The weight won't shift!

tojujoal
tojujoal Posts: 3 Member
edited December 1 in Health and Weight Loss
A bit of motivation and tips please! I came back to running in Feb 2016 after 6months off due to injury. I am now running a comfortable 6miles at the weekend (increasing every week), speed session in a weds, tempo session on a Friday. I also walk 3-5km Mon-Thurs lunchtime. Previously I wasn't doing much beyond the usual exercise of looking after 2 active little boys!!
However, I started at 88kg, I'm now hovering at 85.5 and it won't shift. I have lost a few cms round my thighs but can't really notice anything else. I am a classic Apple shape - skinny legs and round tummy.
I'm not an avid calorie counter but I have cut out crisps as a snack and dramatically cut down the amount of choc/biscuits I eat. Lunch tends to be a salad with chicken or other protein (no carbs). Dinner varies but I usually cut out or reduce my portion of carbs and we eat lots of veg. We cook everything from scratch. I probably indulge a little more over the weekend but again I don't completely pig out!!
I'm so disheartened that all this effort isn't paying off. I do feel fitter, really chuffed with my progress in running but I'd like to see some progress in the mirror?! Advice?!

Replies

  • seska422
    seska422 Posts: 3,217 Member
    Weight loss depends upon consuming fewer calories than your body uses. It sounds like you need to keep closer track of your calorie intake.

    Check out this flowchart for some sound advice:

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  • misskarne
    misskarne Posts: 1,765 Member
    tojujoal wrote: »
    I'm not an avid calorie counter

    Aaaaaaaand there's the answer to your problem. You're eating too much.

    You can absolutely eat too much while eating veggies and the like. Start paying closer attention to your calorie intake. Use a scale.
  • LivingtheLeanDream
    LivingtheLeanDream Posts: 13,342 Member
    If you're not accurately logging your calories you are eating more than you think. We cannot outrun a bad diet (and yes, this is even with you cutting back on a lot of foods). To lose weight we must eat at deficit, eat less than we burn.
    Are you eating back all your exercise calories? That could be another reason for no weight loss as the calorie burns are inclined to be exaggerated on MFP.
  • afireflyspins
    afireflyspins Posts: 4 Member
    Hi! This is my 4th time doing this...I am actually gaining weight on this program. GAINING!!! I measure, weigh, log in my calories. In many instances, I was actually over estimating the volume of food rather than underestimating it. I use an apple watch to track my steps and exercise. I eat some, not not nearly all, of my exercise calories back. Usually have a difference of 300-400 calories difference–I read in one of these forums, I should do this, and was wondering why the last time I tried this, I didn't loose weight for over 5 weeks.

    Medically and cardiovascularly, I'm in great shape. I've always exercised, used to be quite thin, and ate a lot more. I don't have a thyroid problem, it was checked fairly recently (I think). Recently, there was a change in a prescription, and I've contacted that doctor. I was wondering why the program was having me eat so much food calorie wise, but it's much less than what a hospital told me that I needed to consume. Since turning fifty, I've gained well over twenty pounds, no matter what I do.

    From everything I've read other than the bigger loser article in the times this shouldn't make sense. My mother was overweight and hardly ate anything. She always claimed it was 1200 calories, and until now, I didn't believe her.

    I gotta say, I'm feeling pretty defeated right now.
  • ilex70
    ilex70 Posts: 727 Member
    afireflyspins wrote: »
    Hi! This is my 4th time doing this...I am actually gaining weight on this program. GAINING!!! I measure, weigh, log in my calories. In many instances, I was actually over estimating the volume of food rather than underestimating it. I use an apple watch to track my steps and exercise. I eat some, not not nearly all, of my exercise calories back. Usually have a difference of 300-400 calories difference–I read in one of these forums, I should do this, and was wondering why the last time I tried this, I didn't loose weight for over 5 weeks.

    Medically and cardiovascularly, I'm in great shape. I've always exercised, used to be quite thin, and ate a lot more. I don't have a thyroid problem, it was checked fairly recently (I think). Recently, there was a change in a prescription, and I've contacted that doctor. I was wondering why the program was having me eat so much food calorie wise, but it's much less than what a hospital told me that I needed to consume. Since turning fifty, I've gained well over twenty pounds, no matter what I do.

    From everything I've read other than the bigger loser article in the times this shouldn't make sense. My mother was overweight and hardly ate anything. She always claimed it was 1200 calories, and until now, I didn't believe her.

    I gotta say, I'm feeling pretty defeated right now.

    How long have you been measuring, weighing, logging? Sometimes people don't lose right away and may even retain water that looks like a gain.

    If it has been a month or better of consistent effort then you are not achieving a calorie deficit.

    Most of what we are working with here is estimates...estimates for BMR/TDEE and estimates for exercise calorie burns.

    It could be that your BMR/TDEE is a bit lower than the estimate, or that your exercise burn is less than the estimate.

    If it is past a month, with no downward movement on the scales, then I would stop eating back exercise calories for a bit and see what happens.
  • LivingtheLeanDream
    LivingtheLeanDream Posts: 13,342 Member
    @afireflyspins have you taken measurements? I ask because there could well be inch loss happening.
    Are you on any meds?

    I know you say you are logging everything accurately, but you should be losing if that is the case. Its science, calories in/calories out works unless there's some issue like thyroid or other medical problem, none of which I am qualified to answer.

    Don't feel deflated, sometimes weight loss takes time to show up on the scales, especially if you don't have much to lose. I always say, keep on keeping on and come back in a few weeks time if you still haven't lost with an update.
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