How am I NOT losing weight?!

charlireah
charlireah Posts: 100 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I just want to lose a couple of pounds and they are not.shifting. I don't know if it's because I'm already quite a healthy weight and very short but it's rather frustrating.

I've always hovered between 7st 10 and 7st 12 but I'm closer to 7st12 to 8st now and as specific as that sounds, I'd rather be lower than this due to my petite frame.
I'm 5ft 2, with a BMI of 20 and I am aware that's healthy but I want to look a little leaner for my frame. I'm 24 years old.

I eat 1500 calories daily, I'm not rigourously strict with it but that's my target. I exercise via fast walking 5 days a week. I eat well. I'm vegetarian so my diet is good and I only drink sparkling water.

Can someone please explain why I simply cannot shift a few pounds? Thanks.
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Replies

  • diannethegeek
    diannethegeek Posts: 14,776 Member
    Have you happened upon this post, yet? http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/113609/relatively-light-people-trying-to-get-leaner/p1 It sounds like it might fit your situation.
  • cerise_noir
    cerise_noir Posts: 5,468 Member
    edited May 2016
    I didn't see a mention of how you count your calories. Do you weigh all your solid and semi solid food with a food scale? Also, how do you estimate the exercise calories? Do you eat those back?

    Also...since you have so little to lose, the weight is going to come off much slower. Have you lost any weight since you've been calorie counting?

    Instead of losing weight, you may want to try and eat at maintenance and lift very heavy with a progressive heavy lifting program such as stronglifts 5x5 or strongcurves instead of walking.

    Some things can mask weight loss such as the time of the month and high sodium.
  • Jams009
    Jams009 Posts: 345 Member
    You're eating more than you think.
  • charlireah
    charlireah Posts: 100 Member
    diannethegeek wrote: »
    Have you happened upon this post, yet? http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/113609/relatively-light-people-trying-to-get-leaner/p1 It sounds like it might fit your situation.

    Thanks for that but unfortunately I don't feel he explained that very well... In the way he says it, it looks like it's pointless for me to attempt to shift some extra pounds?
  • charlireah
    charlireah Posts: 100 Member
    cerise_noir wrote: »
    I didn't see a mention of how you count your calories. Do you weigh all your solid and semi solid food with a food scale? Also, how do you estimate the exercise calories? Do you eat those back?

    Also...since you have so little to lose, the weight is going to come off much slower. Have you lost any weight since you've been calorie counting?

    Instead of losing weight, you may want to try and eat at maintenance and lift very heavy with a progressive heavy lifting program such as stronglifts 5x5 or strongcurves instead of walking.

    Some things can mask weight loss such as the time of the month and high sodium.

    I never take the calories off the exercise I do. I just eat 1500 no matter how much I've exercised and don't compensate for it. I also use the packages to know what calories I'm consuming, I rarely estimate. I don't weigh good usually because it's already been done. Pasta and. cereal are so I estimate.
  • charlireah
    charlireah Posts: 100 Member
    Jams009 wrote: »
    You're eating more than you think.

    I'm really not. I'm very strict.
  • cerise_noir
    cerise_noir Posts: 5,468 Member
    edited May 2016
    charlireah wrote: »
    diannethegeek wrote: »
    Have you happened upon this post, yet? http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/113609/relatively-light-people-trying-to-get-leaner/p1 It sounds like it might fit your situation.

    Thanks for that but unfortunately I don't feel he explained that very well... In the way he says it, it looks like it's pointless for me to attempt to shift some extra pounds?

    Body recomp will 'reshape' your body and cause you to look slimmer.. the weight on the scale shouldn't mean a thing. It's just a number after all. Body recomp is perfect.
  • littletiger84
    littletiger84 Posts: 1 Member
    Are you tracking measurements or body composition? You may be losing fat but gaining muscle (weighs more) or you have water balance issues. Weight is only one indicator of health, but it is the one we focus on.
  • RoxieDawn
    RoxieDawn Posts: 15,488 Member
    edited May 2016
    diannethegeek wrote: »
    Have you happened upon this post, yet? http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/113609/relatively-light-people-trying-to-get-leaner/p1 It sounds like it might fit your situation.

    OP read this! It is a good way too look at this whole weight loss game for those like my self with very little to loose.!

    I am short as well.. I can use the 14 cal scenario for my numbers. You might be less, but take a look at it.. good stuff!
  • charlireah
    charlireah Posts: 100 Member
    quiksylver296 wrote: »
    w3ssumkyd8f3.jpg

    I've been trying to shift these few pounds for 5 years lmao doing everything it says on the chart. Yes I did have IBS which caused me terrible bloating and sweeteners were to blame so cut out all fizzy drinks. I would love to know what I'm doing wrong. If I eat less than 1500 that would be dangerous.
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    charlireah wrote: »
    Jams009 wrote: »
    You're eating more than you think.

    I'm really not. I'm very strict.

    That's not what you said...?
  • randomtai
    randomtai Posts: 9,003 Member
    charlireah wrote: »
    I never take the calories off the exercise I do. I just eat 1500 no matter how much I've exercised and don't compensate for it. I also use the packages to know what calories I'm consuming, I rarely estimate. I don't weigh good usually because it's already been done. Pasta and. cereal are so I estimate.

    This is why. You're eating more than you think.
  • charlireah
    charlireah Posts: 100 Member
    littletiger84 wrote: »
    Are you tracking measurements or body composition? You may be losing fat but gaining muscle (weighs more) or you have water balance issues. Weight is only one indicator of health, but it is the one we focus on.

    My fat is at 20% and has been for 5 years. My BMI, my fat percentage and weight have stayed exact for around 5 years. Lol
  • charlireah
    charlireah Posts: 100 Member
    TR0berts wrote: »
    charlireah wrote: »
    Jams009 wrote: »
    You're eating more than you think.

    I'm really not. I'm very strict.

    No, you're not. That's obvious from all of your posts.
    I rarely estimate. I don't weigh good usually because it's already been done. Pasta and. cereal are so I estimate.

    That's not strict at all. Also, the weights on the packages are typically not accurate to begin with. A user here a week or so ago posted how her pizza was off by something like 43%.

    I am strict. If I meticulously counted and weighed every single calorie that would be extremely obsessive and not a habit I'm willing to start. I am strict within my limits.
  • rhtexasgal
    rhtexasgal Posts: 572 Member
    Also, I cannot always go by the nutritional information on a food package. They are notoriously inaccurate. You have to weigh that food too! I have eaten a package of crackers before that said the entire package was 150 calories and 35 grams. However, when I weighed that package it was actually 48 grams! It is very easy to think you are eating that 150 calories when you are actually eating more like 205 calories. Little things like that add up quickly.
  • charlireah
    charlireah Posts: 100 Member
    ElizabethOakes2 wrote: »
    If it's just your shape that you're unhappy with, not your weight, have you considered using weight-training to do recomposition? A little bit of recomp can go a long way. :)

    I haven't thought of that :) could you explain more? I would really appreciate it.
  • charlireah
    charlireah Posts: 100 Member
    rhtexasgal wrote: »
    Also, I cannot always go by the nutritional information on a food package. They are notoriously inaccurate. You have to weigh that food too! I have eaten a package of crackers before that said the entire package was 150 calories and 35 grams. However, when I weighed that package it was actually 48 grams! It is very easy to think you are eating that 150 calories when you are actually eating more like 205 calories. Little things like that add up quickly.

    That's terrifying! I really can't weigh every single thing, it would definitely encourage unhealthy eating habit but thank you for that information
  • Jams009
    Jams009 Posts: 345 Member
    Sorry, but if you aren't losing weight you are not in a deficit. It's simple physics.

    Tighten up your tracking and you will most likely find that you were underestimating how much you were eating. Humans are very bad at estimating how much we have eaten.

  • randomtai
    randomtai Posts: 9,003 Member
    charlireah wrote: »
    rhtexasgal wrote: »
    Also, I cannot always go by the nutritional information on a food package. They are notoriously inaccurate. You have to weigh that food too! I have eaten a package of crackers before that said the entire package was 150 calories and 35 grams. However, when I weighed that package it was actually 48 grams! It is very easy to think you are eating that 150 calories when you are actually eating more like 205 calories. Little things like that add up quickly.

    That's terrifying! I really can't weigh every single thing, it would definitely encourage unhealthy eating habit but thank you for that information

    How so? :huh:
  • Jams009
    Jams009 Posts: 345 Member
    charlireah wrote: »
    ElizabethOakes2 wrote: »
    If it's just your shape that you're unhappy with, not your weight, have you considered using weight-training to do recomposition? A little bit of recomp can go a long way. :)

    I haven't thought of that :) could you explain more? I would really appreciate it.

    I also recommend weight training. If you haven't done it before a lot of people recommend stronglifts 5X5 for beginners.

    Also look up body recomposition.
  • quiksylver296
    quiksylver296 Posts: 28,439 Member
    charlireah wrote: »
    rhtexasgal wrote: »
    Also, I cannot always go by the nutritional information on a food package. They are notoriously inaccurate. You have to weigh that food too! I have eaten a package of crackers before that said the entire package was 150 calories and 35 grams. However, when I weighed that package it was actually 48 grams! It is very easy to think you are eating that 150 calories when you are actually eating more like 205 calories. Little things like that add up quickly.

    That's terrifying! I really can't weigh every single thing, it would definitely encourage unhealthy eating habit but thank you for that information

    I do this, and do not have any type of unhealthy eating habits. Do you have prior eating disorders, @charlireah?

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