On the right track?

HealthyMomAbby · July 2012

This is the first time I've posted, but I've been following the posts of others for the past month. I began using MFP 27 days ago at the advice of a friend. I was automatically put at 1200 calories a day. I did that everyday, eating back my exercise calories (if I had time as I usually have to exercise at night and I never know if I am going to get to). I lost the initial "water weight" the first two weeks and was down 7 lbs. But the last two weeks, I have only lost 1 lb. I got on to the scoobysworkout page as other's have suggested and it suggested that I increase my calories to 1463 daily. I have increased my intake to 1400 but I still haven't dropped any more. I was working out the first 3 weeks religiously, but where I live the temperatures are well above 100 and even after dark it's hot. I have two young children and at night is the ONLY time I can work out. Does anyone have any suggestions for what I should be doing or need to be doing? I am doing this all by myself and would also LOVE some support, if anyone wants to by MFP friends

I am 30 years old, 5'4", 164.5 lbs. I work in an office but I don't sit at the desk all day. I am a social worker and I often do home visits with families.

rondom41 · July 2012

I've been feeling the same way! I'm anxious to hear your replies!!

pupcamper · July 2012

(Without seeing what you are eating and doing) I would have to say you are doing it!! One pound a week is good rate to lose for your height and weight!

bpotts44 · July 2012

Jillian Micheals and the company she works for has everything on youtube. Hope that helps.

MandyJaneRose · July 2012

All I can say is, don't give up. Don't rely on the scale. The most important thing is that you are a busy mom with a busy job, and you are doing your best to eat better and get some exercise. Even if you never lost a single pound, you are doing the right thing and you will improve your health, fitness, lifespan, and happiness!

That said, you WILL lose weight if you keep doing what you are doing. I can't see your food diary, but assuming you aren't consuming spoonfuls of butter to eat back your exercise calories, you are likely doing the right thing and your weight loss will get right on track if you just commit. Checking the scale every day (or even every couple of days) is an awful habit that almost everyone on a "diet" is guilty of. We all want to see our progress immediately, and it's a kick in the pants when you aren't just watching the pounds drop off after all your hard work! Every single person on this website has known how that feels at some point, when you are struggling to eat right, fit exercise into your schedule, and the scale hasn't budged. YET.

Unfortunately weight loss is not a science as perfect as we would all like it to be, and sometimes these things take time. After 2 weeks of eating right, working out whenever I can, and not seeing the scale budge, I suddenly dropped 3 pounds in about 4 days. My habits haven't changed in the past 3 days compared to the 2 weeks prior, I just find that for some people, that's how it goes. You will start to lose weight, just don't lose your motivation and keep at it.

Oh, and do your best to drink at least 8 cups of water, especially if you are living in a super hot climate!!

dward2011 · July 2012

I am 31, 5'4, and started out weighing 162. I started April 2, 2012 and currently 11 pounds from my goal weight. My calorie goal is at 1500 each day. Long story short, the most I have ever lost in one week has been 2 pounds. I typically lose a solid pound each week. The fact that you have lost 7 pounds in a month is amazing! Don't get discouraged yet.

ETA: Take your measurements! I had a two week stall where no weight came off, but I lost several inches during that time. Don't rely on the scale alone. It is one tool of many.

cjcjcjcjcj · July 2012

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/9433-expectations

cal_73 · July 2012

Every time I've tried to lose weight I've had the same thing happen: Some quick loss then a few weeks of stagnation. Just stick with it and your body will adjust.

jenlarz · July 2012

Do your workouts inside when it's too hot outside. DVD's are great. Keep working at it and make sure you're chugging the water-that really helps.

frhenderson · July 2012

Kudos for asking for help rather than giving up.

When I'm not losing what I think I should, I do the following:

1. Check calories going in: I measure almost everything I put in my mouth. You can do this with measuring cups and spoons, but I think a good kitchen scale is totally worth the investment.
2. Check calories going out: This can be more challenging or expensive. Exercise machines and calorie burn calculators can be inaccurate, depending on the type of exercise. I find that walking or jogging estimates tend to be pretty good, but a lot of exercises could be done a different exertion levels and are less accurate. You can stick with a calorie calculator for a couple weeks, and if you aren't losing as much as you think you should, eat back only 90% of your exercise calories for a couple weeks, and reevaluate. In my opinion, a good heart rate monitor is worth the investment if you will be trying to lose weight for more than 3-6 months.
3. Check net calories: You can get away with a big calorie deficit short term, but if you cut back too much for too long, your body may start hoarding those calories by reducing your metabolism. Sometimes upping your net calories by 100-200 a day for a week can get you back on track.
4. Check "honesty factor": Am I having food meltdown days that I'm not logging? A bad eating day can cancel out 6 good ones, but I manage to forget that if I don't log it.
5. Check sodium: A salty day can show up as extra pounds. If you weigh every day you may find the pattern, but if you are only weighing once a week and that happens to be after a salty day, you could think your weight loss has stalled.
6. Check your monthly cycle: I tend to lose as expected in the first half of my monthly cycle, stall out in the 2 weeks before my period, then lose multiple pounds the day before my period. It takes a while to see the pattern, but now that I know it I don't get discouraged during the two "stalled" weeks.

I'm a busy mom too, so I've found that exercising on my lunch hour brings less guilt. I was fortunate enough to have a company gym and showers on site. When I started working from home I invested in a treadmill so weather wouldn't keep me from exercise. I recently joined the YMCA for some variety

One tip for evening exercisers who can't always depend on getting that workout in; log your exercise in the next day's log and eat back your calories as if that 10 pm sweat session happened 8 hrs later.

fay_pigu · July 2012

Weight loss is great but not what you expect. Either too little exercise or too much food are likely.

If social worker is same as in UK then I would guess you're stress levels are high. Are you getting tea and biscuits most stops. Do you snack in car? Is it being logged.

HealthyMomAbby · July 2012

Thank you all for your responses. Some of you mentioned being sure to log all food. I am actually VERY disciplined about this and I haven't binged or gone over my calories since I started. Unlike other times I've tried to lose weight, I mean it this time! To the other folks working in mental health and social work.......yes, I am in a stressful career! However, I have not seen the inside of a convenience store since I started. It's amazing how much of a habit it got to be to stop before going on home visits, or stop on the way back for a "quick snack." I am getting all my water too, most days. The days I don't is because I forgot to take it with me to work and had to try to get more in after I got home.

Most of all, thank you for telling me I am normal! I think I was expecting too much weight loss too quickly. I plan to be in this for the long-haul and I just need to be patient. Not my strongest trait!

On the right track?

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