Weight-Loss Attempt Not Working?

crossrunner1497

I have been sticking with 1800-1900kcal a day (but with a zig-zag protocol) for the past 3 weeks. I weigh all of my food except for vegetables, or anything that would be practically negligible calories (spices, very low calorie condiments, etc). I also get 10-15k steps a day and exercise 60min 6-7 days a week (mix of weight lifting and cycling). The first week, I actually gained 2-3lbs, and now I am just back to my original weight. I don’t understand this. I should be losing at least a pound a week, but my weight isn’t budging. I am a 5’6 female that weighs about 140lbs just for reference. I don’t understand what I am doing wrong. I also eat very healthy, with plenty of fruit and vegetables. Any advice is appreciated.

SuzySunshine99

Is the exercise and weight lifting new, or more than you used to do? Because new or increased exercise can cause water and fluid retention that will mask any fat loss.

You are already at a healthy weight, so with not a lot to lose, any loss you have is going to be slow...less than the pound or more a week you're expecting. 3 weeks is not long enough to determine if what you are doing is working. Give it more time.

BarbaraHelen2013

I’d also suggest that you start weighing ALL your foods. You’ve said that you don’t weigh vegetables and some other bits and pieces, but also said that you eat a lot of vegetables and fruit.

You don’t have a lot to lose at your height and current weight so it is totally possible your uncounted or estimated vegetables etc are in effect wiping out your calorie deficit.

yirara

It's only been three weeks!
The first weight gain was probably water weight if this kind of workout was new for you or if you weighted after having a more food day. I also say what others have been saying: weigh all your food. I might easily eat 300 calories of veggies and low calorie other stuff per day. If I ate 1450 calories per day plus this then I'd gain weight (yeah, I'm small and old).

AshHeartsJesus

Log everything and watch macros and drink LOTS of water

ImChipper

I'm also 5'6" and when I was eating 1350 calories a day, working out about 3-400 calories 3x a week, eating clean- it was SO HARD to lose- incremental, because my body A ) had little to lose and B ) was used to living on less calories already. You could be retaining water- I'm actually a little alarmed at the 6-7 days a week exercise since your body does need to rest to repair and build. I agree with others- weigh your EVERYTHING, look into labels that claim 0 calories per serving because if something is 0.9 they can legally label it as 0 since it doesn't make 1. So if you have 8 servings of "0" it could actually be 7.2 - I know it seems silly but little things like that are what caught me up before, especially if you are following macros.

Cut your carbs or experiment- I found that dairy and bread products BLOAT me like no one's business- it is so bad that I can tell mere minutes/hours after eating -say-a sandwich.

Some other things are the salts- if you have a lot of sodium you will retain water. Period. Weigh yourself at the same time every time. Fruit is full of (natural) sugar.

Do you measure/track inches? I 'gained' a bit of weight or the scale stuck for me for a bit there as my fat levels lowered and my body gained muscle. It was incredible frustrating until I started measuring my inches and realized I was slimming, even if the scale was barely moving.

I also agree that 3 weeks is just not enough. The reason why weight is such an issue is that its an easy in, hard out. Easy to gain it, hard to lose it. You have to stick with it. I don't ever expect results until at least a month, if not two. Don't be discouraged!! Your body is changing its habits, changing how it fuels itself, adjusting. It's a masterful machine that has kept you alive and has been adapting and changing to fit your world for years. Also, if you are a little older, its going to be hard to lose- age slows us down a little. Not impossible but give the body a little bit of a break. It will do what its going to do. I know if you stick with it and do things for the joy of them, and marvel at each thing you could do more than you did the day before, before you know it you'll be right where you want to be- and then you keep it up to stay there. Good luck!

Olgaukr83

I agree with what others are saying. Is walking, cycling, and lifting that much something you have been doing for a long time? If your body is not used to it, it may be under a lot of stress and have inflammation. Are you doing anything for recovery - like stretching, foam rolling, yoga, etc.? Are you getting enough sleep? Have you been eating 1800 to 1900 for a while? I think what each person needs for calories varies a lot. For some it may be too much, and for others not enough. If you are exercising a lot, but not eating enough, your body will hold to stored fat. I am not eating enough, according to my resting metabolic rate test. Now that my weight loss stopped, I am trying to add more calories and see if it helps. I am only 5'1, and normally at 1500 to 1700 calories per day.

charsuzy

crossrunner1497 wrote: »

I have been sticking with 1800-1900kcal a day (but with a zig-zag protocol) for the past 3 weeks. I weigh all of my food except for vegetables, or anything that would be practically negligible calories (spices, very low calorie condiments, etc). I also get 10-15k steps a day and exercise 60min 6-7 days a week (mix of weight lifting and cycling). The first week, I actually gained 2-3lbs, and now I am just back to my original weight. I don’t understand this. I should be losing at least a pound a week, but my weight isn’t budging. I am a 5’6 female that weighs about 140lbs just for reference. I don’t understand what I am doing wrong. I also eat very healthy, with plenty of fruit and vegetables. Any advice is appreciated.

Have you tried intermittent fasting of some sort? you can challenge your body by switching up how you do IF. That might help.

RockingWithLJ

If you weren't active before then you're gaining muscle and or water weight. You're not giving it enough time to actually work. Your calories are closer to maintenance calories though based on your weight so try dropping that a little bit and you might see a difference. Plus you should be logging every single thing that passes your lips whether it's a veggie or an herb. Good luck

deeshiloh

As others have said, if you've only just started or recently ramped up your exercise regimen, that can cause water retention, which would disguise your progress on the scale. It's only been three weeks, be patient with it as your body adjusts to the new normal. If after a few more weeks, you're still not seeing progress on the scale, then consider whether your measurements are fully accurate or your goals are reasonable.

crossrunner1497

SuzySunshine99 wrote: »

Is the exercise and weight lifting new, or more than you used to do? Because new or increased exercise can cause water and fluid retention that will mask any fat loss.

You are already at a healthy weight, so with not a lot to lose, any loss you have is going to be slow...less than the pound or more a week you're expecting. 3 weeks is not long enough to determine if what you are doing is working. Give it more time.

It is kind of new, kind of not. I used to be an avid endurance athlete, but had to take about 6 months off of exercise. So now it is sort of new form the past 6 months. I am hoping it is just fluid retention because otherwise I don’t understand how I am not losing. And I definitely would not have really noticed any physical changes (which is the most important to me- the number isn’t as big of a deal, just a good way to keep track).

140lbs isn’t an unhealthy weight, but it is pretty large for a small frame like mine. I am trying to lose about 20lbs.