42yr old woman not losing weight

floppybackend

I know there are many posts similar but I seriously cant understand whats going wrong. I started doing exercise nearly 2 yrs ago - I was 12 stone and needed to lose 2 stone min. My regime was a bit up and down and generally cutting down and shifted nearly a stone. Over the past 6 months I have upped my exercise and recently taken my calories down to between 1200 - 1400 (from say 1800ish) I have been working out x3 times a week and now doing Bodypump (light weights at mo) x2 a week and cardio x1 per week. I have cut my carbs too. But my clothes still fit me from last year!!!

But cant understand why even through the cutting of calories and carbs why I'm stuck on 11 stone, surely through clean eating, lower carbs, no alcohol and less calories they should be a few pounds dropping off?

My husband who is a cyclist and tri sportman cant understand either. My general health is very good I have no issues (just slight IBS and mild CFS) I still look extremely fat - 11 stone at 5'2" which I cant get away with as small frame. My stomach is huge (very fat in centre).

Is there any point in seeing the GP to get hormone tests (but no health issues) could there be some hidden problems that havent been picked up before?

Any help appreciated.

MyJourney1960

so you are eating 1200-1400 cals total or are you adding in your exercise cals? because you may be eating too LITTLE.

Dr_Waffles

so you are eating 1200-1400 cals total or are you adding in your exercise cals? because you may be eating too LITTLE.

this is true. eat more. 1200 cal is for suckers.

GiveMeCoffee

You need to log everything, I only saw 2 complete days since Weds of last week and both days were 1000 or under. Track everything accurately, measure out your portions.

__Di__

You need to log everything, I only saw 2 complete days since Weds of last week and both days were 1000 or under. Track everything accurately, measure out your portions.

I agree with this ^

Your diary is too spasmodic, there is no way you can keep an accurate account of your eating and drinking.

Ensure you weigh everything too and don't forget little things such as milk you may use in any tea or coffee etc.

seehe

Over the past 6 months I have upped my exercise and recently taken my calories down to between 1200 - 1400 (from say 1800ish)

I suspect that this may be the problem- upping your exercise yet reducing your calories sounds like you are not eating enough calories which, believe it or not, can keep you from losing weight. There are some people who address this in more detail on other blogs and boards if you are interested. Good luck!

ladyark

If you upped your exercise then lowering your calories is usually not a good thing. Your body will hold onto fat thinking it isint getting enough fuel. Make sure you eat at least 1400 minimum ( 1500-1600 best) of decent quality foods to nourish your body. Also log the food so you can see just what it is your maybe going over on. Dont give up....the belly is usually the last place to go. I am fighting the belly battle myself. It will come off...keep it up.

sozisraw

Its not so easy to lose weight past 40 as metabolism naturally drops.
Weights, resistant exercises are good for keeping muscle , which in turn burn a lot of calories , Il send friend request as
Im a few weeks away from 50 and have lost 29lb this year.

jonnyman41

have been having a similar problem and I am aged 43 and was eating fairly low carb. I tried eating more...I tried eating less....neither made a difference however.... I have just started losing again following a diet called 2 weeks in the fast lane. Very easy to do, no funny foods and plenty to eat. I think I have found that keeping calories low is not enough for me, it really is about what I eat. I have just had a week off as I was on holiday so I have restarted and hope to lose more soon.

BarbellApprentice

You need to log everything, I only saw 2 complete days since Weds of last week and both days were 1000 or under. Track everything accurately, measure out your portions.

^This + weigh and measure your food. If the weight is not coming off it is almost always calories in vs calories out issue.

lisaabenjamin

Agree with the advice to weigh and measure your food accurately, and log everything! Also, go by the calorie counts on the labels of the food you actually buy, not an equivalent from the MFP database as they can be WAY off.

One thing I noticed, for example, is that you logged a 3-egg omelette as 210 calories, but for me, using medium sized Tesco free range eggs, 3 eggs on their own are 274 cals, plus the oil or cooking spray used to cook the omelette, plus any milk or fillings you add.

Another example is your 'homemade cheese and tomato sandwhich' - did you enter this as a recipe yourself or did you take it from the database? If from the database, beware! The calorie count can vary hugely depending on what kind of bread you used, what kind of cheese you used, whether you had spread or not, what kind of spread, etc etc etc.

Don't forget to log EVERYTHING. I notice you're not logging any cooking oil - maybe you don't use it, but if you do, you need to log it! Again, sometimes you log coffee with milk, sometimes without milk - fine if you mix up your black and white coffees but if you have milk, LOG IT!

Also log your water intake!

urgravity01

hello

you can easily get your goal by follow some simple steps. the first thing is that try to start running in your daily routine. cycling is also best for you to lose your extra body fat. the third option for you is that you have to share your health data with your doctor. use digital equipment like fitbit devices to lose weight. these are helpful for you to lose weight in the short time period.

thanks

astartig

I'd go to a gp and get tests done for thyroid and allergies. it could also be a food sensitivity. Have you tried low carb?

mazdauk

I'm 48 and started at 13 stone (bleugh!), now 3lb from my goal weight and here's what worked for me.

1. Set your calories to sedentary (unless you have a really active job) and eat back most or all of your exercsise calories - I have a full-time desk job so there's no "accidental" exercise worth counting
2. Log everything - yes, that chocolate from the box your colleague brought in, the slice of birthday cake, that half fishfinger your kid left on the plate, they ALL have calories. If you're taking calories from the database, as said above check they make sense - ad up the eggs, butter/oil, veg etc. in your omlette. I've made my own meals for the sandwiches I take to work, weighing out the ingredients I use rather than guessing another person's cheese has the same calories or is the same weight as mine. I've even put the bread on the scales, then added the spread, then put it back to check the weight of the spread used.:ohwell:
3. Up your exercise. This doesn't mean you ahve to spend hours in the gym. There are loads of exercsie DVDs which break into small sections of 10-20 mins (I do one each morning before breakfast), walk to work if you can, or go for a walk every lunchtime. Mow tha lawn - you get loads of calories for that! - or dig the garden. Walk to the shops instead of taking the car. I can't run but I've had good results from walking, aerobic/toning DVDs and a generous poriton of Zumba! Some say the calories on MFP are too generous and recommend HRM, but I've had no trouble usng the MFP estimates - just be honest with yourself: were you really waslking very briskly at 4mph, or are you sweaty and out of breath because its hot and you're carrying extra weight?

You don't have to cut out anything, but be aware of what you are eating. I was offered a chocolate biscuit (one of those with more chocolate than biscuit) by my son, but it was 175 calories PER BISCUIT!!! So i had a kitkat (107 cal) instead. I also take to work everything I plan to eat, and only have things like birthday cake if i have the calories to spare. And even then I think about whether I want to waste those calories on a slice of shop cake or would I rather have something later at home.:drinker:

feel free to friend me if I can help!

ETA before I started losing weight I was resigned to it being "middle aged spread" and inevitable. Its not inevitable, you just have to take control. And you can.:flowerforyou:

astartig

I'm 48 and started at 13 stone (bleugh!), now 3lb from my goal weight and here's what worked for me.

1. Set your calories to sedentary (unless you have a really active job) and eat back most or all of your exercsise calories - I have a full-time desk job so there's no "accidental" exercise worth counting
2. Log everything - yes, that chocolate from the box your colleague brought in, the slice of birthday cake, that half fishfinger your kid left on the plate, they ALL have calories. If you're taking calories from the database, as said above check they make sense - ad up the eggs, butter/oil, veg etc. in your omlette. I've made my own meals for the sandwiches I take to work, weighing out the ingredients I use rather than guessing another person's cheese has the same calories or is the same weight as mine. I've even put the bread on the scales, then added the spread, then put it back to check the weight of the spread used.:ohwell:
3. Up your exercise. This doesn't mean you ahve to spend hours in the gym. There are loads of exercsie DVDs which break into small sections of 10-20 mins (I do one each morning before breakfast), walk to work if you can, or go for a walk every lunchtime. Mow tha lawn - you get loads of calories for that! - or dig the garden. Walk to the shops instead of taking the car. I can't run but I've had good results from walking, aerobic/toning DVDs and a generous poriton of Zumba! Some say the calories on MFP are too generous and recommend HRM, but I've had no trouble usng the MFP estimates - just be honest with yourself: were you really waslking very briskly at 4mph, or are you sweaty and out of breath because its hot and you're carrying extra weight?

You don't have to cut out anything, but be aware of what you are eating. I was offered a chocolate biscuit (one of those with more chocolate than biscuit) by my son, but it was 175 calories PER BISCUIT!!! So i had a kitkat (107 cal) instead. I also take to work everything I plan to eat, and only have things like birthday cake if i have the calories to spare. And even then I think about whether I want to waste those calories on a slice of shop cake or would I rather have something later at home.:drinker:

feel free to friend me if I can help!

ETA before I started losing weight I was resigned to it being "middle aged spread" and inevitable. Its not inevitable, you just have to take control. And you can.:flowerforyou:

Excellent post

mazdauk

Thanks :blushing:

And there was a typo - it wass 275 calories. In other words more than my aerobic workout. So no thanks.

sassystilettos

Great advice!

floppybackend

Thanks you all for your practical positive advice - glad there were no trolls!!!

There are some days I dont input data as I'm too busy to worry about it but doesnt mean I'm not careful.

MFP tells me I should be eating 1200 so I do base my goals around this.

I prob dont input all data but I try to keep below the figure so allows for this. I will change my data to sedentary.

You are right I dont input the foods correctly I just quickly find the closest.

Thanks again!

mazdauk

There are some days I dont input data as I'm too busy to worry about it but doesnt mean I'm not careful.

..........

I prob dont input all data but I try to keep below the figure so allows for this. I will change my data to sedentary.

You are right I dont input the foods correctly I just quickly find the closest.

There's your problem! If you're not weighing and inputting correctly you might THINK you're staying below the figure but how do you know? :huh: It is really scary how a spoonful of oil and a handful of grated cheese or an extra spoon of pasta can blow your totals.

Try logging all your food for the day first thing in the morning, then tweaking it in the evening if necessary. I find this helps me make the right choices for snacks, meals etc because I can see exactly what calories I have available. I don't add exercise until AFTER I've done it in case I "forget" to do it, or do less than planned. I also then do extra exercise if I "need" some spare calories. The app for phone/ipod/ipad is pretty quick if you're not by a computer all day. I use my PC at work but at home generally use my Ipod touch for logging.

40fab4ever

Hi! I just saw your post and my heart goes out to you.... I was in the same position as you for many years. Exercising over an hour a day, at least four days a week, watching what I'm eating, etc. Last time I was happy with my weight, I was 42. I had severely cut back on calories, endured extreme stress (which helps, even tho it's awful) and walked 10 miles per week, including sprinting and 45 mins of weightlifting free weights at home. I went from 160 lbs, 5'5" to 126. For the first time in my life I loved my body and how I felt! Then... life normalized. Now 6 years later in January 2013, I'm back to 158, high blood pressure, feeling awful and tired all the time, puffy, etc. I am and have been on progesterone for several years because I am peri-menopause. In March I finally committed myself mentally to do a juice fast. Check out the movie Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead and www.rebootwithjoe.com I've done juice and water fasts before and restored myself, but hadn't done so in over a decade. Let me tell you, I did 90 percent greens and veggie, 10 percent fruit, three times a day, lots of water, for 19 days. I never felt better! I lost 12 pounds of fat. I also did Dr. Hulda Clark's liver/gall bladder flush during the fast. Incredible!!! My puffy eyes are gone!!! Digestion and energy restored - and I haven't slept this well since before I got married! Since the fast I've eaten more veggies than bread, sweets; still enjoy meat, but smaller portions. Still do enjoy treats, but I hardly have anything wheat, dairy or sweet. Exercising one or two times with weights per week, biking at least once, walking, kick boxing at least once or twice per week. I'm down almost 18 pounds. Blood pressure not a problem! Doctor is very happy. No drugs necessary. I'm at 140 and determined to get down to at least 136. At 48 years old, I'm going down fighting! If I can do it, SO CAN YOU!!! Try the juice fast; the detox is unpleasant, but after the 5th day for me, it was nirvana!!!!! Best wishes.

jackiehubble1

You have had some great advice, I know how hard it is I'm in a similar position to you and it's really frustrating.
Try increasing your protein and carb intake the day after your biggest weekly workout and try to work on lifting more weight when you do your weight class. try it for two weeks and see if you see any results. Good Luck and don't give up your doing great.
:happy:

Barbellgirl

Lots of great advice already. Log everything, add strength training, mix up your exercise routine, add more intensity and do it for shorter periods of time. For strength training you can start with body weight exercises like push-ups, pull-ups, chair dips, squats, lunges, etc. Get those muscles growing which will rev up your metabolism and help you lose weight. Exercise more and eat more but log everything!!!!

1000 calories a day isn't enough. I'm guessing you need more around 1500, but scoobyworkshop.com has a great calculator where you can determine your BMR, maintenance and goal calories. Best wishes.

SillyFitMe

I too was perplexed until I realized I wasn't really eating only 1200 calories a day. My problem was unlogged bites, licks, and tastes. Also, even though I was good most of the time, I realized my 2,000 a week cheat day (once a week) was totally derailing me--along with alcohol and sweets a little to often (even if they fit into my caloric budget). I followed advice of MFPers and upped my calories from 1200 and gained. Most of those extra calories were clean but I'll admit, not all were. I am also a huge fan of lifting weights and building muscle to speed up the metabolism. Just be sure you are bulding muscle and not an added layer of fat if you up your calories. One thing that really enlightened me too was when I bought fitbits (pedometers) for my husband and I. It turns out he takes on average 10,000 steps a day (not including exercise). I only take 3,000 a day. My daily activity level is really low and therefore I don't need that many calories. Many things to take into consideration so beware of the generic advice to just eat more. Good luck.

mazdauk

^^^ THIS.

Its so easy to over-estimate your activity level. I have friends who say "I never stop, I'm out and about all day" but then most of it they're sitting in cars (or sitting in coffee shops with a latte and a cake!) If you find it hard to estimate then get a HRM.