21 days only lost 1.5 pounds
camillewest8613
Posts: 7 Member
Looking for answers/ ideas! I am 148lbs, eating 1300 balanced calories a day and NO cheating! I spin, walk, weight train, Zumba. Why won't the scale budge?
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Replies
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Body recomp? The scale only measures overall weight relative to earths surface. Ensure you take measurements!8
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How tall are you? How much weight are you trying to lose? Are you male or female?0
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When did you begin your diet? If you just started 21 days ago and only lost 1.5 pounds, I would say you're eating more calories than you think. But, if you've been losing for several months, slowing to 1/2 pound per week is pretty normal, unfortunately.
Thoroughly investigate how you're logging. MFP has more incorrect calorie info than correct, so when logging, look for USDA entries, and weigh everything in grams. Packaged food can contain 20% more calories than the label states, so be careful with that, too.
I'm sure you've heard that working out causes you to retain a bit of water, so that may be the culprit. Or hot weather - whenever it's hot I retain water. I can tell because my shoes are a bit tight. As soon as a cold day comes along I lose a pound or two.2 -
One more thing: I just read that alcohol can temporarily slow down your metabolism by 70%! Yikes!13
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Thanks for the replies, I'm female, 5 foot nothing. Åge 51, been logging and eating 1200/1300 for 22 days straight. Trying to lose 5 lbs.
I use the barcode scanner to track packaged foods but I cook most everything from scratch to avoid processed chemicals etc. I eat alot of fruit, maybe it's the sugar? Soooo frustrating!
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CynthiasChoice wrote: »One more thing: I just read that alcohol can temporarily slow down your metabolism by 70%! Yikes!
Where did you read this? That isn't accurate. What is true is that when your body is metabolizing alcohol, it won't be burning fat. But in the context of a calorie deficit, this isn't going to be significant.2 -
camillewest8613 wrote: »Thanks for the replies, I'm female, 5 foot nothing. Åge 51, been logging and eating 1200/1300 for 22 days straight. Trying to lose 5 lbs.
I use the barcode scanner to track packaged foods but I cook most everything from scratch to avoid processed chemicals etc. I eat alot of fruit, maybe it's the sugar? Soooo frustrating!
How are you measuring how much you're eating though? The barcode scanner doesn't always link to correct entries and even when it does you'll still need a way to measure what you're actually consuming. Same with what you cook from scratch. You'll want to make sure that you're choosing correct database entries and accurately measuring how much you're actually eating.
Sugar won't keep you from losing weight if you're in a calorie deficit.3 -
But you are losing weight, maybe not quite as fast as expected, but you are losing. You can expect to lose up to one pound per week, but then you have to do it right:
Check each entry before you log it, make sure the nutritional values are the same as on the label, the producer's or restaurant's website, or USDA's database. Weigh everything and log the amount you use. Don't worry about "processed" foods; almost every food needs some kind of processing to be edible, instead focus on overall nutrition, taste, and functional routines. Everything is chemicals, food isn't toxic. Exercise for fun and wellbeing, not to lose weight.
Then be patient and weigh yourself regularly (I'm for daily), under the same conditions every time, and look at the weight trend over weeks and months.1 -
I guess I'm trusting that a banana is 90 calories, two plain large boiled eggs are 140, I google everything and eat by measuring portions, a cup of zucchini a 1/3 cup of oats, I'm very meticulous. I check the barcode results against the database. My original plan was 1600 cal a day, to lose 1 lb a week, so even if I'm screwing up I should still be losing something.
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I see your point, when I google 2 boiled eggs I see 156 calories and the app tells me 70!0
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You can easily eat way over 1600 calories, thinking you are eating 1300, unless you log properly.camillewest8613 wrote: »I guess I'm trusting that a banana is 90 calories, two plain large boiled eggs are 140, I google everything and eat by measuring portions, a cup of zucchini a 1/3 cup of oats, I'm very meticulous. I check the barcode results against the database. My original plan was 1600 cal a day, to lose 1 lb a week, so even if I'm screwing up I should still be losing something.
Measuring anything but liquids is not being meticulous, that's being sloppy.
You have to weigh things to enable MFP to calculate how many calories it has. What database?3 -
It's not the sugar, it's not logging correctly.7
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camillewest8613 wrote: »I guess I'm trusting that a banana is 90 calories, two plain large boiled eggs are 140, I google everything and eat by measuring portions, a cup of zucchini a 1/3 cup of oats, I'm very meticulous. I check the barcode results against the database. My original plan was 1600 cal a day, to lose 1 lb a week, so even if I'm screwing up I should still be losing something.
You're losing some weight now, so the estimating is working up to a point. If you're wondering why you aren't losing faster, it's probably because your logging is just based on estimations.2 -
camillewest8613 wrote: »Thanks for the replies, I'm female, 5 foot nothing. Åge 51, been logging and eating 1200/1300 for 22 days straight. Trying to lose 5 lbs.
I use the barcode scanner to track packaged foods but I cook most everything from scratch to avoid processed chemicals etc. I eat alot of fruit, maybe it's the sugar? Soooo frustrating!
With only 5lb to lose it is going to be very slow. I'd expect 0.25-0.5lb per week if you log everything 100% correctly3 -
When we get older, it seems that weight loss is slower. Last year, when I first started MFP (53 y/o) it took 3 weeks for any weight to come off. Well, the first few days I shed a little water weight/bloating, then NOTHING, I think for at least 3 weeks or more. Then I "whooshed" and it seemed like overnight I lost 3 lbs. I tend to lose in "whooshes" and maybe you will too. Just be meticulous about your food.
I log large eggs as 70 calories each also. Bananas? I weigh them for sure. Too much variation.2 -
I say body recomp. I log my weight every day and and do measurements each Sunday.
I plateaued on the scale about a week ago and haven't lost an ounce in 6 days, however there isn't a single part of my body that isn't narrower than it was a week ago ('cept my thighs).1 -
camillewest8613 wrote: »Thanks for the replies, I'm female, 5 foot nothing. Åge 51, been logging and eating 1200/1300 for 22 days straight. Trying to lose 5 lbs.
I use the barcode scanner to track packaged foods but I cook most everything from scratch to avoid processed chemicals etc. I eat alot of fruit, maybe it's the sugar? Soooo frustrating!
First of all you're trying to lose weight within what is considered a measurement noise level. A lot of people have a 5lbs variation as their maintenance range. Strongly suggest that you try using a weight trend application to evaluate your progress.
Secondly you are trying for a very small movement essentially at the level of recomp. So a 1.5lb progress is most excellent.
It has already been addressed that you're estimating, which is fine as long as you accept that it will result in slightly sub optimal progress.
Why would every banana be 90 Cal? To be honest most retail bananas in Canada are more than that unless you go about picking ultra small or scrawny bananas. On the other hand putting the banana on a scale will get rid of that ambiguity. Using entry Banana, Raw, USDA 09040 (with about 89 Cal per 100g) would also go a good way towards more accurately logging that banana.
Why would every egg be 70 Cal? Eggs are quite standardised and quite often a large, fresh, raw egg is 50g; but this is not always the case and certainly medium or extra large eggs aren't. Using Egg, Whole, Raw, Fresh, USDA 01123 (with about 143 Cal per 100g, or 71.5 Cal per 50g) would result in a very incremental improvement ;-) But it would also show you your potassium so why not!
In any case... you are doing excellent and are well on your way to getting where you want to be based on your results so far!5 -
Thank
You all for the details and words of encouragement. Tracking the weight of every egg and banana would be a part time job, I get the idea, but I will stick to the basics and keep he faith! Thanks again!0 -
camillewest8613 wrote: »Thank
You all for the details and words of encouragement. Tracking the weight of every egg and banana would be a part time job, I get the idea, but I will stick to the basics and keep he faith! Thanks again!
Just so you know, when people begin weighing it takes a day or two to sometimes get the hang of it . . . but it's super easy and fast after that. Something to consider.5 -
janejellyroll wrote: »camillewest8613 wrote: »Thank
You all for the details and words of encouragement. Tracking the weight of every egg and banana would be a part time job, I get the idea, but I will stick to the basics and keep he faith! Thanks again!
Just so you know, when people begin weighing it takes a day or two to sometimes get the hang of it . . . but it's super easy and fast after that. Something to consider.
I thought it was going to be a pain when I started. Nowadays, it's just a part of the process. Scale comes out. I weigh out everything (almost). I don't weigh things like spinach because the variation is way lower for a lot of it, but everything else gets weigh in.
For example, if I want a bowl of yogurt (or a container to take to work), I just take the yogurt container without the lid, put it on the scale, hit the 'tare', and scoop it out until I get the amount I want. The scale added maybe 10 seconds to a process I would have done anyway.
When it becomes habit, it gets real easy - and so worth it.3 -
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camillewest8613 wrote: »Thank
You all for the details and words of encouragement. Tracking the weight of every egg and banana would be a part time job, I get the idea, but I will stick to the basics and keep he faith! Thanks again!
It literally takes seconds. I don't weigh eggs because they're sorted by size already but really the extra 5 seconds it takes it weigh something is worth it to me. But if weighing isn't for you - then just adjust your calories lower to account for all the extra calories you're eating and not logging.1 -
CynthiasChoice wrote: »One more thing: I just read that alcohol can temporarily slow down your metabolism by 70%! Yikes!
Yeah, that's BS. I lost 13lbs in 8 weeks by just reducing my calories to an average of 1200-1300 per day. Drank at least 4 days out of 7 of every week. Hit goal today...I'm pushing 40 years old. It's all about calories.
So, OP, if you aren't losing you are estimating your calorie in/out incorrectly.
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There's no tricks... it's not carbs or sugar or alcohol that is hindering your weight loss. It's definitely your inaccurate logging! Keep in mind that all MFP entries are user-submitted, so there may be errors and you need to be diligent to choose the best entries.
Here's an example of how much calories can be different when you just eyeball:
Using a food scale is no more difficult than measuring cups AND you dirty fewer dishes in the process.
Put your bowl on your scale, then tare it to 0. Add your food, jot down the number in grams/ounces, then add to your MFP diary. Eat food from bowl. Very simple!
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OP is losing fine. OP should not be losing faster. The problem with her loose calculations and desire for fast results is that she will push too much to go faster and not that she can't succeed. OP is looking to lose 5lbs. For most people maintenance is a 5lb range. We are at the NOISE level for weight loss. A small change in food and activity will get her there.
ETA: withdrew call for avoiding food restriction and concentrating on recomp instead. OP is not yet fully within the normal weight range so a small caloric restriction would be expected to produce good results.
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kristen8000 wrote: »CynthiasChoice wrote: »One more thing: I just read that alcohol can temporarily slow down your metabolism by 70%! Yikes!
Yeah, that's BS. I lost 13lbs in 8 weeks by just reducing my calories to an average of 1200-1300 per day. Drank at least 4 days out of 7 of every week. Hit goal today...I'm pushing 40 years old. It's all about calories.
So, OP, if you aren't losing you are estimating your calorie in/out incorrectly.
Yeah, I can anecdotally confirm that weight loss is not directly hindered by alcohol consumption, either mild or of the binge variety. Indirectly, you do need to watch for the munchies, of course.1 -
At the risk of beating this to death...if the package says, for example, one slice of bread is 100 calories why do I need to weigh it? Are we assuming every package is potentially inaccurate??0
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Not to mention the all important 100 calorie corona light?0
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I used to just go by package weight, but you'd be surprised by the differences in prepackaged foods. And bananas, don't get me started. Some weigh double what others weigh, which significantly affects the calories and carbs. It really takes very little time, and when I tightened up my logging by weighing things like that it helped me lose a bit faster, along with upping my water intake.0
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