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Help...not losing

saramatthews74
saramatthews74 Posts: 4 Member
edited December 2024 in Health and Weight Loss
I've been logging my calories for 3 weeks and have only lost 2 lbs. what gives? I should be losing at least 2 lbs a week.

Replies

  • janejellyroll
    janejellyroll Posts: 25,763 Member
    3 weeks is a bit early to get worried and 2 pounds in three weeks is actually pretty good! But when we don't lose as expected it is often due to logging issues. Your diary is closed -- if you open it, you may get some helpful advice.
  • LivingtheLeanDream
    LivingtheLeanDream Posts: 13,342 Member
    You have lost 2lbs in 3 weeks, YES is is working! be patient.
    to lose 2lbs a week means a calorie deficit of 1000 cals a day.
    How accurately are you tracking your calories? are you using a food scale to know exactly how much you are eating etc?
  • WBB55
    WBB55 Posts: 4,131 Member
    Congratulations on your loss!

    Do you use a digital food scale to weigh your food? Do you log everything you eat (even on the weekends and any "cheat" meals)?
  • saramatthews74
    saramatthews74 Posts: 4 Member
    No food scale . But pretty accurate. I'm thinking my allotted calories / day may be too high. And I'm exercising every day.
  • WBB55
    WBB55 Posts: 4,131 Member
    Get a food scale. Trust me.
  • LivingtheLeanDream
    LivingtheLeanDream Posts: 13,342 Member
    You can't be 'pretty accurate' without a food scale.
  • emdeesea
    emdeesea Posts: 1,823 Member
    saramatthews74 wrote: »
    No food scale . But pretty accurate. I'm thinking my allotted calories / day may be too high. And I'm exercising every day.

    You can't be accurate without a food scale. Do that before worrying about your calorie intake.
  • saramatthews74
    saramatthews74 Posts: 4 Member
    Ok getting a scale!! :)
  • saramatthews74
    saramatthews74 Posts: 4 Member
    Could my allotted calories / day be too much ?
  • WBB55
    WBB55 Posts: 4,131 Member
    saramatthews74 wrote: »
    Could my allotted calories / day be too much ?

    You could give us your age/weight/height and an example of your daily activities, and then people could give you an informed answer.
  • emdeesea
    emdeesea Posts: 1,823 Member
    saramatthews74 wrote: »
    Could my allotted calories / day be too much ?

    That depends on a few things. Use this calculator and plug in your stats, then go from there:

    https://tdeecalculator.net/result.php?s=imperial&age=44&g=female&lbs=135&in=66&act=1.375&bf=&f=1
  • janejellyroll
    janejellyroll Posts: 25,763 Member
    saramatthews74 wrote: »
    Could my allotted calories / day be too much ?

    Before determining that my calories were too many, I would establish how many calories a day I was actually eating. A food scale will help you do that. If you figure out what you're eating and you're still losing less than you expect, that would be the time to adjust your calories. Did your goal come from MFP?
  • Dove0804
    Dove0804 Posts: 213 Member
    edited June 2016
    There's a lot we don't know about you that makes it hard to help. How much do you weigh? How tall are you? How old are you? How many calories are you eating every day? If you are closer to your goal, you may not be able to feasibly lose 2 lbs per week. My Fitness Pal won't recommend anything less than 1200 calories/day for women, so 0.5-1 lb per week may be about right. You ARE losing weight though- just not as fast as you want.
    I also echo what others are saying and get a food scale. I love mine and I'm so glad I went ahead and bought one. If you have quite a bit of weight to lose, it's easy enough to be a bit inaccurate and still lose weight. If you have less to lose, though, it helps to tighten up your logging.
  • Crayvn
    Crayvn Posts: 390 Member
    There are so many variables to consider why youre not losing what youre anticipating. But any loss is progress. you may just lose 3 lbs next week. Keep up the good work and definitely get that scale :)
  • Maxematics
    Maxematics Posts: 2,287 Member
    There is a lot you're not saying so I'm guessing that:
    1. You don't have a lot to lose, but put the maximum of two pounds per week anyway.
    2. You were given 1200 calories which is the minimum amount MFP will give a woman, but that's not a 1000 calorie deficit for you, so you're not losing the two pounds per week that you expect.
    3. If you actually do have a lot of weight to lose where 1200 calories will give you a 1000 calorie deficit per day, you're most likely eating more than you think and a food scale would help tighten your logging.

    In any case, you don't really need help because you are losing, just not at the fast pace that you want.
  • SassyMommasaurus
    SassyMommasaurus Posts: 380 Member
    edited June 2016
    Why should you be losing 2lbs a week? MFP isn't some magic wand that makes you lose weight, it give you an estimate on what you might lose if you eat a certain amount. A lot of other factors go into it though.
This discussion has been closed.

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