Significantly reduced intake, exercising, not losing weight?

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5picy
5picy Posts: 5 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I reduced my intake from 3000 calories/day (what I was eating while gaining weight quickly) to <1700/day, and started running 4 times a week. But I've not lost any weight, and have stayed the same weight and measurements for a month now. I don't know what I'm doing wrong. I just finished my period, so that's not coming up, and I measure my calories very carefully.

I'm 5' 6" and 133 lbs. (I'm aware this is in the healthy range for most people, but my weight gain was so rapid that it's given me health problems and my GP and cardiologist both advised me to lose weight.) My diary is public, and feedback is welcomed.

Replies

  • _Zardoz_
    _Zardoz_ Posts: 3,987 Member
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    You're eating more than you think. You're logging needs to be tightened up. Just a quick glimpse and you have things measured in cups that need to be weighted. Cups is not an accurate measure of solids as it's a measure of volume. Also there's entries like a Chicken breast, How big was the breast? Was it from your own recipe or just an entry on the database I'm guessing the latter. Have a look at the link below it will explain the best way to get accurate logging. Anyway good luck

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1234699-logging-accurately-step-by-step-guide
  • pigeonhive
    pigeonhive Posts: 1 Member
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    Hi there,
    I took a look at your food diary. Here are some suggestions to possibly help...
    A lot of days you aren't consuming enough calories. If you are doing all that running- perhaps your body is trying to conserve instead of shed. Also, noticed you sometimes have sweets or more "dessertish" food for meals. Maybe bulk up on on vegetables to balance all the bread, cheese and sugar in your day to day?
    Hope you give yourself a thumbs up for starting to exercise and trying to be healthier!
  • DeguelloTex
    DeguelloTex Posts: 6,652 Member
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    Hi there,
    I took a look at your food diary. Here are some suggestions to possibly help...
    A lot of days you aren't consuming enough calories. If you are doing all that running- perhaps your body is trying to conserve instead of shed. Also, noticed you sometimes have sweets or more "dessertish" food for meals. Maybe bulk up on on vegetables to balance all the bread, cheese and sugar in your day to day?
    No.

    Consuming too much, not not enough, is what prevent weight loss. Also, nothing wrong with sweets -- barring a medical problem -- as long as there is a caloric deficit.
  • 3dogsrunning
    3dogsrunning Posts: 27,167 Member
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    First thought is this.
    You're eating more than you think. You're logging needs to be tightened up. Just a quick glimpse and you have things measured in cups that need to be weighted. Cups is not an accurate measure of solids as it's a measure of volume. Also there's entries like a Chicken breast, How big was the breast? Was it from your own recipe or just an entry on the database I'm guessing the latter. Have a look at the link below it will explain the best way to get accurate logging. Anyway good luck

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1234699-logging-accurately-step-by-step-guide

    Second thought - how did you decide on your calorie goal? Are you using MFP or TDEE? I suspect TDEE. You have very little exercise logged, two days in the last week and one was 11 minutes of running. Are you overestimating your activity level?
  • WinoGelato
    WinoGelato Posts: 13,454 Member
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    I reduced my intake from 3000 calories/day (what I was eating while gaining weight quickly) to <1700/day, and started running 4 times a week. But I've not lost any weight, and have stayed the same weight and measurements for a month now. I don't know what I'm doing wrong. I just finished my period, so that's not coming up, and I measure my calories very carefully.

    I'm 5' 6" and 133 lbs. (I'm aware this is in the healthy range for most people, but my weight gain was so rapid that it's given me health problems and my GP and cardiologist both advised me to lose weight.) My diary is public, and feedback is welcomed.

    You referenced a recent rapid weight gain, what was your previous weight and why did you gain? At your height, losing 12 lbs seems like it would be pretty aggressive.
  • 5picy
    5picy Posts: 5 Member
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    I chose 1700 cals/day because MFP suggested 1200 and I thought that was too few. I don't have a food scale, so I've been going by recommended serving sizes -- e.g., 4 oz chicken breast ~ a pack of cards, and so on. Eating sweets shouldn't matter as long as I have a caloric deficit.

    I've not been tracking all my exercise in MFP, since I've been using MapMyRun instead, so it's not all in here.

    My original weight was 115 lbs and I've gained to 133. Losing to ~120 is what my doctor suggested. We don't know why exactly I gained weight -- I'm on a new med that can cause weight gain, but I've switched off it and nothing changed. I was certainly eating way too much originally (around 3000 cals/day) so it was probably just that.
  • 3dogsrunning
    3dogsrunning Posts: 27,167 Member
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    I chose 1700 cals/day because MFP suggested 1200 and I thought that was too few. I don't have a food scale, so I've been going by recommended serving sizes -- e.g., 4 oz chicken breast ~ a pack of cards, and so on. Eating sweets shouldn't matter as long as I have a caloric deficit.

    I've not been tracking all my exercise in MFP, since I've been using MapMyRun instead, so it's not all in here.

    My original weight was 115 lbs and I've gained to 133. Losing to ~120 is what my doctor suggested. We don't know why exactly I gained weight -- I'm on a new med that can cause weight gain, but I've switched off it and nothing changed. I was certainly eating way too much originally (around 3000 cals/day) so it was probably just that.

    1200 is probably too low. I suspect you picked 2 lbs a week. Even 1 lb a week at the point you are is a little aggressive.

    I would strongly suggest getting a food scale. They are pretty cheap at places like Walmart.
    It is likely you are eating more than 1700 so the option is to be more accurate at logging or eat a little less - that does not mean drop to 1200 immediately. Reduce your goal by a little and give it time, like more than 2-3 weeks. Keep adjusting until you see the scale moving.
    I would go with option 1 personally.
  • 3laine75
    3laine75 Posts: 3,070 Member
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    I chose 1700 cals/day because MFP suggested 1200 and I thought that was too few. I don't have a food scale, so I've been going by recommended serving sizes -- e.g., 4 oz chicken breast ~ a pack of cards, and so on. Eating sweets shouldn't matter as long as I have a caloric deficit.

    I've not been tracking all my exercise in MFP, since I've been using MapMyRun instead, so it's not all in here.

    My original weight was 115 lbs and I've gained to 133. Losing to ~120 is what my doctor suggested. We don't know why exactly I gained weight -- I'm on a new med that can cause weight gain, but I've switched off it and nothing changed. I was certainly eating way too much originally (around 3000 cals/day) so it was probably just that.

    Buy a food scale - you're eating more than you think, like others have said.
  • 5picy
    5picy Posts: 5 Member
    Options
    I chose 1700 cals/day because MFP suggested 1200 and I thought that was too few. I don't have a food scale, so I've been going by recommended serving sizes -- e.g., 4 oz chicken breast ~ a pack of cards, and so on. Eating sweets shouldn't matter as long as I have a caloric deficit.

    I've not been tracking all my exercise in MFP, since I've been using MapMyRun instead, so it's not all in here.

    My original weight was 115 lbs and I've gained to 133. Losing to ~120 is what my doctor suggested. We don't know why exactly I gained weight -- I'm on a new med that can cause weight gain, but I've switched off it and nothing changed. I was certainly eating way too much originally (around 3000 cals/day) so it was probably just that.

    1200 is probably too low. I suspect you picked 2 lbs a week. Even 1 lb a week at the point you are is a little aggressive.

    I would strongly suggest getting a food scale. They are pretty cheap at places like Walmart.
    It is likely you are eating more than 1700 so the option is to be more accurate at logging or eat a little less - that does not mean drop to 1200 immediately. Reduce your goal by a little and give it time, like more than 2-3 weeks. Keep adjusting until you see the scale moving.
    I would go with option 1 personally.

    No, I chose 1 lb/week, but put my exercise as "sedentary" since it is. I'll look into a food scale, though, thanks.
  • 3dogsrunning
    3dogsrunning Posts: 27,167 Member
    Options
    I chose 1700 cals/day because MFP suggested 1200 and I thought that was too few. I don't have a food scale, so I've been going by recommended serving sizes -- e.g., 4 oz chicken breast ~ a pack of cards, and so on. Eating sweets shouldn't matter as long as I have a caloric deficit.

    I've not been tracking all my exercise in MFP, since I've been using MapMyRun instead, so it's not all in here.

    My original weight was 115 lbs and I've gained to 133. Losing to ~120 is what my doctor suggested. We don't know why exactly I gained weight -- I'm on a new med that can cause weight gain, but I've switched off it and nothing changed. I was certainly eating way too much originally (around 3000 cals/day) so it was probably just that.

    1200 is probably too low. I suspect you picked 2 lbs a week. Even 1 lb a week at the point you are is a little aggressive.

    I would strongly suggest getting a food scale. They are pretty cheap at places like Walmart.
    It is likely you are eating more than 1700 so the option is to be more accurate at logging or eat a little less - that does not mean drop to 1200 immediately. Reduce your goal by a little and give it time, like more than 2-3 weeks. Keep adjusting until you see the scale moving.
    I would go with option 1 personally.

    No, I chose 1 lb/week, but put my exercise as "sedentary" since it is. I'll look into a food scale, though, thanks.

    Yeah, even that is a little high but it would have went up with exercise.

    I don't think 1700 is unreasonable for your activity, age, size, etc. It's just a matter of accuracy.
  • 5picy
    5picy Posts: 5 Member
    Options
    I chose 1700 cals/day because MFP suggested 1200 and I thought that was too few. I don't have a food scale, so I've been going by recommended serving sizes -- e.g., 4 oz chicken breast ~ a pack of cards, and so on. Eating sweets shouldn't matter as long as I have a caloric deficit.

    I've not been tracking all my exercise in MFP, since I've been using MapMyRun instead, so it's not all in here.

    My original weight was 115 lbs and I've gained to 133. Losing to ~120 is what my doctor suggested. We don't know why exactly I gained weight -- I'm on a new med that can cause weight gain, but I've switched off it and nothing changed. I was certainly eating way too much originally (around 3000 cals/day) so it was probably just that.

    1200 is probably too low. I suspect you picked 2 lbs a week. Even 1 lb a week at the point you are is a little aggressive.

    I would strongly suggest getting a food scale. They are pretty cheap at places like Walmart.
    It is likely you are eating more than 1700 so the option is to be more accurate at logging or eat a little less - that does not mean drop to 1200 immediately. Reduce your goal by a little and give it time, like more than 2-3 weeks. Keep adjusting until you see the scale moving.
    I would go with option 1 personally.

    No, I chose 1 lb/week, but put my exercise as "sedentary" since it is. I'll look into a food scale, though, thanks.

    Yeah, even that is a little high but it would have went up with exercise.

    I don't think 1700 is unreasonable for your activity, age, size, etc. It's just a matter of accuracy.

    Hear, hear. I'll buy a food scale this week and adjust my expectations re: speed of weight loss. Thanks so much for the help!
  • anielaz
    anielaz Posts: 2 Member
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    Hi guys, sorry to jump on the bandwagon but I'm also suffering from the same thing - exercising loads but not seeming to shift any weight. I know I have a cheat day here and there but surely I should be losing? I would be very grateful if anyone was able to have a look at my food diary for me and to give me some feedback / necessary kick up the a*s!!

    Many thanks

    Aniela
  • SherryTeach
    SherryTeach Posts: 2,836 Member
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    Hi guys, sorry to jump on the bandwagon but I'm also suffering from the same thing - exercising loads but not seeming to shift any weight. I know I have a cheat day here and there but surely I should be losing? I would be very grateful if anyone was able to have a look at my food diary for me and to give me some feedback / necessary kick up the a*s!!

    Many thanks

    Aniela

    Your diary is closed.
  • WBB55
    WBB55 Posts: 4,131 Member
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    Hi guys, sorry to jump on the bandwagon but I'm also suffering from the same thing - exercising loads but not seeming to shift any weight. I know I have a cheat day here and there but surely I should be losing? I would be very grateful if anyone was able to have a look at my food diary for me and to give me some feedback / necessary kick up the a*s!!

    Many thanks

    Aniela

    Open up your diary if you want more targeted advice. But the first step is log accurately everything you eat. Including whatever you eat on your cheat days. And if your cheat day is over your TDEE, then that can definitely make your weightloss less than linear, with a lot of unpredictableness in the ups and downs. But overall, you just need to make sure you're eating at a sensible deficit for your body and goals.
  • anielaz
    anielaz Posts: 2 Member
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    D'oh! Sorry folks. All done - feel free to take a look now!
  • KettyLoyd
    KettyLoyd Posts: 51
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    You have to maintain the intake of food and your exercise schedule. You are loosing less calorie and eating more. In this situation it is not possible to loose weight.

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