Not losing weight

fitnessqueen91
fitnessqueen91 Posts: 166 Member
edited November 16 in Health and Weight Loss
I'm 170 pounds and 5"7 (171). I'm a bit overweight, my bmi is around 26.5. I did manage to loose about 4 pounds since stopping binging and joining a gym. However lately my weight loss has stalled. I watch what I eat and I'm very active. I walk to and from work which is 35 minutes each way. I go to the gym 3-4 times a week. I do a lot of running but I'm thinking of stopping as it's not helping me to loose weight. I should be losing weight as I'm overweight. I've only lost a pound in 12 days which is rubbish. I eat between 1600 and 2000 cals a day, less on days when I don't work out. I work out very hard and the gym and I sweat hard. I do quite intense workouts.

Replies

  • VanillaGorillaUK
    VanillaGorillaUK Posts: 342 Member
    Intense workouts are great - but food is everthing.

    Are you sure your counting calories accurately?
  • IsaackGMOON
    IsaackGMOON Posts: 3,358 Member
    1. Are you weighing your food ACCURATELY? i.e using an electric scale
    2. Are you getting calorie burns from a HRM? MFP's calorie burns are usually high
    3. Are you using generic entires on the MFP database? They generally don't conform with what you eat
    I do a lot of running but I'm thinking of stopping as it's not helping me to loose lose weight.

    OP, a caloric deficit helps you lose weight. Not running.

    I have a feeling that you're eating more than you're burning.

    You're stressed about losing 1lb in 12 days? That's not that bad, it could be water weight retention... go off of measurements instead of the scale.

  • isulo_kura
    isulo_kura Posts: 818 Member
    Are you hoping to get different replies to yesterday?https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10134096/only-lost-a-pound-in-11-days#latest My reply from that thread stands you are losing at a sustainable loss for the amount of weight you have to lose
  • Clueless_Girl2015
    Clueless_Girl2015 Posts: 10 Member
    What are you doing at the gym? Cardio or weights? If you are lifting then dont focus on the number on the scale as you need to take into account fat vs muscle.
    If you are getting frustrated with weight then maybe focus on your measurements; waist, hips, thighs.
  • IsaackGMOON
    IsaackGMOON Posts: 3,358 Member
    What are you doing at the gym? Cardio or weights? If you are lifting then dont focus on the number on the scale as you need to take into account fat vs muscle.

    I'm not quite sure what this means?
  • NobodyPutsAmyInTheCorner
    NobodyPutsAmyInTheCorner Posts: 1,018 Member
    herrspoons wrote: »
    Same question, same answers: Eat less, move more.

    Yep. This.

    The same answer we all gave you yesterday.
  • fitnessqueen91
    fitnessqueen91 Posts: 166 Member
    1. Are you weighing your food ACCURATELY? i.e using an electric scale
    2. Are you getting calorie burns from a HRM? MFP's calorie burns are usually high
    3. Are you using generic entires on the MFP database? They generally don't conform with what you eat
    I do a lot of running but I'm thinking of stopping as it's not helping me to loose lose weight.

    OP, a caloric deficit helps you lose weight. Not running.

    I have a feeling that you're eating more than you're burning.

    You're stressed about losing 1lb in 12 days? That's not that bad, it could be water weight retention... go off of measurements instead of the scale.

    I'm pretty sure I'm not overeating, why does everyone assume that's always the case.
  • fitnessqueen91
    fitnessqueen91 Posts: 166 Member
    I ate around 1900 cals yesterday, burnt 700 cals at the gym plus went out in the evening and danced and the walk to the club is quite long
  • Smallc10
    Smallc10 Posts: 610 Member
    edited April 2015
    How do you know you burnt 700 at the gym? I'm honestly curious

    Also do you weigh your food? It's the only way to actually know if you are overeating or not.

    If you open your diary people can give you more specific help.
  • Smallc10
    Smallc10 Posts: 610 Member
    1. Are you weighing your food ACCURATELY? i.e using an electric scale
    2. Are you getting calorie burns from a HRM? MFP's calorie burns are usually high
    3. Are you using generic entires on the MFP database? They generally don't conform with what you eat
    I do a lot of running but I'm thinking of stopping as it's not helping me to loose lose weight.

    OP, a caloric deficit helps you lose weight. Not running.

    I have a feeling that you're eating more than you're burning.

    You're stressed about losing 1lb in 12 days? That's not that bad, it could be water weight retention... go off of measurements instead of the scale.

    I'm pretty sure I'm not overeating, why does everyone assume that's always the case.

    Because 99% of the time it is. That or overestimating your burns and eating back extra calories that you didn't actually burn off.
  • bigd66218
    bigd66218 Posts: 376 Member
    If you work out using the MFP calculators or devices these tend to overestimate your calorie burn. The first 3 months of weight loss journey I was eating the calorie levels you were eating at and I'm 6'6". Possibly, setting your daily calories to high is resulting in the plateau.
  • raelucia02
    raelucia02 Posts: 1 Member
    You may want to have your BMR (basal metabolic rate) tested, if your gym has a scale that can measure your lean body mass. I've found that myfitnesspal over estimates how many calories most people burn in a day, because they cannot know how much of your weight is lean body mass (which actually burns calories throughout the day) vs. body fat mass (doesn't burn anything).
    I know that isn't helpful if you can't find somewhere to do this though...I would shift your focus (at least temporarily) from the number on the scale to your fitness level (building lean muscle along with high intensity cardio) -->both of which will help you burn more calories beyond your workout time, along with taking body measurements like everyone above has mentioned. That way you can make sure you are losing body fat while building muscle.
  • BrownSheep
    BrownSheep Posts: 30 Member
    My suggestion is stick with the process. Keep weighing and measuring your food. Don't skimp on your cardio. Eat within your calorie goal.

    I am pretty new at this. After the first two weeks, I hit a serious plateau and did not lose any weight for about 2 or 3 weeks. I was weighing and logging "religiously." I was getting to the gym 3-5 times a week to work on my cardio with the goal of a minimum of 300 cardio minutes per week. I did not go over my calorie goal. Yes, it was discouraging but I trusted the process. If I kept doing the right things in the right way, then I would lose weight. Now, after 8.5 weeks, I have lost 15 pounds. My goal was to lose 1.5 pounds a week. So, I am on track.

    My view is that this not a short term change I am making. I am in it for the long haul so short term results are not the most important thing. (*Consider checking in with your healthcare provider. There may be something else going on. After I had begun losing weight, she noted that my hormones were off and gave me a progesterone boost 4 days ago. She said that hormone imbalance might have been part of the reason my weight loss was slow.)
  • Smallc10
    Smallc10 Posts: 610 Member
    Also I should add. I work out 5 - 6 times a week, cardiox2, liftingx3, yoga, and I sweat like crazy. I'm 5'6" , 157 lbs and my calories are set at 1340 in order for me to lose at 1 lb per week. I am relatively sedentary in my life outside of the gym, but it does seem like you have a pretty high setting for your daily calories.
  • IsaackGMOON
    IsaackGMOON Posts: 3,358 Member
    1. Are you weighing your food ACCURATELY? i.e using an electric scale
    2. Are you getting calorie burns from a HRM? MFP's calorie burns are usually high
    3. Are you using generic entires on the MFP database? They generally don't conform with what you eat
    I do a lot of running but I'm thinking of stopping as it's not helping me to loose lose weight.

    OP, a caloric deficit helps you lose weight. Not running.

    I have a feeling that you're eating more than you're burning.

    You're stressed about losing 1lb in 12 days? That's not that bad, it could be water weight retention... go off of measurements instead of the scale.

    I'm pretty sure I'm not overeating, why does everyone assume that's always the case.

    Because it usually is.
  • cityruss
    cityruss Posts: 2,493 Member
    I'd also be interested as to what your 700 calories gym routine is.
This discussion has been closed.