Walking/no weight loss

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acertaingirlsheri
acertaingirlsheri Posts: 6 Member
in Motivation and Support
I started walking the first day of July and very quickly worked my way up to five miles a day as of August fifth. During that time I never lost a pound. I would fluctuate one to two pounds every day. I stopped walking on the fifth and as of today I’ve lost two pounds….just what I have continually lost weekly since February. Has this ever happened to anyone else? I thought I was experiencing a plateau. I’m so perplexed and really miss walking.

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  • TexasTallchick
    TexasTallchick Posts: 133 Member
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    Weight loss is about 75% what you eat and 25% exercise. If you’re eating more calories than you’re burning, you could walk 25 miles a day and still not lose/gain weight. It’s NOT water retention.

    You need to buy a food scale and weigh all your solids and use measuring cups for liquids and log honestly and consistently.
  • Branc93
    Branc93 Posts: 14 Member
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    I've lost 52 lbs since late April '21 and I didn't do any exercise, except for 15 minute leisure walks (which I don't think count as exercise anyways). Like the ones before me said, you lose weight in the kitchen.

    A kitchen scale is your best friend, weigh everything, trust me. Log everything into myfitnesspal and I assure you, you will lose weight. Walking is good for your overall cardiovascular health and composition, but if weight loss is your main goal, you need to start in the kitchen.

    Walking only burns around 300 kcal an hour, or maybe even less, depending on your weight. It's better to not get that chocolate ice cream which is 250-350 kcal in the first place, than walking for an hour. Prevention is better than cure ;)

    We are what we eat. Remember that.
  • Lietchi
    Lietchi Posts: 6,121 Member
    edited August 2021
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    TexasTallchick wrote: »
    Weight loss is about 75% what you eat and 25% exercise. If you’re eating more calories than you’re burning, you could walk 25 miles a day and still not lose/gain weight. It’s NOT water retention.

    You need to buy a food scale and weigh all your solids and use measuring cups for liquids and log honestly and consistently.

    I agree with everything here, if the OP has not been monitoring food intake or eating back excessive calorie estimates for the walks.

    But as to the bolded, no I disagree, it is definitely a possibility as well. I experienced it myself last year when I increased my step count considerably.

    https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10791323/water-weight-from-increased-step-count#latest
  • acertaingirlsheri
    acertaingirlsheri Posts: 6 Member
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    I am tracking everything I eat and am certain that my calorie count is correct. I have been eating 1200 per day since I started in February. I consistently lost 2 pounds per week until I started walking. Thank you all for your input😊
  • wunderkindking
    wunderkindking Posts: 1,615 Member
    edited August 2021
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    Physical, bodily stress causes cortisol to raise. Walking 5 miles a day on a steep deficit (1200 is bare minimum for women, and 2lbs a week is too much unless you weigh 200-400lbs - should not be losing more than 1% of your weight, and ideally about .5% per week), and just a prolonged deficit are bodily stressful. Increased cortisol causes increased water retention. Emotional stress and not enough sleep also cause the same shift in cortisol.

    So, stop the stress.

    Cut back on exercise for a while and up your calories to maintenance for a week.

    Go back to deficit.

    Somewhere mid-way through the week I am willing to bet you'll get a 'woosh' and the scale weight will drop.

    Stop stressing your body that much, basically. It isn't helping you.
  • scleveland7594
    scleveland7594 Posts: 2 Member
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    Just so I am understanding...I have been busting hump going on three weeks now...walking every morning at 6:00 am for 2-3 miles, eating 1200 calories(not the deficit) and have only lost 2.4 pounds. I know my water intake is way low. But your post indicate if I do my walk every other day, I MIGHT see the weight scale move. I'm avid about portion controll as well. Feeling very discouraged 😔
  • MargaretYakoda
    MargaretYakoda Posts: 2,362 Member
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    scleveland7594 wrote: »
    Just so I am understanding...I have been busting hump going on three weeks now...walking every morning at 6:00 am for 2-3 miles, eating 1200 calories(not the deficit) and have only lost 2.4 pounds. I know my water intake is way low. But your post indicate if I do my walk every other day, I MIGHT see the weight scale move. I'm avid about portion controll as well. Feeling very discouraged 😔

    If you’re accurate with your calorie intake, and you’re eating at deficit, then eventually the scale will move lower.
    Every time.

    But weight loss is not linear. And patience is often tested along the way.

    Don’t be discouraged. Don’t give up. It will happen.
  • losing200lbs
    losing200lbs Posts: 18 Member
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    A plateau is possible. I was losing good, then it stopped. For 4 weeks straight. Then suddenly the scale started moving 2 weeks ago.

    Only you know of you are eating right. And right isn't only calories. Salt, sugar, and fat matter. If you are eating right, and exercising your body is changing for the better. The weight will catch up.
  • Sonicmojo
    Sonicmojo Posts: 13 Member
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    Like the OP - I have been experiencing the same.

    With COVID loosening up - I finally got back to the gym about 6-7 weeks ago and have been walking daily for at least 5 years. I was 193ish Pre-COVID and have been in deficit, cutting carbs, altering stats and macros in FP all through the pandemic and nothing has been able to alter my current set weight. I simply cannot get the scale to move past 201 no matter what I do.

    I can eat wings and beer one day and do a complete fast the next and step on the scale and I am 201. I can hit the gym 4 days a week for 45 at a time (my standard "fat burner" mix of cardio and kettlebell work - no heavy steel) and throw in 2 daily walks of 35 mins each and step on the scale on Sunday and I am 201.

    I have calculated that with my TDEE (and typical weekly exercise) - somewhere around 2400 would be ideal "Maintenance" for a guy my size and build (5 ft 10 in, definite endomorph and most likely carb sensitive).

    I have chopped this back to a daily of 1950 right now (Last 6-8 weeks or so) with a macro mix of carbs about 120 daily, protein around 135 and fat at 107 and I am still 201. I will be 201 tomorrow and 201 on the weekend.

    Really starting to wonder if all the weighing (of food), tracking everything in FP and seeing literally zero results is really worth all this effort. It's almost like I have arrived at my final weight for the rest of my life and this is it.

    Would love to figure out if my body has simply given up on reacting to any deficits or I am completely missing the boat on something major here. I have literally been "plateauing" for months now.

    It's crazy how bang on this weight really is.

    Cheers

    B

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