Weight isn't going down?

Bonushkie
Bonushkie Posts: 17
in Health and Weight Loss
I've been dieting for about 3 and a half months, and working out for the past month and a half. I haven't really updated here in a while but my starting weight was ~190-200 lbs(86-90 kg) and I'm now at around 177(80.6 kg). 2 weeks ago my weight was 80.6kg and the week before it was 1kg higher. However since 2 weeks ago the number on the scale has not budged.

I've been keeping under my daily calorie limit of 1350(I'm 5'4/163 cm) though on the rare occasion I go over it I still stay under 1500.

As for working out, first 2 weeks I only did couch to 5k workouts 3 times a week, then added gym(bike/treadmill+ a bit of weights for the upper body) and 2 weeks ago I started doing some more intensive weight training- using all the machines plus squats and more free weights.

I've been measuring myself and while the number is going down(since 2 weeks ago I've lost about 5cm from both bust and hips and about 1-2 everywhere else except arms which are the same) it doesn't seem likely that my weight would stop going down this early. I know in some cases it's caused by gaining muscle but that makes sense for someone slimmer, not someone who is 60 lbs overweight. At this stage shouldn't I still be at the part where I lose weight rather than being at a standstill?

My measurements from 2 weeks ago:

Bust - 98 cm 38.58 inch

Chest - 84 cm 33 inch

Waist - 83 cm 32.67 inch

Hips - 103 cm 40.5 inch

Thighs - 56 cm 22 inch

Calves - 37 cm 14.5 inch

Upper arm - 31 cm 12.2 inch

Forearm - 22 cm 8.6 inch

And measurements from today:


Bust - 93 cm 36.6 inch

Chest - 82 cm 32.28 inch

Waist - 81 cm 31.8 inch

Hips - 98 cm 38.58 inch

Thighs - 55 cm 21.6 inch

Calves - 35 cm 13.7 inch

Upper arm - 31 cm 12.2 inch

Forearm - 22 cm 8.6 inch

My mom's been giving me **** and telling me that I must not be serious enough, and that I need to cut anything high in calories out of my diet(according to her my diet should be pretty much only baked chicken breast/fish, veggies, low fat cheese and rice cakes, the usual 1200 calorie menu most dietitians prescribe). Is this a cause for worry and should I be eating less, or am I doing everything ok?

Replies

  • TonyStark30
    TonyStark30 Posts: 497 Member
    Are you drinking enough water? How much cheese are you actually eating? Do your muscles feel swollen?
  • Elieplo
    Elieplo Posts: 14
    But you have been going down, kilos and inches!

    Things take time, and it's also about a lifestyle change. Also you're body needs time to adjust. If you start cutting down too much you're body just goes into starvation mode.

    I started at x-mas at it took a hell of a long time before my weigt actually started to drop off. It was only recently and now it dropped fast.

    Keep up the good work!
  • TINAHUNTER1969
    TINAHUNTER1969 Posts: 219 Member
    Are you eating your exercise calories back? Sometimes if I don't eat some of these calories back my weight stays the same.

    Try sticking to calories and eating extra exercise calories for a couple of weeks and see how that goes.

    Also drink plenty of water.

    Healthy eating doesn't have to be boring.

    Slow and steady loss is best.

    Good luck x
  • Bonushkie
    Bonushkie Posts: 17
    Are you drinking enough water? How much cheese are you actually eating? Do your muscles feel swollen?

    I should probably drink more water but I try to keep it over 1 liter per day. I drink much more when I work out.

    As for cheese, I don't eat a lot of it, maybe 2 slices now and then? I do have a protein issue since I hardly eat meat. I do eat a lot of tofu though not sure if that's good or bad.

    And my muscles are swollen, first time I did squats I was so sore I could barely move for a few days, now they're pretty swollen but nothing serious enough that I can't do the usual workout.

    At first the weight did drop pretty fast, about 1kg a week and sometimes even more. But 2 weeks ago it just stopped, which sucks because I'm 1kg away from not being in the obese BMI category.
  • landodewd
    landodewd Posts: 43 Member
    I lost 29 pounds in 6 weeks and was so excited and thought this is easy. Big mistake I didn't lose a pound for 3 1/2 weeks. I was so upset and wanted to quit but kept with it and finally lost 1 pound last week. I ended up losing 3 more. You will hit point where you won't lose any weight but stick with it. You are losing inches that is awesome! I hardly have lost any that is more frustrating than the weight. Keep up the good work it will come. We are living a healthier lifestyle weight loss is the bonus :smile:
  • padams2359
    padams2359 Posts: 1,093 Member
    1) Your measurements are getting better. You may be loosing fat, and gaining muscle.
    2) STOP LISTENING TO YOUR MOTHER!
  • Bonushkie
    Bonushkie Posts: 17
    Could the stall just be due to changing my exercise routine? Before the weight training I did was pretty pathetic and I've definitely added a lot. I've been using heavier weights on both machines and free weights since I started. Sadly my thighs aren't getting that much smaller but hopefully that's temporary.

    Cardio's a bit weird though, while the resistance on the exercise bike is higher and I can go faster on the treadmill, I get these weird stabs of pain in my calves in front(where the bone is) when I'm on the treadmill for ~15 minutes. It's quite a ***** and I usually stop at 15-20 minutes and do another 15-20 on the exercise bike since that doesn't seem to flare it up. Gym trainers say it's just me being out of shape, maybe I'd manage to go up to 40 minutes on the treadmill again if I didn't keep setting it to higher speeds.

    Also high chance I'm not getting enough protein. Not a huge fan of meat so it's an issue. Maybe I should ask at the gym if they can measure my BF% so that I'll have another indicator of progress.
  • TonyStark30
    TonyStark30 Posts: 497 Member
    Are you drinking enough water? How much cheese are you actually eating? Do your muscles feel swollen?

    I should probably drink more water but I try to keep it over 1 liter per day. I drink much more when I work out.

    As for cheese, I don't eat a lot of it, maybe 2 slices now and then? I do have a protein issue since I hardly eat meat. I do eat a lot of tofu though not sure if that's good or bad.

    And my muscles are swollen, first time I did squats I was so sore I could barely move for a few days, now they're pretty swollen but nothing serious enough that I can't do the usual workout.

    At first the weight did drop pretty fast, about 1kg a week and sometimes even more. But 2 weeks ago it just stopped, which sucks because I'm 1kg away from not being in the obese BMI category.

    Well like everyone has said just keep going, you are still progressing. The Swollen Muscles is extra water, so that is part of why your weight is the same, if you eat more protein to recover and up your water you will see your muscles let that go in the form of a big loss.

    If you eat high sodium foods this will just make the overall water retention in your body even worse.

    This is why for some people it is better to take measurements than to just watch the scales.
  • JADEPH0EN1X
    JADEPH0EN1X Posts: 162 Member
    Personally I think your doing well ! The scale has moved - maybe not as much as youd have liked but it has gonre down . Also you've lost inches so your obviously doing something right . Stick with it and you will see results again . I was stuck for a couple of weeks too ! I agree not too take any notice of your mothers comments .
  • lauren3101
    lauren3101 Posts: 1,853 Member
    1. You are losing - inches. Would you rather look very overweight yet weigh less, or weigh more and look slim?
    2. 2 weeks is not a plateau.
    3. Eat your exercise calories back or you WILL plateau.
    4. Don't listen to your mother.
  • alisam567
    alisam567 Posts: 34 Member
    I haven't lost any 'weight' for nearly six weeks - BUT I have dropped a dress size. Slowly but surely I have learnt that the scales don't really mean anything! Put it this way - I bet you look slimmer now from inch loss that you would have looked had it just been weight loss! What would you rather?
  • gigglesinthesun
    gigglesinthesun Posts: 860 Member
    clearly losing 17cm in total are the hallmarks of someone lazy and uncommitted ... hmmm ... is there a sarcastic smiley somewhere I could use?

    keep doing what you are doing and if it stops working at some point then reassess. Eating only bland food (diet food) makes me crave unhealthy food like mad and eventually I will binge, so I much rather eat things in moderation.
  • Bonushkie
    Bonushkie Posts: 17
    I might be slimmer but since I still have ~60 lbs to lose I still look and feel like a blob. Slightly smaller blob but baby steps I guess. Maybe I'm just feeling off because I was in heavy denial about how fat I got before I started the diet and am just impatient now and want to get it all off.

    I did hear that eating too little is inefficient, that for optimal weight loss you need to eat within a certain amount? I'm currently 177lbs at 5'4 and eating around 1350 a day(I don't add more on workout days). I should probably ignore all of these OMG 1200 OR LESS THAT IS HOW IT NEEDS TO BE FOR ALL WOMEN people.

    Any advice on how to get more protein in there though? I'm definitely getting way too little and I have a hard time with meat. For some reason I don't really like eating it.
  • juleszephyr
    juleszephyr Posts: 442 Member
    Ok firstly, since when is 177 60lbs overweight for your height. Your top BMI is around 146 (I know as am same height as you) and you are still losing inches.
    Give your body a chance to adapt and catch up.
    Drink lots of water
    Make good food and exercise choices.
    DO NOT cut your calories any more
    Be patient
  • Bonushkie
    Bonushkie Posts: 17
    Well according to BMI calculators I'm at 30.3 and 30+ is obese. I'm hoping to get to around 120, I remember being 135 lbs and I was quite chubby at that weight but I guess it might be different with muscles.

    Guess a more realistic goal would be 15% BF
  • JADEPH0EN1X
    JADEPH0EN1X Posts: 162 Member
    There are lots of things that are full of protein such as :-

    Fish
    Eggs
    Nuts
    Seeds
    Pulses & beans to name a few
  • lauren3101
    lauren3101 Posts: 1,853 Member
    I might be slimmer but since I still have ~60 lbs to lose I still look and feel like a blob. Slightly smaller blob but baby steps I guess. Maybe I'm just feeling off because I was in heavy denial about how fat I got before I started the diet and am just impatient now and want to get it all off.

    I did hear that eating too little is inefficient, that for optimal weight loss you need to eat within a certain amount? I'm currently 177lbs at 5'4 and eating around 1350 a day(I don't add more on workout days). I should probably ignore all of these OMG 1200 OR LESS THAT IS HOW IT NEEDS TO BE FOR ALL WOMEN people.

    Any advice on how to get more protein in there though? I'm definitely getting way too little and I have a hard time with meat. For some reason I don't really like eating it.

    That is where you are going wrong. The most important thing with weight loss is patience. It is not going to come off as quick as you'd like, you will probably hit plateaus, and it will be difficult at times. It took me years to learn that and accept it, but once I did, it got easier.

    You need to eat back your exercise calories. Get yourself a HRM for a more accurate calorie burn as MFP has a tendency to overestimate. Your body will thank you.

    As for protein, do you like fish? Greek yogurt, nuts, cottage cheese, milk, eggs, beans, grains, etc are all good for protein. You could also try making a protein shake a day.

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