only losing a pound a week

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Hi,
Since February I've been losing a pound a week, which is good. But according to MFP I should be losing more than that.

I eat around 1250 cal (I'm 5'3) a day plus go to the gym almost every day but don't eat those calories back since I don't trust the machines calorie counters.
I do cardio and weight training and I walk to the gym which is half an hour away.
I feel like I should be losing more, any reason this could be happening?
I'm happy that I'm losing a pound a week and I don't need to lose more, it just confuses me.

Thx Charlie
«13

Replies

  • galgenstrick
    galgenstrick Posts: 2,086 Member
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    Most likely cause is that you're eating more than you think. Are you weighing your food?
  • malibu927
    malibu927 Posts: 17,565 Member
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    Only? A pound a week is amazing!
  • TimothyFish
    TimothyFish Posts: 4,925 Member
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    If you're losing less than expected, then you're eating more than you think.
  • whmscll
    whmscll Posts: 2,254 Member
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    Not sure what you mean when you say "according to MFP I should be losing more." You tell the app how much you want to lose each week. Then the app sets your calorie intake. A pound a week is GREAT.
  • Ninkyou
    Ninkyou Posts: 6,666 Member
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    'Only?' ;)

    Are you weighing your food? If not, you're probably eating more calories than you think you are.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,874 Member
    edited May 2015
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    Because the idea that 3500 calories equals 1 Lb is only a reasonable estimation...it's not "hard" math, it's "soft" math. Combine that with the fact that calorie counting has a lot of inherent estimation errors, voila...

    Be happy that you are losing about 1 Lb per week and go with it. No calculator in the world can accurately predict exactly how many pounds per week you're going to lose. All this stuff is is reasonable estimation and "soft" math.
  • momentai
    momentai Posts: 42 Member
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    Most likely cause is that you're eating more than you think. Are you weighing your food?
    I don't weigh but I overestimate my food. I always list it as more than less.
  • galgenstrick
    galgenstrick Posts: 2,086 Member
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    momentai wrote: »
    Most likely cause is that you're eating more than you think. Are you weighing your food?
    I don't weigh but I overestimate my food. I always list it as more than less.

    Try weighing. It's the only way to be consistent.
  • Ninkyou
    Ninkyou Posts: 6,666 Member
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    momentai wrote: »
    Most likely cause is that you're eating more than you think. Are you weighing your food?
    I don't weigh but I overestimate my food. I always list it as more than less.

    It's still not accurate though. So you don't really know what your calorie intake actually is.
  • momentai
    momentai Posts: 42 Member
    edited May 2015
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    Ninkyou wrote: »
    momentai wrote: »
    Most likely cause is that you're eating more than you think. Are you weighing your food?
    I don't weigh but I overestimate my food. I always list it as more than less.

    It's still not accurate though. So you don't really know what your calorie intake actually is.

    I don't weigh but measure, for example if I eat 1 cup of brown rice I long 1 and a half cup of MFP

  • momentai
    momentai Posts: 42 Member
    edited May 2015
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    I am happy about one pound a week I don't think I even want to lose faster
  • galgenstrick
    galgenstrick Posts: 2,086 Member
    edited May 2015
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    momentai wrote: »
    momentai wrote: »
    Ninkyou wrote: »
    momentai wrote: »
    Most likely cause is that you're eating more than you think. Are you weighing your food?
    I don't weigh but I overestimate my food. I always list it as more than less.

    It's still not accurate though. So you don't really know what your calorie intake actually is.

    I don't weigh but measure, for example if I eat a cup of brown rice I log a cup and half on MFP

    That sounds like a horrible idea. Just weigh your food and log it as the correct weight. You need to learn what your actual TDEE is, and the only way to do that is to know exactly how many calories your eating. Trust me, it will make adjusting your intake much easier in the future.
  • momentai
    momentai Posts: 42 Member
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    momentai wrote: »
    momentai wrote: »
    Ninkyou wrote: »
    momentai wrote: »
    Most likely cause is that you're eating more than you think. Are you weighing your food?
    I don't weigh but I overestimate my food. I always list it as more than less.

    It's still not accurate though. So you don't really know what your calorie intake actually is.

    I don't weigh but measure, for example if I eat a cup of brown rice I log a cup and half on MFP

    That sounds like a horrible idea. Just weigh your food and log it as the correct weight. You need to learn what your actual TDEE is, and the only way to do that is to know exactly how many calories your eating. Trust me, it will make adjusting your intake much easier in the future.

    I know right now I just don't have a food scale or the time to weigh it

  • Ninkyou
    Ninkyou Posts: 6,666 Member
    Options
    momentai wrote: »
    momentai wrote: »
    momentai wrote: »
    Ninkyou wrote: »
    momentai wrote: »
    Most likely cause is that you're eating more than you think. Are you weighing your food?
    I don't weigh but I overestimate my food. I always list it as more than less.

    It's still not accurate though. So you don't really know what your calorie intake actually is.

    I don't weigh but measure, for example if I eat a cup of brown rice I log a cup and half on MFP

    That sounds like a horrible idea. Just weigh your food and log it as the correct weight. You need to learn what your actual TDEE is, and the only way to do that is to know exactly how many calories your eating. Trust me, it will make adjusting your intake much easier in the future.

    I know right now I just don't have a food scale or the time to weigh it

    Weighing food literally takes at most, 10 minutes cumulatively through the day. You can get an inexpensive scale pretty much anywhere. Order one from Amazon and have it shipped right to your door.

    But if you're okay with 1 lbs a week (which is nothing to scoff at, btw), then just keep doing what you're doing.

  • momentai
    momentai Posts: 42 Member
    Options
    Ninkyou wrote: »
    momentai wrote: »
    momentai wrote: »
    momentai wrote: »
    Ninkyou wrote: »
    momentai wrote: »
    Most likely cause is that you're eating more than you think. Are you weighing your food?
    I don't weigh but I overestimate my food. I always list it as more than less.

    It's still not accurate though. So you don't really know what your calorie intake actually is.

    I don't weigh but measure, for example if I eat a cup of brown rice I log a cup and half on MFP

    That sounds like a horrible idea. Just weigh your food and log it as the correct weight. You need to learn what your actual TDEE is, and the only way to do that is to know exactly how many calories your eating. Trust me, it will make adjusting your intake much easier in the future.

    I know right now I just don't have a food scale or the time to weigh it

    Weighing food literally takes at most, 10 minutes cumulatively through the day. You can get an inexpensive scale pretty much anywhere. Order one from Amazon and have it shipped right to your door.

    But if you're okay with 1 lbs a week (which is nothing to scoff at, btw), then just keep doing what you're doing.

    I'll try getting one soon cause once I'm done losing I want to gain muscles and its important to know exactly what you're eating.

    Besides over counting is there any other reasons I can't lose more then one pound a week?
  • Ninkyou
    Ninkyou Posts: 6,666 Member
    Options
    momentai wrote: »
    Ninkyou wrote: »
    momentai wrote: »
    momentai wrote: »
    momentai wrote: »
    Ninkyou wrote: »
    momentai wrote: »
    Most likely cause is that you're eating more than you think. Are you weighing your food?
    I don't weigh but I overestimate my food. I always list it as more than less.

    It's still not accurate though. So you don't really know what your calorie intake actually is.

    I don't weigh but measure, for example if I eat a cup of brown rice I log a cup and half on MFP

    That sounds like a horrible idea. Just weigh your food and log it as the correct weight. You need to learn what your actual TDEE is, and the only way to do that is to know exactly how many calories your eating. Trust me, it will make adjusting your intake much easier in the future.

    I know right now I just don't have a food scale or the time to weigh it

    Weighing food literally takes at most, 10 minutes cumulatively through the day. You can get an inexpensive scale pretty much anywhere. Order one from Amazon and have it shipped right to your door.

    But if you're okay with 1 lbs a week (which is nothing to scoff at, btw), then just keep doing what you're doing.

    I'll try getting one soon cause once I'm done losing I want to gain muscles and its important to know exactly what you're eating.

    Besides over counting is there any other reasons I can't lose more then one pound a week?

    Metabolic issues like thyroid disease. You can always have your doctor run a blood panel to check your levels on everything. When I first started weight loss, I had mine done, and then 6 months later did a repeat. I wanted to make sure I stayed normal and nothing out of the ordinary cropped up (I don't have thyroid issues but did have them tested anyway).
  • tdatsenko
    tdatsenko Posts: 155 Member
    Options
    momentai wrote: »
    Ninkyou wrote: »
    momentai wrote: »
    momentai wrote: »
    momentai wrote: »
    Ninkyou wrote: »
    momentai wrote: »
    Most likely cause is that you're eating more than you think. Are you weighing your food?
    I don't weigh but I overestimate my food. I always list it as more than less.

    It's still not accurate though. So you don't really know what your calorie intake actually is.

    I don't weigh but measure, for example if I eat a cup of brown rice I log a cup and half on MFP

    That sounds like a horrible idea. Just weigh your food and log it as the correct weight. You need to learn what your actual TDEE is, and the only way to do that is to know exactly how many calories your eating. Trust me, it will make adjusting your intake much easier in the future.

    I know right now I just don't have a food scale or the time to weigh it

    Weighing food literally takes at most, 10 minutes cumulatively through the day. You can get an inexpensive scale pretty much anywhere. Order one from Amazon and have it shipped right to your door.

    But if you're okay with 1 lbs a week (which is nothing to scoff at, btw), then just keep doing what you're doing.

    I'll try getting one soon cause once I'm done losing I want to gain muscles and its important to know exactly what you're eating.

    Besides over counting is there any other reasons I can't lose more then one pound a week?

    Maybe over-estimating your exercise as well. Since you're not into weighing your food, I'd either try to eat less or do more cardio.

  • ahamm002
    ahamm002 Posts: 1,690 Member
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    There are two possibilities:
    1. You're underestimating the amount of calories you eat. 1250 is really really low for your activity level.
    2. You ate at such a massive calorie deficit that you've caused your metabolism to slow down. As long as you're still losing weight at a healthy rate then don't worry about it.

    http://diabetes.diabetesjournals.org/content/early/2015/05/06/db14-1881

    Note that the above study used a 50% calorie reduction. It's unlikely that this effect would have been seen to this extend if the calorie reduction wasn't so drastic.
  • DevilsFan1
    DevilsFan1 Posts: 342 Member
    Options
    momentai wrote: »
    Ninkyou wrote: »
    momentai wrote: »
    momentai wrote: »
    momentai wrote: »
    Ninkyou wrote: »
    momentai wrote: »
    Most likely cause is that you're eating more than you think. Are you weighing your food?
    I don't weigh but I overestimate my food. I always list it as more than less.

    It's still not accurate though. So you don't really know what your calorie intake actually is.

    I don't weigh but measure, for example if I eat a cup of brown rice I log a cup and half on MFP

    That sounds like a horrible idea. Just weigh your food and log it as the correct weight. You need to learn what your actual TDEE is, and the only way to do that is to know exactly how many calories your eating. Trust me, it will make adjusting your intake much easier in the future.

    I know right now I just don't have a food scale or the time to weigh it

    Weighing food literally takes at most, 10 minutes cumulatively through the day. You can get an inexpensive scale pretty much anywhere. Order one from Amazon and have it shipped right to your door.

    But if you're okay with 1 lbs a week (which is nothing to scoff at, btw), then just keep doing what you're doing.

    I'll try getting one soon cause once I'm done losing I want to gain muscles and its important to know exactly what you're eating.

    Besides over counting is there any other reasons I can't lose more then one pound a week?

    You're either comsuming more calories than you think or you are not expending as many calories as you think. All the other issues (thyroid, metabolism, etc) apply to a miniscule percentage of people yet many people insist that is their problem. It's easier to blame something out of your control for your weight than it is to take responsibility for it.

    Get a scale and weigh your food. Everything you eat. Every last pat of butter or baby carrot you eat. I think you'll be surprised. Anyway, a pound a week is just about ideal. If what you're doing is working, just keep at it.
  • WaterBunnie
    WaterBunnie Posts: 1,370 Member
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    If you're not accurately logging food or exercise you cannot really expect MFP's weight loss prediction to be any more than a rough guide either I'm afraid. It's like making a cake without weighing the ingredients - very hit and miss!