Why am I not losing weight?

fyeter

It sounds like you lost the initial weight too aggressively. I am reading that normal should be 1 - 2 lbs a week. Also sounds like you are doing too much cardio, especially everyday. You may want to shift your workouts to more lifting. If you are lifting already, then just reduce the cardio, increase the calories some and increase the protein intake in those new calories:)

Bbowling03

I've only been on for a week. I'm eating UNDER the calorie count and working out both weights and elliptical and have gained 3 pounds. The only think I can think of is that I'm eating the wrong things at the wrong time. In morning is various juicing (Kale, cucumber, carrot, spinach, etc) with a protein powder / lunch is something small - try to keep it a higher protein but I usually have over half my calorie count left for dinner. I eat dinner and then snack later in the evening....but am still under the calories allowed.

Maybe I'll try to incorporate "eat nothing after 7pm rule" and see how it goes.

Yesterday I was under by 500 calories but 54% carbs / 25% fat & 21% protein

megsmom2

If you're under by that much you are not eating enough. Read the MFP FAQs....your deficit is probably not at healthy levels.

elvensnow

Read everything in here http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/833026-important-posts-to-read

rcadogs

I'm a little on a roller coaster with my weight, the heaviest I've been is 149 and the lightest I've been since starting is 146. It's been 3 months since I've started and no real progress! Is it because of water weight, too much sodium or carbs or because the "time of the month" is coming? I don't know what else to do. I'm starting to watch how much sodium and carbs I consume every day and increase my water intake and adding on exercises, but what else should I do?

Melizabeth84

Bump, I am in the same boat....

I weigh myself daily and do my measurements weekly no change.... I do heavy weight lifting 5/6 days a week cardio 3/4 I use a food scale and measure pretty much everything..... and stay in my macros.

im stumped. I don't really go by the scale I do go by my measuring..... I hope you find some guidance regarding this.... Dont give up!

DON'T BE A SLAVE TO THE SCALE LOL

SiempreBella

Eat more

PepperWorm

Do this and you *will* lose weight:

1) Eat mostly to get the nutrition your body needs, and less for enjoyment. Establish a healthful diet and find pleasure in other things.

2) Three meals a day: breakfast, lunch, and dinner. That's it. No snacks, and no "in between" meals.

3) Give up sugar. No sugar in coffee, soda, or on cereal. Give up fruit juice -- it's mainly just another form of sugar. Water is the only liquid you need.

4) In the beginning, establish a very regulated moderate calorie diet. Don't follow any sort of fad. Just pick a selection of foods that add up to a normal balanced diet -- whole grains, veggies, fruit, dairy, a little meat, etc. But start out by having exactly the same three meals each day -- the same foods and the same amounts. Weigh the portions on a scale. Consider frozen dinners. Healthy Choice, Lean Cuisine, Kashi, Smart Ones, and probably other brands have several that are low in calories and saturated fat, 25% daily value or less of sodium, and high in fiber.

5) Weigh yourself every day on a 0.2 lb. accuracy scale. Your weight should go down over every two or three days. If it doesn't, eliminate items from your diet or reduce the size of portions until your weight does go down. (If you don't have a 0.2 lb. accuracy scale, I'd recommend the EatSmart Precision Plus Digital Scale, which is sold on Amazon.) Don't obsess over the scale — let it be your friend and point the way to a weight losing diet.

6) When you have achieved a weight losing diet, then you can start making adjustments to add variety, but make sure that you keep losing weight.

7) Maintain your exercise program.

I emphatically disagree with this approach.

Mia_RagazzaTosta

Do this and you *will* lose weight:

1) Eat mostly to get the nutrition your body needs, and less for enjoyment. Establish a healthful diet and find pleasure in other things.

2) Three meals a day: breakfast, lunch, and dinner. That's it. No snacks, and no "in between" meals.

3) Give up sugar. No sugar in coffee, soda, or on cereal. Give up fruit juice -- it's mainly just another form of sugar. Water is the only liquid you need.

4) In the beginning, establish a very regulated moderate calorie diet. Don't follow any sort of fad. Just pick a selection of foods that add up to a normal balanced diet -- whole grains, veggies, fruit, dairy, a little meat, etc. But start out by having exactly the same three meals each day -- the same foods and the same amounts. Weigh the portions on a scale. Consider frozen dinners. Healthy Choice, Lean Cuisine, Kashi, Smart Ones, and probably other brands have several that are low in calories and saturated fat, 25% daily value or less of sodium, and high in fiber.

5) Weigh yourself every day on a 0.2 lb. accuracy scale. Your weight should go down over every two or three days. If it doesn't, eliminate items from your diet or reduce the size of portions until your weight does go down. (If you don't have a 0.2 lb. accuracy scale, I'd recommend the EatSmart Precision Plus Digital Scale, which is sold on Amazon.) Don't obsess over the scale — let it be your friend and point the way to a weight losing diet.

6) When you have achieved a weight losing diet, then you can start making adjustments to add variety, but make sure that you keep losing weight.

7) Maintain your exercise program.

Hey Bob's back!

Your persistence is admirable. Your advice is ridiculous (well, most of it)

ltruns

I have done the Ripped in 30 and I found that I lost inches but no weight. I figured out that I had been building muscle which canceled out the fat being burnt. I am a huge fan of Jillian and as she says you should add variety to your work outs. Your body gets used to a routine and then it isn't as effective anymore. If you like Jillian I would suggest you try her kick boxing or no more trouble zones for something different. Sometimes just increasing calories and changing up your routine helps. I read in Women's Health Magazine that you should change your workout routine at least every three weeks because muscle memory develops and the works aren't as effective after awhile.

None of this has a shred of truth. But, that's ok. Hopefully you'll research on your own. Jillian is so full of crap that it's disgusting.

As is most of everything printed in women's health magazines.

She's right. Womens health magazine does not an expert make.

ltruns

This is all super helpful, and I do feel like I have replaced some fat with muscle--I'm definitely a lot stronger than when I started out. I noticed a few years ago, I dropped twenty pounds in 2 months from going low carb and doing an hour cardio every day. I feel like my body is very resilient to weight loss--is that possible?

No, it's not.

When you have a lot of weight to lose, you drop the first 10-20 pounds fast, then all but stop. That's normal for everyone.

And unfortunately I have a very strong suspicion that a lot of that 20 lbs is lean body mass, from you eating so little. I ate 1200/day for a good year, and lost so much muscle it was sad. And I'm only 5'0". You need to eat much more than you're allowing yourself. Yes you're losing weight, but not at a healthy or sustainable rate, and most likely not the right KIND of weight. Find out your TDEE and eat 20% less than that. You'll be shocked at how much you'll be able to eat and still lose weight.

Oh, and unless you LOVE cardio, there's no reason to slave away doing an hour every day. 10-20 min before lifting weights as a warmup is more than enough.

I agree. You have To eat at a specific type of surplus to really gain muscle mass plus, (no offense) but a Jillian Michaels DVD isn't going to give you the amount of strength gains to show up on the scale. You are probably getting stronger, which is great, but not gaining mass. I don't want any one to get to comfortable worth the "I must be gaining muscle weight" explanation. I lift heavy, have seen my max on squat go up by 50 lbs to over 200, and I haven't gained weight, but have seen a slight body comp change. My legs are getting bigger though, which isn't my favorite, but it is in my fitness plans for now. Anyways...

My advice, honestly, if you really want answers.. Is schedule a session with a Registered Dietician. An RD. There's soooo much individualized opinion that goes into your diet, exercise and goals that no one on here is qualified to assess. Even if they arer an RD, without seeing you. They aren't too pricey, not covered by insurance unless its a medical visit, but make sure it's an RD, not a nutritionist. In my area it's about 50-75$ for a thorough 1 hour session/analysis with follow up. That's about the price of a therapy session, and to me it's worth the good info a d the piece of mind over what I can google/post on forums about. I suggest it bc that's where I'm at in my journey too. You can google the hell out of the topic and get 100 different answers. I have a ton of respect for the profession, and feel like they really do see the whole picture better than any forum ever will. Good luck, eat right.