Not losing weight....mystery

mwright9983
mwright9983 Posts: 3
in Health and Weight Loss
I have tried losing weight on my own for a month and a half now. I cut out meat and started eating more veggies and nuts. I didn't lose any weight. I added in exercise. I would work out at least half an hour each day. A mix of cardio and strength training. Still didn't lose weight. Cut out soft drinks...still nothing. My iron starting dropping so I've been adding in some red meat every few days. I gained two pounds. I'm just wondering if I'm doing something wrong.
I had my first child in 2010 and dropped all but 10 pounds. Then I got pregnant with my 2nd. After I had her, I dropped the first 20 pounds that comes off easily (all the bloat, swelling, water...that stuff.). I can't seem to lose a single pound now. Any advice?

Replies

  • pippywillow
    pippywillow Posts: 253 Member
    It might help if you open up your diary so we can see. Are you counting calories?

    Did you give up meat just for weight loss, or for another reason? Protein can really help keep you full and energized.

    What sort of workout are you doing?
  • Mokey41
    Mokey41 Posts: 5,769 Member
    Fill out all the info MFP asks for, set a reasonable budget, track all your food, eat within the budget, and report back in a month.
  • diannethegeek
    diannethegeek Posts: 14,776 Member
    It's all about how many calories you're eating. Are you weighing/measuring your food and tracking your calories or are you just trying to eat healthy and hope it's enough. I've tried cutting things out of my diet and didn't drop a pound until I actually started adding up how many calories I eat daily. Try it for a few weeks.
  • herblackwings39
    herblackwings39 Posts: 3,930 Member
    Are you using a kitchen scale to weigh and cups to measure all your food/liquids? Do you track honestly and double check the entries? Are you eating enough? Too much? What's your calorie goal and do you reach it? Age, height, weight, how much do you have to lose? How much did you tell MFP you want to lose per week?
  • Angila
    Angila Posts: 91 Member
    You need to track your calories. Nuts have a lot of calories so you need to watch your servings.
  • MightyDomo
    MightyDomo Posts: 1,265 Member
    You need protein for muscles, you need muscles to burn fat and you need to also be eating foods that fuel your workouts as well.

    You should be consuming between .5-1g of protein per lb of goal body weight at minimum and you also need to ensure you are consuming enough carbs and healthy fats as well. Net 1200 calories as a minimum and track every single crumb that goes into your mouth and ensure you are accurately tracking your exercise and you will see a loss. It's not a total mystery as weight loss is a simple math problem

    calories in - calories out = deficit
    approx 3500 kcals deficit = approx 1 lb weight loss

    So if you have a deficit of 3500 kcals per week you will lose a lb each week as long as you are not eating ridiculous amounts of sodium (and ensuring you eat a minimum level of sodium as well) to help prevent water retention (water weight).

    There is no mystery if you take a good enough look at what you are doing.
  • Mefanie
    Mefanie Posts: 10 Member
    My body tends to lose inches before it loses the pounds- especially if I kick up up the excercise and start getting my muscle back. The first couple of months usually find the scale moving up, but my pant size moving down. Depressing at times, but I try not to focus on the punds, but on how my close feel and my muscles feel. Stick with excercise and diet. It will happen. Everyone is different.
  • maab12
    maab12 Posts: 65 Member
    if your eating the right amount of calories and eating the right type of food: you can always check sodium levels which causes water retention.

    it might help you to check out your thyroid and make sure that is working properly. a lot of people tend to develop thyroid problems after having a child.
  • maybeebaby518
    maybeebaby518 Posts: 1 Member
    First off you started and are commited so props to you for making it that far! Don't get discouraged it takes time! Plus muscle weighs more than fat keep in mind so you might loose inches before weight!! The scale is just a number!

    When I started I had no idea what to do. I've learned a lot through trainers and gym programs and friends who study nutrition. Start with baby steps! You are adjusting your LIFE STYLE not a diet! learn how to read nutrition labels - feel free to message me add me or anything if you have questions! Also on FB some friends have groups that we post meals and ideas too which is wicked helpful and motivational.

    Labels: READ THEM! Is the first time and second look at protein and sugar. Dont ignore calories but focus on those. You always ALWAYS ALWAYS want more protein than sugars.

    Protein protein protein! That is so important. Cutting meat means you wont hit the amount of protein you need for your muscles. I personal CANNOT drink protein drinks i get sick my body does not digest protein correctly in liquid form so you could find ways to add it in... oatmeal with protein powder and peanut butter is a great start! Chicken has a lot of protein! More or less every meal you want to hit protein and veggies. Also rather than eating 3 meals try adjusting to 5. So for me each meal is 300ish calories. Lunch and dinner is usually 400 but my snacks are 250/300. The first thing someone said to me that helped me was flip your meals... switch lunch and dinner. Lunch you have a lighter - salad etc. Dinner you have rice pasta etc. Try flipping those because you want the carbs and what not earlier in the day to burn it off before bed!

    Always make sure you eat before you work out. If your working out on an empty stomach... you can get sick and the blood is going to the tummy and not the body part your working out on. Also lift then do 15/20 minutes of cardio. "Lifting" first puts blood in the area and then cardio will help to just shred and focus on that area!!!

    Well I think that's enough baby steps for now. Start with some of these then move onto the next step. Seriously message me if you have some questions!
  • norrisski
    norrisski Posts: 1,217 Member
    30 minutes of exercise helps you maintain weight, 60 minutes helps you lose.
  • __Di__
    __Di__ Posts: 1,658 Member
    30 minutes of exercise helps you maintain weight, 60 minutes helps you lose.

    So if I exercise for just 30 minutes, but am in a deficit, you are saying I won't lose weight?
  • dcs1029
    dcs1029 Posts: 1
    This is exactly how I am inches coming off but scale going up very frustrating for me...but I am pressing.
  • Samstan101
    Samstan101 Posts: 699 Member
    30 minutes of exercise helps you maintain weight, 60 minutes helps you lose.

    Really? So my 40lb loss exercising 30mins a day 5 times a week came from where?
  • diannethegeek
    diannethegeek Posts: 14,776 Member
    30 minutes of exercise helps you maintain weight, 60 minutes helps you lose.

    So I didn't actually lose all this weight doing 20-40 minutes of exercise? I'll have to go adjust my ticker...
  • QuilterInVA
    QuilterInVA Posts: 672 Member
    It's a scientific fat you can goggle that you have to exercise for at least 60 minutes for it to affect your weight loss. Weight loss is 80% what you eat and 20% exercise so you didn't lost all your weight with that little exercise.
  • Mokey41
    Mokey41 Posts: 5,769 Member
    It's a scientific fat you can goggle that you have to exercise for at least 60 minutes for it to affect your weight loss. Weight loss is 80% what you eat and 20% exercise so you didn't lost all your weight with that little exercise.

    Show me this scientific fact in a research document. Not a Yahoo article or something from Huffington Post.
  • krisjohnson121
    krisjohnson121 Posts: 87 Member
    I saw this question posed but why cut out meat? Protein is important for our diet and helps us to feel full.

    I have been up and down with my weight - after my son was born I it has been the hardest for me to lose weight - not sure if it is that I turned 30, had y second child or the repercussions of all my ups and downs - but this is the longest I have stuck and it has been slow.

    I am now at a point where I can see a difference and people are starting to notice. It's not what any one wants to hear but you just have to stick with it!
  • __Di__
    __Di__ Posts: 1,658 Member
    It's a scientific fat you can goggle that you have to exercise for at least 60 minutes for it to affect your weight loss. Weight loss is 80% what you eat and 20% exercise so you didn't lost all your weight with that little exercise.

    This is absolute rubbish. Seriously, cut it out with the broscience, it is getting beyond ridiculous on MFP lately.

    ALL movement uses energy, ALL energy uses calories. Therefore, if you move about it burn the calories, whether that be one minute or five hours or more.

    There is no set time you have to do exercise for, it ALL counts, every last bit, so stop telling people that what you have just written is based on fact, because it is not, it is based on broscience rubbish and there is far too much of that on these forums lately.
  • skullshank
    skullshank Posts: 4,323 Member
    It's a scientific fat you can goggle...

    lol.gif

    Edited to add: I'm laughing at both the spelling error AND the hilarity of the opening statement.
  • bacitracin
    bacitracin Posts: 921 Member
    ALL movement uses energy, ALL energy uses calories. Therefore, if you move about it burn the calories, whether that be one minute or five hours or more.

    I'm with you, I burn calories 1,440 minutes a day.
  • Shy_Yogi
    Shy_Yogi Posts: 101 Member
    Go see a dr if nothing else is working. There may be a medical issue (like your Thyroid being off - when I can't lose weight but do everything I'm supposed to, I get my thyroid checked....then again, I have hypothyroidism). It doesn't hurt to be sure and rule out a medical condition if you haven't already done so....
  • cmcollins001
    cmcollins001 Posts: 3,472 Member
    It's a scientific fat you can goggle that you have to exercise for at least 60 minutes for it to affect your weight loss. Weight loss is 80% what you eat and 20% exercise so you didn't lost all your weight with that little exercise.

    whut1.gif
  • diannethegeek
    diannethegeek Posts: 14,776 Member
    It's a scientific fat you can goggle that you have to exercise for at least 60 minutes for it to affect your weight loss. Weight loss is 80% what you eat and 20% exercise so you didn't lost all your weight with that little exercise.

    whut1.gif

    I am so happy to learn that this .gif exists.
  • herblackwings39
    herblackwings39 Posts: 3,930 Member
    It's a scientific fat you can goggle that you have to exercise for at least 60 minutes for it to affect your weight loss. Weight loss is 80% what you eat and 20% exercise so you didn't lost all your weight with that little exercise.

    whut1.gif

    I am so happy to learn that this .gif exists.

    Agreed. There should be more .gifs like this.
  • Gsdmom2
    Gsdmom2 Posts: 20 Member
    It may be beneficial to see a physician to rule out a physiological reason for this, such as hypothyroidism. He/she can refer you to a nutritionist for dietary analysis and advice, There are tons of "diets" and programs available, but the truth of it is that a 1 lb weight loss equates to 3500 calories expended. No getting around that one! Good luck on your journey. you WIll find a solution.
  • diannethegeek
    diannethegeek Posts: 14,776 Member
    I love mysteries, but I hate not knowing who dun it at the end. OP, I hope you'll come back and let us know if this thread has been any help.
  • Cherry_T
    Cherry_T Posts: 62 Member
    Be mindful of your calorie sources. Fat and protein are the slowest to break down, making them ideal.
  • mwright9983
    mwright9983 Posts: 3
    It might help if you open up your diary so we can see. Are you counting calories?

    Did you give up meat just for weight loss, or for another reason? Protein can really help keep you full and energized.

    What sort of workout are you doing?

    I'll open my diary but like I said, it's been on my own up until now so there was nothing in my diary. Just started MFP here recently. I honestly haven't counted calories but have cut my portions in half. I cut out meat because I wanted to be healthier and with all the hormones and other unnatural added ingredients, meat was making me sick to even think about eating. So, it was a personal choice. I found protein in peanut butter and almonds...etc.

    I was doing a combination of workout routines I found in magazines.

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