Disappointed

Zivvada
Zivvada Posts: 24 Member
edited November 16 in Getting Started
Hello,
I have been on on a weightloss/firm up program for 1 month now and I feel as tough I am not doing as well as I should be. I have strictly been on a 1200 cal. diet and have been on the treadmill faithfully, everyday. I have added ankle weight and hand weight to my treadmill work out. I am walking between 2-5 miles on the treadmill everyday. I can see some changes as far as firming up but the scale is showing no loss and my measurments have not changed. Can someone please give me some advise to speed up my loss. I am going on a cruise in 61 days and don't want to be so self conscious in my swim suit. Please forgive the spelling errors :(

Replies

  • kenyonhaff
    kenyonhaff Posts: 1,377 Member
    *Can someone post the flowchart for this person? :)
    *Usually the issue is not weighing/measuring food, relying on the treadmill display (it's often inaccurate) or not logging food properly.
    *1200 calorie diets usually are not appropriate unless you are very tiny, elderly, or disabled. It's one of the rookie mistakes we see a lot here. Too little calories in usually does not work.
    *Take off the ankle and hand weights. This practice has fallen out of favor because it puts a lot of unnecessary stress on feet, ankles and knees. If you are overweight to begin with, this can put you in danger of some sort of injury.
    * Be realistic in your goals. 61 days will not usually be time enough for a really dramatic weight loss in any sort of sustainable way. 1 pound a week, for instance, will likely be around 8 pounds off in the time frame described. While good, 8 pounds is not going to be noticeable by all your facebook friends.
  • snickerscharlie
    snickerscharlie Posts: 8,578 Member
    edited February 2017
    OP: Your answer is in this chart ^^^ somewhere.

    My guess at this point is you are likely underestimating the amount of calories you're actually consuming each day, and/or overestimating your exercise burns.





  • happysherri
    happysherri Posts: 1,360 Member
    Make sure you are weighing all food.
    Maybe switch up your workouts since you've been doing the same thing for a while. Add strength training, maybe HIIT cardio, jump training, take a class, etc.
    Good luck and have fun on your cruise
  • snickerscharlie
    snickerscharlie Posts: 8,578 Member
    edited February 2017
    Also: What are your stats? Height and current weight? What is your goal weight? That will help us help you.

    Are you logging your food in your diary here? If so, if you open it so we can see, there will probably be other ways we can help you with that, too.
  • cathipa
    cathipa Posts: 2,991 Member
    Are you weighing your food and using correct entries to log everything you eat and drink?
  • Zivvada
    Zivvada Posts: 24 Member
    edited February 2017
    Thank you all for the advise. I have faithfully measured and logged all of my food, drink and exercise since I started 30 days ago. I just feel like I am working SO HARD and not seeing much. I wish someone could look at my food entries and tell me what would help. Is that at all possible???
  • kpeterson539
    kpeterson539 Posts: 220 Member
    klglace wrote: »
    Thank you all for the advise. I have faithfully measured and logged all of my food and drink since I started 30 days ago. I just feel like I am working SO HARD and not seeing much. I wish someone could look at my food entries and tell me what would help. Is that at all possible???

    How are you measuring? With measuring cups and spoons? Or with a scale?

  • rsclause
    rsclause Posts: 3,103 Member
    I would say be honest and accurate in logging. When estimating calories or using MFP database don't pick the low number. Focus on a reasonable weight loss and plug in the numbers. Don't get suckered into the automatic "1200 calories" limit because it sounds good. I found that I lost more weight when I was at or just below my deficit number rather than way under it. Most of all it will take time so just focus on the loss of 1 or 2 pounds a week, the rest will fall into place. I like to think of this as a lifestyle change and never think of it as a diet.
  • jessiebethin
    jessiebethin Posts: 30 Member
    I can totally sympathize with you! I started this journey about a month ago, and weight loss is happening at about a third of the rate it should be. Some people are able to lose weight faster than others, numbers being the same and all. I also started out with walking as my main activity but have noticed more of a change in how my body looks when I do more intense workouts like kickboxing (even though the numbers on the scale didn't change much). If your primary goal is to look good for your trip, I would suggest working out as much as your body can handle with a variety of strength training/cardio/etc. PUSH yourself without hurting yourself.
  • VeryKatie
    VeryKatie Posts: 5,961 Member
    klglace wrote: »
    Thank you all for the advise. I have faithfully measured and logged all of my food, drink and exercise since I started 30 days ago. I just feel like I am working SO HARD and not seeing much. I wish someone could look at my food entries and tell me what would help. Is that at all possible???

    Yes, if you go to settings at the top of the page while viewing your news feed or food diary, then go to diary settings. Then select "public" and save it. This way people will be able to see it and give specific advice.
  • Zivvada
    Zivvada Posts: 24 Member
    I am using a scale, spoons and cups and put in the accurate calories or portion size. I haven't kept a diary, just food and exercise. I am also eating 2 tbs.Chai seed, 2tbs. of Flax seed and Cinnamon every morning with my breakfast. I am 48 years old, 5'2" and 185 lbs. I was very sedatary before I started this healthy lifestyle. I do plan to continue this for the forseable future. I have lost the cravings for "junk food". This has already become my lifestyle.
  • Zivvada
    Zivvada Posts: 24 Member
    I have changed my settings to everyone. If anyone is interested in looking at what you can, please feel free.
  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
    edited February 2017
    jessiebethin wrote: »
    I can totally sympathize with you! I started this journey about a month ago, and weight loss is happening at about a third of the rate it should be. Some people are able to lose weight faster than others, numbers being the same and all. I also started out with walking as my main activity but have noticed more of a change in how my body looks when I do more intense workouts like kickboxing (even though the numbers on the scale didn't change much). If your primary goal is to look good for your trip, I would suggest working out as much as your body can handle with a variety of strength training/cardio/etc. PUSH yourself without hurting yourself.

    But the numbers are estimates.....all of them.

    For example - your activity level is one number in MFP. You could be on the high end, or you could be on the low end.

    People with higher lean muscle to fat ratios will burn more calories....doing everything.

    Calorie burns are estimates. Food logging is an estimate, some people are accurate....others just think they are

    OP - it's not "what" you are eating, it's how much. People can lose weight eating junk food (not recommended) ......google McDonald's and Twinkie diet.

    1200 calories is NOT a lifestyle it's a diet. It's great that you are eating healthier.....but do you see giving up "junk food" forever? We all need to find a balance.....forever changes....that's the lifestyle part.
  • VintageFeline
    VintageFeline Posts: 6,771 Member
    Do not use cups for the servings on a packet, next to it there will be a gram weight for a portion, use that.
  • MrsKatieHowells
    MrsKatieHowells Posts: 1 Member
    I'd like to mention that you might have gained muscle weight which counteracts the loss of 'fat' weight, relying on what weight you are can give you a false sense of progression when you might have less body fat % but more muscle mass. Especially if you've been using weights while exercising.
  • Barbs2222
    Barbs2222 Posts: 433 Member
    OP I looked at your profile and you've lost 5 pounds in 30 days. I think that's great! I have a very hard time losing even one pound a week. So Well Done :smiley:
  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
    MrsKatieHowells wrote: »
    I'd like to mention that you might have gained muscle weight which counteracts the loss of 'fat' weight, relying on what weight you are can give you a false sense of progression when you might have less body fat % but more muscle mass. Especially if you've been using weights while exercising.

    It's very difficult for women to gain lean muscle (a slow process) even in the best of circumstances ......calorie surplus, progressive lifting, lots of protein. OP is doing cardio with (light) ankle & handweights weights while eating at a deficit.....no appreciable (if any) lean muscle gain there.
  • cblack8
    cblack8 Posts: 42 Member
    30 day shred worked the best for me as far as an exercise program (in combination with calorie counting) where I felt like I really saw a difference in the way that I look. I highly recommend it.
  • RicBrownJr
    RicBrownJr Posts: 6 Member
    edited February 2017
    If you are truly recording everything that you intake, then you are not eating enough everyday. That'll trick your body into storing more fat because it thinks you are starving.

    Also, I noticed that most of your calories are eaten at breakfast and dinner with a very light lunch and snacks. I would try to have a more even caloric intake throughout the day. Your body can metabolize more efficiently if the calories come in at a leveled pace. For example, I try to eat about 400 calories for breakfast, 200 for morning snack about 4 hours later, 350-400 for lunch 3 hours later, 150-200 for afternoon snack 3 hours later, and about 450 for dinner about 3 hours after that. Some of your meals were 600-700 cals for breakfast and dinner, but only 150 for snacks and lunch.
  • KatieJane83
    KatieJane83 Posts: 2,002 Member
    ^^^ is not accurate. Starvation mode, as it is used on sites like these, does not exist. You're body is not holding onto all its fat because it thinks it's starving.

    Also, there is no reason to worry about meal timing and spacing your calories out evenly. If this were true, then all those people that practice intermittent fasting, eating all of their daily calories in a limited time range, would never be able to lose weight. I often don't eat breakfast, and tend to save a bunch of calories for the evening. It hasn't inhibited my weight loss at all.

    All that being said, here are a few things to consider:

    1) You have actually had a loss. You've lost 5 lbs in 1 month. That's an average of 1 1/4 lbs per week, which is completely realistic and something you should be proud of! I think a part of this is going to involve adjusting your expectations to more realistic levels.

    2) Patience for the process is important. Weight loss is not linear. Some weeks you might lose nothing, others you might lose 2 lbs. Sodium-heavy meals will cause you to retain water weight (I 'gained' 2 lbs in one day from a sushi lunch and Chinese food dinner, lol. Lost it all through sweat after my Sunday long run), as will hormonal fluctuations, stress, new workout routines.

    3) In looking at your diary there are still things that you should probably be weighing, rather than just going by quantity or cups. Examples: bananas and oranges - they do not come in consistent sizes. Your idea of a small banana may be someone else's idea of a large banana. cereal - anything that is a solid, rather than a liquid, should be weighed. Cups and spoons are meant for liquids. Also, a good rule of thumb for things like fruits, veggies, meat, etc. is to search including 'USDA', this usually results in more accurate entries.

    4) Also in your diary, make sure you are checking and using accurate entries. I see several 'homemade' entries. Are those recipes that you actually built in mfp and logged? Because if not, you have no idea if those recipes were entered accurately.
  • Zivvada
    Zivvada Posts: 24 Member
    Those are actually made throu MFP.
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