Dieting and exercising for 18 months and not lost weight!

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  • Samstan101
    Samstan101 Posts: 699 Member
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    First, that level of exercise won't burn massive amounts of calories. I'm 5' 6" and 220lbs (so a fair bit more overweight than your Mum). I train using a HRM and 30mins of cardio with an average heart rate of around 145 will burn approx 320 cals for me going pretty hard (I run 5k in around 34mins). Weights are harder to track but I estimate around 170 for a 30min session lifting as heavy as I can for 10reps & 3 sets of each exercise.

    Second, is she weighing the rice, chicken & measuring margarine?

    100g of uncooked rice is 350 cals
    1 chicken breast with skin removed is approx 250 cals
    2.5 slices of bread (depending on slice thickness) 230 cals
    1 can of Tom soup approx 236 cals (dependent on brand & volume eaten)
    10g of margarine per slice of bread (2 slices) 130 cals

    So that's a total of approx 1200 cals, which becomes more if she has milk in drinks, has 1 slice of bread at lunch and puts marg on it. If she weere to have 1 chocolate that'd be 40+ cals etc. Uses oil on the chicken to cook it - another 60+ cals. All the tiny bits add up quickly.

    My guess is you're both over estimating exercise burn and under estimating calories eaten. Get her to weigh & measure absolutely everything, buy her a heart rate monitor for Xmas so she can track cardio exercise more easily and I bet in the new year she'll see the scales start to move.
  • rachjenn
    rachjenn Posts: 87
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    Now for the diet. A general day would consist of 2 slices toast with margarine for breakfast, tomato soup with half slice bread for lunch and fresh chicken and rice for dinner, no snacks in between.
    I work this out to be around 930 calories for a full day.

    Okay I don't think she's eating enough therefore her body is going into starvation mode.

    In my low carb diet at the moment which has already helped me shift weight, she's eating too many carbs - 2x bread, marg, rice. Also is the tomato soup homemade?

    She can be eating loads more calories if she starts eating less carbs but more protein. I'm currently working to 1200cals/day (less than 100g carbs), feel free to add me if you want to nosey at my diary.
  • erickirb
    erickirb Posts: 12,293 Member
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    either she eats when no one is around or she has a medical condition.
  • pyrowill
    pyrowill Posts: 1,163 Member
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    Ok so before I go any further I just want to point out that this is not for me it is for my mum.
    I feel very bad for my mum because she has been so dedicated to losing weight, she has done all the right things like eating well and exercising but after 18 months she has not lost any weight at all and I really want to help her!
    Let me tell you abit about her, she is 59 years old (Female obviously lol) 5ft 8inches and around 213 pounds which is clearly overweight!
    She exercises 3 times a week doing cardio work but am quite sure she can not push her self any harder as her balance is not very good, but she does say that her heart rate really gets going during the exercise!
    This is what her exercise consists of,
    Day 1 - 30 mins cardio (treadmill, bike etc) followed by 30 mins lunges, planks burpees etc.
    Day 2 - 45 mins crunches, kettle bells, lunges, planks etc
    Day 3 - 30 mins pure cardio.
    I have no idea how many calories she would burn doing these exercises but I would expect it to be relatively high given her weight!
    Now for the diet. A general day would consist of 2 slices toast with margarine for breakfast, tomato soup with half slice bread for lunch and fresh chicken and rice for dinner, no snacks in between.
    I work this out to be around 930 calories for a full day.
    Now just by looking at all this information that I have put it does look like she may not be eating enough!
    Please tell me your thoughts.

    Many thanks
    Dan

    Mums lie, trust me, shes eating more and just doesn't want to feel like she is letting her kid down.
  • grimendale
    grimendale Posts: 2,153 Member
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    Wow all these replies are rediculous. Personally, I don't lose weight with calories in calories out. I would point out that she is not eating enough and she is not getting enough protein and vegetables. I would get her to try lower her carb intake at least with the bread, if I eat bread I don't lose weight. Also has she gone to the doctor to rule out anything medical?
    So what you're saying is that if you eat 900 calories for 18 months with that exercise you wont lose any weight? Don't be silly

    I ate in deficit for years and worked out, so yes I am saying that.

    Calories in, calories out works for everyone; physics isn't wrong. The problems almost always lies in the math. If you aren't losing weight over the long term, you are either taking in more than you think or you are burning less than you think. This is a universal truth. You can't argue with math.
  • emilyisbonkers
    emilyisbonkers Posts: 373 Member
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    she might be eating different stuff, or more than you tihnk
  • muffinbunni24
    muffinbunni24 Posts: 6
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    she needs to cut out the bread.. and eat atleast 5 smaller and HEALTHIER meals a day!
    NO BREADS, PASTRIES, REFINED CARBS, WHITE RICE - EAT A BIG BREAKFAST, MEDIUM LUNCH AND SMALL DINNER AND EAT DINNER BEFORE 5. ANYTHING AND EVERTHING AFTER THAT WILL TURN TO FAT. eat more protein, lean meat, eggs, veg, plain yogurt etc.. whole wheat rice rather than white rice. rye bread is she must have bread. small changes - HUGE DIFFERENCE. really make your dinner the smallest meal of the day.. and just enough to not be hungry. fill it up with water / tea.
  • Myhaloslipped
    Myhaloslipped Posts: 4,317 Member
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    My mom has lost 26 pounds since July purely from my healthy eating habits rubbing off on her. She has lost more than I have, wtf? Lol, I am proud of her. Is it possible that your mother has some type of medical condition? She may want to consider looking into that.
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
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    she needs to cut out the bread.. and eat atleast 5 smaller and HEALTHIER meals a day!
    NO BREADS, PASTRIES, REFINED CARBS, WHITE RICE - EAT A BIG BREAKFAST, MEDIUM LUNCH AND SMALL DINNER AND EAT DINNER BEFORE 5. ANYTHING AND EVERTHING AFTER THAT WILL TURN TO FAT. eat more protein, lean meat, eggs, veg, plain yogurt etc.. whole wheat rice rather than white rice. rye bread is she must have bread. small changes - HUGE DIFFERENCE. really make your dinner the smallest meal of the day.. and just enough to not be hungry. fill it up with water / tea.

    what!?
  • grimendale
    grimendale Posts: 2,153 Member
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    she needs to cut out the bread.. and eat atleast 5 smaller and HEALTHIER meals a day!
    NO BREADS, PASTRIES, REFINED CARBS, WHITE RICE - EAT A BIG BREAKFAST, MEDIUM LUNCH AND SMALL DINNER AND EAT DINNER BEFORE 5. ANYTHING AND EVERTHING AFTER THAT WILL TURN TO FAT. eat more protein, lean meat, eggs, veg, plain yogurt etc.. whole wheat rice rather than white rice. rye bread is she must have bread. small changes - HUGE DIFFERENCE. really make your dinner the smallest meal of the day.. and just enough to not be hungry. fill it up with water / tea.

    So much no.
  • GiveMeCoffee
    GiveMeCoffee Posts: 3,556 Member
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    Your mom needs to track her calories. What is she drinking daily? Before I started logging I was consuming over 1000 calories just in my coffee. 18 months at under 1000 calories she would have lost weight, so she is not being honest with herself or you.
  • GiveMeCoffee
    GiveMeCoffee Posts: 3,556 Member
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    she needs to cut out the bread.. and eat atleast 5 smaller and HEALTHIER meals a day!
    NO BREADS, PASTRIES, REFINED CARBS, WHITE RICE - EAT A BIG BREAKFAST, MEDIUM LUNCH AND SMALL DINNER AND EAT DINNER BEFORE 5. ANYTHING AND EVERTHING AFTER THAT WILL TURN TO FAT. eat more protein, lean meat, eggs, veg, plain yogurt etc.. whole wheat rice rather than white rice. rye bread is she must have bread. small changes - HUGE DIFFERENCE. really make your dinner the smallest meal of the day.. and just enough to not be hungry. fill it up with water / tea.

    Really?? Let's see I don't eat breakfast, dinner is my biggest meal and usually heaviest carbs. I eat cookies, pastries or some sweet daily. Oh well mine is much less miserable plan I think I'll stick with it.
  • dunnodunno
    dunnodunno Posts: 2,290 Member
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    If she's not measuring her food correctly then she could vastly be eating way more calories. She should invest in a food measuring device.
  • Chrisdoc1984
    Chrisdoc1984 Posts: 29
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    Everyone is different.

    The magic number (well, on here anyway) is meant to be 1200 calories per day to lose weight. I know from experience that if I were to consume 1200 calories per day for any length of time, be it from 5 small meals per day or just one large meal per day, I gain weight (and I'm doing the insanity programme!). That's just an example from my own experiences... Everyone's body is different.

    That said, most people underestimate how much they eat, you know. Does you mum maybe pick up a biscuit or two when she's peckish (I do.... and that's easily an extra 100 calories right there that are quickly forgotten about). Also, remember that when people are asked about what they 'typically' eat, they'll automatically give you one of their healthiest days "oh, I have a slice of toast for breakfast, soup for lunch and a nice healthy chicken and rice for dinner' (the example you gave was an identikit response really, wasn't it?). They don't tell you that the next day, the toast was a bacon roll, and another day the chicken and rice was a pizza, or a burger.

    How is your mum with technology, could you maybe introduce her to MFP? Tracking exactly what is consumed each day would maybe help identify what's holding back the loss.
  • crazybookworm
    crazybookworm Posts: 779 Member
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    Your mother was only eating circa 1000 cals for 18 months? Hmm, either she's on some medication or has a condition such as a thyroid problem that has slowed her metabolism to a crawl (in which case she should see her doc for advise) or she's eating more that she's disclosing to you.
    People eating at a deficit lose weight. It's the law.

    This!
  • blably
    blably Posts: 490 Member
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    did i just read it right? cals in vc cals out doesnt work for everyone?


    hahahahha smh
  • neanderthin
    neanderthin Posts: 10,017 Member
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    Everyone is different.

    The magic number (well, on here anyway) is meant to be 1200 calories per day to lose weight. I know from experience that if I were to consume 1200 calories per day for any length of time, be it from 5 small meals per day or just one large meal per day, I gain weight (and I'm doing the insanity programme!). That's just an example from my own experiences... Everyone's body is different.

    That said, most people underestimate how much they eat, you know. Does you mum maybe pick up a biscuit or two when she's peckish (I do.... and that's easily an extra 100 calories right there that are quickly forgotten about). Also, remember that when people are asked about what they 'typically' eat, they'll automatically give you one of their healthiest days "oh, I have a slice of toast for breakfast, soup for lunch and a nice healthy chicken and rice for dinner' (the example you gave was an identikit response really, wasn't it?). They don't tell you that the next day, the toast was a bacon roll, and another day the chicken and rice was a pizza, or a burger.

    How is your mum with technology, could you maybe introduce her to MFP? Tracking exactly what is consumed each day would maybe help identify what's holding back the loss.
    Do you really believe as a male that your TDEE with vigorous activity is less than 1200?
  • Samstan101
    Samstan101 Posts: 699 Member
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    she needs to cut out the bread.. and eat atleast 5 smaller and HEALTHIER meals a day!
    NO BREADS, PASTRIES, REFINED CARBS, WHITE RICE - EAT A BIG BREAKFAST, MEDIUM LUNCH AND SMALL DINNER AND EAT DINNER BEFORE 5. ANYTHING AND EVERTHING AFTER THAT WILL TURN TO FAT. eat more protein, lean meat, eggs, veg, plain yogurt etc.. whole wheat rice rather than white rice. rye bread is she must have bread. small changes - HUGE DIFFERENCE. really make your dinner the smallest meal of the day.. and just enough to not be hungry. fill it up with water / tea.

    I eat all those things, 3 meals a day, main meal after 6pm with snacks later in an evening and have lost 82lbs in less than 9 months, also maintained my muscle mass with strength training so loss is all fat. Other than that your post makes perfect sense as to why I haven't lost any weight... :huh:

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