Why am I not losing weight?
MomOfJoey
Posts: 58
I've been on MFP for about 5 weeks now. In the first three weeks, I lost 5 lbs, which is crazy. I was so excited! Since then, I haven't lost any! I am working out 6 days a week, 20 minutes of cardio, plus 20 minutes of workout with a DVD, mostly squats and lunges. Then I do 10-15 minutes weights, alternating upper and lower body, mostly compound lifts and squats, with some upper arm isolations. I also track my calories very carefully, and eat back my exercise calories. I generally come in close to, if not slightly under, my calories. I do tend to eat too much protein and not enough carbs. All meals are home-cooked, lots of whole foods, organic, healthy stuff.
So what is going wrong here? Am I still eating too much? Too little? MFP is set for a base of 1200 calories (I am only 5 feet tall, so my caloric intake should be this low for weight loss, right?) + exercise calories. Am I not resting enough? Not doing the right kind of exercises? Or is this plateau normal? It's not that I'm losing inches, either. NOTHING has changed, my pants are still too tight. The only real change I've seen is that my arms and legs are getting more muscly. Stomach is still doughy, butt is still hidden under a layer of cellulite.
Getting discouraged, since I'm working so hard, I'm sore all the time, and I feel I have really changed my lifestyle. Was hoping for at least half a pound a week, if not a pound. I'd love to hear any advice.
So what is going wrong here? Am I still eating too much? Too little? MFP is set for a base of 1200 calories (I am only 5 feet tall, so my caloric intake should be this low for weight loss, right?) + exercise calories. Am I not resting enough? Not doing the right kind of exercises? Or is this plateau normal? It's not that I'm losing inches, either. NOTHING has changed, my pants are still too tight. The only real change I've seen is that my arms and legs are getting more muscly. Stomach is still doughy, butt is still hidden under a layer of cellulite.
Getting discouraged, since I'm working so hard, I'm sore all the time, and I feel I have really changed my lifestyle. Was hoping for at least half a pound a week, if not a pound. I'd love to hear any advice.
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Replies
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Try changing it up a little and see what happens. Add some upper body strength training, pop in a different DVD, and eat 1300 calories. Then the next day focus on your abs and eat 1100 calories. Every "body" is different. You'll find what works for you, hang in there.0
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your height isn't necessarily the deciding factor. I'm only 5'1 and 1200 was too low for me. i wasn't going anywhere. With how much you're working out, i'd say up it to at least 1400, but slowly. just see what works best for you. but more likely than not, you're not getting enough energy from food.0
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Are you weighing your food on a food scale? I found when I starting weighing my food that my measurements had been pretty off in some cases, especially with meat and cereals.0
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Maybe try taking another rest day. If you are sore, your muscles may be retaining water. So rest is the best thing to do.
Also switch it up like the PP stated.0 -
It sounds like you're doing everything more or less by-the-book, but there has to be a reason somewhere.
Open up your diary as public so people can take a look and be better poised to give advice.
Also give us your stats: Height, weight, and BF if possible.
Until seeing stuff in more detail, my best guess is that 1200 isn't really enough for you and you need to be eating more.0 -
Don't eat below your BMR.
http://www.fat2fitradio.com/tools/bmr/
http://www.fitnessfrog.com/calculators/tdee-calculator.html0 -
It seems like you might not be eating enough. It doesn't sound like your workouts are overly strenuous, though. Does your daily activity level setting accurately reflect where you are, or is it set too low? That could be the problem.0
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I'm feeling the same frustration. I've done SO WELL all week and the scale hasn't budged. It's so discouraging it makes me want to just eat whatever. But sabatoging our work will only make us feel worse. Keep up the great work. you will see results! Keep changing things up! Remember every day is a new day.0
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When I got "stuck" I changed my diet up. I ate no carbs for two day and finally got under the 200 pound mark. I lost 5 pounds since Monday just by eating no/low carbs. It's amazing.0
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Did you work our previously as well? If you didn't and have now started with the exercises you describe then you will be building some muscle which weighs more than fat.
Skip the scale and measure your waist and look in the mirror instead. If it was about the weight I would be slightly overweight but I'm at 9% so don't mind the weight, watch the figure instead
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I am 5ft 3 and MFP told me 1200 cal a day also, I was eating that or below until I realized after about 3 weeks that I was tired, hungry and grouchy. I used a different calculator and it figured my calories at 1640 a day even if I did no exercise. I switched to that and have been slowly losing the weight.0
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bump...because I am having the same issue...so will watch for advice0
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Maybe you need a spike day to get your metabolism out of stasis. Try eating 500 cal over one day and see if you can shake something loose. It can't really hurt. 500 cal isn't enough to gain, but it may just be enough to kick start your metabolism a little.0
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I have to reply about the "low carbs" thing as well. Carbs will store more water in your muscles so it's quite likely you will drop rapidly if you stop eating carbs but at the end of the day it's all about putting less calories into your body than you spend. It's all simple math in the end, just be patient.0
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With only 25lbs left to lose, your goal shouldn't be anything more than 1lb/week. What is it? Seems like all of the other things are pretty much in order. Do you have custom macros (protein/fat/carb) or are you just using MFP's default?
**EDIT - also, how are you getting your exercise cals measured? MFP or a HRM? are you using a food scale?0 -
I have to reply about the "low carbs" thing as well. Carbs will store more water in your muscles so it's quite likely you will drop rapidly if you stop eating carbs but at the end of the day it's all about putting less calories into your body than you spend. It's all simple math in the end, just be patient.
This ^^ all night long.
People (mostly women, in my experience) get obsessed with cutting carbs. It's nonsense.0 -
I went though the same thing... the first two weeks i was losing my 2 lbs a week and then i went another 2 weeks and only lost about a 1/2-1 pound a week... or stayed the same now this week ive noticed the scale went down again so i just think everyone's bodies are diffrent... and it depends what you were doing and how you were eating before MFP... I wasnt drinking anything but water before i started mfp where as some people I know are losing weight faster but they weren't eating as healthly as I was when they started... my advice is hang in there and stick to the calorie allowance and you will get out of the rut... just don't give up because its alot easier to gain weight than it is to lose it!0
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OK, some answers:
I am 40 and I weigh 140, down from 145. I want to weigh 115 when I'm done but would settle for 120. My BF% has varied depending on which website I use but I'm going to approximate 30% (an average of the 3 I used). I am a short but stocky person-- my thumb and index finger don't touch when I circle them around my wrist, and I have always been a curvy person, even when I weighed 100 pounds back in the Stone Age.
Since I have had my son, I have gotten ZERO exercise aside from chasing him. This plan is a radical change from before (though I was a gym rat for about a decade before him, so I have been quite strong and fit in the past). I have never been overweight before, but now I am. Also remember, I was breastfeeding on demand, so i had to eat 2500 a day just to keep my body weight. I was 125 when he was born, and have steadily gained 20 pounds in two years as his nursing tapered off but my eating habits haven't changed. THAT is the big problem, plus the slowing metabolism of a middle aged person. I am still nursing, but only 1-2 times a day, and that could stop any time (I hope, and toddler willing).
Working out-- I cannot do more than 1 hour a day. I work full time and have the kid to deal with, plus my house is a shambles and I have papers to grade. Eking out that one hour 6 days a week is hard enough. I am trying the HIIT on the elliptical and with the weights, just began that this week hoping to get out of the rut.
I am not using a food scale. I will get one. Generally I use the caloric info on the package of food or the MFP database. Am using the calories burned counter on the elliptical for the cardio, and MFP defaults for the strength training. I'm not sure I can justify spending $70 on a HRM... is it worth it? Just spent a bunch of money on the elliptical.
I am using MFP defaults for the carbs/protein/fat ratios. I admit that I do eat a piece of candy, a cookie, or whatever once in a while. If I don't, life does not seem worth living. But I have not binged! I am shy about opening up my food diary to the public but if you think it will really help, I will.
ETA: I made my food diary public for now. Feel free to let me have it! I'm doing my best-- you should have seen what I was eating before I started this endeavor!0 -
According to Fit2Fat Radio, I am not eating enough. I feel like I am eating a lot! Should I really be eating 1500 calories a day plus exercise calories and not 1200?0
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If you can't afford the HRM, the numbers in your diary seem "relatively" accurate for cal burns. But with chasing the kid around, etc. - what is your activity level set at? And your goal should definitely be 0.5-1lb/week. I love my food scale - I highly recommend it, but I would be wary of what you have in your diary. Some of those items are "custom" entries, like the protein bar, and that seems a bit low in cal for a protein bar.Working out-- I cannot do more than 1 hour a day. I work full time and have the kid to deal with, plus my house is a shambles and I have papers to grade. Eking out that one hour 6 days a week is hard enough. I am trying the HIIT on the elliptical and with the weights, just began that this week hoping to get out of the rut.
Absolutely NOTHING wrong with the occsional treat (as long as you don't binge). I would suggest changing your ratio to be more protein and less carb (something like carb 45: fat 30:protein 25, nothing drastic!) if you think you can.I am using MFP defaults for the carbs/protein/fat ratios. I admit that I do eat a piece of candy, a cookie, or whatever once in a while. If I don't, life does not seem worth living. But I have not binged! I am shy about opening up my food diary to the public but if you think it will really help, I will.0 -
That was going to be my suggestion. And a word of warning (personal experience as well) - when you increase calories, the first 2 weeks will be funky. Some people lose right away, some people gain. But stick with it, because once you find that sweet spot, you'll probably consistently lose weight.According to Fit2Fat Radio, I am not eating enough. I feel like I am eating a lot! Should I really be eating 1500 calories a day plus exercise calories and not 1200?0 -
Same problem! bump to watch for advice!!0
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Food scale and HRM were pretty helpful for me - if you've never paid attention to portion sizes (like I hadn't) it will be an eye opener. I've found that even foods that give you approximates like '1/2 cup' or '1 tablespoon' can be quite off when you weigh them.
I've also noticed that ellipticals are one of the worst offenders as far as overestimating calorie burns. Some are better than others but compared to my HRM, they always overestimate.0 -
same problem...:( bump0
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I had the same thing when I stared getting serious in January. The first 4 weeks I lost 10 pounds. Then the next two weeks I stayed the same the first and gained a pound the second. The difference this time is I just kept going. Still logged everything I ate and exercised. The third week I lost 4 more pounds. After doing this now for 4 months I have seen a pattern. I will lose for a couple weeks, then maintain or even gain a pound or two. But the weeks I am losing far outway the weeks I dont. I have lost 26 pounds since January 1st. With all that being said....JUST STICK WITH IT!!!!0
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I would definitely invest in a HRM when you're able. I used the calories burned on the treadmill I had been using at the gym and it seriously under calculated mine vs. my HRM. I've also noticed using my HRM that the more I exercise, the faster my heart is adapting to my work outs which = less calories burned in the same time period as before.
Measuring your food is so very important as well. I was seriously under guessing my portion sizes as well. All of this equaled me not eating enough calories each day.0 -
You seem to be doing good on the diet end, some days (even though you are over MFP's intake) your protein is a little low. What I will point out though is that 1200 cals may not be enough. With the amount you have to lose your weekly weight loss goal should not be to lose more than 1 lb/week, once you get to the last 10-15lbs this should change to 0.5lbs/week.
This should give you a few extra calories and if you are going by MFP or a machine for calories burned, just eat back 60-75% of them as they tend to be over estimates.
For caloric intake you may want to measure liquids and weigh solids to see if what you are recording is actually the amount you are eating.0 -
You have gotten good advice. I haven't seen this one mentioned yet. Take pictures and take your measurements. The scale LIES - pictures DONT!!!0
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I had the same issue a couple of weeks ago. I was walking 6x a week, doing Zumba 3x and weights 3x. When I started mixing things up and added running, it kind of shook my body up! I think I had grown accustomed to the workouts. Added running "Couch to 5k" and have lost 5 more lbs in a week!
Just keep at it It's a process. Remember, you are training yourself for life. Great job so far! 0 -
YES! This^^When I got "stuck" I changed my diet up. I ate no carbs for two day and finally got under the 200 pound mark. I lost 5 pounds since Monday just by eating no/low carbs. It's amazing.0
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