I've been working out but I'm not losing weight!
ak10388
Posts: 33 Member
Hi everyone!
So this is kind of a long-ish problem and I really don’t know what to do or where to seek help.
I’ve been a relatively fit person – weight 53-55 kgs and height 5 ft. 3 inches. I used to run and do regular workouts. I also eat pretty healthy for the most part. Then in 2015, I was diagnosed with hypothyroid and within a month I put on 7 kgs, making my weight about 63 kgs. I went to the endo who put me on Thyroxine (88 mcg). After about 5-6 months I came down to 60kg.
Since then it has been an uphill battle for me to lose weight!
I eat healthy - breakfast is oats with milk, banana, almonds, walnuts and honey. Lunch is brown rice and chicken breast, with steamed veggies and about 3 egg whites. Evenings are again chicken with brown rice. I drink about 3 litres of water a day. I also have a couple of cups of black coffee. I take multivitamins, and I work out 5 times a week. I do Beachbody’s Body Beast with a few modifications thrown in.
But my weight hasn’t budged from 60 kgs and I really want to lose weight! I’ve got muscle mass, and my fat percentage is about 18% however I really want to lose weight and go back to my old weight.
Am I eating wrong? Do I have some sort of insulin resistance – is there a test for this? I’m really worried and would love some help from anyone who might be going through the same thing or have any words of advice!
Thank you!
So this is kind of a long-ish problem and I really don’t know what to do or where to seek help.
I’ve been a relatively fit person – weight 53-55 kgs and height 5 ft. 3 inches. I used to run and do regular workouts. I also eat pretty healthy for the most part. Then in 2015, I was diagnosed with hypothyroid and within a month I put on 7 kgs, making my weight about 63 kgs. I went to the endo who put me on Thyroxine (88 mcg). After about 5-6 months I came down to 60kg.
Since then it has been an uphill battle for me to lose weight!
I eat healthy - breakfast is oats with milk, banana, almonds, walnuts and honey. Lunch is brown rice and chicken breast, with steamed veggies and about 3 egg whites. Evenings are again chicken with brown rice. I drink about 3 litres of water a day. I also have a couple of cups of black coffee. I take multivitamins, and I work out 5 times a week. I do Beachbody’s Body Beast with a few modifications thrown in.
But my weight hasn’t budged from 60 kgs and I really want to lose weight! I’ve got muscle mass, and my fat percentage is about 18% however I really want to lose weight and go back to my old weight.
Am I eating wrong? Do I have some sort of insulin resistance – is there a test for this? I’m really worried and would love some help from anyone who might be going through the same thing or have any words of advice!
Thank you!
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Replies
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How are you measuring your food? Weighing everything? Eating healthy means nothing if you aren't tracking calories and weighing your food9
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I'm tracking and weighing - down. to. each. morsel.
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UPD: sorry, wrote not in the correct topic
Only counting calories and minimal activity!
[edited by MFP mods]0 -
How much are you trying to lose? How long have you been trying to lose it? How big of a calorie deficit are you shooting for?0
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Brown rice is healthy but still very high in energy.
Multivitamins are of little use, as you are probably getting most of your vitamins from the vegetables, oats and fruit.
I would recommend entering your meals in an app like MyFitnessPal. It will show you how many calories/kilojoules you are consuming each day. It can also measure your calories/kilojoules burned each day via a fitness tracker or by entering your workouts.
The result will probably show that you are still consuming as much energy as you are burning. You need to burn more than you are consuming.
Are you eating those same foods every day? I would recommend varying your diet a bit more to get a wider amount of nutrients.0 -
If you are not losing wt, you are simply consuming too many cals/day. It doesn't matter how healthy that food is.
If your cals in (eatrn) equals your cals out (exercise + normal activity) then you cannot posdibly lose any wt.5 -
If your weight isn't changing then you are in a calorie balance and not a calorie deficit.
Either your goal is too high or you are eating more than you think (very, very common and making your food diary public may well help identify the issue).
The rest is just "noise".
The 300lb powerlifter in my gym eats healthily, has enormous muscle mass, drinks water and exercises a lot (etc. etc. etc..).
He isn't losing weight because he eats in a calorie balance.5 -
quiksylver296 wrote: »How much are you trying to lose? How long have you been trying to lose it? How big of a calorie deficit are you shooting for?
Hi! I'm trying to lose about 10 kgs. I'm currently at 60, and would like to weight 50.
I've been trying to lose it, for about a year or so, now.
I went to a nutritionist who told me to eat 1500 cals/day - which I've been more or less sticking to.1 -
milkybandit wrote: »Brown rice is healthy but still very high in energy.
Multivitamins are of little use, as you are probably getting most of your vitamins from the vegetables, oats and fruit.
I would recommend entering your meals in an app like MyFitnessPal. It will show you how many calories/kilojoules you are consuming each day. It can also measure your calories/kilojoules burned each day via a fitness tracker or by entering your workouts.
The result will probably show that you are still consuming as much energy as you are burning. You need to burn more than you are consuming.
Are you eating those same foods every day? I would recommend varying your diet a bit more to get a wider amount of nutrients.
I've found that my energy levels are up after eating brown rice - are you suggesting I switch to say sorghum/bulghur or red rice?
I agree - but I've become so used to it now, that I take them without much thought. I spoke to a nutritionist who said that the body anyway rejects what it doesn't need, so I guess... win-win?
I've been entering my meals for about 3 months, regularly. I'm going to make my diary public so that you or someone else can have a look. Maybe I'm not very good at reading these calculations etc.
I'm eating pretty much the same food everyday - I try to mix it up from time to time. Lately I've started adding different foods to my meals.
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If you are not losing wt, you are simply consuming too many cals/day. It doesn't matter how healthy that food is.
If your cals in (eatrn) equals your cals out (exercise + normal activity) then you cannot posdibly lose any wt.
I've made my food diary public - if you would like to have a look.
Maybe I've been doing something wrong?0 -
You would be amazed how common amongst people not seeing the desired results is using cups and spoons (like you do) to estimate their food intake.
Use a digital scale instead, remember calories are in relation to weight not volume.
Cups can be OK for some items but dreadful for other (try grated cheese for example, loosely sprinkled or crammed?). Ditto for spoons - I can get a huge amount of peanut butter on a spoon (and often do)
On the exercise side I believe your estimates are sometimes too generous.
Strength training (your bodybeast arms entry) is a low calorie burner, maybe enter the duration as "strength training" instead?
For running would suggest using the formula bodyweight in lbs X 0.63 X miles instead of the too generous MyFitnessPal estimate?.
Really you need to reset your logging accuracy for a month and then you will have a far better idea what is going on.7 -
Perhaps this is your new normal given your medical condition? Your BMI is healthy ie not overweight, and you have indicated an lean level of body fat at 18%.
3 -
Reduce your calories or up your activity.0
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You would be amazed how common amongst people not seeing the desired results is using cups and spoons (like you do) to estimate their food intake.
Use a digital scale instead, remember calories are in relation to weight not volume.
Cups can be OK for some items but dreadful for other (try grated cheese for example, loosely sprinkled or crammed?). Ditto for spoons - I can get a huge amount of peanut butter on a spoon (and often do)
On the exercise side I believe your estimates are sometimes too generous.
Strength training (your bodybeast arms entry) is a low calorie burner, maybe enter the duration as "strength training" instead?
For running would suggest using the formula bodyweight in lbs X 0.63 X miles instead of the too generous MyFitnessPal estimate?.
Really you need to reset your logging accuracy for a month and then you will have a far better idea what is going on.
Sigh. This is very possible. However, I rarely eat food that I'm aware is high in calories i.e. cheese, breads, pasta, pizza, desserts etc. I tend to eat lesser, but log in a little higher based on what's already on MFT. It also encourages me to eat a lighter dinner. Weighing food, given my lifetyle might not be a possibility just yet, but it's a thought. I just don't see it as a sustainable practice for me, tbh. I've also recently decided to cut out gluten - maybe that will help, too?
I logged in the calories based on my FitBit and what results it gives. I tend to do push-ups/jumping jacks in-between sets which is why I've logged a higher calorie burn.
I'll use the formula you've mentioned from here on.
At the moment, I'm eating 1500 cals and macro at 30% carbs | 35% protein | 35% fat. To lose weight, and get muscle definition is this a good break up? Should I change it to maybe 40% carbs, 30% protein and 30% fats?
Thank you for all your advice and for taking the time to help me out! 2 -
Only thing that really helped me was keto - carbs under 25grams, .8gram per pound of protein for my weight, the rest fat. Weighing food is essential for me. My issue now is wanting to gain as I weighed in and lost another 3lbs. I workout 5 days a wewk. Fitness Pal tells me Ive logged on 590 day streak. It's a habit now.9
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I was in the same situation until I ditched the cups and bought a scale that measures grams. Now I'm losing!! Something I learned here!!7
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You would be amazed how common amongst people not seeing the desired results is using cups and spoons (like you do) to estimate their food intake.
Use a digital scale instead, remember calories are in relation to weight not volume.
Cups can be OK for some items but dreadful for other (try grated cheese for example, loosely sprinkled or crammed?). Ditto for spoons - I can get a huge amount of peanut butter on a spoon (and often do)
On the exercise side I believe your estimates are sometimes too generous.
Strength training (your bodybeast arms entry) is a low calorie burner, maybe enter the duration as "strength training" instead?
For running would suggest using the formula bodyweight in lbs X 0.63 X miles instead of the too generous MyFitnessPal estimate?.
Really you need to reset your logging accuracy for a month and then you will have a far better idea what is going on.
Sigh. This is very possible. However, I rarely eat food that I'm aware is high in calories i.e. cheese, breads, pasta, pizza, desserts etc. I tend to eat lesser, but log in a little higher based on what's already on MFT. It also encourages me to eat a lighter dinner. Weighing food, given my lifetyle might not be a possibility just yet, but it's a thought. I just don't see it as a sustainable practice for me, tbh. I've also recently decided to cut out gluten - maybe that will help, too?
I logged in the calories based on my FitBit and what results it gives. I tend to do push-ups/jumping jacks in-between sets which is why I've logged a higher calorie burn.
I'll use the formula you've mentioned from here on.
At the moment, I'm eating 1500 cals and macro at 30% carbs | 35% protein | 35% fat. To lose weight, and get muscle definition is this a good break up? Should I change it to maybe 40% carbs, 30% protein and 30% fats?
Thank you for all your advice and for taking the time to help me out!
The fact of the matter is if you aren't losing, you're eating more than you think. Weighing your food on a scale doesn't take up much more time than using cups or spoons. Also cutting gluten is unnecessary unless you've been diagnosed with celiac or another gluten intolerance...just fit the foods you enjoy into your calories. I eat cheese, bread, pasta, all of the things you listed above in smaller quantities than before, including ice cream several times a week.5 -
Check out this thread, OP.
http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10634517/you-dont-use-a-food-scale/p11 -
Today, for example, you show 2 ounces of chicken fried steak (do you know how little a 2 ounce piece of CFS would be?!?) for 200 calories and three slices of pineapple cake for 126 calories. I would bet good money you spent at least triple the calories on those two items, 900ish calories, not 326.
That's not to mention all the other items in your day that weren't weighed, 1 tbsp of hummus, 1 tbsp of walnuts, etc.9 -
Are your portions too big? You really need to get into the habit of using a digital scale to weigh your food.0
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quiksylver296 wrote: »Today, for example, you show 2 ounces of chicken fried steak (do you know how little a 2 ounce piece of CFS would be?!?) for 200 calories and three slices of pineapple cake for 126 calories. I would bet good money you spent at least triple the calories on those two items, 900ish calories, not 326.
That's not to mention all the other items in your day that weren't weighed, 1 tbsp of hummus, 1 tbsp of walnuts, etc.
And one ounce of rice? 28 grams of rice is tiiiiiiny! Rice makes me almost as sad as peanut butter
OP, I'm going to agree with the majority that a food scale would be eye-opening for you. I also see a few entries that look suspiciously low-calorie for the amount stated, so verify accuracy of the entries you're choosing. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.3 -
quiksylver296 wrote: »Today, for example, you show 2 ounces of chicken fried steak (do you know how little a 2 ounce piece of CFS would be?!?) for 200 calories and three slices of pineapple cake for 126 calories. I would bet good money you spent at least triple the calories on those two items, 900ish calories, not 326.
That's not to mention all the other items in your day that weren't weighed, 1 tbsp of hummus, 1 tbsp of walnuts, etc.
Forget the CFS. I wanna know where one can get pineapple cake for that few calories.6 -
collectingblues wrote: »quiksylver296 wrote: »Today, for example, you show 2 ounces of chicken fried steak (do you know how little a 2 ounce piece of CFS would be?!?) for 200 calories and three slices of pineapple cake for 126 calories. I would bet good money you spent at least triple the calories on those two items, 900ish calories, not 326.
That's not to mention all the other items in your day that weren't weighed, 1 tbsp of hummus, 1 tbsp of walnuts, etc.
Forget the CFS. I wanna know where one can get pineapple cake for that few calories.
I had CFS Sunday at brunch. It was delicious...and probably 1200 calories.
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I agree you should get a food scale. If for nothing else than to use if for a few weeks so that you can learn what the appropriate serving sizes actually look like. Judging from comments above on how things are entered into you diary, it sounds like you're doing a lot of guestimating.0
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Start using other measurements, inches across waist, hips, thigh etc. See if there's a difference there.0
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collectingblues wrote: »quiksylver296 wrote: »Today, for example, you show 2 ounces of chicken fried steak (do you know how little a 2 ounce piece of CFS would be?!?) for 200 calories and three slices of pineapple cake for 126 calories. I would bet good money you spent at least triple the calories on those two items, 900ish calories, not 326.
That's not to mention all the other items in your day that weren't weighed, 1 tbsp of hummus, 1 tbsp of walnuts, etc.
Forget the CFS. I wanna know where one can get pineapple cake for that few calories.
Perhaps being a bit kinder might help?3 -
collectingblues wrote: »quiksylver296 wrote: »Today, for example, you show 2 ounces of chicken fried steak (do you know how little a 2 ounce piece of CFS would be?!?) for 200 calories and three slices of pineapple cake for 126 calories. I would bet good money you spent at least triple the calories on those two items, 900ish calories, not 326.
That's not to mention all the other items in your day that weren't weighed, 1 tbsp of hummus, 1 tbsp of walnuts, etc.
Forget the CFS. I wanna know where one can get pineapple cake for that few calories.
You might find it if you were more helpful than sarcastic. Thought this was a forum where people helped each other instead of being rude and snarky.3 -
Only thing that really helped me was keto - carbs under 25grams, .8gram per pound of protein for my weight, the rest fat. Weighing food is essential for me. My issue now is wanting to gain as I weighed in and lost another 3lbs. I workout 5 days a wewk. Fitness Pal tells me Ive logged on 590 day streak. It's a habit now.
I tried keto for a few weeks, however it's just not sustainable for me. My works hours are quite erratic, and I couldn't keep up. I did lose weight though - but it came back when I went back to a normal diet.0 -
I agree you should get a food scale. If for nothing else than to use if for a few weeks so that you can learn what the appropriate serving sizes actually look like. Judging from comments above on how things are entered into you diary, it sounds like you're doing a lot of guestimating.
It's true, I am. Maybe I'll try the weighing food thing, hopefully it helps. Thanks.1 -
quiksylver296 wrote: »Today, for example, you show 2 ounces of chicken fried steak (do you know how little a 2 ounce piece of CFS would be?!?) for 200 calories and three slices of pineapple cake for 126 calories. I would bet good money you spent at least triple the calories on those two items, 900ish calories, not 326.
That's not to mention all the other items in your day that weren't weighed, 1 tbsp of hummus, 1 tbsp of walnuts, etc.
And one ounce of rice? 28 grams of rice is tiiiiiiny! Rice makes me almost as sad as peanut butter
OP, I'm going to agree with the majority that a food scale would be eye-opening for you. I also see a few entries that look suspiciously low-calorie for the amount stated, so verify accuracy of the entries you're choosing. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
I choose the one that's closest (and green tick-marked) to my daily meals. 28 grams is literally how much I eat - this I have weighed.
Will buy a food scale. Thanks.0
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