Stuck in a rut..not sure why.

angela4332
angela4332 Posts: 39 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hey guys. I'm eating 1200 to 1300 calories a day. My job gets me about 7000 steps a day. I get home and ride 10 miles on a bike, outdoors. I bake, grill, steam everything. I have lost 9 pounds and it's been over 2 months. No more loss. I'm beginning to wonder if my fitness pal is accurate on tracking exercise and calories. It doesn't make any sense that I'm not losing at least a pound a week. I don't eat sweets. I don't drink carbonated drinks. I don't put anything in my body that is fried or greasy. My doctor says it's probably just genetics and I can't lose because of that. I have had my thyroid tested. I'm not on any medication that could cause weight gain. I'm getting very frustrated and just ready to say this is it , I'm done with trying... Most of my weight is belly fat. Again, my Dr says just genetics and be happy you are healthy. Is there anyone that can shed some light. Or maybe experiencing the same thing. Oh and I'm 43 another reason my Dr says I can lose.
So any help would be great. Thanks

Replies

  • queenliz99
    queenliz99 Posts: 15,317 Member
    9 pounds in two months is on track! You are doing it right!!
  • malibu927
    malibu927 Posts: 17,562 Member
    What are your stats? How long has it been since you've lost weight? How are you measuring your calorie intake? How are you measuring your exercise calories and how much, if any, of them do you eat back?
  • Wynterbourne
    Wynterbourne Posts: 2,225 Member
    Your doctor said one of the reasons you can't lose is because you're 43?? I've lost 87 lbs since last July and I'm 43. How long have you had this doctor?
  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,261 Member
    Has it been 2 months since you've lost weight or have you lost 9 pounds in 2 months? How much weight are you trying to lose? What are your height and weight?
  • HiSkyfish
    HiSkyfish Posts: 28 Member
    Make sure you're NOT eating back your calories if you log your activity. This is why i don't log exercise. Eating back the calories you burned during exercise is counterproductive and can lead to stalls in weight loss very quickly.
  • dlkfox
    dlkfox Posts: 463 Member
    How long has this stall been?

    Do you have a food scale and weigh everything you eat? You are most likely eating more than you think you are if you aren't weighing everything.

  • malibu927
    malibu927 Posts: 17,562 Member
    HiSkyfish wrote: »
    Make sure you're NOT eating back your calories if you log your activity. This is why i don't log exercise. Eating back the calories you burned during exercise is counterproductive and can lead to stalls in weight loss very quickly.

    The way MFP is set up you're supposed to eat the calories back, though it's recommended to only go with 50-75% of them to account for overestimation of calories burned. You'll still be in a deficit if your logging is accurate.
  • kommodevaran
    kommodevaran Posts: 17,890 Member
    angela4332 wrote: »
    I'm eating 1200 to 1300 calories a day. My job gets me about 7000 steps a day. I get home and ride 10 miles on a bike, outdoors. I bake, grill, steam everything. I have lost 9 pounds and it's been over 2 months. No more loss. I'm beginning to wonder if my fitness pal is accurate on tracking exercise and calories. It doesn't make any sense that I'm not losing at least a pound a week. I don't eat sweets. I don't drink carbonated drinks. I don't put anything in my body that is fried or greasy.
    9 pounds in 2 months is a great loss. Or have you not lost anything for 2 months? You don't have to bake, grill, and steam everything, you can eat sweets, eat and drink whatever you like, but you have to track correctly. Weigh everything in grams and doublecheck entries before you log, and log everything.

    My doctor says it's probably just genetics and I can't lose because of that. I have had my thyroid tested. I'm not on any medication that could cause weight gain. I'm getting very frustrated and just ready to say this is it , I'm done with trying... Most of my weight is belly fat. Again, my Dr says just genetics and be happy you are healthy. Is there anyone that can shed some light. Or maybe experiencing the same thing. Oh and I'm 43 another reason my Dr says I can lose.
    Unless your doctor has some really redeeming qualities, get another one, one that knows what he is talking about, or manages to convey the message properly. Age and "genetics" are not reasons for not losing weight. Not eating in a calorie deficit is always the reason a person doesn't lose weight. Track your food intake accurately, honestly and consistently. Have realistic expectations, measure your progress correctly, and be patient.
  • trigden1991
    trigden1991 Posts: 4,658 Member
    Don't add exercise to your diary, the calories are grossly overestimated. Eat your calories and treat exercise as a bonus.
  • angela4332
    angela4332 Posts: 39 Member
    My exercise is tracked thru my fitbit blaze that is synced with my fitness pal. I have wondered how accurate it is. I usually show about 800 to 900 calories left over after food intake and exercise. I do not eat the calories back. I have not lost any weight in 6 weeks. I'm stuck. I weigh my food and measure everything. Everything that goes in gets logged into MFP. I only eat serving sizes. I am very disciplined in this. I do not eat any extra servings of anything. If I have to go out to eat, I only eat chicken or salads and then only half servings of what comes to the table. I'm at a loss, and I don't mean weight! I am 5 ft 3 inches and right now weigh 177. I'm sick of it all. I do everything I can and nothing. I am getting depressed because I feel that no matter what I do, it won't matter.
  • malibu927
    malibu927 Posts: 17,562 Member
    Can you open up your diary?
  • angela4332
    angela4332 Posts: 39 Member
    How do you do that?
  • zoeysasha37
    zoeysasha37 Posts: 7,088 Member
    Are you using a food scale to weigh all your portions out?
    You mentioned a lot about the foods you don't eat in your op so that leads me to believe that your new to this. None of those"forbidden " foods would cause you not to lose weight if you ate them. Weight loss comes down to calories, not the foods you eat. I'd get a better doctor right away because what he said was laughable.
  • angela4332
    angela4332 Posts: 39 Member
    Yes, I have a scale. I measure and weigh sometimes. But I've done it for so long I'm pretty close to knowing how much I am getting. I'm far from new to this. I have been using MFP for over 3 years plus. I get discouraged and give up. I don't eat those foods because I have digestive issues a lot of times and I try to eat healthier for that reason. What I don't understand is how MFP and Fitbit calculates the calories burned thru exercise. If I ride my bike 10 miles and use my GPS smart health tracker it shows I burn almost 800 calories. I don't even take this into consideration. I don't do other exercise. I bike, treadmill, and walk a lot on my job. Maybe I need a different type exercise. ?
  • malibu927
    malibu927 Posts: 17,562 Member
    You can open up your diary through settings at the top of the web page. But this:
    I measure and weigh sometimes.

    says you're likely eating more than you think. Even if you're sure your portions are accurate without weighing, you may want to double check them.

    And definitely start eating back your Fitbit calories once you get your logging tightened up. You need to fuel your body, and only eating 1300 calories total with that large a burn can cause you to burn out sooner or later. I followed what MFP and Fitbit said for fifteen months and lost 63 pounds.
  • Cheesy567
    Cheesy567 Posts: 1,186 Member
    Time for a new doctor?
  • DStavvy2016
    DStavvy2016 Posts: 1 Member
    I hear you. I was in a similar predicament end of last year. I only wanted to lose 6kgs and like you, I am not very tall, 5ft 2 and 49yo, well 50 soon. I followed the MB12 week challenge and was exercising non stop every day and eating 1200 cal a day. I only lost 2kgs, and to top it off, stuffed up my knee in the process. I have since read up on a website that it's not just the calories you are eating that is important but the way they are consumed. E.g. High protein and carbs for my age is essential, and low fats. Ratio that works for me is (P-40%, F-20%, C-40%). Having to eat alot of protein per day is not easy so a good natural 'whey' powder helps you with that. The idea is to build up your muscle, as muscle helps to burn fat. And as hard as it may seem, and crazy too, you have to up your food intake when you are exercising. Your body naturally burns fat when you are just sleeping and breathing, and this is probably not something we log. So to cut a long story short, I started off on a 1500 cal/day plan with exercise every second day (let your body rest too), and after 3 weeks I lost 3kgs. Then for the next couple of weeks it remained the same but I didn't put any weight on, so, I have reduced my cal/day to 1300 and have lost another couple of kgs. Keep at it and don't give up.
  • Dfoarde
    Dfoarde Posts: 10 Member
    angela4332 wrote: »
    Yes, I have a scale. I measure and weigh sometimes. But I've done it for so long I'm pretty close to knowing how much I am getting. I'm far from new to this. I have been using MFP for over 3 years plus. I get discouraged and give up. I don't eat those foods because I have digestive issues a lot of times and I try to eat healthier for that reason. What I don't understand is how MFP and Fitbit calculates the calories burned thru exercise. If I ride my bike 10 miles and use my GPS smart health tracker it shows I burn almost 800 calories. I don't even take this into consideration. I don't do other exercise. I bike, treadmill, and walk a lot on my job. Maybe I need a different type exercise. ?



    That is definitely an over estimate. I cycle for an hour at a moderate pace everyday and the bike machine records my calories burned at 600-700 depending on how rigorous my workout was.

    If I put the info into MFP it overestimates this by a very high amount, can't speak to Fitbit but I'm pretty sure there is no way you are burning 800
    Calories on a 10 minute bike ride. I know you said you don't take that into consideration - if by that you mean you don't add those calories to your daily intake then I guess that's not the problem. Just my two cents though. Good luck
  • LivingtheLeanDream
    LivingtheLeanDream Posts: 13,342 Member
    edited June 2016
    HiSkyfish wrote: »
    Make sure you're NOT eating back your calories if you log your activity. This is why i don't log exercise. Eating back the calories you burned during exercise is counterproductive and can lead to stalls in weight loss very quickly.

    Not true. You are supposed to eat them back, we suggest 50% at least but thats more because the burns are mostly over estimated.
    Stalls happen because we eat more than we think rather than because we are eating exercise calories back.

    OP you're doing well, thats 1lb a week so keep up the good work. Some weeks the scale doesn't move but it will, be patient :smile:
  • angela4332
    angela4332 Posts: 39 Member
    Not 10 minute bike ride. I go 10 MILES. On weekends I do 20 miles...not minutes....
  • angela4332
    angela4332 Posts: 39 Member
    You guys have been very helpful, and maybe I'm blowing it out of proportion and stressing too much cause the scales won't move. I know I'm a work in progress. I'm very appreciative of the encouragement. I do tend to give up, but I've never had any support either so maybe that's what I've been lacking and maybe can get it here...
  • ElJefePerron
    ElJefePerron Posts: 88 Member
    Chin up! You're doing many healthy things. Pat yourself on the back for that.
    800 calories for a 10 mile bike ride is pretty high. ( I weigh 270 and, on bike machine 1 hour ,25 mile "ride" is about 500 calories)

    It's important to eat some exercise calories back. Try 50% of them for a few weeks. See how that goes.

Categories