Only one pound in 32 days? This really blows!

Pangea250 · May 2011

I don't have answers. Just lots of support & ((((hugs)))). Keep in mind - I just broke through an almost 3 week plateau. So for my last 30 days, I'm probably at the same 1 lb as you.

If the scale victory isn't happening, screw it! Laugh in it's face & find a different type of victory. Inches...endurance...clothing size...belt holes. Something.

This is all a numbers games. Calories in & calories out. I wonder if you are overestimating your exercise calories? 500 per workout seems rather high for us beginners. Unless your workouts are kickass killers straight through?

Maybe I'm just a wimp though.

elliecolorado · May 2011

The first 2 months I was on this site I lost only 5lbs. The first month I didn't eat back any of my exercise calories and I lost 3lbs. The second month I at back all or most of my exercise calories and I only lost 2 lbs. Since then I have only eaten back about 1/3-1/2 of my exercise calories and have been losing weight pretty steadily since then. Some of it could have been underestimating calories I eat or some could have been that this site tends to estimate what you burn a little bit on the high side. Sometimes it takes a little bit of experimenting to see what works for you personally.

JunkFoodJane · May 2011

I'm in a similar boat, 3 pounds in 60-something days. But I am healthier. Yesterday I netted under 1,200 calories. That's way low for me, I usually average 1800+. But I'm not quitting. I keep giving what I'm doing a shot, then changing it a bit when I still get no results. I've received some nice compliments recently, and yesterday my whole family went out to walk the dog a mile in a 15 minute timeframe, and despite being 10" shorterthan my partner I SMOKED him. When people aren't in my way I was going as fast as 13/min a mile walking, while he was going around 20/min mile.

I feel the burning in my legs right now from yesterday and today's exercises. I've added in 30 day shred and weights and still bupkis. But then I read it can take some people 90 days to see swifter results.

And if I don't lose weight, I don't lose weight. I do feel the benefits.

If I don't see anything come off in the next two weeks, I'll probably change something up again. Maybe it will take two years, but I believe it will happen and as dr Phil used to say, "that year is going to go by whether you change or not".

robertf57 · May 2011

it is likely you are eating too many calories. MEASURE EVERYTHING that passes you lips. Cut back on your exercise calories eaten as you don't have a good estimate for them. Don't get discouraged. Keep up the good work. If you somehow can get a polar HRM, it will give you a much better estimate of your calorie burn.

Good Luck!

Swimgoddess · May 2011

Since you belong to a gym, they can probably caliper your body fat for you so you can get a clearer picture of your maintenance calories, and from there, the number of calories to effect weight loss. MFP can only estimate. The Katch-McArdle method is far more accurate.

1st figure out your lean body weight using your calipered %, ie: 155lbs x .26 = 40lbs, 155lbs - 40lbs = 115lbs

2nd convert your lean body weight in lbs to kgs by dividing by 2.2, ie: 115 / 2.2 = 52.2kgs

3rd is the Katch-McArdle formula for BMR: ie: ((52.2 x 21.6)) + 370) = Basal Metabolic Rate of 1,497 calories

Then multiply according to activity level to get your true maintenance calories:
Sedentary: BMR x 1.2
Lightly Active: BMR x 1.375 (light exercise/sports 1-3 days/wk)
Moderately Active: BMR x 1.55 (moderate exercise/sports 3-5 days/wk)
Very Active: BMR x 1.725 (hard exercise/sports 6-7 days/wk)
Extra Active: BMR x 1.9 (hard daily exercise/sports & physical job or 2x day training)

Then subtract what you need to in order to create a 1750-7000 calorie deficit in a week.

vaidaz · May 2011

Definitely review your food and calorie intake.

When I started, before MFP, I was working out 3 days a week for an hours either strength training or cardio for about 3-4 weeks. Didn't loose anything. Then I started 30 day shred and went on for another 3 weeks daily. Didn't loose anything. Then I found this website and started counting calories. O boy, I was overeating! I would reach some days up to 3000 cal/day.

Since my child was born I am constantly hungry. I can't even fall asleep if I don't have some snack right before sleep. So, to keep my calorie intake low I had to add lots of vegetables to fill my stomach and find substitutes with lower calories for my favourite foods, e.g. instead of eating 100 cal yogurt I eat 35 cal yogut. Since then I am loosing 2 lbs/week on average. In total I lost 10 lbs in a little over month.

brandydelight · May 2011

I am in same boat...I have a trainer, go to the gym after work everyday, walk on my breaks at work, walk on the weekends, keep track of everything I eat/drink, drink lots of water...and I am losing only half pound a week. It is making me crazy. But, I have lost over 30 inches, and my fat ratio is going down and muscle is going up. Still I am stumped. I look leaner, my clothes are loose, but I want to see that scale go down! My MD says I have no health issues causing this. I am 40, and like so many others, used to eat/drink whatever I wanted. I also have a back injury so I am a little limited to different excerises, ie; no running/jogging, and I have UC=Ulcerative Colitis so I have to be careful messing with my diet too much. I eat high fiber, high protein, low fat. Although I am frustrated, I am seeing some progress, slow but steady and I wont give up. I think my expectations were too high, afterall, I am not 25 anymore. Any ideas on how to speed this up would be welcomed. I started Dec 2010 and have lost approx 22 lbs, but its been up and down week to week.

Only one pound in 32 days? This really blows!

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