What am I doing wrong?

Lovely_at_any_size

Oh, and I have been tracking the sodium, trying to stick to under 2500mg per day - but over the course of several weeks, I would think that even if I was eating a bit more sodium that it wouldn't completely mask weight loss.

If you do go over your sodium drink tons of water. Atleast 16 glasses or more.

MariaChele85

I followed the same program. I did 12 weeks or heavy weight lifting/ light cardio and I gained about 10 lbs in 2 weeks. After about 4-5 weeks the weight started dropping again, slowly of course. I also lost inches and my edurance, strength, conditioning improved greatly! I knew I hadnt gained fat, because I was being very good with my diet, I knew it had to be water weight from the heavy lifting.

CMWheeler85

I would also look at the amount of sugar you are taking in. If you take in too much sugar your body will use the sugar for energy since it is easier for your body to use. This stops your metabolism from burning fat for energy instead.

Another thing I cannot recommend enough is cardio. Remember if you are in fact lifting and you are lifting heavy then you are gaining muscle mass. Increased muscle =/= decreased weight. Often times it means more weight gain because muscle weighs more than fat. Another thing to remember is you can do all the lifting you want without cardio mixed into the routine you will not see much in the way of fat burning. Yes your body does use fat storage for energy during lifting but not nearly at the rate of cardio. Cardio is an absolute essential building block of fat loss working out with getting your heart rate going simply builds muscle under fat. Again you might have said that you are doing cardio and if you did excuse that last blurb lots of posts so I figured I would just add my 2 cents. One more thing to remember. Not eating enough calories can also cause your body to stop burning fat. If your body thinks it is starving it will stop burning fat and start storing it for use when it is hungry and needs a boost.

As has been said measure and record everything and make sure you are crossing your t's and dotting your i's otherwise you might not see the results you are looking for.

jonnythan

Also, 2500 mg is a rather low sodium goal unless you have HBP or something. I suggest not worrying about sodium intake.

edack72

Yea without the scale, you could be spinning your wheels. You are not working with a huge deficit as it is. For me personally, at your weight, you could lower in the range of 1600 and drop the fat a little faster, then slow down as you get closer to your goal.

If you are going out to eat, you are likely inadvertantly overreating on weekends and erasing your deficit.

I lost 30 lbs in about 2.5 months, and it was from weighing everything, and making a deal with my wife that we put the kaybosh on going out to eat for awhile until I got things figured out.

Agree I didn't see any results until I ditched what the site was telling me now I'm at 1200 calories a day and try really hard to not eat back all my calories

jonnythan

I would also look at the amount of sugar you are taking in. If you take in too much sugar your body will use the sugar for energy since it is easier for your body to use. This stops your metabolism from burning fat for energy instead.

Another thing I cannot recommend enough is cardio. Remember if you are in fact lifting and you are lifting heavy then you are gaining muscle mass. Increased muscle =/= decreased weight. Often times it means more weight gain because muscle weighs more than fat. Another thing to remember is you can do all the lifting you want without cardio mixed into the routine you will not see much in the way of fat burning. Yes your body does use fat storage for energy during lifting but not nearly at the rate of cardio. Cardio is an absolute essential building block of fat loss working out with getting your heart rate going simply builds muscle under fat. Again you might have said that you are doing cardio and if you did excuse that last blurb lots of posts so I figured I would just add my 2 cents. One more thing to remember. Not eating enough calories can also cause your body to stop burning fat. If your body thinks it is starving it will stop burning fat and start storing it for use when it is hungry and needs a boost.

As has been said measure and record everything and make sure you are crossing your t's and dotting your i's otherwise you might not see the results you are looking for.

Sugar has nothing to do with it.

If you're losing weight, you're not gaining muscle mass.

Body mass gain or loss is determined solely by calorie differential. You can't build muscle while on a caloric deficit and magically maintain your fat mass at the same time.

Cardio is not an essential building block of fat mass, period, end of story, thanks for playing. That idea is absolutely, positively, 100% absolutely false.

edack72

If you're not losing weight over a long period of time, it has nothing to do with salt or carbs or whatever. You're consuming too many calories.

Either you've miscalculated your calorie expenditure or you're not accurately tracking calories consumed.

THIS!

YES!!!!!

bookyeti

Carbs have absolutely nothing to do with it. No one loses weight if they keep the calories the same but just eat fewer carbs.

I guess I'm a snowflake then. ;-)
I eat the same amount of cals I always have but have reduced my carbs considerably and am losing inches, and improving my health. This is a necessity for me, as I struggle with metabolic issues (insulin resistance, PCOS). It may not apply to the OP case, but carbs do have a great deal "to do with it" for some of us.

DMJS

Since my weight loss is so small at this point I'm not sure if I should remark. But, I thought it was very important to docardio for weight loss. Of course the muscle helps the matabolism.

DMJS

Bookyetti, I'm with you, with the carbs since I am very carbohydrate sensitive. It also matters what kind of carbs we eat. I have stopped eating all the white carbs. I've got to find what works for me. I guess the weigh in on Friday will help me to know.

zaftiggirl

Macros play a part in how I feel, so I prefer to watch those even though I know it's not * necessary* to lose weight. I'm going to stick with what I've been doing for the most part, but a bit lower on the calories, weighing food so I track it accurately, only eating out once or twice a week, and monitoring carb intake within reason are probably the additional steps I'm going to take.

The only thing steady-state cardio has ever done for me is make me really hungry I definitely get my heart rate up when I lift and when I ride my bike to work every day.

BeeMarieG

I don't know what these terms are (TDEE, macros, etc - i guess i need to brush up on this terminology!)but if i were you, i would try:
1. doing heavier cardio
2. cuting down on your carbs. this is a personal thing - but i found that for ME, when i cut back on carbs, i lose weight. i kept saying I can't do this, but i can - i am down to bread/carb one meal a day, and a few fruit.

Carbs have absolutely nothing to do with it. No one loses weight if they keep the calories the same but just eat fewer carbs. I'm glad you found something that works for you, but that's not how it works.

More cardio isn't the answer either.

I take exception to your remarks. You cannot make blanket statements like this, as we are all different and have unique, complicated bodies. For insulin resistant people like myself, you absolutely CAN lose weight by eating the same calories and fewer carbs - in fact, it's the only way I can lose weight, period. I've learned this through many years of trial and error when it comes to health and weight loss.

It might not work for you, but it does work for many, many of us.

zaftiggirl

252 lbs on April 15.
I have weighed between 243-246 for about 4 weeks now.

Wait. April 15 was 6 weeks ago.

You lost 6-9 pounds over the first two weeks and nothing since? Is that right?

You're obviously losing weight.

Yes - I just wasn't sure why it stalled.

jonnythan

252 lbs on April 15.
I have weighed between 243-246 for about 4 weeks now.

Wait. April 15 was 6 weeks ago.

You lost 6-9 pounds over the first two weeks and nothing since? Is that right?

You're obviously losing weight.

Yes - I just wasn't sure why it stalled.

Chalk it up to "6-9 pounds in about 6 weeks" and keep doing what you're doing.

smn76237

Macros play a part in how I feel, so I prefer to watch those even though I know it's not * necessary* to lose weight. I'm going to stick with what I've been doing for the most part, but a bit lower on the calories, weighing food so I track it accurately, only eating out once or twice a week, and monitoring carb intake within reason are probably the additional steps I'm going to take.

The only thing steady-state cardio has ever done for me is make me really hungry I definitely get my heart rate up when I lift and when I ride my bike to work every day.

Sounds like a reasonable plan to me. Best of luck!