Am I doing it right?
tamaeus
Posts: 51 Member
When I started about 1.5 weeks ago, I weighed 204 pounds. I've watched what I've eaten, and has always been under my calorie limit, though sometimes it has been close. I've cut out soda and fast food. Yet when I weighed myself a few days ago, I've gained 3 pounds. What am I doing wrong? I didn't expect to lose weight like crazy, but I wouldn't have thought that I'd gain weight. Any tips? Should I have a "calories left" number that's higher than my daily limit (like if I start a day with 2900 calories as my limit, I should have more than 2900 calories remaining (2900 - food + exercise = +2900))?
Any tips would be a big help!
Any tips would be a big help!
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Replies
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2900 calories? You have to cut back on calories to lose not add more. Try and reduce 500 calories and keep moving0
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What goal did MFP give you for calories and how are you determining your exercise burns?
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Should I have a "calories left" number that's higher than my daily limit (like if I start a day with 2900 calories as my limit, I should have more than 2900 calories remaining (2900 - food + exercise = +2900))?
No. My diary looks like 1860 - food + exercise = 0, or 100, or -100 and I'm losing at 1.5lb/week.
Did you put your stats into MFP and get that 2900 calorie limit? If so, try adjusting your weight loss goal and activity levels. If you got 2900 from an external TDEE calculator, then you shouldn't be logging exercise.0 -
How are you figuring out how much you're eating? Are you weighing your food, eyeballing portions, using a measuring spoon, etc?0
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I set my lifestyle to very active since I work in a warehouse doing all kinds of physical activities (fast walking, pulling and lifting heavy objects, etc...) so my daily goal is 2900 (the first number in the equation).
I mostly buy stuff from the store, so I use that. If I make homemade food, I estimate the amount.0 -
Keep in mind that the 2900 is just an estimate. If that doesn't work for you, you could always try say, 2600. Try to log your food as accurately as possible. If you're estimating, over estimate. Or quick add a couple hundred calories to your day.0
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you need to weigh your food (not estimate) and if you are going by TDEE, you do not eat back exercise calories.
Personally, i would also set your activity level down a notch.
2900 seems high but i dont know your stats (and im on 1400 and cant imagine eating 2900 on a regular basis LOLOL)
regardless, if you're not losing, I would cut it by 500/cals a week until you start losing.0 -
I do not see how you are going to lose weight with a 2900 cal plan unless you exercise a lot (don't be fooled by your daily work. That might not be a very active lifestyle despite what you think). However there is some information missing, like your age, how tall you are, gender, etc. As a reference, I am a man, 54, walk and run everyday at least 45 minutes, 217 pounds and I am on a 1800 cal/day plan (which I still think is a lot...). Loss rate, around 1-2 pounds a week. Advice? Recalculate your calorie goal, buy a food scale and weight your food, use the MFP food tracker, eat balanced, get rid of junk food, exercise with a purpose (and try not to eat back the calories lost with exercise) and do not cheat...! You'll make it. Good luck!0
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All we know from your profile is that you're male/30 and from your post you are aiming to lose 50 pounds starting just over 200. Your BMR is probably about 1900, based on gender/weight/age and I assumed 5'8" height. Height won't have a huge effect unless you're much taller. And then I wouldn't expect you to be aiming for ~155.
Even though 1.5 weeks is not long enough to determine success or failure, 2900 seems very high. If you're very active you may burn an additional 600-900 thru lifestyle/job. So 2900 MIGHT be your total daily burn. Its common to think we burn more than we do. Its also common to overestimate our calorie burn thru exercise. Even though its only a short time in, you're probably eating at or above maintenance.
Try adjusting your goals. Perhaps lightly active and if you exercise, only eat back 50-75% of what you think you're burning. THis is to avoid over estimation.
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StaciMarie1974 wrote: »All we know from your profile is that you're male/30 and from your post you are aiming to lose 50 pounds starting just over 200. Your BMR is probably about 1900, based on gender/weight/age and I assumed 5'8" height. Height won't have a huge effect unless you're much taller. And then I wouldn't expect you to be aiming for ~155.
Even though 1.5 weeks is not long enough to determine success or failure, 2900 seems very high. If you're very active you may burn an additional 600-900 thru lifestyle/job. So 2900 MIGHT be your total daily burn. Its common to think we burn more than we do. Its also common to overestimate our calorie burn thru exercise. Even though its only a short time in, you're probably eating at or above maintenance.
Try adjusting your goals. Perhaps lightly active and if you exercise, only eat back 50-75% of what you think you're burning. THis is to avoid over estimation.
I second this. Good advice. Perhaps you ought to adjust your activity level here (i.e moderately active, sedentary) since you probably aren't as active as you think if you haven't lost weight.0 -
Thank you for your help. I adjusted it to lightly active and will be exercising more. This dieting is harder than I thought it was going to be. I thought with my busy work that if I just changed what I ate I'd lose weight. But even something as healthy as a smoothie has lots of calories.0
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Even though it says my goal is 2170, how many calories should I actually intake and burn total? Half that, a quarter that, what?0
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2100 sounds like a good starting point for intake. Try that for 4-6 weeks. If you're working out, and feel you need additional to fuel your workouts, use half your extra calories burned. Like if you think you gained 500 from a workout, use 250 more.
There are many foods that seem to be 'healthy' but have lots of calories as you're discovered. The reality is 'healthy' is more a marketing term than anything else. Build your plate with lean protein, fruits/veggies/whole grains/healthy fats. Enjoy treats/snacks as they fit into your calorie & macro needs. Don't worry about whether they're labeled healthy or unhealthy.0 -
I like that sound of 2100 for you to try. Give it 4 weeks, see how you do and how you feel
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StaciMarie1974 wrote: »2100 sounds like a good starting point for intake. Try that for 4-6 weeks. If you're working out, and feel you need additional to fuel your workouts, use half your extra calories burned. Like if you think you gained 500 from a workout, use 250 more.
There are many foods that seem to be 'healthy' but have lots of calories as you're discovered. The reality is 'healthy' is more a marketing term than anything else. Build your plate with lean protein, fruits/veggies/whole grains/healthy fats. Enjoy treats/snacks as they fit into your calorie & macro needs. Don't worry about whether they're labeled healthy or unhealthy.
Great advice.
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The great thing is you really DON'T have to change what you eat, just the amount. You'll find some foods are more filling and satisfying than others, so that's what makes them "worth it" or not. But you can lose weight by eating less than you burn. It really is that simple.0
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Do you have a list of foods that I can and cannot eat? I'm still shocked that a fruit smoothie has so many calories in it. It's almost as if the only things you're allowed to drink are water, milk, and juice.0
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Im maintaining at 2100cals and weight just under 200lbs. Im super active as well.
It really isn't that tough, but takes a few weeks to get to know the ins and outs of this app.
'Healthy' food can still make you overweight. My dad never ate fast food, snacks, dessert, junk food, pop etc..yet was overweight. Focus on accurate calorie counting and find the right number. Be patient, this will work.0 -
Do you have a list of foods that I can and cannot eat? I'm still shocked that a fruit smoothie has so many calories in it. It's almost as if the only things you're allowed to drink are water, milk, and juice.
You can eat anything, if it fits in your calorie goals. Maybe make a smaller smoothie? Or just eat the fruit whole?
Links I recommend:
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1175494-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1234699-logging-accurately-step-by-step-guide0 -
Do you have a list of foods that I can and cannot eat? I'm still shocked that a fruit smoothie has so many calories in it. It's almost as if the only things you're allowed to drink are water, milk, and juice.
There are no foods that you cannot eat, barring foods that you are allergic to. Eat whatever you fancy in a calorie deficit, though make sure you meet your protein goal and get plenty of vegetables for the micronutrients.0 -
Don't eat anything you're allergic too. Do eat foods you enjoy, and be aware of what your body needs. Needs include protein, fruits & veggies, healthy fats (nuts, olive oils, fish are good examples), fiber, etc.
Losing weight is not about WHAT you eat, but about HOW MUCH you consume in comparison to HOW MUCH energy your body uses.Do you have a list of foods that I can and cannot eat? I'm still shocked that a fruit smoothie has so many calories in it. It's almost as if the only things you're allowed to drink are water, milk, and juice.
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You can have a fruit smoothie. You can have anything. You don't have to eat only low calorie food. If one day you want a fruit smoothie, plan on a smaller lunch. As you go along, you find what fits into your day. Take a week or two and just track food. It's eye opening how many calories are in so many things. Also knowing how much an actual serving is.
Also if you don't have one already, get a kitchen food scale with a tare feature and ounces/grams!0 -
Thank you for your help. I adjusted it to lightly active and will be exercising more. This dieting is harder than I thought it was going to be. I thought with my busy work that if I just changed what I ate I'd lose weight. But even something as healthy as a smoothie has lots of calories.
Uh oh you are heading into dieters nightmare. You need to pull up quick and get on the right track. Losing weight can be fairly easy and it should be enjoyable. If its hard you will quit.
If you don't want to exercise or if your life is too busy then you should not add the stress of trying to squeeze it into your life. This a recipe doomed for disaster.
I completely disagree with jaqcan's first sentence. I maintain that Changing what you eat is vital for a fairly easy time of successful dieting. Though it seems that if you hate healthy food then you will need to adjust more slowly.
"I set my lifestyle to very active since I work in a warehouse doing all kinds of physical activities (fast walking, pulling and lifting heavy objects, etc...) so my daily goal is 2900 (the first number in the equation)."
I would change this to moderate activity. And if that doesn't work, lower it again to light activity.
"I mostly buy stuff from the store, so I use that. If I make homemade food, I estimate the amount."
You can't afford to estimate. Measure everything. The least time consuming is to measure by proper measuring cups and spoons cups and spoons (level not heaped) and for fruit and vegies estimate the sizes. But for most accurate you should get a digital scale and weigh what you can't measure in a cup. AFter a while you won't need to use it anymore.
Back to exercise, it seems to me you are doing enough activity for your general health so don't go messing up your life further iwth more. When you are slim, you can do more if you really want to. I lost all my weight last year without exercise. I exercise now but not a great deal. Recently i decided i would go walking on my beach a few times a week. Now i've got a new dog and have to go every day. The beach is only 3km max up and back. I also started running but i don't run it all. Now i'm doing all this for my health and fitness. When i get sick of running, i will just walk. Now that i've got the dog, i find it quite easy to motivate myself to go. But not long before that, i had made a decision to get down to hte beach more often and i gave myself other reasons to down there. I collect pebbles for making paths at home. This is how i've made exercise enjoyable. And it must be said that for most of the rest of the day i don't exert myself very much so i rather need this exercise. But last year i didn't do very much exercise at all and i had no trouble losing weight just by cutting my calories moderately and working on improving my diet. A good diet is now ultra key to maintaining a good low weight for me because i need my food to sustain me . I find hwen i just eat carbs, and miss out on my vegies, i want to eat the high calorie stuff and eat more of it and my weight goes up.
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I don't plan on quitting, even if it is hard. But I hear what you're saying. I will start measuring my foods more accurately. I don't mind eating healthy foods, but I need to learn what exactly "healthy foods" are. Like I previously stated, I thought a fruit smoothie was healthy for you until I learned it had so many calories in it. Now I know that it's more of a "meal substitute" (if I can use that term loosely) than just a casual drink.0
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And how much to eat too.0
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Do you have a list of foods that I can and cannot eat? I'm still shocked that a fruit smoothie has so many calories in it. It's almost as if the only things you're allowed to drink are water, milk, and juice.
It might seem a little extreme (until you practice it), but avoiding drinking calories - by drinking water only - will be a big assist in losing weight. Liquid carbohydrate calories are generally nutrient poor, spike insulin and promote hunger.
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I don't plan on quitting, even if it is hard. But I hear what you're saying. I will start measuring my foods more accurately. I don't mind eating healthy foods, but I need to learn what exactly "healthy foods" are. Like I previously stated, I thought a fruit smoothie was healthy for you until I learned it had so many calories in it. Now I know that it's more of a "meal substitute" (if I can use that term loosely) than just a casual drink.
Smoothies ARE healthy if what you put in them is healthy. Just because something has a lot of calories doesn't mean it's not healthy. Nuts are full of nutrients, but they have a lot of calories, too. I URGE you to try to re-align your expectation that healthy automatically means low calorie.
Everyone has a different definition of "healthy." And what's healthy for one person's body isn't necessarily healthy for another person.
Besides weight loss, do you have other "health" goals? Does heart disease, depression or alzheimer's or something run in your family that you'd aim to avoid? Knowing what you "goal" is can help you wade through the sometimes conflicting mound of food advice people will give you.0 -
If you are setting your activity level to very then don't record exercise seperately since you are double counting. The multiplier for many is just wrong so adjust downward as required.0
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I don't plan on quitting, even if it is hard. But I hear what you're saying. I will start measuring my foods more accurately. I don't mind eating healthy foods, but I need to learn what exactly "healthy foods" are. Like I previously stated, I thought a fruit smoothie was healthy for you until I learned it had so many calories in it. Now I know that it's more of a "meal substitute" (if I can use that term loosely) than just a casual drink.
Smoothies ARE healthy if what you put in them is healthy. Just because something has a lot of calories doesn't mean it's not healthy. Nuts are full of nutrients, but they have a lot of calories, too. I URGE you to try to re-align your expectation that healthy automatically means low calorie.
Everyone has a different definition of "healthy." And what's healthy for one person's body isn't necessarily healthy for another person.
Besides weight loss, do you have other "health" goals? Does heart disease, depression or alzheimer's or something run in your family that you'd aim to avoid? Knowing what you "goal" is can help you wade through the sometimes conflicting mound of food advice people will give you.
+1 - I could not agree more. This is one of the most important lessons I've had to learn...well, continuously learning anyway.0 -
Do you have a list of foods that I can and cannot eat? I'm still shocked that a fruit smoothie has so many calories in it. It's almost as if the only things you're allowed to drink are water, milk, and juice.
My smoothies have 3-450 calories in them and I have them for a snack or a meal, not a drink. They have protein, fiber, and fat in them. I can't drink juice - without the fiber from whole fruit, juice is like a sugar bomb for me. I drink lots of lightly sweetened weak tea or water.
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