Weight Loss - Not Working? :(

Options
whiplash2411
whiplash2411 Posts: 28
in Health and Weight Loss
Hey guys,

I'm somewhat new here. I started going on a calorie conscious diet January 1st, and have been working out every day since then. I usually do total muscle conditioning workouts two times a week and cardio and core workouts the other five days. However, since I started, I've barely noticed any weight loss. I feel like I'm getting more fit but I'm just afraid my calorie goals might be too low?

My BMR is shown as 1940 and MFP set me at 1330 calories for losing 1.5lbs/week. When I exercise, I add those calories to my diet, and I'm never under the goal by more than, say, a 100 calories. I definitely make sure I don't go under 1200 a day, but I am not seeing any weight loss. This is kind of disappointing, but I'm not gonna give up. Just wanted to throw it out here to see if you guys had similar experiences?

Much appreciated, thanks!
«1

Replies

  • ILiftHeavyAcrylics
    ILiftHeavyAcrylics Posts: 27,732 Member
    Options
    Do you mind opening your diary? Also what's your BMR? Have you been measuring or just weighing?
  • mallory3411
    mallory3411 Posts: 839 Member
    Options
    Eat your exercise calories. Are you actually measuring out all your food to get proper portions? Drinking enough water? Eating too much sodium? So many reasons for weight not changing.

    Take measurements... sometimes those go down when the scale won't. Are you only eating 1200 calories per day? If so eat more!
  • whiplash2411
    whiplash2411 Posts: 28
    Options
    I am not sure how to open my diary. To add a bit of context, I have a meal plan in my college, and I am vegetarian, so I have to manage with the few options they have here. I try to eat healthy, but I think my sodium intake might be on the higher side.

    I eat my exercise calories. Usually what goes into my calorie count is what's printed as serving size and calorie per serving at the nutritional information cards that go with the food at the dining commons. Drink at least two to three Aquafina bottles worth of water a day. I eat roughly 1330 calories a day, sometimes more but never under 1200. My AMR is 1940, according to MFP.

    And no, I haven't been measuring. :(
  • whiplash2411
    whiplash2411 Posts: 28
    Options
    Also, I just made my food diary public.
  • mallory3411
    mallory3411 Posts: 839 Member
    Options
    Might be a good thing to start measuring yourself and the portions you eat.

    Unless the things you get are pre-measured single portion packages with the information on them measure! What you think is a serving size is usually larger than it actually is. Pay attention to serving sizes listed on packages items. For example, 500mL carton of chocolate milk actually contains TWO serviings per carton. Keep a stash of fresh fruits and veggies in your room for snacks and to add to what the dining hall is providing. Two - three bottles of what size of water? You are probably not drinking enough.
  • jc1229
    jc1229 Posts: 220 Member
    Options
    I'm having the same problem... I haven't lost any weight for over a month and half and its getting frustrating. I did get a hrm the other week and realized that mfp had my calories burnt from exercising a lot higher than the hrm. I thought after I got this all straightened out that the weight would start coming off, but its not happening yet. I've even been playing with the amount of calories I eat a day...lowering them for one week and even raising them for one week, eatting my exercise calories back. Not eatting them back. Still nothing, aagghhh! I did order a book today on amazon called "spike diet" where you eat a certain amount of calories all week and then you have one day during that week that you kind of pig out on. I've seen some post on this website about it, so figured what do I have to lose.
  • mallory3411
    mallory3411 Posts: 839 Member
    Options
    whiplash - I looked at your food diary and you are no where near getting proper nutrition. You seem to barely eat in a day based on what is currently in your food tracker. You really need to be eating more fruits and vegetables... I rarely saw any in your diary.. no fruits at all over the past few days in fact. That could be your problem.
  • crudd123
    crudd123 Posts: 244 Member
    Options
    The only thing I can see is to give up Starbucks or get the skinny version so it's lower calories! Also switch to diet Dr. Pepper instead of regular! That might help! Try to eat more vegetables and fruit if you can! Good luck to you!
  • whiplash2411
    whiplash2411 Posts: 28
    Options
    Might be a good thing to start measuring yourself and the portions you eat.

    Unless the things you get are pre-measured single portion packages with the information on them measure! What you think is a serving size is usually larger than it actually is. Pay attention to serving sizes listed on packages items. For example, 500mL carton of chocolate milk actually contains TWO serviings per carton. Keep a stash of fresh fruits and veggies in your room for snacks and to add to what the dining hall is providing. Two - three bottles of what size of water? You are probably not drinking enough.

    No, they're not pre-packaged portions, but the people who serve at the commons usually separate the food out into portions based on the serving sizes listed and we just pick up a plate usually. How would you suggest measuring serving sizes? It's about 3 20oz bottles maybe? With respect to the fruits, I usually get a serving of fruits every day, but I just don't log them because I wasn't sure what the calories would be (they weren't listed and I wasn't sure if searching would be a good idea). Would you suggest having one big meal and then having fruits and veggies as snacks throughout the day?
  • cktylr1
    cktylr1 Posts: 1 Member
    Options
    Hello. I must say I am right there with you. I been at it for three weeks and I do not see anything as well. I feel my calories is to high that they got my on. My weight go from 250 to 248 or back up. And I am working out at least 3 times a week and I bowl 3 times a week. So I am getting my exercise in so what is the problem? I feel I need to take my cals down to 1500. What do you think?:smile:
  • meanness67
    meanness67 Posts: 366 Member
    Options
    I had the same problem and this week decided to stop eating potatoes, rice or bread with dinner. I dropped 5 pounds this week after the scale not moving for over a month. I still eat these things, I just have them earlier in the day. Dinner is usually salad and veggies with chicken breast or some other meat source.
  • Kilotango55
    Kilotango55 Posts: 12
    Options
    I have to say that looking at your diary your diet is not too healthy!! I'm sure if you got your carbs from more veggies and ate some lean protein like Quorn you might notice a difference. Don't think your body is getting what it needs....so is hanging on to what it gets!
  • Darlis
    Darlis Posts: 191 Member
    Options
    No, they're not pre-packaged portions, but the people who serve at the commons usually separate the food out into portions based on the serving sizes listed and we just pick up a plate usually. How would you suggest measuring serving sizes? It's about 3 20oz bottles maybe? With respect to the fruits, I usually get a serving of fruits every day, but I just don't log them because I wasn't sure what the calories would be (they weren't listed and I wasn't sure if searching would be a good idea). Would you suggest having one big meal and then having fruits and veggies as snacks throughout the day?

    If you aren't logging every bite that goes in your mouth then you aren't staying within calorie guidelines. You need to search the database for that fruit, it contains more calories than you might think. Your best bet it to spread those calories out throughout the day. My avg meal is about 300-400 calories, and then low calories snacks in between.
  • whiplash2411
    whiplash2411 Posts: 28
    Options
    I try to incorporate foods that have vegetables as much as I can but being vegetarian makes it harder. I will have to cut down on the potatoes and try to eat a less heavy dinner hereon, I think.
  • ironanimal
    ironanimal Posts: 5,922 Member
    Options
    From looking at your diet, nearly everything was processed. I didn't see anything made fresh by your own fair hand in there, so it's safe to assume there's a tonne of sodium in your diet that you don't need. Try and get some more of your nutrition from fresh fruit and veg, beans, lentils, nuts etc.

    My other suggestion is to try and rebalance your intake so that you're eating a larger portion of your calories earlier in the day - your system works more slowly in the evening, so eating more than 40% of your calories in your evening meal isn't ideal.
  • whiplash2411
    whiplash2411 Posts: 28
    Options
    From looking at your diet, nearly everything was processed. I didn't see anything made fresh by your own fair hand in there, so it's safe to assume there's a tonne of sodium in your diet that you don't need. Try and get some more of your nutrition from fresh fruit and veg, beans, lentils, nuts etc.

    My other suggestion is to try and rebalance your intake so that you're eating a larger portion of your calories earlier in the day - your system works more slowly in the evening, so eating more than 40% of your calories in your evening meal isn't ideal.

    I live in the dorms and we don't have a kitchen, so I pretty much have to rely on pre-cooked food. The closest I can get to eating non-packaged food is when I eat at restaurants/have food at the commons, but that's not a great substitute either. I am definitely going to eat lesser calories during dinner time and start balancing my diet more, and I'll try to incorporate more vegetables and nuts into my meals hereon.

    Thanks for the suggestion!
  • whiplash2411
    whiplash2411 Posts: 28
    Options
    No, they're not pre-packaged portions, but the people who serve at the commons usually separate the food out into portions based on the serving sizes listed and we just pick up a plate usually. How would you suggest measuring serving sizes? It's about 3 20oz bottles maybe? With respect to the fruits, I usually get a serving of fruits every day, but I just don't log them because I wasn't sure what the calories would be (they weren't listed and I wasn't sure if searching would be a good idea). Would you suggest having one big meal and then having fruits and veggies as snacks throughout the day?

    If you aren't logging every bite that goes in your mouth then you aren't staying within calorie guidelines. You need to search the database for that fruit, it contains more calories than you might think. Your best bet it to spread those calories out throughout the day. My avg meal is about 300-400 calories, and then low calories snacks in between.

    I'll definitely take this into account. I am kind of new here and it's taken me a while to figure out what's going on. Thanks for the suggestion!!
  • Nana_Booboo
    Nana_Booboo Posts: 501 Member
    Options
    1330 calories is what you should be eating on "non-exercise" days. If you're exercising you should be eating well over 1200.

    Eat healthy

    eat less processed

    but do eat

    and it will work. Don't give up, you're hard work will show up in the end.
  • whiplash2411
    whiplash2411 Posts: 28
    Options
    From looking at your diet, nearly everything was processed. I didn't see anything made fresh by your own fair hand in there, so it's safe to assume there's a tonne of sodium in your diet that you don't need. Try and get some more of your nutrition from fresh fruit and veg, beans, lentils, nuts etc.

    My other suggestion is to try and rebalance your intake so that you're eating a larger portion of your calories earlier in the day - your system works more slowly in the evening, so eating more than 40% of your calories in your evening meal isn't ideal.

    I live in the dorms and we don't have a kitchen, so I pretty much have to rely on pre-cooked food. The closest I can get to eating non-packaged food is when I eat at restaurants/have food at the commons, but that's not a great substitute either. I am definitely going to eat lesser calories during dinner time and start balancing my diet more, and I'll try to incorporate more vegetables and nuts into my meals hereon.

    Thanks for the suggestion!

    Being overweight is the greater health risk when compared to food consumption. My view is, get down the weight first then work on cleaning up your diet. If you have a specific diet like "low carb" or "low sugar" or vegan/vegeterian, you can mess up 2 wys, by not sticking to the dietary guideline and over eating. If your main focus is staying under your calories, you can only mess up 1 way. Over eating. make it easy on yourself, focus on calories and clean up your diet later.

    Now here is what we need to know to help you, what is your AMR(Go up to Goals and click on it. See where it says "Calories burned through daily activity" What does it say? I also need to know how many calories you're currently eating on average.

    So what is your AMR(calories burned through daily activity)?
    How many calories are you currently consuming?

    My Goals Tab says that my AMR is 1940 calories per day. MFP recommends I eat 1330 calories per day to lose approximately 1.5lbs per week and I usually stick to that amount (mostly slightly lesser by like 50 calories or so, and once in a while, over by 50-100 calories). I also exercise daily and burn around 200-300 calories every day, so I add that to my calorie intake. So I guess I consume approximately 1500-1600 calories, while I burn 200-300 calories.
  • InvictusPheonix
    InvictusPheonix Posts: 129 Member
    Options
    I have to say that looking at your diary your diet is not too healthy!! I'm sure if you got your carbs from more veggies and ate some lean protein like Quorn you might notice a difference. Don't think your body is getting what it needs....so is hanging on to what it gets!

    It's more unhealthy BEING OVER WEIGHT. People shouldn't make radical changes in their diet, that's how failure happens.

    I completely disagree with this. Even people of a "healthy weight" can have heart disease and diabetes. Once you start eating healthier options, the weight will come off naturally (aka don't diet, change your lifestyle into something that can last) **aka less processed food**

Categories