Another one of these threads...

uwdawg07

I know there are "I'm not losing weight!" threads all over on here, but I'm hoping by making a specific one for me, I can get some help.

I cannot lose any weight! It's incredibly frustrating. I'm trying to lose about another 5 pounds. I've lost 93 in the past (almost) 2 years. I lost about 73 the first year, and 20 this past (almost) year. As you can see, it drastically slowed down.

Anyways, no matter what I do, I can't lose any more weight.

I've tried increasing calories, decreasing calories, increasing exercise, decreasing exercise, increasing strength training, switching up exercises, etc.

I count every calorie I eat so I'm not overeating. One day a week I track for half a day, and then go out to dinner and don't exercise. I leave about 1000-1300 calories for dinner and dessert, and probably eat about 500 - 600 calories more than a normal day.

Right now I walk 6 days a week for 60-65 minutes, at a pace of 14-15 minutes per mile. 3 days a week I do high intensity cardio and 3 days a week I do weights/cardio. I'm up to a 15 pound dumb bell, I started at 3.

I've built up some awesome muscle, but they are covered up by this layer of fat I cannot lose!

What else can I do?!!

Mutant13

I you have tried all other avenues maybe see a doctor? You could have a thyroid or hormonal issue.

TavistockToad

ditch most of the cardio and focus on 3x a week full body strength training.

and log EVERY day so that you know exactly how many cals you are over. with very little to lose you only want around a 250 cal deficit, which is easy to negate with one big meal if you dont track everything. look at your weekly net cals.

ILiftHeavyAcrylics

Have you tried a full diet break? Sometimes it's helpful if you're been on a deficit for a long time.

The other thought I have is to log everything even if you know you're going to go over. I don't have cheat days anymore because as I've gotten close to my goal weight I have a lot less deficit to work with and it seems like I've really had to tighten up on weighing/measuring in order to lose. Instead I still go out to eat and stuff but I try to stick close to my TDEE on those days, and if I do go over it's not by too much.

cw1710

1000+ for dinner is high. It is the end of the day and you probably do not do enough after dinner to burn those calories. That also means that you are probably not eating enough for breakfast and lunch, which is when you need it to keep you going. Too few calories for the first two meals puts your metabolism in more of a conservation mode to keep it going. Switch up your eating routine. Eat like a King at breakfast, a Prince at lunch, and a peasant at dinner. 1000 for breakfast isn't bad, and it jumpstarts the metabolism. Try to avoid OJ for breakfast though, as it gives your blood sugar a spike and makes your body work to digest the sugar first, and not the food.

_CowgirlUp_

Bump.

TR0berts

1000+ for dinner is high. It is the end of the day and you probably do not do enough after dinner to burn those calories. That also means that you are probably not eating enough for breakfast and lunch, which is when you need it to keep you going. Too few calories for the first two meals puts your metabolism in more of a conservation mode to keep it going. Switch up your eating routine. Eat like a King at breakfast, a Prince at lunch, and a peasant at dinner. 1000 for breakfast isn't bad, and it jumpstarts the metabolism. Try to avoid OJ for breakfast though, as it gives your blood sugar a spike and makes your body work to digest the sugar first, and not the food.

This is almost completely wrong. Time of day of consumption of Calories is irrelevant. It's overall intake vs. overall outgoing.


Toadie (may I call him/her that?) has it right - you need to track everything - including the day you go out to dinner. You might be surprised at how many calories are in that meal - especially if you're having dessert. I was shocked to find out that the carrot cake at Outback is considered 2 servings, and there's a lot of Calories in only one serving (491 per serving, IIRC). Thus, almost all of those 1000 Calories (were you to eat all this carrot cake, for instance) would be gone - even without the "real" dinner.

ozznando

1000+ for dinner is high. It is the end of the day and you probably do not do enough after dinner to burn those calories. That also means that you are probably not eating enough for breakfast and lunch, which is when you need it to keep you going. Too few calories for the first two meals puts your metabolism in more of a conservation mode to keep it going. Switch up your eating routine. Eat like a King at breakfast, a Prince at lunch, and a peasant at dinner. 1000 for breakfast isn't bad, and it jumpstarts the metabolism. Try to avoid OJ for breakfast though, as it gives your blood sugar a spike and makes your body work to digest the sugar first, and not the food.

I agree with this. I eat most of my calories for breakfast, lunch and after workout snack and eat a very light dinner. I also eat dinner no later than 6 PM. That helped me reached my goal weight. I leave "1 lb to go" on my counter because there is always "1 lb to go." You hit your goal, then splurge 1 meal a week and it is back and by the end of the next week it is off again. Hope that helps!

sjohnny

1000+ for dinner is high. It is the end of the day and you probably do not do enough after dinner to burn those calories. That also means that you are probably not eating enough for breakfast and lunch, which is when you need it to keep you going. Too few calories for the first two meals puts your metabolism in more of a conservation mode to keep it going. Switch up your eating routine. Eat like a King at breakfast, a Prince at lunch, and a peasant at dinner. 1000 for breakfast isn't bad, and it jumpstarts the metabolism. Try to avoid OJ for breakfast though, as it gives your blood sugar a spike and makes your body work to digest the sugar first, and not the food.

I agree with this. I eat most of my calories for breakfast, lunch and after workout snack and eat a very light dinner. I also eat dinner no later than 6 PM. That helped me reached my goal weight. I leave "1 lb to go" on my counter because there is always "1 lb to go." You hit your goal, then splurge 1 meal a week and it is back and by the end of the next week it is off again. Hope that helps!

Good that it works for you but it's not based on any universal weight loss principles. When you eat and how you divide it up is irrelevant except for your preferences and what makes it easier for you. Your metabolism does not shut off nor does it need to be jumpstarted in the morning.

DanaDark

Eat maintenance for a week or two. Just to give the body some rest from all the dieting.

From there, your weight loss goal should be no more than 0.5 pounds a week. Adjust your calorie intake accordingly.

Of course, high protein is very helpful. And eat back some of the exercise calories. Not all, but some.

SteveT59

You mentioned these muscles you have now built up, you do know of course that muscular tissue weighs more than fatty tissue?

bcattoes

Right now I walk 6 days a week for 60-65 minutes, at a pace of 14-15 minutes per mile. 3 days a week I do high intensity cardio and 3 days a week I do weights/cardio. I'm up to a 15 pound dumb bell, I started at 3.

I'd say up the intensity of your workouts. Maybe try walk/run intervals instead of just walking. If the high-intesity cardio does not include some HIIT workouts, start including them. They are not easy, but make a big difference in calorie burn and conditioning. And keep working on the weights (great progress so far BTW!!).

Also, I'd suggest adding some calisthenics. Pushups, dips, jumping jacks, squats, lunges, planks, etc. These are great for burning calories and toning your body.

bcattoes

1000+ for dinner is high. It is the end of the day and you probably do not do enough after dinner to burn those calories. That also means that you are probably not eating enough for breakfast and lunch, which is when you need it to keep you going. Too few calories for the first two meals puts your metabolism in more of a conservation mode to keep it going. Switch up your eating routine. Eat like a King at breakfast, a Prince at lunch, and a peasant at dinner. 1000 for breakfast isn't bad, and it jumpstarts the metabolism. Try to avoid OJ for breakfast though, as it gives your blood sugar a spike and makes your body work to digest the sugar first, and not the food.

This is not true for everyone. I often eat 1000 calorie dinners and lost just fine, and I maintain just fine. I do not need a king's breakfast to sit at my desk all day. I like to have a big full meal in the evening, so that's what I do. After I work out, shortly before bed. I lost just fine, I sleep just fine, I am rarely hungry and my metabolism is cranking along just fine.

There is nothing wrong with eating the way you describe if it keeps you happy and on track. But, there is no "best way" to portion your calories throughout the day, except the way that keeps you within your goals.

deksgrl

Eat maintenance for a week or two. Just to give the body some rest from all the dieting.

From there, your weight loss goal should be no more than 0.5 pounds a week. Adjust your calorie intake accordingly.

Of course, high protein is very helpful. And eat back some of the exercise calories. Not all, but some.

^^ This.

erickirb

have you tried one method and then stuck with it for 5-6 weeks before making any other changes. I would suggest normal workouts and eat at maintenance for 3-4 weeks, then decrease cals again into a deficit, with a goal of 0.5lbs/week.

Lipstickcherry

bbc how to be slim part 1 out of 6 parts: (very cool info to know!!!)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sSm1dWjMGeM

They used science and it's all very entertaining to watch and informative. They helped a lady lose a good amount of weight and got her through her plateau.

psuLemon

What are your stats? It is quite possible you are over extending yourself in terms of weight. And the vanity weight may not be obtainable or would require you to lose muscle.

But I would agree a diet and exercise break to allow your body to regulate hormones and repair muscles would be optimal. I always take one during xmas for 2 weeks.

weird_me2

Something quick to try is to track like a beginner. After you've been at this for a while, it's easier to get more lax in your tracking and measuring. I recommend weighing everything for just a week or two and see if that helps. Since you've been at this for so long, I'm sure you know what you are doing, but sometimes coming at it with fresh eyes again can help.

Also, I would probably cut back on cardio and work more on weight training. By doing this, you may be able to change your body composition and be happier with your body even if you are at a higher weight. I would also recommend checking your body fat % and focus more on the body fat % than the scale weight.

Finally, you do have to consider that some of your excess weight may just be extra skin. When you've lost a significant amount of weight, you are probably going to have some excess skin. My BIL had his excess skin around just his stomach removed after maintaining a 120 lb loss for years and it weighed 8 lbs.

cw1710

This is almost completely wrong. Time of day of consumption of Calories is irrelevant. It's overall intake vs. overall outgoing.


Toadie (may I call him/her that?) has it right - you need to track everything - including the day you go out to dinner. You might be surprised at how many calories are in that meal - especially if you're having dessert. I was shocked to find out that the carrot cake at Outback is considered 2 servings, and there's a lot of Calories in only one serving (491 per serving, IIRC). Thus, almost all of those 1000 Calories (were you to eat all this carrot cake, for instance) would be gone - even without the "real" dinner.

Depends on the person I guess. But my 23 lbs of loss in 12 weeks and body fat drop from 19% to 13% in the same time would say its working for me, so it can't be wrong. Eating the big meal at night should make your body work harder to digest that during its valuable reparation time and MAY effect quality of sleep. Just another option for someone who has tried a lot of stuff already it would seem. No need to worry about trying to negate other comments folks.

psuLemon

This is almost completely wrong. Time of day of consumption of Calories is irrelevant. It's overall intake vs. overall outgoing.


Toadie (may I call him/her that?) has it right - you need to track everything - including the day you go out to dinner. You might be surprised at how many calories are in that meal - especially if you're having dessert. I was shocked to find out that the carrot cake at Outback is considered 2 servings, and there's a lot of Calories in only one serving (491 per serving, IIRC). Thus, almost all of those 1000 Calories (were you to eat all this carrot cake, for instance) would be gone - even without the "real" dinner.

Depends on the person I guess. But my 23 lbs of loss in 12 weeks and body fat drop from 19% to 13% in the same time would say its working for me, so it can't be wrong. Eating the big meal at night should make your body work harder to digest that during its valuable reparation time and MAY effect quality of sleep. Just another option for someone who has tried a lot of stuff already it would seem. No need to worry about trying to negate other comments folks.

But scientifically speaking, meal timing and meal frequency has zero to do with weight loss. If calories where consistent, you would have seen the same results if you switched your meals, ate less or more meals or did a program like interim fasting. And your bodies metabolism is constantly working; whether it's maintain your organs, digestion or repairing muscles. Overall, you will burn the same amount of calories digesting food regardless of when or how often you eat. That's the point.

TR0berts

This is almost completely wrong. Time of day of consumption of Calories is irrelevant. It's overall intake vs. overall outgoing.


Toadie (may I call him/her that?) has it right - you need to track everything - including the day you go out to dinner. You might be surprised at how many calories are in that meal - especially if you're having dessert. I was shocked to find out that the carrot cake at Outback is considered 2 servings, and there's a lot of Calories in only one serving (491 per serving, IIRC). Thus, almost all of those 1000 Calories (were you to eat all this carrot cake, for instance) would be gone - even without the "real" dinner.

Depends on the person I guess. But my 23 lbs of loss in 12 weeks and body fat drop from 19% to 13% in the same time would say its working for me, so it can't be wrong. Eating the big meal at night should make your body work harder to digest that during its valuable reparation time and MAY effect quality of sleep. Just another option for someone who has tried a lot of stuff already it would seem. No need to worry about trying to negate other comments folks.

You are obviously confusing correlation and causation. Weight loss, as pointed out by others, is simply calories in vs. calories out. Congratulations on finding something that you could stick to. But the reason you lost the weight and fat is because you consumed fewer calories than you expended. While the timing helped you consume the fewer calories, it wasn't the timing that made you lose the weight.

ozznando

sjohnny - True, but she is asking for an alternative to what she has been doing. If I eat a high calorie/carb dinner, especially late, I gain. If I dont, I lose or maintain. This may also work for her. Pretty simple.

deksgrl

With only 5 pounds less to lose, she may not need to eat less. She may need to eat more because she is very close to maintenance. If she hasn't adjusted her goal to half a pound a week, MFP may have her at too much of a calorie deficit. Not enough info here to tell though.

cedarghost

bbc how to be slim part 1 out of 6 parts: (very cool info to know!!!)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sSm1dWjMGeM

They used science and it's all very entertaining to watch and informative. They helped a lady lose a good amount of weight and got her through her plateau.

Very informative video. I am in the middle of watching it right now, but wanted to say thanks for posting!

cw1710

This is almost completely wrong. Time of day of consumption of Calories is irrelevant. It's overall intake vs. overall outgoing.


Toadie (may I call him/her that?) has it right - you need to track everything - including the day you go out to dinner. You might be surprised at how many calories are in that meal - especially if you're having dessert. I was shocked to find out that the carrot cake at Outback is considered 2 servings, and there's a lot of Calories in only one serving (491 per serving, IIRC). Thus, almost all of those 1000 Calories (were you to eat all this carrot cake, for instance) would be gone - even without the "real" dinner.

Depends on the person I guess. But my 23 lbs of loss in 12 weeks and body fat drop from 19% to 13% in the same time would say its working for me, so it can't be wrong. Eating the big meal at night should make your body work harder to digest that during its valuable reparation time and MAY effect quality of sleep. Just another option for someone who has tried a lot of stuff already it would seem. No need to worry about trying to negate other comments folks.

But scientifically speaking, meal timing and meal frequency has zero to do with weight loss. If calories where consistent, you would have seen the same results if you switched your meals, ate less or more meals or did a program like interim fasting. And your bodies metabolism is constantly working; whether it's maintain your organs, digestion or repairing muscles. Overall, you will burn the same amount of calories digesting food regardless of when or how often you eat. That's the point.

Scientifically speaking...When you eat, your body will digest the food and use it for energy first, before it goes to fat stores. Your metabolism is constantly working but it does change the way it is working based on different factors. If you eat less at night, when your metabolism is slowest because you aren't burning extra calories other than basal metabolic rate, it does not have much to digest while it is in the reparation mode. The way I've always learned is that your body does the most reparation at night while it is at rest. It has to have energy from somewhere to do so. If there is less food to digest, it has to burn fat to make the energy. Exact opposite in the daytime. You are awake and doing something, so you are burning above basal. You will burn off the calories easier that way and get to the fat.

I never said anyone was wrong. Calories in, calories out, blah. Its the same concept I use, but timing does make a difference in forcing your body to burn the fat. Just watching calories will absolutely help, especially if you know what your basal rate is, but most people don't. I believe from my education, experience, and reading that timing does make a difference. The original pounds drop easier, but the last few are harder, and burning fat is what the OP seemed to be looking for. Maybe I'm wrong, maybe not. Show me scientific evidence that proves your point and I'll show you the same. Science is inexact and none of the research is scientific law, so just do what works.

nixirain

I agree with most people that have already replied. The last 5lbs is the hardest to come off, and it may never come off.

That is not to say that you can LOOK like you lost the last 5lbs.

My suggestion is- Log everything. It sucks sometimes, but you have to do it. Having hard data will help find if there is any issues with what you think you are consuming and what actually are consuming.

Eat at maintenance for a week or 2 just to give your body a break from dieting.

Come back with a smaller cut 250-300 calories at most.

Up your strength training and lower your cardio. Cardio is good at burning calories, but muscles are even better at continuous FAT burning.

Do cardio for fun, not for weight loss.

Mrsbrandnewmeslimandtrim

bump

uwdawg07

Thanks for all the information!

Some people asked for more stats, so here it goes.

I'm 5"3. I easily maintained 110 pounds just two years ago, before I got sick and put on all this weight. Easily, as in, I ate all the time, never counted calories, and wouldn't put on weight. So my goal weight is 115. That's 5 pounds higher than I was, so I feel like that's realistic!

Right now I'm 121ish pounds. I go from 120 - 122 depending on the day, so I just say 121.

I have some calipers, and I get a body fat reading of about 22% with them.

I do track everything I eat. I just track on another website because it's where I started and I find it easier to log on there. And I mean everything, I'll track a single m&m!

And the 1000ish calorie dinners are only once a week. Otherwise my three meals are evenly proportioned calories wise.

I really don't even know what my maintenance level is? I was eating 1200 calories, but increased it to 1400-1500. My one day off, I probably hit around 2000 calories. I mean, I was maintaing at 1200, and I'm maintaining here.

I do include HIIT training and plyometrics in my cardio and weights.


Thanks for all the help so far!!

uwdawg07

Ahh sorry. Bump!

T1mH

I never said anyone was wrong. Calories in, calories out, blah. Its the same concept I use, but timing does make a difference in forcing your body to burn the fat. Just watching calories will absolutely help, especially if you know what your basal rate is, but most people don't. I believe from my education, experience, and reading that timing does make a difference. The original pounds drop easier, but the last few are harder, and burning fat is what the OP seemed to be looking for. Maybe I'm wrong, maybe not. Show me scientific evidence that proves your point and I'll show you the same. Science is inexact and none of the research is scientific law, so just do what works.

Here you go-

http://www.shutupandtrain.com/eating-carbs-at-night-myth-debunked/#_

psuLemon

Thanks for all the information!

Some people asked for more stats, so here it goes.

I'm 5"3. I easily maintained 110 pounds just two years ago, before I got sick and put on all this weight. Easily, as in, I ate all the time, never counted calories, and wouldn't put on weight. So my goal weight is 115. That's 5 pounds higher than I was, so I feel like that's realistic!

Right now I'm 121ish pounds. I go from 120 - 122 depending on the day, so I just say 121.

I have some calipers, and I get a body fat reading of about 22% with them.

I do track everything I eat. I just track on another website because it's where I started and I find it easier to log on there. And I mean everything, I'll track a single m&m!

And the 1000ish calorie dinners are only once a week. Otherwise my three meals are evenly proportioned calories wise.

I really don't even know what my maintenance level is? I was eating 1200 calories, but increased it to 1400-1500. My one day off, I probably hit around 2000 calories. I mean, I was maintaing at 1200, and I'm maintaining here.

I do include HIIT training and plyometrics in my cardio and weights.


Thanks for all the help so far!!

Your true maintenance is definitely not 1200 calories, it's probably your bodies way of fighting you since you are already at a normal level. Based on your activity level and stats, you should be cutting around 1800 calories. The problem you might face is if you been suppressing calories for a long time, it will take some time to get your calories back up to a normal level. With that said, I would suggest bumping your calories up by 100 every week until you hit around 1800. I generally suggest macro's to be around 35/40/25 (c/p/f). And if you can, concentrate on lifting heavy. This will help with fat loss.