Not Lost any weight for 2 weeks now, but I'm doing everything right aren't I...?

stardust_1992
stardust_1992 Posts: 13 Member
edited July 2016 in Health and Weight Loss
Hi There! Been using the myfitnesspal app for quite some time on and off, never posted to the community though so be nice!

24 days ago, I decided to lose weight. I'm fed up with living the way I am. Overweight, lonely, no pride in myself and no self worth, avoiding any interaction or going out because I am ashamed of my appearance and figure If I don't like myself, why would anyone else like me.
I tried CBT a couple of years back, and the therapist said I need to appreciate my good qualities more, rather than focus on my negative ones. The CBT didn't work. I ended up just telling her what she wanted to hear so I could get out of there and back home again. I've gone off track...

I tried dieting in the past. I lost 3 stone back in school. I was 19 stone when I was at 15! I pretty much starved myself. Since then diets have come and gone, but I believe to lose weight, you really need to want to do it, not just because you are a bit overweight and could do with losing a few lbs.
We'll the diet I'm on now has been the longest one since I lost that 3 stone. I lost 8lbs in the first 2 weeks.
It was a start, but I know in the first 2 weeks, the weight you lose is mostly water retention, so I didnt make a big deal of it.
2 weeks ago I made a promise to myself. I'm going to lose weight, get fit, and feel better about myself.
Since I made that promise to myself, I've stepped up my diet and started excising, something I've never done before. I'm eating healthier. More fruit, veg, wholegrains and fresh produce. And I drink nothing but water, about 1.5 liters a day. I bought a couple of 4kg weights the Monday just gone, and have been following a youtube video (www.youtube.com/watch?v=U0bhE67HuDY in case anyone is interested), doing 15 minutes of strength training and 3 15 second planks every morning since. Works up a real sweat. Completed my 4th day today. Almost died the first session, but today I made it half way through before almost dying! Completed it all the way through every time though. I've also been walking. I started doing a mile a day, I've pushed it to 2.2 miles a day now though.
I weight all my food out using analogue kitchen scales, and use the barcode scanner on the app. Ive been hitting about 1200-1400 calories each day for 3 out of the 4 weeks. despite all of this, I've not lost any weight for 2 weeks now. I'm still hovering around 110kg, give or take 1lb.
My scales are also analogue, they don't move, I even wear the same clothes when I weigh myself and make sure its the same time of day!

Why am I not losing weight, I'm trying so hard! It's depressing but I'm not going to give up though. I need to reach my target.
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Replies

  • healthygreek
    healthygreek Posts: 2,137 Member
    It's very important to weight loss for you to be super accurate with weighing everything you eat and drink! Even with boxed and canned foods-weigh it all!
  • eileenmccaskey
    eileenmccaskey Posts: 5 Member
    Keep at it, if you are noticing a difference in how long it takes to get tired that is great, do what you are doing and add more exercise as you can. I had the same problem, it took about 2 months to show, but then the weight came off very quickly,30 lbs the next two months. Be careful with your logging and increase your exercise a little each day or two.
  • WBB55
    WBB55 Posts: 4,131 Member
    New exercises can cause water weight. The water helps the muscles heal. Every time you add new exercises, for the first 2-6 weeks, there's a good chance the scale won't move.
  • dlkfox
    dlkfox Posts: 463 Member
    WBB55 wrote: »
    New exercises can cause water weight. The water helps the muscles heal. Every time you add new exercises, for the first 2-6 weeks, there's a good chance the scale won't move.

    This was exactly what I was going to say, because it happens every time I increase my exercise. I know the scale is just going to be a contrary *kitten* until my body gets used to the change. Be patient and continue doing what you're doing. You'll be pleasantly surprised after a while.
  • dredremeg
    dredremeg Posts: 202 Member
    You should get a digital scale.
  • determined_14
    determined_14 Posts: 258 Member
    Be cautious about logging/eating back your exercise calories. The intensity and duration of the exercise you describe doesn't burn a ton of calories-- I'm sure you're working hard, but don't eat a ton of food to "compensate" for your exercise.
    Also, as others said, be patient. Take photos. Measure with a tape measure.
    Two weeks ago, the scale said I weighed 2-3lbs less than it says now. I'm frustrated by this, and I know I need to tighten up my food logging. That said, I took measurements again today and my tummy is an inch smaller than it was 2 weeks ago. So I know it's happening; keep at it, slow and steady.
  • owieprone
    owieprone Posts: 217 Member
    Don't get discouraged. You might not seem to be losing flab but probably are. I always find the consistency of my flab gets more watery and begins to sag (generally looks more horrific than it did) and i get more orange-peel legs as i lose fat. Keep an eye on where the fat is sitting on you, and how it feels (how more wobbly it gets) this will give you an indication that your losing flab just not changing size yet. I always lose my belly last, but i can visibly see the flab ridge creep up my leg as i lose weight, the belly doesn't change size until everything else looks really good (so i sort of look like i've just had a kid :( all skinny arms and legs and giant watery belly). Keep at it, it will shift eventually. Also remember that your metabolism will change as you eat less and this may make you plateau for a while, keep at it, try a cheat meal (one larger meal once a month or when nothing has changed for a few weeks, not a 3+course thing, not a cheat day, a cheat meal), this might help kick your metabolism up a gear again.

    Remember to keep a record of your measurements not just your weight, it's more accurate than weight, keep a note of how your clothes feel on you, the differences in your body may be too slight for you to see, but you'll feel the difference in your clothes and others may notice what you don't.

    As others have said water retention/muscle inflammation when you've beasted yourself will make a huge difference too. I did a skate marathon (literally as it sounds, marathon on skates, it was awesome), I couldn't get one of my work skirts on 2 days later cos my thighs were huge. Few days after that - fitted as usual.

    chin up, carry on :smiley:
  • stardust_1992
    stardust_1992 Posts: 13 Member
    Machka9 wrote: »
    stardust_1992 wrote: »
    Ive been hitting about 1200-1400 calories each day for 3 out of the 4 weeks.

    What happened on the 4th week?

    Took me a week to get going. The app says I can eat 1680 calories per day, in the first week, I was hitting that give or take 50 cals each day. Since then Ive been hitting under what the app says I can eat
  • frogisco
    frogisco Posts: 6 Member
    Its the most frustrating thing isn't it? Don't weigh yourself for a couple and see what happens.
    PS..your 110 kg and only eating 1400/day?? I'd die! i'm 95kg and allowed 1850 (according to this site). Good on you!
  • stardust_1992
    stardust_1992 Posts: 13 Member
    frogisco wrote: »
    Its the most frustrating thing isn't it? Don't weigh yourself for a couple and see what happens.
    PS..your 110 kg and only eating 1400/day?? I'd die! i'm 95kg and allowed 1850 (according to this site). Good on you!

    It is very frustrating. If I wasn't so determined to start turning my life around, I probably would have thought what is the point and gave up now. But I'm feeling positive right now, I've got a picture in my mind. I know what I want, and I want to get it, hopefully before my next birthday.
    I'm going to do what some others have suggested, and not just focus on what the scales say. Im going to take pictures weekly and measure my stomach.
    I started walking and following the above video last Tuesday, and I'm already feeling improvements. I went for my walk today. 2.5 miles in 50 minutes. My first walk was 2.2 miles and it took about a hour (I use the google fit app to track my walking route, speed, distance, time etc). And I am feeling less tired and sore after exercising each day. I'll have to crank it up a gear soon.

    Some days I struggle to hit 1400 calories! I've been cooking everything from scratch. measuring everything out precisely. Ive cut out things like butter/margarine, oil, fizzy pop (even diet), etc, and cut way down on carbs. I have 2 wheetabix with 150ml milk every morning, a banana to eat while walking, maybe one of those mug shots, or a tin of tuna on brown bread for dinner, and my evening meal is usually around 700 calories. If I've not hit 1200 calories intake by around 9 or 10pm, I'll have either an apple, banana, or perhaps a biscuit (don't judge me! =P)

    Just need them scales to start dropping down to 15st and I'll be very happy. Stage one of operation life improvement will be complete, then onto stage 2.
  • ogtmama
    ogtmama Posts: 1,403 Member
    Congratulations on sticking with it!

    Definitely take those pictures, I know I wish I had. I have very few of myself at the beginning because I always hid from the camera and now I have hardly anything to compare myself to.

    Remember to be kind to yourself, this is forever, not just a job to get done and then stop. There will be days when you go over your limit...it's not the end of the world.

    As Dory says...just keep swimming!
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 28,052 Member
    dredremeg wrote: »
    You should get a digital scale.

    Ya, after I got my digital scale I was blown away about how much better it was over my analog scale.
  • fwitsend1277
    fwitsend1277 Posts: 288 Member
    Great work @stardust_1992
  • lorrpb
    lorrpb Posts: 11,463 Member
    If the scale weighs in .2 increments, you would logically expect to see a .2 drop every few days. But that's not how it works for me. In fact I don't think I've ever seen a .2 drop. I can go 2-3 weeks fluctuating up & down, then Whoosh! 1-2 lbs in a day. Go figure.
  • stardust_1992
    stardust_1992 Posts: 13 Member
    Hi All. Just an update as to how I'm getting on. I'm on day 42 of my diet, and I started exercising about 2 weeks into the diet. As of today, I have lost a stone in weight and an inch of my waist.

    Im still following the video that I linked to in the top post. I've been doing it every week day and it is a million times easier now than the first day. I can now get through all 3 segments without stopping for minutes in between. Now I just take a drink of water and carry on. I feel stronger and healthier in myself. And my anxiety has gone right down!

    I havent done my walking as much as I was in the past couple of weeks. I need to get back into that. I'm only doing my walks 2 or 3 times a week rather than every day. But I've still noticed a massive increase in my endurance with that as well. I now feel like a speed walker, over taking everyone I see. My first walk was 2.2 miles and it took me 1 hour 11 minutes. I now walk 3 miles in 43 minutes. I use the google fit app to track that in case anyone is wondering.

    I'm still watching what I eat and counting my calories with the myfitnesspal app. I cook every meal myself from scratch, Ive become quite the chef. I make a pizza that is only 600 calories. I'll add it onto the bottom of this in case anyone wants to try it. Even with my walking and weights, I still only consume 1300 - 1400 calories per day, So by the end of the day, I have a deficit of about 400 calories. I try to increase my protein intake to help my muscles. Mostly with tuna or beef. And I drink nothing but water. I've given up the fizzy pop and even concentrate squash entirely. The only sugar in my diet now is the tea spoon I put on my porridge for breakfast.

    I'm feeling good right now. And I'm going to continue with it for a long time yet. Not even burger king or Chinese takeaways have tempted me off this diet.

    My Pizza Recipie can be found here.
    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10430585/my-simple-600-calorie-pizza-recipe
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
    edited July 2016
    Oh, should have read to the end! (I agreed with tiflag).

    Congrats, OP, glad it's working for you!
  • Carnhot
    Carnhot Posts: 367 Member
    Well done, stardust_1992. Just keep going. When I started this in March 2015 I weighed 95k and was UK 16/18 with a bmi in the obese range. Now I weigh 68 k, my bmi is bang in the middle of the green zone and I am currently wearing today's purchase of size 10 shorts; I never thought THAT would happen! Stick with it. You WILL win;
  • WayTooHonest
    WayTooHonest Posts: 144 Member
    1. Don't know if you already are, but weigh and measure everything. We often are eating more than we think.
    2. CBT DOES work. The thing is, just as dieting, you have to stick with it. It will not be fast, but it is scientifically proven to be highly effective.
    3. Be patient! Don't be so hard on yourself.
    4. Measure all the things. Get a tape measure and record every inch. Get a body fat caliper. Everything you can think of. The more measurements you take, the more likely you will see improvement SOMEWHERE and keep working. I hit a plateau on the scale for SIX MONTHS!! once. But I lost 2" off my thighs and 3 inches off my waist. If the scale was my only measurement, I would have given up long ago.
    5. See #3 :smile:
    6. Weigh and measure yourself once a week. Same day, same time, same outfit (or lack thereof). That way you are being consistent with your numbers. My weight can go up as much as 6-7 pounds in a day!
    7. Keep plugging away. You didn't put on the weight overnight, and yet, we expect it will disappear overnight. Stop that. You CAN do this!
  • xvolution
    xvolution Posts: 721 Member
    It's possible you're gaining some muscle mass while losing fat weight if this is the first time you've exercised seriously. Muscle does weigh more than fat after all.
  • Rosefern1
    Rosefern1 Posts: 42 Member
    lorrpb wrote: »
    If the scale weighs in .2 increments, you would logically expect to see a .2 drop every few days. But that's not how it works for me. In fact I don't think I've ever seen a .2 drop. I can go 2-3 weeks fluctuating up & down, then Whoosh! 1-2 lbs in a day. Go figure.

    I know! Isn't that weird? I had a 0.2 gain Tuesday, then a 1.5 loss today.
    stardust_1992 wrote: »
    I havent done my walking as much as I was in the past couple of weeks. I need to get back into that. I'm only doing my walks 2 or 3 times a week rather than every day. But I've still noticed a massive increase in my endurance with that as well. I now feel like a speed walker, over taking everyone I see. My first walk was 2.2 miles and it took me 1 hour 11 minutes. I now walk 3 miles in 43 minutes. I use the google fit app to track that in case anyone is wondering.

    You really have become a speed walker! Stick with it and remember your non-scale victories!
  • cerise_noir
    cerise_noir Posts: 5,468 Member
    edited July 2016
    Yay OP! I am glad it's working for you!
    xvolution wrote: »
    It's possible you're gaining some muscle mass while losing fat weight if this is the first time you've exercised seriously. Muscle does weigh more than fat after all.
    Not in that little time, and muscle does not weigh more than fat. 1lb of muscle is the same weight as 1lb of fat.
  • CharlieBeansmomTracey
    CharlieBeansmomTracey Posts: 7,682 Member
    if you have a gain one day and then a loss the next. its water weight and not muscle. weight fluctuates hr to hr,day to day,depending on many circumstances.
  • stardust_1992
    stardust_1992 Posts: 13 Member
    Hi everybody!
    I've reached another milestone (Day 90, feels like I only started last week). As of today, I am 2 stone lighter than my starting weight. I now weigh 15 stone 10 lbs. The lightest I've been since I was 15 years old.

    I'm still sticking to my strict calorie count and I've upped my exercise. I now walk 3.5 miles at least 4 days a week and I manage that in 55 - 60 minutes. I'm still doing the general strength video I started with, and I've added a core strength video and bicep video to my daily routine.

    I've lost 3 inches from my waist, 4 inches from my stomach, and a lot of fat from my chest. I never measured my chest in the beginning so I cant say how much I've lost from there, but I have been taking pictures of myself from the same angles and the first photo and latest photo is soo different. Very motivating.

    One down side I've noticed so far is the stretchmarks around my hips have become a shiny white. And seem to become more visible as I lose more weight. I've had stretchmarks for as long as I can remember, but they weren't really visible. hopefully they will fade over time. As a 23 year old man, this is quite embarrassing...but Id rather be a fit 14 stone guy with visible stretchmarks than a 18 stone unfit guy with less visible stretchmarks.

    The good news is Im still 100% committed to my weight loss. I rarely get cravings, but when I do, I try to do something to get my mind off it. I've recently started writing screenplays. So when I start to feel tempted to go and have a nibble on some cheese or eat some cookies, I just open up my laptop, and work on my screenplay some more.
    I recently went and visited some family that I haven't seen in a couple of months. They say my transformation is amazing and I look great. They even commented on my boost in confidence, which in itself was a boost to my confidence!

    Hopefully my next update will be to say I've lost 3 stone, I've joined a gym to bulk up, and I've started training for the London Marathon!

    Thanks for reading!

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