How do I need to adjust?

staciw
staciw Posts: 58 Member
edited March 2019 in Food and Nutrition
I lost about 30 lbs about 1-2 years ago. I managed to keep it off, and stopped trying to lose after I hit a plateau. About a month ago, I decided it was time to get rid of the last 15 pounds, so I’ve been working on that. It’s not a plateau - Im just stuck from the beginning. The scale hasn’t budged in four weeks. Staying within the same 1 pound - 171. I’m 5’5”. Started using MFP about four weeks ago - selected light active. I get in about 10,000 steps a day between work and doing walking/running intervals (building up to run a 5k) for 30ish minutes 5 days a week. I’m eating between 1200-1280 clean calories a day - hitting all of the MFP suggested macros for protein, etc.

I am taking measurements - so I’ll look at those again soon - but clothes are not fitting any differently.

47 years old. Going through the change - so I expected things to slow down, but I gotta get moving before I can slow down! Trying to hit about 155 before June - so need to drop 15 lbs

Suggestions?

Replies

  • ceiswyn
    ceiswyn Posts: 2,256 Member
    edited March 2019
    How are you measuring how many calories you eat? Are you using a food scale? How are you deciding which DB entries to use?

    Most people who aren't losing weight are making logging errors that mean they're eating more than they think. If you open your diary, people might be able to see whether that's the case for you.
  • hypocacculus
    hypocacculus Posts: 68 Member
    The most obvious question is are you diligently weighing all your food? If not, start now! It is so, so easy to overshoot by a few hundred calories.

    If you are absolutely certain about your intake and output and your net calories really are as you say, I believe you should definitely be losing fat on that regime. So next, have you checked your scales? New batteries required? I'd expect your weight over a month to zig zag up and down with normal fluctuations over a month. If it's been giving you exactly the same figure day after day, something is likely to be wrong.

    If the scales are fine, then possibly your new exercise routine is causing you to retain water, especially if you've suddenly started drinking more.

  • staciw
    staciw Posts: 58 Member
    Yes. I am weighing and measuring every single bite - using a food scale and using measuring cups and spoons for liquids. Absolutely no “cheating” - and I log every single bite. I’m photographing my food - and 90% of my
    Meals I prepare at home so I know exactly what’s in them.

    I am not good about water intake.
  • staciw
    staciw Posts: 58 Member
    The scale sticks between 171.8 - 172.6 up and down daily.
  • Panini911
    Panini911 Posts: 2,325 Member
    I know you say you use a food scale but i'd still want to re-check how accurate you are being. raw vs cooked, using correct entries.

    but have you ramped up the exercise? Maybe some water retention going on in the muscles.
  • corrarjo
    corrarjo Posts: 1,157 Member
    staciw wrote: »
    ...I’m eating between 1200-1280 clean calories a day - hitting all of the MFP suggested macros for protein, etc.
    Suggestions?

    If you're using the MFP suggested numbers for calories and macros, remember, these are just that, suggestions. If you track everything and are not losing, then I suggest you're eating at a maintenance level.
  • Panini911
    Panini911 Posts: 2,325 Member
    corrarjo wrote: »
    staciw wrote: »
    ...I’m eating between 1200-1280 clean calories a day - hitting all of the MFP suggested macros for protein, etc.
    Suggestions?

    If you're using the MFP suggested numbers for calories and macros, remember, these are just that, suggestions. If you track everything and are not losing, then I suggest you're eating at a maintenance level.

    short of a medical issue, given her height and exercise listed she should not be at maintenance with only 1200-1280 calories. I mean sure it's possible, but unlikely. more likely it's just slow to come off, she is retaining water or she is eating more than she think she is.
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 34,417 Member
    My scale does that when the battery needs to be changed, although it will usually stick on one weight day after day.
  • ceiswyn
    ceiswyn Posts: 2,256 Member
    staciw wrote: »
    Yes. I am weighing and measuring every single bite - using a food scale and using measuring cups and spoons for liquids. Absolutely no “cheating” - and I log every single bite. I’m photographing my food - and 90% of my
    Meals I prepare at home so I know exactly what’s in them.

    I am not good about water intake.

    A lot of people are certain they're weighing and measuring everything correctly, but when they open their diaries it turns out that they aren't, or they're using bad DB entries, or they're weighing cooked instead of raw, or making various other errors.

    If you really were doing everything right you'd be losing weight; so the important thing is to figure out what errors are creeping in without your awareness.
  • staciw
    staciw Posts: 58 Member
    Thanks everyone. I’m going to give it a couple more weeks. The exercise portion is new. I lost 30 lbs using only diet - so I’m comfortable with my weighing, measuring and tracking of food. The thing that’s different this time is the exercise. A few times before I’ve stalled when I started exercise, and I quit the exercise because of it. This time, I’ll push through and reevaluate in a couple of weeks. I hadn’t remembered that until someone mentioned it!
  • emmamcgarity
    emmamcgarity Posts: 1,594 Member
    Exercise can cause water retention that can mask losses on the scale. It sounds like you are also weighing daily. You might consider getting a weight trending app like Happy Scale so that you can more easily see the trend line.
  • corrarjo
    corrarjo Posts: 1,157 Member
    right click and open in a new tab or window
    exercise and weight gain

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