Not Losing...feeling discouraged

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moonjewel76
moonjewel76 Posts: 29 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hi everyone!
I have been steady going for about three weeks and have not lost any weight. I started at 308 in November and got down to 288. I started REALLY trying and being super diligent about entering my food 3 weeks ago. I went to 284 and today it says 289! I am so incredibly discouraged and confused. I am eating way less carbs than I'm supposed to, entering everything I eat (even over-estimating sometimes) and I think I am making decent choices for the most part. I am definitely eating completely differently than I was before which was basically all carbs.

Being this overweight and having so much to lose I assumed it would come off faster at the beginning. What am I doing wrong? I do walk, but haven't incorporated a lot of exercise but I thought that in the beginning, at least, losing was more about what I eat.

I used to eat fast food, pizza and all carbs every single day.

:(

Help?

Replies

  • stranger2310
    stranger2310 Posts: 28 Member
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    Hi there! Sorry to hear you're feeling discouraged! Can you open up your food diary so we can see what you're eating and what your calorie goals, etc. are? Thanks!
  • blankiefinder
    blankiefinder Posts: 3,599 Member
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    moonjewel76 wrote: »
    Hi everyone!
    I have been steady going for about three weeks and have not lost any weight. I started at 308 in November and got down to 288. I started REALLY trying and being super diligent about entering my food 3 weeks ago. I went to 284 and today it says 289! I am so incredibly discouraged and confused. I am eating way less carbs than I'm supposed to, entering everything I eat (even over-estimating sometimes) and I think I am making decent choices for the most part. I am definitely eating completely differently than I was before which was basically all carbs.

    Being this overweight and having so much to lose I assumed it would come off faster at the beginning. What am I doing wrong? I do walk, but haven't incorporated a lot of exercise but I thought that in the beginning, at least, losing was more about what I eat.

    I used to eat fast food, pizza and all carbs every single day.

    :(

    Help?

    Hi jewel! Are you using a food scale? Are you exercising, and if so, do you eat back any or all your exercise calories? What did you set as your activity level? Post your stats for more specific advice (age, height)

    I'd recommend reading this: http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10257474/starting-out-restarting-basics-inside#latest
  • queenliz99
    queenliz99 Posts: 15,317 Member
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    nnnaq5rggu08.jpg
  • moonjewel76
    moonjewel76 Posts: 29 Member
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    I thought my diary was open :)
    I am 39 and 5'4.
    I don't have a food scale, so I will get one.
  • moonjewel76
    moonjewel76 Posts: 29 Member
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    I don't log exercise and therefore don't eat extra. I only stay under my daily goals.
  • ravi_tiwari_786
    ravi_tiwari_786 Posts: 651 Member
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    moonjewel76 wrote: »
    I don't log exercise and therefore don't eat extra. I only stay under my daily goals.

    Tracking both food and exercise are very important, since we may think some food are ok to eat but they can be filled with tonnes of sugar and carbs
  • blankiefinder
    blankiefinder Posts: 3,599 Member
    edited January 2016
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    ravi_tiwari_786 wrote: »
    moonjewel76 wrote: »
    I don't log exercise and therefore don't eat extra. I only stay under my daily goals.

    Tracking both food and exercise are very important, since we may think some food are ok to eat but they can be filled with tonnes of sugar and carbs

    can be filled with tonnes of calories...

    low carb is one route people can take to lose weight, but it is by no means necessary.

  • moonjewel76
    moonjewel76 Posts: 29 Member
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    I log all of my food very carefully. Ibam always under goal.
  • blankiefinder
    blankiefinder Posts: 3,599 Member
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    moonjewel76 wrote: »
    I log all of my food very carefully. Ibam always under goal.

    A few points: 1, it sounds like you've been losing, and just had a brief blip where the scale went up? Weight loss is not linear. A brief jump could be food passing through your digestive tract, water retention from a high sodium meal, time of month, etc etc. http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10084670/it-is-unlikely-that-you-will-lose-weight-consistently-i-e-weight-loss-is-not-linear/p1

    2. You'd be surprised the difference a food scale can make. I consider it the best $10 I ever spent. It is also easier than you would imagine. Get one that has a zero function, so you can put your bowl on, hit zero, add ingredient (lets say lettuce). Log lettuce by weight. Hit zero. Add tomatoes. Wash, rinse, repeat. Get a scale that can do grams too.
  • Marilyn0924
    Marilyn0924 Posts: 797 Member
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    If you're not weighing solids/measuring liquids, you really have no accurate way of calculating what you are actually consuming. In taking a peek at your diary, you are using a lot of generic entries and some of which are incorrect. Look for the items listed as USDA for produce, and use packaging labels as a guideline. The scale will make a huge difference. Keep in mind also that things like ToM, lack of sleep, extra sodium can make a difference in weight with water gain.
    Stay patient, be diligent, the results will happen. :)
  • jakobscalpel
    jakobscalpel Posts: 6 Member
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    blankiefinder wrote: »
    2. You'd be surprised the difference a food scale can make. I consider it the best $10 I ever spent. It is also easier than you would imagine. Get one that has a zero function, so you can put your bowl on, hit zero, add ingredient (lets say lettuce). Log lettuce by weight. Hit zero. Add tomatoes. Wash, rinse, repeat. Get a scale that can do grams too.

    This! Scales with grams are the way to go, along with the zero out function. Makes a big difference.

  • strong_curves
    strong_curves Posts: 2,229 Member
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    moonjewel76 wrote: »
    I log all of my food very carefully. Ibam always under goal.

    Are you using a food scale?
  • MadamChick
    MadamChick Posts: 52 Member
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    I quickly looked at your diary and I don't think you are eating enough. Try eating more calories even if it is a delicious snack of popcorn.
  • blankiefinder
    blankiefinder Posts: 3,599 Member
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    MadamChick wrote: »
    I quickly looked at your diary and I don't think you are eating enough. Try eating more calories even if it is a delicious snack of popcorn.

    To me it doesn't look that bad. If she's not using a food scale, it's impossible to say.

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