When will the scale ever change!??

Hsanders3961
Hsanders3961 Posts: 245 Member
edited September 24 in Fitness and Exercise
Ok, So I have been on MFP for almost a month now. Watching what I eat, making sure to exercise, staying within or slightly above my 1200 calorie limit, etc. And all this time, I have only lost about 3 pounds. Maybe I am expecting too much? Maybe I am gaining muscle? I have SEEN a slight change in my physique but the scale still reads the same. I have been within the same pound for the last 6 days. As far as exercising, I have been walking on some days as well as doing JM 30 day shred on others, and the elliptical every now and then. Does anyone have any advice??

Replies

  • Molly08
    Molly08 Posts: 153 Member
    Hey,
    Are you getting 1200 net a day? That is to say you are eating 1200 calories plus whatever you are burning? Cause otherwise you may not be feeding your body enough and so it's holding on to the lbs you want to lose. Also be sure to drink plenty of water and watch your salt.
    Good health to you!
    Molly08
  • EricMurano
    EricMurano Posts: 825 Member
    Please take this as constructive advice, I mean no offence and I am only interested in helping out. I had a quick look at your diary and there are more days where you've gone over your calorie goal. Also I see a lot of pizza type food. I believe that cheese can really wreck someone's dieting plans. It's very easy to eat too much cheese too. That may explain the stagnation over the last 6 days.

    Either way you *have* lost weight, even if it's not as much as you could have lost. This is where you need to fine tune what you eat. Take a look over the last 6 days and try to see what you could have improved. I'd suggest trying a week with no cheese (something I might do myself)

    Also I can't see your exercise diary (it won't let me?). How's your exercise going? Exercise helps weight loss but remember, you can't out train a bad diet, assuming yours is bad; I'm not a nutritionist and this is all just layman's opinion. You've got such a low calorie goal and I think exercise will add those extra calories to your calorie allowance.

    At the end of the day you have lost weight so keep it up and adjust what you need to :)
  • danlyn
    danlyn Posts: 157 Member
    Hi,
    I am having the exact same problem. I'm almost hoping it is my scale since I can step on it 3 times and get 3 different weights. It's fairly new, so I didn't think it could be broken, but maybe it is!! Anyway, I have been doing this for a little over a month and have lost only 2 pounds. Some days when I weigh myself I'm actually up a little bit, so I'm fluctuating between these 2 pounds, which is extremely frustrating. If you find a solution to this problem, will you let me know? I'm going to request you as a friend so we can help each other out. Good luck!! :flowerforyou:
  • Hsanders3961
    Hsanders3961 Posts: 245 Member
    Hey,
    Are you getting 1200 net a day? That is to say you are eating 1200 calories plus whatever you are burning? Cause otherwise you may not be feeding your body enough and so it's holding on to the lbs you want to lose. Also be sure to drink plenty of water and watch your salt.
    Good health to you!
    Molly08

    I do try to make up my exercise calories. I have to say that my sodium intake this week has not been the greatest. Valentines Day and a stressful week have added to not the greatest food choices but I have typically been able to still be around my calorie goal. That is probably something I should really pay more attention to, is my sodium and the other nutrients...more than JUST the calories. Thanks!
  • dzilobommo
    dzilobommo Posts: 73 Member
    Nothing wrong with losing 'only' 3 pounds in less than a month, that's close to a pound a week - definitely not something to sniff at! :smile: And being 'within the same pound for 6 days' may be in line with that.

    I've just posted on another thread about the accuracy of scales - this could influence what you see going on with your weight.

    Good luck & patience - it's a marathon, not a sprint! :smile: Keep at it and you'll see results!
  • Hsanders3961
    Hsanders3961 Posts: 245 Member
    Please take this as constructive advice, I mean no offence and I am only interested in helping out. I had a quick look at your diary and there are more days where you've gone over your calorie goal. Also I see a lot of pizza type food. I believe that cheese can really wreck someone's dieting plans. It's very easy to eat too much cheese too. That may explain the stagnation over the last 6 days.

    Either way you *have* lost weight, even if it's not as much as you could have lost. This is where you need to fine tune what you eat. Take a look over the last 6 days and try to see what you could have improved. I'd suggest trying a week with no cheese (something I might do myself)

    Also I can't see your exercise diary (it won't let me?). How's your exercise going? Exercise helps weight loss but remember, you can't out train a bad diet, assuming yours is bad; I'm not a nutritionist and this is all just layman's opinion. You've got such a low calorie goal and I think exercise will add those extra calories to your calorie allowance.

    At the end of the day you have lost weight so keep it up and adjust what you need to :)

    I will admit, cheese is a huge weakness for me. My husband and I have had a hard time finding healthy foods to eat as neither of us are great cooks! So I resort to prepackaged foods that clearly display the calories, but are not necessarily good for me. I am not sure how to make my exercise diary public, but that is one area that I have been proud of, is the exercise that I have been getting in. Thanks for the advice.
  • HealthyishWithMaggieG
    HealthyishWithMaggieG Posts: 397 Member
    I just took a peek through your food diary. I didn't notice any water recorded. Do you drink any plain water? Not "fitness water". It really is a good idea to drink at least 64 oz a day. I shoot for half my body weight in oz or more... usually 10+ cups.

    Another thing I would recommend is adding more fiber. In my opinion, you can never get too much fiber... as long as you're drinking plenty of water to go along with it and process it through your body.

    Even though, you might not be getting enough fiber, I probably wouldn't even track it. I would switch it out for sugar content. Keep your sugar content from packaged foods low and you'll be good. Natural sugars from fruits and vegetables (fiber) aren't as concerning as processed foods and I don't really count them.

    Keep at it and think about how healthy you're getting. The pounds will come off.
  • skinnyjay12
    skinnyjay12 Posts: 9 Member
    Its great to read this as I am the same - my weight has been exactly the same over the last 6 days but I have been eating more cheese for supper on crackers - even although Ive still been well under my calories this might be why - so I will cut down on the cheese and see - thanks for all the advise guys - we are all in the same boat eh and all want to loose weight - good luck xx
  • dzilobommo
    dzilobommo Posts: 73 Member
    Hi,
    I am having the exact same problem. I'm almost hoping it is my scale since I can step on it 3 times and get 3 different weights. It's fairly new, so I didn't think it could be broken, but maybe it is!! Anyway, I have been doing this for a little over a month and have lost only 2 pounds. Some days when I weigh myself I'm actually up a little bit, so I'm fluctuating between these 2 pounds, which is extremely frustrating. If you find a solution to this problem, will you let me know? I'm going to request you as a friend so we can help each other out. Good luck!! :flowerforyou:

    Hi, I know what you mean about fluctuating weight - my weight loss curve looks more like a mountain range than a ski slope! :laugh:

    The bad news is, you can't control everything on a day to day basis - on some days, your weight will be up even if you're sticking to your calories (for example, I find that after strenuous exercise, I'm always heavier the next day, apparently muscles need extra water to repair themselves). So it's best to let go of any expectations of a smooth, unbroken march downwards :smile: Ultimately, it's the overall trend that matters, not the day-to-day changes!

    Also, scales don't tend to be 100% accurate - many days, I get several different readings within seconds of each other, so I go with the highest one just to be on the safe side.

    The good news is, you're on the right track - keep at it and you will see results over time! Good luck!
  • Hsanders3961
    Hsanders3961 Posts: 245 Member
    I just took a peek through your food diary. I didn't notice any water recorded. Do you drink any plain water? Not "fitness water". It really is a good idea to drink at least 64 oz a day. I shoot for half my body weight in oz or more... usually 10+ cups.

    Another thing I would recommend is adding more fiber. In my opinion, you can never get too much fiber... as long as you're drinking plenty of water to go along with it and process it through your body.

    Even though, you might not be getting enough fiber, I probably wouldn't even track it. I would switch it out for sugar content. Keep your sugar content from packaged foods low and you'll be good. Natural sugars from fruits and vegetables (fiber) aren't as concerning as processed foods and I don't really count them.

    Keep at it and think about how healthy you're getting. The pounds will come off.

    Thanks for the help. I do drink water I have just been forgetting to log it since it is at the bottom of the page. From what everyone has said, it really seems as though I need to focus more on what I am eating, and not just the calorie intake. I really appreciate everyone's help, this site is wonderful for support. it has been hard to go from eating so much junk food, so I kept telling myself I could still eat them...just in moderation. Maybe I should change my viewpoint on that. No more excuses! I can do this.
  • HealthyishWithMaggieG
    HealthyishWithMaggieG Posts: 397 Member
    Hi,
    I am having the exact same problem. I'm almost hoping it is my scale since I can step on it 3 times and get 3 different weights. It's fairly new, so I didn't think it could be broken, but maybe it is!! Anyway, I have been doing this for a little over a month and have lost only 2 pounds. Some days when I weigh myself I'm actually up a little bit, so I'm fluctuating between these 2 pounds, which is extremely frustrating. If you find a solution to this problem, will you let me know? I'm going to request you as a friend so we can help each other out. Good luck!! :flowerforyou:

    Hi, Danlyn!

    Since you're looking for solutions, would you mind opening your food diary to the public please? Most people that aren't losing weight as quickly as they'd like can find the answer in what they're eating or not eating. But, being the person in that situation, sometimes it's not easy to see it. Maybe some outside assistance could help.
  • HealthyishWithMaggieG
    HealthyishWithMaggieG Posts: 397 Member
    Thanks for the help. I do drink water I have just been forgetting to log it since it is at the bottom of the page. From what everyone has said, it really seems as though I need to focus more on what I am eating, and not just the calorie intake. I really appreciate everyone's help, this site is wonderful for support. it has been hard to go from eating so much junk food, so I kept telling myself I could still eat them...just in moderation. Maybe I should change my viewpoint on that. No more excuses! I can do this.

    I'll be honest... I REFUSE to give up anything I really enjoy eating... including junk food. I just make sure to keep the portion small and factor all the "nutrients" into my whole day's values.

    I noticed you say you and your husband don't really cook. That's okay. I posted this on FB earlier for someone that was asking for food ideas. Hope it helps.

    "The thing that jumpstarted my weight loss when I joined MFP was to just eat simply... lots of salad (use different kinds of lettuce, spinach, other greens), but I'd use all kinds of toppings (vegetables othe...r than just carrots & tomatoes... zucchini, broccoli, cauliflower, sweet red peppers, thawed frozen corn, thawed frozen peas, etc.; fruit... kiwi, oranges, grapes, blueberries, etc.; unsalted seeds/nuts... sunflower seeds, almonds, cashews, pecans, etc.; rinsed & drained canned beans... black, garbanzo, kidney, etc.). Mix and match to find the combinations you like.

    Even though I could live on salad, sometimes I needed more... something. I'd add a turkey burger. Jennie-O has great turkey patties in the freezer section. I found them at Sam's Club. I think you get 12 for about $14. Cook it & put it on an Oroweat Sandwich Thin. I'm a sucker for Miracle Whip on sandwiches, so I would use the full-fat, full-calorie version of it and it really isn't too bad. Sometimes you just need a little splurge. I would mix up a small container of Miracle Whip & hot sauce for a spicy version too. Make sure to dress the sandwich up with some veggies... lettuce/spinach, tomato slice, etc. On days I had them available, instead of using Miracle Whip, I would mash up half an avocado and spread it on the sandwich and get some good fat in that way.

    I've got a ton of ideas. If you'd like, you can send me a friend request on MFP. My user ID is MaggieGiamalvo."
  • EricMurano
    EricMurano Posts: 825 Member
    I will admit, cheese is a huge weakness for me. My husband and I have had a hard time finding healthy foods to eat as neither of us are great cooks! So I resort to prepackaged foods that clearly display the calories, but are not necessarily good for me. I am not sure how to make my exercise diary public, but that is one area that I have been proud of, is the exercise that I have been getting in. Thanks for the advice.

    I'm the same; I rely on frozen meals a lot because they're easily countable.

    I love cheese (part French, go figure lol) but every time I have it and record it I get a shock at the number of calories it has. Any day I have cheese I end up going over my fat allowance. That messes with the fat/protein/carb ratio too.
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