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what am I doing wrong?

Old 02-01-2011, 02:54 AM
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okay...I have been using this site for a month...recording every calorie that I put in my mouth. on a normal day I take in between 900-1000 and feel very satisfied with that. I have also started taking a Zumba class last week that I love...my problem is that after a month I have only lost 7 pounds....I have pretty much cut out most sugar and rarely eat pasta or bread....i am totally confused and if someone could give me some direction I would really appreciate it
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Old 02-01-2011, 03:31 AM
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Well...just off the top of my head, I would say that 7 pounds in a month is not a bad deal...healthy weight loss is between one and two pounds per week.

What is your calorie deficit?

900-1000 is not a lot of calories, unless you are rather small to begin with. For some (not for others), metabolism can slow on too few calories. Case in point...I couldn't lose on 1000 per day; I bumped up to about 1300 and started losing regularly. But others have had different experiences, so hopefully they will chime in as well.
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Old 02-01-2011, 04:00 AM
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I am at 222 right now....I guess in my mind I thought that the less calories the better. I have been trying to eat something every few hours to keep my energy up and that seems to work...i am just not a big eater...i know that sounds funny coming from a fat person but it is true...i could go all day and not eat. I will try bumping up my calories and see if that helps...thanks for the insight!
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Old 02-01-2011, 04:18 AM
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Well, sometimes this whole weight loss thing is a "throw it at the wall and see what sticks" kind of ordeal. Other things I have tried when I seem to be stuck include really changing the percentages of my pie chart (carbs, fat, protein), changing the type of exercise (your body gets used to what you do and is more efficient = fewer calories burned), and drinking a ton of water. You can't go wrong by experimenting...try to change it up somehow; if it works, keep doing it; if it doesn't, do something else.

I know it's hard to be patient. You'll get there. You've got a great start already.
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Old 02-01-2011, 05:57 AM
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Congratulations on losing 7 pounds in the first month. You are losing weight, so it doesn't sound like you are doing anything wrong. There are things you can do to try to speed things up though, and you've already gotten some good advice. Drinking a lot of water is always helpful, and I also agree that increasing the calories or even varying how many calories you take in from day to day might help. It keeps your metabolism guessing if you change things up.

If you are not a big eater, you might want to do a little research into intermittent fasting. Some people find this much easier to stick with than eating many small meals throughout the day which can take a lot of planning. Really, it is a matter of experimenting and finding what works for you.

One last thought, I'd also suggest that you look into adding resistance training to your cardio routine. Resistance training burns calories and adds muscle which burns more calories. Kettlebells are a favorite of mine because they combine resistance training and cardio.

About two years ago, I lost 60 pounds over 8 months which put my average at just a little over 7 pounds a month. It all adds up, so stick with it!
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Old 02-01-2011, 06:32 AM
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Default Patience and determination are really the key here

kristimdavies,
It looks like you are off to a great start. Everyone hopes that a miracle will happen and they will actually lose the 30lbs in 30 days some snake-oil products promise - but it rarely happens that way.

So, try the great suggestions posted here, maybe look into others posted throughout these forums, and know that you are making progress. This is, after all, a lifestyle change you are after. And that takes time and, frankly, a little experience.

Keep up the good work you have begun.
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Old 02-01-2011, 09:17 AM
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KRISTIMDAVIES--I'd just add my congratulations to what others have said: 7 pounds in one month is very good. When you lose much more than one pound a week (or 4.5 pounds in a month), it's too fast for the body to adjust to the new situation, and the weight goes back on even faster than it came off.

900-1000 calories a day is also not much for a moderately active person (unless you're about 4'6" tall). The body thinks you're starving, and holds on to stored fat more tightly. So I'd reiterate the advice some of the others have given you to experiemnt and see if adding some calories helps you lose (especially if those calories contain vegetables and some olive oil or nuts).

Yehudit
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Old 02-07-2011, 11:22 PM
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Originally Posted by kristimdavies
I am at 222 right now....I guess in my mind I thought that the less calories the better. I have been trying to eat something every few hours to keep my energy up and that seems to work...i am just not a big eater...i know that sounds funny coming from a fat person but it is true...i could go all day and not eat. I will try bumping up my calories and see if that helps...thanks for the insight!
OMG I am 230 and I was told by my dietician to eat 1600 calories a day. I also workout 5 days a week though. I would say try at least 1200. Women are NEVER supposed to go under 1200 calories a day so that may be why you are not losing.
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Old 02-15-2011, 12:44 AM
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I have the same issue. Me and hubby started exercise and diet program together and he has done much better than me. What gets to me is that he eats two big meals and doesn't really care how much carbs, protein or fat he is eating but yet he is doing great. I keep my calorie betwen 1200 to 1400 calories and I have only lost 2 pounds in 2 weeks..
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Old 02-21-2011, 01:28 AM
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Everyone is different, when I was younger and wanted to lose weight 1200 cal a day worked great, but now I am in my 40's if I eat that much in a day I will not stay the same but will gain. I have had to deal with dropping to 1000 cal a day with my not very active lifestyle. Hormones and life changes seem to have more to do with the amount I can eat to lose. I just make sure I am eating a lot of salads and fresh veggies to fill me up so I am not as likely to snack between meals Sometimes weight loss is an experiment on what works best for you. Try different things, not just calorie intake but different types of excercise and go with what seems to work best for you.
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