How come I'm not losing weight?
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Agree with all of the others here. You have to eat more! If you're working out every day and only eating 1,000 calories per day, it's no wonder you're not losing anything. Your body is hanging onto everything that it can and is refusing to let go.
Also... I think you need to be a bit more realistic with your weight loss goals. 15lbs in a month is a bit extreme... that's 3-4lbs per week! I would make a goal of losing 1/2 to 1lb per week. Keep up your exercise routine (switch it up as much as possible) and increase your calorie intake.0 -
-You are actually eating more calories than you think (make sure you weigh food, pay close attantion to labels, etc.); it is easy to underestimate calories at a restaurant.
This. Nine times out of ten, plateaus are caused because we are not being honest... with exercise, with calories, with water, or with the types of foods we are choosing to consume.0 -
You are not eating enough, your body is in starvation mode and it refuses to let any more fat leave.
So not true. Your body will not be in starvation mode.
Well the first part is true.. second, not so much. You won't even see metabolic adaptation until you have 3 consecutive days without eating.0 -
You are not eating enough, your body is in starvation mode and it refuses to let any more fat leave.
So not true. Your body will not be in starvation mode.
agree with this- at over 300lb, i doubt that starvation mode is responsible here- the body has plenty of back up energy stores (i did a degree in this so i know what im talking about :P) what i would agree with is to change your diet up a bit more- change what your eating, if your eating lots of salty things it could be water retention- hard to know with a closed diary, but lots of good ideas for you on here
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Start weighing your food and make sure you log everything you put in your mouth!...and at 330lbs, you probably aren't eating enough calories.0
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Please don't take this as assumption, just read what I have to say and if I'm wrong, move on.
A lot of times when people I talk to stop losing weight after a successful period on a calorie restricted exercise regimen, its because they lose steam. They stop logging as faithfully as before, and/or they stop working out as vigorously as before. Take into account that you probably will have to work out more vigorously, or for longer, as your body gets accustomed to your exercise level.
Your muscles learn any exercise regimen and don't just get stronger to adapt to it, but you also get much more efficient at it over time. That means that any unnecessary muscle movement is eliminated from the motions over time. Makes us great at getting better at an activity, but when you're doing that activity for the main purpose of burning calories, it hampers that goal over time. Change up your exercise (if you run, start biking. etc).
Dont' fall into the trap of asking for help here and having everyone bro-science you with "starvation mode", and take that as an excuse to eat more, and likely regain a lot of your hard lost weight. If you are logging just as faithfully, try switching up your exercise routine to include different actions. If that doesn't help, I suggest seeking professional advice from a dietician with experience in both weight loss and sports science.
People on MFP are, by and large, helpful and friendly.. but we're not experts, for the most part, and your health should be important enough to seek expert help.0 -
I have to agree with everyone who says you need to eat more; 1,000-1,200 calories a day while you're working out isn't enough. And, if you've suddenly stopped losing weight although your routine hasn't changed, you've likely plateaued; change up your workout routine. Muscle memory means your body gets used to doing the same thing, and therefore expends less energy doing the very same action that once produced results. Change up your strength training; try a different cardio method. Good Luck!!!0
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You are not eating enough calories especially if you are exercising. Your body will just store the fat because it is a natural survival instinct for your body. you should raise your caloric intake a bit and see what happens. Good luck I know how hard this is and good for you on your progress already. Lack of sleep and stress can also make your body hold onto that fat so be happy sleep well and increase your calories just a bit.0
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First, do eat more like everyone is saying.
Second, I was stuck for 3 months once and here's what I learned. I wasn't being truly as accurate as I could be with my diary. I was measuring all my major food, but I was estimating on some things because I thought I'd been doing it long enough that I knew was a tablespoon of oil looked like or how big 4 oz of meat should be. When I started weighing everything again I was way off on some key things-- oil for example is NOT something you want to estimate. Also I was choosing foods from the database for which I didn't know the whole recipe. I would log "chips and guacamole" or "mashed potatoes" that were others' recipes. That's a bad idea. It takes longer but it's really worth it to enter your own recipes and use them, and to measure the ingredients every single time.
Also I took a break from dieting and that really helped. It's called a full diet break, where you take two weeks or more and eat at maintenance. It helps with hormones, which can be affected by chronic restricting.0 -
Try separating your carbs from your protein. Example: scrambled eggs for breakfast (one whole egg plus 2 whites)
large serve mixed vegetable soup for lunch
2 fruits for 3.30pm
plate full of chicken /fish /or turkey . no carbs for dinner.
hmmm, that is the complete opposite of what any nutritionist has ever told me.
When you have protein and carbs together, you get a good mix of "fast" and "slow" energy. When you have carbs alone you get energy for the moment but it doesn't last long; that's why after people eat carbs, they usually want more carbs. Carbs do not leave people feeling as satisfied for as long as protein/fats do. A good meal is balanced.
Aside from that, 3 weeks isn't that long to remain stagnant, so don't panic. I agree that you may want allow for more calories each day; almost everyone needs more than that, and can continue to lose weight without restricting so hard. Losing 10-15 pounds a month isn't going to be realistic unless you are just starting out.
I don't agree with the person who said "one party where you eat thousands of calories instead of a few hundred" could be the problem. None of us got fat from one party. We got fat from making consistently poor choices. Log everything, make good choices most of the time, be diligent, and it will happen.0 -
Yes you need to change your exercise routine or your body will just have adjusted to the change and you will not see big results either. Try a different exercise each day or week but do not do the same thing every day or its eventually going to just be your body's norm.0
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Please don't take this as assumption, just read what I have to say and if I'm wrong, move on.
A lot of times when people I talk to stop losing weight after a successful period on a calorie restricted exercise regimen, its because they lose steam. They stop logging as faithfully as before, and/or they stop working out as vigorously as before. Take into account that you probably will have to work out more vigorously, or for longer, as your body gets accustomed to your exercise level.
Your muscles learn any exercise regimen and don't just get stronger to adapt to it, but you also get much more efficient at it over time. That means that any unnecessary muscle movement is eliminated from the motions over time. Makes us great at getting better at an activity, but when you're doing that activity for the main purpose of burning calories, it hampers that goal over time. Change up your exercise (if you run, start biking. etc).
Dont' fall into the trap of asking for help here and having everyone bro-science you with "starvation mode", and take that as an excuse to eat more, and likely regain a lot of your hard lost weight. If you are logging just as faithfully, try switching up your exercise routine to include different actions. If that doesn't help, I suggest seeking professional advice from a dietician with experience in both weight loss and sports science.
People on MFP are, by and large, helpful and friendly.. but we're not experts, for the most part, and your health should be important enough to seek expert help.
^^ Very smart post.0 -
I echo everyone else and tend to think you're eating too little.
Your body is a marvel of adaptation, and will adjust your metabolism to maintain fat stores (even relatively high ones). This isn't starvation mode, it's a normal function of survival and is even more tenacious in women. It's why we plateau, and it's why people are telling you to change up your routine. The human body adapts and resets it's "normal".
Thing is, you want to train your body to burn fat on AS MANY CALORIES AS POSSIBLE. You can't maintain 1000 a day for the rest of your life, but you can lose, and get to a healthy goal, on 1400 - 1600 quality calories a day. Exercise is important too, but I firmly believe that 90% of weight loss is in the kitchen.
Look at your diet - are you eating a lot of convenience foods high in sodium? Protein bars and other meal subsititues instead of real high nutrition calories? Do you take a multivitamin? An omega 3 supplement? Are you getting enough water?
For now, increase your intake slowly. Add 100 calories a day this week. Quality calories (lean protein, vegetables, fruits, lowfat dairy) Add another hundred in a couple weeks. Keep working out. Don't freak out when the scale slows or even moves in the wrong direction. It's temporary. No one ever loses a lot of weight in a straight line. It's a bumpy ride. Plateaus are normal, as are slight gains from time to time.
Fast weight loss is not something you can sustain, and it WILL destroy your metabolism, it's also very very bad for your overall health. You didn't gain all the weight all at once. Give yourself a few years to take it off.
No one else could bully you into losing weight in an unhealthy way and give you unreasonable deadlines - don't do that to yourself.0 -
First, do eat more like everyone is saying.
Second, I was stuck for 3 months once and here's what I learned. I wasn't being truly as accurate as I could be with my diary. I was measuring all my major food, but I was estimating on some things because I thought I'd been doing it long enough that I knew was a tablespoon of oil looked like or how big 4 oz of meat should be. When I started weighing everything again I was way off on some key things-- oil for example is NOT something you want to estimate. Also I was choosing foods from the database for which I didn't know the whole recipe. I would log "chips and guacamole" or "mashed potatoes" that were others' recipes. That's a bad idea. It takes longer but it's really worth it to enter your own recipes and use them, and to measure the ingredients every single time.
Also I took a break from dieting and that really helped. It's called a full diet break, where you take two weeks or more and eat at maintenance. It helps with hormones, which can be affected by chronic restricting.
This is a very confusing post. First you say she needs to eat more, then you say that your weight stalled and it was because you were EATING MORE and not realizing it because you were underestimating your calories.
So which is it? Should she eat MORE, or should she concentrate on being more accurate in her logging so she eats LESS?
ETA- This is not a personal attack, I just see this confusing advice from many people.0 -
Actually, I do need to lose 15 pounds by the end of this month. I have a very very important event that I've been waiting 5 years for.0
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Actually, I do need to lose 15 pounds by the end of this month. I have a very very important event that I've been waiting 5 years for.
at the risk of being rude, if it was so very very important and you had 5 years to prepare, then you should have started earlier instead of trying to lose 15 pounds in a month in a panic. If you go nuts trying desperately to lost those pounds so fast, statistics say that you will likely crash and burn and in most cases, go back to old habits out of exhaustion and/or frustration.
When it comes to weight loss, the old saying is so very true: slow and steady wins the race.0 -
Please don't take this as assumption, just read what I have to say and if I'm wrong, move on.
A lot of times when people I talk to stop losing weight after a successful period on a calorie restricted exercise regimen, its because they lose steam. They stop logging as faithfully as before, and/or they stop working out as vigorously as before. Take into account that you probably will have to work out more vigorously, or for longer, as your body gets accustomed to your exercise level.
Your muscles learn any exercise regimen and don't just get stronger to adapt to it, but you also get much more efficient at it over time. That means that any unnecessary muscle movement is eliminated from the motions over time. Makes us great at getting better at an activity, but when you're doing that activity for the main purpose of burning calories, it hampers that goal over time. Change up your exercise (if you run, start biking. etc).
Dont' fall into the trap of asking for help here and having everyone bro-science you with "starvation mode", and take that as an excuse to eat more, and likely regain a lot of your hard lost weight. If you are logging just as faithfully, try switching up your exercise routine to include different actions. If that doesn't help, I suggest seeking professional advice from a dietician with experience in both weight loss and sports science.
People on MFP are, by and large, helpful and friendly.. but we're not experts, for the most part, and your health should be important enough to seek expert help.
Excellent advice.
As for OPs question "how do I lose 15lbs in a month" - simple answer is with a lot of difficulty. Set your expectations to be more realistic.0 -
http://www.cordianet.com/calculator.htm
Here is a very good site to help figure your BMR and TDEE. It gives you a range of numbers from different calculating methods, either going by height and age only, or by using Body Fat percentage. At your current height and weight, your BF% is likely to be around 64%.
Light exercise doesn't make a huge difference in your calories burned. The numbers you get on MFP can be as high as 50% more than you actually burn. I found this to be true in my case after I started using a heart rate monitor with a chest strap. (Polar has the most accurate ones). So I would suggest if you are using the MFP calculator, to only record one half of the calorie burn. It takes a pretty hard effort to burn 300 calories in 60 minutes, but MFP will tell you that you burned 600 in an hour for a light to moderate walk or bike ride. You need to get your heart rate up at least 20-30 BPM over your resting to really see a big difference in your calorie burns.
Be extremely honest and accurate in EVERYTHING you eat and drink. EVERYDAY. Do not skip days. Do not guesstimate 'quick add' calories. If you don't know how many calories it has, do not eat it until you find out!
Be patient. When you have a large amount of weight to lose, you will lost A LOT in the first few weeks, then your weight will start to stabilize and your loss rate will slow to a more reasonable rate. Some weeks you may not lose anything, due to water fluctuations, etc. Then some weeks you may lose 3-5 pounds. Look at a month or two at a time, instead of just a week at a time.
Be realistic in your expectations. I know that 2 pounds a week doesn't sound like much to you right now, but that is over 100 pounds in a year! Look at this time next year and imagine yourself at 230 pounds!! What a great gift that would be to yourself!
And most important, you must look at making lifelong changes in your thinking and habits. This can't be just a 'diet' where you cut everything out for a while til you lose the weight, then go back to the way you were that got you up to 370 pounds. If you do that, you will gain it all back and hate yourself for it.
Make small steady changes in making better food choices, increasing exercise, making better health habits for LIFE.
Be patient. Be consistent. You will get to your goal of a healthier life. You deserve that.0 -
there's alot of bad advice on this thread.
the OP is at 330lbs. she's got a high BF%. she can eat at 1200 calories and lose weight. so long as she eats when she is hungry, i would not recommend eating more unless she wants to eat more. telling her she has to eat more doesn't apply as much at 330lbs as it would at 150lbs. in fact, whether she eats at 1000 or 1200 or 1400 or 1600 or 1800 doesn't really matter... she's going to be running a pretty sizable calorie deficit at any of those intake levels... she should be losing weight.
the fact that this is not happening suggests to me that maybe there is something medical going on, or her logging is grossly inaccurate.
there is also one major component of weight loss that the OP is missing... she needs to do alot more cardio. at her weight, he BMR is pretty high and her cardio burn is amplified by her mass. she needs to get out and walk (or jog or run) as much as she can for as long as she can. she needs to take advantage of her high mass now to get maximum return on that cardio. at her size, this can contribute as much as 30%-40% to her monthly weight loss. i know, i've been there.
i'm not saying that strength training and fastidiously watching macros and making sure she eats enough to allow her muscles to repair themselves isn't something that she should completely ignore, but i think right now her goal is to shed alot of that stored fat quickly so that she feels better, is more mobile, and more able to start strength training in a couple of months time.
her metabolism should be humming along just fine right now. she's made no mention of having a history of longterm chronic calorie restriction. so the question is, "why is she now stuck for 3 weeks after having dropped 40lbs in the previous 10 weeks?".0 -
Ok, here is the secret you've been looking for....Ready!
I'm going to say this loud enough for everyone to hear.
YOU HAVE TO EAT TO LOSE WEIGHT!!!!
There ya go. The secret is out. Man am I in trouble.
Seriously. You're body used food for fuel. What happens when your car is low on gas, you're at the end of the month but don't get paid for a few more days and you're out of money. Do you go joy riding or conserve the gas?
That's exactly what your body does with the fuel (or in this case the lack of fuel), you give it.
^ This.0
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