Not Losing Weight- Need help please!

devonbmartin09
devonbmartin09 Posts: 5 Member
edited November 17 in Health and Weight Loss
Hi everyone!

I'm kind of new here and I just started my fitness journey not too long ago. I've only been eating the calories that I'm supposed to eat in order to lose 1 pound per week. Within the last two weeks I have been walking 3-4 miles per day and do HIIT 2-3 times per week. My diet is a lot better within the last four weeks or so. I'm 5'11'' and weight 170 pounds and I am trying to lose 15-20 pounds.

I'm getting very frustrated because I'm not seeing results; my weight is the same and I cannot see any changes in my body. I am very new to exercise and dieting. My husband is telling me that he can feel that my muscles are firmer and it takes time to see progress. I also work out with him and he is already shedding weight and has visible muscle tone.

Am I doing something wrong or am I just being impatient?

Thanks for all your help!

Replies

  • crazyycatlady1
    crazyycatlady1 Posts: 292 Member
    edited April 2017
    Are you using a food scale? Are you logging all food/drinks with calories? Are you choosing correct data base entries when you log?

    Also introducing new exercise will commonly cause water retention, which is temporary, but can mess with the numbers on the scale. Your weight will also fluctuate daily based on all sorts of things, not fat related (hormones/tom, sodium intake/water retention, digestion timing, bathroom timing etc etc etc ).
  • devonbmartin09
    devonbmartin09 Posts: 5 Member
    I'm not using a food scale. I only drink water with maybe a tea once or twice a week. I'm also trying to make sure that my caloric intake is correct. Most recipes I use have all of that information attached. My husband is lactose intolerant so we never use milk or cream or cheese is anything.

    I do feel more bloated recently, my husband told me that it happens when you start working out. Will there be a point when the bloating stops?
  • 2snakeswoman
    2snakeswoman Posts: 655 Member
    Sometimes you have to tweak the calorie goal a bit. What the calculator figures out for us is an average. Your metabolism may be less efficient than average. Be as accurate in your measurements as possible, then consider bringing your goal down 50-100 calories per day if it's still not working for you after a couple more weeks.

    I generally find that I'm not losing weight because I'm cheating - little bites and sips that never get logged because there's no database for "1 sip of beer from husband's bottle" or "2-3 jellybeans". Watch out for things like that. They seem insignificant at the time but can add up.
  • YvetteK2015
    YvetteK2015 Posts: 654 Member
    One thing that helped me when the scale wasn't moving was taking measurements. I couldn't tell just by looking at myself, but I was losing inches even when the scale would stay the same. I felt really good about seeing THOSE numbers drop.
  • LessCookiess
    LessCookiess Posts: 538 Member
    How long have you been eating as you are? I think you're eating more than you think.
  • devonbmartin09
    devonbmartin09 Posts: 5 Member
    xchocolategirl wrote: »
    How long have you been eating as you are? I think you're eating more than you think.

    I've been doing it for about 3-4 weeks. I'm logging everything I eat and being very careful to make sure I'm being accurate.
  • devonbmartin09
    devonbmartin09 Posts: 5 Member
    YvetteK2015 wrote: »
    One thing that helped me when the scale wasn't moving was taking measurements. I couldn't tell just by looking at myself, but I was losing inches even when the scale would stay the same. I felt really good about seeing THOSE numbers drop.

    I'll have to try that! Thanks!
  • LAT1963
    LAT1963 Posts: 1,375 Member
    It is really worth the expenditure to buy a food scale. Once you start using one you'll be amazed you ever tried to diet without it. Even if you have been logging accurately, the ability to *measure* your intake removes the stress of wondering if your plateaus require a change or are just setting up for a "whoosh" (google "diet whoosh" if term is unfamiliar).

    Try not to compare your results with your husband's, because testosterone. Losing fat is notoriously 'easy' for men when compared to women. (Men, rather than whining about that comment by saying "but it's hard", just imagine, it is even harder for us, & cut us a little slack if we're struggling.) Your hubby seems to understand this, you need to believe it too.
  • fitzmonkey13
    fitzmonkey13 Posts: 88 Member
    Also, don't compare yourself to your husband. His progress will be different from yours. Any two people following the exact same plan can have different results, but in particular, men and women will lose differently.

    My husband has always been a slender guy (former dancer) and his weight is just a little bit of extra from a lack of activity and lack of portion control. He seems to drop weight as soon as he decides to and it drives me crazy because I have to fight for every pound.

    Also, it's probably worth a visit to your doctor. If you've been good about logging and are exercising and have seen no changes in 4 weeks, it wouldn't hurt to have a check up if you haven't been recently. Since you've been logging you can talk to her/him about what you are doing and get a recommendation about calorie and exercise targets, and they can make sure all is well with your hormones/thyroid/blood sugar/etc.
  • crazyycatlady1
    crazyycatlady1 Posts: 292 Member
    devonbmartin09 wrote: »
    I'm not using a food scale. I only drink water with maybe a tea once or twice a week. I'm also trying to make sure that my caloric intake is correct. Most recipes I use have all of that information attached. My husband is lactose intolerant so we never use milk or cream or cheese is anything.

    I do feel more bloated recently, my husband told me that it happens when you start working out. Will there be a point when the bloating stops?

    You've identified the problem. If you're not accurately measuring out portion sizes then you have no idea how many calories you're actually consuming. Get a food scale (under $20), and start using it-you'll be shocked.
  • crazyycatlady1
    crazyycatlady1 Posts: 292 Member
    edited April 2017
    devonbmartin09 wrote: »
    xchocolategirl wrote: »
    How long have you been eating as you are? I think you're eating more than you think.

    I've been doing it for about 3-4 weeks. I'm logging everything I eat and being very careful to make sure I'm being accurate.

    If you're not using a food scale then no, you're not being accurate. Get a food scale, seriously.

    eta: I've lost 50lbs and I'm 4 years into maintenance. I still use my food scale every single day. There's no way I'd be as successful as I am, without it.
  • StaciMarie1974
    StaciMarie1974 Posts: 4,138 Member
    Get a food scale, use it for anything solid. ONce you get in the habit it becomes almost effortless.

    In general, log everything you consume with honesty & accuracy. Have a reasonable goal - and it sounds like your setting of 1 pound per week IS reasonable for your stats. But also understand that patience is needed. The 'trick' to weight loss is that eating at a deficit allows you to lose weight over time. That does not mean that each week will be a loss, as there are days/weeks where you'll retain water for a number of reasons. But today you should weigh less than a month ago. And a month from now, you should weigh less than today.
  • Ready2Rock206
    Ready2Rock206 Posts: 9,487 Member
    devonbmartin09 wrote: »
    xchocolategirl wrote: »
    How long have you been eating as you are? I think you're eating more than you think.

    I've been doing it for about 3-4 weeks. I'm logging everything I eat and being very careful to make sure I'm being accurate.

    Except you're not - you're not using a food scale, doesn't sound like you're using the recipe builder either. You THINK you're accurate but once you start using a food scale and the recipe builder you'll see if that's actually the case. I would imagine there's other ways you're not being accurate also - just because of the learning curve when getting started, nothing negative to you specifically. Keep working on that accuracy and you'll start seeing results. Good luck - it gets easier with time and experience. :)
  • cerise_noir
    cerise_noir Posts: 5,468 Member
    edited April 2017
    devonbmartin09 wrote: »
    xchocolategirl wrote: »
    How long have you been eating as you are? I think you're eating more than you think.

    I've been doing it for about 3-4 weeks. I'm logging everything I eat and being very careful to make sure I'm being accurate.

    Are you perhaps close to TOM? That can cause stalls and gains, as can high sodium days and new/increased exercise.

    Get a food scale and weight everything that isn't a liquid. Weigh prepackaged foods. Weigh everything. Use cups/spoons for liquids only. Log drinks, veggies, fruits, dressings, sauces. Everything you consume gets logged. Choose accurate database entries that reflect the packaging, and usda entries for meat/produce. Log bites tastes and licks.

    And recipes may have a calorie count listed, but they're not always accurate due to the differing brands of ingredients used. Use the recipe builder.
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