10 Weeks In, 0 lbs Lost

13»

Replies

  • nascarchix83
    nascarchix83 Posts: 7 Member
    The first time I used MFP and lost 30lbs. I stress I never used a scale to weigh food. I did log everything I ate and the food I made at home was an estimate. I usually picked something with higher calories if I wasn't sure. I only had about 30 lbs to lose to start with. Now, 4 years later I'm just starting this again to lose the 15lbs I've gained in the last two years but I haven't been working out not keeping track of what I eat over that time. I feel you need to be realistic and calorie counting for life is not something I think is healthy.
    The first time I used MFP and lost 30lbs. I stress I never used a scale to weigh food. I did log everything I ate and the food I made at home was an estimate. I usually picked something with higher calories if I wasn't sure. I only had about 30 lbs to lose to start with. Now, 4 years later I'm just starting this again to lose the 15lbs I've gained in the last two years but I haven't been working out not keeping track of what I eat over that time. I feel you need to be realistic and calorie counting for life is not something I think is healthy.

    If calorie counting keeps you from regaining weight, what isn't healthy about it? Yo-yo dieting (losing the same weight again and again) has been associated with negative health effects too. If calorie counting allows someone to maintain, I think that could be a good thing.

    I say that for myself...I'm not overweight to start with at 5'5 and 130 lbs but I'd like to be back at 115 now. Food isn't my biggest issue.
  • janejellyroll
    janejellyroll Posts: 25,763 Member
    The first time I used MFP and lost 30lbs. I stress I never used a scale to weigh food. I did log everything I ate and the food I made at home was an estimate. I usually picked something with higher calories if I wasn't sure. I only had about 30 lbs to lose to start with. Now, 4 years later I'm just starting this again to lose the 15lbs I've gained in the last two years but I haven't been working out not keeping track of what I eat over that time. I feel you need to be realistic and calorie counting for life is not something I think is healthy.
    The first time I used MFP and lost 30lbs. I stress I never used a scale to weigh food. I did log everything I ate and the food I made at home was an estimate. I usually picked something with higher calories if I wasn't sure. I only had about 30 lbs to lose to start with. Now, 4 years later I'm just starting this again to lose the 15lbs I've gained in the last two years but I haven't been working out not keeping track of what I eat over that time. I feel you need to be realistic and calorie counting for life is not something I think is healthy.

    If calorie counting keeps you from regaining weight, what isn't healthy about it? Yo-yo dieting (losing the same weight again and again) has been associated with negative health effects too. If calorie counting allows someone to maintain, I think that could be a good thing.

    I say that for myself...I'm not overweight to start with at 5'5 and 130 lbs but I'd like to be back at 115 now. Food isn't my biggest issue.

    So when you say "I feel you need to be realistic and calorie counting for life is not something I think is healthy," you just mean that you don't think it is healthy for you?
  • Luv2Munch
    Luv2Munch Posts: 22 Member
    Yes you are eating too little. In my case I am 5.1, and eat between 1200-1500 calories a day. Typically consume close to 1200. I am extremely careful about sodium intake [need to keep it below 1500 mgper day as i tend to bloat up and retain water. Also check your fat intake - you should be getting 1 - 2 Tbsp of fat per day. I agree with the other replies about weighing and measuring all your food intake - i'd be surprised if you're not underestimating your daily calorie intake. Re: exercise - you definitely are underestimating how many calories you expend when exercising, in my case if I jog at 3.5 mph on my treadmill for 10 minutes I only burn 67 calories - that's not a lot when you think you have to burn 3500 to lose a pound. Lastly pay close attention to blts [bites/licks/tastes] and also little things like smoothies/flavoured coffee etc. I worked with a girl who was having a tough time losing weight. Turns out her weight watcher leader discovered that she was consuming 2 beers every night + 4 coffees each with 3 sugars and 3 creams. Every little bit adds up.

    Good luck and let us know how you do. Whatever you do don't give up!
  • Dnarules
    Dnarules Posts: 2,081 Member
    Serah87 wrote: »
    MrM27 wrote: »
    Ignore the people with the possible metabolic disorder stuff. Get a scale and figure out how much you're eating.
    I had a peek at about 2 weeks of your diary. I have some suggestions. It isn't just about the food scale. It's about what would be getting weighed.

    Add some fresh fruits and vegetables. You are sorely lacking in those.

    One one occasion you have nearly 800 in calories in snacks for the day, which included avocado, tortilla chips, kettle chips, pizza and vodka tonic. We all have days like that, so congratulations for your honesty and for logging all that.

    But I do think on the whole, your diary is pretty carb heavy. You go over on carbs more often than anything else. I think you need more balance, way more natural dietary fibers and sugars. And variety -- you need to make it more interesting. I see very little in the way of meat, poultry or fish, but a lot of pumpkin stew. That can't make meals very interesting, and it's important.

    And though I know people here always say nothing should be off limits, even sweet stuff can be had in moderation, I see it in your diary pretty often. If you haven't lost one pound after ten weeks of logging, try cutting out all the pizza, chocolate, ice cream and chips for a week, have fresh fruit, green salads and more cooked vegetables.

    Regardless of what she is eating she's eating too much. Also maybe try replying to the posts the respond to the things you write.

    So it doesn't really matter what she's eating as long as she's within her calorie total? Sorry, but any diet that's so lacking in fresh fruits and vegetables isn't very nutritious.

    Your hijacking this thread, it's not about what she is eating, it's about how much she is eating!!! It's up to the OP what she wants to eat not YOU!!

    While I agree that the biggest issue here is more than likely how much op is eating, since when is recommending fruits and veggies hijacking a thread? I am an "eat in moderation" person, but I see nothing wrong with telling someone that they may want to make a few different choices.

    I do disagree with telling someone to cut out all pizza, chocolate, etc. Maybe that was the part you had a problem with.
  • exstromn
    exstromn Posts: 176 Member
    Try weighing your peanut butter and cereal. I can guarantee you'll be surprised by the small amount it actually is :disappointed:

    I remember weighing my granola for the first time - the recommended 30g serving was puny!
    I weigh everything now☺️

    Agree! I had the same disappointing experience with cereal. My food scale was the best investment I made when I started. Its a pain in the butt but the discipline helps you get down to the nitty gritty. Good luck!
  • nascarchix83
    nascarchix83 Posts: 7 Member
    The first time I used MFP and lost 30lbs. I stress I never used a scale to weigh food. I did log everything I ate and the food I made at home was an estimate. I usually picked something with higher calories if I wasn't sure. I only had about 30 lbs to lose to start with. Now, 4 years later I'm just starting this again to lose the 15lbs I've gained in the last two years but I haven't been working out not keeping track of what I eat over that time. I feel you need to be realistic and calorie counting for life is not something I think is healthy.
    The first time I used MFP and lost 30lbs. I stress I never used a scale to weigh food. I did log everything I ate and the food I made at home was an estimate. I usually picked something with higher calories if I wasn't sure. I only had about 30 lbs to lose to start with. Now, 4 years later I'm just starting this again to lose the 15lbs I've gained in the last two years but I haven't been working out not keeping track of what I eat over that time. I feel you need to be realistic and calorie counting for life is not something I think is healthy.

    If calorie counting keeps you from regaining weight, what isn't healthy about it? Yo-yo dieting (losing the same weight again and again) has been associated with negative health effects too. If calorie counting allows someone to maintain, I think that could be a good thing.

    I say that for myself...I'm not overweight to start with at 5'5 and 130 lbs but I'd like to be back at 115 now. Food isn't my biggest issue.

    So when you say "I feel you need to be realistic and calorie counting for life is not something I think is healthy," you just mean that you don't think it is healthy for you?

    I did say "I feel". Everyone has to do what they think is right for them. No two bodies are the same. You know you and what works and doesn't.
  • PeachyCarol
    PeachyCarol Posts: 8,029 Member
    MrM27 wrote: »
    Ignore the people with the possible metabolic disorder stuff. Get a scale and figure out how much you're eating.
    I had a peek at about 2 weeks of your diary. I have some suggestions. It isn't just about the food scale. It's about what would be getting weighed.

    Add some fresh fruits and vegetables. You are sorely lacking in those.

    One one occasion you have nearly 800 in calories in snacks for the day, which included avocado, tortilla chips, kettle chips, pizza and vodka tonic. We all have days like that, so congratulations for your honesty and for logging all that.

    But I do think on the whole, your diary is pretty carb heavy. You go over on carbs more often than anything else. I think you need more balance, way more natural dietary fibers and sugars. And variety -- you need to make it more interesting. I see very little in the way of meat, poultry or fish, but a lot of pumpkin stew. That can't make meals very interesting, and it's important.

    And though I know people here always say nothing should be off limits, even sweet stuff can be had in moderation, I see it in your diary pretty often. If you haven't lost one pound after ten weeks of logging, try cutting out all the pizza, chocolate, ice cream and chips for a week, have fresh fruit, green salads and more cooked vegetables.

    Regardless of what she is eating she's eating too much. Also maybe try replying to the posts the respond to the things you write.

    So it doesn't really matter what she's eating as long as she's within her calorie total? Sorry, but any diet that's so lacking in fresh fruits and vegetables isn't very nutritious.

    The composition of her diet is besides the point in the context of the thread.

    When she comes back and complains that she's hungry and she's correctly monitoring her food intake, then yes, come in with your advice about diet composition.

    Newbies aren't ready to have the issue clouded. She asked why she's not losing weight. The answer is simple. She's eating too much because she's estimating. It has nothing to do with WHAT she's eating. Your post is clouding the issue at hand.

  • PeachyCarol
    PeachyCarol Posts: 8,029 Member
    The first time I used MFP and lost 30lbs. I stress I never used a scale to weigh food. I did log everything I ate and the food I made at home was an estimate. I usually picked something with higher calories if I wasn't sure. I only had about 30 lbs to lose to start with. Now, 4 years later I'm just starting this again to lose the 15lbs I've gained in the last two years but I haven't been working out not keeping track of what I eat over that time. I feel you need to be realistic and calorie counting for life is not something I think is healthy.

    Um, why did you regain weight? You ate too much. Your eyballing method failed you.

    Calorie counting is a tool. Tools are value neutral. It's not "healthy" or "unhealthy" to make use of them if they help you to meet your goals. Some people are inherently good at eyeballing and estimating, some aren't. It's not a moral deficiency that needs to be judged.

  • janejellyroll
    janejellyroll Posts: 25,763 Member
    The first time I used MFP and lost 30lbs. I stress I never used a scale to weigh food. I did log everything I ate and the food I made at home was an estimate. I usually picked something with higher calories if I wasn't sure. I only had about 30 lbs to lose to start with. Now, 4 years later I'm just starting this again to lose the 15lbs I've gained in the last two years but I haven't been working out not keeping track of what I eat over that time. I feel you need to be realistic and calorie counting for life is not something I think is healthy.
    The first time I used MFP and lost 30lbs. I stress I never used a scale to weigh food. I did log everything I ate and the food I made at home was an estimate. I usually picked something with higher calories if I wasn't sure. I only had about 30 lbs to lose to start with. Now, 4 years later I'm just starting this again to lose the 15lbs I've gained in the last two years but I haven't been working out not keeping track of what I eat over that time. I feel you need to be realistic and calorie counting for life is not something I think is healthy.

    If calorie counting keeps you from regaining weight, what isn't healthy about it? Yo-yo dieting (losing the same weight again and again) has been associated with negative health effects too. If calorie counting allows someone to maintain, I think that could be a good thing.

    I say that for myself...I'm not overweight to start with at 5'5 and 130 lbs but I'd like to be back at 115 now. Food isn't my biggest issue.

    So when you say "I feel you need to be realistic and calorie counting for life is not something I think is healthy," you just mean that you don't think it is healthy for you?

    I did say "I feel". Everyone has to do what they think is right for them. No two bodies are the same. You know you and what works and doesn't.

    I know you said you felt that way -- it wasn't clear if you meant that statement just applied to you or if you felt counting calories for life was unhealthy for everyone.
  • rbn_held
    rbn_held Posts: 689 Member
    I would recommend a heart rate monitor or fitness tracker so you know exactly how many calories you are burning during your workouts. I found that MFP tends to over calculate calories burned. It's up to you if you want to eat back your exercise calories. I know people that have lost weight eating their exercise calories and some that have lost weight not eating them. Every one is different. I eat back half of mine usually but have been known to eat all of them. I do have a food scale, but only use it on meats, everything else I measure with measuring spoon or cup. Just make sure you log everything you eat and drink. Good luck :)
  • yopeeps025
    yopeeps025 Posts: 8,680 Member
    tcobleigh wrote: »
    I do not use a food scale, but I log everything (down to a snack of 2 Ritz crackers) everyday. I don't use condiments. I cook most of the food I consume and make sure I include the cooking oil, etc. I log every beverage - mostly water.

    I usually calculate the calories I've burned by the machines at the gym or I use whatever I've found on MFP for things like swimming.

    I'll have to see how to open/share my diary.

    So how do you know how many calories you eating?

  • N8ilm
    N8ilm Posts: 5 Member
    edited March 2015
    I bought this food scale from Amazon and really like it. Its modern looking, accurate and slim for easy storage and travel. (Yes, I take it with me when I go out of town.)

    http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00HARZJFW/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o08_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

    I'm down 10 lbs in just over 4 weeks, but I am very very strict (obsessive) on calorie counting and work out 4 times a week.

    A few things I've learned so far:
    - Take advantage of a Trader Joe's if you have one. There's a lot of really tasty things in there that have a very low calorie count.
    - Don't forget to log your alcohol and when you go out, hit up Google for low calorie food options wherever you eat.
    - These 70 cal tortillas are my new best friend, I buy them at Harris Teeter. http://www.latortillafactory.com/product/low-carb-high-fiber-tortillas-traditional-flour/
    - Get on Pinterest and search around, I found tons of great low cal meals.
    - Dannon makes an 80 calorie greek yogurt that's really good and filling. I get them by the case at Sam's
  • yopeeps025
    yopeeps025 Posts: 8,680 Member
    Any weight loss yet OP?