Slow start losing slow

lgshuler
lgshuler Posts: 8 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I started MFP May 4. I was not exercising regularly until this week. My goal calorie count is 1200 and I average about 1350. I notice I'm over on fat daily. I've lost only a couple of pounds. I've noticed that it has said I should expect to have lost 5 lbs based on the daily calculation at the end of the diary. Is it because I'm eating too many calories? It's so much less than I used to eat and much healthier food too. I'm not eating junk except for a dark chocolate. Most fat is from a cup of milk, olive oil, a little bit of butter, etc (mostly good fats)

Replies

  • Poisonedpawn78
    Poisonedpawn78 Posts: 1,145 Member
    The fats wont matter unless you have a medical or macro reason to lower them. The calories are whats preventing more weight loss. By going over your 1200 you are eating into your weight loss goal. at 150 overage per day it is preventing you from losing 1.3lbs per month.

    1200 is very little though, is it possible you can add in enough exercise to burn off that 150 calories instead of not eating them?

    Good luck!
  • sophie7591
    sophie7591 Posts: 78 Member
    Could you possibly not be counting calories correctly ? Are you using a food scale. I started here roughly on the same day as you with 1390 calories and I'm down 13 lbs since being here.
  • middlehaitch
    middlehaitch Posts: 8,487 Member
    Well if you think of it- If you are averaging 1350, 150 cals a day over your 1200, that is negating 1-1.5lbs of your expected loss over the month you have been logging.

    If you haven't, get yourself a digital food scale and weigh everything. It will give you greater accuracy.

    If you start exercising regularly MFP expects you to eat back your exercise calories. You may find eating back 50 or75% is good to start with, as all calculators are estimates, and adjust up or down from there.

    You may want to include your stats and goals so others can give more detailed answers.

    Cheers, h.
  • lgshuler
    lgshuler Posts: 8 Member
    Oh wow! Congratulations! I feel like I am counting properly and even overestimate just to be sure at times! I'm turning 50 in Sept and I'm wondering if it's something else keeping me from losing weight.
  • shadow2soul
    shadow2soul Posts: 7,692 Member
    edited June 2017
    Double check the food entries you are using. Some of the database entries are way off. I know there are a few chicken entries that are only 1/3 the calories they should be. Also avoid things like "home-made tuna salad" from the database; instead use the recipe builder for accuracy.

    **Diary is private, so generic advise.**
  • janae7613
    janae7613 Posts: 6 Member
    I watch my carbs and calories. I eat low carb based on advice from my bariatric center. In 16 days I have lost 18 lbs! Unfortunately it's fast.
  • lgshuler
    lgshuler Posts: 8 Member
    lgshuler wrote: »
    Oh wow! Congratulations! I feel like I am counting properly and even overestimate just to be sure at times! I'm turning 50 in Sept and I'm wondering if it's something else keeping me from losing weight.
    sophie7591 wrote: »
    Could you possibly not be counting calories correctly ? Are you using a food scale. I started here roughly on the same day as you with 1390 calories and I'm down 13 lbs since being here.

    Sophie are you reaching your step goals? I'm wondering if that's the key.

  • bbell1985
    bbell1985 Posts: 4,571 Member
    1200 is the lowest MFP will set you for. If you don't MAINTAIN on 2200 calories ,you won't lose 2 pounds per week even if you eat 1200 calories. You also might be eating more, if you are not using food scale.
  • sophie7591
    sophie7591 Posts: 78 Member
    lgshuler wrote: »
    lgshuler wrote: »
    Oh wow! Congratulations! I feel like I am counting properly and even overestimate just to be sure at times! I'm turning 50 in Sept and I'm wondering if it's something else keeping me from losing weight.
    sophie7591 wrote: »
    Could you possibly not be counting calories correctly ? Are you using a food scale. I started here roughly on the same day as you with 1390 calories and I'm down 13 lbs since being here.

    Sophie are you reaching your step goals? I'm wondering if that's the key.

    Actually, no. I don't reach my step goals every day. I'm still pretty sedentary. Slowing incorporating exercise.
  • lgshuler
    lgshuler Posts: 8 Member
    So I'm almost 50, I started at 153 and am currently at 151. My goal is to weigh 135. Hopefully this info helps. I'm not super active but getting more so since this week. Prior to this week I've been sedentary.
  • bbell1985
    bbell1985 Posts: 4,571 Member
    How tall?
  • lgshuler
    lgshuler Posts: 8 Member
    5'5"
  • bbell1985
    bbell1985 Posts: 4,571 Member
    Yeah, you probably don't maintain on 2200. Enter your stats into a TDEE calculator. You won't lose 2 pounds per week on 1200 calories if not. That's fine though.
  • shadow2soul
    shadow2soul Posts: 7,692 Member
    edited June 2017
    I found an estimated maintenance for you without exercise is 1645 cals a day. Your average intake of 1350 gives you a 295 a day deficit which in turn gives you roughly 0.59 lb per week loss.

    So looks like you are losing about what you should expect based on intake and stats.

    Even eating 1200, it looks like (providing your logging isn't off somewhere) you would average only 0.89 lb per week loss.
  • bbell1985
    bbell1985 Posts: 4,571 Member
    Science
  • lgshuler
    lgshuler Posts: 8 Member
    shadow2soul wrote: »
    I found an estimated maintenance for you without exercise is 1645 cals a day. Your average intake of 1350 gives you a 295 a day deficit which in turn gives you roughly 0.59 lb per week loss.

    So looks like you are losing about what you should expect based on intake and stats.

    Even eating 1200, it looks like (providing your logging isn't off somewhere) you would average only 0.89 lb per week loss.

    Oh...I think I had higher expectations of quicker weight loss
  • lgshuler
    lgshuler Posts: 8 Member
    I'm actually encouraged. It feels like I've been doing this for ages haha. I find that I have started and quit so many times and my pattern in the past has been that I get discouraged "not seeing results" at right around six weeks! So this is that time and I do not want to give up!!
  • Luna3386
    Luna3386 Posts: 888 Member
    Ignore the in 5 weeks thing. I've been here 5 years and have lost 61 pounds. Still have 20 to go. That's slow but it's off for good.

    Use a food scale.

    Take measurements and pictures to judge progress. The scale is a dirty *kitten*.

  • lgshuler
    lgshuler Posts: 8 Member
    Yes thank you!

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