1 year on..not losing, HELP

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spatel22
spatel22 Posts: 13
in Health and Weight Loss
I've been healthy eating and exercising for about 1 year and I still don't see a difference in the mirror or on the scales! I go to the gym about 4 times a week and try and do a mixture of strength and cardio (biking, running,elliptical) and my diet mostly contains chicken, veg, fruit, complex carbs and I try snack on healthy foods as well. I do have quite a big appetite, but I do stick to the healthy foods mostly.

I was just wondering if anyone could offer any help and advice into why I'm not losing anything or how to change my routine so I can start losing. It is so de-motivating and I'm starting to think I just want to give up!

I haven't got that much to lose (which I know means the weight comes off more slowly), but i really want to reduce my body fat %.

If anyone can please please please help I would appreciate it SO much!!!!! Thank you :):)




I worked out my TDEE on http://www.fitnessfrog.com/calculators/tdee-calculator.html and it comes out as 2150, so I'm deffinately eating at 2150, could I be eating at too much of a deficit?
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Replies

  • mockchoc
    mockchoc Posts: 6,573 Member
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    I'm no expert but straight away I can see your carbs too high and your protein too low. Change your %'s perhaps.

    I can't believe you went for a year and only now asking for help. I cried today after my weight went up by 1.2 kgs and before that very slow loss. Wish I was more like you :) Good luck!
  • spatel22
    spatel22 Posts: 13
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    Thanks for the reply :) I'll definately do that and see if it helps!
  • cally69
    cally69 Posts: 182 Member
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    Are you being totally strict and honest in weighing and counting everything?. When you've not got much to lose it becomes really important. You need to know your TDEE and as long as you are eating below this you should lose. Wishing you good luck!
    X
  • mockchoc
    mockchoc Posts: 6,573 Member
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    I just checked out your food diary more and noticed there are a lot of days with no tracking.

    How is your eating on those days? That might be the reason.
  • spatel22
    spatel22 Posts: 13
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    Yes I try to be an accurate as I can and I log everything. Ok thanks, how do I work out my TDEE? Thanks for the reply :)
  • spatel22
    spatel22 Posts: 13
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    I just checked out your food diary more and noticed there are a lot of days with no tracking.

    How is your eating on those days? That might be the reason.

    My eating is usually the same as the others day, but I will just be too busy on those days to track
  • sarah_Holland81
    sarah_Holland81 Posts: 4
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    I would agree with mockchoc you need to eat more protien and less carbs. Are you drinking your two litlres and are you eating atleast 3 meals a day??? Good Luck
  • StrawberrySprinkles
    StrawberrySprinkles Posts: 90
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    It may help to try to stick to a calorie count too. I see that you go up and down quite a bit. You don't know if it'll work at that calorie level unless you give it some time.

    Seems more planning is needed. I'd say divide your day into three or four meals and try to eat the same amount of carbs, calories, fat and protein for each. If you're not eating regularly, it will give you the impression of having a large appetite when really you're just lacking energy and this will lead to the feeling of starving. Quite possibly, also, lead to binge eating as a result. (Been there and done that.)

    My ratios are currently 40% carbs, 35 % protein and 25% fat and I've managed 10 or so pounds in the last 50 days with a few sessions of cardio during the week.

    I know the amount of protein seems high, but it will keep you *full*. I could only reach my limit by adding in two protein shakes a day.
  • bathsheba_c
    bathsheba_c Posts: 1,873 Member
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    If the issue is more wanting to change body composition than lose weight, then maybe you should eat at maintenance and focus instead on building muscles?
  • StrawberrySprinkles
    StrawberrySprinkles Posts: 90
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    TDEE Calculator:

    http://www.fitnessfrog.com/calculators/tdee-calculator.html
  • rezn8
    rezn8 Posts: 263 Member
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    I noticed the same thing just looking at your past few days. Your carbs are way up and protein is low. You need to get them closer to even. It's not easy but it's definitely a need.
  • AlphamaleBAMF
    AlphamaleBAMF Posts: 373 Member
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    I've been healthy eating and exercising for about 1 year and I still don't see a difference in the mirror or on the scales!

    Please don't think I am trying to be mean here because I'm not. But I have lost nearly 70 lbs in 10 months since I joined MFP.

    Many people have lost more, and faster. If you've been here for 1 year and there has been no chance in the scales at all. You aren't trying. You aren't logging. You aren't exercising.

    Tell yourself in your mind. "I want to be skinny, I hate being fat" DO IT. Really do it. Commit to lose weight. Commit to exercise and a deficit. Then see when you are in a year.

    I just cannot believe that you can have no change in 12 months. I can't imagine what I would do with that time if I could do it over again, and I haven't even reached 1 year with MFP yet and didn't start trying until 3 or so months after I signed up.

    With 12 months, you could lose over 100lbs.
  • PNJB796
    PNJB796 Posts: 72 Member
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    Try moderating your diet in the way I do. Go into Food/Settings and change the table to include Cholesterol and Sugars.

    Plan your daily food intake in the morning so that your whole day intake does NOT exceed your allowable sugars. Excess sugars are stored in the body as fat. If you are reducing the daily supply, then your body HAS to use the excess fat it already has, This seems to be working for me. My other tip is, go into your profile and reduce your height by two inches which modifies your daily calorific intake. Finally remember as you lose weight, to return to your profile and ensure your weight shown is your current weight that day.

    No expert, so hope this helps?
  • spatel22
    spatel22 Posts: 13
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    Thanks for all the replies :smile: , I have altered my diary to get more protein so hopefully that will help. I do try eat three meals a day, but I'm one of those late night snackers and I don't know how to kick the habit! I edited my original post saying my TDEE being 2150, could I be eating at too much of a deficit??

    Anyone have any exercise ideas to help too?
  • tnmyers23
    tnmyers23 Posts: 108 Member
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    I agree with everyone that is recommending less carbs. But you also have to rethat you have little weight to lose so you will see little difference. Do a body measurememnt and track the inches instead of what you see in the mirror. You build muscle when you exercise and that weighs more then fat so the scale will not tell you if you are accomplishing your goal.
  • spatel22
    spatel22 Posts: 13
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    I've been healthy eating and exercising for about 1 year and I still don't see a difference in the mirror or on the scales!

    Please don't think I am trying to be mean here because I'm not. But I have lost nearly 70 lbs in 10 months since I joined MFP.

    Many people have lost more, and faster. If you've been here for 1 year and there has been no chance in the scales at all. You aren't trying. You aren't logging. You aren't exercising.

    Tell yourself in your mind. "I want to be skinny, I hate being fat" DO IT. Really do it. Commit to lose weight. Commit to exercise and a deficit. Then see when you are in a year.

    I just cannot believe that you can have no change in 12 months. I can't imagine what I would do with that time if I could do it over again, and I haven't even reached 1 year with MFP yet and didn't start trying until 3 or so months after I signed up.

    With 12 months, you could lose over 100lbs.



    I'm 120lb and 5ft 4in so I dont really have that much to lose..but I understand what youre saying. But I do go to the gym least 5 times a weeks! i'm starting to think i'm in too much of a deficit, could that be a problem?
  • AlphamaleBAMF
    AlphamaleBAMF Posts: 373 Member
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    I do try eat three meals a day, but I'm one of those late night snackers and I don't know how to kick the habit!

    Do you want to be fat? If you don't, just dont' do it. Calories out = more than calories in = weight loss. It's that simple.

    You want exercise tips? Walk, run, bike, elliptical, strength training. Pushups, situps, squats, skipping, swimming. stairs. Anything.

    Anything that will burn more calories than you consume, which you must limit.
  • StrawberrySprinkles
    StrawberrySprinkles Posts: 90
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    I can't tell you for sure as everyone's body is different.

    If I've planned my meals and stuck to my limits....I *will* go to bed hungry. Hunger, for me, will kick in at about 10 pm or so. Bed time is usually an hour or an hour and a half after that...so...I just go to bed hungry. I just ignore the little grumbles. I mean if they were serious grumbles, I would have a little something like fruit or a vegetable. Just enough to make it go away. Breakfast is first priority in the morning.

    For me, it was about knowing the difference between *thinking* I was hungry and *feeling* I was hungry. I try to ignore the *thinking* and go for the *feeling* (in a weird way, I enjoy the grumbles because I know my body is working as it should). It's like another poster said...you have to want to lose weight.

    With increased protein, it will keep you fuller for longer and ease the cravings (at least it did for me).

    For some people, a higher deficit doesn't work. It didn't work for me, so I increased 200 calories and went from there. So far it's helped with the weight loss. I'm not losing super tons, but it's steady and I'm happy with that.
  • StrawberrySprinkles
    StrawberrySprinkles Posts: 90
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    According to the BMI calculator at 5 foot 4 and 120lbs. You're firmly in the healthy zone. Perhaps you should consider looking at ways to build muscle rather than losing weight.
  • spatel22
    spatel22 Posts: 13
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    I do try eat three meals a day, but I'm one of those late night snackers and I don't know how to kick the habit!

    Do you want to be fat? If you don't, just dont' do it. Calories out = more than calories in = weight loss. It's that simple.

    You want exercise tips? Walk, run, bike, elliptical, strength training. Pushups, situps, squats, skipping, swimming. stairs. Anything.

    Anything that will burn more calories than you consume, which you must limit.


    I've tried telling myself not to and to ignore the 'hunger' but I can't stop it..its become almost automatic.

    And as for the exercise, I do about 25 minutes of intervals on a bike, 20 running, 15 on the elliptical and then about 20-25 minutes of strength training. I'm stuck on what else I can do

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