Stuck

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emlichter
emlichter Posts: 7
in Health and Weight Loss
hey all! Lost 15 lbs on here 2 years ago, gained it back and starting over.

I'm being really good about logging and my calories, sometimes a couple hundred over, and I'm also exercising 2-3 times a week. Last time, this worked super well for me, and I didn't even really exercise much. But this time, I'm just maintaining my weight even with the extra activity (I usually eat my calories but I've even been not using them sometimes and still no good.) I lost 3 lbs right away the first week, and now it's been three weeks with no weight-loss. I think my metabolism has changed in the last two years, so I'm going to decrease my calories a little bit, although I always feel like MFP puts you on starvation rations, making me so hungry that you can't last on these diets for long.

Any other suggestions for me out there? I've been measuring and weighing my food, and scanning everything I put in my mouth. I'm just so frustrated when I've been following this so religiously.

Replies

  • emlichter
    emlichter Posts: 7
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    Also, my tummy's toning up and my face has slimmed down, so I know I'm making progress....
  • annetteh145
    annetteh145 Posts: 38 Member
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    How many calories have you been eating in the last 3 weeks compared to the first week?
  • JossFit
    JossFit Posts: 588 Member
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    Don't use the *kitten* numbers MFP recommends. Calculate your TDEE and diet down SLOWLY, and you'll be less likely to get "stuck".

    http://iifym.com/iifym-calculator/

  • Liftng4Lis
    Liftng4Lis Posts: 15,150 Member
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    emlichter wrote: »
    Also, my tummy's toning up and my face has slimmed down, so I know I'm making progress....

    I'd rather have this, than pounds lost. WTG!
  • emlichter
    emlichter Posts: 7
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    Same calories every week since I started - 1550. I agree with you, JossFit, MFP starves you. I've never tried dthe TDEE.
    - It's just so weird b/c this approach worked last time and it's not now. BUT - I did add the exercise and got serious about it, so perhaps I just need to wait this out.

  • emlichter
    emlichter Posts: 7
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    Liftng4Lis wrote: »
    emlichter wrote: »
    Also, my tummy's toning up and my face has slimmed down, so I know I'm making progress....

    I'd rather have this, than pounds lost. WTG!
    Haha, well it's a start! :smile:

  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
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    emlichter wrote: »
    Same calories every week since I started - 1550. I agree with you, JossFit, MFP starves you. I've never tried dthe TDEE.
    - It's just so weird b/c this approach worked last time and it's not now. BUT - I did add the exercise and got serious about it, so perhaps I just need to wait this out.

    You do know that the numbers MFP give you are before exercise .. you then log exercise and eat those too

    so if you work out a TDEE with a 250 calorie cut to hit 0.5lbs a week that's the same as setting MFP at 0.5lbs plus eating back your exercise. Only difference is if you don't do the purposeful exercise you don't get the calories

    it's just which method you like to use
  • emlichter
    emlichter Posts: 7
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    Yes, I know MFP does your basic maintenance rate for your BMR. The problem is that their numbers (and all my friends' numbers) have always been SO low that I'm starving and don't last long. I think they take it a little too low. When I calculate my TDEE it gives me a little higher of a number - not much, but a little. It's a number I think I can deal with better. :)
  • emlichter
    emlichter Posts: 7
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    Thanks for all the info, everyone, I'm not really up on the technicalities of dieting and calorie calculating. I'm just trying to eat/live healthier. :smile:
  • jkal1979
    jkal1979 Posts: 1,896 Member
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    JossFit wrote: »
    Don't use the *kitten* numbers MFP recommends. Calculate your TDEE and diet down SLOWLY, and you'll be less likely to get "stuck".

    http://iifym.com/iifym-calculator/

    A lot of those low numbers that MFP recommends is due to user error. Just because 2 pounds a week is an option doesn't mean that it's the best option.

    It would be nice if MFP gave a chart that recommended the best option based off of how much a user needs to lose when people set up their goals instead of having to dig through the forums or waiting for another user to post it.
  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
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    emlichter wrote: »
    Yes, I know MFP does your basic maintenance rate for your BMR. The problem is that their numbers (and all my friends' numbers) have always been SO low that I'm starving and don't last long. I think they take it a little too low. When I calculate my TDEE it gives me a little higher of a number - not much, but a little. It's a number I think I can deal with better. :)

    No it doesn't .. BMR is irrelevant .. it's a NEAT model that accounts for regular movement

    so say MFP gives you 1300 to make 1lb a week loss without exercise
    and you exercise 200 calories worth a day
    you then eat 1500 calories (providing you have done the purposeful exercise)

    if your TDEE is 2000, you would also eat 1500 to lose 1lb a week

    it's the same number, just reached differently
  • emlichter
    emlichter Posts: 7
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    Gotcha. Good info!

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