Lies about weight loss...

_Kitten_Kate
_Kitten_Kate Posts: 520 Member
edited November 12 in Motivation and Support
Do you ever question some peoples weight loss?

If you look at some folks exercise and food diaries... do you think-how the H*LL are they losing weight!?!?

Some of it just doesn't add up.

All the while.. I am trying really hard, and having little to no results.

Eat this .. don't eat that... do this.. don't do that...not eat carbs, don't eat dairy, dont' eat fruit...
UGGGHHHH!!!

I am about over it.

It just isn't as simple as burn more than you eat....
As great as that theory is...it has little to no merit with me.

Thoughts from the peanut gallery?
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Replies

  • lisaidem
    lisaidem Posts: 194 Member
    If it is simply calories in/calories out, then I need to be studied for science, because I'm defying physics or thermodynamics or something with my major plateau!
  • chevy88grl
    chevy88grl Posts: 3,937 Member
    I don't tend to read anyone's diary unless they ask me to do so. And quite honestly, if I did - I wouldn't question their weight loss. What works for some people, won't work for others. If they've hit on something that works for THEM - who am *I* to judge them?

    I've had people question me about how much I eat each day and it pisses me off. Just because it may not work for YOU, doesn't mean it doesn't work for anyone. This is a very individual journey and I feel like people need to focus on their own goals and stop worrying about what everyone else is or isn't doing.

    I've learned that for me - it IS all about calories in/calories out. My body isn't phased by sodium, sugar, or carbs. As long as I stay under my calories? I'm good. I also know that I have a pretty wide range of calories that I can consume each day and still be fine.
  • angieleighbyrd
    angieleighbyrd Posts: 989 Member
    I have a friend who is not on mfp who eats fast food everyday, makes milkshakes almost everyday, pretty much eats nothing but garbage and walks to work and is loosing weight.

    different things work for different people.
  • angieleighbyrd
    angieleighbyrd Posts: 989 Member
    I don't tend to read anyone's diary unless they ask me to do so. And quite honestly, if I did - I wouldn't question their weight loss. What works for some people, won't work for others. If they've hit on something that works for THEM - who am *I* to judge them?

    I've had people question me about how much I eat each day and it pisses me off. Just because it may not work for YOU, doesn't mean it doesn't work for anyone. This is a very individual journey and I feel like people need to focus on their own goals and stop worrying about what everyone else is or isn't doing.




    ^^^^^this
  • LoggingForLife
    LoggingForLife Posts: 504 Member
    Nine pounds isn't bad. Maybe you are overestimating exercise or underestimating calories??????
  • DaniellePF
    DaniellePF Posts: 308 Member
    If it is simply calories in/calories out, then I need to be studied for science, because I'm defying physics or thermodynamics or something with my major plateau!

    ME TOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:grumble:
  • mabug01
    mabug01 Posts: 1,273 Member
    I have noticed that, too. I do find it annoying, but I'm trying to get over it. I'm here to get healthy.
  • I am often skeptical about others results, but I've stopped caring what others are doing. I, however had to stop lying to myself. Fad diets didn't help. Weight loss pills prove to be a medical risk and I didn't want to chance it. I only go by what's been proven to work. Eating 6 small meals a day of things that are good for you. With moderate to no excercise I've lost 6 pounds in about two weeks...

    Now I've decided to kick up the exercise a notch and stop cheating ( I think I've awarded myself 1 cheat day for every two days I do well LOL). What ever you do don't give up. I got pissed off in the beginning and quit, but I am so tired of tucking my pants instead of buttoning them or wearing tights.

    I have set realistic expecations for myself and I've found my little piece of motivation ( in the form of a bathing suit I must look amazing in by May!) Add me as a friend and we'll keep each other pumped. This task of loosing weight or counting calories doesn't have to be daunting... if you are not alone.

    Just "food" for thought (pun intended)
  • kevin_d77
    kevin_d77 Posts: 7 Member
    Haters gonna hate.....
  • LilRedRooster
    LilRedRooster Posts: 1,421 Member
    Well, it's impossible to compare one person's weight loss to another and get an accurate idea of what will work for you.

    I, for instance, lost 15lbs one semester in high school eating nothing but donuts, Junior Mints, and pizza, because I was running cross-country and training for my black belt. Most people wouldn't lose weight while eating crap like that, but I did, and still can, because my body is just super-efficient at burning off crap, so long as I'm working out.

    I don't question how other people lose weight, because it would just set me up for personal failure, because I'm not them.
  • Aerohead21
    Aerohead21 Posts: 333 Member
    While I agree that this is an individual journey for people I relate to what the OP is saying here. It's not that we don't know it is an individual journey but that we wish we could have that same amazing story. I personally have to eat very carefully and do some form of exercise every day to see the weight come off. If I slack even a little my weight loss either stalls or I gain weight. I don't think the OP was trying to insinuate that what anyone is doing is wrong, rather offering up personal frustration about the difficulties some people have as compared to others who seem to have it easier.

    I wish I had the metabolism to eat "bad" foods and not have disastrous results afterwards.
  • Jenny1061
    Jenny1061 Posts: 29
    i don't question others weight loss but i do question these lose weight fast pills and programs that people get suckered into... it's plain and simple, eat healthier and get more activity.. that's all there is too it.
  • TheresaC928
    TheresaC928 Posts: 849
    Every body is different and there is no fix. I'm doing great now but I know it could change. I have a friend who just beat stage 3 breast cancer and is on the road to recovery. She tried for months and months since getting better and OK to workout and only now is seeing results and she is 10 years older than me. Medical reasons can affect weight loss or stress. You do your best and if your doctor is happy and you are healthy that is what matters. You will start losing so don't worry. Sometimes the body is just plain stubborn too.
  • LoggingForLife
    LoggingForLife Posts: 504 Member
    Is your daily goal 2,000 calories? That might be a bit high.
  • 2kidsandadonut
    2kidsandadonut Posts: 137 Member
    Another thought is you don't know what their eating habits were like BEFORE. Sure maybe they are indulging in a big mac and fries but before they would have two big macs and fries with a shake and cutting down to one makes significant weight loss. Also you don't know what they may be doing that they aren't logging. Perhaps they went shopping and parked at the end of the parking lot shopped for three hours and didn't log it as workout time even though they may have gone a mile or two around and around the store. I know I pick up and play with my five year old and one year old all day but I don't count that as cardio or as strength training even though it would be like lifting 45lb weights reps with 20lb dumbbells. So in essence just looking at food doesn't give you the whole picture.
  • NeuroticVirgo
    NeuroticVirgo Posts: 3,671 Member
    For the most part the "calories in vs calories out" logic seems to work for me.

    I do 2 "extras"

    1) watch my sodium (because I suck up water like a sponge, and to high of sodium WILL stop me from losing...and to high for me is 2500 sadly).

    2) And I don't eat my exercise calories (unless I'm starving and feel like I'm going to die lol)

    But otherwise if you looked at my diary, I would probably be one of those people who you think "how the heck are they losing weight"...because I eat all kinds of foods. Not low carb, Not low fat, Not "clean"...Just food, and I try to stay under calories.
  • kkester63
    kkester63 Posts: 28
    Calories in vs calories burned that's the basis of FAT/MUSCLE loss/gain. That isn't the full story of weight loss. Your body will retain water, fat stores, other body tissues and fluids depending on the demands you place on it, your health etc... If you intake less calories than you burn you are losing fat and potential muscle mass regardless of what the scale shows. Plateaus in scale movement are so dependent on so many health / nutrition matters that you have to take it on faith that the fat is leaving or muscle mass and fat stores are increasing (depends on which way you are working).

    Your scale will move in the direction you worked for just timing is not always that speedy change you want to see.
  • lilcmac22
    lilcmac22 Posts: 47 Member
    I have found questioning others weight loss is not a good thing for me to do because I start comparing myself to others. This puts you on a roller coaster of doubt and frustration. I only have to be better than myself. Also, it is not ultimately about the end result, but about the journey. I want to not only lose the weight, but create a lifestyle of better health- not temporary, but for all my years given on earth. Focus on listening to your body and what you need to do to lose the weight. Don't worry about the rest- it is just small potatoes.
  • DFWTT
    DFWTT Posts: 374
    I have noticed that, too. I do find it annoying, but I'm trying to get over it. I'm here to get healthy.

    Saw this and there was a spot on the screen where it should have said TRYING actually looked like FRYING....I cracked up.
  • fvincentelli
    fvincentelli Posts: 15 Member
    What other people are/are not doing should not be what motivates you. You either get results, or you don't. If you don't then you have to review what you are doing and change something until you do get results. You can do this randomly, you can follow a fad diet, or you can spend some time researching what people who have succeeded are doing and comparing it with what you do to see what's different.

    Every person is unique, but one rule holds true: you will lose weight if, and only if, you burn more calories than you eat. You will not lose calories if you write in fewer calories into MFP than the app estimates you are burning based on your body size/weight. Please understand that I am not suggesting you are not being honest with yourself, but rather that if you are not getting the results, it is not because the theory does not work, but because there is something missing from the equation in your particular case, and you have to work at it until you realize what it is so that you can change it.

    Are you eating enough? Skipping meals? Getting enough nutrition? Eating the wrong kinds of foods, or even the right ones in the wrong manner (at the wrong times), can impact your metabolism and lower your actual burn - you could go on a crazy hipocaloric diet (< 1000 Cal /day) and still gain weight.

    What I am about to tell you can be hard to take, so please understand that it is well meant: if you are not losing weight, it simply means you are not doing the RIGHT things. It does not mean you are not trying, and it does not mean you are not doing a lot (you may be doing too much), it means you have to accept this particular plan is not working and must be changed. Sometimes all it takes is a tweak.

    I plateaued 15 pounds into my weight loss program, and could do nothing for 5 weeks to shake it. In the end what worked for me was making my breakfasts bigger. That one change (keeping all other things equal, including workouts and overall calorie intake) led to 15 pounds lost in 6 weeks, and I am still losing about 1 lb per week without doing anything different. I don't know if this one trick will work for you, but it does mean that you should not give up, not lose faith, and see a plateau as what it is: your body telling you it's gotten used to what you're doing, and it's time for a change.

    Good luck.
  • Amy_Lee_2012
    Amy_Lee_2012 Posts: 156 Member
    I don't concern myself with other people's food diaries and/or work out routines, as, while I do love the support and success stories on MFP, the main reason I am here is for me- to deal with my own weight loss issues and to track my own calories and daily exercise.
    I think it's great that so many people on this site have lost a lot of weight and I hope to be one of them, someday!
    I've lost 63 pounds since November 2011 and I've done it through eating less and working out more. For me, it's that simple (though, losing weight realy isn't 'simple'), but it's been gradual and I am sure there will be weeks when I won't lose anything. Maybe then I will push myself harder or consume fewer calories, but for now I am happy with how things are going. One thing I've learned when it comes to losing weight is- do what works best for YOU, not anyone else. We're all different and our bodies all respond to things differently :)
  • Stefanie7125
    Stefanie7125 Posts: 462 Member
    Another thought is you don't know what their eating habits were like BEFORE. Sure maybe they are indulging in a big mac and fries but before they would have two big macs and fries with a shake and cutting down to one makes significant weight loss.

    ^^this. I ate Burger king last week and still lost 3 lbs, but I had a JR whopper, not even half the fries and no pop. The old me would have eaten a whopper, large fry and a large coke (with a refill) and probably would have stolen some of the kids chicken nuggets. Nothing is off limits to me on this journey, I just have to eat in moderation!
  • Redbird99ky
    Redbird99ky Posts: 305 Member
    I don't know about other people and what worked for them, but here's what has worked for me:

    1. eat BALANCED meals. If you want to go over on anything, protein and fiber is okay. Fat is a necessary part of good nutrition.
    2. eat less than you burn, but you need to make sure you get SOMETHING in you each day. DON'T skip breakfast, and eat it within 30 minutes of waking up. COFFEE, although a necessity for me, does NOT constitute a food group, and doesn't qualify as breakfast.
    3. I don't "exercise" per se, but I DO have a fairly active life normally. I bowl 3 times a week, and we have 3 large dogs that we walk three or more times a day, and at least one of those walks is about 3/4 mile. Now that the weather is turning nice, we typically will get in two 3/4 mile (or more) walks and one 3/8 mile walk on the weekdays. Weekends, we TRY to get a nice two mile walk in at least once. It wears them out too!
    4. Drink lots of water.
    5. There is alot of controversy over a few magical terms on here, such as "starvation mode" and "1200 calories". While I am NOT a nutritionist nor am I in the field of internal medicine, that magical 1200 was true for ME. Once I bumped my calorie intake up to between 1400 and 1600, I started losing weight again.
    6. Alcohol is harmful in two ways: a) it is "empty calories" just like soda and kool-aid b) it reduces inhibitions, and will tend to make you munch mindlessly. Just because it comes from fruits or grains doesn't mean it's a food group.
    7. it's okay to have an indulgence day (I don't like the term "cheat day"). Just don't have one every week, and once you're done with it, let it go.
    8. be completely honest in your food journal, to see what you are taking in. if you have 3 triscuits at work, log them, even if it's not a full serving.
    9. don't think of this as a "diet", and don't let others who are close to you treat it as such. Although the term "lifestyle change" is probably trite and extremely overused on here, it totally fits what you are trying to accomplish.
    10. If you are a person of faith, re-connect with God, and ask Him to help you. God helps me in many key areas: He keeps my log entries complete and honest; He keeps me calm, peaceful and centered, which leads to a lower stress level, He helps me to avoid giving in to temptation; He helps me to let go of things I cannot control (lower stress level again); and anger, hurts and resentments. Never go to bed with resentment on your heart towards anyone or anything. All it will do is grow and fester in the dark, you'll think you forgot all about it, then one day, there it is, manifesting itself as an all-out munchies attack, and you'll have no clue why you suddenly decided to eat that whole bag of doritos, or whatever.

    As I said, these worked for me. I have lost a total of 75 lbs, and am now maintaining, and trying to get the hang of a good calorie count for that. I started at 235(+) and am at 160 now.

    I hope this helps you, and if you want, feel free to add me as a friend.
  • Elizabeth_C34
    Elizabeth_C34 Posts: 6,376 Member
    Weight loss is not linear for anyone. I eat junk food and still lose weight some days as long as I'm under. I eat perfectly and plateau for a couple weeks.

    The thing you need to learn is that you have to stop expecting to go down every week. It's the long term trend that matters, not the short term weekly fluctuations. Your weight is going to vary quite a bit throughout the month. Women typically fluctuate a good 8-10 lbs per month just from water retention from our cycles. Men can fluctuate quite a bit also. You will fluctuate throughout the day also (up to 5-8 lbs). It's all normal. If you can't hanle that, you're going to be a mess trying to get your weight off.

    Oh yeah, and it IS really calories your body needs to function < calories in < calories out = weight loss.
  • darkmouzy
    darkmouzy Posts: 227 Member
    something could be causing a hormonal imbalance thyroid is responisble for almost all metabolic activity in the body so maybe rule that out?
  • Captain_Tightpants
    Captain_Tightpants Posts: 2,215 Member
    Nope. It is as simple as calories in/calories out.

    Problem is calories in/out isn't that simple. There are constantly issues of mis-measuring, underestimating intake, overestimating workout cals, of fluid retention masking fat loss, of constant recalculation of TDEE as your body changes. If you're not paying attention to the fine details then weight loss will stall, but it's always just cals in/cals out.
  • Christine1110
    Christine1110 Posts: 1,786 Member
    It was easier for me to lose weight when I was at 232 pounds and eat good & got moving...the weight just fell off...but now it's alot harder now. I'm down to trying to get the last 24 pounds off....and its way harder now.
  • natika33
    natika33 Posts: 154 Member
    I can understand your frustration. I'm at the stage where it takes me about 3 or 4 weeks to see the scale nudge one pound. I understand why logically, but emotionally/mentally it is hard to stay motivated.

    It is hard to be motivated when there is no loss for so long, but keep at it! It will happen if you are being honest and not under-estimating your consumed calories in or over- estimating your exercise calories out. Losing slowly is better than not losing at all, right? Try to celebrate the little victories, or the non-scale victories, or just ignore the scale altogether for awhile!

    Keep in mind that you can set your activity level at the beginning when you first register with MFP. There might be some people that do the same amount of exercise every day, so instead of manually logging it everyday, they set their activity level to active. That might be why some people look like they are eating a tonne, apparently not doing any exercise (although they really are) and still losing.

    Hope that helps!
  • _Kitten_Kate
    _Kitten_Kate Posts: 520 Member
    Thanks for all the responses. I am going to attempt to address them all in one swoop.

    I am not judging others or what they are eating or doing. And am logical enough to realize that..well it is what it is.. and not everyone will use this the way I do.
    Iam frustrated with my lack of weight loss. I am 5'10 244lbs.. and I am a large framed girl...not just fluffy.
    I started out totally with MFP calculations and suggestions of 1370 cals a day.. working out 1-3 days a week.
    No big results.(I would eat clean.. and carbs at about 30%)
    I up'd workouts. Nothing.One month down.
    I changed my calories to be at my estimated BMR...1890... ate between 1500-1900 cals. No eating back. Work outs the same... Went up and down the same 5 lbs for a month. 2months down. Down 5-7lbs from the start date.
    Beginning of month 3...(Last week) I decided to try Primal eating. Lost 1lbs or so. I eat low carbs... 50-100g.
    I weigh and measure my meats and nuts...eyeball lettuce and veg. I don't use butter(well, seldom) I use olive oil and coconut oil in cooking. And gear towards good fats.Yogurt, nuts, olives, etc. I have only eaten fruit 1-2x a week. And I still eat dairy. But will add more fruit in at the 25-30 day of primal.
    My diary is open if anyone would like to critique. I am painfully honest in my journal. And a little OCD about making sure everyting is accurate.
    I have my cals @2000. Which is just 110 cals above my BMR. and still about 100-900 below my TDEE-depending on the day.
    I have a HRM and Body Media Fit.... that I use when working out.
    I work out 3-5 days a week... burning 200-800 cals.

    I appreciate all the input. I have been very diligent about what I eat and how I eat. My goal is to be healthy... but to lose weight.

    I am not comparing myself to others... just maybe trying to understand.
    But the logic isn't there for me with some folks...

    I get this is a place for support. But I would prefer that the support be from a place of health and logic, and sencereity...not just plastic BS comments.

    I get that something that will work for one will not work for the other.

    I guess I am unsure about how to go about figuring out what works for me. Do you give it 2 weeks? a month? 3?

    I had a blood test last week. And all is normal. No issue with thyroid or insulin...metabolic panel.. all normal.

    I drink about 9-15 cups of water a day.
    I may drink 2-3 cokes a week... but most weeks I don't at all.

    I think the mass of infomation and ways and wisdoms are overwhleming me.

    I think I have addressed all the responses.

    Thanks!...

    Anything else?
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