Weight loss slow !!

msonique
msonique Posts: 8 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
hi, I am 57 and been on since Monday, after completing profile etc., stating sit all day at office job, so no exercise and aiming to lose 1.5 lb a week, allowed 1200 calories per day, which I have been maintaining, but when I completed my diary for yesterday, it said in 5 weeks would only have lost 5 lb - would like to lose at least 1.5 lb per week, can anyone tell me what I am doing wrong ?? Thanks, ps have 2 stone to lose in total, seems a long road !!!

Replies

  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
    completing the diary it gives you an estimate of your overall weight loss if you ate like that every single day - you won't - take it with a pinch of salt

    weight loss isn't linear - some weeks, particularly at the start, you'll lose more, some less, some weeks you won't lose at all and some weeks you may even put on water weight - but the overall trend, if you stick to a defecit will be downwards

    and don't be in a hurry - it took you a long road to put on the weight, it will take you a long road to take it off .. particularly as you get closer to goal you'll need to reudce your target weight loss (I'm on 0.5lb a week now)
  • nestofherown
    nestofherown Posts: 1
    The tracker is a suggestion. Your choices and your bodies reaction to those choices impacts your weight loss. Have you ever considered following a plant based diet, forgoing dairy and meat? I watched a few good nutritional documentaries on Netflix like "Food for Change" and so I am making the transition to what a species really eats. I am 53 and it is working for me.... I've lost 3 pounds this week. All the best in your weight loss journey :smile:
  • PeachyCarol
    PeachyCarol Posts: 8,029 Member
    When you filled out your profile, did you say that you would do any exercise at all? The loss calculation of 1.5 pounds a week will include that, but the projected 5 week thing at the end of the day only focused on what you do in a day. They are actually pretty funny sometimes.

    I have chronic migraines and have skipped meals on days when I've had them. My 5 week predictions on those days have been quite amusing.

    Don't worry about what it says. Continue on your path.
  • emdeesea
    emdeesea Posts: 1,823 Member
    Don't pay attention to that figure you get when you complete your food diary for the day. It's only a suggestion. I don't even bother looking at it. It always says I'll lose like 5 pounds in five weeks, when in reality I'm only losing 2 pounds a month, and took me a whole year to lose 20 pounds.

    The weight didn't come on in 5 days, it's not going to come off in 5 days either. You have to be patient and keep doing it. It's not a race.
  • psuLemon
    psuLemon Posts: 38,425 MFP Moderator
    OP, you have to understand that since you are sedentary and older, your TDEE (or maintenance calories) will not be very high. Also with only 40 lbs to lose, 1 lb per week is ideal. If you want to work on the leanness of your body, then I would look to add exercise, especially resistance training. It will help maintain muscle (which gets you lean), helps maintain metabolic functions and helps keeps your bones strong. Also, when you exercise, you get to eat more calories.

    If you haven't yet, pick up a food scale too. It helps keep things accurate.
  • pinkiezoom
    pinkiezoom Posts: 409 Member
    Its only the 1st week, so relax and get in a good routine with it all. If you do no exercise at all, then 1200 cals may be enough for you. I would struggle personally. Remember this isnt a diet its a whole lifestyle change thing, so your ultimate goal is to reach your 2 stone loss, in a healthy and sustainable fashion, so you dont put it straight back on! Weigh everything you eat on electric scales if you can, and dont deny yourself anything, just fit it in to your calories, drink lots of water and you will do fine hun. Ignore the prediction as it is only a little bit of motivation i think, i dont even look at it. for reference i eat 1760 a day and lose 2lbs a week on average, but as already explained its not linear, so take measurements so when the scales dont go the way you want them to, you can see your progress in your shrinking waist :)
    Good luck x
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,809 Member
    Workout4Health wrote: »
    My recommendation would be to lower your caloric intake by 300-500 calories and begin to do cardio and some weights. Try to work your way up to 90 to 120 minutes, which won't be hard over time. Good luck.
    Awful advice! Massive calorie deficit, insufficient nutrition and then add exercise....
    Please ignore this OP unless you want to burn out and end up looking like a saggy mess.

    It's Thursday and you started on Monday but already getting discouraged by a very simplistic calculator which is trying to predict the future isn't a great sign.

    28lbs at a pound a week would put you at goal weight in summer time - take it steady, make small changes and think long term. Make this your last "diet" (verb).

  • msonique
    msonique Posts: 8 Member
    Thank you everyone who replied, helped to spur me on !!! Would love to go to a gym and may think about it once I get over Xmas, lol - thanks again all
  • Liftng4Lis
    Liftng4Lis Posts: 15,151 Member
    I have never yet had that be accurate. You didn't gain it that quickly, so what's the rush?
  • Marianna93637
    Marianna93637 Posts: 230 Member
    I started at the end of November (Thanksgiving week) and lost 8.5 lbs in 3 weeks, and then nothing the next almost 3 weeks. Well, I got on the scale a few days ago and it showed .5 lb. (I also had 40 lbs in total to lose).
    First I wasn't very very happy, because I started exercising, which I didn't even do before and felt that I should've lost at least something.
    Every one was telling me that my body probably retained water due to running and doing exercise. Eventually I just accepted the fact that it might be another couple of weeks or so before the scale starts to move again. I am so much slimmer than before, the fat from my back almost disappeared, my waist is smaller and my stomach is so much flatter. My face also shows it (profile pic).
    So I might not have lost lbs but for sure I lost inches (I haven't measured myself, but my jeans are really big on me)

    It took me 7 months to gain these 9 lbs, so it's already a miracle that it's gone in 3 weeks. The other 30 lbs took me 2-3 years to gain, so I know it won't be gone in 2 months, but that's ok. I want it gone and stay off, so slow is the key.

    So don't worry about the scale so much.
  • 1sisrat
    1sisrat Posts: 267 Member
    1200 is too low. MFP does that automatically, but, all research suggests that women eat no less than 1,400 a day. eat more protein and lower your goals for carbs to 30% of your daily intake. drink lots of water to help your system work right and get up every hour to stretch or something.... do some fitness research. lotsa facts out there!
  • obscuremusicreference
    obscuremusicreference Posts: 1,320 Member
    1sisrat wrote: »
    1200 is too low. MFP does that automatically, but, all research suggests that women eat no less than 1,400 a day. eat more protein and lower your goals for carbs to 30% of your daily intake. drink lots of water to help your system work right and get up every hour to stretch or something.... do some fitness research. lotsa facts out there!

    Can you post this research you're referencing? I have not seen this study and would be interested in reading it.

    Also, I eat fruits, veggies, tortillas, and other things that have carbs and have lost 33 pounds.

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