not losing, so how to shake it up.....

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rainbow1974
rainbow1974 Posts: 48 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Ok - so I know the rules about weighing everything and logging, and that my excercise cals are probably overestimated, so I try and keep everything logged and weigh my oats, chicken, veg, fish, pasta, etc etc, but since I started this 65 days ago, lost 5lb, and have now gained 3. I have lost an inch off my waist and hips, but the scale doesn't show the loss.

I have now changed my goals to show my TDEE - 15% as I know a slow loss is better, and I won't count my excersice cals. I'm 5ft 4.5, CW: 147lbs, GW: 125. I will be 41 this summer. I work at a desk and try to do 60 mins 3/4 times a week at the gym, mix of cardio and weight machines. I think my diary is open. I do go over on weekend especially when we have guests / kids and I prob should cut down on the wine....... How come I have gained? it doesn't seem fair!! Any advice, or support would really be appreciated xx

Replies

  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,811 Member
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    Were you working with the TDEE method before?
    If so you shouldn't have been eating back exercise calories as they would already have been included in your calculation.

    Is the walking you are logging part of normal life or deliberate exercise? Unless it's deliberate exercise then it would have already been included in your activity setting.
  • isulo_kura
    isulo_kura Posts: 818 Member
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    1st obvious thing is tighten up your logging. Looking at your diary quickly there are many entries that look generic - Homemade roast dinner' was that your recipe I'm thinking not. So how do you know the elements are the same as yours? It's the same with the omelette. Are your eggs the same size as the recipe entered? Do you use butter or milk in yours? There are so many variables that you shouldn't use other peoples recipes. Also many things you've used spoons instead of weighing. A teaspoon of butter for example. So just on those few things I think you're eating more than you think. Weigh all solids(even the small things) measure all liquids. Choose accurate entries off the database. Enter your own recipes in the builder.

    Good luck
  • Whitezombiegirl
    Whitezombiegirl Posts: 1,042 Member
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    My guess is that the weekends are blowing it for you.
  • rainbow1974
    rainbow1974 Posts: 48 Member
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    I was just using MFPs calculations before. As for the walking, had not walked to work since last year, so it was different to the usual routine. But I can see how it will become normal as the weather improves.... I try to walk some in the evenings or weekends also.
  • rainbow1974
    rainbow1974 Posts: 48 Member
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    Whitezombiegirl wrote: »
    My guess is that the weekends are blowing it for you.

    That was my fear...... even though I still track everything............... and it's what we used to eat a few times a week before I started MFP...

  • rainbow1974
    rainbow1974 Posts: 48 Member
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    isulo_kura wrote: »
    1st obvious thing is tighten up your logging. Looking at your diary quickly there are many entries that look generic - Homemade roast dinner' was that your recipe I'm thinking not. So how do you know the elements are the same as yours? It's the same with the omelette. Are your eggs the same size as the recipe entered? Do you use butter or milk in yours? There are so many variables that you shouldn't use other peoples recipes. Also many things you've used spoons instead of weighing. A teaspoon of butter for example. So just on those few things I think you're eating more than you think. Weigh all solids(even the small things) measure all liquids. Choose accurate entries off the database. Enter your own recipes in the builder.

    Good luck


    Thanks. I don't use a lot of butter and stuff, and generally do use a teaspoon or tablespoon for jams etc. but I will start to weigh them. My eggs are a medium size. And the roast dinner - I tend to have the same size as the kids but again, I guess I will have to individually log the items.
  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,268 Member
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    I suspect water retention from TOM or the new walking or sodium levels in food.

    Why because the inch off your waist is a good indicator you are losing....
  • rainbow1974
    rainbow1974 Posts: 48 Member
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    SezxyStef wrote: »
    I suspect water retention from TOM or the new walking or sodium levels in food.

    Why because the inch off your waist is a good indicator you are losing....

    Thats what I thought 2 weeks ago..... but I would have thought that since my last loss on the scale, and now the increase, I'm not so sure it is TOM related.
  • RiverMelSong
    RiverMelSong Posts: 456 Member
    edited May 2015
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    isulo_kura wrote: »
    1st obvious thing is tighten up your logging. Looking at your diary quickly there are many entries that look generic - Homemade roast dinner' was that your recipe I'm thinking not. So how do you know the elements are the same as yours? It's the same with the omelette. Are your eggs the same size as the recipe entered? Do you use butter or milk in yours? There are so many variables that you shouldn't use other peoples recipes. Also many things you've used spoons instead of weighing. A teaspoon of butter for example. So just on those few things I think you're eating more than you think. Weigh all solids(even the small things) measure all liquids. Choose accurate entries off the database. Enter your own recipes in the builder.

    Good luck

    ^This.
    Looking at your diary it shows quite a few things like ''one egg, one wrap, one welsh cake'' etc. Try to weigh everything, calorie estimates are often wrong as are the sizes mentioned on packets. I had croissants once where the packet said ''one croissant (90gr)''. When I weighed the actual croissant I was eating it was 115 grams! Stuff like that sneaks up on you.
  • rainbow1974
    rainbow1974 Posts: 48 Member
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    good point, I tend to take the word of the packet as you can't really weigh stuff when you are out and about or in work....
  • LivingtheLeanDream
    LivingtheLeanDream Posts: 13,342 Member
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    Good replies already, and its likely down to overdoing the calories at the weekends, that was my problem too, I'd eat light all week and then on Saturday eat 2800 cals and Sundays 2000 - and undid all the good I did during the week :( tighten up on your food logging, and try and not go wild on the weekends, keep up the workouts and you'll find the scale will move down :smile:
    TOM weight gain/water retention can show on the scale for up to 7 days :/
  • rainbow1974
    rainbow1974 Posts: 48 Member
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    Thanks Ruthee....
  • TimothyFish
    TimothyFish Posts: 4,925 Member
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    I agree with the previous poster who said that you are probably messing yourself up on weekends. With your calorie goal set at 1400, your calorie deficit is less than 200 calories and even if you stick to it, you're looking at less than half a pound loss per week. Consider reducing your calorie intake.
  • ExRelaySprinter
    ExRelaySprinter Posts: 874 Member
    edited May 2015
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    I echo what the others have said,...it seems you're eating just too much at the weekends.
    Any chance you can do extra workouts at the weekend? Maybe a Home Dvd or something?
    I'm a similar height to you and maintaining at 132lbs, ......out of interest, any reason why you want to get down to 125?


  • rainbow1974
    rainbow1974 Posts: 48 Member
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    I will deffo try to be better on the weekends...... will have to tell the boyfriend to stop coming home with wine and treats.....

    125 was a weight I was at a long time ago.... to be honest, the way things are at the moment I would be happy to get down to under 140!!
  • kikichewie
    kikichewie Posts: 276 Member
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    Set your calories goals lower during the week and higher on the weekends, so that the average for seven days is your deficit goal.

    For instance, I need to eat 1700 calories per day. So that's 1550 Mon-Thurs, 2000 Fri-Sat and 1700 on Sunday. That gives me more wiggle room when I need it, without killing my deficit. I just manually change my goal every day to make it easier to track. And that a TDEE number, so I do t eat back any exercise calories. They're already accounted for.
  • rainbow1974
    rainbow1974 Posts: 48 Member
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    kikichewie wrote: »
    Set your calories goals lower during the week and higher on the weekends, so that the average for seven days is your deficit goal.

    For instance, I need to eat 1700 calories per day. So that's 1550 Mon-Thurs, 2000 Fri-Sat and 1700 on Sunday. That gives me more wiggle room when I need it, without killing my deficit. I just manually change my goal every day to make it easier to track. And that a TDEE number, so I do t eat back any exercise calories. They're already accounted for.

    Thats a good point. I have manually changed my daily goal to 1600 (TDEE) so will not eat back any exercise cals. If I can keep to around 1400 through the week, it does give me a little extra to play with on the weekends.... good thinking!!
  • ReynaDay01
    ReynaDay01 Posts: 57 Member
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    One idea is to bring a small food scale to your office if possible. This way you can keep better track of your intake and you have no excuse not to log carefully.
  • rainbow1974
    rainbow1974 Posts: 48 Member
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    ReynaDay01 wrote: »
    One idea is to bring a small food scale to your office if possible. This way you can keep better track of your intake and you have no excuse not to log carefully.

    just bought a digital one at lunch!! I'm hoping it will be more accurate than the one I currently use, and It's small so I can bring it to work. Most of what I eat is usually weighed at home, but there are occasional times...

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