I can't seem to lose any weight

I think I need some help... I'm a 31-year-old woman, 5'4.5" and I weigh 187lbs. I've been eating 1200-1300 calories per day for about 2 weeks now and I haven't lost any weight. I use a kitchen scale for my food, so I know that I'm being pretty accurate with my intake. I'm a vegetarian. I also work out 5-6 days per week (HIIT, strength and yoga on the 6th day). I feel like I should've seen some sort of progress by now, even by 0.5lbs or something. I use weightgrapher and the weight seems to just be hovering in place.

Some background: I've been trying to lose weight for a long time now. I've lost weight successfully in the past using calorie counting and moderate exercise, similar to what I've described above. I was also able to lose 14lbs last December with vegetarian keto, but it made me feel quite ill and wasn't sustainable, so I stopped.

I've had blood work recently and the doctor can't seem to find any medical reason why I shouldn't be able to shift this weight. I'm really not sure what to do...

Replies

  • mkculs13
    mkculs13 Posts: 688 Member
    Carefully follow the advice of bmeadows380, above; the items in the MFP database vary by ridiculous amounts for the same item. I use USDA when I don't have a pre-packaged item (and I weigh prepackaged foods to verify their individual mass/calories).

    If you only recently resumed intentional exercise, then water weight from inflammation is your most likely suspect (as others have mentioned). I added jogging--no more than 0.6 miles--to my walking routine this past week and predictably, I am up at least 2 lbs by the scale. I just ignore it. It happens every time I add intensity to a workout. I have been careful with my calories in and out, so I know the scale is not showing true fat loss.
  • Curlywurlyjo74
    Curlywurlyjo74 Posts: 6 Member
    Are you drinking enough water? You need to be drinking 2000ml to 3000ml a day, the water helps with weight loss, if you are dehydrated you'll have problems shifting the weight.
  • Curlywurlyjo74
    Curlywurlyjo74 Posts: 6 Member
    Drinking water helps boost your metabolism, cleanse your body of waste, and acts as an appetite suppressant. Also, drinking more water helps your body stop retaining water, leading you to drop those extra pounds of water weight.
  • Curlywurlyjo74
    Curlywurlyjo74 Posts: 6 Member
    Also, if you do not drink enough water, the food's nutrients will not go to other body parts. Water helps in the digestion of food and consequently, help burn more calories. This will lead to losing fat.

    So basically, drinking water IS very important
  • emmabrookes1
    emmabrookes1 Posts: 67 Member
    Also, if you do not drink enough water, the food's nutrients will not go to other body parts.
    Please expand on this.

  • emmabrookes1
    emmabrookes1 Posts: 67 Member
    :D
  • Bluerunbiker
    Bluerunbiker Posts: 30 Member
    Also, if you do not drink enough water, the food's nutrients will not go to other body parts.
    Please expand on this.

    https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/drinking-water-helps-with-weight-loss
  • mullanphylane
    mullanphylane Posts: 172 Member
    edited May 2020
    My Mom was a singer and dancer, too. That has nothing to do with my suggestions, your post just made me remember two the things she loved doing. :) We discovered early on that I have two left feet and vocal chords more suited to grinding gravel than melodious vocal techniques. 😜

    To lose weight calories burned must exceed calories in. There are many ways to accomplish that, but, in the end, it is the only way to lose weight without surgery. What you didn't say in your original post is how many calories you burn each day, so one might wonder if you are really burning more than you eat.

    Keep in mind that the body will fight against weight loss at every turn. Excess sodium intake can also slow the process by making the body retain water, something that can not be burned, only excreted.

    Be patient. Fad diets are just that - fads that will be replaced by old eating habits or new diets in a relatively short period of time.

    There are a multitude of theories on how to lose weight, and here's mine, what I think is a practical method for losing weight:
    • Eat Less
    • Eat Better
    • Move More




  • Shelle33
    Shelle33 Posts: 63 Member
    Thanks so much for all of your helpful advice! I really appreciate it. :)

    To clear a few things up:
    • I drink between 2-3 litres of liquid per day just naturally (water, herbal tea and a bit of black tea). I tend to let my thirst be my guide on this as much as possible. I don't believe drinking water is a weight loss cure-all, but I like to be hydrated.
    • In terms of calorie burn, I have an apple watch that I've worn pretty much every day for 4 years. I burn between 100-350 calories in a half hour workout session (higher end for something like HIIT, lower end for something like light yoga or flexibility work). I have a tough time getting my heart rate up, as I have a low resting heart rate (between 53-59bpm). My activity has changed slightly during quarantine, as I can't walk or dance nearly as much as I used to. To compensate, I've really been trying to focus on my home workouts, but it is a shift for me. I think that could mean that I have some inflammation or water retention going on.
    • I don't eat back my exercise calories, as I usually assume there might be some sort of counting error and the margins already seem razor thin. The only time I add a little extra in (50-100 calories) is if I've done one of my heavier workout sessions. I also eat between 1200 and 1300 per day with the goal of losing 1lb per week.
    • I've tried eating higher calorie for weight loss, but it hasn't worked for me. I gained about 8lbs when I did 1800 calories for 1 month and another 3lbs when I tried 1600 for another month. This was when I was working with a plant-based dietician. She didn't seem to understand why and neither did I...