Struggling

mbsmith
mbsmith Posts: 8 Member
edited November 25 in Health and Weight Loss
I've been tracking using mfp for over 10 years. About 4 years ago I got serious and lost 45 lbs. Over the last year gained 15 back. Joined weight watchers online 2 months ago and still tracking on mfp to compare points with calories. Although I have stayed around 1300 calories, only lost 1 lb. Really struggling. Tried low carb, and some fasting.
Female, age 60, 5- 2 tall

Replies

  • kommodevaran
    kommodevaran Posts: 17,890 Member
    Have you lost one pound in 2 months tracking an intake of 1300 calories per day on average? How much do you weigh? Are you using a food scale to weigh your food before you log it?
  • 4legsRbetterthan2
    4legsRbetterthan2 Posts: 19,590 MFP Moderator
    @mbsmith

    Unfortunately, since you are an older and smaller lady you need fewer calories, so you don't have as much room to create a deficit. Slower weight loss is expected. That being said, I ran your numbers through this calculator (http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/) and it looks like your TDEE is at least 1575 (I tried to educated guess your weight off you post, so it's not perfect but I think it should be close) With a goal of 1300 calories a day you should be able to lose about half a pound a week. When you have a smaller deficit to work with logging accuracy becomes more important to maintain results. If you have not already, it might be worth investing in a food scale, some people find weighing their food instead of eyeballing or measuring with cups makes a big difference for them ($10-15, you can find one from walmart, target, amazon, or most large stores).

    Since you were successful before, can you think of any differences in how you approached weight loss the last time vs now?

    Lastly, I am going to move your thread over to the general help board. I think you may get more answers there, sometimes things get buried fast in Introduce Yourself.

    ~Best wishes
  • mbsmith
    mbsmith Posts: 8 Member
    Thank you so much! I will get a food scale. It took me 2 years to lose 45 lbs before. I am just discouraged now. Get so tired of tracking but can't trust my instincts. Also... love to cook, and revise recipes to be more healthy. Haven't eaten junk or fast food in years, now gluten free due to stomach issues but don't eat many carbs, very little sugar, but hate to give up my daily glass of wine. Protein mostly fish, chicken, eggs. Thanks for your insight.
  • mbsmith
    mbsmith Posts: 8 Member
    kommodevaran wrote: »
    Have you lost one pound in 2 months tracking an intake of 1300 calories per day on average? How much do you weigh? Are you using a food scale to weigh your food before you log it?

    Current weight is 194. Yes one pound in 2 months. Took me two years to lose 45 lbs before. Then gained back 15 last year. Never want to see 200 again! I walk 30 minutes a day and use 5 lb weights 2 times a week. I never track my exercise as I want to stay at 1300. Plan to purchase food scale. Eat healthy, very low sugar, low carbs, rarely eat out. 1 glass wine per day.
  • quiksylver296
    quiksylver296 Posts: 28,439 Member
    A food scale is the best place to start. Make sure you weigh that wine. ;)

    Check out this thread. It has lots of food scale goodness.

    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10634517/you-dont-use-a-food-scale/p1
  • mbsmith
    mbsmith Posts: 8 Member
    Thank you!!
  • MegaMooseEsq
    MegaMooseEsq Posts: 3,118 Member
    edited February 2018
    It sounds like that food scale may be a real revelation - you mention a lot of healthy changes to your diet, which are awesome on their own, but none of those changes will lead to weight loss if you're still eating more calories than you burn. Ultimately it's all about calories, and people are generally pretty bad at estimating portions. You can totally do this - good luck!
  • 1houndgal
    1houndgal Posts: 558 Member
    cbstewart88 wrote: »
    I am going on 63 years old and short too - 5'4" - so we are similar. I have a Fitbit which tracks my daily calories burned. On the days I do next to nothing - I only burn about 1300 calories. That is what you say you are eating, so I would not be surprised if you are not seeing any weight loss. A 1/2 hour walk, unless you are really hoofing it - like 4+mph - burns very little - maybe 50 calories or so. So my thought is you are essentially maintaining.

    While weighing your food is a great idea to make sure you are indeed intaking 1300 calories/day - I found that unless I wanted to subsist on next to nothing (1200-1300 calories) each day for the rest of my life - I REALLY had to up my exercise. So I did. I started walking, now I am RUNNING. I enrolled in a gym which specializes in boxing training and have worked with a trainer who has me jumping rope, doing push-ups, jumping jacks, mountain climbers, burpees - all the old style stuff. I work out on the bag 2x week and spar once a week. I am burning about 600-700 calories/day with exercise which allows me to up my calories somewhat and has really taken the weight off. And the vigorous exercise allows me to burn calories the rest of the day at a much higher rate because my metabolism is cranking.

    I don't know if age DOES slow down the calorie burn. But in my case, at least, it did. I think women in their 60s over-estimate the amount of calories mild exercise burns, and UNDERESTIMATE what they are physically able to do. Try ratcheting up the exercise a bit. This is only my experience and only my humble opinion. Good Luck to you!! :)



    This^^^
  • 1houndgal
    1houndgal Posts: 558 Member
    edited February 2018
    I learned decades ago when I had my first weight battle, that watching my dietary intake (diabetic exchange diet back then) and increasing my excercise was key to losing a lot of weight. My registered dietician put me on such a plan.

    Walking 30 mins a day is not that much unless you are a huge weight like what you see on that "600 pound weight loss" show.

    My dietician had me start at 10 mins 3 times a day, then 15 mins 3 times a day, then 20 mins 3 times a day which got me to an hr of walking per day. She increased my walking time every time the walking got too easy for me.

    Soon I found myself jogging portions of my walk (I was in my twenties then). And later got up from jogging to running. I lost the weight from both excercise and diet changes.

    Talk with your dr about excercises that you are safe to partake in and can afford (ymca or gym) or on your own.

    Don't start an excercise program/plan or without consulting your dr first.

    I am older now and running is now out for me joint wise, so I turned to water activity (swimming, water fitness classes, etc).

    Other things I could safely do would be recumbant elliptical and recumbent bike. But that is what now works for me.

    You have to find what works for you. What you love doing ideally, makes working out more enjoyable.

    I am not saying stop walking. But if you want to achieve a serious weight loss safely, you need to do more moving around, if you can work up to it with whatever issues you have medically.

    And if you burn more calories because of exercising more, you get to eat more and feel more satisfied; it is even likely you will end up more energetic as you safely go about excercising.

    Oh, and let's not forget ENDORPHINS. Excercise increases your feel good endorphins. A natural high. Excercise can help alleviate depression. And you don't have to excercise to extremes to get those endorphins.

    So many benefits of excercise. I encourage you to build up to more excercise in your day. But again do so wisely and safely, in consultation with your dr.

    **I hundred percent endorse joining your local ymca. Best investment I have ever made for myself. :)



  • mbsmith
    mbsmith Posts: 8 Member
    1houndgal wrote: »
    cbstewart88 wrote: »
    I am going on 63 years old and short too - 5'4" - so we are similar. I have a Fitbit which tracks my daily calories burned. On the days I do next to nothing - I only burn about 1300 calories. That is what you say you are eating, so I would not be surprised if you are not seeing any weight loss. A 1/2 hour walk, unless you are really hoofing it - like 4+mph - burns very little - maybe 50 calories or so. So my thought is you are essentially maintaining.

    While weighing your food is a great idea to make sure you are indeed intaking 1300 calories/day - I found that unless I wanted to subsist on next to nothing (1200-1300 calories) each day for the rest of my life - I REALLY had to up my exercise. So I did. I started walking, now I am RUNNING. I enrolled in a gym which specializes in boxing training and have worked with a trainer who has me jumping rope, doing push-ups, jumping jacks, mountain climbers, burpees - all the old style stuff. I work out on the bag 2x week and spar once a week. I am burning about 600-700 calories/day with exercise which allows me to up my calories somewhat and has really taken the weight off. And the vigorous exercise allows me to burn calories the rest of the day at a much higher rate because my metabolism is cranking.

    I don't know if age DOES slow down the calorie burn. But in my case, at least, it did. I think women in their 60s over-estimate the amount of calories mild exercise burns, and UNDERESTIMATE what they are physically able to do. Try ratcheting up the exercise a bit. This is only my experience and only my humble opinion. Good Luck to you!! :)



    This^^^

    Thank you so much. I will try your suggestions
  • mbsmith
    mbsmith Posts: 8 Member
    MegaMooseEsq wrote: »
    It sounds like that food scale may be a real revelation - you mention a lot of healthy changes to your diet, which are awesome on their own, but none of those changes will lead to weight loss if you're still eating more calories than you burn. Ultimately it's all about calories, and people are generally pretty bad at estimating portions. You can totally do this - good luck!

    Thanks for the encouragement!!
  • mbsmith
    mbsmith Posts: 8 Member
    1houndgal wrote: »
    cbstewart88 wrote: »
    I am going on 63 years old and short too - 5'4" - so we are similar. I have a Fitbit which tracks my daily calories burned. On the days I do next to nothing - I only burn about 1300 calories. That is what you say you are eating, so I would not be surprised if you are not seeing any weight loss. A 1/2 hour walk, unless you are really hoofing it - like 4+mph - burns very little - maybe 50 calories or so. So my thought is you are essentially maintaining.

    While weighing your food is a great idea to make sure you are indeed intaking 1300 calories/day - I found that unless I wanted to subsist on next to nothing (1200-1300 calories) each day for the rest of my life - I REALLY had to up my exercise. So I did. I started walking, now I am RUNNING. I enrolled in a gym which specializes in boxing training and have worked with a trainer who has me jumping rope, doing push-ups, jumping jacks, mountain climbers, burpees - all the old style stuff. I work out on the bag 2x week and spar once a week. I am burning about 600-700 calories/day with exercise which allows me to up my calories somewhat and has really taken the weight off. And the vigorous exercise allows me to burn calories the rest of the day at a much higher rate because my metabolism is cranking.

    I don't know if age DOES slow down the calorie burn. But in my case, at least, it did. I think women in their 60s over-estimate the amount of calories mild exercise burns, and UNDERESTIMATE what they are physically able to do. Try ratcheting up the exercise a bit. This is only my experience and only my humble opinion. Good Luck to you!! :)



    This^^^

    You inspired me to get my fitbit out of the cupboard and charge it up. Will work on varying exercise too. Thanks for your help!
  • threec
    threec Posts: 97 Member
    edited February 2018
    I’m 35 & 5’3 if I want to loose anything I have to be at about 1200, my Fitbit had me as burning 1284 calories days I didn’t wear it. So if I want to loose at an any type of rate at all, and still eat I have to burn a good amount through exercise. Typically 90 mins at 3.0-4.0 mph will get me to about 1800 calories burnt a day
This discussion has been closed.

Categories