6 reasons why you are not losing weight
belinda_73
Posts: 149 Member
I thought this was an interesting article by fitness magazine.
Diet Mistakes Causing Your Weight-Loss Plateau
Food journal? Check. Regular workouts? Yes, indeed. Enough fiber to keep an entire army regular? You got it. I combed through research and grilled diet gurus to pinpoint little-known reasons that your efforts — and mine — haven't been showing up on the scale.
You Don't Drink Enough Water
We've all heard how important H2O is when it comes to shedding pounds. It helps to suppress appetite, so you're less likely to overeat. But that's not all: When you're dehydrated, your kidneys can't function properly, so the body turns to the liver for additional support. Because the liver is working so hard, more of the fat you consume is stored rather than burned off.
You Skimp on Protein
Several studies show that high-protein diets result in more pounds shed, at least initially. Protein enhances the feeling of satiety and prevents your losing muscle as you lose fat. You also have dietary thermogenesis, which is the energy you burn to process and use the food you eat, on your side. "Your body expends more energy to metabolize protein than carbs or fat," says Cari Coulter, RD, the program director for Wellspring Weight Loss Camp in Kenosha, Wisconsin. "So higher-protein diets make you burn slightly more calories."
So how much protein do I need a day? "It depends on your weight, but most women should get 40 to 80 grams.”
You Sit at a Desk All Day
I log a solid hour of exercise almost every day, but outside of that, my time is mostly spent sitting in front of a computer. Much to my dismay, research finds that dedicated workouts simply can't compensate for being sedentary the rest of the time. According to one University of Missouri-Columbia study, sitting for just a few hours causes your body to stop making a fat-inhibiting enzyme called lipase. Getting up and walking for just two minutes during each of those hours burns an additional 59 calories a day, according to recent research from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.
Your Numbers Are Off
"The BMR calculator already factors in the calories you burn with your workouts, so you shouldn't add them in again," she explains. Math club membership revoked! All this time I had thought my daily needs were 500 calories higher than they really were. No wonder I'd been maintaining instead of losing.
You Work Out Regularly
I know, I know. How can an exercise routine make you gain? For starters, people tend to eat more when they work out, either because they feel they've earned it or because they're overestimating how much they've burned — or both. "This is especially true in the early stages of a fitness program, when your body is getting used to the decrease in calories consumed and the increase in calories burned," Finger says. (Read: You're freaking hungry.)
But here's the real shocker: Working out can make you retain water. "To ensure that you don't get dehydrated, the plasma in your bloodstream will store an extra two to four pounds of water," explains Michele S. Olson, PhD, a FITNESS advisory board member and professor of exercise science at Auburn University at Montgomery in Alabama. "You'll always carry that extra water unless you become inactive; it's not fat or muscle, but simply superhydration. It's a good thing." It's also a good thing to keep chugging H2O, which can, counterintuitively, help minimize additional water retention. So I'll take Olson's advice and stay active, well-hydrated...and off the scale.
Diet Mistakes Causing Your Weight-Loss Plateau
Food journal? Check. Regular workouts? Yes, indeed. Enough fiber to keep an entire army regular? You got it. I combed through research and grilled diet gurus to pinpoint little-known reasons that your efforts — and mine — haven't been showing up on the scale.
You Don't Drink Enough Water
We've all heard how important H2O is when it comes to shedding pounds. It helps to suppress appetite, so you're less likely to overeat. But that's not all: When you're dehydrated, your kidneys can't function properly, so the body turns to the liver for additional support. Because the liver is working so hard, more of the fat you consume is stored rather than burned off.
You Skimp on Protein
Several studies show that high-protein diets result in more pounds shed, at least initially. Protein enhances the feeling of satiety and prevents your losing muscle as you lose fat. You also have dietary thermogenesis, which is the energy you burn to process and use the food you eat, on your side. "Your body expends more energy to metabolize protein than carbs or fat," says Cari Coulter, RD, the program director for Wellspring Weight Loss Camp in Kenosha, Wisconsin. "So higher-protein diets make you burn slightly more calories."
So how much protein do I need a day? "It depends on your weight, but most women should get 40 to 80 grams.”
You Sit at a Desk All Day
I log a solid hour of exercise almost every day, but outside of that, my time is mostly spent sitting in front of a computer. Much to my dismay, research finds that dedicated workouts simply can't compensate for being sedentary the rest of the time. According to one University of Missouri-Columbia study, sitting for just a few hours causes your body to stop making a fat-inhibiting enzyme called lipase. Getting up and walking for just two minutes during each of those hours burns an additional 59 calories a day, according to recent research from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.
Your Numbers Are Off
"The BMR calculator already factors in the calories you burn with your workouts, so you shouldn't add them in again," she explains. Math club membership revoked! All this time I had thought my daily needs were 500 calories higher than they really were. No wonder I'd been maintaining instead of losing.
You Work Out Regularly
I know, I know. How can an exercise routine make you gain? For starters, people tend to eat more when they work out, either because they feel they've earned it or because they're overestimating how much they've burned — or both. "This is especially true in the early stages of a fitness program, when your body is getting used to the decrease in calories consumed and the increase in calories burned," Finger says. (Read: You're freaking hungry.)
But here's the real shocker: Working out can make you retain water. "To ensure that you don't get dehydrated, the plasma in your bloodstream will store an extra two to four pounds of water," explains Michele S. Olson, PhD, a FITNESS advisory board member and professor of exercise science at Auburn University at Montgomery in Alabama. "You'll always carry that extra water unless you become inactive; it's not fat or muscle, but simply superhydration. It's a good thing." It's also a good thing to keep chugging H2O, which can, counterintuitively, help minimize additional water retention. So I'll take Olson's advice and stay active, well-hydrated...and off the scale.
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Replies
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Not one of those says you are not in a calorie deficit. The rest of that stuff seems wrong.0
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Actually generally it boils down to either or both of the following:
You are eating more calories than you think
You are burning fewer calories than you think
the things in your OP are mainly short-term stalls (eg less than 6-8 weeks) and majoring in the minors0 -
Actually generally it boils down to either or both of the following:
You are eating more calories than you think
You are burning fewer calories than you think
the things in your OP are mainly short-term stalls (eg less than 6-8 weeks) and majoring in the minors - oh and if you've copied and pasted that it's probably best to include the source so you're not just plagiarising
This.0 -
Your Numbers Are Off
"The BMR calculator already factors in the calories you burn with your workouts, so you shouldn't add them in again," she explains. Math club membership revoked! All this time I had thought my daily needs were 500 calories higher than they really were. No wonder I'd been maintaining instead of losing.
BMR does not factor in exercise calories .. it doesn't even factor in activity .. it's just your body's needs at rest like in a coma ..
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The bmr what now? Do you/they mean tdee?0
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the one thing I forgot about is walking every hour I am sitting at the desk. I sit for 10 hours a day and even though I work out every day, it's not enough to cancel the sitting.0
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"The BMR calculator already factors in the calories you burn with your workouts, so you shouldn't add them in again"
umm no. because then I would be starving0 -
One reason = eating too much.0
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I don't think that what was meant was BMR, but the point is the same, if you include your activity level in the calculation, you would not then also add your exercise calories. Even worse, exercise calories often include BMR calories so it makes it look like your burning even more calories than you are.0
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This content has been removed.
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Actually generally it boils down to either or both of the following:
You are eating more calories than you think
You are burning fewer calories than you think
the things in your OP are mainly short-term stalls (eg less than 6-8 weeks) and majoring in the minors
I like how 8 weeks isn't a long time. That's two months. Two extra months of lower calories and lame dieting. Who the heck wants to keep there calories lower any longer than they have to? That's the reason most people fail. The process stalls for basically no reason and then you're expected to just keep your calories lower and lower longer and longer basically driving you insane.
I don't understand your point ....or are you just whining because it isn't fair in the modern world of instant gratification
The process stalls in terms of scale weight only because it does ...if you're doing everything right then it will start up again and you won't have lost anything in your overall weight loss ...you get whooshes of weight loss and feel thrilled, fine they can be counteract with a stall ...particularly for women with hormonal fluctuations but there are other reasons
Look back on your progress over the last year ...it's the trend that matters
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Actually generally it boils down to either or both of the following:
You are eating more calories than you think
You are burning fewer calories than you think
the things in your OP are mainly short-term stalls (eg less than 6-8 weeks) and majoring in the minors
I like how 8 weeks isn't a long time. That's two months.
It took you a lot longer than that to learn how to talk. Or walk. Or pretty much anything else important.
Bottom line - 8 weeks from now you can be closer to your goal - or not.
Up to the individual.
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"'Your body expends more energy to metabolize protein than carbs or fat,' says Cari Coulter, RD, the program director for Wellspring Weight Loss Camp in Kenosha, Wisconsin. 'So higher-protein diets make you burn slightly more calories.'"
Is she serious? She really believes this? O. M. G. I would NOT be going to her for any nutrition advice.0 -
"'Your body expends more energy to metabolize protein than carbs or fat,' says Cari Coulter, RD, the program director for Wellspring Weight Loss Camp in Kenosha, Wisconsin. 'So higher-protein diets make you burn slightly more calories.'"
Is she serious? She really believes this? O. M. G. I would NOT be going to her for any nutrition advice.
Yeah, any time I read "dietary thermogenesis," the author loses any credibility with me. Absolute BS.0 -
it's definitely a lifestyle change. to always order grilled instead of fried in restaurants, get the vegetables instead of fries. you get used to it and greasy food makes me ill now. coworkers are always saying, geez you are always on a diet. no, this is the normal way I eat.0
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Because you take in more calories than you burn. /end thread0
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Actually generally it boils down to either or both of the following:
You are eating more calories than you think
You are burning fewer calories than you think
the things in your OP are mainly short-term stalls (eg less than 6-8 weeks) and majoring in the minors
I like how 8 weeks isn't a long time. That's two months.
It took you a lot longer than that to learn how to talk. Or walk. Or pretty much anything else important.
Bottom line - 8 weeks from now you can be closer to your goal - or not.
Up to the individual.
Hopefully in 2 months I am very very close to my goal. Also any careers take two month to learn?
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This was great!! Thanks for the read!0
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Actually generally it boils down to either or both of the following:
You are eating more calories than you think
You are burning fewer calories than you think
the things in your OP are mainly short-term stalls (eg less than 6-8 weeks) and majoring in the minors
I like how 8 weeks isn't a long time. That's two months. Two extra months of lower calories and lame dieting. Who the heck wants to keep there calories lower any longer than they have to? That's the reason most people fail. The process stalls for basically no reason and then you're expected to just keep your calories lower and lower longer and longer basically driving you insane.
I don't understand your point ....or are you just whining because it isn't fair in the modern world of instant gratification
The process stalls in terms of scale weight only because it does ...if you're doing everything right then it will start up again and you won't have lost anything in your overall weight loss ...you get whooshes of weight loss and feel thrilled, fine they can be counteract with a stall ...particularly for women with hormonal fluctuations but there are other reasons
Look back on your progress over the last year ...it's the trend that matters
I would bet this.0 -
Actually generally it boils down to either or both of the following:
You are eating more calories than you think
You are burning fewer calories than you think
the things in your OP are mainly short-term stalls (eg less than 6-8 weeks) and majoring in the minors
I like how 8 weeks isn't a long time. That's two months.
It took you a lot longer than that to learn how to talk. Or walk. Or pretty much anything else important.
Bottom line - 8 weeks from now you can be closer to your goal - or not.
Up to the individual.
2 months is nothing. Someone is complaining about having to to diet for 2 extra months? REALLY?? You might struggle a bit in losing weight until you work on your patience.0 -
I thought the article was very interesting and thought-provoking. I will try to remember these thing when I hit a plateau. I especially appreciate the idea the intermittent movement is important rather than 1 contiguous workout and nothing else. Thanks for posting.0
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I thought this was an interesting article by fitness magazine.
Diet Mistakes Causing Your Weight-Loss Plateau
Food journal? Check. Regular workouts? Yes, indeed. Enough fiber to keep an entire army regular? You got it. I combed through research and grilled diet gurus to pinpoint little-known reasons that your efforts — and mine — haven't been showing up on the scale.
The author says not enough fiber is a diet mistake? Maybe a mistake as to why you can't poop, but how much fiber you have has nothing to do with calories in/calories out.You Don't Drink Enough Water
We've all heard how important H2O is when it comes to shedding pounds. It helps to suppress appetite, so you're less likely to overeat. But that's not all: When you're dehydrated, your kidneys can't function properly, so the body turns to the liver for additional support. Because the liver is working so hard, more of the fat you consume is stored rather than burned off.
Water does not cause weight loss, it hydrates you and replaces calorie laden foods that would otherwise be going down our gullet. I think water is very important, but I've drank a lot of water, and I was fat.
Besides that, your liver is not going to just store fat because you're not drinking enough water. Your body will store fat when you eat at a surplus.You Skimp on Protein
Several studies show that high-protein diets result in more pounds shed, at least initially. Protein enhances the feeling of satiety and prevents your losing muscle as you lose fat. You also have dietary thermogenesis, which is the energy you burn to process and use the food you eat, on your side. "Your body expends more energy to metabolize protein than carbs or fat," says Cari Coulter, RD, the program director for Wellspring Weight Loss Camp in Kenosha, Wisconsin. "So higher-protein diets make you burn slightly more calories."
So how much protein do I need a day? "It depends on your weight, but most women should get 40 to 80 grams.”
Protein is essential, and I agree with keeping the levels up, but again....you can eat all the protein you want, and if you're eating at a surplus, you will gain weight. If you eat less calories than you burn, you will lose weight. It's calories in/calories out.You Sit at a Desk All Day
I log a solid hour of exercise almost every day, but outside of that, my time is mostly spent sitting in front of a computer. Much to my dismay, research finds that dedicated workouts simply can't compensate for being sedentary the rest of the time. According to one University of Missouri-Columbia study, sitting for just a few hours causes your body to stop making a fat-inhibiting enzyme called lipase. Getting up and walking for just two minutes during each of those hours burns an additional 59 calories a day, according to recent research from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.
This is 100% bull. I sit at a desk all day and I have lost 44 pounds and have been maintaining for a year and a half. Why? Because I work hard on the calories in/calorie out equation.
.Your Numbers Are Off
"The BMR calculator already factors in the calories you burn with your workouts, so you shouldn't add them in again," she explains. Math club membership revoked! All this time I had thought my daily needs were 500 calories higher than they really were. No wonder I'd been maintaining instead of losing
This is only true if you use a TDEE calculator. If you use MFP, you eat your cardio exercise calories back.
I agree that numbers being off is the number one cause of not losing weight, but it's about striving for accuracy in calories in/calories out. This happens by dong your own research on calories in, and learning for calories out that MFP, gym machines, internet resources, and phone apps provide overinflated numbers. If you use these resources, or if you find that you are not losing, eating only a portion of your exercise calories back will help. However, not eating them all back, especially if you are expending a lot of energy with running and other high intensity cardio, is setting yourself up for injury.You Work Out Regularly
I know, I know. How can an exercise routine make you gain? For starters, people tend to eat more when they work out, either because they feel they've earned it or because they're overestimating how much they've burned — or both. "This is especially true in the early stages of a fitness program, when your body is getting used to the decrease in calories consumed and the increase in calories burned," Finger says. (Read: You're freaking hungry.)
But here's the real shocker: Working out can make you retain water. "To ensure that you don't get dehydrated, the plasma in your bloodstream will store an extra two to four pounds of water," explains Michele S. Olson, PhD, a FITNESS advisory board member and professor of exercise science at Auburn University at Montgomery in Alabama. "You'll always carry that extra water unless you become inactive; it's not fat or muscle, but simply superhydration. It's a good thing." It's also a good thing to keep chugging H2O, which can, counterintuitively, help minimize additional water retention. So I'll take Olson's advice and stay active, well-hydrated...and off the scale.
Oh food goodness sakes, this is bro-science. Who cares about water retention? It's not fat. Because the scale might show a few extra pounds of water retention when first starting a new exercise does not mean you should not exercise; the water will go away. Exercise does not make you gain weight unless you eat too many calories..
And, now, i shall step down from my soapbox.
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This content has been removed.
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Actually generally it boils down to either or both of the following:
You are eating more calories than you think
You are burning fewer calories than you think
the things in your OP are mainly short-term stalls (eg less than 6-8 weeks) and majoring in the minors
I like how 8 weeks isn't a long time. That's two months.
It took you a lot longer than that to learn how to talk. Or walk. Or pretty much anything else important.
Bottom line - 8 weeks from now you can be closer to your goal - or not.
Up to the individual.
2 months is nothing. Someone is complaining about having to to diet for 2 extra months? REALLY?? You might struggle a bit in losing weight until you work on your patience.
The words of all the people ever who probably didn't have much to lose or haven't been doing it very long. I've been at this for YEARS and I still have 30lbs or more to go. When I hear any sort of "wait, be patient, just a couple more months" it's eye roll inducing.
ETA: Actually I have been at this since I was 16. I am now 27 just finally getting my weight under control.
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You Sit at a Desk All Day
I log a solid hour of exercise almost every day, but outside of that, my time is mostly spent sitting in front of a computer. Much to my dismay, research finds that dedicated workouts simply can't compensate for being sedentary the rest of the time. According to one University of Missouri-Columbia study, sitting for just a few hours causes your body to stop making a fat-inhibiting enzyme called lipase. Getting up and walking for just two minutes during each of those hours burns an additional 59 calories a day, according to recent research from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.
I have to call "bull" on this one. First, getting up and walking for two minutes every hour only equals 16-18 minutes total for most of us. Unless you're jogging, walking super, super fast, or are fairly obese, that's not going to equal a 59 calorie burn. Getting up and moving a little is great for circulation and posture, but just pacing around the office isn't going to do much as a workout.
Also - I've lost 85 lbs working two different desk jobs and then going home to play video games on my PC, so... Yeah. The whole "it just can't be done" thing is a total cop-out.
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This discussion has been closed.
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