Weight loss tips, Am I doing it all wrong?

JennArnold18
JennArnold18 Posts: 9 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
i have been on a good portioned eating plan for two plus weeks, and going to the gym a minimum of three days a week. I'm tracking on MFP daily but I'm not getting anywhere. I have a huge lack of energy even after working out, and feel like I am bigger than before. I'm thinking I'm doing something wrong.
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Replies

  • star1407
    star1407 Posts: 588 Member
    Hiya, how many cals a day are you having? Are you weighing your food? Are you drinking plenty of water?
  • JSurita2
    JSurita2 Posts: 1,304 Member
    You're probably under estimating how much you're actually eating. You might need to cut down some.
  • maidentl
    maidentl Posts: 3,203 Member
    JennArnold18 wrote: »
    i have been on a good portioned eating plan for two plus weeks, and going to the gym a minimum of three days a week. I'm tracking on MFP daily but I'm not getting anywhere. I have a huge lack of energy even after working out, and feel like I am bigger than before. I'm thinking I'm doing something wrong.

    What is "a good portioned eating plan?" Did MFP give you a calorie goal, are you logging everything, weighing and measuring your food?

  • JennArnold18
    JennArnold18 Posts: 9 Member
    I log absolutely everything, down to the amount of sugar I put in my tea
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  • Hornsby
    Hornsby Posts: 10,322 Member
    Weigh solids, measure liquids. Can you open your diary?
  • JennArnold18
    JennArnold18 Posts: 9 Member
    I drink about two to three Gatorade bottles filled with water. I do not weigh my food I go off of the portions and calories. My daily calories allowed on MFP is 1500
  • JSurita2
    JSurita2 Posts: 1,304 Member
    Sounds like you are clearly under estimating those portions. If you're not weighing or measuring that can be easy to do.
  • Hornsby
    Hornsby Posts: 10,322 Member
    JennArnold18 wrote: »
    I drink about two to three Gatorade bottles filled with water. I do not weigh my food I go off of the portions and calories. My daily calories allowed on MFP is 1500

    Until you start weighing, you really don't know how much you are eating. Portions can be shocking...
  • JennArnold18
    JennArnold18 Posts: 9 Member
    I go by like if the package says one cup I use one cup. I don't weigh chicken or anything tho
  • Hornsby
    Hornsby Posts: 10,322 Member
    Again, you need to weigh your foods. You asked if you are doing something wrong...the answer is "yes, you aren't weighing your foods".
  • JennArnold18
    JennArnold18 Posts: 9 Member
    How do I start weighing foods.
  • janejellyroll
    janejellyroll Posts: 25,763 Member
    JennArnold18 wrote: »
    How do I start weighing foods.

    Buy a scale. Put foods on the scale.
  • Hornsby
    Hornsby Posts: 10,322 Member
    Buy a food scale from WalMart, Target, Amazon...
  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,267 Member
    edited May 2015
    buy a digital food scale. Put plate on it...turn it on. Add food. food weighed.

    It really is that simple. I have been using one for 2 years...it has a zero function so I can actually put my plate on it and zero it out add my protein, zero it out add my veggies/starches etc.

    I log 123 grams of chicken if that is what the scale said.
  • strong_curves
    strong_curves Posts: 2,229 Member
    edited May 2015
    @Vismal wrote a great thread on weighing your food:

    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1296011/calorie-counting-101/p1

    Good luck
  • Hornsby
    Hornsby Posts: 10,322 Member
    Also, it might sound tedious and unnecessary to weigh, and for some, it probably is, but it really doesn't take that much more time that not weighing your food once you get the hang of it. It might add 2 minutes to my entire meal prep from start to plating.
  • JennArnold18
    JennArnold18 Posts: 9 Member
    Ok so I'm not an idiot I know how to weight something. Thanks for the sarcastic answers. I'm talking about how much of what am I supposed to eat. It's all good and well to put a piece of chicken on a scale see it weight and go ok cool. What now. I'm actually looking for some help here...
  • katsmo
    katsmo Posts: 219 Member
    Jenn, I know it sounds silly to have to weigh your foods. I wasn't a believer until I watched this. I got a decent food scale from Amazon, and it has been an eye opener. The baked sweet potato I eat a couple times a week is closer to 200 grams than 100. Chicken, fish, ground beef, etc. that I used to eyeball was all off. A food scale will help you be much more accurate with your logging. Good luck!
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JVjWPclrWVY
  • JennArnold18
    JennArnold18 Posts: 9 Member
    katsmo wrote: »
    Jenn, I know it sounds silly to have to weigh your foods. I wasn't a believer until I watched this. I got a decent food scale from Amazon, and it has been an eye opener. The baked sweet potato I eat a couple times a week is closer to 200 grams than 100. Chicken, fish, ground beef, etc. that I used to eyeball was all off. A food scale will help you be much more accurate with your logging. Good luck!
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JVjWPclrWVY

    Thank you very much for actually being helpful.
  • Hornsby
    Hornsby Posts: 10,322 Member
    JennArnold18 wrote: »
    Ok so I'm not an idiot I know how to weight something. Thanks for the sarcastic answers. I'm talking about how much of what am I supposed to eat. It's all good and well to put a piece of chicken on a scale see it weight and go ok cool. What now. I'm actually looking for some help here...

    Not sure anyone was being sarcastic. Sorry you took it that way.

    You can eat whatever you want. Just make sure you stay within your calorie deficit and try and hit your macro needs (protein, fat, carb).

    I am not trying to be obtuse here, I am just not specifically sure what you are having questions on...
  • JennArnold18
    JennArnold18 Posts: 9 Member
    It's about the fact that I have been working very hard at the gym and getting negative results
  • janejellyroll
    janejellyroll Posts: 25,763 Member
    JennArnold18 wrote: »
    Ok so I'm not an idiot I know how to weight something. Thanks for the sarcastic answers. I'm talking about how much of what am I supposed to eat. It's all good and well to put a piece of chicken on a scale see it weight and go ok cool. What now. I'm actually looking for some help here...

    You just log the weight of it so that you know how many calories you're eating. You'll still have to decide how much to eat, what fits your goals, etc.
  • diannethegeek
    diannethegeek Posts: 14,776 Member
    JennArnold18 wrote: »
    Ok so I'm not an idiot I know how to weight something. Thanks for the sarcastic answers. I'm talking about how much of what am I supposed to eat. It's all good and well to put a piece of chicken on a scale see it weight and go ok cool. What now. I'm actually looking for some help here...

    Yeah, you asked a really basic question and you got really basic answers.

    You can eat the same amount that you were eating, it's just that a food scale helps you to log that amount far more accurately. For example, one chicken breast. Put it on the scale, it will weight anywhere from 4-15 ounces. The packaging gives you an estimate of how many calories that chicken breast has, but knowing the exact size of the chicken breast you're actually eating will give you better information.

    Almost all packages give the serving size as 1 cup (x grams). The nutrition information is based on the weight listed and the nearest cup/spoon estimate is provided for ease of use. It's just not accurate, though. Your cup might hold a little more or a little less than the manufacturer's. Those little inconsistencies add up throughout the day.

    I like these posts for more details:
    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1290491/how-and-why-to-use-a-digital-food-scale
    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1234699/logging-accurately-step-by-step-guide

  • gothchiq
    gothchiq Posts: 4,590 Member
    If you feel tired all the time, get your doctor to check your bloodwork. Low thyroid, anemia, low vitamin D, etc could be sapping your energy.
  • Hornsby
    Hornsby Posts: 10,322 Member
    JennArnold18 wrote: »
    It's about the fact that I have been working very hard at the gym and getting negative results

    Okay, well let's assume you have been eating the right number of calories (that's a big assumption since you haven't been weighing/measuring), you will hold water after starting a new exercise routine. This can take anywhere from 2 weeks to 2 months to subside. It's perfectly natural and nothing to worry about as it isn't fat gain.

    So you have a few things that are probably happening all at once...

    1. You are holding a bit of water weight from your new exercise routine.
    2. You aren't weighing your foods so you are consuming more calories than you think you are.
    3. Exercise, are you adding exercise to your diary and eating those back? If so, you could be overestimating calorie burns from exercise.

    Fix those, give it some time, and profit!
  • maidentl
    maidentl Posts: 3,203 Member
    JennArnold18 wrote: »
    Ok so I'm not an idiot I know how to weight something. Thanks for the sarcastic answers. I'm talking about how much of what am I supposed to eat. It's all good and well to put a piece of chicken on a scale see it weight and go ok cool. What now. I'm actually looking for some help here...

    I am not trying to be rude, I promise, I genuinely don't understand your confusion. You've been logging a piece of chicken, to use your example, as something, right? You weigh the chicken to find out if it actually has that many calories or not. You'll be able to double check all of your foods and then adjust your calories accordingly.
  • ruggedshutter
    ruggedshutter Posts: 389 Member
    I don't think anyone was trying to be rude. There are some people that may not know how to weigh something. As for your question. I would start by weighing what you are eating now for a few days (or a week) and get an idea of how much you are already eating. Then you just reduce the portions down to get them to fit in your daily goals. Personally, I like to prelog my day in the mornings. I take my breakfast and lunch with me to work so I have control over those. For dinner, I usually fix the meal for the family and weigh the ingredients and use the Recipe Builder on this site to figure out an estimated calorie count for my meals. The only hard part is figuring out a serving size. It takes practice but you'll get the hang of it.
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  • LovelyIvy466
    LovelyIvy466 Posts: 387 Member
    Hornsby wrote: »
    JennArnold18 wrote: »
    It's about the fact that I have been working very hard at the gym and getting negative results

    Okay, well let's assume you have been eating the right number of calories (that's a big assumption since you haven't been weighing/measuring), you will hold water after starting a new exercise routine. This can take anywhere from 2 weeks to 2 months to subside. It's perfectly natural and nothing to worry about as it isn't fat gain.

    So you have a few things that are probably happening all at once...

    1. You are holding a bit of water weight from your new exercise routine.
    2. You aren't weighing your foods so you are consuming more calories than you think you are.
    3. Exercise, are you adding exercise to your diary and eating those back? If so, you could be overestimating calorie burns from exercise.

    Fix those, give it some time, and profit!

    This. Water weight from a new exercise regime can have a big effect. Weight loss isn't linear for plenty of reasons. You have to be patient and consistent.

    I didn't see anyone being rude in this thread, just trying to be helpful.

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