning, didn't see much of an effect. Not sure if I didn't give it long enough or it just doesn't work for me, but I was eating only 1200 calories (healthy food too, didn't have this work schedule then) and fasting for about 20 hours, so if anything should have worked, fasting should have, and it didn't. Everyone said they lost about 8kg/ 16ish pds on average after a month of fasting, I lost about a kilo, maybe half. AND I was also exercising too.
I dont see anyone saying this yet. But these are just excuses. If you really really want to lose the weight and be fit you have to motivate yourself and hold yourself accountable. No one is perfect but using food scales will help reduce the portion estimations and making your own food will help tremendously in getting you where you want to go.0 -
For the 1100 calorie day: 90 minutes with 15 lb load - that was actually pushing my 220# husband in a wheelchair for three hours (with some uphill pushing and downhill speed controlling). Since we did stop and sit down a couple times, I only counted 1/2 the time.
I also walked for another 3 hours at a leisurely pace that day. I am using the calorie counts provided by MFP.
Days with the higher exercise numbers are usually walking at work over my lunch break for 20 minutes, plus a very challenging exercise class for 50 minutes (aerobics, general), plus going out for a long walk in the evening. I generally walk at about 3 mph, but I log it as 2..5 mph, in case I am going slower than I think I am, unless I happen to really push it on my walk, then I'll log it at 3 mph.
I am trying to be conservative in my estimates, but that depends on how accurate the MFP calorie counts are for exercise and if I am selecting them appropriately.
Lynn0 -
MFP Calorie burns are thought by many to be on the high side.
Are you taking any medication that could affect your weight loss or have any medical conditions, thyroid diabetes etc?0 -
For the 1100 calorie day: 90 minutes with 15 lb load - that was actually pushing my 220# husband in a wheelchair for three hours (with some uphill pushing and downhill speed controlling). Since we did stop and sit down a couple times, I only counted 1/2 the time.
I also walked for another 3 hours at a leisurely pace that day. I am using the calorie counts provided by MFP.
Days with the higher exercise numbers are usually walking at work over my lunch break for 20 minutes, plus a very challenging exercise class for 50 minutes (aerobics, general), plus going out for a long walk in the evening. I generally walk at about 3 mph, but I log it as 2..5 mph, in case I am going slower than I think I am, unless I happen to really push it on my walk, then I'll log it at 3 mph.
I am trying to be conservative in my estimates, but that depends on how accurate the MFP calorie counts are for exercise and if I am selecting them appropriately.
Lynn
Well lets look at it this way - I do spin classes, which are intense if you've never been to one/seen one, and I only burn about 700 calories from 60 minutes of spin.
I don't do aerobics classes, so I have no way of knowing this, but would you say you work as hard in one? MFP can also grossly overestimate what you burn.0 -
Asthma medications which can cause weight gain. But that is an excuse. People on medications can lose weight too. We just have to take it into consideration. I had a couple really bad days on my diet. I'll have to be sure I don't have any days that bad any more...or at least not as often. Summer holidays and family get-togethers can be rough.
Lynn0 -
Great idea, getting a cooler for your room! Based on how you've described your living situation, it sounds like you're basically dealing with dorm-type conditions. Incredibly frustrating, but also manageable. Anything you can store and prep in your room will make your life easier. You can do things like:
Apples with peanut butter (they also sell individual servings of peanut butter in squeeze packets, which could help you at work too)
A can of tuna, salmon or even chicken, plus chopped celery and onions on crackers/toast or over greens. Some grocery stores sell pre-chopped celery and onions, so that would cut down on the time you have to spend prepping the meal in the kitchen, since that's limited
Those just-add-water cup of soup things
Do they have those shelf-stable tuna-in-a-pouch meals where you live? You could take these to work too, since they could stay in your desk or car or wherever
Those types of convenience foods are a little more expensive, but probably on par with getting takeout.
Could you possibly get an electric kettle for your room? Or even a small coffeemaker (just run it without coffee inside it to get hot water).0 -
In the classes I am taking, I push myself hard. The teachers are very challenging and push us beyond what I can do. I cannot always do as many reps as is being asked, but I work to my maximum ability. She doesn't give us breaks in the class, it is from one thing to the next right away without breaks.
To put it this way...I had a stress test last week and got my heartrate up quite a bit higher than they needed and wasn't working nearly as hard as I do in my exercise classes. :-)
It may not be as vigorous as spin classes are (those look really tough), but I'm not counting it that high, either.
Lynn0 -
Asthma medications which can cause weight gain. But that is an excuse. People on medications can lose weight too. We just have to take it into consideration. I had a couple really bad days on my diet. I'll have to be sure I don't have any days that bad any more...or at least not as often. Summer holidays and family get-togethers can be rough.
Lynn
Yes saying that Asthma medications cause weight gain is an excuse and not exactly true. What they might well do is alter the amount of calories you use during the day meaning that your maintenance calories can be lower than expected.
Until you get a food scale I would either only eat a maximum 50% of your calorie burns or reduce your calorie goal by 100 per day and see what happens over the next 4 weeks0 -
I just checked. I'm logging 486 calories for the 50-min. classes. Does that sound reasonable?
Lynn0 -
#1 please work on finding a better home situation. I think you are stressed and that will cause you to eat more as well. Along with dealing with your miscarriage.0
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I stopped counting anything but a single calorie for my 60 minutes of cross fit...or anything exercise. I feel better recording it, but it gets recorded as a single calorie. Scales don't have to be expensive to weigh food and boy that was a surprise for me on what portion I thought I was eating out of a package.
I have drastically cut the carbs in my life and no alcohol in spite of loving a glass of wine.
Glad to add you if you like.I just checked. I'm logging 486 calories for the 50-min. classes. Does that sound reasonable?
Lynn0 -
I just checked. I'm logging 486 calories for the 50-min. classes. Does that sound reasonable?
Lynn
Yeh that sounds close . . . but everyone burns different too. So you're doing an aerobics class and walking for the time period previously stated every day?0
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