Help only losing half a pound a week!!

linzijohnstonebest · December 2018

Can anyone help I’ve been so strict with my food and been doing regular exercise but the first week I lost 2lb and the last two weeks have only been half a pound a week!!! Why is it so slow??

tiptoethruthetulips · December 2018

How much do you weigh? How tall are you? How many calories are you eating?

If may be for your height and current weight that you do not have a lot of excess fat to lose, therefore, any weight will be lower.

linzijohnstonebest · December 2018

Hi I’m only 5ft2 and I’ve always weighed around 8 and half stone to 9 stone but currently weigjh 9 stone 10 and a half pound....I’m eating around 900-1100 calories a day and trying to exercise at least 3 times a week normally kettlebells? Thanks

PigHerder · December 2018

Linzi, you need to be eating at least 1200 calories a day - more on days when you are exercising. Also, you don't have much to lose, so it will come off very slowly. 0.5lbs a week is probably perfect for your height and weight.

Reset your expectations, start eating like an adult rather than a toddler, and realise this will take some time. You're not going to knock off 10lbs in a month, even by starving yourself. Plus you'll make yourself and everyone around you miserable.

sijomial · December 2018

Losing 3lbs in three weeks sounds perfect to me, at your height and with not much to lose you shouldn't really be aiming for faster than that.

You need to give yourself at least a month doing your new routine to get an idea of the true trends over an extended period of time.

ghudson92 · December 2018

OP. I am 5"1. Started this journey at 9stone 9lbs. So far I have lost 9lbs eating 1300 calories a day. You need to eat more, and be more patient.

linzijohnstonebest · December 2018

Thanks for the advise maybe I need to try and eat more and as for the person saying I’m eating like a toddler I really don’t think there’s any need to be rude do you? I was asking for help not to be patronised thank you very much. I am a adult and I struggle sometimes to eat more as I’m not hungry! But definitely not starving myself, I eat breakfast lunch and dinner with lots of protein and veg...but I will try and make my meals somehow bigger thanks!

kimgab1 · December 2018

at least your losing! i have been at it since September eating 1200 calories and exercising 6 days a week. i have only lost 7 lbs! I even have gained 2 lbs. Now i cant even get the 2 lbs. off. Its so depressing!! i weigh 165 now and i want to get to 140. UGGGGG!!

Phoebe5164 · December 2018

@linzijohnstonebest , I gave you a hug because sharp words fly so easily here. People hiding from view can be so mean . You are doing what works for you , I’d be aware if you feel hungry and make changes if necessary.Your loss is normal for the last few pounds .... keep going you’re doing great 🌸

Rocknut53 · December 2018

linzijohnstonebest wrote: »

Thanks for the advise maybe I need to try and eat more and as for the person saying I’m eating like a toddler I really don’t think there’s any need to be rude do you? I was asking for help not to be patronised thank you very much. I am a adult and I struggle sometimes to eat more as I’m not hungry! But definitely not starving myself, I eat breakfast lunch and dinner with lots of protein and veg...but I will try and make my meals somehow bigger thanks!

I'm not trying to be rude either, but your original post came off as sounding a little whiny. That said, @sijomial has given you good advice. A half pound a week is great progress! If you aren't using a food scale, now would be a good time to incorporate that into your weight loss journey. With so little to lose a scale will help with your calorie intake accuracy. Be patient, you've got this!

TeaBea · December 2018

linzijohnstonebest wrote: »

Thanks for the advise maybe I need to try and eat more and as for the person saying I’m eating like a toddler I really don’t think there’s any need to be rude do you? I was asking for help not to be patronised thank you very much. I am a adult and I struggle sometimes to eat more as I’m not hungry! But definitely not starving myself, I eat breakfast lunch and dinner with lots of protein and veg...but I will try and make my meals somehow bigger thanks!

Protein and veggies......that's not enough. Are you meeting fat goals? Low fat diets are a throw back to the 1980's when eating fat was "bad". Dietary fat doesn't make you fat....too many calories do. Add some butter to your veggies. Smear peanut butter on apple slices. Small serving sizes with lots of calories.

youngmomtaz · December 2018

But do you think you can survive on what a two year old eats in a day? The poster who told you that you were eating like a toddler was trying to point out that you are a grown woman with body functions to maintain. Hormones, hair, skin, muscle, bone, thought process, sleep cycles; all of that and more will suffer if you continue to eat so little. A minimum of 1200 cal, keep working out, be pateient.

sbrooks0387 · December 2018

Nuts are high in calories/fat for small servings. I would suggest adding a handful or two of those in a day to help your calories.

Also you can indulge since you have “extra” calories. You don’t have to deprive yourself to lose weight. Have a cup of hot cocoa or some other treat.

PigHerder · December 2018

Linzi, I wasn't being rude or patronizing you. I was pointing out a fact. You are routinely eating less than the recommended calories for a two year old - and exercising on top of that. That's not good. You need to eat more.

If you don't want to eat bigger portions, then think about how you can add calories when preparing your meals (using more oil or adding cheese or sour cream, etc.) or eat more calorie dense snacks like nuts, milk, smoothies, avocado, toast, cheese, yogurt, chocolate... whatever floats your boat.

You're aiming to create a sustainable calorie deficit that you can maintain for however long it takes you to lose the extra weight. That might be 3-6 months for you. Please do not try and do it on 900 calories a day.

emmamcgarity · December 2018

I am 5’1” and currently 146 lbs. I started at over 170 lbs. I agree with others that you need to eat a minimum of 1200 calories per day.

Something to ponder... at the beginning of this journey I think it’s normal to want results right away. Keep in mind that not all results are shown on the scale. The first week is typically the biggest drop on the scale. After that ,losses slow down. Don’t be surprised if you have a small gain in a few weeks. It’s normal. Even when still eating at a deficit. You can’t control the scale. Try as much as you can to take the long view of this journey. I find that I am happier that way.

For what it’s worth, I generally lose a half pound every 10 days. I eat in average 1500-1600 calories per day. I don’t do many strenuous workouts but generally walk daily 30-60 minutes.

Good luck!

me0231 · December 2018

linzijohnstonebest wrote: »

Thanks for the advise maybe I need to try and eat more and as for the person saying I’m eating like a toddler I really don’t think there’s any need to be rude do you? I was asking for help not to be patronised thank you very much. I am a adult and I struggle sometimes to eat more as I’m not hungry! But definitely not starving myself, I eat breakfast lunch and dinner with lots of protein and veg...but I will try and make my meals somehow bigger thanks!

Before you start eating more make sure that your logging is accurate. Do you weigh and measure everything? Oil to cook the meat in? Creamer in coffee? Extra bite while cooking? Etc.
While I agree that you should not under eat, eating more is not going to magically increase weight loss. So make sure you are accurate before adding more calories. You're losing a pound a week on average that seems like a great pace.

try2again · December 2018

linzijohnstonebest wrote: »

Can anyone help I’ve been so strict with my food and been doing regular exercise but the first week I lost 2lb and the last two weeks have only been half a pound a week!!! Why is it so slow??

1 lb/week isn't slow and our bodies have functions going on, particularly as women, that cause water weight fluctuations on the scale that can mask fat loss. Be patient and keep an eye on the long-term average, not the day- to-day or week-to-week numbers.

If you are confident in the accuracy of your logging, eat more. Often when people begin a weight loss plan, a couple of things can happen. They typically swap out higher-calorie, lower-volume foods for higher-volume fruits, veggies, & lean protein and thus feel more full. As has been said, that's usually solved with a little bit of higher-fat additions that people tend to cut out (and where all the joy in life lies

). Also early on, many experience sort of a "dieters high" where they're excited and "couldn't possibly bring themselves to eat more!" That will pass

Seffell · December 2018

If your deficit is regular you might expext to lose regular amounts of weight every month. Not every week. Week is too short a period to talk about when it comes to weight.

Help only losing half a pound a week!!

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