Not losing, please advise
Options
Replies
-
You're right, I just meant that I have lost a little bit of weight so overall, I have eaten at a slight deficit. Am I looking at it wrong?
No, I think you've got the right idea. You just need to tighten up on your logging and weighing. Use that calculator I recommended (or one that's similar) and you'll do great. You would have to be a genetic anomaly to not lose weight at a deficit. It just takes time and a WHOLE lot of patience and consistency.
Thanks, I just entered all my numbers and if I eat 1,400 calories but track exactly I should be good. Which is great. Thanks for sharing that!0 -
You're right, I just meant that I have lost a little bit of weight so overall, I have eaten at a slight deficit. Am I looking at it wrong?
No, I think you've got the right idea. You just need to tighten up on your logging and weighing. Use that calculator I recommended (or one that's similar) and you'll do great. You would have to be a genetic anomaly to not lose weight at a deficit. It just takes time and a WHOLE lot of patience and consistency.
Thanks, I just entered all my numbers and if I eat 1,400 calories but track exactly I should be good. Which is great. Thanks for sharing that!
Good luck. It's so refreshing to see someone on the forums ask for help, ignore the red herrings and spats, focus and recognise the sound, truthful advice - take that on board and run with it. Hats off to you :-)
0 -
amandarunning wrote: »Good luck. It's so refreshing to see someone on the forums ask for help, ignore the red herrings and spats, focus and recognise the sound, truthful advice - take that on board and run with it. Hats off to you :-)
+1 on this. Sounds like you have the right mindset for success! Best of luck to you.0 -
amandarunning wrote: »
You're right, I just meant that I have lost a little bit of weight so overall, I have eaten at a slight deficit. Am I looking at it wrong?
No, I think you've got the right idea. You just need to tighten up on your logging and weighing. Use that calculator I recommended (or one that's similar) and you'll do great. You would have to be a genetic anomaly to not lose weight at a deficit. It just takes time and a WHOLE lot of patience and consistency.
Thanks, I just entered all my numbers and if I eat 1,400 calories but track exactly I should be good. Which is great. Thanks for sharing that!
Good luck. It's so refreshing to see someone on the forums ask for help, ignore the red herrings and spats, focus and recognise the sound, truthful advice - take that on board and run with it. Hats off to you :-)
I second this!! kudos to the OP!! and best wishes
0 -
Thank you all! You are right and I needed to hear it. I am not religious about weighing and I do estimate quite a bit. That video is awesome and v convincing. I am going to weigh as much as I possibly can for the next 50 days and compare. Thanks, everyone!
Hi There OP. We have similar stats and similar results and I suspect similar causes. I ran across the video above last week and got diligent this week. Every gram weighed and not 'rounding' measurements. I also INCREASED my calories to be inline with the -25% number of TDEE. And what do you know? The scale moved this week. Not hugely but down is down and consistency is the key! Good luck and let us know how it goes 0 -
Good luck. It's so refreshing to see someone on the forums ask for help, ignore the red herrings and spats, focus and recognise the sound, truthful advice - take that on board and run with it. Hats off to you :-)
Agreed. Good luck to you!
0 -
Read the original post. She lost several pounds over the course of several months. Body weight scales are fairly accurate so measuring weight loss is not an estimate nor is measuring time. If your weight is less now that is was a few months ago then yes you are eating at a deficit.How is it clear that they are eating at a defecit if they are guessing what calories they are eating ..clearly in the estimation and guesswork and cup measurements they've eaten up the defecit that the screen is showing
Weighing your food may or may not help you track and maintain your day to day deficit. But month to month average body weight measurements are the only practical way to be sure.
Agree
Must have misunderstood your confusion in your original post
You didn't
They are arguing Against advising using a food scale. Ridiculous.
You can be in a deficit by accident - weighing your food accurately is the only way to work out how much you are eating - how that number affects your weight and therefore how much to eat to lose weight.
-
Yes she lost weight - but SHE HAS NOW STALLED - therefore it is time to stop guessing and make sure she eats the calories she thinks she needs to lose weight.
After a month of accurate logging she can see if it is working or not - but only if she has been accurately logging.
Possibly the first time I have seen someone argue against a food scale :noway:0 -
Danilynn1975 wrote: »I posted that because it is important. not everything is because someone is negligent in their tracking. Not everyone is perfect. It is a valid thought.
Most thyroid patients are women, and millions go undiagnosed because they just don't know. No on tells people to check their throat for swelling. But breast health is pushed. thyroid health isn't. Thyroid health is extremely important.
Completely agree with you. I went undiagnosed with postpartum hypothyroidism for 14 months and my health and life went to hell. If you are having any exhaustion then do not wait. Demand that the Dr test you using a full panel and not just a TSH test.
0 -
Thanks again, everyone! I just ordered a new mechanical scale. One of the reasons I don't use my scale faithfully is because I'm always out of batteries. Neither is a fancy scale so I'm glad there's something I can do inexpensively and easily and I can't wait to see what happens in the next month or so. Thank you for all the help!!0
-
If by "they" you mean me then no I was not advising against a food scale. I was merely asking how using a food scale would help in the case of someone already eating at a deficit for months.Iron_Feline wrote: »
You didn't
They are arguing Against advising using a food scale. Ridiculous.
You can be in a deficit by accident - weighing your food accurately is the only way to work out how much you are eating - how that number affects your weight and therefore how much to eat to lose weight.
-
Yes she lost weight - but SHE HAS NOW STALLED - therefore it is time to stop guessing and make sure she eats the calories she thinks she needs to lose weight.
After a month of accurate logging she can see if it is working or not - but only if she has been accurately logging.
Possibly the first time I have seen someone argue against a food scale :noway:
I am a bit skeptical that this was some sort of accident. Even more skeptical of the notion that calorie deficit can be determined by weighing food. Way too much room for errors both in calorie intake estimates as well as calorie outtake guesstimates.
Take a look at the success forum. How many folks triumphantly announce that they ate at a calculated deficit of x calories a year? Not very many because for weight loss, it's losing weight that counts.
0 -
I am 5'3, currently 194. I exercise very irregularly and not seriously. I used to be a consistent weightlifter and I know that what I'm doing now is nothing, so I would count myself as sedentary.
I think you should start working out, too. It did wonders for my mood and my weight loss. I started at 200 lbs. and I am 5'2". I have lost 27 lbs. by eating right and working out. If I can do it, so can you!
So, here is my question. What is keeping you from going for a 30 minute walk a few days a week?0 -
Danilynn1975 wrote: »I posted that because it is important. not everything is because someone is negligent in their tracking. Not everyone is perfect. It is a valid thought.
Most thyroid patients are women, and millions go undiagnosed because they just don't know. No on tells people to check their throat for swelling. But breast health is pushed. thyroid health isn't. Thyroid health is extremely important.
Danilynn, you are a rare exception. The most common reason people don't lose weight is inaccurate calorie counting...eating more than they realize. I would suggest the OP try to keep accurate count of calories before going to the doctor and having tests run for a condition she very likely does not have. If after some time of accurate counting, she still isn't losing weight, then maybe she should visit her physician, but maybe she shouldn't jump the gun on that one just yet. Sometimes the simplest answer is the right one.
Edit: I notice that in later posts the OP said she does not have any medical conditions, so it is likely what most here are telling her...inaccurate calorie counting. That video above is a great reference and shows how easy that is to do.
0 -
I know that I do not have thyroid problems. I am not logging accurately and this thread has been a great kick in the butt. Thanks very much for all the thoughtfulness in all the posts.0
-
If by "they" you mean me then no I was not advising against a food scale. I was merely asking how using a food scale would help in the case of someone already eating at a deficit for months.Iron_Feline wrote: »
You didn't
They are arguing Against advising using a food scale. Ridiculous.
You can be in a deficit by accident - weighing your food accurately is the only way to work out how much you are eating - how that number affects your weight and therefore how much to eat to lose weight.
-
Yes she lost weight - but SHE HAS NOW STALLED - therefore it is time to stop guessing and make sure she eats the calories she thinks she needs to lose weight.
After a month of accurate logging she can see if it is working or not - but only if she has been accurately logging.
Possibly the first time I have seen someone argue against a food scale :noway:
I am a bit skeptical that this was some sort of accident. Even more skeptical of the notion that calorie deficit can be determined by weighing food. Way too much room for errors both in calorie intake estimates as well as calorie outtake guesstimates.
Take a look at the success forum. How many folks triumphantly announce that they ate at a calculated deficit of x calories a year? Not very many because for weight loss, it's losing weight that counts.
I. just. can't. even :noway:0 -
I know that I do not have thyroid problems. I am not logging accurately and this thread has been a great kick in the butt. Thanks very much for all the thoughtfulness in all the posts.
Lovely to see an op who takes the good advice given - good luck, I'm sure you'll be losing again in no time :flowerforyou:0 -
If by "they" you mean me then no I was not advising against a food scale. I was merely asking how using a food scale would help in the case of someone already eating at a deficit for months.
Because the point is if a person is maintaining weight they are not eating at a calorie deficit, they just think they are. Weight loss is calories in/calories out, and if you're not losing weight it's 99% due to inaccurate counting or 1% due to an underlying medical issue. A food scale helps with accuracy because (1) our eyeballs are often bigger than our stomachs, (2) measuring cups and spoons are not accurate and weight in grams is, or (3) there is no such thing as a medium banana or small orange or large plum-they may look to be certain sizes, but weighing in grams is much more accurate than gueswork.I am a bit skeptical that this was some sort of accident. Even more skeptical of the notion that calorie deficit can be determined by weighing food. Way too much room for errors both in calorie intake estimates as well as calorie outtake guesstimates.
Well, while you're in skepticism mode, do some research and see how accurate weighing food is. Start taking guesses at the calorie content of food and then put it on the scale. I guarantee most of the time you will see the difference.Take a look at the success forum. How many folks triumphantly announce that they ate at a calculated deficit of x calories a year? Not very many because for weight loss, it's losing weight that counts.
What? The only way to lose weight is to eat less calories than you burn. In this case, it's the deficit that counts.
0 -
In this case she was losing weight over the course of 56 days.Because the point is if a person is maintaining weight they are not eating at a calorie deficit, they just think they are.
Could you point me to some that applies to this scenario? Cases where calculated deficits based on weighing food are more accurate then deficits based on the person's body weight....
Well, while you're in skepticism mode, do some research and see how accurate weighing food is. Start taking guesses at the calorie content of food and then put it on the scale. I guarantee most of the time you will see the difference.
Sure. And the only real way to know if you have a deficit is to track your body weight.What? The only way to lose weight is to eat less calories than you burn. In this case, it's the deficit that counts.0 -
Sure. And the only real way to know if you have a deficit is to track your body weight.
You have to do BOTH. If either one is off, the results of the other will reflect that.
If you're taking in the same amount of calories per day that you burn off, your weight will remain stable and not change (and this is over a long period of time - say 6-8 weeks).
If you're eating more calories than you burn off, you will gain weight.
If you're eating UNDER the number of calories that you burn off, you will lose.
Tracking your weight is ONE way to help determine that you are correctly in a deficit. You can also use measurements or the way your clothing fits, as sometimes the scale may not show you've lost FAT, but you may be either trading fat for muscle or you may be retaining water, and your weight may remain the same even though you are correctly in a deficit.
You use a food scale to more accurately determine the number of calories you eat per day. Eyeballing food is a poor way for someone who is just starting out to count calories. Some are better than others, but for one just starting out, it's best to just use the scale to begin to get an idea of what your serving portions SHOULD look like.
Hence the stressed importance of using the food scale. You need both a deficit and measurements to determine if what you're doing is working.
0 -
Well no. If your weight is dropping over time then we can conclude that your weight is dropping. No other measurements are needed.You have to do BOTH. If either one is off, the results of the other will reflect that.
Of course but an actual deficit is needed, not a calculated deficit.If you're taking in the same amount of calories per day that you burn off, your weight will remain stable and not change (and this is over a long period of time - say 6-8 weeks).
If you're eating more calories than you burn off, you will gain weight.
If you're eating UNDER the number of calories that you burn off, you will lose.
Nope. The subject is weight loss. Body fat does not convert to muscle. If your weight stays constant over time then your deficit is basically zero.Tracking your weight is ONE way to help determine that you are correctly in a deficit. You can also use measurements or the way your clothing fits, as sometimes the scale may not show you've lost FAT, but you may be either trading fat for muscle or you may be retaining water, and your weight may remain the same even though you are correctly in a deficit.
But this thread is about someone who has been successfully tracking and losing weight over 56 days. Your short term arguments are not applicable. The "more accurately" portion of your post is very important. More accurately does not imply accurate. It's doubtful that the accuracy of deficit calculation is better then 20-25%. You need long term weight measurements to determine actual deficits.You use a food scale to more accurately determine the number of calories you eat per day. Eyeballing food is a poor way for someone who is just starting out to count calories. Some are better than others, but for one just starting out, it's best to just use the scale to begin to get an idea of what your serving portions SHOULD look like.
Nope. If the goal is to lose weight then measuring weight loss is all you need to do to determine if you are in fact losing weight.Hence the stressed importance of using the food scale. You need both a deficit and measurements to determine if what you're doing is working.0 -
Cerad, I really appreciate your comments and I think your logic is on-point. I agree with you that measuring is irrelevant if the goal is to lose weight and if one is in fact losing weight. I completely agree with you and I would not be concerned about tracking if I was losing just a little bit more. I am definitely eating at a deficit because I have lost a wee bit of weight, like you said, but I would like to lose just a wee bit more every month. Because of this, I think everyone's suggestion is exactly right, and I do have to try to create a bigger deficit. There may be other ways to do this (exercise, establishing some kind of eating rules, whatever) and accurately estimating the calories is one of those ways. The thing is, I have been measuring weight and it's not really enough for what I would like to see happen. I do have to measure something else now. But if I was losing weight a bit more consistently, I absolutely agree with you that I wouldn't really need to calculate the precise deficit.
I know you know all this already, I just wanted to add this to the conversation since I asked the initial question and I want you to know that I appreciate your thoughtful posts and your points are not wasted on me.0
Categories
- All Categories
- 1.4M Health, Wellness and Goals
- 391.4K Introduce Yourself
- 43.5K Getting Started
- 259.7K Health and Weight Loss
- 175.6K Food and Nutrition
- 47.3K Recipes
- 232.3K Fitness and Exercise
- 389 Sleep, Mindfulness and Overall Wellness
- 6.4K Goal: Maintaining Weight
- 8.5K Goal: Gaining Weight and Body Building
- 152.7K Motivation and Support
- 7.8K Challenges
- 1.3K Debate Club
- 96.2K Chit-Chat
- 2.5K Fun and Games
- 3.2K MyFitnessPal Information
- 22 News and Announcements
- 918 Feature Suggestions and Ideas
- 2.3K MyFitnessPal Tech Support Questions