Help with weight loss

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apyabt
apyabt Posts: 5 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Hi there

I'm trying to lose weight at the moment with a focus on a calorie deficit and exercise, but I'm not really seeing any real changes in my weight, although I can see that my shape is changing and my muscle mass is increasing.

I'm a 30 year old female, was very fit previously (I was really into weight training) but injured myself in the gym a couple of years ago - a herniated disc in my lower back which limits me in what exercise that I can do. I want to lose about 2 stone (currently at 14st). I am eating around 800/900 calories per day. A typical day consists of:

Breakfast: apple or orange
Lunch: poached chicken breast, raw celery, carrot, iceberg lettuce, pepper, tomatoes
Dinner: fish/chicken/lean meat, lots of vegetables, occasionally with a small portion of carbs when hungry.

I go to the gym 3/4 times a week doing around 20/30 mins of cardio (interval training, 2 minutes walking at 5.5kmh, 1 minute running 12kmh) and 15 minutes upper body weight machines (around 20/30kg, 3 set of 15 reps).

I have been doing this for around 2 months and for the first month I lost around 7 pounds and around 5 cms from my stomach (which is where I want to lose from), but in the last month I have not lost any weight (have lost around 1cm from stomach) and I'm wondering why. In the first month I was not exercising - could it simply be muscle gains? I have always been toned and it doesn't take long for me to get this back.

I feel with the amount I'm eating I should be losing far more rapidly. Am I doing anything wrong? Should I stop the weight training and just focus on cardio? I would really like to be losing at least 2lbs a week and I'm concerned that this is not happening.

Note: I am also drinking around 2/3 litres of water each day.
Thanks in advance.

Replies

  • kommodevaran
    kommodevaran Posts: 17,890 Member
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    Why do you think you're not getting the desired results, when you're not using the tool (MFP) correctly?
  • apyabt
    apyabt Posts: 5 Member
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    I use the Samsung health app more now as I find it superior
  • apyabt
    apyabt Posts: 5 Member
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    Because I'm trying to lose weight
  • apyabt
    apyabt Posts: 5 Member
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    TavistockToad wrote: »
    apyabt wrote: »
    Because I'm trying to lose weight

    so why not do it in a healthy and sustainable way instead of crash dieting?

    Because I did that and it didn't work
  • Redordeadhead
    Redordeadhead Posts: 1,188 Member
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    Did it for how long? And how were you calculating the calories you were eating (food scale, measuring cups, scanning labels...)?
  • apyabt
    apyabt Posts: 5 Member
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    For around 4 months, didn't lose anything. Yes, I weighed everything, scanned everything
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
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    apyabt wrote: »
    TavistockToad wrote: »
    apyabt wrote: »
    Because I'm trying to lose weight

    so why not do it in a healthy and sustainable way instead of crash dieting?

    Because I did that and it didn't work

    how long did you do it for?
  • amyteacake
    amyteacake Posts: 768 Member
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    800/900 calories is lower than the average recommended calorie intake for a small child. Eating that low amount of calories for you isn't healthy for you and, sadly, the moment you start eating more you may put on the weight you lost again. 1200 calories is the lowest a grown woman should eat.

    Crash dieting isn't the best thing to do to lose weight. It isn't sustainable.
  • WholeFoods4Lyfe
    WholeFoods4Lyfe Posts: 1,518 Member
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    You aren't eating enough calories. You need to eat at least 1200 calories per day. It is nearly impossible to get the nutrients that you need eating less than 1200 calories per day. Maybe try switching up your macros, more fat, less carbs......more protein......low carb......high carb.......For myself, I lose weight by limiting my carbs, not necessarily low carb, but if I keep it under say 35%, less if I can, I feel my best, have energy, stay full between meals, and actually lose weight.

    Try and look at the big picture here. You are going to seriously mess up your metabolism eating so little. The more calories that you eat while still losing weight means the more calories you can eat when you get to maintenance. Healthy weight loss will mean losing the weight slowly. You didn't gain the weight over night, you won't lose it over night either.
  • gamerbabe14
    gamerbabe14 Posts: 876 Member
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    I agree with most replies above but also, you're not going to lose 7lbs of weight every month. You wrote "lots of vegetables" in your post. How many grams and which type of vegetable is a lot?

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