Weight Loss

b7qhg8k4ft
b7qhg8k4ft Posts: 6 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hiya, I’m just looking for advice and wondered if anyone was having a similar experience.
I have been exercising consistently for about 7 months now with a good diet as well. I’m in a calorie deficit pretty much all the time. May have a cheat day once in a while but very rarely. I haven’t shifted any weight. My clothes don’t fit and it’s getting me so down because I’ve been working really hard.
Im on the depo contraceptive injection which a common side effect is weight gain. This seems to be because it increases your appetite. I haven’t noticed this however, I’m fact I don’t eat enough a lot of the time. I’m not getting my next shot but I’m not convinced I will finally start seeing results when it’s out of my system.
So I’m at a loss why I’m not seeing any improvement. Are there any women who have had or are having a similar experience? Did you manage to get the weight off? How?

Replies

  • tomcustombuilder
    tomcustombuilder Posts: 2,229 Member
    You’re not in a weekly calorie deficit
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 28,052 Member
    First, don't take this personally because not being able to record calories correctly is really common.

    If you haven't lost weight in seven months, it's because you're not in a calorie deficit.

    There are mistakes that people commonly make that cause them to not lose weight that we might be able to spot if you change your Diary Sharing settings to Public. In the app, go to Settings > Diary Setting > Diary Sharing > and check Public. Desktop: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/account/diary_settings
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 34,257 Member
    Sadly, the folks above are likely right: Not in a calorie deficit, no matter what some so-called "calculator" (or even good fitness tracker) says.

    It's 100% true that some drugs or health conditions can trigger weight gain, and make loss more difficult. (I've taken some of those drugs in the past, BTW - steroids, estrogen agonists/antagonists.) Most often, the mechanisms for that are going to be one of the following, or a combination:

    * Fatigue. Drug or condition causes fatigue, subtle or dramatic, and we move less, so burn fewer calories than the average person in our circumstances/demographics would burn.
    * Water weight. Some drugs and health conditions lead us to retain more water weight, and - even though that's not fat - it drives scale weight in an unhappy direction.
    * Appetite. Some drugs/conditions can make it hard to stick to the needed calorie goal. This, too, can be subtle: The effect of unlogged cheat days, or simple logging errors, conspires in this. (See @kshama2001's offer - not order - above, that MFP "old hands" would review your diary if you open it up. We've all made a bazillion oopsies, and maybe we could help you avoid repeating some of them.

    There can be true metabolic effects of drugs or health conditions, but they're basically a variation of the fatigue situation: We simply require fewer calories than otherwise similar people. (I'm saying this as a severely hypothyroid, menopausal, old (67 y/o) woman, so this is a thing that I've given some mental bandwidth.) It's stinks, but arguing with it or saying "it's not fair!!" serves no useful purpose. If it's happening, we're going to have to face it, sadly. (There are ways we can push back.)

    Calorie balance - getting the calories eaten below calories spent - always rules, when it comes to weight loss. It's a simple idea, but not necessarily an easy practice. If you think about it, it's a law of physics, instantiated in our lives and bodies. We require a certain amount of gas (calories) in the tank to go a certain distance, but it matters whether our vehicle is more efficient (requires less energy to go the distance) or inefficient (needs more energy for the distance).

    There are ways to move the needle, but the basic idea is that if we're not losing weight for a long, multi-month, multi-menstrual cycle time period, we unfortunately need to find ways to move more, or eat less. It's not necessarily easy, but neither is it out of reach.

    I think you'll need to make some adjustments, unfortunately. If you open your diary here, perhaps some of the experienced folks can help speed that learning process. That's an option, an offer, not an order. Optional, your call.

    Regardless, I'm cheering for you to succeed!
  • b7qhg8k4ft
    b7qhg8k4ft Posts: 6 Member
    I think I’ve managed to share my diary 😅. I haven’t long had this app so I don’t have many entries at the moment. But you get the gist
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 28,052 Member
    b7qhg8k4ft wrote: »
    I think I’ve managed to share my diary 😅. I haven’t long had this app so I don’t have many entries at the moment. But you get the gist

    Great, thanks!

    I see lots of entries that use weights, which is a good start. I suggest prioritizing weighing everything you can for a week or two, and making note of any interesting surprises. (By "everything you can" I mean everything you eat in your house or where you have access to a scale.)

    I have doubts about 66 calories for "Sunflower seeds, salted, 1 cup, in shell, yields" and suggest you double check that.

    I'm curious about your 1 g of coconut shreds - are you really only using 1 g?
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 34,420 Member
    Yeah, I looked at the FOOD diary too. Lots of questions, here, read this:

    https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10012907/logging-accuracy-consistency-and-youre-probably-eating-more-than-you-think/p1
  • b7qhg8k4ft
    b7qhg8k4ft Posts: 6 Member
    I definitely need to weigh my breakfast more accurately. Just tend to be rushing in the morning so it doesn’t always work out. But that will be a goal this week.
    But it’s not like I have a lot of the coconut and sunflower seeds anyway, even if those amounts are off
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 34,257 Member
    b7qhg8k4ft wrote: »
    I definitely need to weigh my breakfast more accurately. Just tend to be rushing in the morning so it doesn’t always work out. But that will be a goal this week.
    But it’s not like I have a lot of the coconut and sunflower seeds anyway, even if those amounts are off

    Seeds and coconut are somewhat calorie dense, worth getting accurate IMO.

    Quickest weighing method: Put box/jar/bag of seeds on scale. Tare/zero the scale. Scoop out the amount you want. Note negative number on scale: It's the amount you took out.

    For the seeds in my breakfast, I go for a standardized amount, say 10g. I use the method above, but add/shake out a little from my scoop until the scale says -10g. It's quick.

    For me, those breakfast seeds (or peanut butter or whatever) in standard amounts are part of a standardized breakfast meal entry on MFP . . . near one click to log the whole meal, once it's set up.

    Very quick.
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 28,052 Member
    I've been logging off and on for 10 years and still catch myself making mistakes. :wink:

    I see a lot of other entries for sunflower seeds in the shell, and all of them are higher than 66 calories for a cup. Some are significantly higher. Do verify the entry you are using against your package.

    Like for Ann, 10 grams coconut is a serving size for me. It's 66 calories. Here's what 10 g and 1 g looks like in a 1/4 C measuring cup.

    f7opr2pma9zm.png

    Say you were off by 250 calories per day. That would prevent you from losing a half pound per week. This has happened to me with exercise calories. I went from being Lightly Active to Sedentary, didn't adjust, didn't lose weight.
  • b7qhg8k4ft
    b7qhg8k4ft Posts: 6 Member
    So I measured out my usual intake of the sunflower seeds and the coconut shavings. I actually eat less than I’ve been putting in so I don’t think that’s really the problem
  • tomcustombuilder
    tomcustombuilder Posts: 2,229 Member
    Well that's 1 entry so that leaves severl more to consider. You can be spot on with everything and still be off due to incorrect choices on the MFP menu, packaging being off by sometimes up to 20% or just not logging everything you eat every day for weeks and months on end.

    No loss=no deficit
  • lynn_glenmont
    lynn_glenmont Posts: 10,093 Member
    b7qhg8k4ft wrote: »
    So I measured out my usual intake of the sunflower seeds and the coconut shavings. I actually eat less than I’ve been putting in so I don’t think that’s really the problem

    For the sunflower seeds, the posters above seemed to be suggesting that the entry you're using is inaccurate. Good logging requires both accurate measurement (usually weighing) of the amount you're eating and using an accurate database entry.
  • Rockymountainflyer
    Rockymountainflyer Posts: 26 Member
    Accurate database is vital. Just put chicken curry and it's anywhere from 120 calories to 720 calories. Then you have to ask yourself whether that includes the rice! I always check the labels, calculate servings, then pick one of the ones closest to that. Hard work! I don't eat out a lot lol.
  • tomcustombuilder
    tomcustombuilder Posts: 2,229 Member
    edited June 2023
    It’s a good idea to double check your first time entry calorie amounts with another web site to get a “second opinion”. If you log a food based on an entry and you choose a too low entry and consistently eat that food your actual intake will show too low. This is one reason why people underestimate their intake, they choose an entry with the calorie amount that is lower than the others and that entry can be incorrect and unrealistic.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    sherrilynn1985 wrote: »
    Accurate database is vital. Just put chicken curry and it's anywhere from 120 calories to 720 calories. Then you have to ask yourself whether that includes the rice! I always check the labels, calculate servings, then pick one of the ones closest to that. Hard work! I don't eat out a lot lol.

    That's because "chicken curry" is just going to be some other random users recipe entry. With stuff like that you need to use the recipe builder if you've made your own. If it's from a restaurant that doesn't provide nutritional information, your best bet is to pick an entry for the same entrée from a chain restaurant that does have nutritional information...though I don't know of any Thai restaurants that are large enough chains to require nutritional information.
  • Rockymountainflyer
    Rockymountainflyer Posts: 26 Member

    "That's because "chicken curry" is just going to be some other random users recipe entry."

    Wow, I didn't know that and I've been using MFP for 1 1/2 years. Thank you!
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 28,052 Member
    b7qhg8k4ft wrote: »
    So I measured out my usual intake of the sunflower seeds and the coconut shavings. I actually eat less than I’ve been putting in so I don’t think that’s really the problem

    I wasn't saying you were measuring out more than 1 C of sunflower seeds in the shell. What I'm suggesting is that 66 calories for that amount of sunflower seeds seems very low to me. What does your package say?
  • b7qhg8k4ft
    b7qhg8k4ft Posts: 6 Member
    cwolfman13 wrote: »
    sherrilynn1985 wrote: »
    Accurate database is vital. Just put chicken curry and it's anywhere from 120 calories to 720 calories. Then you have to ask yourself whether that includes the rice! I always check the labels, calculate servings, then pick one of the ones closest to that. Hard work! I don't eat out a lot lol.

    That's because "chicken curry" is just going to be some other random users recipe entry. With stuff like that you need to use the recipe builder if you've made your own. If it's from a restaurant that doesn't provide nutritional information, your best bet is to pick an entry for the same entrée from a chain restaurant that does have nutritional information...though I don't know of any Thai restaurants that are large enough chains to require nutritional information.
    cwolfman13 wrote: »
    sherrilynn1985 wrote: »
    Accurate database is vital. Just put chicken curry and it's anywhere from 120 calories to 720 calories. Then you have to ask yourself whether that includes the rice! I always check the labels, calculate servings, then pick one of the ones closest to that. Hard work! I don't eat out a lot lol.

    That's because "chicken curry" is just going to be some other random users recipe entry. With stuff like that you need to use the recipe builder if you've made your own. If it's from a restaurant that doesn't provide nutritional information, your best bet is to pick an entry for the same entrée from a chain restaurant that does have nutritional information...though I don't know of any Thai restaurants that are large enough chains to require nutritional information.
    cwolfman13 wrote: »
    sherrilynn1985 wrote: »
    Accurate database is vital. Just put chicken curry and it's anywhere from 120 calories to 720 calories. Then you have to ask yourself whether that includes the rice! I always check the labels, calculate servings, then pick one of the ones closest to that. Hard work! I don't eat out a lot lol.

    That's because "chicken curry" is just going to be some other random users recipe entry. With stuff like that you need to use the recipe builder if you've made your own. If it's from a restaurant that doesn't provide nutritional information, your best bet is to pick an entry for the same entrée from a chain restaurant that does have nutritional information...though I don't know of any Thai restaurants that are large enough chains to require nutritional information.


    I scan all my items so I don’t just pick a generic chicken curry for example.
  • b7qhg8k4ft
    b7qhg8k4ft Posts: 6 Member
    kshama2001 wrote: »
    b7qhg8k4ft wrote: »
    So I measured out my usual intake of the sunflower seeds and the coconut shavings. I actually eat less than I’ve been putting in so I don’t think that’s really the problem

    I wasn't saying you were measuring out more than 1 C of sunflower seeds in the shell. What I'm suggesting is that 66 calories for that amount of sunflower seeds seems very low to me. What does your package say?

    That could very well be wrong. But I use 1gram of sunflower seeds, literally a sprinkle. So according to my packaging that’s just over 5 calories
  • tomcustombuilder
    tomcustombuilder Posts: 2,229 Member
    b7qhg8k4ft wrote: »
    kshama2001 wrote: »
    b7qhg8k4ft wrote: »
    So I measured out my usual intake of the sunflower seeds and the coconut shavings. I actually eat less than I’ve been putting in so I don’t think that’s really the problem

    I wasn't saying you were measuring out more than 1 C of sunflower seeds in the shell. What I'm suggesting is that 66 calories for that amount of sunflower seeds seems very low to me. What does your package say?

    That could very well be wrong. But I use 1gram of sunflower seeds, literally a sprinkle. So according to my packaging that’s just over 5 calories
    I’d focus more on the big picture than sunflower seeds. Scanning can be off as much as 20% so don’t put too much confidence that the scanning or labels are accurate as many products under report calories to make them seem more “diet friendly”.

    Regardless of what you’re doing or not doing accurately, you need to find a way to get into a weekly deficit.

    Your body doesn’t know numbers, only if it’s being given energy to either lose mass, gain mass or maintain mass.

  • Lietchi
    Lietchi Posts: 6,845 Member
    b7qhg8k4ft wrote: »
    cwolfman13 wrote: »
    sherrilynn1985 wrote: »
    Accurate database is vital. Just put chicken curry and it's anywhere from 120 calories to 720 calories. Then you have to ask yourself whether that includes the rice! I always check the labels, calculate servings, then pick one of the ones closest to that. Hard work! I don't eat out a lot lol.

    That's because "chicken curry" is just going to be some other random users recipe entry. With stuff like that you need to use the recipe builder if you've made your own. If it's from a restaurant that doesn't provide nutritional information, your best bet is to pick an entry for the same entrée from a chain restaurant that does have nutritional information...though I don't know of any Thai restaurants that are large enough chains to require nutritional information.
    cwolfman13 wrote: »
    sherrilynn1985 wrote: »
    Accurate database is vital. Just put chicken curry and it's anywhere from 120 calories to 720 calories. Then you have to ask yourself whether that includes the rice! I always check the labels, calculate servings, then pick one of the ones closest to that. Hard work! I don't eat out a lot lol.

    That's because "chicken curry" is just going to be some other random users recipe entry. With stuff like that you need to use the recipe builder if you've made your own. If it's from a restaurant that doesn't provide nutritional information, your best bet is to pick an entry for the same entrée from a chain restaurant that does have nutritional information...though I don't know of any Thai restaurants that are large enough chains to require nutritional information.
    cwolfman13 wrote: »
    sherrilynn1985 wrote: »
    Accurate database is vital. Just put chicken curry and it's anywhere from 120 calories to 720 calories. Then you have to ask yourself whether that includes the rice! I always check the labels, calculate servings, then pick one of the ones closest to that. Hard work! I don't eat out a lot lol.

    That's because "chicken curry" is just going to be some other random users recipe entry. With stuff like that you need to use the recipe builder if you've made your own. If it's from a restaurant that doesn't provide nutritional information, your best bet is to pick an entry for the same entrée from a chain restaurant that does have nutritional information...though I don't know of any Thai restaurants that are large enough chains to require nutritional information.


    I scan all my items so I don’t just pick a generic chicken curry for example.

    Scanning doesn't guarantee a correct entry: could be the wrong product, outdated nutritional information etc.

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