Disappointed in my progress
kirstens1984
Posts: 96 Member
So... 3 weeks ago today i started with a personal trainer on a 6 week plan which incorporates diet and exercise. Start weight was 130lbs. Week 1 i lost 3.5, week 2 i lost 1.5 and this week... nothing! I don't know what I'm doing wrong. My "normal" weight is around 115-120 (I'm wanting to lose my baby weight from having my second child last year), so i expected to drop down 2lbs a week pretty easily like after i had my fist child. I eat very healthily, weigh my food, cook everything from scratch, don't add salt, drink plenty of water etc and have had no cheat days in the last couple of weeks. I eat between 1200-1400 cals per day and exercise 5 days per week doing a mix of cardio, core and weights. I do tend to eat back some of my exercise calories or have a protein shake after but never really go above 1500 total. I'm going for my 4th session with the trainer tonight and each time i log my weight and i'm disappointed not to have anything to show for a week of really hard work 
any help, suggestions or motivation much appreciated x
any help, suggestions or motivation much appreciated x 3
Replies
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May I ask two questions? 1. Why pay a trainer when you can log into mfi where you will get genuine deficit advice and log calories? 2. Why don't you add salt?2
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Its called a stall. Its normal, after my first 2 weeks of loss i stalled for 18 days before weight loss resumed. You are still losing fat, but retaining water so overall weight doesnt drop. Once that water goes, you will see the drop. Be patient.
Also you have only 10-15lbs to lose. Change your goals to lose only 0.5-1lb a week. This way is healthier and you wont lose muscle mass.5 -
Weight loss is not linear and you don't have much to lose so expect it to come off slowly - 1/2 pound per week would be considered effective and healthy.
Losing weight takes time, accuracy, patience, but not hard work. You don't have to eat very healthy (there is no such thing; a healthy diet is balanced and you can eat what you want), and you should add salt when you cook - readymeals are often high in sodium, but we need salt, just not too much. Drink enough water, but don't overdo it. You don't need protein shakes. Exercise is good for you, but don't use it as a weightloss tool.6 -
Four pounds in three weeks is a fantastic rate. Especially at your stats. You are nowhere near heavy enough to maintain a two pound per week loss rate. Even a pound a week will be challenging now that you've had your initial water weight drop. You haven't stalled and don't need to change anything. Just keep doing what you're doing.9
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You have lost 5lbs in a month, that's pretty good going, the majority of your initial loss will be water weight. You won't lose weight consistently every week, particularly if you've started a new exercise regime.
At 130lbs unless you're under 5'0" you're already in a healthy weight range so shouldn't expect to be averaging more than 0.5lb per week and shouldn't really be aiming to lose more than that on average. It does also mean that you need to be super-accurate with your logging because you have a smaller margin of error than those who are obese.
I'd prescribe some patience and some expectation adjustment. Might also be worth looking into re-comp rather than actively trying to lose weight (see sticky on the Maintenance board).7 -
smithmssycatsmithiris30 wrote: »May I ask two questions? 1. Why pay a trainer when you can log into mfi where you will get genuine deficit advice and log calories? 2. Why don't you add salt?
I guess it was for the motivation to kick start me into getting fit again. I didn't just want to lose weight, I wanted to get toned and strong again which I know takes time. I don't completely avoid salt, I just don't add it into my cooking. I'll use things like soy sauce with stir frying etc, I thought using added salt in cooking would lead to water retention?3 -
kirstens1984 wrote: »smithmssycatsmithiris30 wrote: »May I ask two questions? 1. Why pay a trainer when you can log into mfi where you will get genuine deficit advice and log calories? 2. Why don't you add salt?
I guess it was for the motivation to kick start me into getting fit again. I didn't just want to lose weight, I wanted to get toned and strong again which I know takes time. I don't completely avoid salt, I just don't add it into my cooking. I'll use things like soy sauce with stir frying etc, I thought using added salt in cooking would lead to water retention?
Too low salt also causes low blood pressure. Normal water retention is healthy. Our body is 70pc water after all.1 -
Thank you, maybe I'm being to hard on myself. With 2 kids to look after as well as diet and exercise I'm probably more active than I think and maybe need to adjust my goal to 1lb per week (which I'd be happy with). I'm not the most patient person in the world (so my husband tells me!) so I might be expecting too much too soon?2
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kirstens1984 wrote: »smithmssycatsmithiris30 wrote: »May I ask two questions? 1. Why pay a trainer when you can log into mfi where you will get genuine deficit advice and log calories? 2. Why don't you add salt?
I guess it was for the motivation to kick start me into getting fit again. I didn't just want to lose weight, I wanted to get toned and strong again which I know takes time. I don't completely avoid salt, I just don't add it into my cooking. I'll use things like soy sauce with stir frying etc, I thought using added salt in cooking would lead to water retention?
Too low salt also causes low blood pressure. Normal water retention is healthy. Our body is 70pc water after all.
I didn't actually realise that. My BP has always been relatively low, but very low in pregnancy...1 -
kirstens1984 wrote: »Thank you, maybe I'm being to hard on myself. With 2 kids to look after as well as diet and exercise I'm probably more active than I think and maybe need to adjust my goal to 1lb per week (which I'd be happy with). I'm not the most patient person in the world (so my husband tells me!) so I might be expecting too much too soon?
You will be struggling even with 1lb per week more than likely. The lowest recommended intake for a woman is 1200 calories per day to get adequate nutrition and energy, to lose 1lb per week you'd need a 500 calorie deficit, you most likely aren't going to get that at your weight without undereating.
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kirstens1984 wrote: »So... 3 weeks ago today i started with a personal trainer on a 6 week plan which incorporates diet and exercise. Start weight was 130lbs. Week 1 i lost 3.5, week 2 i lost 1.5 and this week... nothing! I don't know what I'm doing wrong. My "normal" weight is around 115-120 (I'm wanting to lose my baby weight from having my second child last year), so i expected to drop down 2lbs a week pretty easily like after i had my fist child. I eat very healthily, weigh my food, cook everything from scratch, don't add salt, drink plenty of water etc and have had no cheat days in the last couple of weeks. I eat between 1200-1400 cals per day and exercise 5 days per week doing a mix of cardio, core and weights. I do tend to eat back some of my exercise calories or have a protein shake after but never really go above 1500 total. I'm going for my 4th session with the trainer tonight and each time i log my weight and i'm disappointed not to have anything to show for a week of really hard work any help, suggestions or motivation much appreciated x
5lbs in 3 weeks isn't good enough progress for you? that's a shame, but you need to re-adjust your expectations.
weight loss isn't linear. and to be honest with only 10lbs to lose the maximum you should be aiming for is 1lb per week.8 -
You have lost 5lbs in 3 weeks! you don't have much to lose so 0.5-1 lb per week is a more reasonable and a healthier expectation.2
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kirstens1984 wrote: »Thank you, maybe I'm being to hard on myself. With 2 kids to look after as well as diet and exercise I'm probably more active than I think and maybe need to adjust my goal to 1lb per week (which I'd be happy with). I'm not the most patient person in the world (so my husband tells me!) so I might be expecting too much too soon?
Yes you are. Be happy to lose the weight a bit slower - you'll not feel deprived or lack energy because you'll be fuelling your body better and you'll be more likely to keep the weight off. Think long term not short term.2 -
Keep in mind that this may not be realistic.
When you don't have a LOT of weight to lose, the 2lbs/week required deficit may become unhealthy. It's just math, but you'd need to keep a 1,000 calorie deficit EVERY DAY, and once your TDEE falls below 2,200 calories/day, that deficit puts you at under 1,200 calories to eat a day.
Which MFP won't let you do, and many find unsustainable.
I know that 10-15 pounds seems like a lot, but we have people on these forums who are trying to lose, 200, 300, 450+ pounds, and 2 lbs/week is more manageable for them.
Aim for closer to 0.5-1 lb/week and keep in mind that you'll stall out some weeks. I'm just coming off a 6 week plateau, and "whooshed" like 8 pounds this week. But it's only because I kept working out, kept eating at a deficit, and didn't give up.
Keep your expectations realistic and you'll succeed.9 -
Sounds like the only thing you are doing wrong is expecting too much too fast. Dropping 2lbs/week "pretty easily" isn't really a thing, at least not for most people.3
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Don't let a number on a scale have that kind of control over you. Meticulously log your caloric intake, conservatively monitor your caloric burns (just don't overestimate), and reasonably manage your deficit . The weight will come off.4
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I gained 15lbs in 2 weeks when I started back at the gym. Look up glycogen. Glycogen is what filling up your muscles, and when that happens it includes lots of water.
"glycogen is bound to four grams of water.This means that when your liver and muscles are charged up with glycogen you gain four times the weight of that glycogen in water."
Im pretty sure though that your goal is probably to loose FAT not weight. Which scales arn't going to help for awhile if you just started working out. Took me 2 months before the scale started moving again. But I've gotten a lot leaner looking in the mirror.2 -
Remember its a marathon not a sprint. If you expect to get where you want in a month time frame thats the wrong mentality. At your weight, 5 lbs in three weeks is phenomenal.3
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If you're exercising then you'll need to have some salt in your diet so don't worry about cutting it out altogether.2
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Thank you everyone for the advice
i'll try to be a little more patient and keep logging foods and exercising. Hopefully my clothes will feel a bit looser eventually and i'll be less bothered about what the scales say. 6 -
first - you're doing weight training - sore muscles are swollen muscles - you may have water weight fluctuations that are hiding other body composition changes. Keep calm and carry on. Second- you have 2 kids - I don't know anybody with young children who's getting enough sleep (which can affect weight loss). Are you paying attention to your sleep habits?0
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Initial weight loss is water weight, then weight loss slows down. With so little to lose you probably should aim for 1/2 lb a week. 2 lb a week is appropriate if you have a lot to lose--you don't. When you lost weight previously did you lose very quickly? Eat a very low calorie diet? Slow and steady is the way to go to keep the weight off and to ensure you aren't losing muscle mass.1
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also, it has only been 3 weeks. Patience, grasshopper
*edited to say, OP and several others replied while I was typing. Sorry for saying what was already said!0
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