30 days of no losses

jonnyman41 · May 2012

Well I started this in March and lost 4lbs only over the first fews and then stalled. For 30 days now I have not lost a single thing despite only going over once to any significant amount (and it was my birthday) plus the odd over by 100-200 cals but also the odd under by the same amount too. I have put my cals up a little in case it was due to not eating enough ( I am only aiming to lose around 0.5 lb per week) and I eat back most, but not all, of my exercise calories too. I am not into huge workouts but I have increased my walking a lot since I started this and now I add in kettlebell exercises 2-3 times a week too plus odd dvd workouts and other extra stuff as it presents.
Why oh why is there still no changes!
Just to add, I do enjoy a drink at the weekends but keep it within my cals.

ouandi · May 2012

I'm in the same boat as you. Lost 4lbs then nothing. Not sure what to do at this point. I spent a fortune getting my accurate BMR and still nothing. I'd love some advice as well!

Side note, we have exactly the same weightloss goals. I'd love to add you as a friend.

jonnyman41 · May 2012

I'm in the same boat as you. Lost 4lbs then nothing. Not sure what to do at this point. I spent a fortune getting my accurate BMR and still nothing. I'd love some advice as well!

Side note, we have exactly the same weightloss goals. I'd love to add you as a friend.

I have added you. Hope you have more luck than I do at the moment! Really not sure what else I should be doing as it is supposed to be far more about the diet than exercise, though I am doing that too.

twinmom01 · May 2012

A few things...

1) are you calculating your portion sizes correctly...for some things going over by a little bit isn't going to add many calories other things...for example you have 3 cups of lettuce with your salad but you record 2 - so you are only missing about 20 calories...but you put some crumbled feta on it and calculate out a Tablespoon but actually put 3 which could result in an extra 100 calories

2) How are you calculating your exercise calories - this is very important since you stated you are eating most back...I can tell you the MFP calories burned can be wayyyyy off. So if you are using the MFP calculations and it says you burned 400 calories but you really only burned 200 calories and you eat back 400

3) Did you take key measurements - bust, waist, hips, upper arms, thigh, calf - this is important. Fat takes up a greater volume of space so you could only loose say 5 lbs but have quite a noticable difference in your body composition. I know some people will say - Oh you are gaining muscle and muscle weighs more...to be technical the same weight of muscle takes up a smaller volume than fat - BUT as a woman it is very hard to BUILD muscle to a point where it would effect the scale (we don't have the testosterone) Another option is to have a pair of too small pants or a dress you can't quite zip up and put them on every few weeks to see if there is a difference

4) Water, water and more water - especially if you are adding in strength training workouts - strength training workouts will create small tears in your muscles which use water to heal (you may find you are up a lb a day after a big strength training workout because your body will hold on to some water to repair muscles.

5) Take a look at the foods you are eating. I know for me it wasn't just calories in - calories out I have to watch what I eat and take into account my carbs and sugars - if you are doing strength training workouts look at your protien - you need a good amount of good for you protien to repair those muscles as well.

It has taken me 2 years to loose not quite 30 lbs...of which about 20 of them have come off in the past 6 months because I changed the way and what I eat...I have lost a lot of inches and people think I have lost upwards of 40+ lbs - so the scale isn't always a good indicator

idziak04 · May 2012

I am right there with you. I started this in February wanting to lose a total of 24 pounds by summer. At this point I have lost 11, but the past month I have maybe lost 2-3 pounds total. I am working out 6 days a week and staying within my calorie goals and only having an occasional cheat day here or there. I am not going to give up though. I am going to keep eating healthy and exercising because if nothing else it makes me feel alot better about myself. I second the idea of taking your measurements. The scale doesn't always tell the whole story!! Good luck to you!

wahmx3 · May 2012

THIS! Great points and questions to ask yourself. The other side .... is it possible you are not eating enough? Do you track sodium? For me, it is a killer, if I am close to 2500 or over, I will always show a weight gain the next day. I also suggest exercising more, muscle helps your body burn more calories, even at rest.

A few things...

1) are you calculating your portion sizes correctly...for some things going over by a little bit isn't going to add many calories other things...for example you have 3 cups of lettuce with your salad but you record 2 - so you are only missing about 20 calories...but you put some crumbled feta on it and calculate out a Tablespoon but actually put 3 which could result in an extra 100 calories

2) How are you calculating your exercise calories - this is very important since you stated you are eating most back...I can tell you the MFP calories burned can be wayyyyy off. So if you are using the MFP calculations and it says you burned 400 calories but you really only burned 200 calories and you eat back 400

3) Did you take key measurements - bust, waist, hips, upper arms, thigh, calf - this is important. Fat takes up a greater volume of space so you could only loose say 5 lbs but have quite a noticable difference in your body composition. I know some people will say - Oh you are gaining muscle and muscle weighs more...to be technical the same weight of muscle takes up a smaller volume than fat - BUT as a woman it is very hard to BUILD muscle to a point where it would effect the scale (we don't have the testosterone) Another option is to have a pair of too small pants or a dress you can't quite zip up and put them on every few weeks to see if there is a difference

4) Water, water and more water - especially if you are adding in strength training workouts - strength training workouts will create small tears in your muscles which use water to heal (you may find you are up a lb a day after a big strength training workout because your body will hold on to some water to repair muscles.

5) Take a look at the foods you are eating. I know for me it wasn't just calories in - calories out I have to watch what I eat and take into account my carbs and sugars - if you are doing strength training workouts look at your protien - you need a good amount of good for you protien to repair those muscles as well.

It has taken me 2 years to loose not quite 30 lbs...of which about 20 of them have come off in the past 6 months because I changed the way and what I eat...I have lost a lot of inches and people think I have lost upwards of 40+ lbs - so the scale isn't always a good indicator
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jonnyman41 · May 2012

THIS! Great points and questions to ask yourself. The other side .... is it possible you are not eating enough? Do you track sodium? For me, it is a killer, if I am close to 2500 or over, I will always show a weight gain the next day. I also suggest exercising more, muscle helps your body burn more calories, even at rest.

A few things...

1) are you calculating your portion sizes correctly...for some things going over by a little bit isn't going to add many calories other things...for example you have 3 cups of lettuce with your salad but you record 2 - so you are only missing about 20 calories...but you put some crumbled feta on it and calculate out a Tablespoon but actually put 3 which could result in an extra 100 calories

2) How are you calculating your exercise calories - this is very important since you stated you are eating most back...I can tell you the MFP calories burned can be wayyyyy off. So if you are using the MFP calculations and it says you burned 400 calories but you really only burned 200 calories and you eat back 400

3) Did you take key measurements - bust, waist, hips, upper arms, thigh, calf - this is important. Fat takes up a greater volume of space so you could only loose say 5 lbs but have quite a noticable difference in your body composition. I know some people will say - Oh you are gaining muscle and muscle weighs more...to be technical the same weight of muscle takes up a smaller volume than fat - BUT as a woman it is very hard to BUILD muscle to a point where it would effect the scale (we don't have the testosterone) Another option is to have a pair of too small pants or a dress you can't quite zip up and put them on every few weeks to see if there is a difference

4) Water, water and more water - especially if you are adding in strength training workouts - strength training workouts will create small tears in your muscles which use water to heal (you may find you are up a lb a day after a big strength training workout because your body will hold on to some water to repair muscles.

5) Take a look at the foods you are eating. I know for me it wasn't just calories in - calories out I have to watch what I eat and take into account my carbs and sugars - if you are doing strength training workouts look at your protien - you need a good amount of good for you protien to repair those muscles as well.

It has taken me 2 years to loose not quite 30 lbs...of which about 20 of them have come off in the past 6 months because I changed the way and what I eat...I have lost a lot of inches and people think I have lost upwards of 40+ lbs - so the scale isn't always a good indicator

[/quote]

HI, I am fairly strict with my cal counts and like you said, it is only things like lettice that I don't strive to be exact so don't think I am eating more than I think.

With exercise I am using the MFP counting things for the main, however, since my main exercise is walking, I have found that the measurements are pretty standard compared to walking recorded elsewhere. I have even milaged a standard walk that I do with the dogs, and timed it too and then checked against MFP which has dog walking speed spot on for the time I walk at and also matched that to cals burned on lots of other sites and it is generally the same. I think MFP starts to go wrong on the more vigerous exercises and also people's perceptions of what is light /mod/intensive etc..

I could do with drinking more water so will do that.

I am not sure about sodium though I don't add salt to my food and, on the whole, (but not always lol) I tend to eat fairly unprocessed foods. I think I normally stay within range but will check.

I haven't done the measuring and I wish I had at first, but certainly I have not noticed any clothes fitting better and I am now not sure that I want to do it since I am already not happy re no weight loss, no inch loss too would be totally demotivating!

I do think that I am getting enough cals now though at 1400 per day. I am 5"3, have a very sedatory job and I am only carrying about a stone too much, though want to lose more than that.

Thanks

jonnyman41 · May 2012

bump

Awkward30 · May 2012

If you are truly maintaining your weight, you are probably at maintenance. Try lowering cals.

I use a bodybugg and have a variable job. On a seemtary day, I'll only burn 1600-1700 cals. I'm 5'3.5" 142 lb (22% bf). Netting 1400 would only give me a deficit of ~200, and one miscalculation or missed item can easily wipe out your whole deficit. I try to eat close to 1500 and burn close to 2000, which at my size actually does take some work.

Tl;dr: if you are anywhere near my size, you're prob eating at maintenance and need to lower cals by prob ~200

jonnyman41 · May 2012

If you are truly maintaining your weight, you are probably at maintenance. Try lowering cals.

I use a bodybugg and have a variable job. On a seemtary day, I'll only burn 1600-1700 cals. I'm 5'3.5" 142 lb (22% bf). Netting 1400 would only give me a deficit of ~200, and one miscalculation or missed item can easily wipe out your whole deficit. I try to eat close to 1500 and burn close to 2000, which at my size actually does take some work.

Tl;dr: if you are anywhere near my size, you're prob eating at maintenance and need to lower cals by prob ~200

I was on 1200 initially but was not losing so I went up to 1390 plus exercise. I do have a sedatory job too but I am also 5"3 1/2 and at 151. 1200 was not working for me at all and I was starting to get headaches and dizziness which is why I thought I would try 1390 (that's a calculation by MFP for me to lose 0.5lb a week and not just a number I guessed at lol) I have started to walk further and faster too and am starting to add in other things but still no movement!

siz8003 · May 2012

Im in your boat 5'3" 141.8 lbs today... Second week on MFP went down to 137 :drinker: thought i was doing great!!! this week right back up there? Im walking almost everyday and on the days i dont i do Jillian Michaels videos or go to the gym... I do track my size and nothing? I have my cals set at 1400 when it was set at 1200 i was sooooo hungry so i bumped it up. I believe i have my BMR correct at 1398 and with light act. 1830 (im a stay at home mom of 4 ) i want to get down to 125--120.. I am soooooooo :noway: with all the info out there that im not at all sure i can do this!

ETA:: I just started MFP again 4 weeks ago

sr4ca · May 2012

Please do not give up. I am 5'3 1/2". I too started MFP end of March. I am down 13 lbs. I am definitely sedentary. I use 1200 calories but have found it is VERY important to track your sugar and sodium. You can change your settings to make sure you track the right things. One week I did track some extra walking and ate back my calories..that week I only lost .2 lbs.

sunshine61504 · May 2012

Hang in there and don't give up.
1. I would recommend as someone did earlier - take measurements. The scale may take longer to show improvements than your measurements - the scale can be very discouraging.
2. Try to eat as "clean" as possible - protein, low carbs and lots of veggies. Cook and eat at home - fast food (even salads) & restaurant foods are filled with sodium which is not good for weight loss. Be sure your calories that you are eating are coming from healthy foods - trade out snacking for snacking with carrots, celery, almonds.
3. Drink LOTS of water. At LEAST 8 cups a day - minimum!
4. Eat your bigger meals in the AM and gradually go down making dinner your smallest meal to include a protein and a non starchy vegetable - such as broccoli, asparagus, green beans, spinach.
5. Stay away from 100 calorie pack snacks and things that come in a bag. Snacks should be fruit or a vegetable or almonds.
6. Did I say drink a lot of water?
7. Keep going - if you are eating right and getting the right calories in and burning calories at the same time while exercising - results will come. Stick with it you are getting healthy.:happy:

30 days of no losses

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