Not Lost Anything in Nearly 3 Weeks.

I'm having an issue that completely confounds me. 3 weeks in and I've not lost anything. Not gaining, but not losing.

Here's the details:

- I'm 45, 5' 10", currently weigh 230lbs
- I'm eating 1500 calories a day and logging nearly every little thing I put into my mouth. (I just logged 5 pistachios and I even logged a life saver)
- I weigh or measure everything
- If I don't know exactly how many cals a food is, I won't eat it.
- I walk/jog at 3.5mph for 15min at lunch 5 days a week
- I walk/jog at 4 mph for 30 min after work 5 days a week
- 45 min total walking/jogging per day 5 days a week
- I don't always "add back" my exercise calories, but I do use the low end estimate as a buffer sometimes (200 cals for exercise) and sometimes I don't log exercise at all.
- 5 out of 7 days a week I go to bed with about 100 calories left
- I don't "cheat" on the weekends, but I don't exercise those days either. At WORST I may "allow" 100-200 or so over my 1500 cals per day

I don't see how I can't be losing weight. When I did this before, the first month was when I lost the MOST weight and I rarely exercised back then. I've been very disciplined and even proud of myself that I'm exercising as consistently as I am, as well as maintaining my 1500 cals every day.

Helps? :-(
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Replies

  • quiksylver296
    quiksylver296 Posts: 28,442 Member
    edited March 2017
    Is the walk/jogging new exercise to you? Your body could be retaining water to repair your muscles. When your body get used to the continued exercise, it will let that extra water go, and you'll see the loss that was always there but hidden by the water.

    I've read reports on this site that the exercise water retention can last anywhere from 2-8 weeks.
  • Sls2bhealthy
    Sls2bhealthy Posts: 15 Member
    I really believe you are not eating enough. Your body is not getting enough fuel and it is holding onto fat. What you are burning is muscle. I would up your calories to at least 1800 and track your macros. 30% fat, 35% protein and 35% carbs. Also, add some weight training into your routine 2-3 times a week. Muscle is what burns fat. Try it for a week or two and see what happens.
  • PavlovianCat
    PavlovianCat Posts: 8 Member
    Yes it is new to me. I mean, I've jogged/walked in the past (I'd do 3 miles maybe 3 times a week, but that was over a year ago) but not nearly this much as the last 2-3 weeks (5 days a week for 45 min total.)

    I don't remember having this issue before. But it is consistently more exercise than I've done in the past. I'll keep at it and hope that's what the issue is. All I know now is that I'm incredibly frustrated because I've been so disciplined.

    Thanks!
  • PavlovianCat
    PavlovianCat Posts: 8 Member
    Thank you! I'll keep at it. I suppose patience isn't a virtue I possess. :wink:
  • lilawolf
    lilawolf Posts: 1,690 Member
    Added to the above... I would strongly suggest measuring yourself and taking pictures. Sometimes, particularly if it is exercise related water, you will be losing inches even when the scale is being a lying B****. Gives you more positive metrics to follow.

    Assuming that you have not done measurements before now. How are your clothes fitting?
  • Evamutt
    Evamutt Posts: 2,312 Member
    I don't have as much experience as some do here but in my journey it's not unusual for me not to lose wt for 2-3 weeks at a time
  • Tacklewasher
    Tacklewasher Posts: 7,122 Member
    I'm up .4 lbs from 3/16. I'm doing everything right. It pisses me off but sometimes that is just the way it is. Trying to get under 250 and it just isn't happening.

    So I'm just keeping at it knowing one day I will be down 3-4 lbs and then it will start all over again. I did the same thing at 258.

  • lilawolf
    lilawolf Posts: 1,690 Member
    I'm up .4 lbs from 3/16. I'm doing everything right. It pisses me off but sometimes that is just the way it is. Trying to get under 250 and it just isn't happening.

    So I'm just keeping at it knowing one day I will be down 3-4 lbs and then it will start all over again. I did the same thing at 258.

    Lol. Up half a pound from 3/16 myself...but I added a lot of new training. I'm expecting it to be at least another week before I see the needle move.
  • Sls2bhealthy
    Sls2bhealthy Posts: 15 Member
    I really believe you are not eating enough. Your body is not getting enough fuel and it is holding onto fat. What you are burning is muscle. I would up your calories to at least 1800 and track your macros. 30% fat, 35% protein and 35% carbs. Also, add some weight training into your routine 2-3 times a week. Muscle is what burns fat. Try it for a week or two and see what happens.

    The body does not "hold onto fat" if one is undereating. How does that even make sense?

    Here you go:

    http://www.stack.com/a/undereating

    This is a simple explanation. I am trained in nutrition, I am not making this up.
  • tabletop_joe
    tabletop_joe Posts: 455 Member
    I don't have advice, I just wanted to tell you that I like your style. ;)
  • tufntender
    tufntender Posts: 98 Member
    I actually gained 5 lb within perhaps 4 days. I couldn't believe it, but I remembered that I had stopped my blood pressure meds because my pressure was almost too low. So I started one again, it is supposed to help get rid of Sodium, anyway...I didn't weigh myself for a while because the 5 lb gain shocked me somewhat I usually weigh every day or every other day but when I finally did. I lost the 5 lb and a pound and a half. We are talking within a weeks time.So, seems like was just retaining water/ sodium. Do you eat a lot of salt? Do you sweat when you walk/ jog?
  • LessCookiess
    LessCookiess Posts: 538 Member
    You could still be retaining water perhaps.
  • misskarne
    misskarne Posts: 1,767 Member
    tufntender wrote: »
    I actually gained 5 lb within perhaps 4 days. I couldn't believe it, but I remembered that I had stopped my blood pressure meds because my pressure was almost too low. So I started one again, it is supposed to help get rid of Sodium, anyway...I didn't weigh myself for a while because the 5 lb gain shocked me somewhat I usually weigh every day or every other day but when I finally did. I lost the 5 lb and a pound and a half. We are talking within a weeks time.So, seems like was just retaining water/ sodium. Do you eat a lot of salt? Do you sweat when you walk/ jog?

    Ai ai ai, what? Does your doctor know about this?
  • tufntender
    tufntender Posts: 98 Member
    misskarne wrote: »
    tufntender wrote: »
    I actually gained 5 lb within perhaps 4 days. I couldn't believe it, but I remembered that I had stopped my blood pressure meds because my pressure was almost too low. So I started one again, it is supposed to help get rid of Sodium, anyway...I didn't weigh myself for a while because the 5 lb gain shocked me somewhat I usually weigh every day or every other day but when I finally did. I lost the 5 lb and a pound and a half. We are talking within a weeks time.So, seems like was just retaining water/ sodium. Do you eat a lot of salt? Do you sweat when you walk/ jog?

    Ai ai ai, what? Does your doctor know about this?

    Kinda sorta. I was told to monitor and to gradually decrease meds if needed. Since I started the HZT ( Hydrochlorothiazide) again I feel less bloated, but time for a full check up soon. Unfortunately ,I do not have insurance and it costs about 300 bucks including Lab work etc.
  • nutmegoreo
    nutmegoreo Posts: 15,532 Member
    edited March 2017
    I really believe you are not eating enough. Your body is not getting enough fuel and it is holding onto fat. What you are burning is muscle. I would up your calories to at least 1800 and track your macros. 30% fat, 35% protein and 35% carbs. Also, add some weight training into your routine 2-3 times a week. Muscle is what burns fat. Try it for a week or two and see what happens.

    The body does not "hold onto fat" if one is undereating. How does that even make sense?

    Here you go:

    http://www.stack.com/a/undereating

    This is a simple explanation. I am trained in nutrition, I am not making this up.

    I'm not sure what "trained in nutrition" means, but I know that the RDs I work with would disagree with you.

    OP, I agree with those who say to give it some more time. I stalled for a month when I started weightlifting. It was frustrating, but I knew that I was doing everything else right.