Can't lose weight
Bellsforkelly
Posts: 21 Member
Hi!
I have maintained my weight for the last 3-4 years (fluxuating maybe 5-7lbs but mainly the same weight) despite my efforts to lose. I was sedentary and started working out 3-5 days a week. I used to not pay attention to calories or macros and now I count and have deficits, yet I can't manage to lose 10 lbs and keep it off. Please help! Is anyone having this trouble despite making major life changes?!
I have maintained my weight for the last 3-4 years (fluxuating maybe 5-7lbs but mainly the same weight) despite my efforts to lose. I was sedentary and started working out 3-5 days a week. I used to not pay attention to calories or macros and now I count and have deficits, yet I can't manage to lose 10 lbs and keep it off. Please help! Is anyone having this trouble despite making major life changes?!
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Replies
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How long have you been tracking and trying to lose?0
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Trying to lose for about 3 months now and tracking on and off for the same time. If I don't track it on here, I keep it in my head. O know there are slip up days, but if I have starting working out 3-5 days a week, it should' t make one slip up here and there go out the window, would it?0
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Do you own a food scale? I find it hard to lose if I'm not weighing most of my food (I don't take the scale with me when I eat out). Unless you know the weight, it's hard to say for sure the calorie count.
What it comes down to is staying in a consistent deficit that's appropriate for your current goals and stats. If you're not losing weight, you're simply not in a consistent deficit.8 -
how do you track your calories?0
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"tracking on and off for the same time".... There is your problem. track everything, weigh everything, and you will see results.....8
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'Tracking on and off' - that's your problem right there, you are eating more than you think...5
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I track them on here and track my macros on another app. Does anyone else find the social part of losing weight the hardest? I.e....alcohol, food temptations, etc?0
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I am getting a food scale this weekend3
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"tracking on and off for the same time".... There is your problem. track everything, weigh everything, and you will see results.....
This is the truth. I wasn't able to achieve my goals until I started to do this. Measure, weigh, and you'll be shocked how many calories are in the things you might otherwise think aren't calorie heavy.6 -
Bellsforkelly wrote: »I track them on here and track my macros on another app. Does anyone else find the social part of losing weight the hardest? I.e....alcohol, food temptations, etc?
Not for me but I'm not a drinker and we only eat out once a week. Bank your calories, i.e if you save calories during the week that could allow for your socialising at the weekends. Even in maintenance I do this, I eat at slight deficit Mon-Thu so I can eat more Fri-Sun1 -
RunRutheeRun wrote: »
Not for me but I'm not a drinker and we only eat out once a week. Bank your calories, i.e if you save calories during the week that could allow for your socialising at the weekends. Even in maintenance I do this, I eat at slight deficit Mon-Thu so I can eat more Fri-Sun
Awesome idea! I don't know why I didn't think of that! Thank you!0 -
Bellsforkelly wrote: »I track them on here and track my macros on another app. Does anyone else find the social part of losing weight the hardest? I.e....alcohol, food temptations, etc?
yes! That is very difficult, especially when you want to go out with your friends, etc. Food is a very social thing. Alcohol is just alcohol. I wouldn't NOT go out with my friends, unless you don't think you can make better choices. Check calories and the menu before you head to a place. Don't deprive yourself too much, there's nothing wrong with going out and eating a high calorie entree every once in a long while, you just have to make it less often than not And yes, food scale will open your eyes to a lot lol1 -
I feel like I eat generally healthy, but maybe my portion sizes are way bigger than I imagined...very helpful, thank you!0
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Budget ahead of time for socializing. Rum and Diet Coke is less than 100 cal, wine is usually 130cal, mich ultras are 95cal.1
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Never thought about using a food scale. I would like to try this. For those of you who do this, how do I know the proper weight of what I should be eating?0
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I find I do not lose consistently if I eat out too often. Even if I try to get the most easy-to-track things, if I don't weigh it and don't make it, I cannot predict the calories and/or salt content (salt can lead to water retention for days and days).
Low calorie drinks are easy-ish to track, if the bartender will tell you how much liquor they're putting in or the beer comes in a bottle you can look up online.
Eating at friends houses, I often bring my own food to share. And I usually just eat the food I brought. OR I watch them make the food. OR I say "wow, this is delicious, can you share the recipe?" And then I can log it later.1 -
Bellsforkelly wrote: »Trying to lose for about 3 months now and tracking on and off for the same time. If I don't track it on here, I keep it in my head. O know there are slip up days, but if I have starting working out 3-5 days a week, it should' t make one slip up here and there go out the window, would it?
Tracking, and tracking accurately is more important than exercising. People who don't track or are very bad at keeping track will often times underestimate caloric intake and over estimate physical activity.
To put this into perspective:
1lb = ~3500 kcal
2lb = ~7000 kcal
To lose 1lb you'd need to create a deficit of 500kcal per day for 7 days. You can do this through either a combination of eating less or exercising more. To lose 2lb per week you'd need to do about 1000kcal deficit per day...
So lets say you exercise for an hour each day and burn 500kcal but you also eat an extra 500kcal per day because now you're more physically active. You're still basically just hitting maintenance. Also during the initial onset of a new training routine, increased water retention is a factor as well.
To achieve and maintain weight loss you need to eat at a consistent caloric deficit. There is no magic bullet. Do this and you will lose weight.2 -
Bellsforkelly wrote: »Trying to lose for about 3 months now and tracking on and off for the same time. If I don't track it on here, I keep it in my head. O know there are slip up days, but if I have starting working out 3-5 days a week, it should' t make one slip up here and there go out the window, would it?
Tracking, and tracking accurately is more important than exercising. People who don't track or are very bad at keeping track will often times underestimate caloric intake and over estimate physical activity.
To put this into perspective:
1lb = ~3500 kcal
2lb = ~7000 kcal
To lose 1lb you'd need to create a deficit of 500kcal per day for 7 days. You can do this through either a combination of eating less or exercising more. To lose 2lb per week you'd need to do about 1000kcal deficit per day...
So lets say you exercise for an hour each day and burn 500kcal but you also eat an extra 500kcal per day because now you're more physically active. You're still basically just hitting maintenance. Also during the initial onset of a new training routine, increased water retention is a factor as well.
To achieve and maintain weight loss you need to eat at a consistent caloric deficit. There is no magic bullet. Do this and you will lose weight.
Thank you so much. This broke it down in a way that was easy to understand!0 -
I also had no idea water retention was even a factor0
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No prob. And yes water retention can mask some weight loss. It can fluctuate quite a bit.
For women hormonal changes, menstrual cycle. Birth control and all affect water rention. Dietary wise, too much sodium in your diet can increase water retention as well. Drink plenty of water especially if you're exercising more.
Also, weigh yourself at a consistent time. If you weigh yourself and random times throughout the day it's not as accurate. I like to do it every morning when i wake up, on an empty stomach. It's a consistent time and you are able to more accurately track your progress.
Good luck!1 -
We can attack from the activity side. Increasing intensity will help your body break through the monotonous routines of your workouts. Trying something new, a new stimulus will help you get more excited and challenge the body in areas that it may have not been challenged before.
As for food, you may have to add more fat to your diet. If you're eating too clean the body won't lose weight like it should. Fat is our friend (in moderation and the healthy kind). It appears that you have some good suggestions as far as dieting, calorie tracking and counting go. Try some new foods, limit your alcohol. I think that rum in moderation isn't the worst for you, but weight loss sometimes requires a lifestyle change. So, it may be time to evaulate what's most important.1
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