Not loosing regardless of effort

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bwinek2014
bwinek2014 Posts: 2 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
hey!
I'm feeling discouraged because I want to get down to my goals weight of 124. I currently weigh 129. I'm active (circuits, total body conditioning and dance classes weekly active) and I eat lean fish and lots of fruits and veggies. My indulgences are small and bite sized. I guzzle water and enjoy wine and beer on weekends,
Despite the efforts, im still not seeing any flex in the scale. My clothes fit well but I want that number to go down! Any help would be appreciated!!

Replies

  • Emilia777
    Emilia777 Posts: 978 Member
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    Are you eating at a caloric deficit? Your level of exercise and how "healthy" you eat does not matter if you're not maintaining a deficit. Do you weigh all your food and log accurately?

    Also, it might be a good idea to focus less on the number and more on your measurements and how you feel, especially as you're active.
  • jasonraygagnon
    jasonraygagnon Posts: 86 Member
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    Hey! Maybe concentrate less on the number and more on the body measurements. Changes are more than likely occurring based on your description :-)
  • Cortneyrenee04
    Cortneyrenee04 Posts: 1,117 Member
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    Try no wine/beer or indulgences for a few weeks and your weight will likely drop. But it'll just come back once you add them back so it may be pointless. I personally wouldn't go that far for 5 pounds.
  • diannethegeek
    diannethegeek Posts: 14,776 Member
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    It's hard to answer these kinds of posts without more details. How long has it been since you last saw a drop on the scale? You're very close to your goal weight, which means that weight loss will naturally be slow. Like, half a pound per week slow, which can be hard to see on the scale from week to week. If it's only been a few weeks, then it's possible that it's just a natural stall and will go away on its own.

    Other than that, the most common problems we see come from underestimating calories eaten and overestimating calories burned.

    Opening your diary might help to get you more specific advice if you're comfortable doing so.

    You're logging everything you eat? Including condiments, cooking oils, veggies, cheat days, etc? Are you using a food scale, measuring cups, or eyeballing your portion sizes? Most people can be off in their estimates by several hundred calories when they eyeball portions. Measuring cups are better, but a food scale is going to be the most accurate.

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1234699-logging-accurately-step-by-step-guide
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1290491-how-and-why-to-use-a-digital-food-scale

    And make sure that you've calculated your calorie goals appropriately. Remember that these are just estimates. You may need to play around a little to find what works best for you.

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/819055-setting-your-calorie-and-macro-targets

    If you're exercising and eating back your earned exercise calories, be sure that you're using accurate estimates of your burn. MFP and gym machines have a tendency to overestimate certain activities, which can cause you to eat back more calories than you need to. Even a heart rate monitor isn't 100% accurate. If you're eating those extra earned calories it might be a good idea to eat only 50-75% of those.

    And there's something to be said for the fact that some people just burn fewer calories than the generic equations predict. If that's the case for you, you may need to adjust your calories a little lower until you start losing again.
  • Emilia777
    Emilia777 Posts: 978 Member
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    Cortneyrenee04 wrote: »
    Try no wine/beer or indulgences for a few weeks and your weight will likely drop. But it'll just come back once you add them back so it may be pointless. I personally wouldn't go that far for 5 pounds.

    There's no reason to give anything up as long as the OP is eating at a caloric deficit. Alcohol can fit into someone's day: just log it and move on. I regularly enjoy a glass of wine with dinner or a shot of scotch in my tea. This has no impact on my weight loss.
  • BodyByBex
    BodyByBex Posts: 3,685 Member
    edited April 2015
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    Stop being obsessed with a number? Think about what your body can DO and what it looks like and how you FEEL versus what the scale says. I can now run a mile without feeling like I'm going to die.

    Do you use any other form of measurement for before/after comparison other than the scale? I find that helps a lot. I haven't dropped in weight from 193 lbs in about a week and a half, but I now fit in my size 12 pants well enough to wear them in public and I've had to order new work uniforms.
  • strong_curves
    strong_curves Posts: 2,229 Member
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    Theres a great thread here called "lean people trying to get leaner" , you should read it. Its very informative.
  • 999tigger
    999tigger Posts: 5,235 Member
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    As pointed out calorific deficit or not?
    I do think measurements are more importnat, but if its weight loss you want, then what emillia and dianne said.
    Theres not enough detail to assess.
  • jediguitarist
    jediguitarist Posts: 73 Member
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    My weight fluctuates by about 3-5lbs during the day. I can weigh myself after 45 minutes at the gym in the morning and then weight 2-4 lbs more after dinner. Then the next day I would weigh 2lb less but only 1lb more at after dinner.

    I wouldn't rely on the scale as the sole source of progress. Look in the mirror, or put on those jeans and see if you see/feel a difference.
  • SueInAz
    SueInAz Posts: 6,592 Member
    edited April 2015
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    jediguitarist wrote: »
    My weight fluctuates by about 3-5lbs during the day. I can weigh myself after 45 minutes at the gym in the morning and then weight 2-4 lbs more after dinner. Then the next day I would weigh 2lb less but only 1lb more at after dinner.

    I wouldn't rely on the scale as the sole source of progress. Look in the mirror, or put on those jeans and see if you see/feel a difference.

    This is good info. I personally think of my weight as a 5 pound range. None of us ever weighs exactly a specific number, our weight fluctuates constantly due to food and water intake, water retention, bowel movements, etc.

    What you're eating is not going to make a difference in your weight, it's how much you're eating. You need to be eating fewer calories than you're burning in order to lose fat. Exercise, while important, is no guarantee of weight loss, either, unless you're eating less calories than you're burning. The one guarantee I can give you is that losing the "last 5 pounds" is hard. It's slow because it's more difficult to create the calorie deficit needed to lose fat when you're already at a healthy weight.

    The difference in how you look at 124 vs. 129 is not going to be large. Rather than obsess over a number on a scale that no one but you sees anyway, why not focus on body fat percentage instead? Start lifting weights. Add muscle and lose fat. You'll get smaller and firmer which is probably what you think that losing 5 more pounds is going to do for you, anyway.

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