No weight loss for over 3 weeks

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dingle2k3
dingle2k3 Posts: 22 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hi Guys,

I'm starting to get slightly discouraged with the lack of weight falling off over the last few weeks.

I started this on 1 October and was at 127kg, by 10 November i was down to 120kg but since then my weight hasn't really changed, i try to weigh myself at about the same time each week but its starting to get slightly discouraging.

I'm hitting the gym 5 times a week in a morning before work, doing around an hour a day mainly cardio, and I'm logging everything i eat, consistently under my daily/weekly goal.

I know water weight can make a big difference on a daily basis, but over almost a month i thought i would see some drop in weight.

Has anyone been in a similar position or have any ideas?
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Replies

  • fetchfury
    fetchfury Posts: 84 Member
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    Looking at your food diary, even though your calories are fine your not really getting a balanced diet in there. I recommend dropping all the sugary drinks your drinking and lowering your sodium intake drastically.
  • AnneC77
    AnneC77 Posts: 284
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    Well done for sticking to your calories, I would try and eat more fruit and veggies and eat more refined foods, like wholemeal bread instead of white and wholegrain cereals instead of Frosties and perhaps try and drink more water? Well done on your loss so far though. I know how hard it is to plateau, I do it all the time and I found out it is due to health complications, perhaps see a DR as well just to make sure everything is ok?
  • Jennifer_Lynn_1982
    Jennifer_Lynn_1982 Posts: 567 Member
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    You could also try some weight lifting ......sometimes changing up your routine can start the weight loss again :)
  • bigglesinc
    bigglesinc Posts: 19
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    Well done on the 7kg lose, it might be worth recalculating your goals and see if your calorie allowance changes.
  • chooriyah
    chooriyah Posts: 469 Member
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    Are you weighing your food? Is there a possibility that you're underestimating portion sizes?

    Do you have an HRM? Is there a possibility that you're overestimating your exercise burns?

    When you cook, are you logging the oil, butter etc that you use?

    Otherwise I think probably it's just a plateau (I have had them last 2 months before) and you will eventually see a drop. Have to be patient and just keep at it. I do also think you could increase the fruits, veggies, whole grains etc, and drop the daily Lucozade, but that's more for health than for weight loss.
  • nikilis
    nikilis Posts: 2,305 Member
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    harden up. just wait a minute.
  • geebusuk
    geebusuk Posts: 3,348 Member
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    I still stick by calories in vs calories out.

    If your weight is staying constant, it suggests that calories in = calories out over that period.

    Some people seem to find success in changing those factors by eating "cleaner". Me, it's just been a case of eating less or exercising more. However, generally I would have a bit more varied diet than you - when I started out this time I was eating a few ready meals a day, but doing a lot of activity. As I got lower my activity level reduced due to what I was doing at work, but I made a point of eating more low-calorie-density foods; purely to make sure I was filled up without the calorie intake.

    The figures in your diary do look decent - so, as per above, how do you measure your food and your exercise?
    MFP is notorious for over-estimating calories burnt in exercise. For instance when I was a bit over 100kg I still very much doubt I'd have burnt 1000 calories with '3.5mph walking up hill' - even when me and a friend went up Mnt Tiede in Teneriefe because the cable car was down due to bad weather I doubt I was hitting that, considering how I know I feel burning 1000cal/hour.
  • rfsatar
    rfsatar Posts: 599 Member
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    If it is an option, I would gradually move away from processed food and do more cooking.
    As much as you can - measure what you use and try and include everything (not always possible I know)

    I would definitely try dropping the fizzy drinks if you can - If I want a bit of a lax day I'll throw in a can at the weekend, and try and drink more water (which I HATE, so it's a real force to get 4 glasses down in a day!).

    Bring in some fresh veggies and fruit but well done on your losses so far.
  • dingle2k3
    dingle2k3 Posts: 22 Member
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    Thanks for the advice, i weigh all of my food when home cooking and tend to avoid cooking oils etc.

    For calories burnt, when I'm jogging (which i started this week) i have the Nike+ app, MFP's estimation and whats on the treadmill readout , i tend to log whichever says the lowest to air on the side of caution.

    I used to drink a lot of "full fat" sugary drinks, I'm trying to cut down on those, I've switched to diet versions and I'm trying to add more water by alternating the drinks.

    I do feel much better in myself than i did 2 months ago, I definitely feel fitter I just didn't expect a plateau so soon.
  • rfsatar
    rfsatar Posts: 599 Member
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    If it is an option, I would gradually move away from processed food and do more cooking.
    As much as you can - measure what you use and try and include everything (not always possible I know)

    I would definitely try dropping the fizzy drinks if you can - If I want a bit of a lax day I'll throw in a can at the weekend, and try and drink more water (which I HATE, so it's a real force to get 4 glasses down in a day!).

    Bring in some more fresh veggies and fruit but well done on your losses so far.
  • rfsatar
    rfsatar Posts: 599 Member
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    Yeah - I plateaued when I re-injured my knee because I was still trying to stick at 1200, and another thing that helped was doing a bit of research around:
    Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE) and Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR).
    I have just reinjured my knee, but before that I had two weeks of eating between those two numbers, and a lost a pound where I had stalled for a month.
    Now I am back to rehabbing for the rest of this month, I switched to maintenance which starts me JUST at the edge of my TDEE deficit... It's something you might consider to just balance what you eat a bit more, shake things up a bit and get the weight shifting down again.

    But good on you for logging so honestly - a lot of people don't so be really proud of that.
  • Firefox7275
    Firefox7275 Posts: 2,040 Member
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    Switch to a diet based on real foods, almost everything you eat is processed, there is little fruits and veggies, loads of sugar and probably low in fibre. Get rid of the sports drink and eat a more substantial, wholegrain breakfast for a start. Aim for nine portions of fruits and vegetables a day, three portions of reduced fat dairy, oily fish several times a week, a small portion of protein at each meal and snack, only whole carbs, junk/ processed/ sugary foods to comprise no more than 10% of daily calories which is one small snack.

    When you eat right you can do better quality workouts, recover faster, have all the nutrients associated with lower bodyfat (eg. calcium from dairy, omega-3s from oily fish) and health. Research suggests a proper breakfast will help you make better choices and naturally eat fewer calories through the rest of the day. There is no poiint in tracking sodium unless you check the entry of every food you eat because it's not on many of the listings, there is quite a bit of sodium in sweet biscuits/ cookies and breakfast cereal,
  • SusanDoesIt
    SusanDoesIt Posts: 73 Member
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    I started to weigh myself every day a long while back because I could see the ups and downs more clearly and see what my food issues might be. Carbs are a big problem for me. I've slowly figured out the right level, and if I go over it, I gain immediately. Since I weighed every day, I could see that and change things.

    During my last major plateau I also figured out that if I had allowed myself some indulgences on weekends in the form of 300-400 extra calories, while still averaging the right calories during a week, I would gain after the indulgences, then barely get the pounds off by the end of the week. Once I became more consistent with calories, my weight loss did as well. It's not always predictable, but most of the time, consistency gets me a weekly loss.
  • dazza_098
    dazza_098 Posts: 78 Member
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    from looking at your fitness diary id suggest dropping some sugar and eating more healthy carbs from natural sources :)
  • Bigjayinga
    Bigjayinga Posts: 128 Member
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    Everything looks good with your diet. Have you been doing empty stomach cardio? Have you been weight training? I would try some intermedia fasting for a week or so to see if it helps. Hope this helps. You doing really good.
  • thecrass
    thecrass Posts: 79 Member
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    Well done so far m8, try some Fruit n veg . snack on apples an plums, and drink more water or try the Zero drinks like 7up, sprite, fanta, and coke zero. if you must have the juice.
    if you have loads of fruit and veg and say chicken or turkey with each meal, you would struggle to be hungry and im pretty sure your weight would shift a gear.
  • haroon_awan
    haroon_awan Posts: 1,208 Member
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    Start weight lifting.

    Doing just cardio is absolute bs and people need to learn that.

    Albert Einstein's definition of "Insanity": doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. If what you're doing now isn't working then do something different.

    EDIT: Seriously?
    Semi skimmed milk and Frosties? Come on man, what are you 12?
    Chinese buffet for lunch?
    You don't eat dinner?
    2L bottle of Pepsi Max?
    Isotonic drinks are for athletes who do long sessions of cardio, eg footballers cyclists AND/OR weight trainers who know what they are doing, not for you I'm afraid.

    Good luck man
  • dingle2k3
    dingle2k3 Posts: 22 Member
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    I've been doing weights in addition to the cardio, just not much maybe 15 minutes a days, doing different areas each day.
  • haroon_awan
    haroon_awan Posts: 1,208 Member
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    15 is not good enough.

    Don't do that much cardio, do weight training only for about 40 mins, 4 or 5 times a week. Alternatively do HIIT.

    Ask any personal trainer and he'll tell you the same. And fix your diet too!
  • stuntpilot51
    stuntpilot51 Posts: 53 Member
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    Increase your calories.

    Looks like another good candidate for the roadmap, this has worked for many people.

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/654536-in-place-of-a-road-map-2-0-revised-7-2-12

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