Cant lose weight....I need help

I have been logging my food and trying never going over 1800 calories but mostly between 1200-1400. I have been hiking about 4 to 5 days a week with Saturday hiking for 3 hours very steep hills. I have a Fitbit and everything is recorded. My problem is that I have been doing this for over 30 days and not losing any weight at all. I have also been doing yoga 2x a week and I am about doing this because it is a waste of time. Nothing is changing, not inches, clothes are fitting the same so why bother.

I try to keep my sodium low and probably were my problem is the sugar, but thats hard on the weekend. Today I had a piece of Black Velvet Cake after my 3 hr workout, but it is within my calories. If I am working out so much wouldn't the sugar balance out?

I am 5'7 and weigh 180 lbs. I want to get down to 150 and my Fitbit continues to remind me that I need to lose 30 lbs every day.

Replies

  • malissa41
    malissa41 Posts: 8 Member
    wish I could help seems like you are doing good don't know what the problem is. I have a fitbit also. add me if u like
  • mlima14
    mlima14 Posts: 112 Member
    Not everyone is the same as to the sugar consumption. Try weighing everything! What if that red velvet cake has way more calories than you thought? I do know that one can sabotage all the hard work one had done during the week on the weekend. I used to have an MFP friend that could gain 3 - 6 lb on the weekend alone, even when he busted his but all week. He would sabotage himself constantly on the weekend. See if you can control your intakes on the weekend and you'll probably see the difference. Best of luck!:smile:
  • loveless_me
    loveless_me Posts: 115 Member
    Maybe your not eating at a deficit? Try reducing your calorie intake by calories a week and see if it makes any difference. Or maybe you are eating too much carbs. eating too much sugar might be a problem too. and make sure to watch the sodium. I had the same problem as you, so I adjusted my diet and I started loosing :)
    Good luck
  • littlefoot612
    littlefoot612 Posts: 156 Member
    You've lost 10lbs, that's about 2lbs per week over 30 days. That's something to celebrate. I am up to 21lbs and just now beginning to feel a difference in clothes and my husband has said he's starting to see it in my face. I have heard many people say that it's around the 20lb mark that they begin to notice some changes in their bodies. Looks like you're on the right track. keep going.
  • heybebe88
    heybebe88 Posts: 26 Member
    Have you thought about mixing it up or adding strength training to your routine? Your body might be getting used to your daily hiking routine and saying "eh, this is normal, don't need to burn extra calories to do this!" Adding strength training may also help to build muscle mass - and muscle burns more calories than fat.
  • _HeartsOnFire_
    _HeartsOnFire_ Posts: 5,304 Member
    Not everyone is the same as to the sugar consumption. Try weighing everything! What if that red velvet cake has way more calories than you thought? I do know that one can sabotage all the hard work one had done during the week on the weekend. I used to have an MFP friend that could gain 3 - 6 lb on the weekend alone, even when he busted his but all week. He would sabotage himself constantly on the weekend. See if you can control your intakes on the weekend and you'll probably see the difference. Best of luck!:smile:

    I agree with weighing your food. Your body can actually fluctuate +/- 5 lbs a day. Those 3-6# were probably just water, not really sabotage. He'd have to eat 10,500-21,000 calories over maintenance to actually gain 3-6 over the weekend.

    Read these:
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1346163-change-your-mindset

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1235566-so-you-re-new-here?hl=so+you're+new+here

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

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1217573-so-you-want-to-start-running

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/974888-in-place-of-a-road-map-2k13

    TL:DR the link right above this one then ->http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/975025-in-place-of-a-road-map-short-n-sweet

    Excuses??? http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2014/06/02/the-no-excuses-play-like-a-champion-challenge/

    If you have 75+ lbs to lose 2 lbs/week is ideal
    If you have 40-75 lbs to lose 1.5 lbs/week is ideal
    If you have 25-40 lbs to lose 1 lbs/week is ideal
    If you have 15 -25 lbs to lose 0.5 to 1.0 lbs/week is ideal
    If you have less than 15 lbs to lose 0.5 lbs/week is ideal
  • PikaKnight
    PikaKnight Posts: 34,971 Member
    How long have you not been losing?

    Are you using a food scale to weigh your food?
  • GetSoda
    GetSoda Posts: 1,267 Member
    Underestimating calories eaten
    overestimating calories burned
    common problem.
  • FatFreeFrolicking
    FatFreeFrolicking Posts: 4,252 Member
    I have been logging my food and trying never going over 1800 calories but mostly between 1200-1400. I have been hiking about 4 to 5 days a week with Saturday hiking for 3 hours very steep hills. I have a Fitbit and everything is recorded. My problem is that I have been doing this for over 30 days and not losing any weight at all. I have also been doing yoga 2x a week and I am about doing this because it is a waste of time. Nothing is changing, not inches, clothes are fitting the same so why bother.

    I try to keep my sodium low and probably were my problem is the sugar, but thats hard on the weekend. Today I had a piece of Black Velvet Cake after my 3 hr workout, but it is within my calories. If I am working out so much wouldn't the sugar balance out?

    I am 5'7 and weigh 180 lbs. I want to get down to 150 and my Fitbit continues to remind me that I need to lose 30 lbs every day.

    Do you use a food scale? If not, you are most likely underestimating caloric intake.

    It seems like you are doing a lot of exercise and eating very few calories to fuel your workouts. This could also be a major problem in why you aren't losing weight.
  • FireStorm1972
    FireStorm1972 Posts: 1,142 Member
    Possible Plateau situation. I've plateau'd before due to my low constant daily calorie intake. What I try and do is eat more than my normal daily calories for a few days then back to my normal daily calories. It's called calorie cycling. People suggest this to I guess the term is "boost" your metabolism back into gear.
  • Slim140
    Slim140 Posts: 66 Member
    Thank you all for your replies. I have lost those 10 lbs over a long period of time. Last year I lost 20 lbs due to a family illness when I stopped eating as I was too sad, but then I gained 10 lbs. so left with 10 lbs. I do weigh everything I eat and most everything I buy is from this particular store that MFP has in its database, Fresh and Easy & Whole Foods. The velvet cake was measured exactly on MFP. I haven't lost anything this month, and last month I managed to 2 lbs then gained them on my birthday.

    I have no motivation to cut back on sugar...its not that I eat a lot of it, but its in my greek yogurt, bananas, apples. I would have to stop eating fruits and give up my little indulgences and its very hard. Its frustrating.
  • HestiaMoon1
    HestiaMoon1 Posts: 278 Member
    I'm not an expert by any means, but since I'm in kind of the same boat I'll tell you what I've been told.

    Measure your belly - not waist, belly - it's below your natural waist. See if that is going down, even slightly. If it is going down in measurement but your weight number isn't, that's OK because it means you are losing actual fat, not just water.
    If you calculated your BMR (resting metabolism, the smallest amount of calories your body needs to survive) using one of those online calculators it could be wrong. There is a test your doctor can do, it's a blowing test, and it will calculate your real BMR. I thought mine was 1576, it was really 800. Eight. Hundred.
    So, my choices were eat only 800 calories or .... eat at most 1200 and exercise off at least 400 each day -- and - this important - DON'T eat them back. You just worked your butt off doing exercise, reward yourself by fully burning those extra calories, not with cake. You can have cake to celebrate your reaching your goal weight.
    You must actually weigh and measure your food. And then don't use the lowest calorie count MFP comes up with for that food -- we all do it ;) - if it says 140 on one and 150 on another, go with the 150. Then walk more steps. Even standing in place. Up and down in front of the TV. It all counts. And chances are very good your are underestimating your food. We all do it. Sadly it adds up ... 10 here, 20 there, 70 there ... boom that's an extra 100 calories and those add up day to day.
    So, number one, go to a clinic that does the breath metabolism test and find out for real your base number of calories.
    2. Don't eat back those bonus calories you just worked off. You deserve their full value - take it!
    3. Food scales, measuring cups, and measuring spoons are your friends. Don't hate on 'em.
    4. That Fitbit is your friend, too. I've named mine Jillian. As in Jillian Michaels. Who is brave enough to say "No, I won't do anymore" to Jillian? I know I'm not!
    Good luck. Don't get discouraged. It will get better.
  • Slim140
    Slim140 Posts: 66 Member
    Malissa41 I don't know how to add friends on Fitbit. I'll add you as friend on MFP and take it from there. I don't have any friends on FITBIT and don't know how to work that, but it would be fun to do it with friends.
  • sodakat
    sodakat Posts: 1,126 Member
    I looked at your personal info and your diary. My guess is you are just eating too much, too many days a week. It could be that your body does not burn as many calories as you are eating. When you set a calorie goal of 1350, then go over that by 600 calories several days a week and 300 on other days, you likely won't lose.

    I'm older than you, much shorter than you and about 10 pounds heavier right now, but I have been losing at a steady pace.

    Do you manage to achieve your Fitbit mileage goal most days? That is one of the things to aim for, IMO, much more than the step goal.

    Try eating exactly at your MFP calorie goal every single day for a few weeks along with moving a bit more and I'll bet you will lose.
  • Don't allow your excuses and negative thoughts to dictate who you are or tell you what you're capable of..... The best form of success is taking what you once thought was impossible and making it possible. Change your ATTITUDE - BELIEVE that you can - and CREATE the life that you know you DESERVE ????
  • Slim140
    Slim140 Posts: 66 Member
    Wow...Rockyroad..that is empowering..thank you!