Doing everything right for a month,not an ounce lost

mrs_n_mommy
mrs_n_mommy Posts: 20 Member
in Motivation and Support
This is beyond frustrating.
I decide April was my month and I had a rather good month is terms of I really did everything I intended to.

Worked out 25 of the 30 days, I have been doing the 30 day shred(10 days of level 1, 10 days of level 2, 10 days of level 3) , adding some cardio(elliptical) along with...

Watched what I ate...I eat super clean atleast 6days...my 1 bad meal is when I eat out once a week with my family...Ensured, I ateless carbs, more protein and fat...ensure I didnt eat too much or too little..keeping myself well hydrated...trying to sleep at least 7 hrs, even 9 hrs during the weekends...

I have been consistent and after all these.. after a month, I went from 162 lbs to 163 lbs. No difference in measurements too....

Every thing I read and every body I trust says I should not get dejected I should stay focused. But why on earth am I not seeing the difference... Its so hard to be when everything seems to be working against me...

Replies

  • sparklyglitterbomb
    sparklyglitterbomb Posts: 458 Member
    You may want to open up your diary so people can check it out and offer advice.
  • capaul42
    capaul42 Posts: 1,390 Member
    Eating clean is not the same as eating in a deficit. Are you weighing and logging everything you eat?
  • zyxst
    zyxst Posts: 9,149 Member
    Are you eating at a deficit?
  • raindawg
    raindawg Posts: 348 Member
    The one thing I didn't see is if you tracked your calories. Everything else you mentioned doesn't really matter for weight loss if you aren't counting your calories.
  • mrs_n_mommy
    mrs_n_mommy Posts: 20 Member
    edited May 2016
    I have not been logging everything I eat. I decided this should be a lifestyle change and logging is something I didn't think I can do in the long term. I definitely am not in the deficit at the same time Im not binging or eating anything bad. Lots of vegetables, been trying vegetable smoothies for dinner.

    I have not been eating / snacking on anything that would be categorized as junk food.
    My snacks are fruits/nuts (definitely not over indulging there)
    Have reduced my carb intake.
    Trying veggie smoothies atleast few days a week for dinner.

    Reading and watching a lot of weight loss motivation and eating right videos. Trying to incorporate everything that is being consistently suggested.

    I was so motivated that I felt like this is it and even ordered the vitamix. Its coming in 2 days and today I weigh myself and feeling super down.
  • sparklyglitterbomb
    sparklyglitterbomb Posts: 458 Member
    Nuts are crazy easy to overindulge in calorie wise. 1/2 cup of almonds is 250 calories (though weighing them is much more accurate) So mindless noshing just in that area can add tons of calories. Same with avocados, bananas, etc.

    Start logging your food so you can see where you really are calorie wise. Weigh all solids, use cups for liquids. You may not have to log forever, but you should do it for a couple of weeks at least to see where you are with your estimating.

  • raindawg
    raindawg Posts: 348 Member
    mrs_n_mommy wrote: »
    I have not been logging everything I eat. I decided this should be a lifestyle change and logging is something I didn't think I can do in the long term. I definitely am not in the deficit at the same time Im not binging or eating anything bad. Lots of vegetables, been trying vegetable smoothies for dinner.

    I have not been eating / snacking on anything that would be categorized as junk food.
    My snacks are fruits/nuts (definitely not over indulging there)
    Have reduced my carb intake.
    Trying veggie smoothies atleast few days a week for dinner.

    Reading and watching a lot of weight loss motivation and eating right videos. Trying to incorporate everything that is being consistently suggested.

    I was so motivated that I felt like this is it and even ordered the vitamix. Its coming in 2 days and today I weigh myself and feeling super down.

    None of that drives weight loss. Calories In/Calories Out. If you burn more calories during the day than you eat you will lose weight. If you don't, you won't lose weight. Doesn't matter what you eat, it's how much of it you are eating.
  • Shells918
    Shells918 Posts: 1,070 Member
    You might not think you're overindulging, but although nuts and fruits can be good for you, serving sizes are important. A serving size of pistachios is 1/2 cup. When you measure that out for the first time it can be surprising. And while fruit is good for you, it can be high in sugar and carbs when eaten in large amounts. These 2 things in particular were eye opening for me.

    Logging and weighing food may seem like a chore, but just try logging your current intake to see how much you're actually eating against what MFP says you should be eating. If you haven't been losing weight, chances are you are not eating at enough of a calorie deficit to lose weight. The logging helps. Nobody says you have to do it forever, that's your choice, but it will help you see where you can make changes to help you be more successful in losing weight.
  • itsbasschick
    itsbasschick Posts: 1,584 Member
    edited May 2016
    i'm unable to lose without weighing my food, figuring out portions and logging. a lot of people here have found the same thing.

    unless you have something like a thyroid problem, which you should see the doctor to determine, if you eat less than you burn, you will lose weight - it's biology. cutting carbs, cutting junk food, eating more protein - none of that will cause you to lose weight unless you eat less calories than you burn.
  • mrs_n_mommy
    mrs_n_mommy Posts: 20 Member
    Every time I did logging in the past I strayed away after a few weeks hence I was trying to do it without the logging this time. You all seem to be suggesting just that, may be I will give it a shot. I sure wish May month shows some improvement. May be I will also up a notch with reducing more carbs. Vitamix is coming in 2 days, I will put it to good use. I'm will update you all in a month.
  • mamadon
    mamadon Posts: 1,422 Member
    You say your definitely not in a deficit. Then you will not lose weight. All that other stuff you mention does not matter at all as far as weight loss. It's a simple mathematical equation. Eat less calories than you burn. If your not willing to track your calories you are likely wasting your time. It's really not difficult, especially with MFP. I've been logging for over three years and it only takes me a couple minutes. I would have never lost weight without keeping track, and also weighing and measuring my food. Give it a try.
  • jen_bush
    jen_bush Posts: 679 Member
    I think you pretty much answered your own question. You HAVE to eat in deficit to lose weight - it's that simple. And logging everything is the only way to be sure.
  • VeroniqueBoilard
    VeroniqueBoilard Posts: 71 Member
    If you are like me, nothing will work unless you count calories.
  • sparklyglitterbomb
    sparklyglitterbomb Posts: 458 Member
    Carbs are not the devil... honestly log for May (make it your next change :) ) then see how it goes. If you are wanting this to be a lifestyle change as you mentioned above, you say you can't commit to logging, but want to keep reducing carbs and juice.. is that more sustainable than taking a few moments to log your food?
  • emdeesea
    emdeesea Posts: 1,823 Member
    You have to log. It's a pain but get used to doing it. If you're not losing, it's simple - you're eating too much.

    Eating "clean" means absolutely nothing.
  • PaytraB
    PaytraB Posts: 2,360 Member
    You say that you aren't in a deficit. Then you won't lose any weight, no matter how hard you try.'

    I hope not to be logging for life either. However, I logged through weight loss to learn to "eyeball" portions and the general amount of food I should eat each day. In maintenance, I did the same for awhile, then went to not logging. I did great for about a year....then the snacks started to sneak in again. I've now lost the few pounds I gained and am again logging for awhile to (again) get an "eyeball" idea of portion sizes and amounts that can be eaten for maintenance.

    Bottom line, even if you don't want to log for life, it is a good tool to help you learn how to eat at maintenance so that you won't need to log for life.

  • CharlieBeansmomTracey
    CharlieBeansmomTracey Posts: 7,682 Member
    mrs_n_mommy wrote: »
    Every time I did logging in the past I strayed away after a few weeks hence I was trying to do it without the logging this time. You all seem to be suggesting just that, may be I will give it a shot. I sure wish May month shows some improvement. May be I will also up a notch with reducing more carbs. Vitamix is coming in 2 days, I will put it to good use. I'm will update you all in a month.

    lowering carbs even more and juicing will not cause weight loss, unless it puts you in a deficit. you may lose water weight at first due to low carb and your body depleting glycogen and water,but it will eventually even out.I gained weight back by not weighing food because I was overestimating portions because portion sizes on food packaging is usually way off. say if you eat some wheat thins and a serving is 20 chips,those 20 chips can weigh as much as 25 or 30,or it could be less but usually thats not the case,the difference in calories will add up over time.

    I have had iced tea and the bottle says 18.5 oz but I weighed the bottle full(without the cap) and then again after I drank the tea and there was more than 19.5oz of tea in the bottle. I couldnt believe that.so I logged accordingly. you will be surprised when you start weighing food and logging it how much of a difference there is. It a real eye opener. once I started weighing food,I started losing weight.also a month for some people is not enough time to tell whats going on. some people it takes 6-8 weeks to notice weight loss,or inches coming off and as for the weight gain it could be water retention,waste,that TOM(time of the month) etc.
  • yogsvr4
    yogsvr4 Posts: 149 Member
    raindawg wrote: »
    Calories In/Calories Out. If you burn more calories during the day than you eat you will lose weight. If you don't, you won't lose weight. Doesn't matter what you eat, it's how much of it you are eating.

    At the end of the day, this is the only thing that drives weight loss. Eating 'clean' is healthier, but will have zero impact if you're eating as many 'clean' calories as you did before you started.

    You have also been working out, you may have added a couple pounds of muscle which the scale can't tell you. Take some measurements and you may see some results that way.

  • UprightMan
    UprightMan Posts: 13 Member
    mrs_n_mommy: "Hey, guys, I want my bank account to have a thousand dollars in it. I've been doing everything right for a month, and nothing's changed!"

    Reality: "How much money have you been putting in the account?"

    mrs_n_mommy: "Say what now?"

    Daily dose of comedy reached. Thanks! I can always rely on the MFP forums.
  • CharlieBeansmomTracey
    CharlieBeansmomTracey Posts: 7,682 Member
    yogsvr4 wrote: »
    raindawg wrote: »
    Calories In/Calories Out. If you burn more calories during the day than you eat you will lose weight. If you don't, you won't lose weight. Doesn't matter what you eat, it's how much of it you are eating.

    At the end of the day, this is the only thing that drives weight loss. Eating 'clean' is healthier, but will have zero impact if you're eating as many 'clean' calories as you did before you started.

    You have also been working out, you may have added a couple pounds of muscle which the scale can't tell you. Take some measurements and you may see some results that way.

    being female its doubtful she has gained a couple of pounds in muscle in a month,when she said she only gained a lb. which may or may not be water weight.she said she is not eating in a deficit so its possible she is eating in a surplus which will cause weight gain.it may be possible she gained a half a lb of muscle in a month but it wont show as a lb on the scale. its hard for women to gain muscle even in a surplus.
  • mrs_n_mommy
    mrs_n_mommy Posts: 20 Member
    UprightMan wrote: »
    mrs_n_mommy: "Hey, guys, I want my bank account to have a thousand dollars in it. I've been doing everything right for a month, and nothing's changed!"

    Reality: "How much money have you been putting in the account?"

    mrs_n_mommy: "Say what now?"

    Daily dose of comedy reached. Thanks! I can always rely on the MFP forums.

    Very funny Upright man. What I meant by I'm not in deficit was I wasn't starving myself but definitely not over indulging :wink:

    I had a lot of eye opening from my logging experience earlier hence thought I can trust my judgement on diet. Anyways I will get back in a month.
  • JustMissTracy
    JustMissTracy Posts: 6,338 Member
    I hear you. I'm in maintenance now, have been logging since August last year. I can eyeball quite correctly for a week or two, but usually have find myself falling back into old habits, and sweet treats sneaking in more often. Reality kicks in within two weeks of weighing everything and logging again... Honestly, the weighing part is only hard for the first week or two, once you've done it enough times, start saving your typical meals. That way, day after day, you can just weigh, find your entry and adjust the weight! Easy Peasy! Good luck!

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