A slump?

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perm_dogg
perm_dogg Posts: 22
in Health and Weight Loss
Okay good people of the fitnesspal. I'm confused. I've been going hard at this thing for some time now. I returned from Mexico in May at 217 pounds. I'm down to 204. That's not terrible, but at the rate I've been following this app, I should be under 200 by now. I literally eat fruits and vegetables and protein, I walk and/ or run everyday during my lunch break for a minimum of 30 minutes. I work out every other night or so and I stay active all afternoon after work. Yes, I do have a desk job, but I use a pedometer and even at work I average 2,000 steps a day. I wouldn't say I train at high intensity cardio levels, but I do get cardio. I would go at it harder if my shins weren't killing me every time I get done running. My calorie intake is 100% of the time under my limit according to the app and my goal. What am I missing here? For supplements, I take fish oil, men's one a day, potassium, and recently have been using Metamucil. (although I don't know if it's doing me any good) I gotta break 200 before I can focus on 184. Any ideas?

Replies

  • vismal
    vismal Posts: 2,463 Member
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    If you would open up your diary we'll be much much more likely to be able to help you :)
  • Branstin
    Branstin Posts: 2,320 Member
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    How long has it been since you last lose weight?
  • Kalikel
    Kalikel Posts: 9,626 Member
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    Swim. It won't hurt your leg, gives you cardio as well as resistance and nothing burns fat like swimming. Nothing. (You have to swim, though, not just be in a pool, lol.)
  • perm_dogg
    perm_dogg Posts: 22
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    Okay. I didn't even realize it was on Private. Should be god to go now.
  • perm_dogg
    perm_dogg Posts: 22
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    I know it! And what's worse. I have a large swimming pool in my back yard! ha ha
  • perm_dogg
    perm_dogg Posts: 22
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    I've been teeter totting between 202 and 204 for a couple weeks now.
  • nutmegoreo
    nutmegoreo Posts: 15,532 Member
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    Do you have a food scale? The thing that stands out most to me as a likely source of inaccuracy is the use of measuring cups to enter food. For example a medium banana can have varying weights. This will lead to inaccuracies in logging and create hundreds of calories difference and can help wipe out your calorie deficit. Another thing which could cause problems is using the MFP estimated calorie burns. MFP and most gym equipment tend to overestimate calorie burns. Most people only eat back 50-75% of what they are given for calories.

    Those are my two thoughts. Hope that is helpful.
  • kittyr77
    kittyr77 Posts: 419 Member
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    I honestly think that's a perfectly good, healthy amount of weight loss in that time frame.
    you've done well to lose that much, keep going!
    sorry Im not much help...
  • nxd10
    nxd10 Posts: 4,570 Member
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    That's not bad - you're almost a pound a week, which you should be. Weight comes off in fits and starts. I find this especially so in the summer, when I hold a lot water. Keep going. Sounds like you're doing everything right.
  • williams969
    williams969 Posts: 2,528 Member
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    I peeked at your exercise diary. I see several days that you log 460 calories burned "sat at desk." That's double dipping, meaning your base level of calorie intake is based on your activity level. Sitting at a desk does not burn an additional amount of calories, KWIM? That's wiping out your deficit right there. Stop logging that as exercise, and definitely don't eat those calories back. MFP works at its best when the exercise you log is "purposeful, planned" exercise.

    That should help immensely. And a food scale, if you don't already weigh (I always say that first thing to people I meet, lol).

    ETA: Oh, and the first 3,000-5,000 steps of the day are typically included in "sedentary" lifestyle. So, only steps beyond that can be logged as exercise. Nitpicky--yeah. But, it's the littlest of details that we often overlook that can bite us in the rear in the long run.
  • AtmaKing
    AtmaKing Posts: 145 Member
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    I peeked at your exercise diary. I see several days that you log 460 calories burned "sat at desk." That's double dipping, meaning your base level of calorie intake is based on your activity level. Sitting at a desk does not burn an additional amount of calories, KWIM? That's wiping out your deficit right there. Stop logging that as exercise, and definitely don't eat those calories back. MFP works at its best when the exercise you log is "purposeful, planned" exercise.

    That should help immensely. And a food scale, if you don't already weigh (I always say that first thing to people I meet, lol).

    Get a calorie goal from your activity levels and weight loss goals. Eat that. If you work out more do extra, its called gravy. Extra calories burned while trying to lose the weight. Good luck.
  • perm_dogg
    perm_dogg Posts: 22
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    I peeked at your exercise diary. I see several days that you log 460 calories burned "sat at desk." That's double dipping, meaning your base level of calorie intake is based on your activity level. Sitting at a desk does not burn an additional amount of calories, KWIM? That's wiping out your deficit right there. Stop logging that as exercise, and definitely don't eat those calories back. MFP works at its best when the exercise you log is "purposeful, planned" exercise.

    That should help immensely. And a food scale, if you don't already weigh (I always say that first thing to people I meet, lol).

    ETA: Oh, and the first 3,000-5,000 steps of the day are typically included in "sedentary" lifestyle. So, only steps beyond that can be logged as exercise. Nitpicky--yeah. But, it's the littlest of details that we often overlook that can bite us in the rear in the long run.

    Not sure what KWIM is? However, I completely questioned that too. Then I did about a thousand google searches and they all say you burn calories at a desk. The amount varies, of course, but unless every single article and calculator I looked at was a mile off, I have a hard time believing I'm burning nothing sitting here. If that were true, I'd be 300 lbs by now. On the other hand, I don't care what the app tells me or what's right and wrong, as long as I succeed. So, if it takes not logging 8 hours out of my day, so be it. I will make up for lost activity. Thank you.
  • jkal1979
    jkal1979 Posts: 1,896 Member
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    I peeked at your exercise diary. I see several days that you log 460 calories burned "sat at desk." That's double dipping, meaning your base level of calorie intake is based on your activity level. Sitting at a desk does not burn an additional amount of calories, KWIM? That's wiping out your deficit right there. Stop logging that as exercise, and definitely don't eat those calories back. MFP works at its best when the exercise you log is "purposeful, planned" exercise.

    That should help immensely. And a food scale, if you don't already weigh (I always say that first thing to people I meet, lol).

    ETA: Oh, and the first 3,000-5,000 steps of the day are typically included in "sedentary" lifestyle. So, only steps beyond that can be logged as exercise. Nitpicky--yeah. But, it's the littlest of details that we often overlook that can bite us in the rear in the long run.

    Not sure what KWIM is? However, I completely questioned that too. Then I did about a thousand google searches and they all say you burn calories at a desk. The amount varies, of course, but unless every single article and calculator I looked at was a mile off, I have a hard time believing I'm burning nothing sitting here. If that were true, I'd be 300 lbs by now. On the other hand, I don't care what the app tells me or what's right and wrong, as long as I succeed. So, if it takes not logging 8 hours out of my day, so be it. I will make up for lost activity. Thank you.

    KWIM = Know What I Mean

    Your body is burning calories 24/7 and the calories burned while sitting at your desk are already factored into the calorie goal that MFP has set for you with the activity level that you chose. The same with the steps you are taking. That is why you shouldn't be adding those in. What makes it worse is that you are eating those calories back and it is decreasing the deficit needed to lose weight.
  • Dnarules
    Dnarules Posts: 2,081 Member
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    I peeked at your exercise diary. I see several days that you log 460 calories burned "sat at desk." That's double dipping, meaning your base level of calorie intake is based on your activity level. Sitting at a desk does not burn an additional amount of calories, KWIM? That's wiping out your deficit right there. Stop logging that as exercise, and definitely don't eat those calories back. MFP works at its best when the exercise you log is "purposeful, planned" exercise.

    That should help immensely. And a food scale, if you don't already weigh (I always say that first thing to people I meet, lol).

    ETA: Oh, and the first 3,000-5,000 steps of the day are typically included in "sedentary" lifestyle. So, only steps beyond that can be logged as exercise. Nitpicky--yeah. But, it's the littlest of details that we often overlook that can bite us in the rear in the long run.

    Not sure what KWIM is? However, I completely questioned that too. Then I did about a thousand google searches and they all say you burn calories at a desk. The amount varies, of course, but unless every single article and calculator I looked at was a mile off, I have a hard time believing I'm burning nothing sitting here. If that were true, I'd be 300 lbs by now. On the other hand, I don't care what the app tells me or what's right and wrong, as long as I succeed. So, if it takes not logging 8 hours out of my day, so be it. I will make up for lost activity. Thank you.

    Yes, you burn calories by sitting at a desk, but MFP has already taken those calories into consideration when it calculates you calorie goal. By logging it, you are double dipping, meaning you are counting these calories twice. MFP already takes daily activity into account. You should only log actual exercise.
  • perm_dogg
    perm_dogg Posts: 22
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    Ohhhhh. I see now. Cool. I'm glad someone told me that. No wonder!! Thanks folks. Still think I've been doing it rigfht and I do not believe for one second i am missing on portion amounts. I always highball myself so I think I have to eat less. And I don't log every move i make after work. Reasons being, there is no "common" exercises like what i do day to day. For instance. I may spend 4 hours chainsawing splitting and chucking/hauling fire wood. I might be on my hands and knees spreading mulch and doing landscaping for 4 hours straight like i did tonight. Don't tell me I didn't burn calories doing that!! ha ha.
  • Ilikelamps
    Ilikelamps Posts: 482 Member
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    Swim. It won't hurt your leg, gives you cardio as well as resistance and nothing burns fat like swimming. Nothing. (You have to swim, though, not just be in a pool, lol.)

    and you cant just take off your pants while youre drunk, hop in the lake and flop around and call it swimming..

    you gotta wear goggles and a speedo
  • SherryTeach
    SherryTeach Posts: 2,836 Member
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    Red flag: eyeballing food amounts.
  • thavoice
    thavoice Posts: 1,326 Member
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    you need a slumpbuster. lots of them on there.
  • perm_dogg
    perm_dogg Posts: 22
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    slump buster? lots of what on where?

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