Why can't I lose weight?

ironanimal

'I am doing everything right.'

No, you are not. Eating below 1000 calories a day and exercising regularly is far from doing it right. Eat more.

Helloitsdan

Good Morning, Let me first come clean and say that I am not a dietician or a physician. I can, however, state that I am 45 years old and have maintained my current weight after the birth of my second child almost 6 years ago. I guess you could say I am a self taught label and fitness fanatic.

Okay, first of all you are putting your body in starvation mode. You need at least 1,200 calories. Your weight is not budging because you are consuming too few calories. Second, you need to up your cardio work out. While ballet is a good form of toning, it does little to raise your heart rate and facilitate a good calorie burn--unless you are an elite ballerina. I would suggest walking with very light weights or doing a cardio tape. I have added to my running routine lately and bought one of "The Firm" tapes. It is a heck of an aerobic dance work out. Third, you should also start slowly with a weight lifting routine with light weights and lots of repetitions because muscle burns fat as well. You should do your cardio work out daily and a weight routine 2-3 days a week.

Finally, I don't know what you are eating, but make sure you are incorporating enough lean protein into each of your meals. Protein takes the edge off of hunger and it also will help build muscle.

I hope this helps!
GMac

Research starvation mode. Takes days of eating almost nothing to get there.
She is damaging her body though.
Eating below BMR robs nutrients from vital organs.
Its like running a marathon with a belt tightened around your chest allowing half breaths.

Congrats on maintaining though.
Finding that comfy spot is hard work!
=D

wantskinnythighs

Basically, I should just eat the number of calories that I'm allowed each day and I'll lose weight at a steady pace?

irjeffb

you are NOT eating enough if you are eating fewer than 1200 calories.

If you stand 5'3" and workout 3 times a week you should be eating appx 1700 calories or in that ballpark. You slow your metabolism if you eat below BMR.
Not good!

You catabolize lean mass when you eat below BMR.
Not good!

True, it might slow her metabolism, but eating too few calories will not cause one to GAIN weight.

MrsLawsonNavyBrat2B

I started my diet on the 1st of January and by the end of the first week I'd already lost 2kg (5lbs). A week after I began my diet, I stopped losing weight and now I've gained 1kg and my weight hasn't been changing at all.

I've been doing everything right (except for a couple of binge days when I freaked out). I do ballet twice a week and walk a lot and do crunches everyday. I've been eating about 900-1000 calories a day and I'm just not losing any weight. I began taking the pill a week into my diet and after that I've been feeling really bloated, could that have anything to do with it?

You have to think about it this way. If you only eat 900-1000 calories a day and then you exercise (lets say you burn 400 calories) then your NET intake is only 500-600 calories which is WAY TOO LOW! The days you do ballet DEFF up the calories so that you eat approx half your exercise calories. This way your body does not feel like it has to hold on to the weight to protect itself. FEEL FREE TO ADD

Helloitsdan

Correct.
Find out what your TDEE is and eat below that.
Find out what your BMR is and eat above that.
Find out what your Body fat % is and measure that.

Google Fat to Fit Radio Tools.
Do the military body fat calculator then the BMR tool.

kittyninja

You're not eating enough. Start eating at the VERY least, 1200 a day. If you exercise that day, eat 1200 plus the number of calories you burned from exercise.
Trust me on this one.
You're putting yourself in starvation mode.

ironanimal

Basically, I should just eat the number of calories that I'm allowed each day and I'll lose weight at a steady pace?

That's why MFP gave you the number

MaximalLife

Basically, I should just eat the number of calories that I'm allowed each day and I'll lose weight at a steady pace?

That's why MFP gave you the number

MFP has already figured out your total calories you need to eat per day to lose 1lb etc. a week.
That's WITHOUT exercise. You'll notice that when you actually add exercise in, the calorie limit goes up.
Why? Because it's telling you to eat your exercise calories.
Large deficits aren't really good to do because while you will lose weight, what kind of weight will it be?
In many cases you'll lose lean muscle tissue which LOWERS your metabolic rate even more.
Then you have to eat even less to compensate for less of a calorie burn to continue to lose the same amount
of weight each week.

Be efficient.
Exercise hard and eat back the calories. The hard exercise will RAISE your metabolic rate and burn more fat at rest.

MrsLawsonNavyBrat2B

Basically, I should just eat the number of calories that I'm allowed each day and I'll lose weight at a steady pace?

That's why MFP gave you the number

^^ what he said

karenwill2

you are NOT eating enough if you are eating fewer than 1200 calories.

This!!!!!

ironanimal

Basically, I should just eat the number of calories that I'm allowed each day and I'll lose weight at a steady pace?

That's why MFP gave you the number

MFP has already figured out your total calories you need to eat per day to lose 1lb etc. a week.
That's WITHOUT exercise. You'll notice that when you actually add exercise in, the calorie limit goes up.
Why? Because it's telling you to eat your exercise calories.
Large deficits aren't really good to do because while you will lose weight, what kind of weight will it be?
In many cases you'll lose lean muscle tissue which LOWERS your metabolic rate even more.
Then you have to eat even less to compensate for less of a calorie burn to continue to lose the same amount
of weight each week.

Be efficient.
Exercise hard and eat back the calories. The hard exercise will RAISE your metabolic rate and burn more fat at rest.

I swear if I see that post again ML, I may kill myself :P

Helloitsdan

I swear if I see that post again ML, I may kill myself :P

Lol Just help me get MFP to approve the ::SLAP:: button!
=D

Not for the OP!
Hugs!

sleepytexan

I started my diet on the 1st of January and by the end of the first week I'd already lost 2kg (5lbs). A week after I began my diet, I stopped losing weight and now I've gained 1kg and my weight hasn't been changing at all.

I've been doing everything right (except for a couple of binge days when I freaked out). I do ballet twice a week and walk a lot and do crunches everyday. I've been eating about 900-1000 calories a day and I'm just not losing any weight. I began taking the pill a week into my diet and after that I've been feeling really bloated, could that have anything to do with it?

Here's an article about someone like you, and what you need to change:

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/3047-700-calories-a-day-and-not-losing

blessings.

breeanreyes

absolutely! you're target weight loss should not be more than 2 lbs per week and you need to eat what MFP suggests per day, even if you burn some of it off, at least take in the target amount. If you are continually losing more than 2 lbs per week keep in mind that it is most likely water weight unless you are very overweight. Also, being someone who packs on tremendous amounts of muscle myself, measure yourself EVERY week to get more reliable results. I always measure my arm, chest, the smallest part of my waist, the thickest part of my waist, my hips, my thighs, and my calfs... you'll be surprised when you don't lose much weight how many inches you can still lose. Make sure to check your nutrient intake also, make sure you're getting your potassium, calcium, iron, vitamin C and A as well.. if not then up your fruits and veggies!

ancalagonfire

I'm having the same problem, can someone tell me why I'm not losing? My diary's open.

Prek2005

For one thing you are not eating enough calories, you should be eating no less that 1200. If you are exercising you need to replace does calories that you are burning......calories in calories out. Finally, you are stressing about your weight....when you are under stress you will gain weight!

ebaymommy

I'm having the same problem, can someone tell me why I'm not losing? My diary's open.

Just a quick peek at your diary - you are eating a BOATLOAD of carbs considering your calorie intake. Maybe keep an eye on your macros (carb, protein and fat percentages). I would strongly consider reducing the amount of carbs and increasing your protein.

Helloitsdan

I'm having the same problem, can someone tell me why I'm not losing? My diary's open.

Just a quick peek at your diary - you are eating a BOATLOAD of carbs considering your calorie intake. Maybe keep an eye on your macros (carb, protein and fat percentages). I would strongly consider reducing the amount of carbs and increasing your protein.

Yep! Focus on high protein maybe .60g-1.2g per lean body weight?
Set fats to about .40g-.60g per lean body weight.
Carbs will bring up the rear.

Also a good tip is swapping out most simple carbs with complex carbs.