Why am I not losing weight?!

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rns97
rns97 Posts: 2 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I want to lose weight and hopefully get down to 115 pounds. I started this app on May 15th weighing 124 pounds (I'm 5'2"). I already eat a mostly plant based diet and I'm continuing but this time I cut my calories down to 1,000. I try to avoid artificial flavors and colors, processed foods, and I watch how much sugar, fat, cholesterol, and sodium I eat in a day. I drink around 8 cups of water a day and I exercise at least 5 days a week. I weighed myself a few days ago and I was 123 pounds, but when I weighed myself today, I gained 2 pounds! Whenever I try to lose weight I end up gaining it back and I lose hope. I don't know what I'm doing wrong. Please help.

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  • randomtai
    randomtai Posts: 9,003 Member
    edited May 2016
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    Use this:

    nnnaq5rggu08.jpg
  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,268 Member
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    Well let's start with a few questions..

    do you log everyday using a food scale and correct entries?

    I am thinking no because if you were truly eating 1k calories you would be losing weight...

    and btw you shouldn't go below 1200 if you want proper nutrition.
  • Kell2912
    Kell2912 Posts: 485 Member
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    1,000 is pretty low calorie intake. Your body is probably going into starvation mode and holding on to everything you eat rather than burning it up
  • KorvapuustiPossu
    KorvapuustiPossu Posts: 434 Member
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    Kell2912 wrote: »
    1,000 is pretty low calorie intake. Your body is probably going into starvation mode and holding on to everything you eat rather than burning it up

    That is not correct. At all. It is a myth. Read this:

    http://www.aworkoutroutine.com/starvation-mode/
  • SashEdwards
    SashEdwards Posts: 78 Member
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    The advice I was given is it takes time....your body has to have time to adjust. Keep doing what you're doing and it will just happen. I feel the frustration, I've been at this for at least a month and have seen only a pound fluctuation up or down. However I will say, yesterday was the first day I've ever tracked my calories and can now see why I've not been able to shed any weight - eating mostly well and running 4-6 days a week. At any rate, don't give up - don't panic, just keep doing what you're doing.....deliberate daily habits - don't beat yourself up. You'll get there ;)
  • incisron
    incisron Posts: 550 Member
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    SezxyStef wrote: »
    Well let's start with a few questions..

    do you log everyday using a food scale and correct entries?

    I am thinking no because if you were truly eating 1k calories you would be losing weight...

    and btw you shouldn't go below 1200 if you want proper nutrition.

    She's 123 pounds. Of course loss will be slow and hard for her.
  • mysticwryter
    mysticwryter Posts: 111 Member
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    Eat less calories may not be the best idea, you need to provide yourself a 1200 calorie diet at the minimum. Usually restricting under that number cause your body to go into starvation mode and whatever you put in your mouth (whether its fresh, no dyes, no chemical, etc.), your body will hold onto it.

    What are you doing for your exercises? Working out 5 days a week, do you take breaks? You may need to have your body rest. Are you getting enough sleep? Try doing some alternate ways of working out, HIIT, yoga, spin class, weight training, etc.

    Worrying about not losing weight will put stress on your mind and body. It's only the beginning so don't freak that you aren't losing weight or are at a plateau. It happens. Keep doing what you are doing, increase your caloric intake by 200 calories (you can eat a handful of almonds and attain that since almonds will give you the carbs for working out and the good fats to care for your body), and STOP WORRYING. Once you just do your thing and not step on the scale everyday, you'll see results.

    There's an old saying that goes:
    It take 4 weeks for your body to start changing
    8 weeks for someone to notice your body change
    and 12 for YOU to notice the change.

    Don't fret; you will get to your goal!
  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,268 Member
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    incisron wrote: »
    SezxyStef wrote: »
    Well let's start with a few questions..

    do you log everyday using a food scale and correct entries?

    I am thinking no because if you were truly eating 1k calories you would be losing weight...

    and btw you shouldn't go below 1200 if you want proper nutrition.

    She's 123 pounds. Of course loss will be slow and hard for her.

    My sister is 2x her age, her height and weighs 120lbs and eats about 2k a day and loses weight.

    Her weight loss should be slow as she is close to her goal...
  • emmaprocopiou
    emmaprocopiou Posts: 246 Member
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    You are already a good weight for your height, so any weight you want to lose will be hard and slow up to 0.5 lb a week is good at this stage.
    Use the flow chart, it really helps.
    Make sure you are weighing everything every bite counts now and eat 1200 cals net , I'm smaller than you (4'11) and couldn't survive on so little.
    Eat back some exercise cals your body will thank you for it.
    Get enough sleep and rest your body too.
    Weight loss is not linear and at TOM the body can hold onto water weight.
    Just stick with it and slowly you will achieve the loss
  • DaniCanadian
    DaniCanadian Posts: 261 Member
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    That's really not much weight to lose. I'd say eat at maintence or just slightly below and increase your strength training. You're already a healthy weight, changing your focus to fitness rather than the scale number would probably be more beneficial.
  • dancing_daisy
    dancing_daisy Posts: 162 Member
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    mysticwryter wrote: »
    Usually restricting under that number cause your body to go into starvation mode and whatever you put in your mouth (whether its fresh, no dyes, no chemical, etc.), your body will hold onto it.

    See comments above - no such thing as starvation mode
  • Vegplotter
    Vegplotter Posts: 265 Member
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    I've just checked your weight and height on the NHS chart and, as far as I can tell, you are in the sweet spot. The perfect weight for your height. 115lbs is still classed as healthy, but it may well be that your build just won't let you go there.
    Perhaps instead of a reducing diet you might need to focus on maintaining a healthy diet.
    And if you feel flabby then try more exercise? (BUt be warned the consequence of replacing fat with muscle will be a slightly increased weight but a smaller waist measurement)
    Good luck. C
    5kbf0hclop3j.jpeg
  • diannethegeek
    diannethegeek Posts: 14,776 Member
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    I just want to drop these here as something the OP might consider: https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10177803/recomposition-maintaining-weight-while-losing-fat

    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10084670/it-is-unlikely-that-you-will-lose-weight-consistently-i-e-weight-loss-is-not-linear

    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10196160/scale-stress-syndrome/p1

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