Am I doing something wrong??

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Kelblue1
Kelblue1 Posts: 139 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I show on MFP I should have 1200 calories a day which I stay very close too. I lost 3 lbs the first week, then I added in Zumba and walking about 4-5 times a week. I always put my workouts in. I have a Polar HRM so I put in what it shows for calories burned. Then I eat the calories it shows. (my 1200 plus what I've burned) But the last 2 weeks I seem to have not budged really. Am I doing something wrong?? I don't get it.
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Replies

  • chanstriste13
    chanstriste13 Posts: 3,277 Member
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    give it time. your body probably just needs to adjust to the activity. it'll happen! :flowerforyou:
  • eeeekie
    eeeekie Posts: 1,011 Member
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    are you tracking your sodium?
    drinking enough water?
    is it your TOM? (week before?)
    are you measuring all your food properly?

    There a lots of factors
  • tdjones00
    tdjones00 Posts: 68
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    Don't eat what you burn. Stick to the 1200 calories and it will melt off.
  • NoAdditives
    NoAdditives Posts: 4,251 Member
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    If you open up your diary we can make suggestions based on your habits.
  • agathaann
    agathaann Posts: 3
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    Dont get discouraged. it sounds like you have come to a halt.. your body may be used the activity that you have been giving it.. Switch it up every week.. from brisk walking one day. to a run the next. lifting weights , zumba , yoga. It challenges your muscles more. and re boots everything again.. lots of change.. changing your distants and speed ect.. also weight training is key.. the more muscle mass you have the more calories you burn..
  • Suzkohlmann
    Suzkohlmann Posts: 2
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    I'm in no way an expert, but my understanding is that you need a calorie deficit in order to lose weight. So, that means you shouldn't be eating the calories you burned doing zumba and walking. You should stick to the 1200 calories, and add your exercise without eating more.

    I really struggle with this myself, but the earlier post asking about water is the key for me. If I'm drinking enough water, I don't feel hungry on the 1200 calories, even after an early morning workout. But if I haven't had enough water, I feel like I'm hungry. I hope that helps!

    P.S. I'm 5'5" and 149 lbs. I have mine set at 1250 calories to lose 1.1 lbs per week. I've only been on here a week so no real results yet, but at last weigh in I'd lost 0.8 lbs.
  • thetrishwarp
    thetrishwarp Posts: 838 Member
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    As has been said multiple times by multiple people, MFP builds in a calorie deficit - you do not need to create one yourself. Eating your exercise calories is great. What you may want to try doing is eating 1200 one day, 1500 the next, back to 1200, for a week or two to keep your body guessing.
  • chanstriste13
    chanstriste13 Posts: 3,277 Member
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    Don't eat what you burn. Stick to the 1200 calories and it will melt off.

    this is debatable. be careful with this option. it's different for everyone, of course, but many people find that they do lose weight quickly for a time, but then their metabolism pretty much dies and they are unable to lose anymore. tricky tricky...
  • ladyhawk00
    ladyhawk00 Posts: 2,457 Member
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    I'm in no way an expert, but my understanding is that you need a calorie deficit in order to lose weight. So, that means you shouldn't be eating the calories you burned doing zumba and walking. You should stick to the 1200 calories, and add your exercise without eating more.

    This is actually incorrect. MFP does not work like other counters/plans. MFP creates a built in deficit, based on your chosen loss per week goal, regardless of exercise. It adds cals to maintain that deficit, keeping it steady - and therefore your weight loss steady. Eating under goal will not necessarily make you lose faster, and can result in slower metabolism and burning a higher ratio of muscle, rather than fat.

    Here's a couple of threads that discuss this:

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/186814-some-mfp-basics

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/61706-guide-to-calorie-deficits

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/10589-for-those-confused-or-questioning-eating-your-exercise-calo

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/117726-eating-exercise-cals-slowing-your-weight-loss-read-this
  • a_freeman
    a_freeman Posts: 116 Member
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    I agree with chanstriste. I think you may not be eating enough and your body is in starvation mode. Reset your MFP calories and eat your exercise calories. On the positive side, you'll be less hungry and might lose weight. The worst that could happen is you stay where you are. I also watch my carbs which I think helps me with craving
  • taso42_DELETED
    taso42_DELETED Posts: 3,394 Member
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    Don't eat what you burn. Stick to the 1200 calories and it will melt off.

    Fail!
  • mkennedym
    mkennedym Posts: 253 Member
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    Don't eat what you burn. Stick to the 1200 calories and it will melt off.

    this is fine if she is doing extremely light workouts, but this is awful advice if her workouts are particularly strenuous and she is burning a lot of calories.
  • TheNewLK
    TheNewLK Posts: 933 Member
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    Don't eat what you burn. Stick to the 1200 calories and it will melt off.

    Fail!

    Precisely!!! You have to eat them!!! Else it will slow down your weight loss....((spoken from experience))
  • mkennedym
    mkennedym Posts: 253 Member
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    I agree with chanstriste. I think you may not be eating enough and your body is in starvation mode. Reset your MFP calories and eat your exercise calories. On the positive side, you'll be less hungry and might lose weight. The worst that could happen is you stay where you are. I also watch my carbs which I think helps me with craving

    no.

    http://www.weightwatchers.com/util/art/index_art.aspx?tabnum=1&art_id=35501
  • FK1983
    FK1983 Posts: 186 Member
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    Don't eat what you burn. Stick to the 1200 calories and it will melt off.
    ^This, I never have and never will eat exercise calories. 107lbs lost in 6 months shows what works lol :laugh:
  • Kelblue1
    Kelblue1 Posts: 139 Member
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    I have been eating my calories burned due to MFP already figuring in the deficiency. In many days I do Zumba and then may walk with my little one later and can burn a total of 800 calories. So if I didn't eat my calories I'd lose fast I'm sure but probably be extremely sick also. I did start my TOM 2 days ago so maybe that is my issue for this weigh in today. I hadn't even though of that affecting me. Thanks for all the feed back! I'll start rotating workouts too and see how that does!
  • mkennedym
    mkennedym Posts: 253 Member
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    Don't eat what you burn. Stick to the 1200 calories and it will melt off.
    ^This

    no. that is unhealthy advice especially for women.
  • FK1983
    FK1983 Posts: 186 Member
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    no. that is unhealthy advice especially for women.
    It's totally healthy and safe actually (1200-1600 calories per day), recommended, tried and tested, Doctors even recommend it, the problem is it isn't the "MFP Way" so must be wrong! lol
  • Cordy_in_CT
    Cordy_in_CT Posts: 134 Member
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    I show on MFP I should have 1200 calories a day which I stay very close too. I lost 3 lbs the first week, then I added in Zumba and walking about 4-5 times a week. I always put my workouts in. I have a Polar HRM so I put in what it shows for calories burned. Then I eat the calories it shows. (my 1200 plus what I've burned) But the last 2 weeks I seem to have not budged really. Am I doing something wrong?? I don't get it.
    I'm in a "holding pattern" too. And I'm a little sad and frustrated, and wondered if I was doing something wrong too. I've been working so hard at the gym doing lots of cardio. I've been making healthy eating choices, logging, and staying within my calories. It's hard when I see other people losing so much so quickly. Let's hang in there. What's the alternative? :grumble:
  • erickirb
    erickirb Posts: 12,293 Member
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    Don't eat what you burn. Stick to the 1200 calories and it will melt off.

    100% disagree with this comment. The only way to ensure you meet your weekly caloric deficit goal (weekly weight loss goal) is to eat your exercise calories.

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