Slow beginning...

ConkreteChic
ConkreteChic Posts: 72 Member
edited October 2024 in Health and Weight Loss
I'm not new to working out and eating right, but I am new(ish) to MFP. I started tracking everything exactly a month ago, and I switched my fitness routine to 3-4 days bootcamp during the week and running one day over the weekend (usually 2-2.5 mi). The bootcamp pushes me a lot harder than I ever used to push myself at the gym (swimming and doing elliptical and some weenie weights - I now realize)

I read a lot of posts from folks who experienced a good deal of weight loss in the first few weeks (usually they were replying to people who have suddenly plateaued), and this makes me nervous because I am really struggling to take just the first 5 pounds off. If these are the halcyon days where the pounds are just supposed to melt off me, I'm not sure what's going to happen in another 6-8 weeks when I've finally dropped 5 pounds and the weight loss grinds to a screeching halt! :huh:

I am very happy that I'm losing and not gaining - since no matter how long it takes, it's good it's not creeping the other way - but I would love to hear from anyone whose weight loss started out slowly and picked up, or any advice from people who are have experienced what I'm experiencing. It's kind of de-motivating!

*Some background on me: you can check out my diary to see what I've been eating. I don't have a history of trying anything that could potentially screw with my metabolism (i.e. diet pills, green tea pills, appetite suppressants) and I've never starved myself, or been a binger. Just a steady exceptional-enjoyer of good food in too-large quantities for most of my life :) Also, I have worked out pretty steadily over the past couple of years, 3-5x per week swimming, running, elliptical, etc. with a couple of month-long breaks (before I got REALLY serious with bootcamp!)*

Thanks for any and all advice or commiseration!

Replies

  • itsuki
    itsuki Posts: 520 Member
    Well in your diary I see a lot of days where you are 500-900 or so calories lower than the website thinks you should be... but then again MFP is putting your daily goals in the 2k range. If you actually do need 2k net calories based on your weight and activity level, then it is possible that you're eating too little.
  • Jeenana39
    Jeenana39 Posts: 1
    Yes, they say that eating too few doesnt keep your metabolism going all day. What you can try would splitting up your meals into two's and eating the same amount of food. You would have the same food, but just eat half of it and then in an hour and a half to two hours, eat the other half; same with lunch and dinner, splitting them up. Mine has been really, really slow as well; but there are days when I dont eat like I should. I still log everything, but Im over on some days. Im just hoping that it will average out over the week and make a loss of anything (and you are right, any loss is better than a plateau or a gain ........ Just relax and keep doing what you are doing, it will pay off !!
  • snailrunner
    snailrunner Posts: 215 Member
    How much do you need to lose? I've lost 2.5kg over almost three months...it's painfully slow but it's in the right direction and the overall trend is what matters. I only planned to lose about 14lbs/6kg in total.
  • juliep1974
    juliep1974 Posts: 222 Member
    I'm 5'6" and started at 172 lbs (with a goal of 150 lbs - so very similar to you). I have an office job so selected the lowest level of activity when figuring my BMR. I used the guided method and MFP set my initial calorie goal at 1400 ish (this was to lose 1 lb per week). You may have a much more active job, but if not, you may want to try resetting your goals because 2200 calories seems high (though you're losing weight so clearing it isn't too high). I have an MFP friend who went in and modified her goals to help her out of a plateau and they went from recommending 1200 calories (for about 2 lbs a week) to 3300 (when she wanted to lose just 1 lb/wk) which has to be a glitch in the system so that sort of thing happens. Again, you are losing weight so its working but that could be why its coming off slowly. Of course, the most important thing is that its coming off :smile:
  • ConkreteChic
    ConkreteChic Posts: 72 Member
    Thanks for your comments everyone!!

    Yeah, I forgot to mention that I recently changed up my calorie targets to reflect the "Olivia Method" :) which seems to be just another way to look at it - so you see the deficits you're creating instead of only what you're consuming.

    So, for the past 3 or so days, MFP shows that my target is in the 2000's (which is my daily maintenance calories according to MFP (1830) plus whatever exercise calories I earn) and I am aiming to have a deficit between 500 and 1000 calories a day, which is what I would want to see to average about 1.5 lbs a week in weight loss. So I'm really actually aiming to eat between 1350 and 1600 calories a day, with a BMR of about 1450 and a maintenance target of 1830 (all before exercise).

    I actually do space out my calories more than my diary indicates - I just lump them together because I haven't gotten around to setting my own "meals" up on MFP yet - maybe I should go do that?!

    Sounds like I'm just going to have to do some more experimenting with how/what I eat!

    Also, I am at 171.5 lbs, with my first goal being 150. I just see so many people who drop 8-10 lbs their first weeks and it's kind of disheartening that it's taken me a month to drop 4 pounds! I just hope it's true that "slow and steady wins the race" ;)
  • tangiesharp
    tangiesharp Posts: 315 Member
    Are you using a heart rate monitor? MFP often overestimates calories burned and a heart rate monitor (with a chest strap) is usually more accurate.
  • ConkreteChic
    ConkreteChic Posts: 72 Member
    Are you using a heart rate monitor? MFP often overestimates calories burned and a heart rate monitor (with a chest strap) is usually more accurate.

    I'm getting one for Christmas!! Usually I like surprises, but this year I said "get me this!" :) I am really excited to be able to have good, solid info about calories burned. Thank you for mentioning that - good point!
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