Weight Loss not happening. Need advice.

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JT1090
JT1090 Posts: 79 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I started MFP on December 1st at 183.4lbs. I was slowly losing until the 11th. I've been bouncing from 178-176 since then. I'm not bingeing, snacking, or cheating. I drink tons of water and walk for 45min-1hour every day. This is a big change from my old 2,500-3000 calorie a day unhealthy diet. Any idea why this is happening?

My diet is healthy. Full of nuts, seeds, veg, fruit, beans etc. I eat up to 1,300 calories per day. I'm also vegetarian slowly transitioning to vegan.

Replies

  • gashinshotan
    gashinshotan Posts: 753 Member
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    That's still a lot of weight loss.
  • bpurc22
    bpurc22 Posts: 180 Member
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    I guess it could be a lot of things, but since you admit you're out of shape but willing to work at this, I'm sure you'll have no problem. Since you started dieting/exercising so recently, you're body is most likely adapting to your new lifestyle (which is a good thing). Weight loss isn't supposed to be consistent, quick, or sensible. You have to just continue what you're doing and I guarantee you'll continue seeing steady results.

    I would recommend upping your exercise level every week or so to make sure you're not getting into habits. Start running for short periods of time. I know other people hate the treadmill with a passion, but I either put in my iPod and zone out or play PS3 while running. It's just finding ways to get through it. Doing new things put much more stress and requires much more energy from your body (may be difficult, but it's a good thing!)

    I don't know if it's accessible, but high-rep weight lifting could also be a good option as well, finding the most efficient ways to use your time and break up your calories is pretty important.
  • gashinshotan
    gashinshotan Posts: 753 Member
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    How healthy is your diet also? If you eat a lot of sodium it could be water retention. I've had weeks where nothing moved because I was eating a lot of salt and all of a sudden in 1 day I dropped 2-3 lbs.... Also walking isn't enough IMO - you might burn like 500 calories an hour walking slowly so you should try to increase your HR.
    I started MFP on December 1st at 183.4lbs. I was slowly losing until the 11th. I've been bouncing from 178-176 since then. I'm not bingeing, snacking, or cheating. I drink tons of water and walk for 45min-1hour every day. This is a big change from my old 2,500-3000 calorie a day unhealthy diet. Any idea why this is happening?

    I'm a 19 y/o female & 5'7.
  • jdmerritt84
    jdmerritt84 Posts: 12 Member
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    Also give it more than a week before you get discuraged...I tend to freeze at a weight for a week or two then drop 3-4 pounds, it can be frustrating but you cant give up...keep on keepin' on it will happen
  • 3dogsrunning
    3dogsrunning Posts: 27,167 Member
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    Its been little more than two weeks. That is far too soon to say weight loss is not happening.
    Keep in mind that water retention can mask small loses in weight. If you are losing 1-2 pounds a week, 2-4 total in the past two weeks can easily be masked by water retention. Water retention can be affected by a number of things, from the food you eat to the time of the month.
    Not to mention, the scale is the least reliable way to measure you progress. Get out a measuring tape or go by how your clothes feel, not by the scale. Eventually, it will show a loss. I just lost two pounds after about 4 weeks of staying at the same weight. In those 4 weeks, I lost inches but not weight. I look much better than I did 4 weeks ago, there is a visible difference with little movement on the scale.
    Also, when are you weighing yourself? Are you being consistant? My weight can fluctuate 5 pounds in one day. So if you weight yourself at different times a day, you will find a difference.
  • lipsticknlattes
    lipsticknlattes Posts: 49 Member
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    Your BMR is 1654. That's how many calories your body needs everyday to breathe and function. You would burn 1654 calories if you laid in bed all day long. Now, you need to figure your activity level and your goals.

    f you are sedentary (little or no exercise) : Calorie-Calculation = BMR x 1.2
    If you are lightly active (light exercise/sports 1-3 days/week) : Calorie-Calculation = BMR x 1.375
    If you are moderatetely active (moderate exercise/sports 3-5 days/week) : Calorie-Calculation = BMR x 1.55
    If you are very active (hard exercise/sports 6-7 days a week) : Calorie-Calculation = BMR x 1.725
    If you are extra active (very hard exercise/sports & physical job or 2x training) : Calorie-Calculation = BMR x 1.9

    If you are lightly active, then your calorie count would be 2274. This is how many calories you should eat to MAINTAIN. to lose weight, you need to subtract 500, making your calorie intake 1774. So, do this calculation according to your activity level. I would suggest eating between 1500-1700 calories everyday and exercising. Your weight loss might be slow at first, but you should have pretty consistent weight loss of 1-2 pounds per week. :)
  • mjn710
    mjn710 Posts: 11
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    Good Morning,

    That can certainly be frustrating....But Look at what you have done, you have lost 7 lbs in 12 months. Good Job! It looks like your goal weight is 130lbs... a 50 lbs weight loss is no joke! And it requires a true commintement

    I will start with the obvious first. What is your current calorie intake?? I see you are expending ~ 200 calories day.

    How much water are you drinking? Some of you weight can be water. It actually is not necessary (or "healthy") to drink a lot of water. How much strength training are you doing? (This is a MUST; you need tissue (muscle) that works for YOU... burning calories)

    This is my algorithm when weight "stalls": 1) Have an honest discussion with myself about the calories I am eating or time working out to see if I am "cheating 2) Increase my cardio; the human body will benefit from multiple cardio sessions-> therefore I would just add 20-30 minutes to either my morning or evening routine. 3) Look at my strength training... you don't need big huge herculean muscles; but you do NEED tone. If that isn't there either increase the amount of strength training or the intensity (which will also significantly increases energy expenditure) 4) Look at my water and salt intake...both of these can increase water weight and mask losses which can have a significant impact on your self-esteem and mental heath

    5) A weight stall is a normal part of weight loss.... the body is an intricate device which does Resist change by nature... it wants to live in a nice equilibrium.... however sometimes this messes with our heads and can get us in a funk when wanting to lose weight; and in these cases I cut my complex carbs out and increase my protein still keeping fresh fruits and veggies... this does place the body into "fat burning state" (the glorious miami beach or atkons or keto diet) it does work and it will knock the weight off and does put the body into a fat burning state...(inducing stress proteins etc) realize this will stop when complex carbs are bumped back in ....


    I hope this helps.. let me know if you need anything else... I know there is a lot of crap on the net
  • llkilgore
    llkilgore Posts: 1,169 Member
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    I started MFP on December 1st at 183.4lbs. I was slowly losing until the 11th. I've been bouncing from 178-176 since then. I'm not bingeing, snacking, or cheating. I drink tons of water and walk for 45min-1hour every day. This is a big change from my old 2,500-3000 calorie a day unhealthy diet. Any idea why this is happening?

    I'm a 19 y/o female & 5'7.

    Five pounds lost in 11 days is not slow and 6 days with no loss showing up on the scale does not mean you're stuck on a plateau. You're doing well and I'm afraid the biggest threat to your continued progress is unrealistic expectations. Stay the course.
  • PinkGamer
    PinkGamer Posts: 12
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    Just give it a little time. Maybe change around your workouts, nothing too extreme. Just remember your in for the LONG haul. :happy:
  • ashnm88
    ashnm88 Posts: 748
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    Give it some more time. You can do it.
  • Thena81
    Thena81 Posts: 1,265 Member
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    wait a bit and see. its gonna happen, dont worry! id say your right on track! youve already lost 7 lbs
  • Mikelan
    Mikelan Posts: 27 Member
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    7 day juice fast. Google Joe Cross. Loses weight fast and most importantly healthy. It is the best way to flush toxins also. Hope this helps. What you have done is very good though for the short amount of time you have been doing this. Especially at your weight. Dont forget the closer you are to your ideal weight, the more time it takes to lose.
  • Fayve
    Fayve Posts: 411 Member
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    Wait... 7 pounds since December 1st 'this' year, or last december? If it's this year, I think you may need to step back and see that losing that much weight in such a short amount of time is really really fast, and your body may just be re-orienting itself! Just stick at it :)
  • JT1090
    JT1090 Posts: 79 Member
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    You guys are right. I'm being to impatient. I watched my mom lose 100lbs pretty fast so I guess I was assuming I'd lose the same way.
  • liesl78
    liesl78 Posts: 35
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    Are you taking measurements? It may be muscle weight as well. I have only lost 11lbs so far but my clothes make me fell I lost a lot more.
  • crzyone
    crzyone Posts: 872 Member
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    Seven lbs in 11 days is amazing!! It was probaly mostly water weight so that is why you have slowed down now. It takes longer to lose fat. Don't give up. Losing fat takes time. You won't see the scales go down every day. You might not even see it go down every week. How do your clothes feel? Are they any looser? Keep on doing it healthy and it will happen, it will show.....the scales are not always our friends. Forget the numbers, focus on being healthy and exercising and let it happen slowly.
  • robinogue
    robinogue Posts: 1,117 Member
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    I can't give you the best answer, I'm sure others know more than I do but all I can say is hang in there... You'll be surprised how quickly things can change.
  • chai_latte
    chai_latte Posts: 94 Member
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    Hi there,

    I started at 171 - got down to 160-161 and was stuck there for more than maybe 2-3 weeks? I was so frustrated because it wasn't going anywhere...my diet was clean, I was running for about 30-45 mins, drinking a lot of water - I guess this was called a plateau

    Then I read advice on changing up my diet (increasing by 100-200 more calories), and changing my workout routine. That did the trick!

    I had one cheat day where I pigged out on yumminess ;) and then changed up my diet by adding squash, peanut butter, etc. and started doing 30 DS (so strength training)...I switch it up every other day by running or not running and suddenly I started dropping to 158!

    It worked :) Hope that helps
  • mjn710
    mjn710 Posts: 11
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    I also want to apologize I thought your weight loss was over 7 months not 11 days... at this point I believe most of it is water fluctuation
  • krazyforyou
    krazyforyou Posts: 1,428 Member
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    CASEY THANK YOU. I DID NOT POST THIS TOPIC BUT YOUR EXPLAINATION MAKES GREAT SENSE. THANKS TO YOU I WILL DO BETTER

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