Didn't lose weight:(

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ma7aaa2016
ma7aaa2016 Posts: 5 Member
in Chit-Chat
Hello, I have been using this app to keep track of my calories and workouts, it's been 2 weeks and I am always below the average in terms of calories needed. But I haven't lost anything since I started, please advise it's frustrating:(

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  • ArmyofAdrian
    ArmyofAdrian Posts: 177 Member
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    Give it another two weeks. If you still haven't made progress, then maybe reduce your calorie target by 5 or 10%. Weight fluctuates from day to day, and sometimes the body retains water in response to calorie deficit, so you really need at least 4 weeks of data to make a decent evaluation. Remember that your BMR and TDEE are only estimates to give you a starting point. From there, let your results dictate your calorie targets.
  • kpeterson539
    kpeterson539 Posts: 220 Member
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    How are you measuring/logging your food? Are you using a scale to determine how much you're eating?

    Also, if you're logging your workouts, are you eating back your exercise calories? And if so, how much?
  • Cameron_1969
    Cameron_1969 Posts: 2,857 Member
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    My weight fluctuates like crazy. I basically weigh every day and look at the average. It takes time. If you are 500 under every day...it takes a month to lose 4 lbs of fat. But water and other weight can mask this and so it feels like its not working...try to make at least a two month commitment and youll start to see clear results..
  • ma7aaa2016
    ma7aaa2016 Posts: 5 Member
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    kpeterson539 wrote: »
    How are you measuring/logging your food? Are you using a scale to determine how much you're eating?

    Also, if you're logging your workouts, are you eating back your exercise calories? And if so, how much?
    hello, I am not using a scale for my food but I am using the bar code whenever possible, and for the rest I always choose the highest calories option to be on the safe side. I am not eating back the calories lost in sports, this is why I am always beneath my limit

  • ma7aaa2016
    ma7aaa2016 Posts: 5 Member
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    ArmyofAdrian wrote: »
    Give it another two weeks. If you still haven't made progress, then maybe reduce your calorie target by 5 or 10%. Weight fluctuates from day to day, and sometimes the body retains water in response to calorie deficit, so you really need at least 4 weeks of data to make a decent evaluation. Remember that your BMR and TDEE are only estimates to give you a starting point. From there, let your results dictate your calorie targets.

    I will give it another 2 weeks, let's hope for the best:)
  • diannethegeek
    diannethegeek Posts: 14,776 Member
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    These are some great posts that might help you out: http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10084670/it-is-unlikely-that-you-will-lose-weight-consistently-i-e-weight-loss-is-not-linear

    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10196160/scale-stress-syndrome/p1

    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1296011/calorie-counting-101
  • kvalhion
    kvalhion Posts: 16 Member
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    Total calories matter, but what you eat also matters. If you are hitting calorie goals but not losing weight, you may be more sensitive to things such as sugar or wheat. I always recommend trying out a week or two of strictly unprocessed foods - lean proteins, fish, eggs, along with plenty of vegetables and some fruits and nuts occasionally. If nothing else avoiding added sugar and processed foods in your diet will make you healthier.

    Bottom line is you shouldn't have to keep drastically reducing the calories you eat per day to unsafe and unsatisfying levels just to lose numbers on the scale. Keep tweaking and experimenting until you find something that works for you that you can stick with in the long term. Good luck!
  • ma7aaa2016
    ma7aaa2016 Posts: 5 Member
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    Cameron_1969 wrote: »
    My weight fluctuates like crazy. I basically weigh every day and look at the average. It takes time. If you are 500 under every day...it takes a month to lose 4 lbs of fat. But water and other weight can mask this and so it feels like its not working...try to make at least a two month commitment and youll start to see clear results..

    I hope so:) thanks for the feedback
  • ma7aaa2016
    ma7aaa2016 Posts: 5 Member
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    kvalhion wrote: »
    Total calories matter, but what you eat also matters. If you are hitting calorie goals but not losing weight, you may be more sensitive to things such as sugar or wheat. I always recommend trying out a week or two of strictly unprocessed foods - lean proteins, fish, eggs, along with plenty of vegetables and some fruits and nuts occasionally. If nothing else avoiding added sugar and processed foods in your diet will make you healthier.

    Bottom line is you shouldn't have to keep drastically reducing the calories you eat per day to unsafe and unsatisfying levels just to lose numbers on the scale. Keep tweaking and experimenting until you find something that works for you that you can stick with in the long term. Good luck!
    yeah I will try to do that, thanks:)


  • krystianya
    krystianya Posts: 2 Member
    edited April 2016
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    Another thing to keep in mind is the time of day you weigh yourself. You weigh less first thing in the morning than you do later in the day. If you weigh yourself later in the day, wait a couple hours after eating.

    In regards to intake, I weigh myself daily because that's the only way I've found to keep myself accountable for the foods I eat. When I eat a lot of sugar, I'm usually about 1.5-2lbs heavier the next day and then about 2-3 days later it goes back down those 1.5-2lbs. Same with saturated fats and sodium. My body doesn't respond well to those things, so the only way I can lose weight is to only eat them minimally. Sodium is a huge culprit when it comes to weight loss struggles. Lots of sodium makes your body retain water, so you'll have that extra pound or two of water weight just because of all the sodium. Try reducing your sodium, sugar and/or saturated fats and see if that helps.
  • punkrockgoth
    punkrockgoth Posts: 534 Member
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    kvalhion wrote: »
    Total calories matter, but what you eat also matters. If you are hitting calorie goals but not losing weight, you may be more sensitive to things such as sugar or wheat. I always recommend trying out a week or two of strictly unprocessed foods - lean proteins, fish, eggs, along with plenty of vegetables and some fruits and nuts occasionally. If nothing else avoiding added sugar and processed foods in your diet will make you healthier.

    Bottom line is you shouldn't have to keep drastically reducing the calories you eat per day to unsafe and unsatisfying levels just to lose numbers on the scale. Keep tweaking and experimenting until you find something that works for you that you can stick with in the long term. Good luck!

    No. Total calories matter. Calories in, calories out. That is how weight loss works.

    OP, did you bother do do a google search or even scan through these forums to see the multitude of other threads exactly like yours before posting? That was rhetorical. I know the answer is no.
  • thomurll
    thomurll Posts: 2 Member
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    Hey, Ma! I feel your pain, girl! After three dedicated months of fitness and diet, I have only lost 3 lbs! So frustrating! However, I do feel a lot healthier and my clothes are fitting better! It's difficult to stay focused and committed when you aren't seeing the numbers on the scale change, however, progress shouldn't be measured by weight alone. Something I have found helpful is keeping a "journal" - a sheet of paper each month that says at the top "I'm so happy I've stayed committed to my healthy living plan because..." and each day I write down something qualitative! Like: My "tight pants" aren't so tight anymore... My skin isn't breaking out... I like waking up earlier... etc. It reminds me of all the great benefits my new healthy lifestyle affords me, even if the scale isn't changing!

    Also, because numbers can be very motivating, I found a vitamin shop nearby that has an InBody body fat tester. I stop by every 10 days to "weigh in" on the machine. It has been very helpful for me because I attain a better understanding of how my body composition is changing! The last weigh in I had, I gained 2 lbs in weight, however, my InBody analysis showed I had gained 4 lbs in muscle and dropped 2% body fat! YAY! It's true that muscle weighs more than fat, and if I had measured my success in weight-loss only, I would have felt discouraged by thinking I was gaining weight, when in fact, I am right on target! Overall, the weigh-ins keep me informed and accountable. Call around to various health/vitamin/weight-loss stores near you and see if they provide any body fat testing! It's done wonders for me!

    The good news is that you probably aren't very overweight to begin with! Typically, only very overweight people see major drops in weight on the scale. For people who have a few extra pounds and general athleticism, the body is losing fat at the same time it is gaining muscle. It takes roughly 12 weeks for this fat-to-muscle change, after which you will start to "cut"...meaning your new muscle is helping you burn more fat faster, and you start to whittle in the middle! WOOT WOOT! Stay with it, chica!
  • pobrucepob
    pobrucepob Posts: 2 Member
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    Thomurll, thank you for your wonderful reply! It's hard to factor in that muscle gain. I got my Fitbit a month ago and have not lost a pound or an inch, but I feel soooo much better now that I'm moving. This is the first time I've ever really watched calories and I can't seem to eat enough, usually being under both the Fitbit and MFP goals. I too will keep a diary if only to remind myself that, at 70, I'm not through living!
  • yusaku02
    yusaku02 Posts: 3,472 Member
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    You may need to re-assess the number of calories you should be taking in.

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