Numbers Not Dropping !

craftydk1

Since the pandemic , working at home and sitting at a desk all day has resulted in less physical activity and has caused me to put on a few pounds. I started my weight loss and fitness journey about 6 weeks ago, I have religiously logged my meals coming under my calorie limit daily. I have never been a junk food / fast food person and I believe that I am eating right . I have been working out minimum 3 -4 times a week , 30mins to an hour depending on my mood, doing cardio and strength ,step aerobics, using weights 5-8lbs , resistance bands , jump rope , full body workout videos etc.... My goal was to lose down to 145lbs , for me that was only 7 lbs to lose. In appearance I see my body changing for the better. I am starting to tone up , however, In 6 weeks I lost 1lb and gained 3 ! Why are the numbers not dropping ??? I don't get it . I probably should add that I am over 50 so I know it gets harder, but still .........Any insight would be greatly appreciated.

cmriverside

Congratulations, you have found your Maintenance calories.

Cut 250 calories per day for a 1/2 pound per week weight loss.

It's going to take a long time with not much to lose. You really have to do some tweaking and try to keep accurate data.

springlering62

Repeat after me: Age does not matter.

You can lose weight at any age with very little difference in rate of loss. The problem is, at our age, we’ve gotten comfortable. The dryer buzzes? Screw it. We don’t have six loads of family laundry lined up panting to be done. No small children to chase, bigger ones to ferry around. We are more likely to settle into our Barcoloungers.

Weight loss is calories in/calories out. It’s so simple that we are too - I don’t know- afraid, gullible, tormented to believe it.

It’s easier to believe it must be terribly hard, and therefore too difficult for the likes of us to wrap our heads around. We’ve been trained to wait breathlessly for the next magic pill, vibrating fat-loss machine or plastic sweat suit, or special internet “belly fat” insight to strike us like lightning and make it all better.

Down 1 up three?

At what time of month did you measure? Had you had a restaurant meal or high carb or salty snack the day before? Have you enthusiastically snowballed your exercise in a hurry to lose this weight? Muscles sore? Hurts to walk up steps or sit down and get up? Any or all of these can ramp up water weight.

Are you weighing accurately and logging honestly?

Are you allowing yourself “cheat weekends” that blow through all your losses during the week?

Did you set your goal so high that you’re hungry, and throwing yourself into a binge and cut cycle as a result?

“A few pounds”? Understand that the closer you are to goal, the harder it is to lose. My first 75 melted off compared to the last fifteen.

Weight loss is patience, tolerance, learning, experimenting, and a lot of bellyaching. That last you have to earn the right to, though.

Body is shaping and toning up? In SIX weeks? Well hey, hallelujah! Cup half full, my dear. There’s many here that work hard and don’t see results for much longer than that.

Give it more time. If you’re using you diary accurately, it contains a wealth of data. Where can you cut? Salad dressings? Oils? Wine? Cheeses to excess? High calorie snacks? On which days or after which meals did you feel fuller? Study, analyze, plan and put your new “you” knowledge to work.

And know that you can come here and vent any time, and that we will always call you on it with love, because we are right there slogging next to you.

callsitlikeiseeit

sijomial

No weight loss isn't harder after 50.
I found it far easier in fact with better tools (like this one) and better data (like food labelling) and also more "me time" compared to my extraordinarilly busy 30's and 40's.

Is that just two data points you are referring to? Would be more interesting to know what your weight has done week on week.

Starting a new exercise routine can cause an uptick in water retention due to muscle soreness.

Consistency and adjusting based on your weight trend will work, stick with it.

springlering62

@callsitlikeiseeit I’m liking the new graphic. Reminds me of when I went to diabetes class with my husband and they handed round test tubes of sugar, marked Coke, Snickers, Carrot, White Bread and so on to show how much sugar was in each.

Simple and crazy effective at demonstrating!