I'm getting very frustrated with my attempts to lose weigh

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I 'm a (175 lb. ) 67 year old female trying to lose 30 lbs.
I have started 6 weeks ago. I walk about 4 miles (using Fitbit getting in my 10000 steps) a day on my treadmill at 2.8 to 3.1 mph. I can't go faster do to arthritis in knee and hip. So I have started to use the incline (just at 1% right know. I have set my calorie intake to 1200 a day . Watching sugar fat and so on. I am feeling a little difference in the way my clothes,
BUT I GOT ON THE SCALES TODAY AND HAVE GAIND 2.5 POUNDS. What am I doing wrong ? I sure can use some help. It is very discourage. Thanks for any help

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  • healthygreek
    healthygreek Posts: 2,137 Member
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    You may be eating more than you think.
    Get a food scale and weigh everything you eat.
    Measure every caloric thing you drink.
    Log it all!
    You will lose!
  • uconnwinsnc1
    uconnwinsnc1 Posts: 902 Member
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    A food scale will help immensely. You need to be very careful with what you eat. :)
  • concordancia
    concordancia Posts: 5,320 Member
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    It could be so many things:
    -water weight due to changes in diet
    -water weight due to changes in exercise (ie, you mention arthritis - if your joints are swollen, they are holding more water)
    -water weight due to changes in medication (or changing reactions to existing medications as you change your lifestyle)
    -you stood on the scale differently than usual
    -you had on different clothes than usual

    If the scale continues to go up or stays the same for a couple more weeks, then the above posters have the most common cause of stalled weight loss: not accounting for all of your intake either because they aren't weighing and measuring properly or they aren't taking something into account, like the creamer they add to their five cups of coffee.
  • eatnojunk
    eatnojunk Posts: 30 Member
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    Give yourself a pat on the back for all the walking you have done I'm at about 8000 on my fitbit and some day I don't do any.
  • GaleHawkins
    GaleHawkins Posts: 8,159 Member
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    I 'm a (175 lb. ) 67 year old female trying to lose 30 lbs.
    I have started 6 weeks ago. I walk about 4 miles (using Fitbit getting in my 10000 steps) a day on my treadmill at 2.8 to 3.1 mph. I can't go faster do to arthritis in knee and hip. So I have started to use the incline (just at 1% right know. I have set my calorie intake to 1200 a day . Watching sugar fat and so on. I am feeling a little difference in the way my clothes,
    BUT I GOT ON THE SCALES TODAY AND HAVE GAIND 2.5 POUNDS. What am I doing wrong ? I sure can use some help. It is very discourage. Thanks for any help

    At 63 weight loss is very hard for me. I think you are more active and you increased your hunger maybe.

    I had to finally cut out the carbs which is like sugar, grains and most all processed foods because they often have one or more of the many types of sugar that I never knew about until I did a lot of Goggling .

    We do however require Fats and Protein. In my case I just increased the fats to replace the calories that I was getting from carbs before. 'Cold Turkey' on the carbs was very hard for a few weeks then the sugar craving stopped.

    Read up on the subject and find something and try it. The body is very complex but wonderful. Best of luck.
  • Archerychickge
    Archerychickge Posts: 606 Member
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    You may be eating more than you think.
    Get a food scale and weigh everything you eat.
    Measure every caloric thing you drink.
    Log it all!
    You will lose!

    THIS X 1000000000
  • jgnatca
    jgnatca Posts: 14,464 Member
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    If your clothes are fitting looser, I would say the work you are doing will show in time. My weight goes up plus or minus five pounds and very little has to do with what I was doing that day. It will come off.
  • auddii
    auddii Posts: 15,357 Member
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    It could be so many things:
    -water weight due to changes in diet
    -water weight due to changes in exercise (ie, you mention arthritis - if your joints are swollen, they are holding more water)
    -water weight due to changes in medication (or changing reactions to existing medications as you change your lifestyle)
    -you stood on the scale differently than usual
    -you had on different clothes than usual

    If the scale continues to go up or stays the same for a couple more weeks, then the above posters have the most common cause of stalled weight loss: not accounting for all of your intake either because they aren't weighing and measuring properly or they aren't taking something into account, like the creamer they add to their five cups of coffee.

    I agree with this, especially since your clothes are now looser. Scale weight can swing widely, so it's best to use multiple ways of tracking progress. Personally, I go by everything I can, so I weigh on the scale weekly, I take measurements with a tape measure weekly, I take monthly progress pictures, and I go by how my clothes are fitting.
  • janicept77
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    jgnatca wrote: »
    If your clothes are fitting looser, I would say the work you are doing will show in time. My weight goes up plus or minus five pounds and very little has to do with what I was doing that day. It will come off.

    I agree. If your clothes seem to fit better you're going in the right direction. You may be drinking more water now and were dehydrated before - causing your weight to go up even though it's just water weight. As long as you know you are doing to right things and your clothes are fitting better don't worry too much about the scale. You can also add some strength training to your workout. You may want to look for a trainer with experience with older adults that can start you on a program - not that you would have to go back all the time just to start. Then maybe once every two months for at updated plan. I'm a physical therapist and we also can set up programs for people that have medical issues. Say you're having pain in your knees from arthritis - your doctor could probably write you a prescription for outpatient therapy. The therapist will evaluate you and set up a program that you can continue on your own. That would probably even be covered by your insurance.
  • middlehaitch
    middlehaitch Posts: 8,487 Member
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    Is there a pool close by that offer aquafit classes? If so you may find that may be better for your joints than trying to get 10,000 steps in every day.
    Also, as others have said, make sure you are weighing and tracking your food accurately.
    I am 61, use aquafit as my 3x week stable exercise but sign up for different classes, walk, do body weight exercises, or use machines at the gym another 2 -3 days a week.
    I find keeping active, but not overusing one part of my body ( ie walking), keeps it interesting and cuts down on the chance of injury.

    Cheers, h.
  • GRANDMASADIE2
    GRANDMASADIE2 Posts: 5 Member
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    I do use a food scale for all my food. I measure every thing I eat and log it. (true fully )
    I use to belong to a aqua class a couple of years ago, but after a year the center got new management and they keep the water to cold and it was bothering my arthritis. Maybe I will check in to it again. Thank all for you input. NOT giving up. Grandmasadie