Not losing weight, help!

So, I started out at 1,200 calories a day with cardio 30 minutes a day and strength training 10 minutes a day, six times a week for a month. I went from 186 to 152 in that time frame. Naturally, I couldn't keep up with it and felt sick and dizzy all the time so I quit for a couple months. Just last month I started again only this time I eat 1,400 calories a day sometimes 1,600 and do cardio 50 minutes a day with strength training for 30 five times a week. It's been six weeks and absolutely No results! I've gained two pounds and the measuring tape says I've lost only half an inch. What gives?? I want to lose weight. At five foot three, being one hundred and fifty pounds is pretty extreme. Please, someone help me here

Replies

  • shadow2soul
    shadow2soul Posts: 7,692 Member
    Are you using a food scale?
  • ariana_eatsandlifts
    ariana_eatsandlifts Posts: 197 Member
    Are you using a food scale to weigh your food? Your diary is closed, it's hard to tell what could be going on.
  • arditarose
    arditarose Posts: 15,573 Member
    At 5'3" and 150ish you should be losing on 1400.

    Want to open your diary so we can have a look and maybe spot something throwing you off?

    Also, are you eating exercise calories back?
    Are you using a food scale?
  • kerawhitt
    kerawhitt Posts: 10 Member
    Yes, I track every bite I eat or drink and watch for stuff with sugar or high carbs
  • ariana_eatsandlifts
    ariana_eatsandlifts Posts: 197 Member
    If you're not losing weight, you're either underestimating your intake or overestimating your exercise calories.
  • kerawhitt
    kerawhitt Posts: 10 Member
    I'm unsure how to do that. The app on my phone is really messed up. It even says I've gained 7 pounds when I haven't lol. I don't eat the calories back or have a cheat day
  • shadow2soul
    shadow2soul Posts: 7,692 Member
    kerawhitt wrote: »
    I'm unsure how to do that. The app on my phone is really messed up. It even says I've gained 7 pounds when I haven't lol. I don't eat the calories back or have a cheat day

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/account/diary_settings
  • atypicalsmith
    atypicalsmith Posts: 2,742 Member
    You went from 186 to 152 in a MONTH??? That's 34 pounds! In a MONTH??? Wow. It's hard to believe that with so much added exercise and just a couple of hundred extra calories a day that you aren't losing. Either your exercise is not burning as many calories as you think or you are eating more than you are admitting to doing so. I am 5'2" and 138 pounds and still have 28 more to go. The only time I don't lose is when I take a break from exercising and/or eating less. Start logging everything!
  • kerawhitt
    kerawhitt Posts: 10 Member
    I'm not sure, I've asked around and most say it's from gaining muscle but I can't be sure as I had more fat before than anything else and I see a slight difference in tone all around but my main goal was to lose weight, not tone up yet. For my height and weight I usually burn 235 calories a day. If I eat anything less than 1400 I feel light headed and too weak to work out
  • shadow2soul
    shadow2soul Posts: 7,692 Member
    kerawhitt wrote: »
    I'm not sure, I've asked around and most say it's from gaining muscle but I can't be sure as I had more fat before than anything else and I see a slight difference in tone all around but my main goal was to lose weight, not tone up yet. For my height and weight I usually burn 235 calories a day. If I eat anything less than 1400 I feel light headed and too weak to work out

    Can't gain muscle unless your in a surplus. Open your diary. (link to settings in my post above)
  • ariana_eatsandlifts
    ariana_eatsandlifts Posts: 197 Member
    I guarantee you're not gaining muscle on 1400 calories a day.
  • kerawhitt
    kerawhitt Posts: 10 Member
    I've asked E7's in SF and that's what they say. It's not showing when I use the link. The entire app is hard to nagivate. Yesterday it said one gained 11, last night I lost 4 and today I've gained 7. Everything other than the diary on the home page is completly messed up. I made a compliant with the app and they apologized about it but still nothing has been fixed
  • kerawhitt
    kerawhitt Posts: 10 Member
    I'm just wondering because I've gained two but half a inch everywhere: each leg, arms, neck, etc. Doesn't make sense that I went from dramatic results to nothing after making minor changes
  • shadow2soul
    shadow2soul Posts: 7,692 Member
    kerawhitt wrote: »
    I've asked E7's in SF and that's what they say. It's not showing when I use the link. The entire app is hard to nagivate. Yesterday it said one gained 11, last night I lost 4 and today I've gained 7. Everything other than the diary on the home page is completly messed up. I made a compliant with the app and they apologized about it but still nothing has been fixed

    You can access the site from your phones browser or a computer.
    www.myfitnesspal.com
  • ariana_eatsandlifts
    ariana_eatsandlifts Posts: 197 Member
    If you're on the app, try more > settings > diary settings > diary sharing > public
  • queenliz99
    queenliz99 Posts: 15,317 Member
    kerawhitt wrote: »
    I've asked E7's in SF and that's what they say. It's not showing when I use the link. The entire app is hard to nagivate. Yesterday it said one gained 11, last night I lost 4 and today I've gained 7. Everything other than the diary on the home page is completly messed up. I made a compliant with the app and they apologized about it but still nothing has been fixed

    Have you tried the web based version of MFP?
  • kerawhitt
    kerawhitt Posts: 10 Member
    I'm going to try a computer. I used it a couple years ago and didn't have any problems. My mother in law used the app and found it wouldn't allow her to log at all. It must be the app
  • kimny72
    kimny72 Posts: 16,011 Member
    1. Buy a food scale and keep it out on your counter.
    2. Set MFP to 0.5 lbs per week loss and eat all your calories
    3. Use the food scale and log honestly and accurately.
    4. Eat back half your exercise calories

    150 lbs is not extreme for your height, it is 10 lbs over the healthy weight range. You lost the weight you did way to fast. Take a deep breath, you can do this. Please take care of yourself :drinker:
  • blambo61
    blambo61 Posts: 4,372 Member
    If you've lost some size but are at the same weight then you have obviously gained some muscle! Stay with it and I bet you will start loosin again in a couple of weeks.
  • jaques33
    jaques33 Posts: 23 Member
    Why don't you get your body fat measured each month. Some times you don't lose weight but body fat. Also go by how your clothes fit and how healthy you feel.
  • GloworminWA
    GloworminWA Posts: 704 Member
    Could the fact that you're doing strength training & cardio 5 days a week have anything to do with it? My understanding is that you should do strength training every other day so that your muscles have a day to repair and do cardio on the days you don't strength train. I'm sure there are others here who are way more knowledgeable about this than me. About the measuring and weighing - I thought I was guesstimating fairly accurately but was I surprised when I went back to doing it again how far off I was. I'm sure you'll find your answer - don't give up!
  • Yi5hedr3
    Yi5hedr3 Posts: 2,696 Member
    Get a scale that shows bodyfat percent, the only true way to track progress!
  • Maxematics
    Maxematics Posts: 2,287 Member
    blambo61 wrote: »
    If you've lost some size but are at the same weight then you have obviously gained some muscle! Stay with it and I bet you will start loosin again in a couple of weeks.

    Wrong, wrong, wrong, WRONG. She cannot gain muscle unless she's at a surplus or possibly maintenance. She claims to be eating 1400 calories per day and not eating exercise calories back, so something is clearly wrong here with what she's saying. With her measurements, she should easily be losing at 1400 calories per day.

    OP, I'll tell you this right now: Cool it with the exercise. You have an unhealthy relationship with weight loss and it's not going to do anything for you. Just like you had to stop the first time because you put yourself through extremes. I am a half inch taller than you. I started here at the end of June at 139 pounds; I am now 117 pounds. I did cardio a few days per week and strength training a few days per week. I took walks every day. I did not exercise for 2-3 hours every day nor eat 1200 calories without my exercise calories to get where I am. You're going to destroy your body with the extremes and it's not sustainable long term. You said you're using a food scale, correct? If that truly is so and you are weighing EVERYTHING, yes even prepackaged foods, to the gram then you need to go see a doctor about the fact that you haven't lost any weight. Someone eating 1400-1600 calories per day and NOT eating back any exercise calories should absolutely be losing weight. I eat 1700-2200 per day based on my exercise calories for the day and I still lose half a pound per week.
  • Liftng4Lis
    Liftng4Lis Posts: 15,151 Member
    Can you open your diary?
  • auddii
    auddii Posts: 15,357 Member
    If you are confident in your logging accuracy, you should be losing. You increased your workouts, and you could be retaining water after starting a new program. I switched to Wendler's 5/3/1, and I stopped losing for two months. Then I had a "woosh" and lost fairly quickly several weeks in a row. I'd give it more time.

    That said, you doubled the amount of time you spend working out and only increased your food by a few hundred calories; I'd beware of a burn out again, although it does at least look like you've added in a rest day. I say give it another few weeks doing what you're doing and then reassess.