No weight loss in two weeks... what am I doing wrong ?

DaivaSimone

I started to lose weight about six weeks ago and I have lost plenty, near 15 pounds in those six weeks.

But, in the last two weeks, I saw no change on the scale. And I am wondering why, because I was doing so well for the first six weeks...

Here is some changes that happened in the last two weeks:

1. I started doing Turbo Jam 5 times a week instead of working out with Wii EA Active. (I was assuming that this was supposed to be an improvement).
2. I customized my nutrition goals and started to eat a little less carbs and fat and a little more proteins (I am busting my protein goal everyday anyway) and in the process, MFP decrease my calorie intake a bit (I was on a 1720 cals regimen, I'm now on a 1680).
3. It was my birthday and I had a lot of dinner with family and friend, so I was more disorganized in my meal planning... But I logged everything, except on September 9th, where I lost track a bit.

And some troubles I had also:

1. I have trouble eating back my exercise calories. I assume that MFP overestimate the amount I earn, but even when I try to eat half of them back, I'm not hungry at all. This happens mostly because I can't make my workout in the morning (I am living in an appartement and I am pretty sure that my neighbors won't appreciate that I step on their head at 5 o'clock in the morning), so I workout when I'm back from work, usually around 5:15, 5:30... By the time I have finished to work out, to shower my self, to cook dinner, and to prep lunch, I'm not eating supper before... maybe 8 o'clock, and I'm in bed at 9:30, so I just don't have time to be hungry before bed. But, it happens sometimes that I feel hungry just before falling asleep, around 10, 10:30.
2. i may have eat a lot of sodium in the past few days, so it's possible that I have some water retention.

So that's my hint, but I am a little bit clueless about what I should do to keep the scale going down again. Any advice ?

DaivaSimone

Bump ! I would really like to have some advice.

mensasu

Yes, sodium could be the problem.
A quick scan of your diary and I would try a few things - which maybe hard for you to do.
1) No dairy for a week
2) Much more real veggies and some real fruit
3) Avoid prepared foods and make your own.

Just thoughts, but I have read that too much dairy can slow down weight loss. You can get your calcium from spinach and almonds instead.

diannethegeek

First and foremost, weightloss is never going to be a perfect line. You're going to have weeks where you don't lose and weeks where you do, so two weeks isn't enough to worry over right now. You may be doing everything right and your body just needs to catch up.

If you just started a new workout routine it's not uncommon to see no loss or even a slight gain because our bodies flood sore muscles with water to help them heal. Keep it up, take a rest day, watch your sodium intake, drink tons of fluid to help flush it out, and you should see a drop on the scale soon enough.

sexikc

If you have only recently made changes I would give your body time to adjust. I really dont think 2 weeks is enough time to think there is a problem. Your weightloss rate may flucuate based on MANY variables....so if you change things you just need to allow for adjustment. WHere you have no weight loss in 2 weeks...you have have 4 lbs in the next 2 weeks. And perhaps you are leaning up some and losing inches.

hughtwalker

1. sodium = water retention (e.g. 1 Imperial pint (20 fl. oz.) of water = 1.25 lbs)
2. exercise = muscle (weighs more than fat)
3. it's normal to slow down after losing what your body is prepared to release - now you have to persuade it to call on those long term reserves it has been accumulating so assiduously for so long.
4. keep at it - record everything and don't weigh (yourself) every day.
5. be patient
6. Drink water ( 1 cup (US cooking measure) = 250mls or just over half a US pint or just under a half of an Imperial (UK) pint so the food diary is telling you to drink 4 pints of water - if it is alcohol or coffee flavoured then you need additional to compensate for the diuretic effect (and have to log those pesky calories for the alcohol)

7. remember - a calorie is just a measure of how good something tastes so you can either eat small portions of really, really interesting stuff or really pig out on "cardboard"

DaivaSimone

Yes, sodium could be the problem.
A quick scan of your diary and I would try a few things - which maybe hard for you to do.
1) No dairy for a week
2) Much more real veggies and some real fruit
3) Avoid prepared foods and make your own.

Just thoughts, but I have read that too much dairy can slow down weight loss. You can get your calcium from spinach and almonds instead.

I'm not that a dairy fan, but they are really useful to eat on the go and add some proteins in my macro. However, I do eat a lot of veggies (well, I think so) and I cook almost everything I eat (except, as I said, that I had a lot of dining out with friends in the last 5 days because of my birthday... now that birthday is over, I hope everything return to normal as soon as possible).

As an exemple, I cooked yesterday a really good tofu pad thaï that came from the book Pretty Delicious by Candice Kumai. I have put in a whole bunch of brocolini, 2 red peppers, 2 big handfuls of sugar snap peas and something like two cups of beans sprout (although this is for 4 portions). Today, I'm eating leftover chicken parmesan, and it came with a good portion of tomato sauce, and kale and spaghetti, which is a whole bunch of kale, 3 cloves of garlic and 8 ounces of whole wheat spaghetti sautéed together (this is also for 4 portions). In my head, this is a lot of good veggies, but maybe it's not enough ?

*****

However, I will continue to read all your answers. I understand that I may be worrying too early.

Thanks to all of you.

DaivaSimone

1. sodium = water retention (e.g. 1 Imperial pint (20 fl. oz.) of water = 1.25 lbs)
2. exercise = muscle (weighs more than fat)
3. it's normal to slow down after losing what your body is prepared to release - now you have to persuade it to call on those long term reserves it has been accumulating so assiduously for so long.
4. keep at it - record everything and don't weigh (yourself) every day.
5. be patient
6. Drink water ( 1 cup (US cooking measure) = 250mls or half a US pint or just under a half of an Imperial (UK) pint so the food diary is telling you to drink 4 pints of water - if it is alcohol or coffee flavoured then you need additional to compensate for the diuretic effect (and have to log those pesky calories for the alcohol)

7. remember - a calorie is just a measure of how good something tastes so you can either eat small portions of really, really interesting stuff or really pig out on "cardboard"

Love this clear and concease answer. Thanks !

(Especially for number 7... I tend to forget that I can eat almost anything if it fits my macro).

mensasu

Sounds like you are on the right track, so just let it take its time. It takes 3 weeks of no change to be in an official plateau so I suspect its just a bit of a blip. Don't be surprised if your next look at the scale shows a big drop, sometimes that just the way it works.

DaivaSimone

I appreciate all the kind word. I probably shouldn't be worrying, but It was so contrasting with the last six weeks or so...

jollysvn

I've had the same issue, weight gain last week of two pounds and then staying the same today. I'd lost 12lbs since the start of the year so this has really hit me hard. I read above that three weeks is a plateau so I will try for another week. One thing I have done is walked a mile a day so I have to hope this is what is appearing to keep the figures high on the scales

FranksRumHam

2. exercise = muscle (weighs more than fat)

you do understand whats going to happen here, right?

never124get

First and foremost, weight loss is never going to be a perfect line. You're going to have weeks where you don't lose and weeks where you do, so two weeks isn't enough to worry over right now. You may be doing everything right and your body just needs to catch up.

^^THIS exactly!

rnctipton

Have you recorded your measurements? Keep track of them more closely than the number on the scale. Your measurements will be a better indicator of how you are doing. Just keep at it!

leighdiane91

you lost 15 lbs in 6 weeks... that's great!! 2.5 lbs a week is great. but think about it this way, even if you didn't lose any weight the last two weeks, you have still lost about 1.8 lbs a week... which is a lot! Your body may be playing catch up. Weightloss is not linear. some weeks you wont lose anything, and other weeks you will lose 2-3 lbs. It all balances out.

ILiftHeavyAcrylics

Don't worry about the dairy.


It seems likely that you could be retaining water for muscle repair because of your more intense workout. Also, sometimes you'll just have weeks were you don't lose. You've had amazing progress so far-- 15 lbs in 6 weeks is more than the 2 lbs per week that is usually recommended. I would bet a good bit of it was water, so now you're likely to slow down. Slower loss is good, even though it can be frustrating. You're less likely to lose muscle and have loose skin if you go slowly. Keep doing what you're doing. Log accurately, weigh and measure everything, and be patient.

chooriyah

Keep at it. Most people see a big loss initially, then it can be slower, or just patchy. The main thing is to be patient and persevere.

If you haven't already, take photos - front, side and back. Take measurements too. You might see changes here when the scale is not budging.