Why am I not losing weight?

Apeck87

Hi,

My apologies in advance for posting this topic. I can only imagine how many people have started threads like this. I am just so incredibly frustrated. I diet, I exercise and the weight loss has been so gradual its been driving me crazy.

I weighed 180 I now weight 169-171 range. I started dieting at the end of July and have only lost about 10-11 pounds. I work out 6 times a week for an hour burning on average 650 calories ( I used a heart rate monitor) I do zumba, rockin body, and spin. I change up my exercises weekly to prevent my body from reaching a plateau. I eat healthy and often, I am never starving and I drink lemon water throughout the day. Can you pleaseeeeee help me?? I am almost ready to give up. I have been heavy all of my life and I thought I could finally take control of my weight and put it behind me but it isnt happening.

The last three weeks I have been weighing myself in the morning after I use the restroom and my weight has been fluctuating from 169.5-171.8.

I am very frustrated.. please help me!

Thank you!!!

Apeck87

Also just to add.. I did Jenny Craig a few years ago and lost 20 pounds in 2 months without any exercise at all, so I know my body is fully capable of losing 1.5-2.0 pounds a week but it isnt happening now. I am 25-years-old so I know it doesnt have to do with my age. Could exercising prevent me from shredding pounds more quickly??

lizblizz2012

You've lost 11 pounds in 2.5 months. That'd nothing to be ashamed of! The extremely fast weight loss comes when people eat very low calories and don't build muscle. Then they gain it all back as soon as they stop. Eating healthy and exercising causes GRADUAL, HEALTHY weight loss that LASTS. Since you've been working out, odds are you have gained muscle and lost fat. Muscle weighs more, so you've probably lost more fat than you think! Stick with it. The results will come, just be patient. Not everyone drops 20 pounds the first few months of a new diet. Some people's bodies just need more time. Keep up the good work!:flowerforyou:

moreORless50

bump for you


i really dont have any answers for you i am new to all this myself

twinketta

Quick add cals? That is your problem, you can exercise till you are blue in the face, but if you don`t add all your food and monitor it then it won`t work!

Take time to check out the foods on the database, cals in/cals out that is the only way you will lose weight x

Apeck87

I appreciate that.. thank you. I am just impatient because I am leaving for the Peace Corps in May and I want to get to my goal weight before departing.. any tips on how to do that?

serafin3

Adding resistance training will help you to lose weight. Weight lifting is so important for weight loss because the more lean muscle mass you have, the greater the amount of calories you will burn just when sitting down. I would recommend taking a weight lifting class along with your cardio classes (i.e. Zumba, spin, etc.). Also, eating an adequate amount of protein is key as well. Hope this helps! Best of luck to you .

RychelleD

Have u been measuring yourself? My weight loss ( according to the scale), is slower this round cause I am exercising more. I have been losing inches though! My husband even mentioned im smaller and more toned. Measuring helps to keep you motivated when that darn scale isnt budging much.

Clowasa

Hey there,

I just wanted to say that you shouldn't give up with your diet and exercise. I know hitting a wall can be very frustrating and it can be so tempting to give up but you've got to keep going! My mum has been struggling with her weight for a long time and her biggest problem is that as soon as she thinks she's no longer getting results she just stops trying and you know what, if you stop trying then nothing's going to change.

It sounds like you've got a great working out plan going so keep at it, keep eating healthy, and remember that muscle weighs more then fat. I wish I could give you some better advice on how to shed some weight but hopefully some moral support will do.

Fred4point0

You're changing your program way too often. I would suggest changing up every four weeks. That will give you time to see what is working or not working. Circuit programs are in my opinion the best way to go along with some good cardio...ie running. You burn a lot of calories in a short workout. Try not to get so frustrated. Look at your fitness as a life long journey and not some destination. Many people lose weight....get to their goal weight and call it happy days only to gain it all back. Head up, shoulders back and keep your feet moving.

CLynch309

Honestly, as far as losing weight goes, it really doesn't matter WHAT you eat, whether it's healthy or not. If you are eating fewer calories than you are burning, then you should be losing weight. How many fewer calories will determine how much. If you are not weighing/measuring your food and strictly going by "guesstimates" - your intake may be a LOT higher than you think it is. If you don't already own a food scale, get one immediately. Helps a LOT.

If you are CERTAIN that you are eating less than you are burning, then go see your doctor. There are medical conditions that account for inability to lose weight. I discovered that I was hypothyroid, and getting on meds made a big difference in my ability to lose weight.

BTW, it sounds like you ARE losing weight; just not fast enough to satisfy you. Use one of the available tools to set a realistic goal and time frame and MFP will tell you how many calories a day you can eat and expect to lose that much weight in that amount of time. For me, a pound a week was very doable. For the first 15 pounds, it felt like I wasn't making ANY progress at all, because I couldn't see or feel much difference. It took about four months and 20 lbs before I really felt like I was making headway.

Bevkus

I think your rate of weight loss is excellent thus far.

I have found that I will stall out for a long time then wooosh, five pounds will drop in a week. Then it may be another month or more for another woosh. I also found that i dont lose pounds and inches at the same time.. this is probably somehow related to the woosh, cycles of losing fat, building muscle what have you.

Also, other common culprits are under estimating food intake and over estimating excercise cals

castell5

Giving up, will do what exactly? Make you gain, make you mad at yourself, make you feel bad about yourself. You said you aren't hungry doing what you are doing.. that is good, then there is no reason to give up. There is reason to make adjustments until you find your body's expectations. Everyone is different. My best advise is avoid any kind of FAD diets. Plain old exercise, diet and willpower.. that is the only way to truly lose weight.

EvgeniZyntx

You've been logging here only a few days. Patience, kemosabe. To be able to provide input - you'll need to log a bit longer, stop using the quick adds and look at you Macros if you are interested in body composition.

Want to really boost weight loss - resistance training - building up your muscles even a little burns calories.

Mabuhay1

Same here. I am not losing as fast as when I was with Jenny Craig. Today for example I was a bit dismayed to find I only lost 0.1 kg since last weigh-in whilst MFP friends lost a lot lot more. And I adhered to 1200 calories ( may be a bit over on some days) and did exercises , more exercises than when I was with Jenny Craig.

What am I doing wrong? Shoud I increase calorie intake to 1400 perhaps? But I am only short - petite ? Reduce calorie intake may be ?

But then again I only joined MFP some 17 days ago. I am just being impatient or expecting too much to happen too soon? It looks like it.

I will give it time. I have to remember MFP is not a miracle. Not quick fix. I am just thinking aloud.

At least with MFP, unlike Jenny Craig I can eat what I want in small portions and this is what I like best with MFP and I am communicating with other subscribers with same healthy goals as I ; not just talking to Jenny Craig's staff member once a week.

Cheers

Mads1997

Hi, OP It is a bit hard to comment when your diary is pretty much non existant or filled with quick add calories.

BR3ANDA

You have only logged your food for a few days, and most of that is quick add calories. Are you weighing and measuring everything you eat or just taking a guess? You might also want to add the sodium field into your macros so you can keep that in check as well. Using the food diary for quick add calories isnt going to benefit you in the long run, especially if you're guessing at the amount. You need to start logging it all.

Apeck87

i cook at home all the time so its easier for me to just add up all the calories and quick add them...

EvgeniZyntx

i cook at home all the time so its easier for me to just add up all the calories and quick add them...

I cook at home, go see my diary. Yes it's easier, but the values are likely off. How much protein?
Where is your exercise? Etc.

geekyjock76

Also just to add.. I did Jenny Craig a few years ago and lost 20 pounds in 2 months without any exercise at all, so I know my body is fully capable of losing 1.5-2.0 pounds a week but it isnt happening now. I am 25-years-old so I know it doesnt have to do with my age. Could exercising prevent me from shredding pounds more quickly??

Ok, from that point to now, did you up calories to what your body truly needs to maintain present weight? Or have you habitually maintained eating below that amount - ie at a deficit? A lot of people see very little progress because their endocrine system is no longer primed to lose an optimal amount of fat due to chronic calorie restriction which affects their metabolic rate and hormones impacting satiety. In other words, they've remained on a diet when not even actively trying to reduce fat mass.

Apeck87

Also just to add.. I did Jenny Craig a few years ago and lost 20 pounds in 2 months without any exercise at all, so I know my body is fully capable of losing 1.5-2.0 pounds a week but it isnt happening now. I am 25-years-old so I know it doesnt have to do with my age. Could exercising prevent me from shredding pounds more quickly??

Ok, from that point to now, did you up calories to what your body truly needs to maintain present weight? Or have you habitually maintained eating below that amount - ie at a deficit? A lot of people see very little progress because their endocrine system is no longer primed to lose an optimal amount of fat due to chronic calorie restriction which affects their metabolic rate and hormones impacting satiety. In other words, they've remained on a diet when not even actively trying to reduce fat mass.

on jenny craig they give u 1200 calories of food to eat, which is how i lost the 20 pounds. Now, I eat much more probably between 1300-1600 calories a day, but i do exercise heavily about 6 hours a week in total

geekyjock76

If that's the case, then there lies the problem: the human body is not meant to assume a chronic deficit for that long.

tatihagen

"Think of trying to push a car up a hill. If it slips a bit, and you catch it and keep pushing, you haven't lost much. If it slips and you let it slide, you'll have to go back down the hill and start all over again. It's the same in weight loss. Accept the tiny slip and keep on pushing. Why climb the same hill twice?" Please, don't give up, you'll regret it... What comes to my mind is:
1) Your BMR might have changed, so you'd need less calories per day.
2) You changed you're exercises, but did you change your net calories intake? Try to increase a bit for a day and them lower it again, like a cheat day or something.
3) Macronutrients... Maybe, lowering a bit the percentage of carbs and increasing the percentage of protein might help you.
4) Weighting is not the best way to see the fat loss... Someone said it in this thread before, I think... Muscles weight way much than fats. Check your measurements, not only the scale

Just, don't give up, if you keep going you'll get there sometime.

ILiftHeavyAcrylics

If that's the case, then there lies the problem: the human body is not meant to assume a chronic deficit for that long.

This was true for me-- I had to get my body used to eating maintenance again before I could lose weight on a deficit again. It could also just be that your calorie counts are not accurate though, so I'd start there. Weigh and measure everything-- don't estimate.

athib

Monday will be two weeks,1200 calories, under every day walking walking always at least 10,000 steps daily. Down from 192 to 189 sat morning. What is wrong, help please

Apeck87

Are you drinking enough water?

csplatt

You've lost 11 pounds in 2.5 months. That'd nothing to be ashamed of! The extremely fast weight loss comes when people eat very low calories and don't build muscle. Then they gain it all back as soon as they stop. Eating healthy and exercising causes GRADUAL, HEALTHY weight loss that LASTS. Since you've been working out, odds are you have gained muscle and lost fat. Muscle weighs more, so you've probably lost more fat than you think! Stick with it. The results will come, just be patient. Not everyone drops 20 pounds the first few months of a new diet. Some people's bodies just need more time. Keep up the good work!:flowerforyou:

This! When it comes off slowly, I think statistically you have a better chance of keeping it off.

agent99oz

Ok - eat 1200 cals a day for a month, you need to weigh and measure everything - so get some good food scales. Jenny C's is all portion control so if you want to make it work then you gotta weigh and measure

I train 6 days a week - weight training mainly and I eat 1200 cals - yes not for everyone but I had a 7 month plateau which I have broken by doing this - once I am at goal then back to my BMR range of 1460cals a day!

You also add a lot of quick calories - better to break down what those calories are, don't eat back your exercise cals, eat less processed food and drink more water would be my tips

Apeck87

I am going to start doing this starting tomorrow!!

thank you all for your help!

Apeck87

I have lost 1.5 pounds since this Monday. Thank you all of your advice, it has worked! I no longer add quick add calories ( just check my diary!! ) I think I am over this weight loss plateau!!!
THANK YOU ALL!!!! :flowerforyou:

elizabeth1212M

Your issue sounds similar to mine. I exercise 4-6 days week eat around 1500 calories but I'm down a few up a few. Frustrating. Will go on for months. I do see a difference when I eat yeast free, similar to paleo I will loose like normal people . But its not ez to maintain eating this way. But I will loose 2-3 pounds per week. Hope this helps. I'd be interested to know if it works for you too.