Not losing weight

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casiebooth
casiebooth Posts: 8 Member
in Introduce Yourself
I have been logging my food daily for the past three weeks and eating between 1200 and 1600 calories. I have not lost a single pound. Should I stop eating back my exercise calories? I am starting to get really frustrated!
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Replies

  • ajels11
    ajels11 Posts: 5
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    I can relate to that. I actually have been doing most things right like working out and tracking my food in my journal (book), but i never counted calories. I only lost a pound in the last three weeks and i am still trying to figure out why. I don't seem to get it. I workout more and watch what i eat, but no improvement. It is very frustrating and i go on vacation in a month and a half..

    You should definitely not eat calories you burned through your workout plus daily intake. That leads to a waste of time and energy, unless you are only trying to maintain weight and stay healthy. Try tweaking your workouts and drinking more water..:smile:
  • therealangd
    therealangd Posts: 1,861 Member
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    Did you take your measurements? Are your clothes fitting looser?
  • jesscaponigro
    jesscaponigro Posts: 114 Member
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    I always eat my exercise calories back, maybe not all of them but most of them. I have lost 15 pounds since I joined this site and about 25 pounds prior to that. Maybe you should evaluate what you are eating. Your diary is private so Ihave no idea what you are eating. Also are you drinking enough water?
  • donnamfreitagross
    donnamfreitagross Posts: 48
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    I can relate, before joining I lost 8lbs in one month, since I joined I haven't lost anything, I have no clue what to do either!
  • stephet92
    stephet92 Posts: 8
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    I am going through the same thing. It gets very frusterating. Eating you calories back is not the best thing to do. If you eat a few of your calories back it is ok but try to stay away from doing that. Also take your measurements and see if you are loosing inches. Muscle weighs more than fat so you might be gaining muscle which also burns the fat. Try to consume more water and stay hydrated. Good luck!
  • Sheila1968
    Sheila1968 Posts: 106
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    I have been trying for 4 years (ever since hitting peri-menopause and getting put on birth control pills) and cannot get the scale to budge. I went from 140 to 155-157 in less than a year and cannot seem to lose a pound no matter how much I exercise and watch what I eat. I feel for you since it has been FOUR YEARS of this for me. *sigh* It's beyond frustrating.
  • anave285
    anave285 Posts: 67 Member
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    That has to be very frustrating and I am so so sorry that that is happening to you. I don't have an answer for you because obviously each person's body is different. I'm on 1250 calories a day and whenever I'm diligent and track my calories, I lose weight every single day. When I stop, I gain. I'm not even an exerciser, but when I was, I would eat my calories (if I wanted to) and still lost. I just want to say just stick with it and soon you will find what works for you. Please just don't give up. Good luck, I know you can do it :smile:
  • jesscaponigro
    jesscaponigro Posts: 114 Member
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    Just FYI the site already has a built in deficit, if for some reason you aren't eating enough your body can go into starvation mode which would also stop weight loss. Maybe you should consult with doctor for advice.
  • pinkraynedropjacki
    pinkraynedropjacki Posts: 3,027 Member
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    It took my body about a month before I started really losing anything. I'm on 1200 cal a day & I am lucky to eat that at all & then I still burn off more. I end up with about 500cal of more left before I even work out. Everyone is different I guess & I've never been a big eater, just the wrong foods.

    I used vitamin tablets to kick start my body (I went for the Swisse brand here in Australia & I will swear by them) and then it started coming off. Perhaps trying something like that may help. Or it could be just the wrong exercise you are doing. I was always told you have to be puffed while doing it. Not be able to speak very well. You should get a heart rate monitor & make sure it gets to 80.
  • abhawkins_1993
    abhawkins_1993 Posts: 11
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    I have on different websites from searching on Google and from some people that you are not supposed to eat the calories you burn off after a work out. I never do. I also think it depends on how low your starting weight is. People who are heavier lose weight quicker than people who arent too overweight.
  • KathieSwenson
    KathieSwenson Posts: 179
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    1600 cal may not be a deficit for you. I would try to stay at 1200 cal. It's very doable as long as your eating healthy foods. I went and bought a diabetic cookbook. The reason is I have trouble metabolizing sugar in general. Diabetics have to eat very healthy. They can have no more than 45 g of carbs per a meal. The cookbook list the calories and serving so I know I'm eating healthy and not getting a high carb intake. Everyone is different. I have lost 1.6 lbs. since I joined the sight 10 day ago but I'm stoke. That is 1.6 lbs that I would not have lost as I was trying to get past 198 for two months with medications I'm normally about 500 cal after exercise from reaching my goal only because I eat stuff out of my cookbook. Otherwise I would be way over. You might want to try that. Also., what exercises are you doing? If your not burning that many calories and then eating hih fat foods then that could cause you to not loose weight. There is so much to factor in on why someone is not loosing weight, that just a vague comment without being able to see your diary it's hard to see what is going on.
  • jbahrami
    jbahrami Posts: 206 Member
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    Different bodies lose weight at different levels...just stick with it. I checked your food diary...are you tracking your sodium? Consuming a lot of high sodium foods will make you retain water, causing that scale to be cruel (if you're tracking your progress that way). Be sure to watch not only how much you eat, but what you eat...and drink LOTS of water to help flush out your body. Eating fresher foods and less processed foods will make a BIG difference (words of experience).
    Just DON'T GIVE UP!
  • KatrineJohansen
    KatrineJohansen Posts: 24 Member
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    I can give you advice based on my own experience only. Here goes:
    I don't lose weight when I net below my BMR (currently 1410 calories? - if I just eat net 1300, JUST 100 calories less than that, I don't lose a single gram.
    I think you should calculate your BMR here: http://www.bmi-calculator.net/bmr-calculator/
    and then make it a goal to net that every day. 100-or-so calories more than your BMR is ok too. :)

    To me personally, netting around 1200 calories has NO effect what so ever. I need at least 200-300 more calories a day net to use weight.
  • clairethebear78
    clairethebear78 Posts: 3 Member
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    I used to be like that. No amount of diet or exercise did anything. For 10 years!!!!
    Please please please, listen to or read this book: "Why we get fat and what to do about it" Gary Taubes.
    If like me you don't like following instructions blindly, without understanding why you are doing it - Please read this book. It has changed my terrible relationship with food into one of love :) I get excited to weigh myself!
    I only started this "diet" on Monday(!) and I feel fantastic! I have lost 2kgs (4.4lbs) SAFELY! No fads, no counting, no tracking, and the weight is just vaporising.
    Please educate your big brains with the information you need to win the war. I'll even buy it for you!!! Actually, that's a good idea! I'll get it for the first 10 people to contact me.

    Please read it. I know it's horrible to be overweight. It affects every aspect of life. Getting dressed in the morning, walking into the office, meeting new people and being afraid they'll judge you, uncomfortable intimacy... and the depression that comes with it, when you work so hard and see absolutely no results. It doesn't have to be that way. It is a book of logic rather than belief systems.

    Let me know how it goes :)
  • bishoujokiseki
    bishoujokiseki Posts: 6
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    It might be because after a while of eating less calories, your metabolism gets used to it and slows back down.
    Because, when you start eating less it naturally gets burned more easily than when you ate more, but your body adapts to it and stops going so fast after a while.
    Other than that possibility, I don't know what it could be. I haven't lost very much either.
  • pilch4326
    pilch4326 Posts: 1
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    Don't eat your exercise calories......having these helps create that deficit that you need to lose weight. Remember it takes burning 3500 calories just to lose 1 pound of fat. Keep it up......you'll get there!
  • dana61681
    dana61681 Posts: 3
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    i joined weight watchers 3 months ago and i dropped 22lbs but i been stuck at 190 for about two weeks nothing else is coming off . i drink water ,workout and eat right im getting so fustrated it feels like ill never get to my goal weight and it makes me want to eat but i know that wont do any good either im trying to stick it out but its hard when you are seeing no more results
  • MaximalLife
    MaximalLife Posts: 2,447 Member
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    I have on different websites from searching on Google and from some people that you are not supposed to eat the calories you burn off after a work out. I never do. I also think it depends on how low your starting weight is. People who are heavier lose weight quicker than people who arent too overweight.
    ^^^^^^
    WRONG!
    MFP expects you to eat them back - that's built in to the system here.
    This is how MFP works
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/help/faq/3-how-does-myfitnesspal-work

    And Tips for Newbies
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/470367-tips-for-newbies
    Maybe this will help.
    Just get started by going into settings to Update diet/fitness profile.
    Set your goals for 1 lb weight loss per week.
    NO MORE!
    And eat lean meats, low fat dairy, nuts, whole grains, fresh fruits and veggies.
    Do both cardio and resistance exercise.
    Log in those exercises to your MFP exercise diary.
    AND EAT BACK YOUR EXERCISE CALORIES!
    Remember, this is not a race, and you can reach your goals if you stick to a good plan as recommended on this site.

    You have many people here ready to lend support, answer qustions and discuss any challenges.
    You can do this.

    All Is Possible!
  • terhorton
    terhorton Posts: 1
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    Be careful,
    if you are excersizing you need to increase your calorie intake. Try increasing your protien to gain muscle mass an become lean. You will find you are not losing on the scale at first it is because your fat is turning to muscle, but you will notice a difference in your cloths. You will also begin losing on the scale eventually, but you need to fuel your body or it will store the calories it needs to maintain your excersise. Best book I ever bought was "Eating Clean" by Tosca Reno. I'm not a body builder, but it is a great book to make you feel energized and looking your best even if the scale is telling you otherwise. Great recepies and logical advice.
    Good luck.
  • cbl40
    cbl40 Posts: 281 Member
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    I could be repeating what others have said, but try changing up your exercise routine! Add more weights, or try a different class or do some interval training......just mix it up! Don't give up, you'll get there!!

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