Disappointed
rjel78
Posts: 102 Member
I really enjoy hearing the success stories on here however I wish it was me in those stories. I am feeling a. It discouraged today. For the past 3 weeks or so I have exercised everyday for atleast an hr and have logged everything I have eaten. Although I haven't drank as much water as I should I do drink more than what I usually do. I weighed in this morning and apparently during those 3 weeks I gained 4 lbs.....gained 4 lbs? I have stuck to this regime and have been pretty strict but all of this and I don't lose .5 lbs? I'm really frustrated and do not know what to do from here. I really thought I had this nutrition and exercise thing down but I guess not
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Replies
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Hello rjel78. Could you make your diary public so that we can look it over and offer specific suggestions? In addition, could you please provide answers to the following:
- your height
- your weight
- what type of exercise are you doing?
- is this new exercise (new in the past 3 weeks)?
- are you weighing your solid foods?
- are you measuring your liquids with a measuring cup or spoon?
Thanks!4 -
Do you weigh your food? You might be eating more than you think. Even then though... probably just water retention. I strongly suggest weighing more often if you want more accurate data... weight will go up and down due to water weight.2
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The start of an exercise program often results in a stall on the scale. Water is retained as muscles try to recover. You may have lost fat but are holding onto more water.
Measurements are often more helpful.
Do re-assess your food though. If you are eating too much you won't lose.3 -
Yeah, if we could take a look at your food diary...
I also think when you are trying to lose weight, weighing your body every day and recording it is important. Weight fluctations happen for a variety of reasons, but the general trend will be down if you are logging food correctly.2 -
It takes time to make lasting changes.
You did not weigh yourself for 3 weeks? You might weigh more often... at least once a week to have more data. Do it at the same time of day under same conditions on the same scale.
Be aware that you can be retaining water from things like exercise, period/ovulation cycle, high sodium foods. You can see the scale go up a few pounds due to this.
Check your logging accuracy. Use a digital food scale instead of measuring cups/spoons or eyeballing. Choose accurate entries.
Eat about half of your exercise calories instead of all of them.
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Hello rjel78. Could you make your diary public so that we can look it over and offer specific suggestions? In addition, could you please provide answers to the following:
- your height
- your weight
- what type of exercise are you doing?
- is this new exercise (new in the past 3 weeks)?
- are you weighing your solid foods?
- are you measuring your liquids with a measuring cup or spoon?
Thanks!
This-we need more info before we can give you more concrete suggestions
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5'10. 398
3 days a week I go to the gym and do a stationary bike for an hour, then 2 sets of weights....the other 4 days I do a workout DVD at home. Since I've started this program (again) I've got my steps in
I have done these exercises before but never this many times in a row
I am not weighing foods currently but eating only serving sizes
I do not weigh my liquids either, just what comes in the bottle0 -
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Watch this video - reference weighing your food vs measuring it. Then go buy a food scale.
https://youtu.be/XpHykP6e_Uk 4 -
5'10. 398
3 days a week I go to the gym and do a stationary bike for an hour, then 2 sets of weights....the other 4 days I do a workout DVD at home. Since I've started this program (again) I've got my steps in
I have done these exercises before but never this many times in a row
I am not weighing foods currently but eating only serving sizes
I do not weigh my liquids either, just what comes in the bottle
I should have asked this but are you writing down what you eat? Even if you are not logging calories? I'm actually a fan of not logging calories to start and instead just writing down all that you eat normally. After a week or two, look at the log and decide what you can cut out or cut back on. Right now, if you've been logging your food somehow, you have a good record to look at in order to do just that.2 -
Are you logging your food?
If you aren't keeping accurate records, you won't see results. Period. Every bite, every sip. Record it.
See that's the only way you'll be able to make any adjustments - you HAVE TO have good records. Then you know if you are eating too much (*hint = you are*) and if you are eating not enough. You can only adjust KNOWN issues - it's not a guessing game.0 -
quiksylver296 wrote: »Watch this video - reference weighing your food vs measuring it. Then go buy a food scale.https://youtu.be/XpHykP6e_Uk
Greatest. Video. Find. Ever.3 -
5'10. 398
3 days a week I go to the gym and do a stationary bike for an hour, then 2 sets of weights....the other 4 days I do a workout DVD at home. Since I've started this program (again) I've got my steps in
I have done these exercises before but never this many times in a row
I am not weighing foods currently but eating only serving sizes
I do not weigh my liquids either, just what comes in the bottle
How do you know it's the right serving size if it's not weighed?
A package can tell you that 15 cookies is a serving size, but also tell you that it's 50g. If you are just counting out 15 cookies but not weighing them, you could be overeating as the 15 cookies could end up being 80g and therefore, you are eating more.0 -
samanthaluangphixay wrote: »5'10. 398
3 days a week I go to the gym and do a stationary bike for an hour, then 2 sets of weights....the other 4 days I do a workout DVD at home. Since I've started this program (again) I've got my steps in
I have done these exercises before but never this many times in a row
I am not weighing foods currently but eating only serving sizes
I do not weigh my liquids either, just what comes in the bottle
How do you know it's the right serving size if it's not weighed?
A package can tell you that 15 cookies is a serving size, but also tell you that it's 50g. If you are just counting out 15 cookies but not weighing them, you could be overeating as the 15 cookies could end up being 80g and therefore, you are eating more.
And packaged products in the US are allowed to be off by as much as 20%. So if you think you are eating 300 calories, it could be anywhere from 240-360 calories in reality.1 -
My weight loss had slowed way down and I realized I was grazing. A handful of nuts here an half teaspoon of peanut butter there and a bite of my husband's mac and cheese etc. It all adds up and the closer you get to goal the less space you have for error. It is a pain but getting in the habit of weighing and measuring is a good idea. You will see success if you do that.5
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I'm going to disagree with the food scale advice, for you and right at this moment, but only because of two specific reasons:
1. It sounds like you've already made a bunch of changes all at once, and too much change can make people not stick with the changes, and
2. Starting or drastically increasing your exercise regimen can cause temporary water retention that can mask weight loss for up to 4-6 weeks, and I kind of suspect you might be right in the middle of this
That's not to say that a food scale isn't an amazing tool, because it is. I have one and I LOVE it (not least because I hate washing measuring cups and spoons, and my food scale means that I rarely have to use them anymore). However...it's not the only tool. People lost weight before at-home food scales were a thing, and you can certainly create a deficit without one. Your calculations may not be as accurate without one, but you can lose weight without a food scale.
As far as your path forward, if you want to get a food scale, great! Get one. If you don't, that's okay too. Keep logging everything and measure everything as accurately as you can (that means measuring cups and spoons for everything). Keep up the exercise for another 2-3 weeks and see what happens. If the scale continues to go up or if you don't see that 4 pounds come up, drop your calorie target and wait another 2-3 weeks. Rinse and repeat until you hit your desired rate of loss 5 -
5'10. 398
3 days a week I go to the gym and do a stationary bike for an hour, then 2 sets of weights....the other 4 days I do a workout DVD at home. Since I've started this program (again) I've got my steps in
I have done these exercises before but never this many times in a row
I am not weighing foods currently but eating only serving sizes
I do not weigh my liquids either, just what comes in the bottle
I should have asked this but are you writing down what you eat? Even if you are not logging calories? I'm actually a fan of not logging calories to start and instead just writing down all that you eat normally. After a week or two, look at the log and decide what you can cut out or cut back on. Right now, if you've been logging your food somehow, you have a good record to look at in order to do just that.
I used this method when I first started losing weight. I kept a little notebook and wrote down everything that I ate and an estimate of the calories. I actually lost 40lbs before I started weighing everything and logging it. When my weight loss stalled for almost a month is when I tightened down.1 -
To everyone asking if I record everything I eat the answer is yes. I started (again) this 3 weeks ago and have logged in and recorded everything for that time. And I know it's not a guessing game. What I meant was is that I don't weigh my food, I just look on the container/box and use the "recommended" serving size. And I read what one member said about that the actual size maybe off. I am doing what I can and this is the most I've been dedicated in awhile. As soon as I have the funds I will look into getting a scale but until then I have to do it this way0
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To everyone asking if I record everything I eat the answer is yes. I started (again) this 3 weeks ago and have logged in and recorded everything for that time. And I know it's not a guessing game. What I meant was is that I don't weigh my food, I just look on the container/box and use the "recommended" serving size. And I read what one member said about that the actual size maybe off. I am doing what I can and this is the most I've been dedicated in awhile. As soon as I have the funds I will look into getting a scale but until then I have to do it this way
If you are not weighing your food, it IS a guessing game. Don't count on the box...You are going to be incredibly surprised, just like I was, when you see how much each portion of everything REALLY weighs!! A typical basic digital scale is about 9-14 bux, pretty much everywhere. Believe me, when you start to see the real numbers, and watch for a couple of weeks to see where you're going right, and where it's not....suddenly you will see RESULTS.2 -
To everyone asking if I record everything I eat the answer is yes. I started (again) this 3 weeks ago and have logged in and recorded everything for that time. And I know it's not a guessing game. What I meant was is that I don't weigh my food, I just look on the container/box and use the "recommended" serving size. And I read what one member said about that the actual size maybe off. I am doing what I can and this is the most I've been dedicated in awhile. As soon as I have the funds I will look into getting a scale but until then I have to do it this way
Just FYI, they are cheap...
https://www.amazon.com/Multi-function-Stainless-Kitchen-Weighing-Capacity/dp/B01EWATVSK/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1482427544&sr=8-2-spons&keywords=digital+food+scale&psc=11 -
To everyone asking if I record everything I eat the answer is yes. I started (again) this 3 weeks ago and have logged in and recorded everything for that time. And I know it's not a guessing game. What I meant was is that I don't weigh my food, I just look on the container/box and use the "recommended" serving size. And I read what one member said about that the actual size maybe off. I am doing what I can and this is the most I've been dedicated in awhile. As soon as I have the funds I will look into getting a scale but until then I have to do it this way
Okay then, you have what you need at this point. Look at what you've been eating and then cut back. It doesn't have to mean cutting way back. Small changes can have big effects. If you normally eat 3 eggs for breakfast, eat two, if you normally butter your toast, drop it, if you normally drink whole milk, try 2%, etc.1 -
5'10. 398
3 days a week I go to the gym and do a stationary bike for an hour, then 2 sets of weights....the other 4 days I do a workout DVD at home. Since I've started this program (again) I've got my steps in
I have done these exercises before but never this many times in a row
I am not weighing foods currently but eating only serving sizes
I do not weigh my liquids either, just what comes in the bottle
I should have asked this but are you writing down what you eat? Even if you are not logging calories? I'm actually a fan of not logging calories to start and instead just writing down all that you eat normally. After a week or two, look at the log and decide what you can cut out or cut back on. Right now, if you've been logging your food somehow, you have a good record to look at in order to do just that.
I used this method when I first started losing weight. I kept a little notebook and wrote down everything that I ate and an estimate of the calories. I actually lost 40lbs before I started weighing everything and logging it. When my weight loss stalled for almost a month is when I tightened down.
Yeah, it's what I did too. I only had to start counting calories when I got to about 25 pounds above the healthy weight zone. I firmly believe that if heavily overweight/obese people are honest with what they write down, they can make great progress without counting any calories or even measuring/weighing anything.1 -
I really enjoy hearing the success stories on here however I wish it was me in those stories. I am feeling a. It discouraged today. For the past 3 weeks or so I have exercised everyday for atleast an hr and have logged everything I have eaten. Although I haven't drank as much water as I should I do drink more than what I usually do. I weighed in this morning and apparently during those 3 weeks I gained 4 lbs.....gained 4 lbs? I have stuck to this regime and have been pretty strict but all of this and I don't lose .5 lbs? I'm really frustrated and do not know what to do from here. I really thought I had this nutrition and exercise thing down but I guess not
You already answered the questions asked about if you are logging everything and using a food scale, but I don't think these have been discussed yet:
Did you set up MFP with accurate stats and a goal weight?
What rate of loss did you select? (2 lbs/week is reasonable for the weight you have to lose)
What calorie target did MFP provide you?
You said you've been at this for 3 weeks - were you at your calorie target for most of the days in those 3 weeks?
Are you entering and eating back exercise calories? Where are you getting your exercise burn estimates?0 -
5'10. 398
3 days a week I go to the gym and do a stationary bike for an hour, then 2 sets of weights....the other 4 days I do a workout DVD at home. Since I've started this program (again) I've got my steps in
I have done these exercises before but never this many times in a row
I am not weighing foods currently but eating only serving sizes
I do not weigh my liquids either, just what comes in the bottle
How many calories do you have MFP set to? Are you hitting over/under that every day? By how much?
Are you logging your calorie burns and eating them back? How are you calculating your burns?
Are you sure you are logging the serving sizes correctly? Some entries in MFP can be confusing.0 -
One thing I haven't seen people mention is the inaccuracy of some My Fitness Pal foods. The catalog of foods is primarily just folks like us putting in the details (calories, protein, etc.). Some entries are wildly inaccurate. Look for the green symbol with a check mark that indicates it's been verified by MFP. Sometimes people aren't that accurate and you can punch in "cheeseburger" and it logs it in at an inaccurate 90 calories, for instance. Just in case that might be part of the problem, it would make you think you are eating less than you are.
Good luck. You could also be in a stubborn plateau phase, and if you are doing everything "right", sometimes your body needs a bit of time before YOU win the tug of war to release weight. Best wishes to you.3 -
I'm going to disagree with the food scale advice, for you and right at this moment, but only because of two specific reasons:
1. It sounds like you've already made a bunch of changes all at once, and too much change can make people not stick with the changes, and
2. Starting or drastically increasing your exercise regimen can cause temporary water retention that can mask weight loss for up to 4-6 weeks, and I kind of suspect you might be right in the middle of this
That's not to say that a food scale isn't an amazing tool, because it is. I have one and I LOVE it (not least because I hate washing measuring cups and spoons, and my food scale means that I rarely have to use them anymore). However...it's not the only tool. People lost weight before at-home food scales were a thing, and you can certainly create a deficit without one. Your calculations may not be as accurate without one, but you can lose weight without a food scale.
As far as your path forward, if you want to get a food scale, great! Get one. If you don't, that's okay too. Keep logging everything and measure everything as accurately as you can (that means measuring cups and spoons for everything). Keep up the exercise for another 2-3 weeks and see what happens. If the scale continues to go up or if you don't see that 4 pounds come up, drop your calorie target and wait another 2-3 weeks. Rinse and repeat until you hit your desired rate of loss
This is great advice.2 -
Okay. Good. You've answered that you are at least measuring and writing down or logging.
Then cut back a little on the food. I think I remember you saying you were eating 4000 calories a day on a past thread? Have you sorted that out? You don't need to eat 4000 calories, regardless of how much exercise you're doing.
Try eating 2000-2500 base calories for the next month. I know you're close to 400 pounds, but your body is going to use the body fat you have as fuel, so you can cut calories pretty aggressively. The fitbits and other devices really sort of fall down when it comes to severely overweight people. If you are going by what your fitbit or other device is telling you to eat and it's telling you to eat 4000 calories, stop doing that.
OR:
Set your GOALS here on this site to "Lose 2 pounds a week."
Eat that amount. If you are exercising, eat an additional 500 more on days you exercise for an hour or more. Just log all your food and exercise here. Log your exercise as 500 calories per hour, regardless. Stop relying on devices for calorie burns at your size. The results are wonky.
You don't need 4000 calories, I just want to make sure you fixed that.
Then give it a month.
As you lose you may have to adjust your exercise calories, but trust me - you don't need to log more, and you will probably need to log significantly fewer exercise calories after you've lost 100 pounds or so. I know you probably don't believe this, but weight loss should be simple at your weight. You're eating way too much if it isn't melting off you. ((hug))1 -
OP...if you are eating 4000 calories a day that is your problem.
This calculator using an activity level of lightly active shows someone with your stats(male-age 38-5'10"-398lbs) at the following...
You need 3,756 Calories/day to maintain your weight.
You need 3,256 Calories/day to lose 1 lb per week.
You need 2,756 Calories/day to lose 2 lb per week.
http://www.calculator.net/calorie-calculator.html?ctype=standard&cage=38&csex=m&cheightfeet=5&cheightinch=10&cpound=398&cheightmeter=180&ckg=60&cactivity=1.375&printit=0&x=43&y=7
Since you are not weighting your food by using a food scale then maybe cut these amounts by 15-20%.
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I'm sorry, I missed your CW earlier. Has anyone talked to you about daily weight fluctuations? None of us have an actual weight; we all fluctuate on a daily basis in response to a lot of factors (sodium intake, hydration, the weight of the food processing in your system at the time, etc.), and the fluctuation range is different for each person. The size of that range is also dependent on your CW, so if you're at 398 pounds, a four-pound fluctuation range is probably pretty normal for you. (For comparison, I'm between 118 and 120 right now, and I have a 1-2 pound fluctuation range. On any given day, I'll go up and down within a 1-2 pound range).
The only way to get a sense of your normal range is to watch your weight over time. I'd really strongly suggest weighing in weekly, first thing in the morning, for another few weeks and just watch the patterns. You'll start to see the general trends instead of worrying so much about specific data points. You're going to be in weight-loss mode for a long time, so while it's difficult at the beginning, try not to freak out. Be stubborn and stick with your plan; good behaviors in the long term will lead to weight loss.0 -
One thing I haven't seen people mention is the inaccuracy of some My Fitness Pal foods. The catalog of foods is primarily just folks like us putting in the details (calories, protein, etc.). Some entries are wildly inaccurate. Look for the green symbol with a check mark that indicates it's been verified by MFP. Sometimes people aren't that accurate and you can punch in "cheeseburger" and it logs it in at an inaccurate 90 calories, for instance. Just in case that might be part of the problem, it would make you think you are eating less than you are.
Good luck. You could also be in a stubborn plateau phase, and if you are doing everything "right", sometimes your body needs a bit of time before YOU win the tug of war to release weight. Best wishes to you.
Just to note: the green checkmark means that it has been verified by a number of users, not by MFP. Items with a green checkmark can also be inaccurate if users have checked that it is correct when it isn't. Although checkmarked items *can* be more reliable, I have still found multiple errors in them.3
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