Plateau

wareagleteacher
wareagleteacher Posts: 5 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hi all! Been using MFP off and on for a couple of years. Like most people, straightened up my diet 1/1 and began exercising again. I have only lost two lbs since. TWO! I am 5’3” and weigh 168.4. I walk 3.5 miles every day. I also fast from 8pm-noon. I log my food in MFP. I am set at 1200 calories and I usually have 300 from walking. I always have calories left over. Please help cause I’m getting frustrated and ready to just say to hell with this and eat without worry! Thanks!

Replies

  • janejellyroll
    janejellyroll Posts: 25,763 Member
    You say you've been "off and on" for a couple of years. With this plan, how long have you been "on"? That's what is relevant.

    The questions about the accuracy of your calorie estimates is important too. Always having calories left over doesn't mean much if you're eating more than you think you are.
  • wareagleteacher
    wareagleteacher Posts: 5 Member
    I track everything. So unless MFP is inaccurate, I have calories left.
  • Muscleflex79
    Muscleflex79 Posts: 1,917 Member
    wareagleteacher wrote: »
    I track everything. So unless MFP is inaccurate, I have calories left.

    you "track", but do you weigh everything?
  • wareagleteacher
    wareagleteacher Posts: 5 Member
    Yes — I use a food scale
  • janejellyroll
    janejellyroll Posts: 25,763 Member
    wareagleteacher wrote: »
    I track everything. So unless MFP is inaccurate, I have calories left.

    MFP does have a ton of inaccurate database entries. If you open your diary, we may be able to help you troubleshoot.
  • knightmagic
    knightmagic Posts: 100 Member
    how long have you been on this plateau? i was on one for 8 weeks once. I tracked every tiny bit of everything that i put in my mouth and stayed the same weight for 2 months and then finally my body dropped 10lbs (albeit after a refeed).
  • wareagleteacher
    wareagleteacher Posts: 5 Member
    Since January!
  • yirara
    yirara Posts: 9,985 Member
    You're not really that heavy, and that MFP put you on 1200 calories a day suggests that the goal you've chosen is too big for you. If this happens then MFP puts you on 1200 as it's the lowest possible on this site. Everything lower would be very unhealthy. Thus it's very likely that your expectations are too big. On the other hand.. do you eat back all your exercise calories? 300 for 3.5 miles walking sounds a bit too high.

    Have you been tracking and using a food scale on everything with calories since january? If you want to I suggest you open your food diary. Maybe there are some seriously dodgy entries in there.
  • L1zardQueen
    L1zardQueen Posts: 8,753 Member
    OP, have you read this link?

    https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10634517/you-dont-use-a-food-scale/p1
  • wareagleteacher
    wareagleteacher Posts: 5 Member
    Thanks, all. I think I am going to be more careful about weighting vs. measuring. That HAS to account for part of it. I’ll check back in a few weeks with an update. Btw, I use an Apple Watch for my calories burned. Not accurate?
  • L1zardQueen
    L1zardQueen Posts: 8,753 Member
    I think my Apple Watch has been pretty accurate for me.
  • Avidkeo
    Avidkeo Posts: 3,211 Member
    yirara wrote: »
    You're not really that heavy, and that MFP put you on 1200 calories a day suggests that the goal you've chosen is too big for you. If this happens then MFP puts you on 1200 as it's the lowest possible on this site. Everything lower would be very unhealthy. Thus it's very likely that your expectations are too big. On the other hand.. do you eat back all your exercise calories? 300 for 3.5 miles walking sounds a bit too high.

    Have you been tracking and using a food scale on everything with calories since january? If you want to I suggest you open your food diary. Maybe there are some seriously dodgy entries in there.

    I'm same height and a weigh fewer lb than op and I can burn 300 calories doing 3.5 miles. But that's when I walk fast. Op are these fast walks, or strolls?

    OP have you had days where you have gone over calories and by how much? Or days where you don't bother tracking. If you do, then you are likely eating enough these days to effectively "maintain" over the course of a week.

    Can I suggest you eat back just half of your exercise calories, and make sure you Track absolutely everything - weighing everything - for a couple of weeks and see what happens.
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 34,600 Member
    edited May 2020
    wareagleteacher wrote: »
    Thanks, all. I think I am going to be more careful about weighting vs. measuring. That HAS to account for part of it. I’ll check back in a few weeks with an update. Btw, I use an Apple Watch for my calories burned. Not accurate?

    Synched with MFP? Users say that interface is problematic. (I can't diagnose specifically: I use a Garmin, and don't synch, because it estimates me . . . inaccurately, and so does MFP.)
  • yirara
    yirara Posts: 9,985 Member
    wareagleteacher wrote: »
    Thanks, all. I think I am going to be more careful about weighting vs. measuring. That HAS to account for part of it. I’ll check back in a few weeks with an update. Btw, I use an Apple Watch for my calories burned. Not accurate?

    It's just a guess that works for average people. As only about 60% of people are truly average it stands to reason that it's not accurate for everyone. I suggest you start with weighing your food, all your food and see how much calories you're really eating. Maybe eat back half or 3/4 of your exercise calories to be on the safe side.

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