I need help...I'm not losing anything :(
jag325
Posts: 11
I am going to open up my diary for people to review and hopefully will have some feedback. I'm sure the first criticism will be that I don't eat enough calories a day. I try to not hit 1200 because some of my serving portions are estimated and I could possibly a little over or a little under so I want to give myself extra room for error.
I just changed my sodium intake to 2000 from 2500 so if you look in past days, my sodium intake will probably be quite high but I literally just edited it like a day or two ago.
I am just getting frustrated and am starting to become obsessed with my scale. I feel like I am putting in the hard work and trying to eat the right things but I just can't get the weight to go away.
Any thought or suggestions would be greatly appreciated!! I figure I am my worst critic so go ahead and be harsh on me, I can take it!
I just changed my sodium intake to 2000 from 2500 so if you look in past days, my sodium intake will probably be quite high but I literally just edited it like a day or two ago.
I am just getting frustrated and am starting to become obsessed with my scale. I feel like I am putting in the hard work and trying to eat the right things but I just can't get the weight to go away.
Any thought or suggestions would be greatly appreciated!! I figure I am my worst critic so go ahead and be harsh on me, I can take it!
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Replies
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I think a lot of people underestimate their serving portions or are just not honest. You can purchase a really inexpensive food scale at Walmart for aroudn 5 bucks.0
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I looked at your diary---to me, and only me, probably not others, it looks like you consume lots of carbs and not enough lean protein.0
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Practically no protein and a lot of processed/fast foods. Plus not enough food (as you mentioned in your post).0
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First of all PUT AWAY the scale. Weighing everyday makes you feel worse and it is proven that weight fluctuates day to day. Try to weigh once a week or even every other week. Make sure it is the same time of day and that you are wearing the same thing you were when you weighed last. When you deprive your body of calories it starts to hoard the calories you do give it because your body thinks that it may not get enough later either so it wants to keep the calories it has. That could be part of the problem. Try not to look at any specific thing like sodium. You have the knowledge to know what has or doesn't have too much sodium. A way to counter balance the sodium is to make sure you drink enough water and that also helps to flush fat. With exercise you do start to lose fat and gain muscle so you may be losing but it can take a while to see it because you are replacing the fat with muscle. Eventually, which really suck, your muscle will be the effective tool you need to lose weight faster. But without the muscle your metabolism will stay sluggish and not lose weight. I hope some of this helps.0
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Holy crap-you are not eating enough. You should never ever eat below 1200. You are doing that way too often. Then you are getting a lot of sugar on some days. Your body will go into starvation mode and not want to release that fat. It will start taking from other sources. Please start getting more calories.0
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If you have only 7 lbs to lose, your body is perfectly happy right where it is. PLUS you are trying to live on 1200 calories a day!!
Unless you are 4'11" and sit all day, you are already in starvation mode if you've been doing this for weeks.
How much exercise are you getting? Eat ALL your exercise cals.
Start eating for your maintenance, which is probably 1500-1800 calories based on your weight and age!!
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/30898-bmr-vs-tdee-what-mfp-is-telling-you
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/6159-this-1200-calorie-thing-is-driving-me-up-a-wall
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/20035-just-because-you-can-have-a-2-pound-per-week-goal0 -
I agree with what's been said...you're heavy on the carbs and low on the proteins. I'd try to reverse that. I try to start my day with 30g of protein and at least 20g at each meal with low carb. Check out my diary and see if that will help. And definitely eat more calories in the day!0
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I was going to say up the protein lower the carbs. Also get some scales...I've only just bought mine and while i was pretty damn good at estimating most things a few (cereals, pulses, rice) were way off. I can understand you leaving extra calories as a buffer but i would leave no more than 200-300, there are days when you've got way more than that left, not good when you have exercised
EDIT: just noticed how much you have left to lose, eating your calories is all the more important when youre within a few pounds. How tall are you, what is your current BMI0 -
more water and protein and veggies
what are you doing for exercise?0 -
my opinion...if you exercise as much as it seems (burning more than 600 cals a day) you should be eating majority of those calories back. eating only 1200 a day with that kind of put out wont give you the results you need....0
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Add more fruits and vegetables. They provide fullness and little calories. You should also eat something every 2-3 hours. not full meals. Snacks like fruit, veggies, whole grain foods. My health coach turned me on to Triscuit Thin Crips. They only have 3 ingredients and they don't taste too bad. Add a little non fat cheese or a homade veggie dip and it is a great snack and filling. I am all about feeling full. Good luck0
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Hi; I am in the same boat; I average ll50 to 1300 a day as I can't hit the mark EXACTLY
I have been doing WWatchers sinc e Jan 3rd and gained 9 lbs.
I could have eaten my regular food and stayed the same, but NOOOOOOOOOOO...I had to
eat my 21 points worth and still gained 9 lbs.
So I am trying this log to see if I can spot just what the heck it is that I am
doing wrong and I am UNDER in calories. Go figure.
So if a person is in the desert and not able to eat well, he gains? Thats ridiculous....
I am getting a bit tired of slicing; dicing; measuring and not getting any reaction on the scale.
I walked for 9 days on the beach for an hour each day and just got back and the scale
stays the same.
So buddy; I'll be glad to share your ideas too
Anyone out there?
Dolores0 -
Where are the fruit and veggies? Also, you should be drinking more water, especially with your sodium intake being as high as it is on some days.0
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Nothing but processed foods. No vegetables or fruits (I saw 2 servings going back more than a week). And most days not enough calories. Being under 1200 is one thing but I saw a day where you ate a little over 1200 and burned 1000. That's a net of 200 calories.
You are hurting yourself.0 -
You're not eating nearly enough. You need to meet your calorie goal every day, you shouldn't be under it. and you need to eat your exercise calories as well. Your body isn't getting enough nutrition to function properly so it isn't letting go of any fat. You are starving yourself. Work on meeting your calorie goal first, then work on adjusting your diet to get more protein.0
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It looks you're not eating enough.
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/61706-guide-to-calorie-deficits
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/3047-700-calories-a-day-and-not-losing
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/10589-for-those-confused-or-questioning-eating-your-exercise-calo
It's most likely your body is in starvation mode right now because you're not eating your exercise calories. There is a divide in the community over this however I have to say this, those links I posted tell you why you NEED to do it.
Basically if you want permanent sustainable weight loss you should eat as many of your exercise calories as you want. I don't advocate eating when you're full but I do if you're still hungry. Don't always hover your calories around the 1200 mark. It doesn't work in the long term. The human body was designed on famine and feast, so it expects more calories on one day and less the next.0 -
I was doing pretty much what you're doing - eating 1200 calories per day, plus exercise -- and not losing anything, either. I learned two things from this site: one is that I needed to eat more (about 1400 calories a day), and that I needed to eat 1400 NET calories a day, not absolute calories -- in other words, if I did 300 calories worth of exercise, I needed to eat an extra 300 calories, too. When I started doing that, I started losing weight again and got past the plateau I'd been stuck at for two years.
Until I tried it, I never would have believed that I could be 30 pounds overweight and my body would be in starvation mode (slowing down my metabolism so that I would not lose any weight). But it's working, so I'm converted.
The food is important: it tells your body that you're not starving.
The exercise is also important: it tells your body to burn its fuel, not store it as fat.
Use the program's calculators to find out what your basal metabolic rate (BMR) is; eat at least that many net calories per day (mine is about 1400, which is how many net calories I try for). You're actually burning more than your BMR (your BMR is how many calories you would burn lying in bed all day doing nothing), so eating your BMR puts you in a calorie deficit (more calories being burned than being eaten) but not one that your body equates to "starving." Then maybe you'll start losing weight again.
In other words, stupid as it sounds, you might try eating more, and see if your body starts burning more as a result.
One other note: I don't try to be too exact about calories in/calories out. I figure if I'm within 50 either way, I'm good, and it seems to be working.0 -
try to eat more calories but in healthy foods like lean proteins and fruit, veggies. Also pay attention to your processed/ packaged foods. One rule I TRY to remember is anytime you see high fructose corn syrup, or sugar in the list of ingredients... don't eat it. Yoplait was one of my fave snacks but I had to delete it from my snacks because of it having sugars. The "eat this not that" book has good pointers to follow when it comes to packaged foods. You can also look some of it online under "eat this not that" or mens health. Good luck!0
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Hi; I am in the same boat; I average ll50 to 1300 a day as I can't hit the mark EXACTLY
I have been doing WWatchers sinc e Jan 3rd and gained 9 lbs.
I could have eaten my regular food and stayed the same, but NOOOOOOOOOOO...I had to
eat my 21 points worth and still gained 9 lbs.
So I am trying this log to see if I can spot just what the heck it is that I am
doing wrong and I am UNDER in calories. Go figure.
So if a person is in the desert and not able to eat well, he gains? Thats ridiculous....
I am getting a bit tired of slicing; dicing; measuring and not getting any reaction on the scale.
I walked for 9 days on the beach for an hour each day and just got back and the scale
stays the same.
So buddy; I'll be glad to share your ideas too
Anyone out there?
Dolores
no but eventually his body will stop burning fat and carbs and start eating the protein out of his muscles. So he will continue to lose weight but will be losing muscle and nothing else. And if your are burning through exercise but not eating those calories back you will end up with a deficit going under 1200 for too long. (1300 day in food but burned 400 walking for an hour will put you at 900 net calories - not enough)0 -
you may not be recording it, but I don't see much water, also, many of the foods you are choosing are rather processed and lacking in real nutritional value and fiber. I don't see many "real meals" more snacking and "empty" calories. I also think you could benefit by eating more food, but it needs to be real food, Fruits, grains, Vegetables, instead of snacks.
I have had remarkable success in the past month, and it really hasn't been that hard, but i measure EVERYTHING, I either weigh it or measure it, if it's a recipe, I calculate the calorie amount before I even make it and figure out what a reasonable portion size will be, a portion that will be satisfying. If it's too "expensive" meaning more calories than I want for the amount I get, I try and find something else. I have really worked to get all my water in plus... and even though it's not emphasized on the daily tracker, I shoot for 40 grams of fiber everyday. I don't always make it, but that's my goal.
feel free to look at my log if you wish. I tend to do a lot of cooking, and plan what I'm going to eat the day before.0 -
A few questions:
What do you drink?
Are you drinking 8 glasses of water?
Are you alcohol free?
Are you exercising?
You are right. You are not eating enough calories. If you do not eat enough calories you body will burn stored glucose, which becomes fat. This is not what you are going for, but you already seem to know this.
Uhhhhhh.... Where are your veggies and fruits?
You are eating a lot of processed foods, which are much harder for your body to utilize. Not eating enough of the right foods, such as lean meats (fish, chicken), veggies, whole grains, fruits, and low fat dairy, will make it difficult for your body to do what it needs to do for optimal health.
The best thing for portion control is the plate method. It's easy... half of your plate is veggies/fruits (preferably green leafy veggies), 1/4 of your plate is lean protein, and the other 1/4 of your plate is whole grains (brown rice, quinoa, oatmeal, barley). The lean protein should be about the size of a deck of cards, the whole grains should fill half a baseball (or 1/2 cup), the veggies can really have no limit.
You can make it work. It's hard... you know that, but it's doable!0 -
This post is right on. Might also add that the body will metabolize muscle before it will fat if your caloric deficit is too low and you're burning 1000 calories/day on Zumba and treadmills. Carbs are good before a workout (whether it be cardio or aerobic) and protein is good afterward (if doing strength training). Unless your heart is elevated above a certain level for an extended period of time, you don't to worry about replenishing after non-strength training exercises. I had the same problem when I first started because I was eating thousands of calories less per day, doing cardio, working out w/ strength training and still somehow gaining weight. I decided to keep at the diet and put the strength training on hold until I burned some fat. The weight fell off. Now that I'm in better metabolic shape, I'm going to add cardio back into the mix. Your body is likely in a state of caloric panic. Consider revising your calorie intake, exercise regimen, and aim for cleaner foods, higher protein foods.0
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I think everyone has said it.
-More protein
-Eat more
-Less carbs
-More fruit
-More vegetables
-More water (unless you just aren't logging it)0 -
First off, congratulations for sticking with it! It is a journey full of ups and downs, and it takes courage to ask for help. So good on ya for that! Looking at your diary, I have to agree with the majority of friends: you are consuming processed/packaged foods, and little whole fruits and veggies. Insert some raw nuts if you want to feel fuller longer. Stay away from lunch meat - it's high in nitrates and sodium, and definitely contributes to high blood pressure. If you want to eat something packaged, go for salt-free brown rice cakes. Add a little nut butter, like almond or unsalted peanut butter, and you should feel just as satiated. Also, increase your water intake. Even caffeine-free tea counts! All berries are low in sugar, so munch on blueberries, strawberries. Apples are high in fiber (4 grams each) so that helps curb hunger too.
Good luck!0 -
I will try to answer all the questions and concerns here:
I do need to up my veggies intake. I actually like veggies but I've been bad about it lately. Not sure why but that's definitely bad on my part.
A lot of time I just feel like I am eating to make up calories. I tend to get full very quickly...my friends have told me "You eat like a damn bird".
I do at least 30 mintes of cardio (elliptical, treadmill) every day and some weight training. I am at the gym 5-6 days a week for about 60-75 minutes. I love zumba and do that if not once but twice a week. I also really enjoy Insanity, so I try to fit that in at least 4-5 times a week (thought I just started that up again this weekend). I push myself beyond my limits because I just crave the calorie burn.
My water intake is poor, I just can't get myself to drink it. I don't find myself to be very thirsty either unless I am working out or it is later on in the evening.
I am constantly on the go so I do find packaged foods to be more convenient. I am not using working 2 jobs as an excuse but I think most people would agree, sometimes you just have to go with what's convenient. I need to be better at making my own food in advance to my day.
I appreciate everything so far. I'm glad people can be so honest on here.0 -
I looked at a few entries...
Many averaged about 20g of protein A DAY... I do twice that in one meal.
Lot's of processed package meals, bags of crisps etc.
I can't recall seing a single fresh vegetable or piece of fruit.
My suggestion would be
More lean protein.
Stop eating junk.
Get cooking proper meals with proper fresh ingredients.0 -
first of all, stop being so scale obsessed, THATS NOT HEALTHY!!!!!!!!!!! Your body from day to day will fluctuate its weight, thats just the way it is. Also, please please please eat more calories. You may not know or feel it, but you are starving youself so your body is holding onto all it gets. Also, since you like the pre packaged or things that already made for you, instead of getting that meal that is microwaved how about taking a walk in the produce section and picking up a fruit bowl. It's already done for you and you will be getting your daily servings of fruit as well.
And on the water note. Now, I'm not going to say go ahead and do this, but I love tea and hate the taste of most bottled, purified, and tap water. My solution is simple. I buy lipton flovored tea bags. They are low in calories and one bag makes a whole pot of tea. I boil my water in a small pot then put the hot liquid into the kettle, drop in a tea bag, let it brew, add one tsp. of sugar and pour me a cup. Thats about 3 cups of water I drank from the tea alone.
And it doesnt have to be tea, there are pleanty of flavored waters out there as well, just got to find something that works for you. Its like when we were younger and our parents wanted to give us some medicine that they knew we would hate. If they could mask it with something else, they did and we never knew the difference.0 -
Sounds like you know what you are doing wrong, not enough calories, "clean" foods, and water. Even though some of those processeed foods are low in calories, they are still not healthy and can help you retain water, weight or not loose it. Heavier individuals loose weight faster and the closer you get to your goal, more or less the weight starts to stop coming off and diet and excersise need to be managed. Less calories will not allow a person to loose weight, been there done that. When you start eating the body wants to hold onto all of that extra for it feels starved. You will loose muscle and your brain needs "good" carbs to function.
I am one I want to be thin yes, but toned. I have a friend who is thin, but flabby because she just lets her natural ability to stay thin work for her, not her work for her body. My sister is completely opposite of me body wise, tall and thin, but I am healthier and even if I am heavier, I can more and likely out run her and not be winded. The best bet if you want to loose the weight and keep it off, eat the proper amount of nutrition, excersise in a healthy manner drink plenty of water (I am guilty as well, try crystal light zero everything flavor packets), and try to eat "clean" as possible. Good luck!0
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