Why am I not losing weight?

rahrah92
rahrah92 Posts: 11
in Health and Weight Loss
Can someone please give me advice.

I am 5ft 3 and 139 pounds and would like to lose around 14 pounds

Exercise
I run 4-5 times a week on the treadmill - 1.5 miles at speed 11
I play football
Kung fu
I am also doing Insanity (this is my 4th week)

My diet is:
Breakfast
The Slim Fast Chocolate Milkshake and a Banana (I like the milkshake because I never know what to have for breakfast and its nice and easy to make)

Lunch
Wholemeal brown bread sandwich with tomato and pepper relish, a muller light yogurt and another pice of fruit

Dinner
Chicken/or meat with vegetables

I drink water or orange squash, and don't drink any alcohol (don't like it) and I don't smoke

SO WHAT IS GOING WRONG :(
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Replies

  • jennifermartini
    jennifermartini Posts: 14 Member
    Hard to say without seeing your food journal but it looks like you are undereating based on what you have listed. Your body can be VERY stubborn when you are in starvation mode. Have you tracked how many calories you are eating a day and how many you are burning through all of your exercise?

    Take Care,

    Jen
  • rahrah92
    rahrah92 Posts: 11
    I tracked this and it's between 1200-1300 calories, I feel like if I eat anymore my body will put on weight. I don't know what to do
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    i agree that that isnt much food, given how much exercise you say you do.

    if you have too large a deficit it can make losing weight even harder.
  • rahrah92
    rahrah92 Posts: 11
    What would you suggest I throw in?
  • turtlefitnessdad
    turtlefitnessdad Posts: 585 Member
    your BMR is about 1456 and your TDEE is 2256. I listed you as moderetly active based on what you put for excercise but that does not change your BMR anyway only your TDEE. You need to be eating at least your BMR.

    It sounds like you are active with excercise so i would say you are fine there. However you might have conditioned your body to hold on to it's energy surplus(fat). If you want your body to burn fat then your body needs to know that it will get the energy it needs from food. You need to eat more i would think.

    However i do think it should be pointed out that your weight is not that high. It is increasingly diffacult to loose the last bit of weight for everyone.
  • jennifermartini
    jennifermartini Posts: 14 Member
    Do you have access to a nutritionist? They can help you plan menus and such. I think you may find that if you add a few more calories you will start to lose. If you try that and STILL don't lose, perhaps consider having your thyroid checked by your GP (simple blood test) to make sure all is okay in that department.

    Cheers!

    Jen
  • beskimoosh
    beskimoosh Posts: 375 Member
    It might take a while to drop anything, since you've not really got much to lose. Are you tracking your calories? Sounds like you're burning loads but not really eating that much, maybe your body needs a few more calories to get it moving?

    I've found that for me, if the scales aren't budging for a few weeks, I try having a few days off the diet, then they go down again (once I've lost all the water weight, I retain water like a sponge the minute I touch processed foods). When I was here first time around (about a year ago) people talked about spike days a lot, and I remembered it and it works for me :)
  • kelly101386
    kelly101386 Posts: 389 Member
    Your calorie intake is too low for the exercise you are doing, I made the mistake of eating 1200 and working out 5 times a week. My weight didn't shift. I increase it to 1700 and it started moving. There are people on here who will tell you they eat a lot more while working out and they don't put on weight. Give it a go, if anything it will kick start your metabolism.
  • turtlefitnessdad
    turtlefitnessdad Posts: 585 Member
    What would you suggest I throw in?


    You do not need to stuff food down you r face when you are not hungry. Just eat larger portions when you do eat and add more calorie dense foods. Healthy calorie dense foods like PB or avacado or nuts. (the good healthy kind)
  • jennifermartini
    jennifermartini Posts: 14 Member
    Amen on the water sponge - insane how that happens, and FAST! LOL

    Jen M
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    What would you suggest I throw in?

    add potato/pasta/rice to your evening meal, add some snacks through the day or have 3 larger meals if you dont like snacking.
  • beskimoosh
    beskimoosh Posts: 375 Member
    Amen on the water sponge - insane how that happens, and FAST! LOL

    Jen M

    Literally, I had one day off my diet, and I gained 4lbs. What's up with that, body?

    Also, back on topic, are you tracking your sodium OP? It might be that you're retaining water too.
  • ChrissieP80
    ChrissieP80 Posts: 112 Member
    That sounds like way too little food for the amount of exercise you are doing.
    Your BMR would be about 1200-1250 alone (i.e. if you were in a coma and never got out of bed).
    Throw some snacks in to your day, put some protein in your lunch.
    And because you're only 14 lbs away from your goal, I'd suggest having a realistic goal of 0.5 to 1lb loss per week.
    I am the same height and starting weight was about the same. (136). It's taken me 3 months to lose 13 lbs. I eat 1500ish a day and I do less exercise than you.
    Have you looked at the 'In Place of A Roadmap' thread?

    Edit: your BMR has been calculated above by someone else, they are right. I forgot to take into account your age (you're 10+ years younger than me and your BMR would be higher).
  • rahrah92
    rahrah92 Posts: 11
    Thanks guys for your responses that is really helping, I will budge up my calories, should I just eat more fruit and vegetables? Crackers? Trying not to go for chocolate bars, I will try and drink a lot more water.

    And I agree on shedding this last bit it's hard, but have thought perhaps I am gaining a bit of muscle too?
  • turtlefitnessdad
    turtlefitnessdad Posts: 585 Member
    I tracked this and it's between 1200-1300 calories, I feel like if I eat anymore my body will put on weight. I don't know what to do

    If you are having any trouble understanding the point here then please know this. If you are only eating 1200 calories but your workout burnes 500 then your body is only getting a net of 1200-500= 700. This is the same thing as eating 700 calories and not excercising at all. It is not healthy and your body will have to hols on to it's energy surplus just to maintain reguler organ function.

    I am sure you are already aware that eating so little would be starving yourself, but if your workouts bring you down to the same kind of number then it is the same thing.
  • rahrah92
    rahrah92 Posts: 11
    I will take a look at that thanks!
  • turtlefitnessdad
    turtlefitnessdad Posts: 585 Member
    Thanks guys for your responses that is really helping, I will budge up my calories, should I just eat more fruit and vegetables? Crackers? Trying not to go for chocolate bars, I will try and drink a lot more water.

    And I agree on shedding this last bit it's hard, but have thought perhaps I am gaining a bit of muscle too?


    You likely are "toning", but your muscles won't really grow to much past what is called "newbie gains" unless you are eating a whole lot more then you are right now.
  • rahrah92
    rahrah92 Posts: 11
    I do understand, just never really thought about it, I will throw in a few things I just found when I was adding pasta to my meals I was gaining weight
  • Markguns
    Markguns Posts: 554 Member
    your BMR is about 1456 and your TDEE is 2256. I listed you as moderetly active based on what you put for excercise but that does not change your BMR anyway only your TDEE. You need to be eating at least your BMR.

    It sounds like you are active with excercise so i would say you are fine there. However you might have conditioned your body to hold on to it's energy surplus(fat). If you want your body to burn fat then your body needs to know that it will get the energy it needs from food. You need to eat more i would think.

    However i do think it should be pointed out that your weight is not that high. It is increasingly diffacult to loose the last bit of weight for everyone.

    Bump...
    Also as you lose the "easy weight" if your not getting enough calories your body will take them from the easiest source first, your muscle. I would suggest you up you calories, 1200 is a min for women, and that is NET not total. Read this thread:
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/10589-for-those-confused-or-questioning-eating-your-exercise-calo
  • jenilla1
    jenilla1 Posts: 11,118 Member
    ...And because you're only 14 lbs away from your goal, I'd suggest having a realistic goal of 0.5 to 1lb loss per week...

    The closer you are to goal, the longer it seems to take. With so little to lose I agree that you should NOT be on an agressive calorie deficit. It may take some time to get to goal on 1/2-1 pound a week, but it will happen. For the amount of exercise you claim to be doing, you don't seem to be eating enough to support proper performance and repair. :flowerforyou:
  • turtlefitnessdad
    turtlefitnessdad Posts: 585 Member
    learning means succeding. You are doing great with your efforts. You clearly have the drive to succed, just learn a bit more of the ins and outs and you will be ensuring you are putting your efforts into the best areas for success. Good job and keep up the hard work. It happens slowly but it happens.
  • kingofcrunk
    kingofcrunk Posts: 372 Member
    If you truely are eating what you say you're eating and exercising as you say you are then you will lose weight. Just wait for it to come off.
  • rahrah92
    rahrah92 Posts: 11
    There is probably a nutritionist near me that I could access, so will see what he/she says
  • turtlefitnessdad
    turtlefitnessdad Posts: 585 Member
    your BMR is about 1456 and your TDEE is 2256. I listed you as moderetly active based on what you put for excercise but that does not change your BMR anyway only your TDEE. You need to be eating at least your BMR.

    It sounds like you are active with excercise so i would say you are fine there. However you might have conditioned your body to hold on to it's energy surplus(fat). If you want your body to burn fat then your body needs to know that it will get the energy it needs from food. You need to eat more i would think.

    However i do think it should be pointed out that your weight is not that high. It is increasingly diffacult to loose the last bit of weight for everyone.

    Bump...
    Also as you lose the "easy weight" if your not getting enough calories your body will take them from the easiest source first, your muscle. I would suggest you up you calories, 1200 is a min for women, and that is NET not total. Read this thread:
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/10589-for-those-confused-or-questioning-eating-your-exercise-calo
    You are also doing a lot of cardio, that will also cause you to lose muscle after a time. You should do some resitance training.

    yes, this
  • rahrah92
    rahrah92 Posts: 11
    your BMR is about 1456 and your TDEE is 2256. I listed you as moderetly active based on what you put for excercise but that does not change your BMR anyway only your TDEE. You need to be eating at least your BMR.

    It sounds like you are active with excercise so i would say you are fine there. However you might have conditioned your body to hold on to it's energy surplus(fat). If you want your body to burn fat then your body needs to know that it will get the energy it needs from food. You need to eat more i would think.

    However i do think it should be pointed out that your weight is not that high. It is increasingly diffacult to loose the last bit of weight for everyone.

    Bump...
    Also as you lose the "easy weight" if your not getting enough calories your body will take them from the easiest source first, your muscle. I would suggest you up you calories, 1200 is a min for women, and that is NET not total. Read this thread:
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/10589-for-those-confused-or-questioning-eating-your-exercise-calo

    Have you seen insanity? That is muscle training, it kills me, I do that 6 days a week, I have noticed my body shape changing slightly
  • rahrah92
    rahrah92 Posts: 11
    learning means succeding. You are doing great with your efforts. You clearly have the drive to succed, just learn a bit more of the ins and outs and you will be ensuring you are putting your efforts into the best areas for success. Good job and keep up the hard work. It happens slowly but it happens.

    I do, I will keep at it, perhaps I am losing inches rather than weight at the moment
  • rahrah92
    rahrah92 Posts: 11
    Amen on the water sponge - insane how that happens, and FAST! LOL

    Jen M

    Ok I will try and up my water intake
  • Kabijots
    Kabijots Posts: 218 Member
    This is a really helpful perspective :

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/885648-nsv-the-scale-is-a-lie

    And do what the other posters have said.... eat more, drink plenty of water and stop worrying about the scale. Just eat well and get fit.

    x
  • patentguru
    patentguru Posts: 312 Member
    It could be your blood sugar levels. In general, if blood sugar to high-insulin reduces blood sugar by converting sugar to fat.

    Try switching your breakfast to more protein(and a little fat) instead of the banana. Banana is a great food, but I only eat them right before or during exercise to ensure the sugar is burned by my muscles and not converted to fat. Read up on glycemic index- eat low glycemic throughout day and high glycemic during exercise. Avoid insulin. Use the food diary for feedback. I eat fat in morning to give me a constant blood sugar level throughout the day- (these are general statements).

    Good luck.
  • turtlefitnessdad
    turtlefitnessdad Posts: 585 Member
    Are you tracking anything beyond weight? You should be. The changes are slow to see and take time but you should be tracking some measurments like waist, arms...etc and mort important of all time!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!........................body fat %.

    Good luck

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