Why am I not losing bigger numbers? Confirm my thoughts please.

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thelazydandelion
thelazydandelion Posts: 58 Member
edited October 2014 in Health and Weight Loss
First of all, I'd appreciate nobody telling me off as I'm just seeking friendly advice.

Since the 1st October I've been following a vegan diet (not for weight loss, for the animals lol) as it was something I want to experiment with, to see if I could do it full time. Unfortunately most of the time I can't be bothered to eat, no underlying issues, I just simply can't be bothered, whether that be due to my depression or laziness. So combine that with some knowledge about nutrition but inability to come up with something I want to eat and you have my food diary. Sometimes I'll eat a fair amount then there are days I hardly eat then have a big dinner.

I'm not doing exercise a part from a couple of walks here and there. The most exercise I have done is the 30 days challenge app, which involves me doing squats and wall sits. I don't set out to eat so few calories but there are times where I just don't feel hungry during the day. I was fasting 2 days a week at the beginning of the month (I ate 600 on fast days) but seeing as I wasn't getting my calories in on non fasting days, I stopped doing it until I got my calories up. I'm yet to do that.

So after all this, I naively thought hey I may not be exercising but I'm not eating loads so surely I'm gonna lose biggish numbers. Today I weighed myself and have lost a 1 lb in over a week. I was disappointed, very disappointed. The sensible part of my brain knows, any weight loss is good but that part of me that is so desperate to lose weight before I'm 30 is not happy.

My assumption is that I'm not moving my *kitten* enough and not eating enough calories, Am I right? and other than eating more can anyone see any foods that may hinder my weight loss (I eat too much bread I know).

*edit* I've just reminded myself of what I've been eating, maybe I'm eating too much? Ugh I dunno.

Replies

  • paperpudding
    paperpudding Posts: 9,031 Member
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    Eating "too much bread" will not hinder your weight loss, if the total calories for the day is at or under your allowance.
    1b in a week sounds a good loss - what is the problem here exactly?
    -
    However if you want people to give constructive advice you will probably need your diary open - at present it is not.
  • thelazydandelion
    thelazydandelion Posts: 58 Member
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    Oh sorry I thought it was. As I said, my brain is conflicted, I know any weight loss is good but I feel like I should be doing better.
  • reginastiffler
    reginastiffler Posts: 75 Member
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    Are you measuring and tracking everything? If not, you may want to start there to see how many calories in you're actually getting.
  • 999tigger
    999tigger Posts: 5,235 Member
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    Are you weighing or just estimating your food?
    Whats the calorific deficit you are working with?
    Whats your BMR?
    How much are you trying to lose per week?
    How long have you sustained or think you have sustained the deficit?

    The normal answers are that you are eating more than you think and overestimating the effect of any exercise. You have to approach it in a bit ore disiplined manner if you want real answers.

    Unless you know the answers by tracking then you really have no idea whether you are or are not eating loads. That moves you to your disappointment with only losing 1lb in a week. I think it may be ok and you need to be patient.

    Looking at your profile you talk about laziness and depression. It sounds like you arent being discipluned enough about your diet (although you are logging reasonably well). You need that information and to get into those good habits. You also imo need to appreciate more about your diet and how to go about it plus understand what reasonable expectations are. Depression can make you feel that way, but tbh you have to fight it and planning a good regime of diet and nutrition can help you score victories which will lift your mood. Read some of the very good stickys.

    Exercise and setting time aside for it can be a very good to counter depression. Its very useful but less importnat to dieting directly. It has a lot of other benefits so you could use it to supplement your weight loss as it helps burn more as well as helping your body look better.

    Put some energy into reading up on doing your diet and MFP, then you will be able to et more consistent weight loss. The aim is healthy consistent sustainable weight loss.
  • thelazydandelion
    thelazydandelion Posts: 58 Member
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    Thank you, I weigh everything and log it precisely 90% of the time, I guess that 10% is counting against me lol. My profile needs to be updated as I'm not so much like that anymore. I read a LOT of things but I have memory problems as well as my brain being foggy quite often. I think writing it all out and reading what you have said has made something click in my head. On wards and Upwards (not in 1lbs tho haha)

    P.S to the poster that said my diary is not public, it is now and was when I originally posted.
  • paperpudding
    paperpudding Posts: 9,031 Member
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    Yes I clicked on your profile again and it is open - not sure why I couldnt see it before.
    -
    Perhaps a silly glitch in new system, I hear there have been a few of them lately.

    People are going to give you advice about weighing accurately etc - however I'm still not sure what the actual problem is - you lost a 1lb in a week - that is usually the MFP recomended amount. What is the problem exactly?
  • thelazydandelion
    thelazydandelion Posts: 58 Member
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    I think it's been forced into my brain that if you're my weight, you should lose bigger numbers. I've also cut a lot out of my diet so thought it would make a difference.
  • 999tigger
    999tigger Posts: 5,235 Member
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    If you wnat to lose more then you have a few choices consume less or move more.
    I suggest you start thinking about moving more. One thing it makes me realise every day is just how much work you have to put in to burn 500 calories and you would need to burn 3500 for just 1lb loss.

    If you have memory problems then write what you need to remember all the time.
    If you will follow the guidelines and do an acurate calorie deficit supplemented by exercise consistently, then you will make bigger numbers. 1-3 weeks is not a big enough period of time to draw many firm conclusions.
  • thelazydandelion
    thelazydandelion Posts: 58 Member
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    my bmr is 1925.8 BTW.
  • FoodieMotion
    FoodieMotion Posts: 78 Member
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    I'm not entirely sure what your basic calories for the day are. Mine are 1650 which I calculated manually from some other websites for weight loss and then adding my exercise calories after. At the moment I seem to be losing 1-2lbs per week.
    Not sure if this helps you at all, everyone is different and everything should be taken as a guideline. The one thing I will say is try and increase your protein through vegan sources if you can.
    Perhaps, now we're coming into Winter, maybe try making soups with lentils or chickpeas for your lunch to bulk up your protein levels.
  • WalkingAlong
    WalkingAlong Posts: 4,926 Member
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    thelazydandelion wrote: »
    My assumption is that I'm not moving my *kitten* enough and not eating enough calories, Am I right? and other than eating more can anyone see any foods that may hinder my weight loss (I eat too much bread I know).

    *edit* I've just reminded myself of what I've been eating, maybe I'm eating too much? Ugh I dunno.
    You don't have to exercise to lose weight but with a goal of 1900 calories a day it might help. That's a pretty high goal for someone expecting to lose more than a pound a week. Did MFP give you that goal, based on sedentary lifestyle?

    Not eating enough to lose is rarely, if ever, the problem.

    Being new to a way of eating like you are often involves high motivation to eat less and a lowered appetite. It usually passes soon.

    Bread and meat don't matter to your calorie deficit, which is what matters to weight loss. Patience does matter!

    Good luck!

  • Liftng4Lis
    Liftng4Lis Posts: 15,150 Member
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    Caloric deficit = weight loss. I would just be patient and keep doing what you're doing.

    Just a side note here, you really should find ways to get more protein as to maintain more muscle mass while you're losing.
  • bwogilvie
    bwogilvie Posts: 2,130 Member
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    It's easy to maintain or gain on a vegan diet if you're not careful; all those nutrient-rich, calorie-poor foods like vegetables are balanced out by the oils and nuts that are a staple of much vegan cooking. There's nothing wrong with them, of course, but if you don't weigh or measure them carefully, they can easily account for several hundred calories a day.

    I'd recommend adding exercise to your routine. Some moderate to intense aerobic exercise will burn some additional calories, but more importantly, it will probably improve your mood and may also improve your memory, based on some recent research (summarized by Gretchen Reynolds in The First 20 Minutes and Alex Hutchinson in Which Comes First, Cardio or Weights?).
  • SLLRunner
    SLLRunner Posts: 12,942 Member
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    thelazydandelion wrote: »
    First of all, I'd appreciate nobody telling me off as I'm just seeking friendly advice.

    Since the 1st October I've been following a vegan diet (not for weight loss, for the animals lol) as it was something I want to experiment with, to see if I could do it full time. Unfortunately most of the time I can't be bothered to eat, no underlying issues, I just simply can't be bothered, whether that be due to my depression or laziness. So combine that with some knowledge about nutrition but inability to come up with something I want to eat and you have my food diary. Sometimes I'll eat a fair amount then there are days I hardly eat then have a big dinner.

    I'm not doing exercise a part from a couple of walks here and there. The most exercise I have done is the 30 days challenge app, which involves me doing squats and wall sits. I don't set out to eat so few calories but there are times where I just don't feel hungry during the day. I was fasting 2 days a week at the beginning of the month (I ate 600 on fast days) but seeing as I wasn't getting my calories in on non fasting days, I stopped doing it until I got my calories up. I'm yet to do that.

    So after all this, I naively thought hey I may not be exercising but I'm not eating loads so surely I'm gonna lose biggish numbers. Today I weighed myself and have lost a 1 lb in over a week. I was disappointed, very disappointed. The sensible part of my brain knows, any weight loss is good but that part of me that is so desperate to lose weight before I'm 30 is not happy.

    My assumption is that I'm not moving my *kitten* enough and not eating enough calories, Am I right? and other than eating more can anyone see any foods that may hinder my weight loss (I eat too much bread I know).

    *edit* I've just reminded myself of what I've been eating, maybe I'm eating too much? Ugh I dunno.

    Why do you think someone will tell you off? ;)

    Bottom line: you are not losing more than one pound per week because you are eating the amount of food that results in one pound per week loss. In other words, you are eating more than you think you are due to unintentional underestimating of calories in. It's pretty common to do that.

    That said, one pound per week is fantastic! Keep up the hard work.

    Also, vegan is just the type of dietary plan you choose for personal reasons. I think a lot of animals are very happy. :smiley:
  • thelazydandelion
    thelazydandelion Posts: 58 Member
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    I think maybe I have read too much differing stuff. Someone replied saying there is no such thing as eating more to lose weight or something to that extent. Whereas I have read that if you eat to little you may not lose weight.

    I have my calories set to 1900 with no intention to eat that amount, odd yes but I put myself off if I see such a love calorie amount. Maybe I'll have a go at shaking things up.

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