After only 3 weeks, I've dropped an entire pound!!! Woo Hoo!!
purelyprimitives
Posts: 58 Member
At this rate, I'll reach my goal weight in a mere 30 years!
Seriously though, something is clearly not working. This site recommends that I eat 2080 cals/day to loose approximately 1 pound a week which is reasonable. I'm eating well below this amount and not seeing the expected weight-loss. Yes, I record and weight every single thing.
I joined MFP about a year ago and saw some modest weight loss but then ended up gaining it all back eating the same amount of calories.
For me, counting calories does not work.
Seriously though, something is clearly not working. This site recommends that I eat 2080 cals/day to loose approximately 1 pound a week which is reasonable. I'm eating well below this amount and not seeing the expected weight-loss. Yes, I record and weight every single thing.
I joined MFP about a year ago and saw some modest weight loss but then ended up gaining it all back eating the same amount of calories.
For me, counting calories does not work.
0
Replies
-
Not enough information provided for anyone to help you. Please provide your stats and open your diary.0
-
Either start weighing all your food or drop your calories by 100/week until you begin losing. It seems you're close.
I do lose about a pound every three weeks and I'm happy about it. I thought this was going to be a thread celebrating what I celebrate and was kind of disappointed, dang it.
Stick with it. Don't give up. Adjustments needs to be made because everyone is different. It's not a precise One Size Fits All thing. Don't quit.0 -
purelyprimitives wrote: »At this rate, I'll reach my goal weight in a mere 30 years!
Seriously though, something is clearly not working. This site recommends that I eat 2080 cals/day to loose approximately 1 pound a week which is reasonable. I'm eating well below this amount and not seeing the expected weight-loss. Yes, I record and weight every single thing.
I joined MFP about a year ago and saw some modest weight loss but then ended up gaining it all back eating the same amount of calories.
For me, counting calories does not work.
Well, let's make sure you're doing it correctly first.
1. Do you own and use a food scale? I know you say you weigh, but I've seen people say that and it turns out they're using measuring cups.
2. Do you make your own recipes, or do you rely on generic/homemade entries?
3. Do you eat out frequently? Like several times a week?
4. Have you been to a doctor to rule out health concerns?
5. Do you engage in cheat days? How much do you eat on those days?0 -
That was me when I first started MFP but I didn't let it discourage me. I made some changes that work for me like using my food scale more, dropping 100 calories from my daily goal, being more consistent with my exercise, being more patient and realistic about my expectations, realizing weight loss isn't linear, water weight, etc.
There's a lot of trial and error when it comes to losing weight, you may have to try different but sustainable techniques before you find what works best for you.0 -
Those 30 years are gonna pass anyway (god willing). Most people gain 10 lbs per year. I'd rather lose 10 a year.0
-
Don't focus on the number on the scale - weight loss shows itself in different forms, and there are so many variables that go into weighing yourself that it can affect the number shown. For example, the time of day, what you're wearing, how much water you're retaining, etc. all factor into your current weight. If you're exercising it may be that you're gaining weight in muscle at the same time that you're losing weight in fat.
In a few more weeks try on a piece of clothing you haven't worn in a while and see if it fits a bit looser than before. Take a picture of yourself now and one again in two weeks in the same position and see if you notice a difference. On MFP you can also track body measurements such as arm and neck circumference.
Weight loss is a frustrating process at times, and Calorie counting is not for everyone. The most important thing is changing your eating habits for the better. If you stick with it long enough you'll generally feel healthier, and you'll probably notice a difference in how you feel if you slip back into bad eating habits.
If counting Calories is not your thing you could always try a targeted diet that focuses more on what you eat rather than how much of it you eat.0 -
Counting calories does work, I think you are just counting too much of it. Keep in mind, the recommendation is an estimate and it's not always accurate.0
-
Do you weigh over 500 lbs? Because at the loss rate you posted you would lose 17lbs a year 17*30 years would be 510lbs. Btw, a better rate than mine @ 10lbs for a year on MFP.0
-
Wow. To be honest, I didn't expect all these responses!
I'd be happy to open my diary but don't know how you do that? Any help?
Thanks.0 -
-
Most days your eating under 1000 calories, seems ypu might be starving yourself or the body thinks so so your metabolism slows down to help store food for later - this helps you gain weight.0
-
jamesiewaimsy wrote: »Most days your eating under 1000 calories, seems ypu might be starving yourself or the body thinks so so your metabolism slows down to help store food for later - this helps you gain weight.
I've heard this before but please explain how consistently eating less calories causes you to gain weight? I thought that was supposed to be the whole point to weight loss.
0 -
Start eating more lean meats and veggies. And cut the carbs. And working out is a must! I see no workouts in your diary.0
-
purelyprimitives wrote: »jamesiewaimsy wrote: »Most days your eating under 1000 calories, seems ypu might be starving yourself or the body thinks so so your metabolism slows down to help store food for later - this helps you gain weight.
I've heard this before but please explain how consistently eating less calories causes you to gain weight? I thought that was supposed to be the whole point to weight loss.
It doesn't help you gain weight or every starving kid in Africa would be gaining weight....when ppl talk about "starvation mode" they usually are speaking of the body's propensity to burn more muscles instead of fat (due to improper nutrition) or possibly metabolic damage, neither of which are the same thing...
Anyway, I'll echo what other people have already posted....make sure you are using a food scale every time, make sure you are picking the correct database entry, if using a scale make sure you're doing the math correctly if you have a portion of a serving...and as a side note, make sure you eat enough, as in over 1000 calories a day, and have patience, especially if you don't have much to lose, since it will take time.
ETA proper nutrient intake will help your body burn fat instead of muscle, even though you will inevitably lose both based on the nature of weight loss. Also, there are several stickies on the forums that night help you along. I'm sorry, i don't have them quickly at my disposal here....
Boy, my phone and my meds both make me a terrible typist at night.0 -
jamesiewaimsy wrote: »Most days your eating under 1000 calories, seems ypu might be starving yourself or the body thinks so so your metabolism slows down to help store food for later - this helps you gain weight.
No, no, no, no, no.
Eating too little results in rapid (and often unsafe) weight loss, not slow weight loss.
It's equivalent to claiming that the best way to gain weight is to stop eating....
0 -
jamesiewaimsy wrote: »Most days your eating under 1000 calories, seems ypu might be starving yourself or the body thinks so so your metabolism slows down to help store food for later - this helps you gain weight.
No, no, no, no, no.
Eating too little results in rapid (and often unsafe) weight loss, not slow weight loss.
It's equivalent to claiming that the best way to gain weight is to stop eating....
SO I SHOULD EAT MORE! Yes! This is what I've been waiting to hear!
(using the inverse logic that i should eat a ton to lose weight vs stop eating to gain weight)0 -
KeKeSmith92 wrote: »Start eating more lean meats and veggies. And cut the carbs. And working out is a must! I see no workouts in your diary.
If you look at my diary report for carbs, you will see that I consume about 40 to 50% of the recommended daily amount of carbs. In the early part of my diary I started listing my daily physical activity but my net calories started going negative which didn't seem to help trying to figure out where I was.
0 -
This might seem like a weird one to add in, but make sure your scale is 1) electronic & 2) not in need of fresh batteries. Every time my scale's battery level gets low, it tends to not show my losses (or tells me my bf% is at 95 like it did this morning).
Also, check your waist circumference. If you've been exercising, depending on how hard your body will hold onto fluid to protect itself whilst it repairs and strengthens up your joints/muscles/ligaments. Your weight might not go down, but if you're not careful, your pants just might do it spontaneously!0 -
Blueseraphchaos wrote: »It doesn't help you gain weight or every starving kid in Africa would be gaining weight....when ppl talk about "starvation mode" they usually are speaking of the body's propensity to burn more muscles instead of fat (due to improper nutrition) or possibly metabolic damage, neither of which are the same thing...
Anyway, I'll echo what other people have already posted....make sure you are using a food scale every time, make sure you are picking the correct database entry, if using a scale make sure you're doing the math correctly if you have a portion of a serving...and as a side note, make sure you eat enough, as in over 1000 calories a day, and have patience, especially if you don't have much to lose, since it will take time.
ETA proper nutrient intake will help your body burn fat instead of muscle, even though you will inevitably lose both based on the nature of weight loss. Also, there are several stickies on the forums that night help you along. I'm sorry, i don't have them quickly at my disposal here....
Boy, my phone and my meds both make me a terrible typist at night.
From everything I've read regarding weight loss, your body burns readily available glucose first, then when that's depleted, it turns to fat stores. Only when fat stores are depleted, will it start to cannibalize muscle tissue. For instance: http://www.livestrong.com/article/471359-which-burns-first-fat-or-muscle/
0 -
From your profile, I see your age. Can you provide your height, current weight and target weight, so that we can check your suggested calorie targets? You're profile page says you have 40 lbs to lose, but your "30 year" comment seems to indicate you have more to lose. Your current weight will affect your intake numbers.
For example, if you are 5'10" and your current weight is 300 lbs, this calculator says you should target about 2060 cals per day to lose 1 lb a week, but if your current weight is 225 lbs, the intake target drops to just over 1700. (These figures are for sedentary activity level)
Keep in mind that these are just starting points. After you've been at it for a few weeks - including accurate weighing and logging - you may find you need to tweak your targets slightly.
And as you lose weight, you'll need to make further adjustments.0 -
If someone isn't eating or fueling his or her body properly or exercising properly, he or she can lose much more muscle than would be wanted or expected...but weight loss is a mixture of fat, muscle, and water. How much fat vs how much muscle is dependent on several factors. This is how people end up "skinny fat," so to speak. These are typically the people who didn't exercise their muscles properly or fuel their bodies properly, so they have very little muscle definition or tone since they lost more of their muscle than they desired.
Water weight can be a big factor that masks fat loss, since hard exercise, salt, more carbs than your body is used to, and a variety of other factors can make you retain water even when you don't feel bloated.
In the end, cico is the only thing that WILL work. but how you choose to get there and the many variables in there are all different (your calories out may be lower or higher than what mfp tells you, you may choose to eat "clean" or eat "junk," you can go low-carb or low-fat o whatever floats your boat.) you just have to find what works for you. And if you are just about in your happy weight range and still dislike the way you look, then a body recomp may be the solution. (Lift heavy weights and fuel your body well, and get the lean look you've been searching for! Etc) lol0 -
From your profile, I see your age. Can you provide your height, current weight and target weight, so that we can check your suggested calorie targets? You're profile page says you have 40 lbs to lose, but your "30 year" comment seems to indicate you have more to lose. Your current weight will affect your intake numbers.
For example, if you are 5'10" and your current weight is 300 lbs, this calculator says you should target about 2060 cals per day to lose 1 lb a week, but if your current weight is 225 lbs, the intake target drops to just over 1700. (These figures are for sedentary activity level)
Keep in mind that these are just starting points. After you've been at it for a few weeks - including accurate weighing and logging - you may find you need to tweak your targets slightly.
And as you lose weight, you'll need to make further adjustments.
Sure! I'm 5'7" and as of this morning, I'm 234 pounds (gained 2 since yesterday). I would like to get down to 175 which is still considered 'overweight' for my height but that's my personal target. The '30 year' comment was not meant to be taken seriously
.
I just went to the calculator you suggested. Using the 20% calorie reduction and moderately active settings, I need to eat 2785 cals/day (!) to maintain my weight and 2228 to lose. I'm currently averaging about 1000 cals/day LESS and still not losing. Seriously, if I ate 2785 cals/day I would be as big as a house which is why I don't put much stock in these 'calculators'.
Losing weight is much more complicated than simply plugging some number in a calculator which I'm sure you will agree. We've all known someone who eats like a horse and doesn't gain an ounce. So there has to be more to it than simply counting calories. Or, perhaps we all predestined by our genetics to be the weight we are regardless of our best efforts.
0 -
Well, to be honest, those numbers and calculators worked for me when I was cutting.
I'm 5'10", started at 279. The way I did it was I put in my stats, but I used "desk job" to set a baseline.
Then when MFP gave me credit for exercise calories, I only ate back half of them.
One possibility is that you are not as active as "moderately active". When I went into maintenance, I did indeed need to consume about 2800 cals to hold weight.
But you're right. The numbers that come out of these tools are only a starting point; they are an average of people with comparable stats, but we all vary around that average. You have to build up a couple weeks to a month of your own data, and adjust from there. It helps if you measure your intake with precision. I didn't lose weight for years. It wasn't until I got a food scale and tracked everything that I ingested, before I was successful at this.0 -
Wow. Your story is very inspiring! Thanks so much for sharing it.
I went back and reset the activity level to 'desk job' but it still requires me to consume 2046 cals/day to lose 1 pound a week. I really don't know what to do at this point if I'm eating considerable less. I don't know if trying to weight everything more accurately will help or not but I give it a try. Thanks again!0 -
You might try getting your metabolism tested. I had mine tested and the test showed that while the average person with my stats should eat about 1700 cals to lose 2lb/week, I should eat between 1550-1650 because of the slower metabolism... Dont know how accurate that is yet (I am just starting out) but maybe it could help you figure out a better starting point.0
-
purelyprimitives wrote: »Wow. Your story is very inspiring! Thanks so much for sharing it.
I went back and reset the activity level to 'desk job' but it still requires me to consume 2046 cals/day to lose 1 pound a week. I really don't know what to do at this point if I'm eating considerable less. I don't know if trying to weight everything more accurately will help or not but I give it a try. Thanks again!
Weighing the foods on a digital scale WILL help with accuracy.
I wanted to point out that right now eating 2050 would have you lose 1 lb per week, but as you lose weight that number to maintain a 1 lb per week loss will also go down. So always keep an eye on your rate of loss and whether you've updated your goal as you lose.
0 -
purelyprimitives wrote: »At this rate, I'll reach my goal weight in a mere 30 years!
Seriously though, something is clearly not working. This site recommends that I eat 2080 cals/day to loose approximately 1 pound a week which is reasonable. I'm eating well below this amount and not seeing the expected weight-loss. Yes, I record and weight every single thing.
I joined MFP about a year ago and saw some modest weight loss but then ended up gaining it all back eating the same amount of calories.
For me, counting calories does not work.
If 2080 isn't working, try dropping it down by 100 or 200 calories, give it a couple of weeks and re-evaluate.0 -
Are your homemade sandwiches your entries or ones you found on the system?
One tablespoon of regular mayo is 90 calories, not 40 (not that that would make or break you). The light stuff is 40.0 -
britishswenglish wrote: »Don't focus on the number on the scale - weight loss shows itself in different forms, and there are so many variables that go into weighing yourself that it can affect the number shown. For example, the time of day, what you're wearing, how much water you're retaining, etc. all factor into your current weight. If you're exercising it may be that you're gaining weight in muscle at the same time that you're losing weight in fat.
In a few more weeks try on a piece of clothing you haven't worn in a while and see if it fits a bit looser than before. Take a picture of yourself now and one again in two weeks in the same position and see if you notice a difference. On MFP you can also track body measurements such as arm and neck circumference.
Weight loss is a frustrating process at times, and Calorie counting is not for everyone. The most important thing is changing your eating habits for the better. If you stick with it long enough you'll generally feel healthier, and you'll probably notice a difference in how you feel if you slip back into bad eating habits.
If counting Calories is not your thing you could always try a targeted diet that focuses more on what you eat rather than how much of it you eat.
I am a great example of this. I was sooo disappointed in only a 3 lb. weight loss for July. I went shopping for a few new workout shirts and found that in about 2 months I have gone from a size 3X to a 26-28. I was blown away! I kind of thought my clothes were getting baggy. Now I know why. I weigh myself once a month and I have no body scale at home. I weigh at the gym, or at the docs office. I use the results of my loose clothing as my affirmation I am doing the right thing.
0 -
You have a lot of homemade meals with calorie totals that are suspect to me based on tracking my own calories for years. Are you weighing every single item going into these recipes?0
Categories
- All Categories
- 1.4M Health, Wellness and Goals
- 393.3K Introduce Yourself
- 43.8K Getting Started
- 260.2K Health and Weight Loss
- 175.9K Food and Nutrition
- 47.4K Recipes
- 232.5K Fitness and Exercise
- 423 Sleep, Mindfulness and Overall Wellness
- 6.5K Goal: Maintaining Weight
- 8.5K Goal: Gaining Weight and Body Building
- 153K Motivation and Support
- 8K Challenges
- 1.3K Debate Club
- 96.3K Chit-Chat
- 2.5K Fun and Games
- 3.7K MyFitnessPal Information
- 24 News and Announcements
- 1.1K Feature Suggestions and Ideas
- 2.6K MyFitnessPal Tech Support Questions