Cant lose Weight :(

stobes22

I need help!! I am trying to lose anyhwere from 5-10lbs as I am just not happy with how I look and am not used to being this weight. For the past 6 weeks I have monitored what I have been eating, eating the amount of calories I am supposed to eat and working out about 5x/week and have not lost a single pound I have actually gained weight this morning. The types of workouts I am doing is insanity or running on the treadmill or plyo - I change up my excercise every day so Its not the same and still nothing is working!! I am so discouraged and really need help/advice can anyone help me? PLEASE HELP!!!

lilmissbamaqueen

How many calories are you eating per day?

sammi238

Maybe it's because you're gaining muscle? Muscle weighs more than fat!

RobinvdM

Without seeing your diary/food you're eating or knowing your stats (height, weight etc) it is difficult to help you figure out why it isn't working. On a sheer guess, I would suggest you are not eating enough (usual culprit) followed by too much salt in your diet (water retention.) I would reassess your calorie goals, and then start chanting to yourself:

I didn't gain it in 6 weeks, I am not going to lose it in 6 weeks.

Good luck!

graceylou222

I was stuck in that same boat when I first started going to the gym. I however was NOT tracking my calories. My trainer suggested this site. After 2 months of using this site I lost 13 lbs!!! It was incredible. Tracking what you eat is a big part of your weight loss journey! I have since gained a few lbs back because I fell off the bandwagon, school and my full time job got overwhelming, but that was no excuse to quit watching what I ate. I'm back now and just as determined as before!! good luck

stobes22

Hey guys thanks for the advice... I am tracking everything I am eating and putting in my calories... they are saying I am supposed to eat 1200 calories/day. I am a 27 year old female.. 5ft1inch and weigh 110lbs.. I am more comfortable at about 104lbs... Not muscle as my body just doesnt look good... it doesnt look more fit or more muscular it is just looking bigger every day

neanderthin

Hard to say with knowing more info......who knows, maybe you don't need to lose weight

vytamindi

If you are very active, I would go off of measurements instead of scale weight. It takes a while after starting a new program for your weight to catch up, but in the meantime, your body composition could be changing! Use that measuring tape, and go by that, especially if you don't have that much to lose.

stobes22

people may not think that based on my BMI or my height/weight ratio but this is not the weight I am comfortable at.. even if I stayed at this weight but was more toned Id feel better but thats not even happening...

freckledrats

The scale is kind of ridiculous and not a good way to track small amounts of fat loss (which is what you're probably actually looking for). Eating at a deficit is the way to go, but you can't always see the progress in any gratifying amount of time, especially if you're not exercising. Rest assured that if you're eating your TDEE-20% (or to make it easy, TDEE-500), you're doing fine, but keep in mind that if you're within 10 pounds of your goal, it's not gonna feel fast.

What works for me (as I'm also within a normal weight) is cardio 5x a week, at least 30 minutes. Just break a solid sweat in that time. Eventually I worked in lifting, too. Right this second I'm on hiatus from exercise because I pulled a muscle in my butt (how do you like that?) and I can see the difference on the scale without the exercise. It definitely helps.

Keep on trucking. The only thing you can do wrong is give up.

Additionally, if it's tone you want but you're already fairly slim, you don't actually want to be eating at a loss. You want to eat your WHOLE TDEE, maybe more, and lift weights.

stobes22

Thanks freckledrats... I am working out anywhere from 30mins-45mins/day doing cardio either treadmill or plyo or insanity workouts.... Usually when I ahve wanted to lose weight within the first 2 weeks I see a change maybe not on the scale but with how my body looks and none of that is happening this time

foofoo2010

Muscle weighs more than fat and burns more calories to maintain itself than fat does. It's very likely that you're gaining muscle and loosing fat. Don't be discouraged by the scale. Concern with weight and weight only often leads to people being "skinny fat" where they don't weigh much but they have a lot of cellulite and "flabby bits" because cardio is the only place they go. Cardio burns the most calories upfront and is the most time efficient. Weight training, however, adds muscle and ensures your metabolism gets clocked up even after yous top working out. Weight resistance as part of your workout will put on muscle weight and probably make that number go up, but it will take you from "looking good in clothes" to "looking good naked".

Take Jillian Michaels for example. She's my height and weighs about 15lbs more than I do. It's not because I'm skinnier than her (haha, that's funny) but because she's just more dense than I am because of that muscle.

ChristyRunStarr

If you're eating 1200 calories, are you eating back your workout calories? If not, you should be (MFP already has it all figured out) Also, since it's only 5-10 pounds, did you set it to 1 pound per week NOT 2? If you're not happy with how you look, is it due to lack of muscle? If so, I'd suggest doing weights/resistance training as well as cardio (depending on what you're already doing)

stobes22

@foofoo2010 - thanks for the advice... about 1-2x/week I do weights and cardio.. the other time its pure cardio

@christyrunstarr - yes I have made it 2lbs/week... could that be a reason? But how does it make sense that I need to eat MORE calories than what I am eating to lose weight??? And yes I eat back what I burn off

Fozzi43

Maybe it's because you're gaining muscle? Muscle weighs more than fat!

No.

You have very little to lose and it'll be water weight from the workouts.

stobes22

Maybe it's because you're gaining muscle? Muscle weighs more than fat!

No.

You have very little to lose and it'll be water weight from the workouts.

But if it was just water it would be the number on the scale as opposed to what my body looks like.. and thats not the case...

kr1stadee

In 6 weeks if there is no change what-so-ever, either:
You aren't accurately logging calories (not weighing, not tracking drinks etc).
You aren't eating enough.
You are consuming a lot of sodium and not drinking enough water.

auddii

You aren't eating enough. With six pounds to lose, you can't expect to lose two pounds per week. Set your goals to lose half a pound a week, then hit your calorie goals. If you chose a sedentary lifestyle but you workout, eat back at least some of your exercise calories.

You are a rather low weight and obviously aren't happy with how your body looks. You might want to stop looking at the scale and work on body recomposition. You may need to gain muscle to get the "toned" look. You can't look toned if you have no muscles to show off, and you're more likely to get there by lifting heavy.

Give this a read:

http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2011/07/21/meet-staci-your-new-powerlifting-super-hero/

nadz6012

If you're like me, you're pretty close to your goal weight, and it's going to be very hard to reach. In order to lose a pound per week and create a 500 calorie deficit per day, I have to eat about 1350 calories. Not much room for playing around. Your weight loss will be so slow that slight variations in water weight will make it look like you've lost nothing.

Watch your sodium intake, measure EVERYTHING and be meticulous about tracking, but most of all be PATIENT. Even if you get a 1000 calorie/day deficit, it will still take 35 days ( at least according to the 3500 kcal/pound fat rule) for you to lose 10 pounds.

Sirref0275

How do you feel Psychically? fitness is a life long practice for me, I try not to let the day to day numbers bother me, just focus long term. Insanity will do it for you over the 60 days!!!

now_or_never13

You are not eating enough. Set your goal at 0.5lbs per week... eat your exercise calories back and you wil eventually lose weight. When you are so small to begin with it takes a while to lose weight.

And for all those who say you are losing fat but gaining muscle... NO! You will not gain muscle at such a low calorie amount. Muscle gain needs a calorie surplus.

blu_meanie_ca

I'm going ot second with more weights and less cardio to "body sculpt", which is what it seems you are looking for. Set your calories to maintain... once you have more muscle mass you *may* not feel a need to lose those 6 lbs.

stobes22

How do you feel Psychically? fitness is a life long practice for me, I try not to let the day to day numbers bother me, just focus long term. Insanity will do it for you over the 60 days!!!

Physically I feel like crap!!!!!

stobes22

You are not eating enough. Set your goal at 0.5lbs per week... eat your exercise calories back and you wil eventually lose weight. When you are so small to begin with it takes a while to lose weight.

And for all those who say you are losing fat but gaining muscle... NO! You will not gain muscle at such a low calorie amount. Muscle gain needs a calorie surplus.

How does eating more calories make me lose more weight? That is so confusing.. Ive changed it to lose 1lb/week which is 1200 calories/day (same as 2lbs/week). to loose 0.5lbs/week it recommends about 1350 calories/day

bcattoes

Maybe it's because you're gaining muscle? Muscle weighs more than fat!

No.

You have very little to lose and it'll be water weight from the workouts.

But if it was just water it would be the number on the scale as opposed to what my body looks like.. and thats not the case...

Water doesn't look much different on your body than fat if you are bloated, or muscle if the water is stored in the muscle for repair.

Makeda1211

@foofoo2010 - thanks for the advice... about 1-2x/week I do weights and cardio.. the other time its pure cardio

@christyrunstarr - yes I have made it 2lbs/week... could that be a reason? But how does it make sense that I need to eat MORE calories than what I am eating to lose weight??? And yes I eat back what I burn off

You will need to eat back the calories you have gained from working out so that your body can have the energy to work properly. Your body needs the calories to rebuild the muscle you have so diligently worked on. Muscle does not weigh more than fat but it does need more calories to sustain it. Look at it like this. If you are given 1200 calories a day, and you work out and burn 600 calories, its like you really only ate 600 calories. Take into account that MFP already puts in a deficit for your calories and this is the reason why you should eat back the calories you expended to just break even.

I hope this helps.

Crochetluvr

@foofoo2010 - thanks for the advice... about 1-2x/week I do weights and cardio.. the other time its pure cardio

@christyrunstarr - yes I have made it 2lbs/week... could that be a reason? But how does it make sense that I need to eat MORE calories than what I am eating to lose weight??? And yes I eat back what I burn off

You will need to eat back the calories you have gained from working out so that your body can have the energy to work properly. Your body needs the calories to rebuild the muscle you have so diligently worked on. Muscle does not weigh more than fat but it does need more calories to sustain it. Look at it like this. If you are given 1200 calories a day, and you work out and burn 600 calories, its like you really only ate 600 calories. Take into account that MFP already puts in a deficit for your calories and this is the reason why you should eat back the calories you expended to just break even.

I hope this helps.

^^^^This. You cant eat very little and exercise to excess. Your body will fight you to keep what weight you have. Either exercise less or eat more.

stobes22

@foofoo2010 - thanks for the advice... about 1-2x/week I do weights and cardio.. the other time its pure cardio

@christyrunstarr - yes I have made it 2lbs/week... could that be a reason? But how does it make sense that I need to eat MORE calories than what I am eating to lose weight??? And yes I eat back what I burn off

You will need to eat back the calories you have gained from working out so that your body can have the energy to work properly. Your body needs the calories to rebuild the muscle you have so diligently worked on. Muscle does not weigh more than fat but it does need more calories to sustain it. Look at it like this. If you are given 1200 calories a day, and you work out and burn 600 calories, its like you really only ate 600 calories. Take into account that MFP already puts in a deficit for your calories and this is the reason why you should eat back the calories you expended to just break even.

I hope this helps.

^^^^This. You cant eat very little and exercise to excess. Your body will fight you to keep what weight you have. Either exercise less or eat more.

I am eating the calories I burn off, so if I dont work out I have 1200 calories/day if I burn 200 calories in my workout I eat 1400 calories/day

stobes22

@foofoo2010 - thanks for the advice... about 1-2x/week I do weights and cardio.. the other time its pure cardio

@christyrunstarr - yes I have made it 2lbs/week... could that be a reason? But how does it make sense that I need to eat MORE calories than what I am eating to lose weight??? And yes I eat back what I burn off

You will need to eat back the calories you have gained from working out so that your body can have the energy to work properly. Your body needs the calories to rebuild the muscle you have so diligently worked on. Muscle does not weigh more than fat but it does need more calories to sustain it. Look at it like this. If you are given 1200 calories a day, and you work out and burn 600 calories, its like you really only ate 600 calories. Take into account that MFP already puts in a deficit for your calories and this is the reason why you should eat back the calories you expended to just break even.

I hope this helps.

^^^^This. You cant eat very little and exercise to excess. Your body will fight you to keep what weight you have. Either exercise less or eat more.

I am eating the calories I burn off, so if I dont work out I have 1200 calories/day if I burn 200 calories in my workout I eat 1400 calories/day

Alexfit12

I'm am the same height and have the same problem. I know that at this height you wanna be a little thinner. I feel the same. But I have to tell you that personally, I can only lose weight with less than 700-800 calories, sport and no carbs. (i am very fit and fulfill my body's requirements for nutrients and i am perfectly healthy, so please don't interpret that as starvation). Some people may attack that number, but our bodies are all different. 1200 calories is a maintenance intake for me... Just because the site gives you a number it doesn't mean it's the best for you. Those statistics estimate caloric requirement for most people, not all people!