WHY IS MY DIET NOT WORKING??????
Laureani
Posts: 134 Member
Hey guys this fitness journey is not really showing me any light and it's pretty depressing. I need some help and support. I'm trying to lose 30 pounds of fat by April and I've been going to the gym everyday ( It's been about a month now) and eating a strict 1400 calorie diet (recommended by my doctor) and making sure I'm taking in more protein than carbs since I also want to build back my muscle (carbs make me gain weight easily too!!!). I am female, 5'5, 198 pounds and 20 years old. I don't know if my genes have much to do with it. my dad is slim and most women on his side are slim. my mom is fat and most women on her side are fat. I gain weight all over my body although I think I'm kinda pear shaped/slash hour glass shape. I have a BMI of 20, blood sugar is 55 (is that too low????), my blood pressure is 119/60. Although I'm trying my best I'm ALWAYS FEELING HUNGRY and I feel that if I increase my calories I'll have to increase my workouts although my workouts are already as intense as I can take (I run 5 days a week for 30 minutes on the treadmill 7mph and 4mph 3 minutes off and on and I lift weights twice a week for 20 minutes) . every time I check the scale I'm still 198 pounds sometimes it even says I'm 200 pounds and I've been using the same non digital scale provided by the gym I go to. I feel I'm in a losing battle and my body is not responding to anything I do. I feel that only plain salads and water is going to allow me to lose these 30 pounds of body fat which is not cool because I like to eat, what can I do,is there something I'm doing wrong??? and can I still have pizza and cookies 
?????????
????????? 0
Replies
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Do you weigh all your food and using the correct entries from the database?0
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The first thing you're doing wrong is calling it a "diet". If you want to lose weight and keep it off you have to be ready to commit to a permanent and sustainable lifestyle change.
How long have you been cutting calories/hitting the gym? Are you weighing your food with a food scale to ensure accuracy?0 -
How long have you been doing this, so far?
Would you be comfortable opening your diary for us to take a look?0 -
No I dont use a food scale nor do I know where or how to get onekommodevaran wrote: »Do you weigh all your food and using the correct entries from the database?
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No I dont use a food scale nor do I know where or how to get onekommodevaran wrote: »Do you weigh all your food and using the correct entries from the database?
They're available at Target, Walmart, some grocery stores, and online. They usually cost about $15-$20. They're not an absolute must have for dieters, but they are much more accurate than using measuring cups or eyeballing portion sizes. If you've been dieting long enough that you should have seen some results and you aren't, then it's a fair bet that you're underestimating how much you're eating.
http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1290491/how-and-why-to-use-a-digital-food-scale
http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1234699/logging-accurately-step-by-step-guide
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notnikkisixx wrote: »The first thing you're doing wrong is calling it a "diet". If you want to lose weight and keep it off you have to be ready to commit to a permanent and sustainable lifestyle change.
I'm aware of it being a lifestyle change and I'm committed I've been at this for a month now, any other advice or am I in the wrong forum???0 -
diannethegeek wrote: »
No I dont use a food scale nor do I know where or how to get onekommodevaran wrote: »Do you weigh all your food and using the correct entries from the database?
They're available at Target, Walmart, some grocery stores, and online. They usually cost about $15-$20. They're not an absolute must have for dieters, but they are much more accurate than using measuring cups or eyeballing portion sizes. If you've been dieting long enough that you should have seen some results and you aren't, then it's a fair bet that you're underestimating how much you're eating.
http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1290491/how-and-why-to-use-a-digital-food-scale
http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1234699/logging-accurately-step-by-step-guide
Okay, thankyou0 -
How are you coming up with "BMI" of 20? Is this something your scale tells you? Ignore it.
I don't generally say get a food scale, but based on what you've typed, you might benefit from one?0 -
Sabine_Stroehm wrote: »How are you coming up with "BMI" of 20? Is this something your scale tells you? Ignore it.
I don't generally say get a food scale, but based on what you've typed, you might benefit from one?
Yup, the scale said I had a BMI of 20, I wasn't sure if my BMI had increased or the scale was messing with me. A few months ago my doctor told me my BMI was 18. I'm considering having another health check to make sure everything is as it should be.0 -
Sabine_Stroehm wrote: »How are you coming up with "BMI" of 20? Is this something your scale tells you? Ignore it.
I don't generally say get a food scale, but based on what you've typed, you might benefit from one?
This! Based on the height and weight you listed I calculated your BMI to be 33. BMI is
(weight in kg ) / (height in meters squared)
Have a look at the sexy pants guide0 -
Opening your diary might help. My gut feel is the issue is twofold: (1) you're lifting heavy (and, I assume this started a month ago) so you're adding muscle, and (2) you're not eating nearly enough for your activity level. Have you been tracking anything other than the scale number, such as waist / hip measurements (normally I'd also say "how well clothes fit", but if you're doing squats, you might actually be adding some booty).0
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kommodevaran wrote: »Do you weigh all your food and using the correct entries from the database?
Yes I'm using the database, although allot of the food I eat is Nigerian or Japanese food and the database isn't always accurate so sometimes I have to guess or makeup my own food.0 -
notnikkisixx wrote: »The first thing you're doing wrong is calling it a "diet". If you want to lose weight and keep it off you have to be ready to commit to a permanent and sustainable lifestyle change.
I'm aware of it being a lifestyle change and I'm committed I've been at this for a month now, any other advice or am I in the wrong forum???
It's important that we ask certain questions to make sure that everyone's giving you the best advice that we can. I understand that you're frustrated, but knowing how long you've been at this is important. If you'd answered that it was only a week or two I would have said it's water retention from the increased activity and you should wait it out. But since it's been a month (and I assume the exercise hasn't been changed/increased in that time period) then there's something else going on.
Honestly, without seeing your diary it's hard to know what else might help you. A food scale is a good option if you can afford/have access to one. If you're currently logging your exercise and eating back the earned calories then you may need to cut those back (MFP has a tendency to overestimate certain activities).0 -
Sabine_Stroehm wrote: »How are you coming up with "BMI" of 20? Is this something your scale tells you? Ignore it.
I don't generally say get a food scale, but based on what you've typed, you might benefit from one?
Yup, the scale said I had a BMI of 20, I wasn't sure if my BMI had increased or the scale was messing with me. A few months ago my doctor told me my BMI was 18. I'm considering having another health check to make sure everything is as it should be.
I hate when people change what things mean. (not you, i'm just complaining outlaid) BMI is (or was) a very specific thing. Yours isn't 20, or 18 for that matter, so ignore that. (Not that it matters, but it will confuse you when other people talk about BMI and use the OTHER definition.
http://www.cdc.gov/healthyweight/assessing/bmi/adult_BMI/english_bmi_calculator/bmi_calculator.html
http://www.calculator.net/bmi-calculator.html
But yes, consider getting a digital food scale. Then use MFP to log the exact amounts you're eating. If you can't get a food scale, use some of the portion size visuals you can find on the internet.
Good luck! You really should be seeing some results by now...
and yes, read the sexy pants thread. http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1080242/a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants/p10 -
Sabine_Stroehm wrote: »Sabine_Stroehm wrote: »How are you coming up with "BMI" of 20? Is this something your scale tells you? Ignore it.
I don't generally say get a food scale, but based on what you've typed, you might benefit from one?
Yup, the scale said I had a BMI of 20, I wasn't sure if my BMI had increased or the scale was messing with me. A few months ago my doctor told me my BMI was 18. I'm considering having another health check to make sure everything is as it should be.
I hate when people change what things mean. (not you, i'm just complaining outlaid) BMI is (or was) a very specific thing. Yours isn't 20, or 18 for that matter, so ignore that. (Not that it matters, but it will confuse you when other people talk about BMI and use the OTHER definition.
http://www.cdc.gov/healthyweight/assessing/bmi/adult_BMI/english_bmi_calculator/bmi_calculator.html
http://www.calculator.net/bmi-calculator.html
But yes, consider getting a digital food scale. Then use MFP to log the exact amounts you're eating. If you can't get a food scale, use some of the portion size visuals you can find on the internet.
Good luck! You really should be seeing some results by now...
Thankyou!0 -
Sabine_Stroehm wrote: »Sabine_Stroehm wrote: »How are you coming up with "BMI" of 20? Is this something your scale tells you? Ignore it.
I don't generally say get a food scale, but based on what you've typed, you might benefit from one?
Yup, the scale said I had a BMI of 20, I wasn't sure if my BMI had increased or the scale was messing with me. A few months ago my doctor told me my BMI was 18. I'm considering having another health check to make sure everything is as it should be.
I hate when people change what things mean. (not you, i'm just complaining outlaid) BMI is (or was) a very specific thing. Yours isn't 20, or 18 for that matter, so ignore that. (Not that it matters, but it will confuse you when other people talk about BMI and use the OTHER definition.
http://www.cdc.gov/healthyweight/assessing/bmi/adult_BMI/english_bmi_calculator/bmi_calculator.html
http://www.calculator.net/bmi-calculator.html
But yes, consider getting a digital food scale. Then use MFP to log the exact amounts you're eating. If you can't get a food scale, use some of the portion size visuals you can find on the internet.
Good luck! You really should be seeing some results by now...
and yes, read the sexy pants thread. http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1080242/a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants/p1
There's another bmi definition? Google time.....
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well, I don't know about a "definition" but those biometric scales claim that the body fat percentage they give is a "BMI".mumblemagic wrote: »Sabine_Stroehm wrote: »Sabine_Stroehm wrote: »How are you coming up with "BMI" of 20? Is this something your scale tells you? Ignore it.
I don't generally say get a food scale, but based on what you've typed, you might benefit from one?
Yup, the scale said I had a BMI of 20, I wasn't sure if my BMI had increased or the scale was messing with me. A few months ago my doctor told me my BMI was 18. I'm considering having another health check to make sure everything is as it should be.
I hate when people change what things mean. (not you, i'm just complaining outlaid) BMI is (or was) a very specific thing. Yours isn't 20, or 18 for that matter, so ignore that. (Not that it matters, but it will confuse you when other people talk about BMI and use the OTHER definition.
http://www.cdc.gov/healthyweight/assessing/bmi/adult_BMI/english_bmi_calculator/bmi_calculator.html
http://www.calculator.net/bmi-calculator.html
But yes, consider getting a digital food scale. Then use MFP to log the exact amounts you're eating. If you can't get a food scale, use some of the portion size visuals you can find on the internet.
Good luck! You really should be seeing some results by now...
and yes, read the sexy pants thread. http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1080242/a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants/p1
There's another bmi definition? Google time.....
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Also, weight on the scale isn't everything. Fat takes up much more space than muscle and muscle weighs more. Take a few basic measurements with a tape measure and log them on myfitnesspal or somewhere that's easy for you. http://www.sparkpeople.com/resource/fitness_articles.asp?id=12810
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diannethegeek wrote: »notnikkisixx wrote: »The first thing you're doing wrong is calling it a "diet". If you want to lose weight and keep it off you have to be ready to commit to a permanent and sustainable lifestyle change.
I'm aware of it being a lifestyle change and I'm committed I've been at this for a month now, any other advice or am I in the wrong forum???
It's important that we ask certain questions to make sure that everyone's giving you the best advice that we can. I understand that you're frustrated, but knowing how long you've been at this is important. If you'd answered that it was only a week or two I would have said it's water retention from the increased activity and you should wait it out. But since it's been a month (and I assume the exercise hasn't been changed/increased in that time period) then there's something else going on.
Honestly, without seeing your diary it's hard to know what else might help you. A food scale is a good option if you can afford/have access to one. If you're currently logging your exercise and eating back the earned calories then you may need to cut those back (MFP has a tendency to overestimate certain activities).
^^^ yep! that!
Get your food scale TODAY! I got the cheap digital one from Target and it has never let me down, so I'd definitely recommend that one.
Guessing food from the database will often give you the wrong results. For example, if I put in "omelet" the calorie counts could vary drastically from 100-800 based on what is in it. For any food I make myself, I list all the ingredients in my food diary, or I use the recipe maker to get the most accurate read. If you're going out to eat a lot or having someone else prepare your meals, find the most similar item in the database to track it as. When in doubt, pick the option with the highest amount of calories...better under than over.
I'm not sure if this is the case with you, but I know that I personally get a little "scale-obsessed" when I'm trying to lose. I'll jump on the scale sometimes twice a day because I really want to see a difference, however this is not the way to go. Try to only weigh yourself once a week on the same day, at the same time so that you can get the most accurate read. Lately I've committed to only weighing myself on Sunday nights in the same workout clothes so that I can get a consistent read.
Good luck!0 -
Have you had a complete physical including checking your thyroid? That was part of my problem.0
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skullshank wrote: »
Why probably not? OP says she's lifting, and her profile says she was a wrestler within the last few years, and so probably had a store of easily-reactivated muscle mass.0 -
How did you come up with having a blood sugar of 55?
What are you eating and when? Is the only exercise Cardio via treadmill?
I would like to help you.0 -
notnikkisixx wrote: »The first thing you're doing wrong is calling it a "diet". If you want to lose weight and keep it off you have to be ready to commit to a permanent and sustainable lifestyle change.
How long have you been cutting calories/hitting the gym? Are you weighing your food with a food scale to ensure accuracy?
I call what I'm doing a diet. My diet is how I eat.0 -
What is the opening the diary ya'll keep referring to? Are you talking about the food diary.0
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I understand exactly why you are frustrated. We feel like we are making positive changes and are not seeing the measurable results. I would recommend a 3 fold strategy for the foreseeable future.
1. Get a food scale and measure EVERYTHING. I mean, get stingy. Try and understand the calories of everything you eat/drink. For foods you are unsure about, create the recipes and drill down to the calories per serving. Plan out your meals so you know when you can add a cookie or small slice of pizza as a treat.
2. Get a heart rate monitor. Before I got mine, I was WAY overestimating the calories I was burning. Now that I have been using one for 6 months, I have seen my weight loss progress at a steady rate.
3. Give yourself credit for working as hard as you have the past month and set your focus forward to working even harder. The past month was absolutely not a waste. You may have made changes to your body that can't been shown with the number on the scale.
I know this seems like a head ache of suggestions (buying equipment and working harder) but it is the consistency of hard work and focus that will make a difference over time, not simply 4 weeks of hard work (sorry to be the bearer of bad news). Losing 30 lbs is a big deal and takes a lot of hard work. Keep going, if you make these changes, eventually you will see the scale move.0 -
What is the opening the diary ya'll keep referring to? Are you talking about the food diary.
Yes, when someone doesn't understand why they're losing they should open their food diary and people can tell them they're using the wrong entries or should be weighing their food, etc. Basically, it's to give better advice.0 -
I think some of your numbers are incorrect, for example, based on your stats, your BMI is actually 32 not 20.
I haven't read through all the responses, so someone else may have said this already. But it seems to me that you need to take a deep breath, slow down, set small achievable goals and really focus on accurate logging.
If you don't have a medical illness (you mentioned you had seen a doctor) you should be losing on your current plan.
Make sure you are super honest and accurate with your logging (ie; weighing/measuring you food, adding EVERYTHING like cooking oils, dressings on salad etc).
Most of all Good Luck.0 -
Keep an eye on how much sodium you're getting as well. That can cause water retention. Ethnic foods like Japanese may have a lot of sodium, especially if you use soy sauce with it. If you are making it yourself, count each ingredient separately as someone else suggested it; if you are eating out try to cut back on it because anything you eat at a restaurant is going to have stuff in it you don't know about and which will add calories. Stir fries and things like that could have a lot of oil in them, for instance. Good luck - you will do this!0
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RebelDiamond wrote: »I think some of your numbers are incorrect, for example, based on your stats, your BMI is actually 32 not 20.
I haven't read through all the responses, so someone else may have said this already. But it seems to me that you need to take a deep breath, slow down, set small achievable goals and really focus on accurate logging.
If you don't have a medical illness (you mentioned you had seen a doctor) you should be losing on your current plan.
Make sure you are super honest and accurate with your logging (ie; weighing/measuring you food, adding EVERYTHING like cooking oils, dressings on salad etc).
Most of all Good Luck.
She's using a body fat scale that says her body fat (as measured by that scale) is her "BMI". It's wrong, but it is what it is. That said a body fat (estimate) of 18-20 at 198 pounds is pretty good for a woman.0
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