No weight loss for over 3 weeks

Like others have said, I would eliminate the soda and sugary drinks (Start small and work yourself towards elimination) Also, cut down on the amount of processed foods and cook more of your food from scratch to limit the amount of sodium which can cause your weight to stay up. And add plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables. A lot of your diary seems to be very high in both sodium and sugar.

Are you drinking a good amount of water? (forgot to look at that part of your diary)

Add weight lifting into your routine, for example I do Cardio on M, W, F and Weight Lifting T & TH...It's amazing how much weight lifting changes your body dynamic and really helps with the weight loss.

Then beyond that, it really is just a numbers game.

Checked my TDEE on a few sites and it comes out at 3200 on average so before exercise a 20-30% deficit is 2200-2560 cals a day, this somehow seems too much!

It is a weird concept, right :-)
A few other thoughts - I changed a few things like having more protein on mornings when I head to the gym - poached egg, a couple of rashers of healthy bacon rashers
When I first started here it took me a while to be able to sort out a diary that came remotely close to my goal.
I started planning the day to be within my goal and them as I exercise, I have a few more cals to sneak in some healthy snacks!

I have a TDEE deficit which adds 300-400 cals to my goal - that's like an extra MEAL!!!!!
But it has slowly broken my plateau.

Diet soda is actually worse for you than regular. Fewer calories, but it takes a huge toll on your body. The sweeteners make your pancreas produce insulin to digest sugar, regardless of if it is sugar or not. This leads to insulin resistance and in the long run diabetes. Also: The sweeteners are really crap for your cells. It ruins the fluid balance in the cell. This does not happen for sugar. (Just "food for thought").

Got some research to back that up?

One more things...well many more but only time for 1.


You can't out train a poor diet. Eat Clean = Getting Lean.

Refractive-Index-Based Screening of Membrane-Protein- Mediated Transfer across Biological Membranes

By Brändén, Magnus et al in Biophysical Journal 99, 2010 gives information of different types of sugars, like xylitol and erythriol and their effects on the cell membrane.

"
Splenda is comprised of the high-potency artificial sweetener sucralose (1.1%) and the fillers maltodextrin and glucose. Splenda was administered by oral gavage at 100, 300, 500, or 1000 mg/kg to male Sprague-Dawley rats for 12-wk, during which fecal samples were collected weekly for bacterial analysis and measurement of fecal pH. After 12-wk, half of the animals from each treatment group were sacrificed to determine the intestinal expression of the membrane efflux transporter P-glycoprotein (P-gp) and the cytochrome P-450 (CYP) metabolism system by Western blot. The remaining animals were allowed to recover for an additional 12-wk, and further assessments of fecal microflora, fecal pH, and expression of P-gp and CYP were determined. At the end of the 12-wk treatment period, the numbers of total anaerobes, bifidobacteria, lactobacilli, Bacteroides, clostridia, and total aerobic bacteria were significantly decreased; however, there was no significant treatment effect on enterobacteria. Splenda also increased fecal pH and enhanced the expression of P-gp by 2.43-fold, CYP3A4 by 2.51-fold, and CYP2D1 by 3.49-fold. Following the 12-wk recovery period, only the total anaerobes and bifidobacteria remained significantly depressed, whereas pH values, P-gp, and CYP3A4 and CYP2D1 remained elevated. These changes occurred at Splenda dosages that contained sucralose at 1.1-11 mg/kg (the US FDA Acceptable Daily Intake for sucralose is 5 mg/kg). Evidence indicates that a 12-wk administration of Splenda exerted numerous adverse effects, including (1) reduction in beneficial fecal microflora, (2) increased fecal pH, and (3) enhanced expression levels of P-gp, CYP3A4, and CYP2D1, which are known to limit the bioavailability of orally administered drugs. Copyright © Taylor & Francis Group, LLC." Article on Splenda

The stuff about sweeteners causing insulin spikes was told to me by a professor of biological physics. Can't find a source on it right now, though

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,

Totally agree, if I ate what was on your diary I would gain weight!

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.

Diet soda actually confuses your brain to think your getting sugar when in fact you are not. What does that do you ask? Good question...makes you crave sugar. Drink Water!!! Lots and Lots of water. Start with a gallon a day.

I use to think this was hooey, until I tried giving it up for a week. I noticed a big difference in appetite right away.

Well what a difference a week makes, took on board some of the advice, upped the water, dropped most of the diet drinks and I've eaten a lot more fruit and veg.

Gone from 120.1kg last Saturday, to 118.4 this week, definitely heading in the right direction!

Thanks again guys.

Way to go! and congrats on losing the "real" soda to "diet" soda to upping the water.. that took me about a decade to do!