Some of the reasons why people don't lose

macpatti

While drinking within your calorie range is doable, it's rare that I hear, "I drank just enough to NOT get a buzz."

I have 2 glasses of wine almost every night and count it in my calories for the day. Question: Does it really matter how much water I drink for weight loss? Some people say you won't lose weight if you're not drinking at least 8 glasses a day. Thoughts?

MrDude_1

I agree with almost everything you wrote but I admit that I am quite confused about the 1/4 and 1/2 pund thing. I am a "metric " person and as far as I know 1 kg is about 2 lbs. 1/2 lb would make it 250 g and 1/4 would be 125 g. This is so little that ... it is like drinking a glass of watter or having a good session in the toilet. If one does not have an electronic scale it is not even possible to see such change at all. If I were to loose 125 g a week I would have given up ages ago and I lost 17 kg already! 0.5 kg a week is realistic in my opinion.

That is one of the reasons weight is a HORRIBLE way to track progress.
But his point remains valid... someone near their goal or ideal weight shouldnt try to drop to it quickly, or they will mostly lose what they dont want to lose.. muscle.

meanwhile someone that is very overweight has enough FFA in their bloodstream to lose fat faster( a greater caloric deficit) because they will be fueling their body more at one time...

MrDude_1

While drinking within your calorie range is doable, it's rare that I hear, "I drank just enough to NOT get a buzz."

I have 2 glasses of wine almost every night and count it in my calories for the day. Question: Does it really matter how much water I drink for weight loss? Some people say you won't lose weight if you're not drinking at least 8 glasses a day. Thoughts?

as long as you're hydrated, it doesnt matter.
that said, most americans are constantly in a state of slight dehydration.

the 8 glasses thing is kind of BS-myth based on a old study in the 1950s and doesnt even account for water consumed in food.... nevermind the fact its for an "average person" on an "average day"

Jemellc

Great post!

healthyfat

Great post, thanks.

Krizzle4Rizzle

This is a great post! I say even make it a blog! My weightloss has been up and down because I slack on weekends. I used to think it wasn't "that big of a deal." But it is. Thank you for making me realize I am screwing myself over!

deenaspell

EXCELLENT! All valid points! I feel like I should print this out and put it on my fridge.

Cgrnlaw

Thanks for the info, you were reading my mind.

carolynH5

My trick to avoid excess alcohol: since I only drink red wine and that should be at room temp, I keep it in the fridge and pour 1 glass when I get home from work. The rest of the bottle gets re-corked and goes right back in the fridge. By the time dinner is ready, my wine has come up to room temp. This keeps me from drinking more than one glass because I'd have to wait for the second glass to warm up and by then, I'm past the craving.

jjl0412

bump

FireBrand80

2. Doing the same old same old- Continuing the same workout that you did 6 months to a year ago. The body adapts to routines. Unless you challenge it, it will adapt to workload. Try changing it up after a month, 8 weeks max.

This point should be clarified a bit. I think people will get the impression that you should scrap your routine every 8 weeks and start over, when all that is needed is an increase in intensity and/or frequency.

seaKind

With multiple threads on people questioning why they can't lose weight, just thought I'd give some quick info. So here goes:

1. Inconsistency- Lack of being consistent on calorie intake, especially on the weekends. A couple of days of splurging (unless you're staying within your calorie deficit) WILL impede your progress.

2. Doing the same old same old- Continuing the same workout that you did 6 months to a year ago. The body adapts to routines. Unless you challenge it, it will adapt to workload. Try changing it up after a month, 8 weeks max.

3. You don't have much to lose- You can't lose if there isn't much to lose. And if you're shooting for a pound a week with just 5lbs- 10lbs to lose, then it probably won't happen. You're much better off going for 1/4 to a 1/2 pound loss a week. Adjust your deficit for that.

4. Not eating enough- Trust me when I say your body isn't stupid. It's sole purpose is to do what it need to to survive. Part of that is conserving enough energy for regular function. If you don't supply enough calories, it will lower metabolic rate. Don't just think eating the minimum is the ONLY way to lose.

5. Lack of rest/sleep- A killer. Body and mind need time to recover. Less than 5 hours a night is more than likely impeding your progress.

6. New to training- Anyone new to exercise will more than likely gain a few pounds in the beginning due to water and glycogen retention. It's natural and common.

7. High expectations- thinking that just because you're on a 1000 calorie deficit a day, that a 2lbs loss is GUARANTEED. Weight loss isn't linear. Again, your body is much smarter than you think and will do what it needs to do to survive. Look to just losing 1% of your body weight a week and stay consistent. Not every week will be the same.

These are just some of the issues. I'm sure there are more, but these are just the common answers for most.

A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 28+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

melanieparker13

bump

head_in_rainbows

My trick to avoid excess alcohol: since I only drink red wine and that should be at room temp, I keep it in the fridge and pour 1 glass when I get home from work. The rest of the bottle gets re-corked and goes right back in the fridge. By the time dinner is ready, my wine has come up to room temp. This keeps me from drinking more than one glass because I'd have to wait for the second glass to warm up and by then, I'm past the craving.

Exellent idea! Tahnk for suggestion!

seaKind

1. Inconsistency- Lack of being consistent on calorie intake, especially on the weekends. A couple of days of splurging (unless you're staying within your calorie deficit) WILL impede your progress.

2. Doing the same old same old- Continuing the same workout that you did 6 months to a year ago. The body adapts to routines. Unless you challenge it, it will adapt to workload. Try changing it up after a month, 8 weeks max.

3. You don't have much to lose- You can't lose if there isn't much to lose. And if you're shooting for a pound a week with just 5lbs- 10lbs to lose, then it probably won't happen. You're much better off going for 1/4 to a 1/2 pound loss a week. Adjust your deficit for that.

4. Not eating enough- Trust me when I say your body isn't stupid. It's sole purpose is to do what it need to to survive. Part of that is conserving enough energy for regular function. If you don't supply enough calories, it will lower metabolic rate. Don't just think eating the minimum is the ONLY way to lose.

5. Lack of rest/sleep- A killer. Body and mind need time to recover. Less than 5 hours a night is more than likely impeding your progress.

6. New to training- Anyone new to exercise will more than likely gain a few pounds in the beginning due to water and glycogen retention. It's natural and common.

7. High expectations- thinking that just because you're on a 1000 calorie deficit a day, that a 2lbs loss is GUARANTEED. Weight loss isn't linear. Again, your body is much smarter than you think and will do what it needs to do to survive. Look to just losing 1% of your body weight a week and stay consistent. Not every week will be the same.

dear ninerbuff-
i am consistent, I have a huge variety of activities I do, I am comfy at 10 lbs lighter, but 'the equations' say I should weigh 30-40 lbs less, I eat healthy & plenty but not too much, I sleep pretty well all things considered, I am definitely not new to training, and my expectations are reasonable. Where do hormones fit in here (which is what i'm pretty sure my prob is) and how do I modify to affect THEM?
frustratedly yours, CK

Vandessa

Thanks for the tips! Every little bit helps!|

ninerbuff

I agree with almost everything you wrote but I admit that I am quite confused about the 1/4 and 1/2 pund thing. I am a "metric " person and as far as I know 1 kg is about 2 lbs. 1/2 lb would make it 250 g and 1/4 would be 125 g. This is so little that ... it is like drinking a glass of watter or having a good session in the toilet. If one does not have an electronic scale it is not even possible to see such change at all. If I were to loose 125 g a week I would have given up ages ago and I lost 17 kg already! 0.5 kg a week is realistic in my opinion.

With 5lbs to lose, it's not as easy as it sounds since the body resists weight loss when one gets down to a certain weight. With all the clients I train for competition, that last 5lbs can be a *kitten*!

A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 28+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

ninerbuff

While drinking within your calorie range is doable, it's rare that I hear, "I drank just enough to NOT get a buzz."

I have 2 glasses of wine almost every night and count it in my calories for the day. Question: Does it really matter how much water I drink for weight loss? Some people say you won't lose weight if you're not drinking at least 8 glasses a day. Thoughts?

Depends on how one excretes water. I hardly sweat (genetics), but have friends that sweat buckets. Obviously if they just drank the amount of water that I do, they may not be replenishing the water they need to. Insufficient water leads to water retention.

A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 28+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

sazzyp1973

Perfect, thanks for posting

ninerbuff

2. Doing the same old same old- Continuing the same workout that you did 6 months to a year ago. The body adapts to routines. Unless you challenge it, it will adapt to workload. Try changing it up after a month, 8 weeks max.

This point should be clarified a bit. I think people will get the impression that you should scrap your routine every 8 weeks and start over, when all that is needed is an increase in intensity and/or frequency.

Point is correct. Should have emphasized that just loading up on more resistance, decreasing rest time and increasing reps can be a valid change in exercise.

A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 28+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition