What am I doing wrong?

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Replies

  • zsaoosh
    zsaoosh Posts: 402 Member
    GO see if there is a bod pod at your gym (or anything alike) and see what your body fat is. You are probably eating too much, depending on your body fat. If you have muscle, you might be eating too little. I was told to NOT eat back my workout cals, to just maybe add in a protein shake (up to 200 cals) post workout. They might sugest you to start lifting weights. I was told to set my goals to 40% carbs, 30% protein and 30% healthy fat. If you are not loosing, you are taking in too many calories or not feeding your body enough healthy food. Get rid of the scale for a while and focus on your body fat...the scale can say you loose 5 lbs but you might have lost 7 lbs of fat and gained 2 lbs of muscle. BUT this takes time. Good luck!
  • olong
    olong Posts: 255 Member
    First thing's first.. don't give up. I agree with another poster, fiddle with your carb-to-protein ratio. Read sites online about what works for different people. I use 35/30/25 (C/P/F) and it seems to be working. You're body will change and will need different things at different activity levels. MFP doesn't set you up for failure, but it also doesn't ask enough questions to truly customize your needs, because different people have such a variety of needs.

    Don't be discouraged, just work on solving the puzzle.
  • coconutty420
    coconutty420 Posts: 47 Member
    think of the settings on MFP as an average....an average of what works for most people. I know my body, weight, skin, mental all function better when I have lower carbs. Thats not the case for everyone...some are good at 100-150 per day....some are fine with 300+. you have to listen to your body and do what works for you. for me fats do not hurt...they help and i have a lot less joint pain and less dry skin...but its the carbs that make me feel and look like a marshmallow. so try a month where you reduce your carb intake...if you do it by 50% your normal then i think it would be enought to feel a difference...and see how your body repsonds. and a good rule of thumb that so often isnt pushed is to "stay as close to the earth as possible" if you are having an apple have a whole fresh raw apple and not applesauce....roast your own turkey breasts for your sandwich instead of buying cold cuts....make your own granola bars at home....dont open a package for one....this is where most of our sodium and intake of chemicals come from. if you follow the KISS method and try to keep to whole foods as much as possible then you wont need to rely on MFP as much...u know when u eat too much but if u do it on veggies or fruit it doesnt hold u back as much as an entire tray of Duncan Hines brownies! lol
  • Before you give up try changing different things. I'm not an expert, and I'm new here, so take it as you wish. I notice alcohol and brownies or ice cream FREQUENTLY in your diary. Ask yourself if you honestly feel like those things should be in your diet while you are trying to lose weight. I get that you shouldn't deprive yourself, and should have an occasional treat. But ... I'm willing to bet that if you cut alcohol out completely and limited yourself to one brownie a month or every other week, I bet the number on your scale will go down. I feel that your diary is more suited for someone in maintenance and not for someone trying to lose. Just my thought. Not trying to be mean, but your title is "what am I doing wrong" so I put my 2 cents in. It's hard to give up those treats at first, but once you do, you feel so much better about the healthier options. I found some yummy mini chocolate rice cakes that fill my need for chocolate. I crave those now, not brownies and ice cream lol.
  • kittymoney
    kittymoney Posts: 115 Member
    even though mfp sets our cabs/fat/protein it is just a guide. some people lose weight very well with higher carbs - I don't. So I manually changed my settings to be 35/25/40 % in my goals. also try more veggies and fruit and cut back on the processed food. also try cutting back on not eating all of your exercise calories because mfp has calculated that on the high side unless you have a heart rate monitor. good luck you can do this.
  • BrieGoorts
    BrieGoorts Posts: 48 Member
    I've always been set to the goal of "lose 1 pound per week" so this is the calorie intake that was designated.
    so I should completely ignore what MFP sets because its probably wrong? And try to teach myself whats proper for me?

    It's worth considering. You can try calculating your BMR, then calculate your TDEE and times it by 7 to get calories per week. One pound is approx 3500 calories. That means you can take your TDEE x 7 then reduce that by 3500. Divide by 7 again and that might be closer to your true caloric intake required to lose 1 lbs per week.

    Try this link: http://www.bmi-calculator.net/bmr-calculator/harris-benedict-equation/

    A lot of people suggest not eating below your BMR. Some people think that eating below BMR messes up metabolism. Eating more to lose weight is confusing because of what we've learned growing up. But that's how so many yo-yo dieters exist. Still don't beleive me? Check out the groups section. There are lots of groups dedicated to people who eat more to lose more. :) Good luck!


    14839892.png

    So I clicked your link, to maintain my weight it came to 2480.9 calories, and by doing your next equation to loose 1lb per week the result was 1980.38 calories, does that look accurate?
  • BondBomb
    BondBomb Posts: 1,781 Member
    It might be that you gained 4lbs of muscle hun! Don't freak out just yet, it could be a good gain -- if you cut your calories significantly and you are exercising like that, I'm certain it's muscle that you gained and not bad weight -- keep up the good work, you seem to be on the right track!!

    Emily
    Actually its not at all possible that its 4 lbs of muscle.
    You can not gain muscle on a large calorie deficit.
    And even with great genetic and heavy lifiting you are lucky if you can put on a pound of muscle in a month.
  • I have been there. The exhaustion thing is telling. You aren't eating enough...especially enough cals that are feeding your body well. I would be sure you hit your minimum amount of cals no matter what. Your body goes into starvation mode. It screws up your metabolism. Here are some key things. Eat breakfast within an hour of waking up, eat every 2-3 hours, drink lots of water all day long, get at least 7 hours of sleep. Try having dessert only once a week and make sure it's an awesome one that you love. Instead replace your nightly snacks with something healthy like a yogurt. Your calories need to be quality ones. Eat fruits and veggies, whole grains etc.... I got these tips from an awesome trainer who started up www.noexcusesworkouts.com He has a free group you can join and also does a once a week blog talk radio show. he is super inspiring. You need to get your head in a better place and stop beating yourself up. You are awesome!!! You can do this!!! Hang in there.
  • linaahh
    linaahh Posts: 2
    How are you calculating your calorie burn? I would not rely on what MFP calculates for activities because they are generalized for men/women and all age groups. I think they tend to overestimate calorie burn.

    Whatever MFP estimated for how many calories you should be eating may also be too high. I am 27 and I know from wearing a legit metabolic monitor that my resting metabolic rate is around 1400 calories per day. This means If I eat over 1400 calories I will gain weight. If I go under or work out, I will lose weight.

    Some tricks you can try:

    1) Manually decrease the number of calories you can eat per day by 150 calorie incriments until you find the number that allows you to lose weight without excercising. Once you figure out your metabolic resting rate you can excercise and adjust from there.

    or

    2) Do not eat the calories you burn in excercise. In other words, do not let MFP credit you for the calories you burn OR cut the number of calorie credits you earned from excercise in half.

    Either way would decrease your calorie intake.
  • beccarockslife
    beccarockslife Posts: 816 Member
    cleaning isn't exercising unless you are pouring sweat out of you in my book. I don't raise my heart rate when I'm cleaning I raise my heart rate when I exercise.

    It's not all about calories it's quality of calories. 200 cals of veggies will react with your metabolism and body totally differently to 200 cals of brownies/ice cream and rum and coke.
  • beccarockslife
    beccarockslife Posts: 816 Member
    I can't be happy with the small steps Ive taken though. Yes clothes do fit a little better, But I hate how I look when I see myself in a mirror, I don't have more energy at all, I'm exhausted all the time, and I guess I'm in a little better shape then I was before...
    It's just, I've put so much emotional energy into this, and I feel like I'm getting no where and nothing I do works. I don't want counting calories, carbs, sodium and fats to control my life.

    Why are you trying to lose weight?

    Is it completely for vainity reasons? Probably not. There are a million other good reasons to lose weight however long it takes.
  • CouchSpud
    CouchSpud Posts: 557 Member
    Uhm, tortilla chips, turkey ham, bacon, cheese, chocolate brownies... have you looked at the salt content in those? especially the tortillas? Because heck, do I gain weight over night when I eat chips (and by the way you do not gain 4lbs fat in two weeks unless you eat shedloads more nor do you gain 4lbs of muscles)

    A lot of processed meat has shedloads of salt in it, turkey ham and smoked turkey and rashers can be beyond bad when it comes to salt, crisps (or chips) are anyway. I agree with others, there seems to be a lack of fruit and vegetable and you could potentially drink more

    Don't give up, the others are right, you need to figure out your own way, MFP can only give you a standard guideline, but as always in life one glove doesn't fit all
  • lisag2007
    lisag2007 Posts: 130
    I agree with others....more fruit and veggies....and some protein with each meal may help too. One of my fave snacks is cottage cheese with strawberries sometimes with a tsp of honey. Sounds odd, but it's fabulous if you like cottage cheese. Don't give up, you maybe have gained muscle and keep switching up the workouts....it'll eventually show on the scale. If your clothes are fitting better, then things are changing. Good luck to you and keep up the good work.
  • roozombie
    roozombie Posts: 188 Member
    I can't be happy with the small steps Ive taken though. Yes clothes do fit a little better, But I hate how I look when I see myself in a mirror, I don't have more energy at all, I'm exhausted all the time, and I guess I'm in a little better shape then I was before...
    It's just, I've put so much emotional energy into this, and I feel like I'm getting no where and nothing I do works. I don't want counting calories, carbs, sodium and fats to control my life.

    So, don't let it control your life. Maybe you need a break from tracking all your food all the time, but I would pay more attention to what other people have said. Getting in more fresh fruits and vegetables as a regular part of your diet will help. You don't have to be a slave to your calorie count, but you do need to re-learn portion size and think a little more about the nutritional content of the food you're having. Check the labels of the food you buy and avoid things with super long ingredient lists or lists that have multiple ingredients that you can't pronounce or don't recognize. You really also ought to have your thyroid checked if you have not done so, as that will just keep you from losing if there is a problem from there. You may also want to think about your exercise choices-can you add in more strength training? This will help you increase your lean body mass, boost your metabolism and let you eat more calories overall. Also, what people have said about water is true--it's also necessary for your body if you want it to repair itself from exercise. Good luck!

    Edit to add: If you want MFP to change the macro ratios that you track, click on your goals and choose to do custom settings. This will let you change your macro percentages. If you read around for macronutrient percentages, you might find one that works better for you. I don't do low carb, but I know that if I am much over 100g/day on carbs that I end up craving more carbs whereas protein can provide greater satiety and cut out cravings, if you have them.
  • Pakse
    Pakse Posts: 1 Member
    I have been trying to lose weight since November, at least actively. In February I completely overhauled my diet and exercise program and have dropped 15 lbs and 2 pant sizes. I lowered my carb intake and increased my protein. I also eat 6 times a day with an average of 150-200 calories per meal. My diet consists of chicken or lean beef, complex carbs such as brown rice and sweet potato, fibrous vegetables such as asparagus, broccoli or green beans and almonds as well as oatmeal and eggs and egg whites. I mix in 2 protein shakes, usually one in the morning after am workout and one in the afternoon after cardio during lunch hour. Spices (in the dried herb/fresh herb variety) are free! If you find yourself bored with that chicken breast use a different flavor combination!

    By splitting your meals into smaller portions throughout the day, you are constantly adding fuel to your body instead of forcing it to guess when it might get it's next nutrition and then go into panic mode and store those excess materials for later use.

    If you combine weights with cardio it helps tremendously. Muscle uses more calories for energy than fat, so your rate of burn throughout the day rises the more lean muscle you build. You will not get bulky adding weight lifting to your exercise regime. As a female you simply do not have the testosterone levels in your body to get into that man-figure most people think of when lifting weights. I also do cardio for a minimum of 35 mins 2x a day. If I can not make this due to work and school schedules, I try for at least once a day. I do treadmill or elliptical and do a variance on my speed. By increasing my speed (intensity) for a period and then dropping down to a slower rate, my body is never sure what I am doing at a given time!

    Cut the alcohol out! When you drink you negate the exercise you did for the day and it takes approximately 72 hours to acclimate back to your pre-drink mode. For example, if you exercise Friday morning and drink Friday night, you have ruined the beneficial gains received from the am workout and your body will not be fully back to its self till about monday!.

    My diet is a little strict for most people and because you only live once, I allow myself 2 cheat meals per week. I plan it out ahead of time so that I am not just ordering a pizza, for example, and eating as much as I want cause I can justify it by saying it is my cheat meal. I go out and still make choices such as grilled over sauced etc.

    I encourage you to research research research. I am now addicted to whatever I can find regarding changing my lifestyle.

    ** These are things that have worked for me. I am not trained in any nutritional programs or training. I only recently discovered this site so my diet and nutrition logs are not complete nor accurate. **
  • jenniejengin
    jenniejengin Posts: 784 Member
    Bump
  • Chalesie
    Chalesie Posts: 68 Member
    :wink:
    I can't be happy with the small steps Ive taken though. Yes clothes do fit a little better, But I hate how I look when I see myself in a mirror, I don't have more energy at all, I'm exhausted all the time, and I guess I'm in a little better shape then I was before...
    It's just, I've put so much emotional energy into this, and I feel like I'm getting no where and nothing I do works. I don't want counting calories, carbs, sodium and fats to control my life.

    You have to remember that it didn't take 2 weeks to gain the weight so it won't be gone in a short period of time. It will take dedication and more time to lose the weight. You are on the right path you just need to be patient with yourself and know that you are taking the steps in the right direction.

    I know that when I reduce my carbs and eat the buld of them in the morning and afternoon I have better results... and perhaps doing this will help with your energy levels as well.

    Give yourself some time... it will happen you just need to stay dedicated to it and make some little tweaks.
  • stormieweather
    stormieweather Posts: 2,549 Member
    Here are some things I've learned about how my nutrition, and my exercises work to help or prevent me from losing weight.

    For me, I don't lose weight unless I eat enough protein. So I have to keep my carbs lower than MFP's standard setup and my protein higher. My protein goals are set to 30% of my calories and carbs are limited to 40%. Fat is the rest.

    Also, I don't burn nearly what MFP and the machines tell me I do. Not even close. A really good zumba session burns 340 calories...for me. Lifting weights is maybe 90 calories extra for 40 minutes. I can only add the calories from fitness related, purposeful exercise, and then, only the low numbers I really burn. Before I knew and when I ate back those calories, I stalled myself out.

    And my guesstimates on food serving sizes is generally pretty bad, so weighing and measuring is the only way for me to get it right. A chicken breast that is 5 oz instead of 4, 3 tablespoons of salad dressing instead of 2, 1/4 cup of grated cheese is a tad bit more than a tablespoon, a bowl of ice cream is NOT a 1/4 cup serving....etc.

    An unmanaged "cheat" day can kill a weeks worth of hard-earned deficit. 3 alcoholic drinks at 200 calories ea, dinner at Olive Garden at 1,900 calories, a piece of cake at 600 calories, your child's leftover french fries and you have completely obliterated 6 days of 500 calorie deficits. If you are going to have cheat or maintenance or eating out days...make sure they are accounted for in your hopes and goals.

    Measurements trump scale readouts. If you are losing inches, that is the most important thing because that is what people see, not your scale. Every month on the 1st, I measure my body in 7 specific spots. Even though I've only lost 8 pounds this year, I've lost 12 1/2 inches.

    Your body doesn't know that Sunday (or whatever) is weigh in day. It doesn't know that on Monday at 9:02pm, you finally have a 3500 calorie deficit and boom - drop that 1 pound of fat. Mine take 2-4 WEEKS to see any results of anything I'm doing (good or bad). That's almost a MONTH. So be patient and keep up the hard work. The results WILL show eventually, but you have to stick to it.

    Good luck, and feel free to add me if you would like. :flowerforyou:
  • yustick
    yustick Posts: 238 Member
    I am 57 days into my commitment to lose weight and I am doing better than ever. I have a long way to go. I'm obviously not an expert and truly can't predict what tomorrow brings, but this is what I think right now....

    In my previous weight loss attempts, I have always been highly emotionally reactive to the scale. Now, I am focusing on the math. I weigh, measure and record everything I eat carefully and I use a BodyBugg and Fitbit to calculate my calories burned as accurately as possible.

    So far, my weight loss is always within a couple pounds of where I should be based on my cumulative calorie deficit. It is making me a firm believer in the simple concept of calories in/calories out. It is a comfort to feel that I know what to do and if I do it, I will lose weight. I may simply need to wait out temporary weight fluctations.

    That being said, I highly recommend tools to help you accurately measure calories in and out. A scale, measuring cups and spoons and a Bodybugg or similar device.

    I think the BodyBugg is more accurate especially for strength training and other intense workouts. I paid $155 for device and display delivered. However, after the first free six months, there website costs about $10/month. I personally hate their website, but am willing to pay $10/month, just to update my weight and unload the data from my BodyBugg...if it is a reliable tool.

    Fitbit has a nicer and free website. The device costs around $100. Results are comparable to the BodyBugg on lightly active days. However, it overstates my calories burned during drive times. I have learned to override this, but it would be too time consuming if I were in and out of my car all day.

    Good luck!