The scales just won't budge a kilo...

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oinkoink2242
oinkoink2242 Posts: 17 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
In April 2014, I ate barely anything. I was consuming very little and lost four kilos within four weeks.
However, since then I have been dieting healthily. I have been eating 1200 calories, then eating my BMR, now eating to a calorie plan which is customised to my statistics.
But since April I have not lost a single kilo.
I have been exercising more, eating better, making healthier choices but still the scales won't budge.
Oddly, people have been saying how much weight I've lost, even though I haven't lost any, but my clothes do feel looser.
How can I look like I've lost weight, be fitting into smaller clothes, be exercising and eating healthier and be 14kg over weight but not have lost any weight in 9 months?
Please, any help or advice would be more than welcome!
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Replies

  • zymurgea
    zymurgea Posts: 5 Member
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    Remember muscle weighs more than fat. Give it time.
  • Christine_72
    Christine_72 Posts: 16,049 Member
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    zymurgea wrote: »
    Remember muscle weighs more than fat. Give it time.

    Muscle does not weigh more than fat. I think 9mths is enough time to know if something is working or not...
    OP do you weigh and measure your food? What are your stats? It's hard believe that someone isn't losing eating only 1200 calories a day
  • superexcellently
    superexcellently Posts: 25 Member
    edited February 2015
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    You're roughly the same height and weight as me, 1200 calories isn't enough food for me personally - have you set it to loose 2 pounds a week? Try 1.5 instead.
  • oinkoink2242
    oinkoink2242 Posts: 17 Member
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    I personally don't think I've gained muscle, but I have been doing cardio.
    I tried switching up my calories after about two months of 1200, and started eating at 1500. The scales did a massive drop - 8 pounds, but soon went back to 174. I started a calorie plan from http://www.healthyweightforum.org/eng/calculators/calories-required/ and put in my current statistics and desired weight in desired amount of time.
    I'm 5"2 and weigh about 173 pounds, and I am an Australia 12/14 dress size which equates to an American 8/10, according to the ASOS size guide.
    I'm thinking of going back to 1200, and it is very tempting to eat very little again because I will probably be attending a formal and want to look reasonably slimmer in June.
  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
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    Of course you haven't gained muscle

    You are making calorie mistakes, either with weighing and logging your food or overestimating your calorie burns

    (Subject to usual assumptions that you have no thyroid or underlying medical issues)
  • oinkoink2242
    oinkoink2242 Posts: 17 Member
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    I use a fitbit to log my calorie burns, and I try to be as accurate as I can. What can I do to be more accurate with calorie logging? I log my serving sizes.
    But I am fitting into smaller sized clothes and people have been commenting on my weight loss. I'm definitely smaller physically, but not mass wise.
  • pamfin
    pamfin Posts: 169 Member
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    I weigh all my food on a digital scale. If it's not possible to weigh it (such as being out) I'll use the serving sizes on the site as a guide but overestimate rather than under.

    If you're physically smaller though and toning up, maybe use measurements as your measure of success rather than the scales.
  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
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    oinkoink2242 wrote: »
    I use a fitbit to log my calorie burns, and I try to be as accurate as I can. What can I do to be more accurate with calorie logging? I log my serving sizes.
    But I am fitting into smaller sized clothes and people have been commenting on my weight loss. I'm definitely smaller physically, but not mass wise.

    In which case it will whoosh eventually, just keep going...scale weight is unimportant in relation to measurements

    You should be weighing food on a digital scale, are you? Pick carefully from database as there are lots of incorrect entries

    Have you set your stride length on your fitbit, it's still just an estimator you know
  • Liftng4Lis
    Liftng4Lis Posts: 15,150 Member
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    zymurgea wrote: »
    Remember muscle weighs more than fat. Give it time.

    With the exception of newbie gains, one doesn't build muscle in a deficit. Additionally, fat and muscle weigh exactly the same, muscle is just denser than fat.
  • oinkoink2242
    oinkoink2242 Posts: 17 Member
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    I haven't set my stride strength in fitbit but never eat the calories back they allocate. I haven't been weighing my food, just estimating with metric measurements like a cup and so on because it's a hassle weighing it at family meals, rather than scooping out a cup.
    I'm going to be more cautious of that, as well as just generally improving my health with exercise and healthy food, which is what I have been doing for the past month. Hopefully with some more time I will start seeing results on the scale as well as longer running distances!
  • 01divey
    01divey Posts: 50 Member
    edited February 2015
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    Muscle is denser than fat, not heavier, if that helps you understand.
    Meaning you can weigh the same, but you'll be slimmer and fit into your clothing better.
  • 01divey
    01divey Posts: 50 Member
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    Liftng4Lis wrote: »
    zymurgea wrote: »
    Remember muscle weighs more than fat. Give it time.

    With the exception of newbie gains, one doesn't build muscle in a deficit. Additionally, fat and muscle weigh exactly the same, muscle is just denser than fat.

    sorry just seen this!
  • Izzwoz
    Izzwoz Posts: 348 Member
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    I would definitely suggest starting to weigh your food and consider the accuracy of the calories in vs. out. If all of the individual numbers are just a little bit out and you are aiming for a small deficit, this might be enough to keep you at maintenance rather than loss.
  • srclark89
    srclark89 Posts: 79 Member
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    oinkoink2242 wrote: »
    In April 2014, I ate barely anything. I was consuming very little and lost four kilos within four weeks.
    However, since then I have been dieting healthily. I have been eating 1200 calories, then eating my BMR, now eating to a calorie plan which is customised to my statistics.
    But since April I have not lost a single kilo.
    I have been exercising more, eating better, making healthier choices but still the scales won't budge.
    Oddly, people have been saying how much weight I've lost, even though I haven't lost any, but my clothes do feel looser.
    How can I look like I've lost weight, be fitting into smaller clothes, be exercising and eating healthier and be 14kg over weight but not have lost any weight in 9 months?
    Please, any help or advice would be more than welcome!

  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
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    oinkoink2242 wrote: »
    I haven't set my stride strength in fitbit but never eat the calories back they allocate. I haven't been weighing my food, just estimating with metric measurements like a cup and so on because it's a hassle weighing it at family meals, rather than scooping out a cup.
    I'm going to be more cautious of that, as well as just generally improving my health with exercise and healthy food, which is what I have been doing for the past month. Hopefully with some more time I will start seeing results on the scale as well as longer running distances!

    Well you aren't getting readings tailored as closely as possible to you if you haven't set your stride length ...and whilst it's all estimated you would want to get as close as possible to accurate ...why wouldn't you eat the calories back?

    That said as you have no idea how much you are eating either ..because you're not accurate there so it probably cancels out

    My guess is you're eating close to maintenance and your exercise is giving you a small body recomposition
  • srclark89
    srclark89 Posts: 79 Member
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    I don't know how old you are but wonder at who set the scale of the number that dictates that you are over weight. May be that number has changed. There comes a time when it is less about the weight and more about the measurements and how good you feel.? Sorry I'm not very helpful I just know when I reached a certain age I had to re-evaluate those numbers.
  • oinkoink2242
    oinkoink2242 Posts: 17 Member
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    To put it into perspective: over the last three days, the scales have not fluctuated a single gram. Even though I ate less on one day and more on the other, and my water intake varied, I didn't lose or gain a single gram.
    I don't eat all the calories back because I like to assume it's a tiny bit inaccurate, and don't want to over eat.
    I'm going to try weighing food, but it just feels a little awkward.
    I'm more than happy to be able to see and feel results, but it's just odd.
  • Soon2BeMrsSherriff
    Soon2BeMrsSherriff Posts: 82 Member
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    I completely understand! I have been the same weight for 5 days in a row. 182.3 to be exact! It stinks and I haven't gone over my calorie goal once. So disheartening
  • Iron_Feline
    Iron_Feline Posts: 10,750 Member
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    oinkoink2242 wrote: »
    I haven't set my stride strength in fitbit but never eat the calories back they allocate. I haven't been weighing my food, just estimating with metric measurements like a cup and so on because it's a hassle weighing it at family meals, rather than scooping out a cup.
    I'm going to be more cautious of that, as well as just generally improving my health with exercise and healthy food, which is what I have been doing for the past month. Hopefully with some more time I will start seeing results on the scale as well as longer running distances!

    That's your issue.

    Start weighing your food and I'm sure you'll see movement,
  • AllOutof_Bubblegum
    AllOutof_Bubblegum Posts: 3,646 Member
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    oinkoink2242 wrote: »
    How can I look like I've lost weight, be fitting into smaller clothes, be exercising and eating healthier and be 14kg over weight but not have lost any weight in 9 months?
    Please, any help or advice would be more than welcome!

    ^^ This is not the question you should be asking. If you are losing inches, are getting smaller, and even other people are noticing favorable changes in your appearance, who gives a damn what the scale says?

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