Why am I not losing Weight?!!!!

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Replies

  • eAddict
    eAddict Posts: 212 Member
    Monday I ate like a pig haha so a little hesitant to open my diary. I do log EVERYTHING though, so good or bad days...I'm sticking to that so far.
    I record my beer, candy .and everything else. If I wanted to hide it I (a) wouldn't enter and and even (b) not even be on MFP. Gotta open up to get help...
  • trickduffin
    trickduffin Posts: 19 Member
    There are 11 potential reasons!!

    http://www.acaloriecounter.com/blog/why-am-i-not-losing-weight/

    But, the only one that matters is that you're not in enough of a caloric deficit. Be honest with yourself, and I promise that you'll start losing weight when you fix whatever is wrong.

    I'm a 5' 10" man and I'm EATING ~1850 calories in a day being mostly sedentary (at work) and then I NET about 1,100 after cardio and a workout. After about 4 weeks, I'm down 9 pounds, almost all a loss of fat (according to my BF monitoring scale).

    Good Luck!
  • RGv2
    RGv2 Posts: 5,789 Member
    I hit the gym again 5 weeks ago and have been consistent for all 5 weeks ago- but up until 1 week ago I saw NOTHING on the scale and was getting discouraged.. but then I started studying and talking to trainers at the gym and they said because I am working out- I am replacing fat with muscle (which weigh the same) so I may not see anything on the scale. Here I am 5 weeks later, (and I've stopped weighing myself all together)- and I am 2 pant sizes down and my bras and shirts are even loose. It took 5 weeks to see this.. but my body is getting smaller! Don't focus on the scales - just eat clean and keep working.. your body will change!

    No, you're not replacing fat with muscle.

    It is EXTREMELY hard to put muscle mass on, especially as a female. You started a new training remimine. Due to that your body is retaining water for muscle repair as the body adapts. If you are lifting, and in a caloric deficit you are retaining water and maintaining muscle mass. This way you are losing mostly fat. That is why you're getting smaller but the scale isn't changing. After your body adapts to the workouts, you'll begin to lose that water weight.
  • bekahlou75
    bekahlou75 Posts: 304 Member
    Wow, that escalated quickly. Waiting for thread lockdown in T-minus 5... 4... 3... 2...


    LOL
  • Naener
    Naener Posts: 167 Member
    The amount of ignorant advice given on these forums on a daily bases ASTOUNDS me lol
  • uk_ja
    uk_ja Posts: 143 Member
    As a blanket answer to several statements made in various posts.
    I am a few weeks shy of 66 years old, I have no thyroid, which makes me by definition super-hypo thyroid, I am only five feet tall, I no longer lift weight, I walk a minimum of 30 minutes a day as fast as ai can ( brisk pace in the MFP data base ), I do not own a heart rate monitor, I have no other devises that measure calories burnt, I own no home exercise equipment. This means to many people that I am obviously not serious about weight loss and that I am a poor candidate because of age, health and lack of exercise.
    I do however own a food scale. I weigh everything and log everything even though I am not a professional athlete, am not OCD and have no obesessions whatsoever.........and I have lost 40 pounds since April. Is that a freakish out of the oradinary circumstance ? I think not, I eat at a deficit and make sure through correct logging that I stay in control of that deficit.....end of story.
    In my FL there are quite a few people who do the same with the same kind of success......through calorie counting to maintain deficit and logging.....
    My diary is open for anyone to check......

    heretic!

    Blasphemy against the MFP way!

    How can such common sense prevail!
  • RGv2
    RGv2 Posts: 5,789 Member
    The amount of ignorant advice given on these forums on a daily bases ASTOUNDS me lol

    But it makes the day go by fast...:smile:
  • salamagundy
    salamagundy Posts: 15
    Excess carbohydrates is usually the decisive factor in not being able to lose weight - irrespective of how many calories you consume.
  • MityMax96
    MityMax96 Posts: 5,778 Member
    Excess carbohydrates is usually the decisive factor in not being able to lose weight - irrespective of how many calories you consume.

    :huh: :huh: :huh: :noway: :noway: :noway: :noway:

    Gonna say No, to that.
  • jonnythan
    jonnythan Posts: 10,161 Member
    Excess carbohydrates is usually the decisive factor in not being able to lose weight - irrespective of how many calories you consume.

    Please don't ever post anything, ever again.
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
    You're not building muscle but if you've upped exercise recently, you could be retaining water for muscle repair. Make sure you're drinking lots of water. That's helped me. :)


    Why do you say she's not building muscle? Muscles repair is muscle growth!

    you can't build muscle in a calorie deficit...

    and OP said she is sometimes only eating 1000 cals...., which will not leave enough emerge for building muscle...

    I was merely pointing out the contradiction! Plus what you said is a myth.

    what myth are you referring to?

    You can build muscle on a calorie deficit its just much much harder. And mate, why are you all guns blazing at me tonight? Chill! I'm just trying to give the girl some support.

    Ummm no you cannot build muscle in a calorie deficit. The obese beginner may experience "newbie gains" but these are short lived and will cease after the first few months.

    Lets take the OP who claims to eat 1200 calories a day, and says she sometimes nets 1000 calories..do you really think she is going to build muscle eating 1000 to 1200 calories a day ...????

    so I stand by my original statement that you will not build muscle in a calorie deficit, unless you area beginner and those gains will only last for a short time.
  • QuietBloom
    QuietBloom Posts: 5,413 Member
    Excess carbohydrates is usually the decisive factor in not being able to lose weight - irrespective of how many calories you consume.

    No. I don't even know where to start with this one. I am too tired after reading through the CrossFit Troll's thread.
  • PikaKnight
    PikaKnight Posts: 34,971 Member
    Excess carbohydrates is usually the decisive factor in not being able to lose weight - irrespective of how many calories you consume.

    I say no to the above.
  • Naener
    Naener Posts: 167 Member
    The amount of ignorant advice given on these forums on a daily bases ASTOUNDS me lol

    But it makes the day go by fast...:smile:

    touche lol :laugh:
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
    I hit the gym again 5 weeks ago and have been consistent for all 5 weeks ago- but up until 1 week ago I saw NOTHING on the scale and was getting discouraged.. but then I started studying and talking to trainers at the gym and they said because I am working out- I am replacing fat with muscle (which weigh the same) so I may not see anything on the scale. Here I am 5 weeks later, (and I've stopped weighing myself all together)- and I am 2 pant sizes down and my bras and shirts are even loose. It took 5 weeks to see this.. but my body is getting smaller! Don't focus on the scales - just eat clean and keep working.. your body will change!

    Congratulations, you have found the lost city of gold of weight loss...please explain this magical process by which you converted fat into muscle...
  • salamagundy
    salamagundy Posts: 15
    Who or what are you? Presumably you only want people to agree with you? A major factor in ignorance is a closed mind.
  • jonnythan
    jonnythan Posts: 10,161 Member
    Who or what are you? Presumably you only want people to agree with you? A major factor in ignorance is a closed mind.

    You want to be careful that your mind isn't too open, or else it'll fall out.

    Symptoms include thinking carbs are responsible for weight gain irrespective of calorie intake.
  • southerndream24
    southerndream24 Posts: 303 Member
    Excess carbohydrates is usually the decisive factor in not being able to lose weight - irrespective of how many calories you consume.

    What!?? I just....just can't. Please take a seat in the corner and refrain from giving advice ever again!
  • PikaKnight
    PikaKnight Posts: 34,971 Member
    I hit the gym again 5 weeks ago and have been consistent for all 5 weeks ago- but up until 1 week ago I saw NOTHING on the scale and was getting discouraged.. but then I started studying and talking to trainers at the gym and they said because I am working out- I am replacing fat with muscle (which weigh the same) so I may not see anything on the scale. Here I am 5 weeks later, (and I've stopped weighing myself all together)- and I am 2 pant sizes down and my bras and shirts are even loose. It took 5 weeks to see this.. but my body is getting smaller! Don't focus on the scales - just eat clean and keep working.. your body will change!

    Congratulations, you have found the lost city of gold of weight loss...please explain this magical process by which you converted fat into muscle...

    Especially because it's not possible to actually convert fat into muscle :laugh:
  • Phoenix_Warrior
    Phoenix_Warrior Posts: 1,633 Member
    I hit the gym again 5 weeks ago and have been consistent for all 5 weeks ago- but up until 1 week ago I saw NOTHING on the scale and was getting discouraged.. but then I started studying and talking to trainers at the gym and they said because I am working out- I am replacing fat with muscle (which weigh the same) so I may not see anything on the scale. Here I am 5 weeks later, (and I've stopped weighing myself all together)- and I am 2 pant sizes down and my bras and shirts are even loose. It took 5 weeks to see this.. but my body is getting smaller! Don't focus on the scales - just eat clean and keep working.. your body will change!

    Congratulations, you have found the lost city of gold of weight loss...please explain this magical process by which you converted fat into muscle...

    Especially because it's not possible to actually convert fat into muscle :laugh:

    but but... zomg I would be so buff. D: in my dreams my fat got its wings and became muscles
  • micheleld73
    micheleld73 Posts: 914 Member
    You may not be fueling your body enough. Especially if you're working out and only eating 1200 calories. Is that gross or net?
  • SLLRunner
    SLLRunner Posts: 12,942 Member
    I reviewed a week of your diary. Calorie wise, some days you are eating really well, other days you are not. Try and even it around a bit-it's your calorie total at the end of the week that is important.

    I do notice your exercise calories seem a bit high. If you are using MFP calorie burned estimations, they are not often correct and run very high. I use the number off the elliptical or stationary bike because they require age and weight, and when I run I use my pedometer calorie burn because the treadmill I run on does not ask for weight and age input.

    This is all based on my experience of going through a period of not losing and figuring out calories in/calories burned were a bit off.
  • 3foldchord
    3foldchord Posts: 2,918 Member
    Yay! I'm an athlete and a professional because I log everything all the time! I'm flattered!

    YES! Apparently we are more awesome than we thought we were!

    Do professional OCD athletes get paid well? I think I need a raise.
  • lambchristie
    lambchristie Posts: 552 Member
    I need to lose 15-20 lbs and I've been working out every day and eating 1200 cal a day, sometimes more if I worked out alot, but usually eat less . Why am I not losing weight?!!!!!

    Looking at your diary you might consider lowering your carb and sodium intake and up your protein intake.

    Also since you do not log your water ... make sure you are drinking WATER (not diet soda, coffee, tea ... jus my personal opinion) ... min. of 8-10 (8oz glasses) a day if not more.
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
    Excess carbohydrates is usually the decisive factor in not being able to lose weight - irrespective of how many calories you consume.

    so I can eat zero carbs a day and eat 1000 calories a day over maintenance and still lose weight? Sounds legit...
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
    I hit the gym again 5 weeks ago and have been consistent for all 5 weeks ago- but up until 1 week ago I saw NOTHING on the scale and was getting discouraged.. but then I started studying and talking to trainers at the gym and they said because I am working out- I am replacing fat with muscle (which weigh the same) so I may not see anything on the scale. Here I am 5 weeks later, (and I've stopped weighing myself all together)- and I am 2 pant sizes down and my bras and shirts are even loose. It took 5 weeks to see this.. but my body is getting smaller! Don't focus on the scales - just eat clean and keep working.. your body will change!

    Congratulations, you have found the lost city of gold of weight loss...please explain this magical process by which you converted fat into muscle...

    Especially because it's not possible to actually convert fat into muscle :laugh:

    but but... zomg I would be so buff. D: in my dreams my fat got its wings and became muscles

    hey I wish I crapped out gold bars, but that is not happening either..
  • SHobbs1975
    SHobbs1975 Posts: 2 Member
    Just to make sure I understand.... I only have 18 pounds to get to my goal weight, and I have my weight loss goal set at losing 2 lbs per week. BUT, I work out roughly 5 hours per week (sometimes more, but that's a minimum). I've been stuck at the same weight for a while, and I've always mixed up my workouts. (I'm training for a 5K now, so hopefully that will jump start things a bit.) Should I set my weekly weight loss goal at a lower amount? Is it possible I'm not eating enough? Mind you, I feel so good and am happy with how I look that I don't pay as close attention to the scale as I did at first. I'm still curious why the weight isn't coming off as much as before.
  • aimforhealthy
    aimforhealthy Posts: 449 Member
    Just to make sure I understand.... I only have 18 pounds to get to my goal weight, and I have my weight loss goal set at losing 2 lbs per week. BUT, I work out roughly 5 hours per week (sometimes more, but that's a minimum). I've been stuck at the same weight for a while, and I've always mixed up my workouts. (I'm training for a 5K now, so hopefully that will jump start things a bit.) Should I set my weekly weight loss goal at a lower amount? Is it possible I'm not eating enough? Mind you, I feel so good and am happy with how I look that I don't pay as close attention to the scale as I did at first. I'm still curious why the weight isn't coming off as much as before.
    I have about as many pounds to go as you, and GENERALLY, when you are so close to your goal weight, 2 lbs a week loss is very difficult to maintain. I've had much more success and consistency trying for half a pound a week.
  • Alta2000
    Alta2000 Posts: 655 Member
    Just to make sure I understand.... I only have 18 pounds to get to my goal weight, and I have my weight loss goal set at losing 2 lbs per week. BUT, I work out roughly 5 hours per week (sometimes more, but that's a minimum). I've been stuck at the same weight for a while, and I've always mixed up my workouts. (I'm training for a 5K now, so hopefully that will jump start things a bit.) Should I set my weekly weight loss goal at a lower amount? Is it possible I'm not eating enough? Mind you, I feel so good and am happy with how I look that I don't pay as close attention to the scale as I did at first. I'm still curious why the weight isn't coming off as much as before.

    Shobs,
    You are approaching the normal range and your body is resisting. Lower the cut to 1.5lbs per week, and make changes in your workout, more intense, totally different regimens, heavier weights, etc, eat more fruits and vegetables, just keep at it and you will get over the plateau. Are you eating enough? Did you change the calories required based on your current weight?
  • jonnythan
    jonnythan Posts: 10,161 Member
    Just to make sure I understand.... I only have 18 pounds to get to my goal weight, and I have my weight loss goal set at losing 2 lbs per week. BUT, I work out roughly 5 hours per week (sometimes more, but that's a minimum). I've been stuck at the same weight for a while, and I've always mixed up my workouts. (I'm training for a 5K now, so hopefully that will jump start things a bit.) Should I set my weekly weight loss goal at a lower amount? Is it possible I'm not eating enough? Mind you, I feel so good and am happy with how I look that I don't pay as close attention to the scale as I did at first. I'm still curious why the weight isn't coming off as much as before.

    You should probably start a new thread, but 2 lbs a week is a very aggressive deficit, especially for someone training for a race.

    You could be retaining some water, which often happens when you change up or increase the intensity of your workouts. Muscle and tissue repair requires water. It's also possible you're eating too much. Eating too little does not stall weight loss.

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