I need help. I must be messing up somewhere.

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JennMarieFitz
JennMarieFitz Posts: 73 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Alrighty, I've been on this site since December 2011, where I logged everything perfectly for two(ish) months and ended up gaining 3 pounds. I had a huge breakdown and stopped logging for a while, so I didn't do myself any favors there. I ended up only fitting into my largest pants, so I started back up again in March, adding in some exercise to the calorie counting. So far, I haven't lost any weight except for the four pounds I lost while on vacation and NOT tracking my intake, just paying attention to what I ate. I now fit into a smaller size pants, but haven't gotten anywhere since they started to fit back in April.

I'm confused. By cutting back on calories and a bunch of junk food (I slip up and eat fast food every once in a while), shouldn't I have seen better results? I log EVERYTHING. Even without the exercise, shouldn't I have seen something? Granted, I'm not trying to get out of it, I love it, but sometimes the weather stinks so bad I don't get out. I'm just so frustrated that I haven't gotten anywhere.

Any tips? What am I doing wrong?

Replies

  • melaniecheeks
    melaniecheeks Posts: 6,349 Member
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    Looking at the available information on your page:

    Are you already at a fairly good weight for your height? Those last few pounds are going to come off very slowly, so you'll need lots of patience.

    You fit into smaller size pants - that's great! It's more about body size than the numbers on a scale.

    Are you really sure about some of the measurements of your food? 1g of cream cheese would barely be a speck on the knife.
  • BerryH
    BerryH Posts: 4,698 Member
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    Looking at your diary, you're doing a good job of getting near your calories, but not necessarily from the right places. Try ditching the "quick add calories" and tracking everything, and have a few less snacks but better-balanced meals with more fruit and veg.

    Wherever you get your calories from, the bottom line is if you're not losing at the right deficit for you, you're either eating more than you track or burning less calories than you think. Try weighing and measuring portions for a couple of weeks.

    When the weather's bad, look at investing in a couple of exercise DVDs you can do at home.;
  • JennMarieFitz
    JennMarieFitz Posts: 73 Member
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    I'm currently doing the 30 day shred, because it's so ridiculously hot outside. The quick adds are usually a lunch that I've had before and don't feel like logging all the ingredients.

    About the cream cheese - You're right, I'm going to look into that. I do use VERY little, but I'm sure it's more than that.

    Thanks for the advice =)

    Oh! And I eat Veggies all the time, I usually don't log them, though. I don't season them or add butter/oil, so I don't worry about the cals in them and usually forget. I eat things like spinach, broccoli, carrots, zucchini, peas and green beans. That's about all that I enjoy, though. So I guess I lied when I said I log everything! Oops.
  • Swissmiss
    Swissmiss Posts: 8,754 Member
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    You can log all the items in your lunch and save it as one of "your" meals. That was all you have to do is click on that particular meal. If there happens to be something in the meal and you didn't have then you can delete just that item.
  • sarahcuddle
    sarahcuddle Posts: 349 Member
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    I would say try to eat more protein and veggies and less carbs. Meals like grilled chicken breast and a big salad will fill you up and also the body USES more calories to digest the protein that is in the chicken than it would to digest a high carb bagel say. I do not eat a really low carb diet myself, I don't think it would be sustainable but I do go over on my protein allowance on mfp most days.
  • Smuterella
    Smuterella Posts: 1,623 Member
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    I'm currently doing the 30 day shred, because it's so ridiculously hot outside. The quick adds are usually a lunch that I've had before and don't feel like logging all the ingredients.

    About the cream cheese - You're right, I'm going to look into that. I do use VERY little, but I'm sure it's more than that.

    Thanks for the advice =)

    Oh! And I eat Veggies all the time, I usually don't log them, though. I don't season them or add butter/oil, so I don't worry about the cals in them and usually forget. I eat things like spinach, broccoli, carrots, zucchini, peas and green beans. That's about all that I enjoy, though. So I guess I lied when I said I log everything! Oops.

    It is important to log everything properly if you can - it doesn't take that much more time and it lets you keep an eye on your protein and carb levels. Definitely log and weigh veggies - it all adds up.
  • charlena48
    charlena48 Posts: 192 Member
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    I think consistently eating healthy, exercising regularly and keeping a positive outlook are very important. I have incredibly slow weight loss but the scale keeps going down little by little so that keeps me motivated to go.
  • Capt_Apollo
    Capt_Apollo Posts: 9,026 Member
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    log everything, even vegtables, because if you eat a lot of them, they can add up rather quickly. log even a lunch you don't feel like listing the ingredients. if you've had it before, it should be in your diary. every calorie counts.

    change the setting in your diary to track sodium and fiber too. i wouldn't track sugar, because if you eat a lot of fruits, it'll be high (but in a good way). and fruits also have fiber, so i guess they kinda balance each other out.

    try to consume more protein than what MFP gives you, especially if you are working out. especially if you are doing some strength training. oh, you aren't doing strength training?? you should start.
  • JennMarieFitz
    JennMarieFitz Posts: 73 Member
    Options
    log everything, even vegtables, because if you eat a lot of them, they can add up rather quickly. log even a lunch you don't feel like listing the ingredients. if you've had it before, it should be in your diary. every calorie counts.

    change the setting in your diary to track sodium and fiber too. i wouldn't track sugar, because if you eat a lot of fruits, it'll be high (but in a good way). and fruits also have fiber, so i guess they kinda balance each other out.

    try to consume more protein than what MFP gives you, especially if you are working out. especially if you are doing some strength training. oh, you aren't doing strength training?? you should start.


    I do a little strength training at home, but not much. I can't really make it to the gym with a 1 year old and a husband who works 12 hours a week. You're right, though, I'll mess with the settings on my account. Thank you ALL for your help =) I'm going to be reducing my calorie intake, too. It was stupid to raise it.
  • Capt_Apollo
    Capt_Apollo Posts: 9,026 Member
    Options
    log everything, even vegtables, because if you eat a lot of them, they can add up rather quickly. log even a lunch you don't feel like listing the ingredients. if you've had it before, it should be in your diary. every calorie counts.

    change the setting in your diary to track sodium and fiber too. i wouldn't track sugar, because if you eat a lot of fruits, it'll be high (but in a good way). and fruits also have fiber, so i guess they kinda balance each other out.

    try to consume more protein than what MFP gives you, especially if you are working out. especially if you are doing some strength training. oh, you aren't doing strength training?? you should start.


    I do a little strength training at home, but not much. I can't really make it to the gym with a 1 year old and a husband who works 12 hours a week. You're right, though, I'll mess with the settings on my account. Thank you ALL for your help =) I'm going to be reducing my calorie intake, too. It was stupid to raise it.

    your husband only works 12 hours a week?? he should be around to watch the baby more!!

    *just kidding. i realized you made a typo.

    what did you raise the calories to? seriously, i wouldn't eat less than 1200 calories, not ever ever ever. your body will perform better with more food. you'll be less tired, and more willing to exercise.
  • JennMarieFitz
    JennMarieFitz Posts: 73 Member
    Options
    log everything, even vegtables, because if you eat a lot of them, they can add up rather quickly. log even a lunch you don't feel like listing the ingredients. if you've had it before, it should be in your diary. every calorie counts.

    change the setting in your diary to track sodium and fiber too. i wouldn't track sugar, because if you eat a lot of fruits, it'll be high (but in a good way). and fruits also have fiber, so i guess they kinda balance each other out.

    try to consume more protein than what MFP gives you, especially if you are working out. especially if you are doing some strength training. oh, you aren't doing strength training?? you should start.


    I do a little strength training at home, but not much. I can't really make it to the gym with a 1 year old and a husband who works 12 hours a week. You're right, though, I'll mess with the settings on my account. Thank you ALL for your help =) I'm going to be reducing my calorie intake, too. It was stupid to raise it.

    your husband only works 12 hours a week?? he should be around to watch the baby more!!

    *just kidding. i realized you made a typo.

    what did you raise the calories to? seriously, i wouldn't eat less than 1200 calories, not ever ever ever. your body will perform better with more food. you'll be less tired, and more willing to exercise.

    OOPS!! Goodness today is not my day. lol I did mean 12 hours a day. Geeze 12 a week would be awesome. I'd be at the gym every day!!!! I had it raised to 1360 a day, but I rarely ever hit 1200 anyway. I raised the cals thinking I'd be more inclined to hit 1200 if I did.

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