What am I doing wrong?

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chickadee2010
chickadee2010 Posts: 1,389 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hey! I began logging my food back in early December, but let's forget that part. I've been logging my food AND exercising since Jan 1. I weighed 150 and I now weigh 149 (as of today). I don't get why I've just lost one pound in a little over four weeks. It's frustrating. Do you guys have any advice? Foods you eat or exercises you do? Tips? Thanks so much!!

Also, where can I figure out my BMI? Doesn't that tell you how many calories you should be eating??
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  • mfergie889
    mfergie889 Posts: 77
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    Hi there! What do you typically eat? What kind of exercises do you do?
  • sstrose
    sstrose Posts: 6
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    Under the Tools section of this website you will need to use the BMR - Basal Metabolic @ Rest figure that's how many calories you need bare bones a day to have your body operate if you were at rest.

    It sounds like you actually may not be eating enough and your body is hanging on to it's weight because it's afraid that you are starving or going to starve it. Do you eat six small meals and often?
    :flowerforyou:
  • superbeffie
    superbeffie Posts: 93 Member
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    There is a BMI calculator on here, but that will not tell you anything about calories. Sometimes the scale just won't move and you just need to stick it out. You can also try taking off a few calories. Sometimes just 200 calories can change everything. I don't know what your calorie allowance is so I can't say for sure. Keep going! It's worth it.
  • ladibug39
    ladibug39 Posts: 1
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    Hi Chickadee! I've just started logging my food and so far it's been good. I found this website which is great: http://www.healthstatus.com/calculators.html It has calories, BMI, ideal weight, calories burned and about everything else you ever want to know! With exercising, you may be toning and building muscles which weigh more than fat. Maybe start measuring and watch the inches fall off? Good luck and hang in there! :) ~Janice
  • chickadee2010
    chickadee2010 Posts: 1,389 Member
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    Hi there! What do you typically eat? What kind of exercises do you do?

    It's not the best food in the world, I'll admit. I've been trying really hard to eat better, but it's hard when other people doesn't want the healthier food and it goes bad quicker if only I eat it. I walk, and last week I walked for a decent amout of time on most days (at least between 45min-1hour).
  • jrhodges20
    jrhodges20 Posts: 103 Member
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    I agree with everyone. Have you been eating the calories you are allowed a day. And when you work out be sure to eat back the calories you have burned. I was at a stand still for quite some time, and then began eating back what I had burned, becuase I woulnd't have have began loosing agian
  • chickadee2010
    chickadee2010 Posts: 1,389 Member
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    Under the Tools section of this website you will need to use the BMR - Basal Metabolic @ Rest figure that's how many calories you need bare bones a day to have your body operate if you were at rest.

    It sounds like you actually may not be eating enough and your body is hanging on to it's weight because it's afraid that you are starving or going to starve it. Do you eat six small meals and often?
    :flowerforyou:
    My calorie goal is set on 1200 and I haven't really figured out how much I SHOULD eat. I go over almost every day, sometimes a hundred or so over, sometimes a lot over. It would really help if I could figure out how much I should be eating to lose the weight more consistently, I guess.
  • chickadee2010
    chickadee2010 Posts: 1,389 Member
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    I'll make my food diary public for a little while and let you guys take a look.
  • dbanks80
    dbanks80 Posts: 3,685 Member
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    I'll make my food diary public for a little while and let you guys take a look.

    I didnt take a look at the rest of your days but I can see from today you went over your allowed calories. You are allowed 1300 or so and you went over to 1400+

    You went over on calories carbs etc... You have a lot of carbs in your diet and not enough fruit, veggies or lean meats. And you are taking in a lot of sodium.

    I would cut back on all the processed foods you are eating and put in more veggies, fruits leaner meats. Plus all the processed foods are just going to make you more hungry and less full.

    Hope this helps! Good Luck!!! :flowerforyou:
  • mtngoddess
    mtngoddess Posts: 17 Member
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    I've been working with a nutritionist, and I've learned several really important things. First, carbs are the #1 enemy. I was a vegetarian for over 20 years and most of my diet was carbs. I gained most of my weight because of steroid meds I had to take, but I couldn't get rid of it because I was so carb happy. We've always been taught that a healthy, balanced meal consisted of protein (meat), starch (potatoes, rice, pasta), and vegetables. The reality is, we're getting so many carbs from snacks, drinks, etc. that we should not have that starch at every meal. That's not to say you should cut out carbs altogether. We need complex carbs to function.

    Next, to lose weight, you need to give your body more protein, and moderate fats (including the saturated fats that have been vilified in the media). I'm currently eating meat most days (I stick to just the ones I actually like, which definitely does not include beef, yuck!) and eating more fat than I've ever eaten in my life. I'm losing about 5 lbs. per month. I exercise (Curves 4 days a week, walking with my dog, occasionally pilates). I was exercising all along, but until I reduced the carbs and increased the protein and fat, I wasn't losing anything.

    My advice:

    1. Try to limit your carbs to 200 or less per day. To accurately count your carbs, subtract dietary fiber. Try to go for more complex carbs and less sugar.

    2. Try to take in approximately 100 grams of protein a day. You're probably getting much less (most people are). The protein gives your body strength and energy but does not get converted to fat if your body doesn't use it all like carbs do.

    3. Eat moderate amounts of fat. Avoid trans fats and don't do foolish things like eat at fast food restaurants, but get some saturated fats in your diet. Milk fats from cheese, yogurt, sour cream are all good. Your body needs saturated fat to absorb fat-soluble vitamins like D and K. Give it what it needs, just don't go overboard. Note: my nutritionist says bacon is very healthy once or twice a week.

    4. Exercise at least 30 minutes 5x per week. This can be at a gym, walking, whatever you enjoy and is safe for you based on your current health, but get your heart pumping and maintain the elevated heart rate for at least 30 minutes.

    5. Give yourself a break. You are beautiful just as you are. Do the best you can to feel good about you and don't beat yourself up if you have a bad day or week or even month. We all fall off the wagon sometimes (I didn't go to Curves for 3 weeks in December), or just plateau and can't seem to move further for a while. It's OK. Just keep trying.
  • chickadee2010
    chickadee2010 Posts: 1,389 Member
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    You went over on calories carbs etc... You have a lot of carbs in your diet and not enough fruit, veggies or lean meats. And you are taking in a lot of sodium.

    I have a question, and this might be pretty obvious, but I'm not exactly sure of the answers. What do carbs and fat do? Yeah, that's sounds like a dumb question but I'm gonna ask it anyways LOL. :laugh:
  • chickadee2010
    chickadee2010 Posts: 1,389 Member
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    I just calculated my BMR (basal metabolic rate) and it says I should be eating 1,447 calories a day. I'm thinking I should probably change my caloric intake to at least 1400, but I'm having a really hard time deciding whether I should. It's on 1200 right now. What do you guys think?
  • dbanks80
    dbanks80 Posts: 3,685 Member
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    You went over on calories carbs etc... You have a lot of carbs in your diet and not enough fruit, veggies or lean meats. And you are taking in a lot of sodium.

    I have a question, and this might be pretty obvious, but I'm not exactly sure of the answers. What do carbs and fat do? Yeah, that's sounds like a dumb question but I'm gonna ask it anyways LOL. :laugh:

    It's not a dumb question. :smile:

    Well I am not a nutrionist expert but there are good carbs like potatoes, brown/white rice etc... and bad carbs like types of pastas (made with flour) potato chips, cookies, etc... bad carbs are usually processed type foods.

    Good fat would be advacdo. Bad fats are saturated fats like fried foods sour cream, cheeses etc..

    If you are going to eat carbs eat in moderation. I eat rice, white/sweet potatoes etc.. but I measure my servings and eat them in moderation meaning if i have carbs for lunch i wont eat them for dinner and vice versa. And make sure you stay within your calories or under if you can.

    Hope this helps.
  • melissapoulin
    melissapoulin Posts: 61
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    i am not an expert but i am pretty sure that your bmr is how many calories you need to survive... i think if you want to lose weight it has to a bit under that, and that is why they say to eat 1200 calories a day... just try to make sure you get as close to that number as possible, and when you do work out make sure you eat those calories back as well. i am not the healthiest eater either, although i am getting better, and as long as i try to stay close to my calories allotted for the day it seems to be working for me so far.
  • amysambora
    amysambora Posts: 219
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    Hi there! It really is of UTMOST importance that you eat good food, real food! I had a quick look over your diary and you seem to have a lot of processed stuff in there. Fruits, lots of vegetables and complex carbohydrates are really important. Type 'clean eating' into the search facility on this forum and you'll find tons of advice on how to cut out processed food and start implementing more real food into your diet.

    As far as how many calories you should be eating, trust MFP! Make sure you have entered all your information correctly - ie your age, height, current weight, and especially your activity level. Are you sedentary, lightly active or active? Remember that does not count working out - it's the activities that you do daily, for example if you work in an office for eight hours a day, you'd be sedentary, if you work in a fast paced retail outlet you'd be active, if you're a stay at home mom you'd probably be lightly active...

    THEN, think very carefully about selecting how much you want to lose per week. You'll notice it says 'RECOMMENDED' next to the 'lose 1lb per week option'. Seeing as you only want to lose about 20lbs, this is the best option for you. If you're close to a healthy weight, or you already have a healthy BMI, chances are you can't sustain a 2lbs per week loss for very long, which may be why 1200 calories isn't working for you. Your body needs enough nutrition to know it's okay to start burning your fat stores. If you're eating too little, it will hold on to your fat stores. I started out on 1200 calories per day and the pounds fell right off until I got to a healthy BMI. Then, nothing! So I changed my goals to lose 1lb per week and it upped my calories to 1450. Two weeks later I started losing again. And BTW I have a BMR of 1330. You need to eat more than your BMR...think of it this way: your BMR is what you need to be eating just to survive. If you eat less, you're making your body struggle to survive! You may lose initially, but before long your body will cling to those fat stores like there's no tomorrow, and as soon as you up your calories again, the weight will go back on.

    Long read I know, lol :) I'm just talking from personal experience here, I hope I've helped you out!
  • jhoney8
    jhoney8 Posts: 43 Member
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    I'm having the same issue. I lost at first and now nothing. I stay within my calorie range (make sure to eat at least 1,200 and under my 1,410 goal). I'm a vegetarian (OK, pescatarian since I eat a little fish), but am careful to include protein, try to limit simple carbs and have really been trying to mix it up. I eat lots of veggies.

    I am exercising between 5 and 6 times a week. I changed up my exercise too, alternating areas while including strength and cardio. I do gym exercises like the elliptical, treadmill, and stationary bike. I use DVDs like Tae Bo and yoga.

    I'm afraid that I just lost water weight and now my body is being stubborn. Could I really be eating too few calories (although I really don't understand this)? Do I just need to be patient? I'd be happy with 1-2 lbs per week...I guess I'm just getting discouraged.
  • mtngoddess
    mtngoddess Posts: 17 Member
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    Good fat would be advacdo. Bad fats are saturated fats like fried foods sour cream, cheeses etc..

    Saturated fats are actually not bad for you. Too much saturated fat is. I had severe Vitamin D deficiencies because I didn't have any saturated fat in my diet. The important thing is to moderate and to avoid trans fats. I started losing weight after my nutritionist got me eating some saturated fat. 10-15 grams a day for a 1500 calorie diet is good.
  • milaxx
    milaxx Posts: 1,122 Member
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    Hi there! What do you typically eat? What kind of exercises do you do?

    It's not the best food in the world, I'll admit. I've been trying really hard to eat better, but it's hard when other people doesn't want the healthier food and it goes bad quicker if only I eat it. I walk, and last week I walked for a decent amout of time on most days (at least between 45min-1hour).
    Ziplock freezer bags are your best friend. I am single and most often end up cooking enough food for more than one day. I try to separate food into single servings and freeze whatever I don't think I can eat in a week.
  • chickadee2010
    chickadee2010 Posts: 1,389 Member
    Options
    Hi there! It really is of UTMOST importance that you eat good food, real food! I had a quick look over your diary and you seem to have a lot of processed stuff in there. Fruits, lots of vegetables and complex carbohydrates are really important. Type 'clean eating' into the search facility on this forum and you'll find tons of advice on how to cut out processed food and start implementing more real food into your diet.

    As far as how many calories you should be eating, trust MFP! Make sure you have entered all your information correctly - ie your age, height, current weight, and especially your activity level. Are you sedentary, lightly active or active? Remember that does not count working out - it's the activities that you do daily, for example if you work in an office for eight hours a day, you'd be sedentary, if you work in a fast paced retail outlet you'd be active, if you're a stay at home mom you'd probably be lightly active...

    THEN, think very carefully about selecting how much you want to lose per week. You'll notice it says 'RECOMMENDED' next to the 'lose 1lb per week option'. Seeing as you only want to lose about 20lbs, this is the best option for you. If you're close to a healthy weight, or you already have a healthy BMI, chances are you can't sustain a 2lbs per week loss for very long, which may be why 1200 calories isn't working for you. Your body needs enough nutrition to know it's okay to start burning your fat stores. If you're eating too little, it will hold on to your fat stores. I started out on 1200 calories per day and the pounds fell right off until I got to a healthy BMI. Then, nothing! So I changed my goals to lose 1lb per week and it upped my calories to 1450. Two weeks later I started losing again. And BTW I have a BMR of 1330. You need to eat more than your BMR...think of it this way: your BMR is what you need to be eating just to survive. If you eat less, you're making your body struggle to survive! You may lose initially, but before long your body will cling to those fat stores like there's no tomorrow, and as soon as you up your calories again, the weight will go back on.

    Long read I know, lol :) I'm just talking from personal experience here, I hope I've helped you out!
    This has definately helped me! I'm going to go check out those things right now.
  • chickadee2010
    chickadee2010 Posts: 1,389 Member
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    I just went and looked at my BMI and BMR. I checked over the information level. I put my workout thing for 4 times a week for 20 minutes. When I do walk, I go way over 20. Since I changed my info, my calorie level upped to 1,310. I think that seems right for me, because that's about what I eat. Very rarely did I feel satisfied, when I ate 1200 or less. I was always hungry, and that can't be good. I'm sure I won't eat the whole 1310, but it'll be there.

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