Why is my scale not moving?

ginagunter
ginagunter Posts: 7 Member
edited November 17 in Health and Weight Loss
I've been eating clean for two weeks now, using the "good gut" book, I started exercising about a week ago, and my scale has not moved more than a pound.
I know I'm not eating too much, I'm not eating anything I shouldn't, and I'm doing cardio for at least 40 minutes a day.
Any hints?

Replies

  • janejellyroll
    janejellyroll Posts: 25,763 Member
    Eating clean won't cause you to lose weight if you aren't in a deficit.

    How do you know you aren't eating too much? Are you tracking your calorie intake?
  • malibu927
    malibu927 Posts: 17,562 Member
    Water retention from exercise. It'll dissipate soon.
  • toofatnomore
    toofatnomore Posts: 206 Member
    Pop your diary to "open" so folks can see it...May help to see what is going "in". Weigh and account for everything or you will never know your calories in...
  • elliej
    elliej Posts: 466 Member
    Two weeks is not long enough to know really, sometimes when you suddenly step up exercise your body holds onto water to repair your muscles.

    Also eating clean does not equal eating a calorie deficit - the essential part of weight loss. Measure and weigh everything you eat, it's VERY easy to overestimate.

    There's nothing you "shouldn't" eat, I eat pizza, chocolate, crisps. But I weigh and portion it all, ensuring it fits into my calories and macros.
  • rileysowner
    rileysowner Posts: 8,337 Member
    janejellyroll wrote: »
    Eating clean won't cause you to lose weight if you aren't in a deficit.

    How do you know you aren't eating too much? Are you tracking your calorie intake?

    This.
  • DemoraFairy
    DemoraFairy Posts: 1,806 Member
    Two things: firstly, if you aren't counting calories, you don't know if you're not eating too much. Secondly, it's only been two weeks, patience! Especially if when you say 'the scale has not moved more than a pound' you mean you've lost a pound, because that's a good loss considering you may not be eating in much of a deficit.
  • Laurend224
    Laurend224 Posts: 1,748 Member
    edited April 2015
    janejellyroll wrote: »
    Eating clean won't cause you to lose weight if you aren't in a deficit.

    How do you know you aren't eating too much? Are you tracking your calorie intake?



    This!
  • deviboy1592
    deviboy1592 Posts: 989 Member
    Chuck that scale out the damn window. Keep doing what your doing and eat a a deficit, notice other changes, energy, sleep, how your clothes fit. There is nothing worse then becoming a slave to the scale.
  • NoIdea101NoIdea
    NoIdea101NoIdea Posts: 659 Member
    Also, "my scale hasn't moved more than a pound".

    So have you lost a pound? Because a pound in two weeks is still pretty good going.
  • ginagunter
    ginagunter Posts: 7 Member
    Thanks for the input!

    I am counting calories and eating under my 1200 per day. Since I've started on here it tells me I'm not eating enough.

    BTW, I think that scale is evil! I think I am going to toss it in the garbage!

    I will say that I am not craving sugar since I've stopped eating it. At 5 am today someone in the ER where I work mentioned doughnuts....and I was afraid!

    Thanks everyone. I'll try to chill for a few days!
  • janejellyroll
    janejellyroll Posts: 25,763 Member
    ginagunter wrote: »
    Thanks for the input!

    I am counting calories and eating under my 1200 per day. Since I've started on here it tells me I'm not eating enough.

    BTW, I think that scale is evil! I think I am going to toss it in the garbage!

    I will say that I am not craving sugar since I've stopped eating it. At 5 am today someone in the ER where I work mentioned doughnuts....and I was afraid!

    Thanks everyone. I'll try to chill for a few days!

    How did you determine your calorie goal. Eating under 1,200 AND exercising seems like it could be too low. That is going to impact your energy level and, potentially, your health.
  • Onesnap
    Onesnap Posts: 2,819 Member
    Why 1,200 calories per day? Here's a great post! You are also harming your body. Remember even walking around during the day is going to cause you to dip below 1200. http://www.popsugar.com/fitness/Why-1200-Calories-Day-Important-When-Dieting-13080864
  • Onesnap
    Onesnap Posts: 2,819 Member
    ginagunter wrote: »
    Thanks for the input!

    I am counting calories and eating under my 1200 per day. Since I've started on here it tells me I'm not eating enough.

    BTW, I think that scale is evil! I think I am going to toss it in the garbage!

    I will say that I am not craving sugar since I've stopped eating it. At 5 am today someone in the ER where I work mentioned doughnuts....and I was afraid!

    Thanks everyone. I'll try to chill for a few days!

    Don't toss your scale. You are eating too few calories per day to allow your body to function. You can't starve yourself as you will lose muscle not fat.

  • Athos282
    Athos282 Posts: 405 Member
    Because you didn't throw it hard enough. Keep hitting the gym for strength training and you'll be able to toss that scale well!
  • DemoraFairy
    DemoraFairy Posts: 1,806 Member
    I don't get why 'throw out the scales' is always the first thing people tend to say. Last time I threw out the scales, I gained 20lbs.

    (Ok I also stopped calorie counting, but I didn't start gaining the weight until I stopped weighing, and I didn't know I'd gained weight and needed to start counting again until I weighed myself and saw how much I'd gained)
  • leggup
    leggup Posts: 2,942 Member
    Are you using a food scale to weigh and measure all of your food?

    You say you're being accurate and you've been doing this for 2 weeks, but in the last 14 days you only have 3 days with recorded entries.

  • Athos282
    Athos282 Posts: 405 Member
    edited April 2015
    DemoraFairy wrote: »
    I don't get why 'throw out the scales' is always the first thing people tend to say. Last time I threw out the scales, I gained 20lbs.

    (Ok I also stopped calorie counting, but I didn't start gaining the weight until I stopped weighing, and I didn't know I'd gained weight and needed to start counting again until I weighed myself and saw how much I'd gained)

    Well, generally scales are inanimate objects. It's Newton's first law of motion:"An object at rest will stay at rest unless acted upon by an outside force." If one were to throw the scale, it would very obviously be moving. But now the joke is spoiled, so thanks for that.
  • ginagunter
    ginagunter Posts: 7 Member
    britishbroccoli wrote: »
    Are you using a food scale to weigh and measure all of your food?

    You say you're being accurate and you've been doing this for 2 weeks, but in the last 14 days you only have 3 days with recorded entries.

    Yes, I was doing it on my own and then remembered I had this app....
    I am one of those people who needs a community, glad to be here.
  • ginagunter
    ginagunter Posts: 7 Member
    Onesnap wrote: »
    Why 1,200 calories per day? Here's a great post! You are also harming your body. Remember even walking around during the day is going to cause you to dip below 1200. http://www.popsugar.com/fitness/Why-1200-Calories-Day-Important-When-Dieting-13080864

    Actually, this is the goal this app automacticly gave me.

    I did weigh again late today and I have lost 5 pounds now. The "throw away the scale" really is all about NOT weighing every day or several times a day. For me, it may be better to get them out of the house and weigh at the gym or my PCP.

    I am also wondering if I messed up my metabolism by not moving enough in the past year or two. My body was probably saying "holy *kitten*!!!".....another reason for joining a community.



  • ginagunter
    ginagunter Posts: 7 Member
    Athos282 wrote: »
    Because you didn't throw it hard enough. Keep hitting the gym for strength training and you'll be able to toss that scale well!

    Thanks!! I'm starting back from the lowest point, but I'll get there!

    Love it that you made me smile!
  • brianpperkins
    brianpperkins Posts: 6,124 Member
    Your diary doesn't look like you're logging based on foods weighed on a scale. Your caloric intakes, if accurate, are dangerously low over the past few days.

    Best case is you're eating more than you think. Worst case you're retaining water and masking the damage dangerously low eating can do to a human body.
  • amy8400
    amy8400 Posts: 478 Member
    OP, I noticed the same thing--foods appear to not be weighed and very low intake. If you aren't using a food scale, start asap. It's the only way you'll know exactly what you're taking in every day. It worked wonders for me and is now my best tool in the kitchen next to my Vitamix.

    I started off at 1200 calories, too, but now I'm losing comfortably at 1330. I found 1200 calories so difficult to do and one of my MFP friends suggested I increase my calories to lose weight. I couldn't believe she suggested that, but she was right. Very low daily calorie intake is hard your your body and mind. 1330 is still low but I'm working to lose my last 10 pounds so this is temporary until I'm at maintenance.

    To be successful, I needed to find a way to eat foods like chocolate or an occasional cookie or ice cream sandwich. I balanced that with modest amounts of more intense cardio and now lifting weights and floor work. And I give myself a break 2 days a week. At 53, I need more time to bounce back LOL

    Good luck with your new journey and feel free to add me as a friend.
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