Help please. trying hard but no loss!!

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Leo247
Leo247 Posts: 20 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Looking for a bit of advice please. I'm 5'9" 38 year old female who weighs 185lbs and wants to get down to 155 (where I look healthiest).

I've been on MFP for 10 days, have cut my calorie intake down to 1300-1500 (including quite low fat and no gluten) and am doing 30 day shred daily plus walking briskly for 90 minutes compared to my previous excercise regime of 20 minutes dog walking per day.

So far I have lost 1lb :-(

What am I doing wrong?
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Replies

  • whitneymws
    whitneymws Posts: 35 Member
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    I'm in the SAME boat. I just blogged about this actually on my site (http://www.mommieswithstyle.com/damn-you-37-year-old-body-or-why-is-it-so-hard-to-lose-one-stinking-pound/) But I think for me it has to do with age (I'm 37) and may unfortunately be a bit of the issue for you too. It's just not as easy when you're pushing 40 as it was at 25, I think!

    That said, I know for me I have to have more patience. Slow and steady wins the race. Hang in there, if you keep it up, it'll come. But believe me, I understand how tough it is to wait when you are doing all the right things and not seeing results as quickly as you'd like!
  • Leo247
    Leo247 Posts: 20 Member
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    Thanks so much for your reply. I have lost weight by low carbing (and through ill health) in the past and it came off so quickly (then took about 4 years to go back on!) so I suppose I am just being impatient. I don't want to low carb again. I just feel like I have been so good, no cheating, no slips ups, NO CHOCOLATE!!!! and I wamted a wee reward from the scales this morning.
  • crownedangel
    crownedangel Posts: 19 Member
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    i joined in nov. 2011, only have lost 8 lbs but i feel my close a lot looser.....i think that counts for something! lol.....
  • mrau719
    mrau719 Posts: 288 Member
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    are you exercising too? and what foods are you eating? the quality of food will definitely make a difference in weightloss. For example "clean" vs processed.
  • jdublis
    jdublis Posts: 3 Member
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    sometimes when you eat certain things matters ...try breaking up your calories into 6 small meals instead of 3 reg size.

    also try to not have any starchy carbs after lunch

    drink lots of water...drinking water keeps your metabolism going
  • ChRiStA_1983
    ChRiStA_1983 Posts: 380 Member
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    From what it seems like, I'd say you're going to have to be patient. It's reasonable to expect about a 1 lb. loss every week or so....Since your statistics show that you're not morbidly obese, I doubt that you'll be able to drop 2 or more pounds per week. 1 lb. is just about right, I'd say....Just be patient, and keep up the calorie counting and exercise. Your weight WILL drop, but it will take time! Keep up the good work!
  • vadiane1
    vadiane1 Posts: 50
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    Hello,

    I too, am in the same boat. I am 46 and the pounds just seem to think they have not received their walking papers, so they are still hanging around.
    Its been almost a month and Ive dropped 6 pounds, most of that week 1.
    So I am just pushing on and try to be patient!
  • rdeleon419
    rdeleon419 Posts: 2
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    You aren't doing anything wrong. You've only been doing it for 10 days. Which is GREAT!

    Like whitneymws said "slow and steady wins the race". Weight loss that is accomplished slowly and healthily is generally more sustainable than dramatically fast loss achieved by crash diets, pills etc.

    Other things to keep in mind:

    weigh yourself at the same time everyday (weekly, bi-weekly, or whichever frequency you prefer). For many people, weight fluctuates throughout the day. This makes an accurate measure of weight loss harder.

    the 30 day shred involves strength training=muscles! I'm sure you've heard that a pound of muscle is smaller (in volume) than a pound of fat. Your scale doesn't know the difference. Use a tape measure to track size losses.

    consistency. don't fret because the pounds are flying off (easier said than done). Just keep up with the calorie counting and the exercise. This is your health. You're in it for the long haul- because you deserve it!
  • NettyB62
    NettyB62 Posts: 45
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    I wish I could give you advice, but feel I am in the same boat. I am 49..been working out 6 days a week since the first of the year. I signed up for an adult fitness program at our local hospital, I have a trainer. I am doing cardio 3 days a week and weight training 3 days a week..and taking 1 day off. I am consuming between 1,300 & 1,400 calories a day.
    I weighed myself this morning and actually gained 2 lbs! Talk about being discouraged! ARGGG!
  • Teresa527
    Teresa527 Posts: 62 Member
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    You really have to give it time. It takes a while sometimes to start losing regularly.
    Are you drinking plenty of water? There are so many reasons why the number on the scale won't budge but you are actually getting smaller.

    My advice? Take measurements. Keep going. It will start falling off. I promise you that!
    I had always wanted to lose weight and I always quit within the first couple of weeks because I didn't see the scale drop fast enough. This time I kept going. Now I am 3 months in and 27 pounds down.
    You can do this!
  • Kissybiz
    Kissybiz Posts: 361 Member
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    This is very common for people on here. I obsessed about the same thing. I've been on here for about a month. My scale kept going down then up, and it's very frustrating. Just pay attention to staying at or just under your recommended calories. Exercise. Drink plenty of water. Watch your salt and sugar. Eat nutrient dense foods. And it will happen. .
  • cgrout78
    cgrout78 Posts: 1,679 Member
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    One pound in ten days is really good. Just drink a lot of water and keep doing what youre doing. Try eating a little more for a couple days and see what happens. People that lose ten pounds in ten days are the ones that gain it back PLUS. Slow and steady wins the race!
  • gsager
    gsager Posts: 977 Member
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    I'm sure that you aren't eating enough calories, you eat the net that MFP gives you and you add the calories that you burn in exercise, that is what you are supposed to be eating. This isn't an over night process. Good Luck.
  • Strobins05
    Strobins05 Posts: 716
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    Hang in there! I have been here since Nov 2011 and have lost over 7 inches and 13 pounds! Keep making progress and find what works for your body. Also KEEP that Heart rate up during your workouts by pushing hard! :flowerforyou:
  • janeitg
    janeitg Posts: 33 Member
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    If you are exercising a lot you could be adding muscle which is heavier than fat. Measure youself. Don't be discouraged. When you do the right things you WILL be rewarded. Be patient with yourself.
  • I_get_fit
    I_get_fit Posts: 145 Member
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    hang in there... it will happen!
  • jodiejohansen
    jodiejohansen Posts: 1 Member
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    One thing about the shred is that you don't really lose much weight doing it, but you do shed inches, lots of em'! And you're probably getting a little stronger too so it's not that you're not losing weight but gaining muscle. Give it a bit longer, stuff like water weight and bloat take a while to go away when starting out. Stay strong! And remember, losing inches is a GREAT thing! Focus more on how your clothes fit and how you feel! Good luck!
  • sarafil
    sarafil Posts: 506 Member
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    Give it time. Try not to focus on the scale. Just keep doing what you are doing, focus on all the great things you are doing for your health....the weight will come off. I am the same age as you, and when I started I found it took a little while to see the weight start coming off. But don't worry, it will.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,695 Member
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    Looking for a bit of advice please. I'm 5'9" 38 year old female who weighs 185lbs and wants to get down to 155 (where I look healthiest).

    I've been on MFP for 10 days, have cut my calorie intake down to 1300-1500 (including quite low fat and no gluten) and am doing 30 day shred daily plus walking briskly for 90 minutes compared to my previous excercise regime of 20 minutes dog walking per day.

    So far I have lost 1lb :-(

    What am I doing wrong?
    Well according to BMR calculator your BMR is 1605. If you're doing as much exercise as you say, I'm thinking you're burning about 1000 calories a day. So you are probably eating too little at 1300. I'd say bump it up to 1600. Also, water retention plays in here as it sounds like you just starting exercising. Give it a couple of more weeks and see what happens.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 28+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
  • Leo247
    Leo247 Posts: 20 Member
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    Thanks everyone. You are all so friendly on here :-)

    My salt intake could be lower and I definitely need to up my water intake. I'm also on the last day of my totm so maybe am retaining water. I took measurements last week but don't want to update those incase there's no change and I end up reaching for a jar of chocolate spread and a bottle of gin :-)

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