Just started dieting and exercising and no weight loss

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  • redredy9
    redredy9 Posts: 706 Member
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    I am a 23 year old male. I am 6 ft tall and I weigh 237 lbs. I just started dieting and exercising in an effort to lose 50 lbs. I do 30 min of cardio everyday and I use a heart rate monitor to make sure I am in my target heart rate zone. I also do strength training at my local gym 3 times a week. As for my diet I do not count calories because I have tried that before and that failed. I do know however that I am getting somewhere between 1500-2000 calories per day. I do eat egg whites, vegetables, brown rice, boneless chicken, turkey sandwiches with whole wheat bread and fruit. Am I doing anything wrong that would cause me not to see any results my first week? Is it too early to be worried?

    If you are 6 feet and 237# 1500-2000 is probably not a reasonable goal for you. I am 5'5' and #173 and my base metabolic rate is 1700 so I need to net at least that just to properly function. With your height and weight you probably need to make sure you are netting at least 1800-2000. Also its only been a week.. Keep up the good work and be patient.
  • Chevy_Quest
    Chevy_Quest Posts: 2,012 Member
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    @lelyke

    OK... so we both need to lose 50 lbs - I am going to count calories and weigh everything.

    If you beat me to losing 50 lbs... then I will eat some serious crow! :smile:

    All I am saying is that you have to start somewhere and get some data!:drinker:
    Why is this forum filled with so many agnostics? Because it doesn't work for you doesn't mean it won't work for someone else. Not everyone has the time, patience or resolve to count every single calorie in what he eats. Calorie counting is never even 100% accurate. Do you think a serving of almonds accurately has 140 cals just because it is written at the back? Truth is you are either going above or below and you don't even know it. I've estimated for the past one month and I've lost 16 pounds. I don't know about you but it is sure as hell working for me.
  • sevsmom
    sevsmom Posts: 1,172 Member
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    Took me 6 weeks to see the scale move in a positive direction. I'm sure, if you are eating at a deficit, you'll see progress eventually. You've got to be in this for the long haul. Lifestyle makeover, not just "dieting" and exercising until the weight is gone!
  • Ninkyou
    Ninkyou Posts: 6,666 Member
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    Why is this forum filled with so many agnostics? Because it doesn't work for you doesn't mean it won't work for someone else. Not everyone has the time, patience or resolve to count every single calorie in what he eats. Calorie counting is never even 100% accurate. Do you think a serving of almonds accurately has 140 cals just because it is written at the back? Truth is you are either going above or below and you don't even know it. I've estimated for the past one month and I've lost 16 pounds. I don't know about you but it is sure as hell working for me.

    OP clearly stated he is estimating his calorie intake and NOT losing weight though. So estimating is clearly not working for him... I'm not sure what your point is? So estimating is working for you, good for you. But it's not working out so well for the OP... so what would you have him do?
  • Icandoityayme
    Icandoityayme Posts: 312 Member
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    You need to burn more calories than you eat in order to lose weight. If you don't keep track of your calories and how much you have burned it will be hard to figure out what you need to be doing. I for instance, eat whatever looks good to eat. I just don't go over my calorie goal and I walk every day. I don't replace what I burned off myself because it didn't seem to be working for me. It's been almost 3 weeks of being on MFP and I am down 7 lbs now. I have only cut back on my portions and modify a few things by replacing one bad thing with a good thing.
  • JackieO524
    JackieO524 Posts: 25 Member
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    If you don't count your calories you cannot possibly know how much you're eating.

    agree totally
  • lelyke
    lelyke Posts: 47
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    @Chevy_smart you're on. Just added you, we'll see if slow and steady actually wins the race. P.S. I actually have 45 left. :wink:
    @MrM27 I said agnostic but you know what they say, if the shoe fits then lace that b**** up. :wink: :wink:
  • acorsaut89
    acorsaut89 Posts: 1,147 Member
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    Why is this forum filled with so many agnostics? Because it doesn't work for you doesn't mean it won't work for someone else. Not everyone has the time, patience or resolve to count every single calorie in what he eats. Calorie counting is never even 100% accurate. Do you think a serving of almonds accurately has 140 cals just because it is written at the back? Truth is you are either going above or below and you don't even know it. I've estimated for the past one month and I've lost 16 pounds. I don't know about you but it is sure as hell working for me.

    Don't be mad at the results you don't get from the work you don't do - period!

    It seems unfair, I know, it didn't take this much effort to put on the extra weight so why do overweight people have to work twice as hard to lose it? It's really a commitment to being healthy and about a lifestyle change.

    If "estimating" has worked my thoughts are that you started with a lot to lose and therefore by being mindful you dropped weight because of the shock to your body. I work 50 - 60+ hours/week, gym 6 days a week, have a SO I am committed to plus friends and family . . . . I am busy but I find the time to meal prep and plan because it's either be lazy now or regret that I had McDonalds three days from now . . . it's my choice. It takes time to get used to - the weight didn't go on overnight and it won't come off over night.

    If you can estimate your way to weight loss, good for you, but for the majority of us it simply just doesn't not work that way - calories in < calories out, and I know I can't guess that number.
  • JackieO524
    JackieO524 Posts: 25 Member
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    Why is this forum filled with so many agnostics? Because it doesn't work for you doesn't mean it won't work for someone else. Not everyone has the time, patience or resolve to count every single calorie in what he eats. Calorie counting is never even 100% accurate. Do you think a serving of almonds accurately has 140 cals just because it is written at the back? Truth is you are either going above or below and you don't even know it. I've estimated for the past one month and I've lost 16 pounds. I don't know about you but it is sure as hell working for me.

    agnostics - you do know what that means right? as I have not found many agnostics myself :ohwell:
  • lelyke
    lelyke Posts: 47
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    @Ninkyou My post was in response to some posters not to OP but to answer your question clearly OP just started, I think it might be a little too early to say what works and what doesn't. @JackieO524 I know exactly what it means, there are several dictionary connotations.
  • bidimus
    bidimus Posts: 95 Member
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    Definitely log your food. The calories are really just a guideline but an effective one. About the only way I could see you "winging it" would be if your calorie burn was excessive enough to compensate for any fluctuation in your eating habits. Even then the only way to know you're at that level would be seeing the results without any sort of real tracking.

    Personally I've found it takes about two weeks before I see any impact from any fitness changes I make. But once it starts the results are pretty noticeable and immediate after that. That's one more reason to log your food and exercise. You know you need a calorie deficit to see the results you're looking for. If it takes a couple weeks before the scale backs that up you'll need the numbers just to know your formula is right.
  • ThineOwnselfBTrue
    ThineOwnselfBTrue Posts: 49 Member
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    As many have said..count calories/track. Estimating is not good. Try at the beginning of each week portioning out your food, so it's more of a grab and go. It's taken me 14 months to lose 70lbs. I was hoping for faster, but I can't get more out of what I don't put in. I didn't log faithfully, I didn't workout faithfully and I did eat my 'trigger' foods (chips, chocolate) which puts me into I-must-eat-it-all mode.
    You have access to a computer..you're on this site. You have the desire to do something. You asked for advice. Now it's up to you on what you are willing to put into it to get what you want. MFP has a lot of tools at your disposal. Google is quite helpful as well.
    Good luck.
  • bidimus
    bidimus Posts: 95 Member
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    One last note. I don't count every peanut or weight my cereal in the morning. An honest ballpark figure works well for me. I frequently pick a food item that's close to what I'm looking at and using that number. I ate a corn dog yesterday and had no idea what brand it was. Looked at a couple entries for comparison and picked one that felt comparable to what I ate. Was the calorie count right? Probably not. Close enough? Yup and the scale seems to have agreed with my decision. Logging doesn't have to be a chore but it's definitely a valuable tool and worth the time.
  • Chevy_Quest
    Chevy_Quest Posts: 2,012 Member
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    @leylke- Let the games begin - just got your friend req! :drinker:
    @Chevy_smart you're on. Just added you, we'll see if slow and steady actually wins the race. P.S. I actually have 45 left. :wink:
    @MrM27 I said agnostic but you know what they say, if the shoe fits then lace that b**** up. :wink: :wink:
  • Chevy_Quest
    Chevy_Quest Posts: 2,012 Member
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    One last note. I don't count every peanut or weight my cereal in the morning. An honest ballpark figure works well for me. I frequently pick a food item that's close to what I'm looking at and using that number. I ate a corn dog yesterday and had no idea what brand it was. Looked at a couple entries for comparison and picked one that felt comparable to what I ate. Was the calorie count right? Probably not. Close enough? Yup and the scale seems to have agreed with my decision. Logging doesn't have to be a chore but it's definitely a valuable tool and worth the time.

    ^^^^ this - Right on!
  • amr122393
    amr122393 Posts: 17 Member
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    I do the same thing. I don't have a lot of weight to lose but I find that if I am diligent recording everything I eat, if the calorie #s aren't 100% accurate it will be close enough that I can still get a good deficit going and get that scale moving too :)
  • bidimus
    bidimus Posts: 95 Member
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    I do the same thing. I don't have a lot of weight to lose but I find that if I am diligent recording everything I eat, if the calorie #s aren't 100% accurate it will be close enough that I can still get a good deficit going and get that scale moving too :)

    Another point of this strategy (or lack thereof) is when you make the logging easier, you're more likely to stick with it too.

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