Stayed the same weight since week 1

stephshirley

Hi guys,
basically I started my new healthy eating/exercising thing for about seven weeks and it seems that I've stayed at the same weight since week 1, and I've only lost an inch or two around my waist etc and I have no idea why. I cut out all processed food, I was eating small portions often and rarely exceeding 1200 calories a day AND I was at the gym as often as I could. In the past few weeks I've been slacking and getting so frustrated with my lack of progress and I had a very naughty week last week but I'm back on it, starting a fresh but I want to know what I'm doing wrong.
A few years ago eating below 1200 calories for a few months was enough to shed over 15lbs and I was rarely exercising and allowed room for processed yucky food within my calorie intake but when I try and do it properly and eat clean and work out as much as possible nothing has happened. I feel like I wasted the past seven weeks, if it went like its 'supposed' to, cutting down calories is enough to lose 1-2lbs a week I would've lost almost a stone but nope.
I'm scared that it's the bread/carbs that I eat that is stopping the weight from shifting, I do eat pasta and potato almost every day and bread is my ultimate weakness but I've gone from white bread to danish low fat bread (can't stand wholegrain bread, and the calories are often higher than white bread!) but again, this doesn't seem to have made a difference.
Help? I do cardio at the gym (high incline treadmill, stationary bike, elliptical trainer) and I dabble with the weights if I feel like it and I try to push myself further to do longer on one machine rather than sticking to the same exercise regime.
AND: during previous weight loss 'attempts' the weight just fell off super quick and 'easy' at first but this time I've barely shifted 3lbs

I'm 5"2 and 165lbs, aged 19.


Ps. if you wanna be weight loss buddies please add me and we can chat and help each other:)

ChilliRed

I am the same and have been eating healthy and going to the gym three times a week for 6 weeks and not lost an ounce but my body fat percentage has gone down and my clothes feel a bit looser. I have also had people comment that I look like I've lost weight so not going to let the weight on the scales demotivate me. Muscle is heavier than fat so maybe that is why, well that is what I am telling myself anyway. Someone told me that the weight loss may happen at a later stage once my body adjusts to the changes so that is what I am hoping. Keep going and I am sure you will see results in time.

SezxyStef

Okay you've lost 3lbs and 2 inches off your waist in 7 weeks...so that's 1/2lb a week and a 1/4inch a week...sounds pretty good to me.

ONly advice is get off the 1200 calories a day thing...you need to fuel your body and your workouts.

you have 35lbs to lose so 1/2lb - 1lb a week is reasonable atm until you are down between 20-25lbs to lose.

First things first tho your diary is close but I have to assume you do not weigh your food...so you are probably eating more than you think and if you are netting 1200 you are eating exercise calories back and those are over estimated on MFP and the suggestion is to eat back 50-75% of those calories.

Don't be "scared" of food or food types...eat what you want and stay within a reasonable calorie deficet.

I workout 5x a week...3x weights (heavy lifting) and 2x HIIT and eat on average 1700 calories a day and lose 0.66 lbs a week...I eat all the foodz...chocolate, fast food, bread, potatoes, burgers, fried chicken, chips, diet soda, I drink alcohol etc...

My suggestion is buy a food scale...weigh your food and log everything. Then cut cardio to 2 or 3 times a week...start lifting heavy weights....

Please feel free to look at my food and exercise diary...as you can tell by my ticker I am about 12 weeks from goal doing exactly what I mentioned above.

QuietBloom

^Everything Stef said. A food scale, and stop being afraid of any food. A calorie deficit while meeting your macros is all you need to lose weight.

viciouslitany

according to some basic math on my part, you shouldn't actually be eating less than like, 1,400 calories a day to lose weight.

you do not eat enough, provided you know EXACTLY how much you're eating. or, you may just be eating more than you think. try out a food scale, up your intake, let your body adjust.

j_bark

Problem? Sub-1200 calories a day. Your body will actually perform better if you eat more appropriate amounts of food to go with your working out. Being sub-1200 I can only assume you are not eating back the calories burned through working out. Your body could easily be in starvation mode and at this point.

QuietBloom

I am the same and have been eating healthy and going to the gym three times a week for 6 weeks and not lost an ounce but my body fat percentage has gone down and my clothes feel a bit looser. I have also had people comment that I look like I've lost weight so not going to let the weight on the scales demotivate me. Muscle is heavier than fat so maybe that is why, well that is what I am telling myself anyway. Someone told me that the weight loss may happen at a later stage once my body adjusts to the changes so that is what I am hoping. Keep going and I am sure you will see results in time.

If you are in a deficit, the most you will gain is maybe a couple of lbs of noobie muscle. Are you using a food scale? How are you estimating your workout calories burned?

Congrats on your progress so far!

stephshirley

I weigh and measure everything I eat and I have done since day 1(watching secret eaters developed that habit).
I need to lose fat and weight, if I don't lose any weight I'm never going to hit a 'healthy' weight, am I?
1200 is my calorie intake goal, sometimes it's above and sometimes it's below depending on what I'm eating and my routine but it never goes drastically up or down. And, I always eat enough to fuel myself and always eat what I burn off so it's not like I'm starving or drastically restricting my intake. I'm eating protein and carbs and as much fruit and veg as I can stand so my diet is balanced enough. Everything I'm doing should mean weight loss but it just hasn't. I know that my body is quite capable of losing weight and fat because I've done it before, but it seems that as soon as I change my lifestyle and exercise rather than 'dieting' everything halts.
I'm very confused.

stephshirley

At this point I'm classed as obese, and therefore just accepting that I'm not losing weight but should keep going isn't an option. I need progress and I need the weight to be coming off at a healthy rate. I'm not expecting to wake up tomorrow 40lbs lighter but I know that with what I'm doing I should be losing at least 1lb a week and it's just not happening. I've kept on going, pushing myself through just thinking I'd hit a plateau but I need to find out if there's something I'm not doing or whether I should seek help elsewhere or change my routine all together

MarKayDee

What's your doctor say you should be consuming calorie wise? Did you speak with a dietician who said you should be eating 1200calories, and if so are you following the eating plan they provided you with?
Also what does your sodium intake look like? I know that I personally am very sensitive to sodium and a small amount can cause a lot of bloating and water weight.

If you haven't spoken to your doctor about the best way to lose weight for you personally, then you should seriously consider doing so. Especially if you are in an obese weight range there could be other medical problems preventing your loss, or other risks for you while you're losing.