Doing everything right and not seeing results

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lacyfaye
lacyfaye Posts: 5 Member
in Motivation and Support
For three weeks I have been eating 1500 calories a day and exercising whenever I get the chance, usually four or five times a week and I've only lost about two pounds. It's extremely discouraging. Any ideas as to what's wrong?

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  • LovesNoodles
    LovesNoodles Posts: 72
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    try tracking your measurements too!
    I lost 1lbs last week but I lost 1 inch on my waist and 1/2 an inch on my hips :)
  • CMGemstone
    CMGemstone Posts: 64 Member
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    just keep at it, and make sure you drink LOTS of water! Somtimes it takes longer then others. :) Think of it this way, you are 2 pounds lighter and that is a start!
  • NoAdditives
    NoAdditives Posts: 4,251 Member
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    Make your food diary public so we can see your habits and can make recommendations based off them.
  • kellyscomeback
    kellyscomeback Posts: 1,369 Member
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    Are you eating back most of your exercise calories or not? Is 1500 cals before exercise is added in or not?

    With out seeing what you are eating we can't give you advice.
  • lindainak
    lindainak Posts: 101
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    If you are truly doing everything right then you might want a consult with your doctor. People with thyroid problems have no control over their weight.
  • Roseapples
    Roseapples Posts: 11
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    That happened to me as well. I was trying really hard with no results. I just kept going, it took about a month and a half to see results but then it came off fast
    :wink:
    Keep it up!
  • shesblossoming
    shesblossoming Posts: 426
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    Have you seen what a pound of fat looks like? That's amazing! Losing two pounds in three weeks may not seem like a lot, but it is. And if you're only losing about twenty pounds, it is going to take longer to lose it.
  • kmcw50
    kmcw50 Posts: 26 Member
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    :happy: How much weight do you have to lose? The closer to your goal the longer it takes and if you have a lot of muscle it looks more attractive but weighs more Keep itn up you will see results.
  • RMinVA
    RMinVA Posts: 1,085 Member
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    I posted this in a blog awhile ago. And just recently revisited it since the scale has been stalled. I have been weighing calorie dense foods and took it a step further and started weighing fruit. I was shocked to find out that what I was counting as a single piece of fruit, was more like two. So just by eating 3 pieces of fruit a day, I was over 150-200 calories PER day. And that can make a HUGE difference. So here was the blog I posted:

    Yes, you need a caloric deficit of 3500 to lose a pound, but it's just not that simple and the math often doesn't add up the way you think it should. As for creating that 3500 caloric deficit? I think it is extremely difficult to determine an accurate # for 2 reasons.

    First, you have to determine an accurate caloric burn. A good HRM is probably the best way to do this, but a lot of people don't have them, or take the time to calibrate them properly. What about machines? Caloric burns from machines are notoriously innacurate (usually in the range of 15%-20%). Database entries? Somewhat generic. Then there is the issue of environment, humidity, intensity, etc. which all impact your overall caloric burn.

    Second, you have to calculate caloric intake. Did you know that by law nutritional labels can be off by as much as 20%? That's right, you could be counting everything and still be eating 20% more than you realize. Restaurant calorie counts? Not even regulated by the FDA. Those same counts also assume that the food is made to recipe standard: an extra bit of butter, oil, cheese, or product substitution can easily add a couple hundred calories. How do you measure your food? If you are not using a scale, this video could be an eye opener for you http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JVjWPclrWVY

    So, burn less calories than you think + eat more than you think = no weight loss and maybe even some gain. Even though you think you are doing everything right.

    Then there is the whole issue of eating nutritionally dense foods...and after all, that is the biggest single component of weight loss. That is another post entirely, but consider this...do you really think that 1400 calories of instant oatmeal, lean cuisines and 100 cal snack packs has the same nutritional punch as a well rounded diet based on fresh fruits/veggies, good for you fats/carbs, whole grains, lean meats, and low fat diary? To be clear, I understand that convenience and portion control are important to many people in their weight loss journey. I'm just saying there are better options.

    My response to this is to stick to a range of calories 1400-1600 is my sweet spot. I stick to this #, and I lose weight. Anything else, and I'm stuck.

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