What am I doing wrong?

nicki12117 · January 2012

Hi all,

Brand new to this forum and could do with your help, bit of a long post but I really am getting desperate now!

I am 28 and a size 16. I don't have a big issue with my size but have had the fortune to be off work since mid October and therefore have had plenty of time to hit the gym. I have been using the calorie tracker on my phone since then and, with the exception of the odd blow up day/week, (Christmas) have been eating an average of 1500 calories a day and exercising 4-5 times a week.:indifferent:

My initial aim was not to loose a certain amount of weight but I thought while I had the opportunity to get down the gym more I had a perfect chance to get toned up. I've been doing spinning classes, zumba and even now have tried power hooping.

Don't get me wrong I feel fitter in myself but my clothes feel no different and I haven't lost a pound - in fact I put 1 on!! Now i'm starting to get frustrated, which is leading me to eat things I shouldn't and not be so motivated to head to the gym.

I've had my thyroid tested more times than I can remember over my life (fat child=thyroid problem???) and didn't have diabetes last time I checked. I've now been prescribed an inhaler to use before the gym.

These are some of the comments I have had:

"muscle weighs more than fat" - but I would be toning up and clothes would fit better - which they don't.
"it takes time" - I would say 3 months is enough time to at least drop a pound!
"you're obviously not going to the gym enough" - i physically can't go anymore as I'm exhausted as it is!

I'm desperate now, I will be going back to work in a few weeks and am certain that if I feel like all the gym effort is a waste of time I will end up back on the sofa eating junk after a hectic day at work.

Any help/suggestions gladly received!!

Nicki

rana_barakat1980 · January 2012

its not how often you go to the gym its how you workout. i used to think if i workout longer it would benefit it doesnt. secondly watch what you eat, try getting on a low calorie and or a strict calorie count diet and im sure you will lose in no time. sometimes your body gets used to the same foods and excercises. im on a calorie count diet and i workout at least 3x s a week. hopefully you will see some kind of result.

UponThisRock · January 2012

You could be counting your calories incorrectly

Tara4boys · January 2012

Open up your food diary - that would help

Sounds like exercise isn't the problem. Must be the food

crazybeautifulkittie · January 2012

Exercise actually doesn't burn THAT much calories, unless you're like a gym rat. It really serves to kick start your metabolism. So most of the calorie deficient would come from food as well as what you eat. 500 calories worth of doughs is not the same as 500 calories of vegees and protien. So chose your food wisely. And many times we'd like to underestimate our calories consumed and overestimate calories burned. Just to make ourselves feel better, don't.

In terms of the thyroid tests, it is possible for you to have a subclinical hypothyroid condition that makes it harder to detect.

Why don't you have a friend who is healthy (and hopefully near what you want your ideal weight to be) help you kick start a program if your goal is to lose weight.

nicki12117 · January 2012

Thanks for the replies guys.

In terms of the gym, I'm at a gym where the moto is 'train smarter not longer', im doing spin classes where I'm working my butt off - not like i'm just going there to feel like i'm doing something like I might have used to do!

With my food I eat fairly healthily but I have some treats every day in the form of a couple of biscuits, I couldn't not have them as I have a very sweet tooth - if I cut everything bad out i fall off the wagon after a day or 2 and everything goes to pot. I'm eating a low calorie diet - my tracker keeps telling me i'm not eating enough calories when I go under 1200.

I don't really want to talk to my friends about it, none of them have to watch what they eat or go to the gym and to be honest I don't really want to be talking to them about my weight/size - I'm fed up of people feeling sorry for me because I'm not a size 10!

If I open up my diary does it open up every? i.e. my weight records etc?

mirgss · January 2012

Nope just the foods you eat.

I'm not sure what kind of regimen you're following or what your weight is, but maybe you are actually not eating enough calories. Your body could be hoarding the calories it does receive. I'm no expert, so I dunno...just a thought.

Have you tried throwing any strength training into the mix?

castadiva · January 2012

I'm afraid I can't answer your question about diaries as mine is private, but I send my sympathies - I'm basically the same age and size, and with the way I'm built, I'm never going to be much smaller, which can get frustrating. How tall are you, by the way? That said, it sounds like you're working hard at this, so things should be moving. Mirgss made a good point - if you're eating approx 1500 (is that net or gross?), you could be eating too little, once your exercise calories are taken into account. Do you eat them back? Strength training is also a good suggestion.

The only other thing I'm wondering is how precisely you are measuring the food you are logging? It's very easy to over or under-estimate amounts. It might be worth looking at that for a few days and see where you're at in that regard.

If nothing obvious starts to help, I'd make an appointment to see the doctor, and get a referral to an endocrinologist to do some blood tests. The problem could be hormonal or chemical, but low-level, or not something that would have been looked at in a thyroid test. Good luck!

DonnaRe2012 · January 2012

no, it just shows your food tracking

morganadk2_deleted · January 2012

are you eating your exercise calories?

Generally someone with a BMI over 32 can do a 1000 calorie a day (2 lbs a week) deficit
With a BMI of 30 to 32 a deficit of 750 calories is generally correct (about 1.5 lbs a week)
With a BMI of 28 to 30 a deficit of 500 calories is about right (about 1 lb a week)
With a BMI of 26 to 28 a deficit of about 300 calories is perfect (about 1/2 lb a week)
and below 26... well this is where we get fuzzy. See now you're no longer talking about being overweight, so while it's still ok to have a small deficit, you really should shift your focus more towards muscle building, and reducing fat. This means it is EXTRA important to eat your exercise calories as your body needs to KNOW it's ok to burn fat stores, and the only way it will know is if you keep giving it the calories it needs to not enter the famine response (starvation mode).

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/61706-guide-to-calorie-deficits

jennprice · January 2012

I know what your going through! Im in the same boat, I actually gained a pound so far, if I ever find a way to start dropping the weight I will def be in touch with you!

flimflamfloz · January 2012

Thanks for the replies guys.

In terms of the gym, I'm at a gym where the moto is 'train smarter not longer', im doing spin classes where I'm working my butt off - not like i'm just going there to feel like i'm doing something like I might have used to do!

With my food I eat fairly healthily but I have some treats every day in the form of a couple of biscuits, I couldn't not have them as I have a very sweet tooth - if I cut everything bad out i fall off the wagon after a day or 2 and everything goes to pot. I'm eating a low calorie diet - my tracker keeps telling me i'm not eating enough calories when I go under 1200.

I don't really want to talk to my friends about it, none of them have to watch what they eat or go to the gym and to be honest I don't really want to be talking to them about my weight/size - I'm fed up of people feeling sorry for me because I'm not a size 10!

If I open up my diary does it open up every? i.e. my weight records etc?

Feeling depressed/lacking energy/lack of motivation? No weight loss? Metabolism hasn't increased after 3 months?
You should try to eat more.
Why do you think you should eat only 1500 cals? (especially if you are exercising 3x)

Could be counting wrong too. And yes open your diary.

dlaplume2 · January 2012

If you open up your diary, we can only see your diary. (the foods you eat and at the bottom it will show the amount calorie burn you entered.)

There could be a number of things going on
You could be over or under estimating your calories you eat
you could be over or understimating the calories you burn while working out.
You could have your setting in MFP wrong.

I would suggest that you go in and double check your settings. Make sure your height, weight, gender are all correct. I would make sure your activity level is correct. (if you are not working right now, it should be sedentary) Then make sure your goal is set to lose 1lb a week. That will give you the correct number of calories you should be consuming to lose 1lb a week.

Then you need to make sure when you add your exercise calories, those are correct. I highly recommend a heart rate monitor as MFP and the machines at the gym often time over estimate your burn. If you cannot do that then maybe take off 10% of what the machine at the gym says or MFP. (please note that this is my experience. I wear a HRM and the machine at the gym always records higher calorie burn, by the 100's same with mfp)

Now you need to make sure you eat all your calories MFP tells you to and then eat back most of your calories from exercising so you net 1200 every day. You need to make sure you are eating enough food and not cutting yourself short. Your body needs that fuel to heal and repair after working out and make you stronger so you workouts are more effective.

Best wishes and if you want to add me as a friend feel free,

Don't give up it might just take some tweaking and your already developing some good habits.

mikeyrp · January 2012

Firstly, if you're getting fitter - you're not wasting time!

Odds are that you're not logging accurately - maybe approximating portion sizes? Also, how are you calculating your effort at the gym? Heart Rate Monitor (HRM) is good for CV work. Lifting weights is no more than 200 cals per hour.

Try adjusting your net calorie intake - you need two weeks per trial to test properly! I would start by going -200 cals and if that fails go +100 cals from your start point. EAT YOUR EXERCISE CALS!

Good luck

sandown12 · January 2012

muscle doesnt weigh more than fat 1lb of fat is 1lb of muscle it takes more room up thats what that means

krnlcsf · January 2012

Something that really helped me when I began to get serious about weight loss was an App I downloaded for my phone which was a meal plan app. It was free and gave you the option of about 50 different meal plans that ranged from vegetarian to all-meat, low cal, low carb, high protein, vegan, dukan, cleanses etc... it has basically something for everyone! So you can browse the meal plans and pick the one you think you can stick to. Some are as short as 3 days, up to 28 days or something. And basically it helped me to keep my calories in control with correct portions.
Anyway, it used to be called Diet2Go, but has been updated and is now called DietPoint (on Android). It might be worth trying something like that to give you structure in your diet. That, along with MFP really jump started my weight loss, and whenever I feel like I'm in a bit of a slump, or need to get back on track (after Christmas for instance) I'll go back and choose a meal plan for a week or so.

Hope it helps! Good luck with it!

DiannaMoorer · January 2012

Try not to get too frustrated. Seriously examine the type of carbs you eat. Are they white flour? White rice, potatoes, pasta? And are you keeping track of the sugars you eat? Even fruit. What really helps me is to not eat these foods at all. And at night it's only meat and veggies for me. I do have some fruit early in the day though. And I do save room for the occasional treat. All lot of people do say if you are exercising hard and you are not getting enough calories your body will hold on to the weight and not let go. It does help to open your diary. Maybe to just friends. I have mine open. You can add me as a friend if you'd like.

redfroggie · January 2012

Everyone has great points and something in there will work for you. I will agree 100% on getting a HRM, some of the machines at my gym underestimate and others overestimate. Also get a food/kitchen scale if you don't already have one. You can get an analog one fairly cheaply just about anywhere. It is amazing sometimes what actually constitutes a serving size, I was always way over! Good luck.

AndreaKJordan · January 2012

Try uping your calorie intake to 1700. 1500 seems low and maybe your body's in starvation mode--if that's the case you won't lose weight.

nicki12117 · January 2012

wow so grateful for all the responses! I'm going to figure out how to do the open diary thing.

Yesterday I ordered a monitor thing to wear at the gym and I'm going to try measuring my foods in case I am under-estimating them.

I thought not eating back the calories I've burnt at the gym was a good thing??

N

maru84 · January 2012

I'm 27 and the same size as you are. The only time the scale moves for me is if I'm controlling my calorie intake (I'm at 1530, and I feel like I'm getting enough to eat). I would get a food scale and measure everything for more pin-accurate tracking. Like I said, I'm in the same position as you are and that's the only thing that really gets the scale moving. Count your bites, licks and tastes too.

lms333 · January 2012

I'd look at possibly reducing your sodium. I try to keep mine at 1500mg a day but I do have days I go up to the 2500mg because of processed foods or canned foods.

And if trying to find a routine in exercise, slow down, walk 3 times a week, do weights the other 2 days, and take 2 days off. You may be over-extending yourself and stressing out your body.

That's just been my experience...I've slowed down and accepted this is going to take time and I'm not going to be an athlete over-night.

maru84 · January 2012

Oh yeah I eat my calories burned too, I try to only eat 75% of them but usually I wind up eating all of them (out of hunger!)

mlks2012 · January 2012

You have many helpful hints from other people. If you wear glasses, be sure to put them on to read labels. I have made mistakes in tracking for that very reason.

Read the labels. You will be surprised of the values of the foods that you may be eating! It is an eye opener for even one who thinks they are eating healthy !

You may be watching your calories, but if they are not balanced, that may be a problem.

You might hate to do it, but weigh and measure foods for a while to get your portion size to where you really know how much a portion size really is !!!! it is so easy to assume the wrong thing!

Print out your reports for a week and study it to see what you are doing. You can forget day to day if you don't have it all in front of you to compare. You may even want to consult with a dietician or a nutritionist to see if they can see what you do not. It might be worth the time and money. You are worth it.

Success to you this day!!!

What am I doing wrong?

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