I'm being consistent but not losing weight

workout_ninja
workout_ninja Posts: 524 Member
edited January 2019 in Health and Weight Loss
I've been consistent for 3 weeks now. I'm eating between 1400-1600 calories per day. I do cardio and resistance training along with some hiit 6 days per week. I weigh and accurately log my food but I've lost a measly pound in 3 weeks.

Ive been weighing myself every day to see a pattern. I drop a pound, gain half back, then another quarter. I feel so disheartened. Does it take a while for a body to understand what it's doing or am I doing something wrong?

Help

Replies

  • shadow2soul
    shadow2soul Posts: 7,692 Member
    Are you tracking your weight trend since you are weighing Daily?

    It’s only been 3 weeks, could you be retaining water due to your monthly cycle? I retain water at 2 different points in my cycle (ovulation and period).

  • workout_ninja
    workout_ninja Posts: 524 Member
    Thank you! This is very helpful!
  • LivingtheLeanDream
    LivingtheLeanDream Posts: 13,342 Member
    Its still early days, keep going, the reality is if we consistently take in less calories than we burn we lose.
  • lmew91
    lmew91 Posts: 88 Member
    Yes I second the weight trend app suggestion. I fluctuate quite a bit from day-to-day, depending on what I've eaten, the quantity, TOM, etc. Looking at overall trends instead of day-to-day comparison might make you feel better :)
  • LiLee2018
    LiLee2018 Posts: 1,389 Member
    Are you taking your measurements too? How are clothes fitting? Do you have a pair of pants that were a little too tight before? Maybe try those on to see how they fit.
    It's still pretty early in your weight loss journey AND you're exercising too which could also be a reason you're not seeing the scale move (not in a bad way although frustrating).
    Just remember that the scale doesn't always tell the whole story. I'm sure with the exercise, you're reshaping your body even though the scale isn't moving much.
    Keep going!
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    workout_ninja wrote: »
    I've been consistent for 3 weeks now. I'm eating between 1400-1600 calories per day. I do cardio and resistance training along with some hiit 6 days per week. I weigh and accurately log my food but I've lost a measly pound in 3 weeks.

    Ive been weighing myself every day to see a pattern. I drop a pound, gain half back, then another quarter. I feel so disheartened. Does it take a while for a body to understand what it's doing or am I doing something wrong?

    Help

    how much weight do you have to lose?

    1lb per week is a good rate of loss. the fluctuations you describe are completely normal.
  • Phirrgus
    Phirrgus Posts: 1,894 Member
    edited January 2019
    May I ask how much you're trying to lose? I'm somewhere around that last 6-8lbs and it can be frustrating. A lb lost, half a lb gained back, sometimes 1.5lbs.

    That said, that last months loss is about 4lbs, so it's working for sure. You might be in the same place?? The last few lbs are the hardest for me.

    edit: just saw TavistockToad beat me to it.
  • workout_ninja
    workout_ninja Posts: 524 Member
    I've got 21lbs to lose to officially get into the healthy bmi category.
    Thank you all so much, it is so frustrating however I won't stop trying. I know for a fact I won't lose weight if I don't try! I will try on some older clothes to see but it is early days and I'll keep doing what I'm doing.
  • kabrina30
    kabrina30 Posts: 94 Member
    ahoy_m8 wrote: »
    For what it's worth, when I'm consistent and on my plan to lose fat (and I aim for 0.5 lb/wk), my weight hovers around the same mark for 3 weeks then --whoosh-- there's 3 weeks of loss all in a day or two. Sometimes I actually GAIN a pound between menstruation and ovulation, but I know if I stay steady I'll lose it after ovulation. So the math works exactly as expected over the span of 4 weeks, but day to day it doesn't seem like it. A weight trend app (happy scale, libra) can help psychologically deal with the normal and healthy weight fluctuations. Never look at data in isolation. It needs context to be meaningful.

    Sounds like you're doing everything right. Keep up the good work.

    Don't mean to hijack the OP's thread but I'm glad you shared this! I always gain a little during my period and assume I'll lose big the next week but then I don't. This month I went up 1.4 lbs right after. It's been puzzling me. But this morning I suddenly had a big loss and I'm pretty sure I ovulated in the past few days. So that fits with what you're describing perfectly. I'll have to see if the same thing holds true next month!

    And OP the hardest thing sometimes is not giving up when you think it isn't working. But it is working! Trust the math! It's a slow process but it's so worth it, keep up the good work!

  • AVanBens
    AVanBens Posts: 17 Member
    edited January 2019
    I had this problem for months before I finally started losing. What did it was dropping down to 1200 calories net (as in, I could eat some of the exercise calories back but I kept my net right around 1150-1200). It might be worth it to try it for a week or two just to blast through the plateau. It worked for me, anyhow. I think I underestimated just how sedentary I had been before I started being more mindful about it, so now I make a point to walk and stand more at the office, too. Now I tend to still eat 1200 net most days (nothing is forbidden but I try to keep my macros 50/30/20), but I'll have an 1800-calorie day once a week to keep things interesting. I never feel deprived because I exercise six days a week and am usually able to eat a good 1500 calories to be 1200 net. Also, I got a food scale and learned I'd been severely underestimating things like cereal. I'm down 14 pounds in seven weeks. I just had to get brutal for a few weeks to get everything going.
    workout_ninja wrote: »
    I've been consistent for 3 weeks now. I'm eating between 1400-1600 calories per day. I do cardio and resistance training along with some hiit 6 days per week. I weigh and accurately log my food but I've lost a measly pound in 3 weeks.

    Ive been weighing myself every day to see a pattern. I drop a pound, gain half back, then another quarter. I feel so disheartened. Does it take a while for a body to understand what it's doing or am I doing something wrong?

    Help

  • GemimaFitzTed
    GemimaFitzTed Posts: 260 Member
    quiksylver296 wrote: »
    Read this article, too, @workout_ninja. It will help quell the weigh-in freakouts.

    http://physiqonomics.com/the-weird-and-highly-annoying-world-of-scale-weight-and-fluctuations/

    And this one! http://physiqonomics.com/8-reasons-calorie-deficit/

    I love the way the author write this! Kicked some sense into me today :smiley:
  • kq1981
    kq1981 Posts: 1,098 Member
    Its still early days, browse all the forums, there's so much great info from people who have been on here for a long time and have been very sucssessful at weight loss. Is this your first time using MFP? Weighing foods made SUCH a difference to me when i first started and got comfortable. Log accurately and consistently, even if those big red 'youve gone over your calories' come up, keep on logging. Be very honest. Thats was the hardest thing for me. Its learning what works for you and adhering to your intake. Good luck, you got this!

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