Why am I not losing weight?!

ValGogo

Ok, I know this is a slow process. I know I have to be patient... But I have literally lost nothing. Not even an ounce. I fluctuate back and forth about 1 pound... I've only been at this for about 3 weeks, with some high days (and one too high day) and some low days as well. I work out at the gym 6 days a week, lots of cardio and strength training as well. I'm also eating WAY healthier than I was and way better for me foods. I just thought I'd have lost 2-3 pounds by now at least, but NOTHING is so defeating.

Dude, it's only been three weeks. Step off the scale. That's the biggest problem. Keep doing what your doing. Give it 8 eweeks.

ValGogo

I agree...stop weighing yourself. Take the battery out and give it to your husband or friend or something. That's what I need to do. I am not sure how old you are but I have noticed its harder for me now that I am in my early 40's. Weight literally used to fall off me...I would loose five pounds the first week and it would just keep melting away. I have been at it for 9 days...working out, drinking more than enough water and totally watching my calories (around 1200) and I have lost 3 pounds. I got on the scale today and was pissed. So when I get home from work today the scale is going to be put away. We all really need to understand that in order for the weight to stay off....this all needs to be a lifestyle change. We need to change our habits and change our lives....so in actual reality the scale doesn't matter because if we eat healthy and exercise we will get down to where our bodies should be. Keep it up and please don't get discouraged!

I am only 23, that's why I feel as though I really should have seen at least a small change by now!

Doesn't matter how old you are. RELAX! Your age is showing in your impatience. Take it easy sister, it will happen but not when you want it to but when your body does it.

Keep on doing what your doing, and make sure you eat enough and be brutally honest in your food logging.

Good luck

I_Will_End_You

My diary is open now.

Also, (and I do NOT want to be beat up for this, kind words only please) I haven't been able to kick the habit of smoking completely yet. I have cut back from a pack a day to about a pack every 3-4 days. Could this have anything to do with the difficulties I'm having losing weight?

Nicotine does cause a slight raise in your metabolism, but seeing as you haven't cut it out completely, it's probably not effecting your weight loss.

Bottom line is that if you aren't losing weight, you're eating too many calories. Invest in a food scale and find out how much you're really eating, then go from there.

cassanova792

When do you weigh yourself? You should only ever weigh yourself in the morning with minimal clothes, before you eat and after you go to the bathroom. Your weight will fluctuate dramatically throughout the day especially if you are drinking a lot of water as you stated.

divvyh

I stopped loosing weight when I tried dropping my calories down to 1200. Try doing about 1450 for a couple of weeks. Well, just saying it worked for me.

KatieLouiseIzzard

OP, I'm also 23 and suffered from an ED in my teens. When I started eating food again, the weight came on so fast, which was horrible, because it was my biggest fear!! When I wanted to lose the weight I'd gained I was worried that weighing food would be an issue, but I find it actually 'comforts' me. I know what I'm putting in my body and I don't have to worry about eating too little and becoming ill and then gaining loads of weight when I eat 'normal'. Also, stay away from the scales for weighing you! I don't even own a set anymore.

AshleyMarie_Kj

I've only weighed myself twice since I've started, the scale it at the gym, I don't even own one. When I do weigh in, it's in the morning, before I begin my workout.

Geez, I've got people telling me to eat more and other people telling me to eat less! ????

I_Will_End_You

Geez, I've got people telling me to eat more and other people telling me to eat less! ????

You don't have to have a calorie goal as low as 1200 to lose weight, but you have to figure out an appropriate goal, and more importantly....determine whether are you actually eating at/under that goal.

People look at your goal and say "you need to eat more!" because it's really low, but that isn't necessarily true. If you were eating that little, you'd be losing weight. (this is assuming you have no underlying medical conditions). So what people really mean is, figure out a good, sustainable goal, and then meet that goal by logging accurately.

cassanova792

That's your problem. Go buy a scale at home. Every time you weigh yourself, your goal should always to try to be as consistent as possible. You want to do your best to eliminate external factors like clothes, food, water weight etc.

Likewise, as far as your diet is concerned, accuracy and being truthful is crucial. Try your best to weigh and measure your food as accurate as possible and always overestimate your calories if you have no means to to measure.

darkhorse43

I've only weighed myself twice since I've started, the scale it at the gym, I don't even own one. When I do weigh in, it's in the morning, before I begin my workout.

Geez, I've got people telling me to eat more and other people telling me to eat less! ????

I don't think the people telling you to eat less looked at your diary. Definitely eat the calories that MFP tells you to eat, including your exercise calories, particularly if you are actually overestimating food and underestimating exercise.

editorgrrl

So what people really mean is, figure out a good, sustainable goal, and then meet that goal by logging accurately.

^^^This.

Weight loss takes a whole lot of trial & error to find what works for you. (And our advice will change as you share more information.)

AshleyMarie_Kj

That's your problem. Go buy a scale at home. Every time you weigh yourself, your goal should always to try to be as consistent as possible. You want to do your best to eliminate external factors like clothes, food, water weight etc. Also, I don't know how often you go to the gym but that extra weight might be from the lean muscle you're gaining.

I go to the gym 6 days per week, cardio and strength training.

AshleyMarie_Kj

I just need a 24/7 coach that tells me what to do and eat all day every day.

knra_grl

OP you do realize that your daily goal is already set at a deficit? By not meeting your calorie goals and not eating back any of your exercise calories you are creating a bigger deficit? Over estimating your foods and under estimating your exercise will again create an even bigger deficit? You have stated that you had an ED in your teens. The only thing I can say here is that you are not eating enough and you need to address that issue. How did you address your ED in your teens? Perhaps you need to revisit that and get back on track. I am not trying to be judgemental and I can honestly say that I can't relate to your issues with food but I think you need to seek some help to get this in check.

Maybe I don't understand fully how MFP works. So the 1200 calorie goal is already a deficit? Should I be eating back all of the calories I burn at the gym?

I never sought out help when I had an ED as a teen, I realized what I was doing was unhealthy and would cause serious health problems if I continued, so I was able to stop. However, by doing so, I obviously gained back weight. And since then it's been a serious challenge for me to keep the weight off.

Yes your goal is already at a deficit so eat at least your calorie goal on non exercise days, when you exercise enter the exercise and eat back at least 1/3 to 3/4 of your exercise calories. By undereating you are slowing your metabolism down. Hope this helps! Good luck :flowerforyou:

tinajosephides

The only thing I would say is that fat turns to muscle and by the sounds of it you are keeping fit and eating healthy so ideally you should be losing weight, but the fact that you are probably toning up and building up muscle you're staying the same weight. You may have lost inches or your body may have changed shape slightly. Perhaps try not to exercise so much one week but stick to your daily calorie allowance strictly and see if there helps.

editorgrrl

I just need a 24/7 coach that tells me what to do and eat all day every day.

You have to be your own coach. Your biggest takeaway from this thread so far should be to be patient. Educate yourself, read the Sexypants link, and just work on meeting your calorie goal.

Eat back all your calories for two weeks. A healthy weight loss for someone with 40 lb. to go is .5 to 1 lb. per week. So if you lose a pound or two by Friday, April 11, you're doing great! If not, eat back half your exercise calories for another two weeks. That's April 25.

kpchefai

Weigh your food!!!! Everything changed for me when I started weighing. I have been losing successfully and steadily since then. If you are really in it to win it the cost for a food scale(which isn't much anyway) is totally worth it!

Super_Amy

I don't know if cutting down on the cigs does this, but I do know that when I finally quit smoking I underwent a huge metabolism shift that took me a couple of months to sort out.

alpine1994

I just need a 24/7 coach that tells me what to do and eat all day every day.

You have to be your own coach. Your biggest takeaway from this thread so far should be to be patient. Educate yourself, read the Sexypants link, and just work on meeting your calorie goal.

Eat back all your calories for two weeks. A healthy weight loss for someone with 40 lb. to go is .5 to 1 lb. per week. So if you lose a pound or two by Friday, April 11, you're doing great! If not, eat back half your exercise calories for another two weeks. That's April 25.

I was going to say this same exact thing. You have been at this for 3 weeks. It takes a long time to learn about nutrition, fitness, weight loss, how everything is connected, what works for you, etc. It took me 9 months to lose 30 lbs, and keeping it off for a year now (holy crap just realized it's been a year!) hasn't been butterflies and rainbows either. I'm constantly learning and tweaking. The #1 piece of advice I can give you is that moderation is KEY. Don't cut anything out, just make it work into your day if you REALLY want it. Sometimes you'll go over your cals (holidays, vacations, etc.) and that's ok. Sometimes you won't be able to work out due to work/family obligaitons or sickness/injury. That's okay too. Life happens, but just keep on doing the best you can. Change will come, but what doesn't challenge you doesn't change you.

gsager

Are you using a HRM?