no weight loss?

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sophiepellatt
sophiepellatt Posts: 4
in Health and Weight Loss
Hi guys,

i've been watching my calories and exercising 6 times a week for about 3 weeks now, and no weight loss? I did lose about 5 pounds but have put it all back on again - while still doing the exact same thing!

Can someone tell me why this might be? and could I also have some advice on the best exercises to do at the gym? I'm currently doing 30 minutes on the treadmill and then weights for about 30 mins. I also dance twice a week and attend a body step class once a week.

any advice would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks :):)

Replies

  • monamijj
    monamijj Posts: 3 Member
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    I am relatively new to all of this, but ever since my son-in-law sent me this apps back near the end of January, this is what has worked for me.

    First and foremost, I started tracking every morsel of food that entered my mouth. For exercise, I was going to the gym M-F for about an hour, doing 30 mins on the treadmill and 30 mins of weights on Mon, Wed, and Fri, and 60 minutes on the elliptical on Tues and Thurs (I had already been doing this for the past year prior to this).

    I have been very meticulous about recording all of my exercise and meal consumption from the very first day I started this journey on January 26th of this year.

    The weight started to drop slowly. But due to the fact that I spent a good time each and every day recording, analyzing, and tweaking my exercise and food consumption, here is where I am today:

    I increased my exercise immensely: I am retired and started playing some good competitive indoor tennis 2 or more days a week, each session lasting 2 hours. This burned quite a few calories.

    As far as as my gym workouts go, recognizing I could burn more calories on the elliptical than on the treadmill, in Feb I dropped my 30 minutes on the treadmill and moved that 30 minutes of exercise over to the elliptical. That burned off an additional 200 calories for the same amount of time.

    I never did any formal exercise on the weekends, but in order to ensure I did not eat more calories than permitted for Sat and Sun, I now do 80 minutes on the elliptical for both days.

    During the good weather (I live in the DC metropolitan area) I also walk at night with my friend for about 45 minutes (2.5 miles). This is a bonus for me.

    As far as my food consumption goes, I started weighing my food and making much better menu choices (you have got to read those labels). I try very hard to only eat food that has some nutritional value to provide to my body cells.

    This apps is so great because I can plan my meals based on the amount of protein, fiber, sugar, and fat I have consumed throughout the day. It keeps me on track and helps me ensure that I am getting adequate nutritional needs.

    After all this hard work, I allow myself to have whatever I want on Friday (love homemade pizza) and Saturday, but with all this exercise that I now have in my life, I am almost always under my recommended caloric intake.

    Bottom line: I have gone from 142 pounds in January to 124 pounds today. I am still losing, but should be approaching the maintenance phase within the next month or two.

    For the first time in my life, the weight is just coming off. I cook everything from natural ingredients and from scratch. No processed foods in my kitchen anymore. I believe this journey is all about nutritional food, portion control, and a solid exercise routine. There's no magic that I can see. As someone who have been very active in sports her whole life, my weight has always been an issue. I have lost almost a total of 30 pounds since Last June (started getting serious after my daughter's wedding).

    This apps just plain works! It just takes self discipline, and some good decision making.
  • eldamiano
    eldamiano Posts: 2,667 Member
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    Exercise doesnt equal weight loss. Calorie deficit = weight loss. Some people on here will tell you it might be water retention, but this will not be a sustained reasoning.
  • StaciMarie1974
    StaciMarie1974 Posts: 4,138 Member
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    What do you mean by 'watching' calories?

    What is your height/weight/age/gender? What is your goal - as in how many pounds to lose each week? How many calories do you eat per day? Do you weigh and log everything? For exercise calories, how do you determine how many calories you burn & do you eat them back?
  • csy108
    csy108 Posts: 58 Member
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    During the good weather (I live in the DC metropolitan area) I also walk at night with my friend for about 45 minutes (2.5 miles). This is a bonus for me.

    This would work better if it hadn't gone from 30s in April to 90s in May. What happened to the seasons around here?
  • monamijj
    monamijj Posts: 3 Member
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    Don't ya know, there is no Springtime in Washington DC. We go from Winter right into Summer!

    If you want to experience Springtime, you have to go to my native town of Boston.
  • stevesilk
    stevesilk Posts: 204 Member
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    Bottom line is that you are not eating at a deficit. The amount of calories you eat each day are the amount of calories your body processes to maintain your weight. Your exercise is a part of the number of calories you burn each day. But without a SPECIFIC plan that you are accountable to every day, you'll continue to struggle.

    1. Determine your daily intake now (Either go to a site like IIFYM.com). You can also measure yourself over several days. Don;t lower anything, just measure. You're eating what your body needs to maintain itself. Including your extra weight.

    2. Once you have your "number", lower it by 10-20%. That might only mean that you'll lose .5-1 pound a week. That's fine at first. You aren't losing anything now. That ew lower number is your target EVERY day.

    3. Weigh and measure your food so you know exactly how much you are eating. Keeping an eye on it is what got you into the problem in the first place.

    4. Buy a heart rate monitor and measure your workouts.

    5. Write down both 1 and 2 every day. All of it.

    6. Drink water.

    7. Sleep 7-8 hours a night.

    8. Repeat daily.

    Unless you are medically unable to lose weight (thyroid, etc.) then you'll lose weight over time. You aren't unique in that respect. Your body will function metabolically like ours. You just have to work at it.
  • diannethegeek
    diannethegeek Posts: 14,776 Member
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    What do you mean by 'watching' calories?

    What is your height/weight/age/gender? What is your goal - as in how many pounds to lose each week? How many calories do you eat per day? Do you weigh and log everything? For exercise calories, how do you determine how many calories you burn & do you eat them back?

    ^^This is where to start. Answer these questions and open your diary if you're comfortable doing so. It's hard to give advice on your specific situation without more details.
  • Ready2Rock206
    Ready2Rock206 Posts: 9,488 Member
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    Exercise doesnt equal weight loss. Calorie deficit = weight loss.

    This. You can exercise all day long, but if you eat more than you burn you won't lose weight.
  • leighqt
    leighqt Posts: 14 Member
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    eat in deficit, weigh all food , if you are weight training, are you sure you havn;t gained muscle (which is what you want to do ) body fat is what you want to be losing . Bodybuilding.com is a great site to look at . plus 3 weeks really is not that long,

    Weigh at same time of day , do you clothes feel looser ,do you feel better. ?

    If you answered yes ,keep doing that .
  • donyellemoniquex3
    donyellemoniquex3 Posts: 2,384 Member
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    Open your diary.
  • dmenchac
    dmenchac Posts: 447 Member
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    eat in deficit, weigh all food , if you are weight training, are you sure you havn;t gained muscle (which is what you want to do ) body fat is what you want to be losing . Bodybuilding.com is a great site to look at . plus 3 weeks really is not that long,

    Weigh at same time of day , do you clothes feel looser ,do you feel better. ?

    If you answered yes ,keep doing that .

    It is very rare that you will gain muscle while at a deficit.
  • Four_Leaf_Clover
    Four_Leaf_Clover Posts: 332 Member
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    I had a similar concern and got great advice:

    Not losing = You are not at a caloric deficit
    Log like its your job every bite (weigh and measure everything!)
    Don't overestimate exercise calories burned (use an HRM not MFP entries or gym machine #s) - and don't eat them all back (to hedge against overestimating them).

    Open your diary for sure and people can give advice about that.
  • sophiepellatt
    sophiepellatt Posts: 4
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    I'm probably eating about 1000 calories a day. I have a very low appetite and when I exercise I do not eat them back. by 'watching' calories I mean filling myself up with lower cal foods, as before I started this I would eat little but in high cal foods. So I am at a deficit.
  • sophiepellatt
    sophiepellatt Posts: 4
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    I am 5'1, 20 years old and I weigh 164 pounds. I would like to be about 130 pounds.
  • sophiepellatt
    sophiepellatt Posts: 4
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    I do have an underactive thyroid so I know weight loss won't be easy for me. was just asking for exercise advice - not diet advice. Thanks anyway though.
  • gotolam
    gotolam Posts: 262 Member
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    ... by 'watching' calories I mean filling myself up with lower cal foods, as before I started this I would eat little but in high cal foods. So I am at a deficit.

    No, that does not mean you are necessarily at a deficit.
  • gotolam
    gotolam Posts: 262 Member
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    I do have an underactive thyroid so I know weight loss won't be easy for me. was just asking for exercise advice - not diet advice. Thanks anyway though.

    You're getting diet advice because your OP is about losing weight. Exercise isn't really going to get you there.

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