[blonde72]

I've been counting calories for a little over a month and I can't really tell if I've lost anything or not. My clothes don't feel like I have, and I had to replace my scale at 3 weeks in. (My other scale was too nice and this new one is truthful) I eat between 1400-1700 calories a day and started walking or doing yoga 3-4 times a week. It's getting downright aggravating and depressing to see no progress for more than a month's effort.

[seagirl]

Are you using a digital scale? What do you mean "scale is too nice?"

It took me a few weeks to see a loss. But for me it was eating too much. Are you measuring and weighing your food?

If you are being totally honest with yourself, what do you think the cause is?

[blonde72]

My old dial scale would change 6 lbs or so if you got on, off, or back on. So I bought a new digital one. I have been going by calories on single packages, measuring, or trying to honestly guesstimate things that couldn't be measured. I also have been constipated for about a week.

[seagirl]

Oh the constipation can be the cause, and "guesstimating" as well. Do you have a food scale. What types of foods are you guessing on and how frequent is it?

[blonde72]

I'm guesstimating on the meat and some of the frozen fruit in my breakfast smoothie. I don't have a food scale so I was going by the standard size guidelines (deck of cards, etc...). On veggies I figured the more the better. I even started putting spinach in my smoothies. I'm surprised I haven't turned into Popeye!

[Silverfire]

You should totally get a kitchen scale. Honestly it helps so much, I use it allll the time now. You can find them for pretty cheap too. Trying to eyeball grams and ounces is not easy! How are you tracking your calories? Pen and paper, or app... ? Give it some time and if you don't start losing, consider lowering your calories a bit, maybe trying to not go over 1500 or so? Just keep tweaking things as you go, you will find what works for you.

It sounds like you have a good start anyway, extra veggies and the spinach in your smoothies is awesome Although you should watch the fruit and sugar!

ETA: Up your fiber too!!!!

[blonde72]

Thanks for your advice! I will check out the kitchen scales. I've been using pen and paper to keep track. I thought about an app. but I don't know anything about them so I went old fashioned. Losing weight was a lot easier when I was younger. I turned 40 last June and this is a whole lot harder to get that scale to budge.

[Skinnygirldreams]

blonde welcome to the world of calorie counting. May people here use myfitnesspal, or fitbit, or I use one called calorie counter.

It's great because you can scan in things that have bar codes, or if you go to resturaunts they have most chain ones in the app.
Good luck!

[punkrocksong]

There a quite a few free apps that will count calories...that's what I have been using. I wish it kept track for how many carbs and how much protein, fat, and sugar I've had in some kind of chart. I've been guilty of guestimating too - I never thought about a kitchen scale. I'll have to look into that over the weekend.

[seagirl]

Originally Posted by blonde72

Thanks for your advice! I will check out the kitchen scales. I've been using pen and paper to keep track. I thought about an app. but I don't know anything about them so I went old fashioned. Losing weight was a lot easier when I was younger. I turned 40 last June and this is a whole lot harder to get that scale to budge.

Yup, 40! Same here. It took me a couple weeks of changing things to see results. Now I have my calories at around 1300-1500 per day, maybe 1800 on a weekend. It's so much harder than in my 20's, but its possible!

[bethFromDayton]

Originally Posted by punkrocksong

There a quite a few free apps that will count calories...that's what I have been using. I wish it kept track for how many carbs and how much protein, fat, and sugar I've had in some kind of chart.

I use MyFitnessPal--both as an app on my iPhone and the web app, which has a few additional (but not essential) features.

It does track crabs, protein, fat, fiber, etc. although there is a limit to how many you can see at once.

Loseit! it another popular one--there's myNetDiary and others I don't know.

I've been guilty of guestimating too - I never thought about a kitchen scale. I'll have to look into that over the weekend.

I bought a "nice" one at Target--it was about $25. Features I like:
it has a total flat easy-to-clean surface, which also means I can lay a piece of wax paper across it before using it, keeping it clean. It's digital--no guessing. It can do both grams and ounces, so I can use either unit. It has a tare feature. It weighs up to 11 lbs. It's also usable for postage checks.

I still guesstimate some things--but only low cal items. So, I'll guesstimate lettuce or other veggies--but never guesstimate meat or cheese.

[blonde72]

Thank you all for the good advice! I got on the scale this morning and it finally moved down 1 lb. ! Yay!