Not losing weight
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Millymollymandi
Posts: 13 Member
I'm sorry to post with such a non-descript title but I am really at my wit's end and I'm wondering if any of you can help me.
Started my healthy chapter at beginning of july when I was 249.5lb (I'm 5'2 twentysomething female). I immediately cut down to 1400 calories a day and I've been keeping a strict hold on this by mostly eating food I've prepared myself using DIGITAL scales and cutting out refined carbs, bad fats, cutting down on red meat, etc etc. When out of the house, I only eat pre-packaged foods with nutritional information
I've also started drinking AT LEAST 3 liters of water a day. At the beginning of August I started incorporating exercise. This has since been 3-5 exercise classes every week which, according to a friend who goes to all of these classes with me and has a fitbit and who is a little fitter than me, are burning 350-500 calories per session. I log these at whatever calorie level her fitbit says but I never eat back the calories or will only eat back into 50-100 if I'm planning a treat. This is partly because I rarely feel hungry enough to eat more and also because I know I don't myself yet have an accurate measure of how much I'm burning until I invest in my own fit bit/similar so there's no sense in taking those figures as real.
I have picked up on as many tips as I can to avoid the usual pit falls - absolutely nothing passes my lips without being tracked, I weigh or scan everything and if I can't I always go for a no meat, no cheese option or salad or soup and over estimate the calories to avoid over-eating later. I also drink lots of water, have breakfast everyday to kick start the matabolism - only drinking water and tea, sleeping well and so on. All the guidance I read also tells me that given that I wasn't exercising before and I was definitely consuming more than 2000 calories a day that I should be dropping weight at a rate of at LEAST 2 lb a week with maybe a little more in the first couple of weeks. I am therefore devastated to report that I'm currently sitting at 242.5lb as of this morning (before eating, after weeing) which is where I've been sitting for the last 2 weeks with pretty much no movement.
I want to go see a doctor and talk about thyroid/other causes but from what I've said, can any of you see anything I'm missing? Genuine heartache here, would appreciate genuine and kind answers
Started my healthy chapter at beginning of july when I was 249.5lb (I'm 5'2 twentysomething female). I immediately cut down to 1400 calories a day and I've been keeping a strict hold on this by mostly eating food I've prepared myself using DIGITAL scales and cutting out refined carbs, bad fats, cutting down on red meat, etc etc. When out of the house, I only eat pre-packaged foods with nutritional information
I've also started drinking AT LEAST 3 liters of water a day. At the beginning of August I started incorporating exercise. This has since been 3-5 exercise classes every week which, according to a friend who goes to all of these classes with me and has a fitbit and who is a little fitter than me, are burning 350-500 calories per session. I log these at whatever calorie level her fitbit says but I never eat back the calories or will only eat back into 50-100 if I'm planning a treat. This is partly because I rarely feel hungry enough to eat more and also because I know I don't myself yet have an accurate measure of how much I'm burning until I invest in my own fit bit/similar so there's no sense in taking those figures as real.
I have picked up on as many tips as I can to avoid the usual pit falls - absolutely nothing passes my lips without being tracked, I weigh or scan everything and if I can't I always go for a no meat, no cheese option or salad or soup and over estimate the calories to avoid over-eating later. I also drink lots of water, have breakfast everyday to kick start the matabolism - only drinking water and tea, sleeping well and so on. All the guidance I read also tells me that given that I wasn't exercising before and I was definitely consuming more than 2000 calories a day that I should be dropping weight at a rate of at LEAST 2 lb a week with maybe a little more in the first couple of weeks. I am therefore devastated to report that I'm currently sitting at 242.5lb as of this morning (before eating, after weeing) which is where I've been sitting for the last 2 weeks with pretty much no movement.
I want to go see a doctor and talk about thyroid/other causes but from what I've said, can any of you see anything I'm missing? Genuine heartache here, would appreciate genuine and kind answers
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Replies
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I think you may not be eating enough, I was told you should eat 10-12 calories per pound when trying to loose weight. Hopefully someone will elaborate on this or say of I'm wrong. Hope you get some useful answers x0
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Firstly, congratulations! 7 lbs in 7 weeks is great!
Secondly, sympathies. It's worrying when the scale won't budge.
Try not to worry! It sounds like you're doing all the right things (a few dieting myths in there not counted).
Weight loss is not linear! Read this, and be comforted.
http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10084670/it-is-unlikely-that-you-will-lose-weight-consistently-i-e-weight-loss-is-not-linear/p1
The only other thing not covered by the link is that you might want to open your diary so we can see if there are any red flags.
But I really think it could be just the time of month (hormones) and you'll soon see a loss. Best wishes!0 -
you are doing great.. keep itup.. I understand the battle 100%. My weight loss coach/dietician said 1-2 lbs a week is goal and yes on the 10-12 calories per pound. Sound like you are eating healthy just keep it up.. watch the carbs and get that protein0
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Congratulations! 7lb in 7 weeks is a good weight loss to achieve!
Particularly for women hormones can make weight loss look a bit wonky. Have you looked at using trendweight to log your weight? It filters out the 'noise' of water weight, and as long as the majority of scale measurements are under the line, it means you're loosing.0 -
LaurenGraham2 wrote: »I think you may not be eating enough, I was told you should eat 10-12 calories per pound when trying to loose weight. Hopefully someone will elaborate on this or say of I'm wrong. Hope you get some useful answers x
One doesn't need to "eat more", to lose, so NO.
OP, a new exercise program can cause water retention, masking weight loss. 7 pounds in 7 weeks is awesome. Just keep doing what you're doing and it will come.0 -
im not losing weight either and feel totally depressed as I was o=doing well for ages now iveput on again
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Maybe do measurements as well. The scale can be a real *kitten* sometimes and if you do measurements you might see some change. Otherwise just keep it up you're doing great.0
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You lost 7lbs, if I read the numbers right. In 7 weeks, which is generally considered a healthy weight loss. Therefore, you HAVE lost weight, and your thread title is categorically not true.
I have a feeling the bigger problem is your expectations.0 -
Patience. 7 lbs in 7 weeks is excellent. Don't change anything for 6 weeks. If you still aren't losing any more, then come back,
Which isn't going to happen, because you're going to keep losing an average of 1 lb per week! But get the FitBit, ok? I think it'll help you see your daily deficit.0 -
Good job on all of it. One thing That I didn't see anyone really mention (may have over looked it) scales lie. Do depend on them as your main source to tell. Only weigh every couple of weeks to keep from getting discouraged. The best thing you can do is take your measurements and watch those. Measure them every couple of weeks as well. You may see some really good changes there more so than the scale shows. Also unless you are wearing the fitbit yourself it will not be as accurate.0
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It's extremely frustrating when we do everything "right" and don't see the expected "rewards". Since you're only 5'2" and started at about 250, you would expect to have lost more weight by now...that's what I would expect too. And it's difficult to not compare ourselves to other people here..."I'm working so hard and everyone around me seems to be losing 2, 3, 4 plus pounds a week".
I'm 29 weeks into my life at MFP and I've lost 29 pounds. It typically comes off anywhere from .2 to 1.4 per week...never more. But what I've learned is that so long as I keep doing what I'm doing (eating well, exercising) the weight is coming off. Slowly. Much more slowly than some of my MFP friends. And so long as I get to my goal weight, I suppose it doesn't really matter if it takes 6 week, 6 month or 2 years. Because I'm still going to be living my life during all of this.
In fact, I think I'm learning to appreciate the small, slow loss pattern more than if I was dropping five pounds a week. My clothes from "before" no longer fit...they're falling off. I have muscles. My skin is firm. I have stamina. I can work out with my trainer without fear of collapsing (for real, LOL). All of these are much more important to me than that number on the scale.
My advice is to keep doing what you're doing...and let go of the scale. Get some "test pants" and use how they fit as a measure of your progress. And remember that you're not alone...there are many members of the Slow Weight Loss Club. And we're thrilled to have you
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I am 50 and I do have a thyroid issue. It does happen. And I didn't believe I had a thyroid problem for about 18 months until my doctor noticed a small bulge at my neck. (I had actually gained weight pretty rapidly and I had other symptoms) It's a simple blood test and once I started taking synthroid, my body did seem to work better. Weight loss still did not happen magically though.0
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All fantastic advice, guys - thank you! I bought a fitbit this morning so I can now keep my calorie burning accurate and hopefully make some real improvement with my fitness - I think I'll just let the food keep as it is for now! Thanks0
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Millymollymandi wrote: »I bought a fitbit this morning so I can now keep my calorie burning accurate and hopefully make some real improvement with my fitness.
Your Fitbit burn is TDEE (total daily energy expenditure), the calories necessary to maintain your current weight. If you eat less than that, you will lose weight.
Connect your accounts at http://www.myfitnesspal.com/fitbit
Set your goal to .5 lb. for every 25 lbs. you're overweight: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/account/change_goals_guided
Enable negative calorie adjustments: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/account/diary_settings
In the MFP app, go to More > Steps and choose Fitbit.
Ignore your Fitbit calorie goal and follow MFP's, eating back your adjustments. No need to log any step-based activity—your Fitbit is tracking it for you. Log non-step exercise (like swimming or biking) either in Fitbit or in MFP—never both. Exercise logged in MFP overwrites your Fitbit burn during that time.
You can learn more in the Fitbit Users group: http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/group/1290-fitbit-users0 -
LaurenGraham2 wrote: »I think you may not be eating enough, I was told you should eat 10-12 calories per pound when trying to loose weight. Hopefully someone will elaborate on this or say of I'm wrong. Hope you get some useful answers x
Since you asked, you are wrong. Eat more, lose less. Always.0 -
Millymollymandi wrote: »I'm sorry to post with such a non-descript title but I am really at my wit's end and I'm wondering if any of you can help me.
Started my healthy chapter at beginning of july when I was 249.5lb (I'm 5'2 twentysomething female). I immediately cut down to 1400 calories a day and I've been keeping a strict hold on this by mostly eating food I've prepared myself using DIGITAL scales and cutting out refined carbs, bad fats, cutting down on red meat, etc etc. When out of the house, I only eat pre-packaged foods with nutritional information
I've also started drinking AT LEAST 3 liters of water a day. At the beginning of August I started incorporating exercise. This has since been 3-5 exercise classes every week which, according to a friend who goes to all of these classes with me and has a fitbit and who is a little fitter than me, are burning 350-500 calories per session. I log these at whatever calorie level her fitbit says but I never eat back the calories or will only eat back into 50-100 if I'm planning a treat. This is partly because I rarely feel hungry enough to eat more and also because I know I don't myself yet have an accurate measure of how much I'm burning until I invest in my own fit bit/similar so there's no sense in taking those figures as real.
I have picked up on as many tips as I can to avoid the usual pit falls - absolutely nothing passes my lips without being tracked, I weigh or scan everything and if I can't I always go for a no meat, no cheese option or salad or soup and over estimate the calories to avoid over-eating later. I also drink lots of water, have breakfast everyday to kick start the matabolism - only drinking water and tea, sleeping well and so on. All the guidance I read also tells me that given that I wasn't exercising before and I was definitely consuming more than 2000 calories a day that I should be dropping weight at a rate of at LEAST 2 lb a week with maybe a little more in the first couple of weeks. I am therefore devastated to report that I'm currently sitting at 242.5lb as of this morning (before eating, after weeing) which is where I've been sitting for the last 2 weeks with pretty much no movement.
I want to go see a doctor and talk about thyroid/other causes but from what I've said, can any of you see anything I'm missing? Genuine heartache here, would appreciate genuine and kind answers
you need to step back with a bit of objectivity! you have lost 7 pounds in about 7 weeks -- that's about a pound of week. You will hear on here that weight loss is NOT linear. You will have ups and downs and weeks where your weight doesn't change. Two weeks with no change is nothing to worry about...Over time, you should see a downward trend.
Keep up the good work!
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You're wrong.LaurenGraham2 wrote: »I think you may not be eating enough, I was told you should eat 10-12 calories per pound when trying to loose weight. Hopefully someone will elaborate on this or say of I'm wrong. Hope you get some useful answers x
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