Why can't I lose weight?

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eddierich
eddierich Posts: 5 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
So for the last 2 weeks I have been killing it and super focused on losing weight. Problem is I can't seem to see the results of the work I am putting in. I weigh 292 lbs so i do have alot to lose. Two weeks in I had lost 10 lbs and as of yesterday gained 2 for a loss of 8 now. I walk three times a day for a total or about two hours. Three days a week I lift weights, light weight high reps to tone not bulk. Five days a week jiu-jitsu and karate for two hours a day. I have recorded everything i have eaten. I have had a head cold for the last 5 days but continued my walking routine. My doctor said that was okay. Clothes are loser on me so I see results there just not in weight loss. Can anyone help me please!
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Replies

  • ilex70
    ilex70 Posts: 727 Member
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    There is no reason for you to be in fear of bulking up. Heavy weights, low reps and keep moving between sets is a better investment of your time.

    Other than that, what is your diet looking like? Lots of salt maybe? Not necessarily a bad thing, but can make you hold water.
  • yarwell
    yarwell Posts: 10,477 Member
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    Step away from the sweet tea.

    I can't imagine 200 grams a day of sugar is a great start on a weight loss journey.
  • Queenmunchy
    Queenmunchy Posts: 3,380 Member
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    4lbs a week is really rapid weight loss, which can be normal in the beginning. Just keep going and be patient!
  • goldthistime
    goldthistime Posts: 3,214 Member
    edited January 2016
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    My guess would be some of that initial 10lb weight loss the first 2 weeks (which is a huge loss), was just water weight, and you have normalized again. This happens to me more often than not when I first start a diet.
  • FeebRyan
    FeebRyan Posts: 738 Member
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    I find it harder to diet when I'm training. If I eat at a decficit then train I feel crappy.

    So I've cut down the training, I eat 1 meal 3 times a week and then eat at maintenance the rest of the time. Means I can train hard and still lose weight.
  • carmkizzle
    carmkizzle Posts: 211 Member
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    It takes A LOT of factors for women to "bulk up", so definitely don't be concerned about that. You're strength training 3 times a week...make it count! Don't stop what you're doing, otherwise.
  • goldthistime
    goldthistime Posts: 3,214 Member
    edited January 2016
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    FeebRyan wrote: »
    I find it harder to diet when I'm training. If I eat at a decficit then train I feel crappy.

    So I've cut down the training, I eat 1 meal 3 times a week and then eat at maintenance the rest of the time. Means I can train hard and still lose weight.

    Yes and no. I have also experienced less movement on the scales when I'm killing my workouts, but if you think about it, we are burning more calories, this shouldn't be. Water weight again. Your sore muscles are retaining water. Ignore the scales and keep doing what your doing.

    ETA have been interested in the 4:3 method you are describing though.

  • zoeysasha37
    zoeysasha37 Posts: 7,088 Member
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    Weight loss comes down to calories.
    Eat less then you burn and you'll lose weight. Calories in / calories out
    Weight loss comes from a calorie deficit.

    You will not " bulk up" if your eating at a deficit.

    Weight fluctuations are normal. If the scale goes up but you are sure that you have eaten at a deficit then its likely water weight. This is normal. My scale can fluctuate up to 8lbs sometimes !

    Are you using a food scale to weigh your solids? Are you measuring your liquids?
    How many calories are you consuming? How accurate is your logging ?
  • Commander_Keen
    Commander_Keen Posts: 1,179 Member
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    eddierich wrote: »
    So for the last 2 weeks I have been killing it and super focused on losing weight. Problem is I can't seem to see the results of the work I am putting in. I weigh 292 lbs so i do have alot to lose. Two weeks in I had lost 10 lbs and as of yesterday gained 2 for a loss of 8 now. I walk three times a day for a total or about two hours. Three days a week I lift weights, light weight high reps to tone not bulk. Five days a week jiu-jitsu and karate for two hours a day. I have recorded everything i have eaten. I have had a head cold for the last 5 days but continued my walking routine. My doctor said that was okay. Clothes are loser on me so I see results there just not in weight loss. Can anyone help me please!

    So a few things here:
    Why are you walking if your doing Jiu-jitsu and Karate?
    Weights, my impression/understanding is that muscles burn more calories than fat, If that is true, then you should consider heavy weights, with lower reps.
    recording food: How are you recording, are you using a scale?
    How many calories are you consuming? How many calories are you burning.
  • RoxieDawn
    RoxieDawn Posts: 15,488 Member
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    Weight loss of 8 pounds in two weeks is NOT weight/fat loss. It is majority water and possibly a pound or two.

    Weight loss is NOT linear and there will be weeks when you don't loose a pound and it may go up and down due to fluctuations in the body.

    If you consistently see no change, forget the walking calorie burns, you need to focus on WEIGHING your food and get honest about the diary logging. If all is 100% spot on, then you should evaluate how many calories of exercise you are eating back (if you are doing this)... you could be eating back way too many..
  • StaciMarie1974
    StaciMarie1974 Posts: 4,138 Member
    edited January 2016
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    You are losing weight. 8 pounds in 2 weeks, even though some is likely water, is great progress. The scale is not going to drop every week, though with so much weight to lose you're likely to see more down weeks than up.
  • Commander_Keen
    Commander_Keen Posts: 1,179 Member
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    If weight loss is just water loss, shouldn't somebody be able to drink 32 oz of water to see the weight increase?
  • Muscleflex79
    Muscleflex79 Posts: 1,917 Member
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    your diary shows you burning up to 4500-5500 per DAY in exercise...what are you doing that makes you think you are burning that much???? your protein amounts are pathetically low too - I only looked at a few days but you are around 50 grams of protein/day sometimes??
  • Muscleflex79
    Muscleflex79 Posts: 1,917 Member
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    4500-5500 calories per day that should say
  • goldthistime
    goldthistime Posts: 3,214 Member
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    Commander_Keen wrote: »
    If weight loss is just water loss, shouldn't somebody be able to drink 32 oz of water to see the weight increase?

    Does this sound incredible to you? If I weigh myself, then drink water and weigh myself again, of course the scale shows a gain. Am I misunderstanding your post?


  • cbtebb
    cbtebb Posts: 34 Member
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    I haven't read through all the comments as I only have a moment, but looking at what you have said with everything you do that if clothes are fitting looser I wouldn't worry too much, where you exercising so much you are probably gaining the weight back in muscle that you burn in fat at these stages. I sometimes have the same problem of not losing weight on the scales but in the mirror I can see the difference, and I focus more now on my physical size as my progress rather than the number on the scales. Saying that there will come a point when the amount of exercise you do won't build much more muscle (a plateau in technical terms) and if you stick to your plan then at that point you will see more 'weight loss' results I.e the numbers will be dropping on the scales.

    This is only my way of looking at it, I did GCSE P.E back in the day and that's the extent of my knowledge and I'm not a pro haha, but as its weight loss you're looking at I would go for the physical appearance over your weight because if you are looking slimmer then you are doing it right. I hope this helps and all the best in your progress!
  • daniwilford
    daniwilford Posts: 1,030 Member
    edited January 2016
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    Sorry to inform you but @TigerTebb is probably incorrect. While gaining a pound of muscle a week is possible for a male it would take near perfect training and nutrition. It is much more likely to be fluctuations in water retention.
    Continue with the exercise, count your calories for food and exercise as accurately as possible. If you are eating and drinking fewer calories than you are burning, you will lose weight. To insure that most of that weight is fat make sure to meet or exceed your protein goal and continue some type of strength training. Accuracy can be a problem, many of the MFP entries for exercise are inflated, so eat only a portion of those back. If you are not weighing your solid foods with a digital kitchen food scale in grams, you may be eating more than you are tracking.
    ETA: No way you can be burning that many calories walking for 1-2 hours.
  • mitch16
    mitch16 Posts: 2,113 Member
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    A few general observations...

    Way too much sugar--you are drinking 25-30% of your calories every day! More lean protein.

    And what are you doing for 4500+ calorie fitbit adjustments? That seems pretty excessive...
  • I_Will_End_You
    I_Will_End_You Posts: 4,397 Member
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    How is losing 8lbs in two weeks (even if some is an initial drop in water weight...which is likely is) not losing weight?

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