I'm Over 200 lbs and CANNOT lose weight!!

I really need help. I have lost almost 50 lbs since May/June of last year. At first I was eating healthy and walking. From the walking I went from weighing 262 to 227. Then I thought I hit a wall/plateau. Then I joined a gym since January I went down to 213/212 lbs. Why is it that my weight loss slowed when I started exercising?? I still eat the same as I did last year and I include exercise. I exercise 4-6x a week . This week has been a lazy week and I have only worked out twice. I do elliptical for 40 mins (interval training/ hate it lol), Zumba, and strength training machines/dumbbells at the gym. My weight should be melting off since I am still over 200lbs but for months it is going SUPER slow like a snail. Last month I lost only 3 lbs. This month only 1 pound. I really want to lose 5-8 pounds a month. I am not anywhere near my goal so I do not get why I cannot lose weight fast, especially when I exercise (it makes me lose motivation).

Also my food diary is now public. Thanks.
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Replies

  • Chickee8586
    Chickee8586 Posts: 155 Member
    Hi, looking at your diary, it looks ok for food choices, but most things are measured in cups. Do you have a food scale? If so, try weighing everything instead of using: 1 banana or .5 cup of xxx.

    The calorie counts can be way off by using measuring cups or medium apple instead of using ounces or grams.

    And the other thing that everyone pretty much harps on is whether or not you log absolutely everything you are eating. Even down to salad dressing, or oil/butter for frying eggs, etc. While they may be small amounts, the calories in those can add up pretty quickly.

    Try that for a week or two and see if it makes any difference in your calorie totals.

    Also, exercise calories burned in MFP are usually way high. Another option is changing up your exercise. Try something new. While I love the elliptical, I gave it up because it got too easy for me to say "but I'm doing this???" and seeing little to no results from it. Have you tried any bodyweight exercises? Or maybe DVD workouts at home?

    Just some suggestions. Hope it helps and by the way, Congratulations on the 50 lbs lost so far! That's awesome.
  • mulecanter
    mulecanter Posts: 1,792 Member
    Well it's hard to know exactly, your diary looked ok at a glance. Since you are exercising more that will trigger all sorts of fluid shifts, that's likely the cause. I'd give yourself time to adjust to that. It's great that you are including strength training and I encourage you to keep at it. Having said that, I know that for me the best fat burner for me is running. When I was in the thick of my weight loss at a very similar weight range to you I put focus on increasing my mileage and subsequent calorie burn. As you lose weight your calorie burn per minute of cardio is decreasing so you have to work harder/longer to burn the same number of calories. I set a goal of burning 1000 calories on my cardio burns, it did the trick. Now I am putting more focus on weights as I am near my goal and want to up my base calorie burn level by adding muscle. Remember, you can't escape the physics of calories in/calories out. It will show on the scale eventually, patience.
  • ShantesNaturalVanity
    ShantesNaturalVanity Posts: 49 Member
    I just posted on this on my myfitnesspal blog. I am very close to your weight range. We can Do this together! I share pointers and tips, but mainly- I talk about the emotional things that arising during such a difficult journey. Please check it out!

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/ShantesNaturalVanity/
  • You need to eat more. If you don't eat enough for your body size then your body goes into starvation mode..which means no weight loss. Eat at least 1600 a day. No less than.
  • Kegha
    Kegha Posts: 37 Member
    your calorie need are not the same as when you started loosing, maybe you need to recalculate
  • SoDamnHungry
    SoDamnHungry Posts: 6,998 Member
    your calorie need are not the same as when you started loosing, maybe you need to recalculate

    This. And I agree with measuring food and making sure you're eating enough, but also not too much.
  • kmash32
    kmash32 Posts: 275 Member
    I know this will sound crazy but maybe try eating a little more. When I was not exercising I stuck to around 1300 calories a day and was losing okay. However when I started going to the gym, (I do about an hour of cardio and 30-45 minutes of strength 4-5 days a week) I tried upping my calories by only a hundred or two a day and wasted losing that much I have currently upped it to 1500 but on exercise days will generally eat at least 1600 and have started to lose weight again and I am a little smaller than you and have a slow metabolism due to no thyroid.
  • GiveMeCoffee
    GiveMeCoffee Posts: 3,556 Member
    It doesn't look like you weigh your food, also a couple questionable entries 4.02 of chocolate chip cookies? But the main ones I see are rice, bean pudding measured in cups. Also .25 of a medium avocado? How big was the avocado. Those are just a few, especially with the calorie dense foods, you are eating more than you think.

    $20 invest in a digital scale

    And please don't listen to anyone telling you to eat more, if you aren't losing you are not in a calorie deficit.

    Now one last thing HAVE PATIENCE!

    ETA: Please check this thread it should help:

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1234699-logging-accurately-step-by-step-guide?hl=accurate+logging+step
  • farway
    farway Posts: 1,257 Member
    It doesn't look like you weigh your food, also a couple questionable entries 4.02 of chocolate chip cookies? But the main ones I see are rice, bean pudding measured in cups. Also .25 of a medium avocado? How big was the avocado. Those are just a few, especially with the calorie dense foods, you are eating more than you think.

    $20 invest in a digital scale

    And please don't listen to anyone telling you to eat more, if you aren't losing you are not in a calorie deficit.

    Now one last thing HAVE PATIENCE!

    I just have to agree, weigh everything, do not eat more, ignore the "starvation mode" posts

    No fat person came out of the German concentration camps, calories in and calories out is the answer
  • kconrad1712
    kconrad1712 Posts: 36 Member
    When I hit a plateau, I reduce my carbs and up my fat and protein. Not by a lot, but it works for me. Have you considered reducing your carbs?
  • FitBikem
    FitBikem Posts: 1 Member
    First of all, congrats on your awesome wl so far...The last day of food looked good to me too, but listen to the ladies who say, weigh measure....

    I am in the same situation as you, maybe we are eating more than we think we are... I eyeball my portions, that might be too much....

    Thank you and do not give up... You can do it...Love, B...
  • GreatDepression
    GreatDepression Posts: 347 Member
    You're probably eating more calories than you are aware. Pretty much everyone underestimates calories when they eye portion sizes. Weighing what you can will help with this. I hit a plateau last month when I started to become more relaxed with weighing. It turns out I was routinely underestimating how many calories were really in that "small" portion of whatever. It sucks having to eat less if you enjoy eating but that's where you can substitute in non-starchy vegetables to eat large volumes of low-cal food.
  • luckypony71
    luckypony71 Posts: 399 Member
    I really need help. I have lost almost 50 lbs since May/June of last year. At first I was eating healthy and walking. From the walking I went from weighing 262 to 227. Then I thought I hit a wall/plateau. Then I joined a gym since January I went down to 213/212 lbs. Why is it that my weight loss slowed when I started exercising?? I still eat the same as I did last year and I include exercise. I exercise 4-6x a week . This week has been a lazy week and I have only worked out twice. I do elliptical for 40 mins (interval training/ hate it lol), Zumba, and strength training machines/dumbbells at the gym. My weight should be melting off since I am still over 200lbs but for months it is going SUPER slow like a snail. Last month I lost only 3 lbs. This month only 1 pound. I really want to lose 5-8 pounds a month. I am not anywhere near my goal so I do not get why I cannot lose weight fast, especially when I exercise (it makes me lose motivation).

    Also my food diary is now public. Thanks.

    I was in the same boat 234lbs only lost 15 the first year, 20 the 2nd year. I tried increasing my workouts, decreasing my workouts, I hired a personal trainer, but I was still not loosing fast enough.

    I bought a food scale in January. I weigh everything and It has made a huge difference. This year I have lost 25lbs so far and have not hit a plateau yet. (knock on wood)

    If you have one, use it. If you don't have one, go buy a digital food scale. It is really a great investment.
  • Hey there.
    My tips, I have a few.
    Breakfast, eggs definitely a winner they keep you ruler for longer and protein burns more calories digesting it due to thermogenic properties. Of course add in lots of veggies too!
    Omelettes are my saviour, that and stirfries with smoked haddock, chicken, prawns, seafood, quorn. Portion control is important.
    Soup is a great filler, and it is said eatiimg a low fat dairy product with a meal absorbs the fat of ameal and you errm poop it out to be polite.
    Water. Yes, I add sugar free cordial to mine. Make up a two litre bottle and drink from it through the day.
    Egg whites are great!
    Iron filled veggies great for energy! So through them into you diet too!
    Its shown a cup of coffee in the morning helps get the metabolism going too!
    Carbohydrate wise, stick to starchy veggies and beand beans, kidney beans great for a chilli, don't forget chickpeas and lentils and pulses and nuts. Porridge is great, maybe a scoop of protein powder too, oh and a table spoon of mixed nuts and dried fruit or fresh berries for healthy fat.s dried fruit is full of iron too! And keeps you regular ;-)
    Carbs if you are going for pastas and breads stick to whole grain and wholemeal personally my favourite carbs are porridge, banana and starvy veggies and beans and sweet corn.
    Avocado is amazing, and a healthy fat. Never eat to little fat even on a diet we need fat to function!
    I hope this ramble helps. I have recipes too if your interested. I'm bonnie and I wish you good luck on your weight loss endeavours!
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
    Weigh all your food and don't overestimate your calorie burns.
  • mommyrunning
    mommyrunning Posts: 495 Member
    As you lose weight your body burns less calories doing the same exercises. Your body could be getting used to the exercise you are doing and it isn't exerting as much effort. You can try increasing time and intensity or trying new work outs.
  • mommyrunning
    mommyrunning Posts: 495 Member
    Hang in there. Don't give up.
  • gmcoulombe
    gmcoulombe Posts: 14 Member
    -Count all your calories. Including the "tasting" you may do while preparing food. That adds up quick over the course of a week.
    -Weigh and log everything!


    Stick with it! You've done really well so far and you can see it through to the end!
  • starryphoenix
    starryphoenix Posts: 381 Member
    One other factor in weight loss slowing down is when you gain muscle. If you workout a lot you can't always rely in the scale, especially if you are strength training. What you should be paying attention to is if your clothes are starting to fit better. Sometimes people don't recognize this when they workout. If you are beginning to fit clothes better but your weight stays the same you are gaining muscle and that is great because muscle burns fat and will help you stay down.

    This is just one thing it might be. I weighed close to the same weight you are at now when I started. Feel free to take a look at my exercises and my diary.
  • GiveMeCoffee
    GiveMeCoffee Posts: 3,556 Member
    One other factor in weight loss slowing down is when you gain muscle. If you workout a lot you can't always rely in the scale, especially if you are strength training. What you should be paying attention to is if your clothes are starting to fit better. Sometimes people don't recognize this when they workout. If you are beginning to fit clothes better but your weight stays the same you are gaining muscle and that is great because muscle burns fat and will help you stay down.

    This is just one thing it might be. I weighed close to the same weight you are at now when I started. Feel free to take a look at my exercises and my diary.

    Sorry you are not gaining muscle.
  • brensjourney
    brensjourney Posts: 4 Member
    First of all, congrats on your progress so far!

    Second, you absolutely CAN be gaining muscle since you joined the gym. I am in pretty much the same boat. Lots of weight came off with minimal effort, then nothing, even though I started working even harder at it and joined a gym. My suggestion would be to see if your gym offers an assessment that includes body fat %. I was stunned to see that I had gained a pound (I still have 60+ lbs to lose) but, according to the machine, I had lost 8 lbs of fat, gained 4 lbs of muscle, and the rest was water -- which is now gone since I'm staying hydrated. So, it is possible.

    That being said -- stay hydrated! Keep a close eye on your calories. Eat enough (within your range) but not too much. Everyone here has offered good advice, just experiment with it. Try slowly upping the calories one week and see what happens, be sure to track your exercises (highly recommend a heart rate monitor!) so those calories are factored in. If that doesn't work, try lowering your carb count -- eat more protein and veggies. Experiment with it. We are all different so there is no one-size-fits-all solution. Most importantly, never give up! You're doing great.
  • Heatherybit
    Heatherybit Posts: 91 Member
    Heart Rate Monitor. You might not be burning as much as you think you are when working out. Digital scale, the measuring cups are straight up liars!
  • healthygreek
    healthygreek Posts: 2,137 Member
    You are not losing because you are not in a deficit. I agree with all the others who said get a food scale.
  • TexasGal1
    TexasGal1 Posts: 65 Member
  • natstar26
    natstar26 Posts: 130 Member
    At first you tend to lose a good amount of weight and yes it does slow down after a while, this is NORMAL. You need to change up your exercises. I also see you are not having enough protein in your diet, its very important as it helps your muscles stay healthy and strong. Having low or no protein in your daily lifestyle over time isn't a good thing. You will lose weight even if you don't eat much protein obviously but some of this will be muscle not just fat and water. Make sure as the others have said to measure and weigh your food and even oils, butters ect Keeping your muscles strong by eating enough protein and doing what you are doing by the strength training will help with those stubborn lbs :) Good luck
  • Phoenix__Rising
    Phoenix__Rising Posts: 9,981 Member
    Do you drink plenty of water and rest as well? Have you
    ever tested for thyroid conditions? I was where you
    are now when I began here (not with this nic).
    I never thought I would break under 200, with my
    conditions I was told I couldn't,but I did.It's other
    small things you might need to change. Even just
    temporarily.

    I quit breads/pastas and rice for several months.
    Sometimes I have them now. By taking a mini
    vacation from some foods, your body might adapt
    by shedding excess weight easier. Idk otherwise as
    no 2 bodies are just alike. You have/are doing
    great!! Don't get frustrated, it will come off but maybe
    not as quickly as before.
    A last question, do you take rest days?

    You can add me if you want. :)
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  • caracrawford1
    caracrawford1 Posts: 657 Member
    My ideas of enough exercise and weight are different than most peoples because I run marathons (I've run 8), so for me, an hour of exercise should be normal or minimum, plus a minimum1.5-2hour long run on weekends (about 13 miles). That being said, If I look at it from the perspective of someone not training but just getting into shape, I would say you need to do more cardio. 25-30 min a day won't cut it. Try for AT LEAST 45 MINS. Even at my heaviest (which was 180,I am 155 now--i am only 5'3) I would do at least an hour- and I was just getting started. I am 36 now---older than you--- and 25-30 mins for me is just a warm up. Granted, this is after years of training.
    Still, 30 mins is below recommended daily levels for exercise anyway by the govt standards--but it is a GREAT start, esp if you were inactive before. Now try to challenge yourself and push it. Also try to really be accurate in your food diary as others have already mentioned.
  • dark_n_lovlee
    dark_n_lovlee Posts: 4 Member
    Thank you everyone for your responses. I responded late because I usually use the App and seldom use the website. From a general consensus I will definitely invest in a food scale and a Heart rate monitor. However since I posted this I have lost 5lbs (yay!) So wish me luck in continuing my journey. God bless!!
  • asia1967
    asia1967 Posts: 707 Member
    bump for future reference. Thanks