Super obese, why isn't the weight falling off me?

I've been at this for 7 weeks and have lost 8 lbs which is about a lb a week. For someone my size, I should be losing more. I track everything on paper which is why my diary isn't open. I think I am going to switch and try to log on this site. I started using paper so I could show it to my dr and just got in the habit of writing everything down. I can assure you though, I am sticking to my 1800 calorie limit, measuring EVERYTHING and don't have any food logging issues.

I really think the problem is my metabolism. I work from home and do no exercise and this has been going on for a few years. I recently got a Fitbit and it turns out I only walk about 300 steps a day on average. My daily calorie burn has got to be much less than the BMR calculation so it's possible even at my weight I'm not even burning 1800 calories a day.

I am going to start walking a bit and hopefully it won't cause me excruciating pain and maybe lower my calories a little to see if that makes a difference.

8 lbs is still great! Don't cut yourself short!!

Definitely start using this site to log your food. It's easier than writing everything down on paper. You can print off your daily food logs and bring them to show your doctor (That's what I do).

Since you do not exercise and are very, very sedentary, I do think it wouldn't hurt to cut back your calories to 1600. Remember, the kind of carbs you eat are going to make or break your weight loss because you are pre-diabetic. Make sure you are eating the right carbs (complex).

If you are in that much pain when you walk, skip it for now and focus on the diet aspect. Diet is 80% of weight loss anyways. The exercise can wait until you have lost a significant amount of weight. It will be easier for you to move around once you are down 100-150 lbs.

I've been at this for 7 weeks and have lost 8 lbs which is about a lb a week. For someone my size, I should be losing more. I track everything on paper which is why my diary isn't open. I think I am going to switch and try to log on this site. I started using paper so I could show it to my dr and just got in the habit of writing everything down. I can assure you though, I am sticking to my 1800 calorie limit, measuring EVERYTHING and don't have any food logging issues.

I really think the problem is my metabolism. I work from home and do no exercise and this has been going on for a few years. I recently got a Fitbit and it turns out I only walk about 300 steps a day on average. My daily calorie burn has got to be much less than the BMR calculation so it's possible even at my weight I'm not even burning 1800 calories a day.

I am going to start walking a bit and hopefully it won't cause me excruciating pain and maybe lower my calories a little to see if that makes a difference.

At least the scale is going down--that is progress!

I bolded the above part, however, because pretty much everyone who is not seeing the results they want say the same thing. You're eating less than you burn, which is terrific, but some inaccuracies in logging could be the difference between 1lb per week or 2lbs per week. Logging your food on here using a food scale and the MFP database instead of on paper will be a huge improvement. Then, after a few more weeks if you still are not getting the results you want, you can open your diary so the MFP community can better advise you.

I've been at this for 7 weeks and have lost 8 lbs which is about a lb a week. For someone my size, I should be losing more. I track everything on paper which is why my diary isn't open. I think I am going to switch and try to log on this site. I started using paper so I could show it to my dr and just got in the habit of writing everything down. I can assure you though, I am sticking to my 1800 calorie limit, measuring EVERYTHING and don't have any food logging issues.

I really think the problem is my metabolism. I work from home and do no exercise and this has been going on for a few years. I recently got a Fitbit and it turns out I only walk about 300 steps a day on average. My daily calorie burn has got to be much less than the BMR calculation so it's possible even at my weight I'm not even burning 1800 calories a day.

I am going to start walking a bit and hopefully it won't cause me excruciating pain and maybe lower my calories a little to see if that makes a difference.

At least the scale is going down--that is progress!

I bolded the above part, however, because pretty much everyone who is not seeing the results they want say the same thing. You're eating less than you burn, which is terrific, but some inaccuracies in logging could be the difference between 1lb per week or 2lbs per week. Logging your food on here using a food scale and the MFP database instead of on paper will be a huge improvement. Then, after a few more weeks if you still are not getting the results you want, you can open your diary so the MFP community can better advise you.

OP takes about 300 steps a day. She is not burning more than she is consuming.

? That is not what my post says at all. She could be eating more than she thinks she is if she is not accurately logging her food using the MFP database, hence her "slower" weight loss.

OP takes about 300 steps a day. She is not burning more than she is consuming.

Well, she is, if she is losing 1 lb a week. But 300 steps a day is what concerns me the most, OP. Bring your Fitbit logs to your doc and see if you qualify for any water based PT coverage under your health insurance.

First of all, I love your attitude!

Assuming your logging is accurate and you don't have any underlying medical conditions (these are big assumptions, but other people have already talked about them)...

If you really think the issue right now is that you're beyond sedentary, you need to increase the amount of movement you do. Note that I didn't say "do more exercise" -- I'd be really worried about you getting hurt and further immobilizing yourself, which is the last thing you need to do. Just move, however you can. Move your arms, pick up gallon jugs or grocery bags. If it hurts to walk, can you march in place? Look up seated exercises and do them. Then, when they get easy, do them standing up. Yes, you can lose weight just by diet alone, no exercise, but at this point any extra motion you can do is going to help.

I've been at this for 7 weeks and have lost 8 lbs which is about a lb a week. For someone my size, I should be losing more. I track everything on paper which is why my diary isn't open. I think I am going to switch and try to log on this site. I started using paper so I could show it to my dr and just got in the habit of writing everything down. I can assure you though, I am sticking to my 1800 calorie limit, measuring EVERYTHING and don't have any food logging issues.

I really think the problem is my metabolism. I work from home and do no exercise and this has been going on for a few years. I recently got a Fitbit and it turns out I only walk about 300 steps a day on average. My daily calorie burn has got to be much less than the BMR calculation so it's possible even at my weight I'm not even burning 1800 calories a day.

I am going to start walking a bit and hopefully it won't cause me excruciating pain and maybe lower my calories a little to see if that makes a difference.

At least the scale is going down--that is progress!

I bolded the above part, however, because pretty much everyone who is not seeing the results they want say the same thing. You're eating less than you burn, which is terrific, but some inaccuracies in logging could be the difference between 1lb per week or 2lbs per week. Logging your food on here using a food scale and the MFP database instead of on paper will be a huge improvement. Then, after a few more weeks if you still are not getting the results you want, you can open your diary so the MFP community can better advise you.

OP takes about 300 steps a day. She is not burning more than she is consuming.

? That is not what my post says at all. She could be eating more than she thinks she is if she is not accurately logging her food using the MFP database, hence her "slower" weight loss.

You did say it…. "You're eating less than you burn, which is terrific"

If OP was burning more than she's eating, she'd be losing way more than 1 lb a week. Especially at 440 lbs.

But I do agree that she needs to log on here instead of paper!

I just...don't understand what you don't understand. I said, "You're eating less than you burn, which is terrific." Yes, my statement is 100% accurate because she is losing weight. Ie, she is eating less than she burns. Now, she may not be losing AS MUCH as weight as she wants--which is simply a matter of deficit size. She might think she is at a huge deficit, but in reality, if her logging is off, she is at a smaller deficit, hence a smaller weight loss per week.

Hi,
You are not a lost cause! You've lost 8 pounds already, which is great. When I started, I was morbidly obese as well, insulin resistant, bad thyroid, and also had knee pain. I lost very slowly; the first year I lost a whole 17 pounds.

When I reduced my carbs, I turned to low-carb, high-fiber tortillas (La Tortilla Factory is the brand I use) to be the "carrier," if you will, instead of bread. This helped me feel less lost without bread. I wrap my egg whites in them (breakfast burrito- egg whites, avocado, and pico de gallo), my sandwiches, make quesadillas, black bean burritos, etc. You can make pizzas on them too! They saved me.

I definitely agree with the others about moving your arms more. Have you seen mini-cycles before? They are tiny units that have just pedals on them, like you would see on an exercise bike, and people put them under their desks at work. You can also put one on the table and pedal with your arms. They sell them on Amazon in a variety of price ranges. This would be a great way to burn some more calories without causing you any further knee pain. Definitely lift some bottles of water or canned goods at home too (or buy some hand weights) as other suggested. Another useful tool is an exercise band; you can wrap it around a study piece of furniture and do seated rows. Basically, let's take advantage of the fact you can use your upper body!

Here's some information that might help

Log your food accurately and honestly. Go for 80% good choices the other 20% don't worry so much about. I eat lots of delicious food and have consistently lost. Keep it simple find a REASONABLE deficit:

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

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

Find an activity you enjoy doing - I found I love to ride my bike and lift heavy stuff

Here are 2 more threads that will help take the time to read them:
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

People really need to stop posting these generic copy/paste messages on threads such as these.

This is a person with 250 pounds or more to lose. 2 lb's a week on someone with that much to look is not "ideal". Any gastric doctor in the world would agree, such as his/hers, would expect much more per week.

Why is it not ideal??? I was 560 lbs. with 300+ pounds to lose and on the advice of my doctors and dietician we established a weight lose perimeter of 2 lbs. a week.... I guess I could be wrong but it worked pretty good for me...

Here's some information that might help

Log your food accurately and honestly. Go for 80% good choices the other 20% don't worry so much about. I eat lots of delicious food and have consistently lost. Keep it simple find a REASONABLE deficit:

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

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

Find an activity you enjoy doing - I found I love to ride my bike and lift heavy stuff

Here are 2 more threads that will help take the time to read them:
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

People really need to stop posting these generic copy/paste messages on threads such as these.

This is a person with 250 pounds or more to lose. 2 lb's a week on someone with that much to look is not "ideal". Any gastric doctor in the world would agree, such as his/hers, would expect much more per week.

If anyone is under a doctor's care then they should be following their doctor's orders. Otherwise there is nothing wrong with using the links as guidelines. In addition, the author of those guidelines clearly stated that a person's actual deficiency will depend on their personal circumstances.