Why am I not losing weight

tammyjo50
tammyjo50 Posts: 12 Member
edited November 14 in Introduce Yourself
hello I'm a 50 yr old woman with about 80lbs to lose. I'm staying under my calorie goal every day at least by 20 calories the minimum Some times more, but I have only lost 2 lbs in a month! And sometimes the scale goes up a pound! What am I doing wrong??!!! Help!!

Replies

  • Pelamblue
    Pelamblue Posts: 177 Member
    I can't see your diary so can't give an accurate summary. However try to drop your calorie intake by around 10%, or drink more water, or exercise more. The main thing is on the whole your losing weight so just stay positive.
  • carlysolland
    carlysolland Posts: 1
    Tammy, I'm 41 and having the same problem, I went to all freuiys and veggies for one week with just 3 oz of protein a day and lost 4 pounds, hhoping I don't have to stick to it. My problem is I never get full?
  • tammyjo50
    tammyjo50 Posts: 12 Member
    Pelamblue wrote: »
    I can't see your diary so can't give an accurate summary. However try to drop your calorie intake by around 10%, or drink more water, or exercise more. The main thing is on the whole your losing weight so just stay positive.

    My calorie goal is 1500... Yes sometimes I'll have a few bad choices, not anything major though and I will make sure that I count those too, I am drin
    Pelamblue wrote: »
    I can't see your diary so can't give an accurate summary. However try to drop your calorie intake by around 10%, or drink more water, or exercise more. The main thing is on the whole your losing weight so just stay positive.
    carlysolland wrote: »
    Tammy, I'm 41 and having the same problem, I went to all freuiys and veggies for one week with just 3 oz of protein a day and lost 4 pounds, hhoping I don't have to stick to it. My problem is I never get full?

    I do get full in fact do you think menopause could have something to do with it?
  • ratso1969
    ratso1969 Posts: 7 Member
    Sounds familiar to me I started my diet in December gained 2 pounds 28 days. Got serious 57 days ago and have lost 14 pounds so far,friend me I'll try to help
  • Lleldiranne
    Lleldiranne Posts: 5,516 Member
    2 pounds a month is about .5 pounds a week. That's not shabby progress at all! The scale going up a pound sometimes is nothing - most likely water, but there are a lot of other things that cause normal fluctuations.

    How are you measuring your foods? It's best to weigh all solids with a food scale and measure all liquids. Otherwise, you could be eating extra calories which could be slowing your loss.
  • Athos282
    Athos282 Posts: 405 Member
    Eating too little, eating too much, not working out enough, TOM, thyroid issues, other bodily malfunctions. Any one of these or all of them could be playing a role.
  • juleszephyr
    juleszephyr Posts: 442 Member
    Open your diary Tammy and then we can assess. I am nearly 48 and I don't lose weight on 1500. I work on 1350 per day and workout everyday. Maybe try dropping a little, never below 1200 and move some more and be patient. Hormones at this age can play havoc with the scales. Also measure yourself once a month, you may be having more success than you think...
  • smantha32
    smantha32 Posts: 6,990 Member
    mathjulz wrote: »
    2 pounds a month is about .5 pounds a week. That's not shabby progress at all! The scale going up a pound sometimes is nothing - most likely water, but there are a lot of other things that cause normal fluctuations.

    How are you measuring your foods? It's best to weigh all solids with a food scale and measure all liquids. Otherwise, you could be eating extra calories which could be slowing your loss.

    This. I've also noticed that hormones can make me retain 3-5 pounds of water, which tends to drop off after a week. It's not a linear process. You won't go down consistently when you weigh. But as long as it's mostly going down you should be good.
  • Geekymonkey99
    Geekymonkey99 Posts: 63 Member
    You could be underlogging your food or overlogging your exercise or both. If your goal is one pound a week, it only takes 250 calories worth of errors each day to bring it down to 0.5. Try to not eat back exercise calories, and make sure you're using a food scale.
  • tlblake84
    tlblake84 Posts: 48 Member
    Anytime I put serious effort into losing weight, I always gain at first (and not muscle), but after it goes slow the first two weeks, it picks up a bit. I agree drinking more water would help and mathjulz is right. .5 pounds a week is pretty good. Don't give up and keep at it. Combine strength training with cardio to help your body shed weight faster.
  • FatMoojor
    FatMoojor Posts: 483 Member
    Just as a side point, you are losing weight. You may not be losing it as fast as you would like but you are losing.
    Keep going.
  • 530roman
    530roman Posts: 1,819 Member
    How do you know you're eating at a deficit? Measure and weigh if you're not already doing so.
    What is your weekly goal set up in MFP? If you've got 80 to lose then you could surely shoot for 2lbs a week in the beginning. I don't know your stats but if you have 80 lbs to lose then 1500 calories should generate some kind of deficit I would think. I think the main focus should be to make sure you are truly eating 1500 calories.
    PS- What mathjulz said is true, don't scoff at .5 lbs a week. That's a loss regardless.
  • ruperthumphrey
    ruperthumphrey Posts: 195 Member
    Hello, I am 58, and I am not losing weight fast neither. Despite working out and watching, weighing and logging every morsel that goes into my mouth. The past week, the scale went up a pound, down a pound and then up etc. One of the things that I have done to kinda make a change in the past is I go to the 5:2 diet. I think it shakes up my system and then I see the scale going in the right direction. I believe my body gets use to what I am doing and hangs on to every pound, though I know that if I keep eating at a deficit it will eventually have to budge and hopefully in the right way. By the way, I did do the 5:2 this week and lost 1/2 pound. Today I will do the second day of it. If you are any kind of meds that can have an affect too. Friend me if you wish and we can support each other.
  • astrampe
    astrampe Posts: 2,169 Member
    .5 of a pound per week is great. Keep in mind that menopouse plays a huge role in losing fat, and that the older you get the slower your metabolism gets...

    Do you exercise? If not, start doing it, lift heavy things and do HIIT cardio - since I started peri-menopouse, that and a bigger calorie deficit is the only way I can lose weight.
    -
    - As for going up and down on the scale, hormones will do that. Don't measure your progress with the scale, take measurements and photos, the scale lies most of the time.....
  • astrampe
    astrampe Posts: 2,169 Member
    carlysolland wrote: »
    Tammy, I'm 41 and having the same problem, I went to all freuiys and veggies for one week with just 3 oz of protein a day and lost 4 pounds, hhoping I don't have to stick to it. My problem is I never get full?

    Why would you not eat protein?
  • maggymouse
    maggymouse Posts: 15 Member
    There's a 4-letter word beginning with 'o' that should be banned when talking about weight loss. Next time you go to the supermarket, pick up 2 lbs of lard - that's what you've lost, so give yourself a pat on the back. And 2lbs a month is 24 lbs in a year, not to be sniffed at, is it? Don't forget to measure too, sometimes a loss can show up in inches before it shows on the scales. Well done you, keep up the good work x
  • liekewheeless
    liekewheeless Posts: 416 Member
    edited March 2015
    If you've already lost 2lb you are probably doing nothing "wrong".

    Unfortunately losing weight gets harder every year. If you can keep the 2lb a month going it will take a long time but you will get there eventually.

    If it slows any further, make sure you are logging accurately, and you may want to increase exercising. Also, a check up with the doctor may be a good thing just to make sure there's nothing getting in your way health wise.
  • Arliah
    Arliah Posts: 266 Member
    carlysolland wrote: »
    Tammy, I'm 41 and having the same problem, I went to all freuiys and veggies for one week with just 3 oz of protein a day and lost 4 pounds, hhoping I don't have to stick to it. My problem is I never get full?

    With just 4oz of protein, no wonder you don't ever feel full ... :/

  • cindyangotti
    cindyangotti Posts: 294 Member
    I am of an older age too (47) and dealing with the slow weight loss also. The past two months I have been eating an average of 1200 calories and sometimes less when I don't work out. The scale has been very unfriendly.
  • jazzine1
    jazzine1 Posts: 280 Member
    Remember that slow progress is still progress.
  • tammyjo50
    tammyjo50 Posts: 12 Member
    I love the positive replies!! And yes I know at least I'm losing somewhat but still depressing... I'm going to keep at it and increase my exercise daily... Thanks bunches for the encouragement!!
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