Hard time losing weight

How much are you eating in calories? Diary isn't open. How much are you exercising? What do you mean you tried everything? What are your realistic expectations on losing weight?

Okay.
1. You need to do some research on your TDEE.
2. You actually might need to eat more.
3. Your expectations are not realistic in my humble opinion. Shoot for .5 to a 1 lb a week at the most.

log everything in your food diet and be honest (every sugar and milk in your coffee, every stolen chip) I had a hard time losing weight until I realised by logging extremely honestly that I was eating about 300 cals - 500cals more a day than I thought, it was a shock. I'd underestimated the weight of things until I started weighing everything, and not properly realised how many cals I was drinking whether milky tea with a teaspoon of sugar or a couple of vodka diet cokes at a bar.

Also unless you have a chest strap heart rate monitor be careful about eating all exercise cals back because any other method whether it's the gym machine or MFP's estimates may be telling you a generous amount when in reality you've only burned 70% that figure and end up just eating at TDEE.

If you open your diary I expect some of the professional bods on here will be able to give more personalised advice though

As for recipes Butternut Squash wedges are my fave potato wedge replacement, cut up your BNS into chunky wedges with 1 cal olive oil spray season with salt, pepper, paprika and a hint of cayenne (if you want a bit of heat), shove in the oven for 20-30mins.

Approx 45cals per 100g of wedges and 1 of your 5 a day

(compared to 78cals per 100g healthy potato wedges prepared the same way)

If you're not loosing weight then it's because your fat is TURNING INTO muscle - hence not loosing scale weight!

Fat is fat and muscle is muscle. Unless you are taking a class at Hogwarts, one can't magically become the other.

1000-1200 calories per day is way too low. I can't imagine staying at that level long term. For me, if I am not eating enough protein, I don't lose very well.

I also don't lose a ton of scale weight when I am working out hard, but I will lose body fat. How are your clothes fitting? Did you take measurements and/or before photos? There can be a major difference there and not much on the scale if you are exercising more intensely then before.

Just seen your reply if you're really eating at 1000-1200 that's way too low especially if you're exercising, I am not on any special kind of diet (I keep my eye on sat fat and cals that's it) and I lose on much higher cals.

I weigh 146.5 at the mo I lose eating 1400-1500 (try to be healthy but I don't cut out any food group) sedentary, I'll be back into my usual exercise routine of 30mins a day next week and I will prob eat at 1600-1700 I lose on average approx 3/4 pound a week (lost 2 pounds this week but that's just xmas pounds coming off quickly and I don't expect to keep up at that pace)

Don't punish yourself to lose weight by being ultra restrictive it's too hard and can end up being counterproductive. Good luck and hope you find what works for you.

If you're not loosing weight then it's because your fat is TURNING INTO muscle - hence not loosing scale weight!

I can't tell, but I sincerely hope that you are being sarcastic. Fat does not "turn into" anything. Least of all muscle.

Try this - it has worked for me:

*weigh/measure/log every bite of food you eat - every day
*eat at a healthy calorie deficit from your TDEE ( google TDEE calculator if you don't know your TDEE)
*find something you enjoy and do it consistently
*learn moderation (this is the hard one) and try not to eliminate foods that you enjoy. Portion control is the key.
*have an immense amount of patience
*don't quit

Good luck!

Although I agree with the general advice you've given, the comment about fat not turning into anything is completely wrong!

All matter turns into other things, you can't destroy it ONLY turn it into something else. http://science.howstuffworks.com/life/human-biology/lost-weight1.htm

So yes burning fat during exercise does effectively build muscle albeit in a round about way.

Vague and confusing is always going to be vague and confusing. Fat can not become muscle. You can actually LOSE fat and not build any muscle.

What's vague or confusing?

Also, of course you can lose fat without building muscle. You have to work them to build them. Fat can be burned and 'used' in other ways other than fuelling muscle use/growth as the article explains. But, you quoted that fat could not be turned into anything, and the opposite is true, fat HAS TO BE turned into something else.

Very... and you're a lot lighter than me!

If you're not loosing weight then it's because your fat is TURNING INTO muscle - hence not loosing scale weight!

I can't tell, but I sincerely hope that you are being sarcastic. Fat does not "turn into" anything. Least of all muscle.

Try this - it has worked for me:

*weigh/measure/log every bite of food you eat - every day
*eat at a healthy calorie deficit from your TDEE ( google TDEE calculator if you don't know your TDEE)
*find something you enjoy and do it consistently
*learn moderation (this is the hard one) and try not to eliminate foods that you enjoy. Portion control is the key.
*have an immense amount of patience
*don't quit

Good luck!

Although I agree with the general advice you've given, the comment about fat not turning into anything is completely wrong!

All matter turns into other things, you can't destroy it ONLY turn it into something else. http://science.howstuffworks.com/life/human-biology/lost-weight1.htm

So yes burning fat during exercise does effectively build muscle albeit in a round about way.

Vague and confusing is always going to be vague and confusing. Fat can not become muscle. You can actually LOSE fat and not build any muscle.

What's vague or confusing?

Also, of course you can lose fat without building muscle. You have to work them to build them. Fat can be burned and 'used' in other ways other than fuelling muscle use/growth as the article explains. But, you quoted that fat could not be turned into anything, and the opposite is true, fat HAS TO BE turned into something else.

I edited my statement while you were posting. I edited to add that "in the context of this conversation" telling people that their fat is turning into muscle to explain their weight gain is confusing. After doing this for 3 months, it's unlikely that is the case.

I eat about 1000-1200 calories daily and do cardio for 30 minutes each morning and 30 minutes of weight training each morning together. I also attend Barry's Bootcamp twice a week which is a 800-1000 calorie burn itself.

By trying everything I meant about 3 different diets and working out and different types of workouts. I even had a personal trainer.

I'm at 158 and I'd like to be at 135-140 again. I'd like to lose 1-2 pounds per week.

If you aren't losing weight at that level of calorie intake and exercise then you are either 1) eating more calories than you think 2) very very very very short or 3) need to see a doctor because you have a medical issue. (I suspect the answer is 1. Probably due to you not weighing/measuring your food.)

You don't need to try any special diets, or being vegan or special workouts. Most people here who have lost weight do it by eating the foods they love without cutting out entire food groups, by just eating at a caloric deficit.

With only about 20 pounds to lose, 1-2 lbs a week isn't healthy or sustainable, you should be looking to lose .5-1 a week. People who aren't very overweight lose fat more slowly.

Regarding the measuring thing...you mentioned in another comment that you don't measure because there can't be that much difference. Well, are you eating 3oz or 6oz of chicken? That can be 100+ calorie difference. 1oz of granola or 2? (Easily 150+ cal difference) How many calories in a single slice of cheese? Bc it depends on the size of the slice. Do you know what a serving of rice looks like? Bc being off by a quarter cup could cost you 50 calories. It DOES make a difference.

If you're not loosing weight then it's because your fat is TURNING INTO muscle - hence not loosing scale weight!

Your fat is HIGHLY unlikely to 'turn into muscle' on a very low calorie vegan diet #justsaying

Realistic expectations:

If you have 75+ lbs to lose 2 lbs/week is ideal,
If you have 40-75 lbs to lose 1.5 lbs/week is ideal,
If you have 25-40 lbs to lose 1 lbs/week is ideal,
If you have 15 -25 lbs to lose 0.5 to 1.0 lbs/week is ideal, and
If you have less than 15 lbs to lose 0.5 lbs/week is ideal

OP, you have 27 pounds to lose, that means you shouldn't expect to lose more than 1 pound per week and 1/2 a pound per week wouldn't be anything to sniff at. So 4 pounds since Thanksgiving is absolutely right on target.

Be prould of your accomplishments and be patient

Please see my last post...
But I will endeavour to weight my food and see if that makes a difference next week. Thanks for the tips! I didn't mean to come across as nasty!

Please see my last post...
But I will endeavour to weight my food and see if that makes a difference next week. Thanks for the tips! I didn't mean to come across as nasty!

I don't think you're coming across as nasty, just frustrated and it's hard to think that you are doing things like under estimating how many cals of food you're eating or overestimating how many cals you burn. This was my exact problem.

I know I found a huge difference when I started weighing and logging everything that passed my lips (even sugar free drinks), it is just the little things that add up like underestimating what a tablespoon of peanut butter or light mayonnaise looks like, or that I was having double(!) the amount of museli then the portion on the box recommended, or that the cals between slices of wholegrain bread can vary from 60-160 cals.

I also found getting a heart rate monitor (in my case the Polar FT4) helped me track my cals burned during cardio exercise really helpful too.