I honestly can not seem to lose weight, no matter what.

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Hi and thanks for taking the time to read,

I have had several MFP accounts over the years and read a lot of interesting threads on the community.

Right now, I ma having some severe issues - I can't seem to lose weight. I have been daily logging my weight loss for around the past 60+ days, every day apart from one. The only "real" bad day's I have had have been 1 or 2 days this past week, because I had been feeling down about this issue.

I am eating around 1,700 calories per day. I am a male. I am 22 years old i am 5 ft 8 inches in height. I have tried losing weight at 1,900, 1,800, 1,700, and 1,600 calories per day. I am currently around 222 lbs and I have only lost around 5-7lbs (constantly fluctuate between this number) over the past 3-4 months, I'd like to weigh around 170lbs.

I log all of my food - Be it good or bad. I know i've had some bad days and my diary is open for all to have a look at and possibly tell me where I have been going wrong? I would greatly appreciate it, because I feel pretty down right now.

The only liquids I drink are water and tea. I don't really give myself the pleasure of drinking any beer, even for one day at the weekend, simply because of how it affects my weight loss.

I posted here before and got some good advice and I am still seeing no progress. I weigh my foods and actively log everything. I even started doing some exercises at home like squats, push ups, sit ups and using weights.

I'm at a loss as to what I am to do now. I have been consistent for months and I'm not even seeing basically any results, despite being about 40-50lbs overweight, it is not as if I only have 5-10lbs left of my goal.

I feel that If i begin to eat any less it will have negative effects on my metabolism and honestly, my happiness.

Thank you for any help, if you need any more information please let me know.

Replies

  • DigitalDiana
    DigitalDiana Posts: 157 Member
    edited April 2015
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    I notice that your diet is carbohydrate heavy...including bananas.... try eating low carb and the pounds should fall off. Examples of low carb diets are Paleo or Atkins. Sometimes it's not the calories, but the "macros" or how much of the carbs, protein and fats you are eating.... I know it is with me... Good Luck
  • arditarose
    arditarose Posts: 15,575 Member
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    I'm sorry, I know you're saying you track well...but it doesn't look like it. I see days at 1,000 calories, 400, etc? What's going on?
  • XB92AI
    XB92AI Posts: 7 Member
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    Hi, sorry!

    Let me state better. I have missed a few days over the months and some days I begin to track and forget, this doesn't happen often.

    It was only today were I have eaten a large amount of fruit and veg and that's why the carbs and sugar are higher, you'll see most other days aren't like this.
  • arditarose
    arditarose Posts: 15,575 Member
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    XB92AI wrote: »
    Hi, sorry!

    Let me state better. I have missed a few days over the months and some days I begin to track and forget, this doesn't happen often.

    It was only today were I have eaten a large amount of fruit and veg and that's why the carbs and sugar are higher, you'll see most other days aren't like this.

    I don't know. I'm seeing more than a few days, and many days are very low. Lower than what I eat to lose as a 5'4" 133 lb female. If you're not losing, your tracking must be off.
  • kerussll
    kerussll Posts: 39 Member
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    Drastically cut your carbs and no more sweets!
  • kerussll
    kerussll Posts: 39 Member
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    Also, many of your daily entries look incomplete. It could be that you're eating more than you think if you don't track.
  • arditarose
    arditarose Posts: 15,575 Member
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    kerussll wrote: »
    Drastically cut your carbs and no more sweets!

    He does not have to do that if he is meeting the correct calorie goals.
  • PaulaWallaDingDong
    PaulaWallaDingDong Posts: 4,641 Member
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    Following for the carb debate. They always make me smile.
  • Mr_Knight
    Mr_Knight Posts: 9,532 Member
    edited April 2015
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    Step 1: Log EVERYTHING for the next 2 weeks. Your diary is incompatible with a claim of "I log everything".

    Step 2: Come back afterwards and ask again.
  • Kalici
    Kalici Posts: 685 Member
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    Yeah, another vote for not tracking accurately. Also I could be wrong, but it doesn't seem like what you tracked you actually weighed yourself. It looks like you took the item from the nutrition label and just marked as having one serving (whatever that may be) instead of weighing those servings to be sure.
  • jessieleah
    jessieleah Posts: 204 Member
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    Do you weigh all your food? I feel like your banana entry is probably off. If 2 bananas is only 120 calories, those must be some tiny bananas. Most average sized bananas have 80-110 calories each.
  • Firefly_71
    Firefly_71 Posts: 16 Member
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    I agree that minimizing carbs can help. And tweaking your macros. Bodybuilding.com has an article that suggests that certain body types do better with less carbs. I can't find the specific article, but here is another one showing that cutting carbs can help with fat loss:
    http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/is-cutting-carbs-the-key-to-fat-loss.html

    Also - your body works harder to process protein. So as a place to start, you may want to decrease your carb intake to only 20-30% of your macro.

    Here are a few things to try

    1) Drink more water. At least a gallon a day -- work up to 2 gallons (I know, sounds brutal)
    2) In the morning, when you first get up, drink warm water with the juice (fresh) of a half or even whole lemon (this is good for the adrenals, it also aides weight loss
    3) Measure everything - I got a food scale, and find it to be very helpful
    4) Up your protein, and make sure you are getting enough fat (our bodies and brains need fat)
    5) Consider trying the Whole 30 program for 30 days
    6) Make sure you are getting good sleep. Staying up late makes you produce more cortisol - a hormone that is bad for weight loss
    7) Eat a high protein meal in the morning
    8) Give your body a 12 - 14 hour break before your last evening meal, and your next morning meal
    9) Don't eat less than 1200 calories in a day
    10) You may need to try some form of daily Cardio. I recently subscribed to the Daily Burn video series, and really like them. They have a series called True Beginners - geared towards the fitness novice, and most of the videos are 30 minutes long. Because I am carrying more weight I end up burning 400 to 500 calories per session. They are very manageable.

    You might also need to drop your calories, but allow yourself a range. So, on the days you are working out eat 1700-1800 calories. On the days you are not working out, eat 1400-1500 calories.

    Finally, you might want to switch your approach entirely for a while. Just focus on fitness goals (i.e. working out 5 times a week, increasing your weight lifting over time). Make it more about the burn number (i.e. shoot to burn 3,000 - 5,000 calories a week via exercise: your extra weight will actually help you achieve those numbers quickly, because when you carry more weight, your burn more calories). Figure out what you want to do fitness wise, and then develop a nutrition plan to support that.

    I am in my 40s, 5'9" and currently 265. Have lost 12-13 lbs since early February, and then stalled this last month (once I started exercising). I have been following a Low Carb High Fat diet (because it got me results when other methods were not). But I am considering trying carb cycling to see if that will help break the stall.

    I know it is frustrating when you work hard and don't see results. But you will find what works for you. If all else fails, you might need to speak with your doctor and get your thyroid tested.

    Good luck!
  • Ninkyou
    Ninkyou Posts: 6,666 Member
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    Tighten up your logging accuracy. Invest in a food scale if you haven't already and weigh your foods.
  • Kenellen1
    Kenellen1 Posts: 17 Member
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    Log what you eat and add exercise, cardio and weights...its a lifestyle, not a diet. Work to. One your set point...if you work for stronger and faster,Netherlands weight will come down...good luck!
  • PaulaWallaDingDong
    PaulaWallaDingDong Posts: 4,641 Member
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    Firefly_71 wrote: »
    1) Drink more water. At least a gallon a day -- work up to 2 gallons (I know, sounds brutal)

    Please don't work your way up to 2 gallons of water per day. Even 1 gallon is completely unnecessary.

  • cathipa
    cathipa Posts: 2,991 Member
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    Weigh everything. Log everything. Be truthful when logging. Drink at least 64 oz water. Avoid sodas (regular or diet). Limit sodium (prepackaged foods and deli meats are loaded with it). Figure your tdee and subtract 20% to get your caloric goal. Move more (sorry if I missed it but didn't see it listed).