Why am I not loosing weight

I have changed my lifestyle completely at the beginning of May. Counting every calorie I put in my mount up to 1200 to 1500 a day and working out anywhere from 45 min to 2.5 hours a day (running and walking) with one rest day a week. Since then I have lost 8 lbs... very sloooow and I feel like I have to work soo hard for one pound... Then this morning I step on the scale and I GAINED a pound...WTH???? I am so discurraged right now and want to give up but I know I can't. I also quit smoking at the same time and cut out bread except for one day a week. I don't know what I should be eating. I am afraid to eat carbs so I don't eat starch pasta or rice. My meals consist of protein, fruits and veggies and also frozen meals such as weight watchers. I need some help in what I should be eating. Does anyone have any examples of a daily meal? Please I need some help....
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Replies

  • yarwell
    yarwell Posts: 10,477 Member
    Does anyone have any examples of a daily meal?
    4 ozs sirloin steak with steamed broccoli, green beans fried in coconut oil and mushrooms fried in butter perhaps ?

    Stopping smoking will have had an effect, nicotine is a stimulant so you're more likely to put on weight / less likely to loose.

    Tell us how tall and light you are, your goals and open your diary for forensic examination if you want more advice.
  • amandaharmon10
    amandaharmon10 Posts: 7 Member
    8 pounds since May is very good. That one pound can be water weight your body weight fluctuates throughout the day. I wouldnt be discouraged it sounds like your doing good to me.
  • BelizaJ
    BelizaJ Posts: 2
    Don't eat the Weight Watchers which contain so many bad chemicals. If you just eliminate sugar, high fructose corn syrup and artificial sweeteners, you are good to go! Think whole foods. Stay away from processed.
  • biankavarner
    biankavarner Posts: 26 Member
    Does anyone have any examples of a daily meal?
    4 ozs sirloin steak with steamed broccoli, green beans fried in coconut oil and mushrooms fried in butter perhaps ?

    Stopping smoking will have had an effect, nicotine is a stimulant so you're more likely to put on weight / less likely to loose.

    Tell us how tall and light you are, your goals and open your diary for forensic examination if you want more advice.

    I am 5"6 and weigh 216 right now... my goal right now is to make it below 200 and then I will set a new one
  • melhmltn2
    melhmltn2 Posts: 32 Member
    I wasn't losing either a few months ago and I asked a friend who was a nutrionalist and she said I was exercising too much! I thought, what!? But I was exercising half of what I was consuming or more and she said that it can slow or even stop weight loss. She recommended no more than 60 minutes unless it was an activity playing with the boys (eg. Soccer, basketball, etc.). Her rational was they were young and it was exercise but not as challenging.
  • lh1626
    lh1626 Posts: 241 Member
    8 pounds in 5 weeks is amazing!!!! Please be happy with that progress. I started at begniing of May and have only lost about 3 pounds...trade ya!

    Stay away from the WW frozen meals and things like that....they have so much sodium in them. Try and eat the real deal if you are going to eat one of the "meals"......I would much rather spend the calories on real food.


    The intense exercise can also make your body retain water, so one pound up is not a big deal. You could be 3 down tomorrow. Don't obsess over the scale......do you have clothing that fits now or is a little more loose? Pay attention to those things and not so much the scale.


    The scale will catch up eventually.
  • Escape_Artist
    Escape_Artist Posts: 1,155 Member
    We could give you many meal exemples but in the end its much better if you eat things that YOU like. Play around with your diary a bit. When I first registered here I spend a while just adding things I normally eat in a day and seeing what macros/calories it gave me in the end, and then adjusted from there.

    Like Yarwell said, stopping smoking might effect your weight loss, but to be honest, I quit smoking and lost 20 lbs since then.

    Also, IMO, carbs are not the enemy, I eat 50% carbs and I had no problem losing weight at all.

    In the end, it's mostly figuring out what works best for you. Losing weight is a journey and every one is different, what works for one might not for another.

    Another thing... do not rely on the scale. Take mesurements and pictures instead! I wouldn't stress for a pound, tbh!
  • biankavarner
    biankavarner Posts: 26 Member
    Well there are days where I burn up to 1500 cal in a day and then eat 1500 cal for that day. I can't help it, I feel like if I don't work hard then I won't do my body good

    The other issue I have is too what can I eat to get to my calorie goal, someone was saying no more then 2 pieces of fruit a day but you can eat only so many veggies too... what are some healthy snacks I can have and still lose weight?
  • QueenCat25
    QueenCat25 Posts: 130
    8lbs since May is a great weight loss!

    If you wanna lose faster, just make sure you are measuring portions sizes to the T, drink tons of water, get 8 hours of sleep, do regular cardio, ect. The basics will take you a long way when done correctly.
  • QueenCat25
    QueenCat25 Posts: 130
    Also, look at the type of foods you are eating. I tend to lose faster when I eat a mostly clean diet. Everyone is different, but you can't go wrong with clean foods.
  • 3laine75
    3laine75 Posts: 3,069 Member
    don't know what you're eating as your diary's private but feel free to have a nosy at mine. i try to get some protein into every meal - this week's been a bit of a fail tho :(
  • Escape_Artist
    Escape_Artist Posts: 1,155 Member
    It would help if you would open your diary so we could see it!

    About the snacks... weight loss is about calories in VS calories out, so basically, it doesn't matter what you have as a snack, it's your overall day that matters!
  • doubglass
    doubglass Posts: 314 Member
    You need to understand that your weight fluctuates and that you may gain weight some days. 8 lbs. in a month is pretty good progress. Stop looking at the the supermarket tab diets and the gimmicks sold on tv. 2 lb. loss a week is where you should be--it is safe, healthy and much more likely to be permanent. BTW check your waist. Sometimes that is a better indication of progress than you weight. And, don't rush out and buy new clothes. You are going to keep losing.
  • 3laine75
    3laine75 Posts: 3,069 Member
    try to 'net' at least 1500 not just eat 1500 - so if you burn off 1500 cals working out, eat 3000 that day. one of my fave snacks is honeydew melon and parma ham (2 small slices of melon and half a pack of the ham is about 120 cals). if you need to eat more than 2 pieces of fruit i wdn't beat yourself up about it - its better than having chocolate or cake.
  • biankavarner
    biankavarner Posts: 26 Member
    8lbs since May is a great weight loss!

    If you wanna lose faster, just make sure you are measuring portions sizes to the T, drink tons of water, get 8 hours of sleep, do regular cardio, ect. The basics will take you a long way when done correctly.

    Thats what I have been doing, I am super careful with my portions.. bought a scale and messuring everything and doing my cardio and logging everything..
  • Duck_Puddle
    Duck_Puddle Posts: 3,237 Member
    What exactly are your weight loss expectations? I've lost 6 lbs since the beginning of May and that was a significant boost over my loss the previous 5 weeks. I am happy with that. Losing 8 lbs in 5 weeks is not "not losing" - although I'm guessing your expectations are that you would be losing more than that?

    My weight fluctuates dramatically from day to day according to the scale-I've seem swings as much as 9 lbs from one day to the next (up or down). A big part of that comes from my sodium intake-and those frozen WW meal (really a lot of frozen or prepared foods) have enormous amounts of sodium. That doesn't stop me from eating them-but I know that a big sodium day will inevitably yield a higher number on the scale for a day or two (or three).

    A lot of people have "open" diaries (I'm not one of them)-if you're looking for ideas of things to eat-go trolling around in people's diaries. Lots of people with lots of success here-you should have no trouble finding all kinds of tasty ideas. But more importantly, pat yourself on the back - an 8 lb loss in 5 weeks is great! And committing to a healthy lifestyle is even greater. Patience will be your biggest ally. After all, if you're committed to a healthy lifestyle-you've got the entire rest of your life to reap the benefits. And don't sweat weight fluctuations - it's just how we humans roll.
  • biankavarner
    biankavarner Posts: 26 Member
    WOW thanks for the overwhelming support here... I am feeling better now already, I guess I should be happy with what I have done so far. I did messure my chest waist and thighs and I am down 9 inches overall but the majority is on my chest... Maybe I am to fixated on the scale but my brain is telling me I should be doing bettere with all the hard work I put into it... I will eat more from now on when I am burning alot and maybe that will make a difference

    As for the Weight watchers meals I only have them every now and then when I can't cook my own meals... What excactly is a clean diet?? I heard so many talk about it but I still dont quite know what it is
  • TanzaMarie
    TanzaMarie Posts: 94 Member
    I had a similar problem. I had been trying to loose weight for over a year and could only loose a lb or two..ever. My neighbor is a nutritionist and she suggested I try taking things out of my diet to see if that is connected. I guess sometimes your body might "take issue" with certain foods though you may not necessarily be allergic to them. For me, after I cut out dairy the weight started to just melt off without even trying too hard. I basically went more or less vegan and that has helped too. It's not for everyone and I still have the occasional bite of ham and I still eat sushi and honey. But I am so much healthier than I was. Not saying go vegan, but try going two-three weeks without dairy. If you need recipe ideas I have a ton! (and they are so delicious my meat eating friends love them!)
  • MissMaryMac33
    MissMaryMac33 Posts: 1,433 Member
    Everytime I see this subject line ... I know the person is probably starving on 1200 cals a day, working out like a maniac and NOT eating their exercise calories back. Your body needs fuel.

    Look into the group "eat more to weight less" and see if that suits you more...

    Starving at 1200/day only works for a while and usually only if you have quite a bit to lose.... then it stops working....
  • http://www.trinityhealthweightloss.com/Default.asp

    Go to this website. I am doing their program online -- I began May 5th and have lost over 11 lbs. in four weeks. More energy -- no gas -- not hungry -- I am going on 70 years old; have diabetes; and am significantly overweight. I have been trying to find the right diet (Life Style Changes) program since my mid-40's when I first began putting on weight. This is by far the best & healthiest program I have ever done.
  • JoeyTajzai
    JoeyTajzai Posts: 1,198 Member
    I have changed my lifestyle completely at the beginning of May. Counting every calorie I put in my mount up to 1200 to 1500 a day and working out anywhere from 45 min to 2.5 hours a day (running and walking) with one rest day a week. Since then I have lost 8 lbs... very sloooow and I feel like I have to work soo hard for one pound... Then this morning I step on the scale and I GAINED a pound...WTH???? I am so discurraged right now and want to give up but I know I can't. I also quit smoking at the same time and cut out bread except for one day a week. I don't know what I should be eating. I am afraid to eat carbs so I don't eat starch pasta or rice. My meals consist of protein, fruits and veggies and also frozen meals such as weight watchers. I need some help in what I should be eating. Does anyone have any examples of a daily meal? Please I need some help....

    My meals look like this..

    Breakfast: Protein Shake

    30 Minutes after: 4 White Eggs, 2 Whole Eggs, Wheat Bread, Grape Fruit.

    Pre workout: Oatmeal /w Splenda and any sort of fruit or Tuna Patties.

    Post workout: Protein Shake

    Dinner: Chicken /w Veggies and red skinned potatoes.

    Before Bed: Protein Shake<-- depends if I havent hit 160g of protein.

    I also usually snack in between like a handful of almonds, or I have these cheese that have like 8 grams of protein in them but only 40 calories or something. You have to remember, a lot of it could be water weight and your weight is going to flux up and down a lot. Just keep moving forward..
  • yarwell
    yarwell Posts: 10,477 Member
    Well there are days where I burn up to 1500 cal in a day and then eat 1500 cal for that day. I can't help it, I feel like if I don't work hard then I won't do my body good
    You burn 1500 and then eat an extra 1500, or just eat 1500.

    Large calorie deficits from exercise do stall weight loss, as you can read on here.
  • wild_wild_life
    wild_wild_life Posts: 1,334 Member
    Everytime I see this subject line ... I know the person is probably starving on 1200 cals a day, working out like a maniac and NOT eating their exercise calories back. Your body needs fuel.

    Look into the group "eat more to weight less" and see if that suits you more...

    Starving at 1200/day only works for a while and usually only if you have quite a bit to lose.... then it stops working....

    I agree completely. If you are eating 1500 and burning 1500 you are netting 0 calories and freaking your body out. Continue that, and your metabolism will decrease as your body tries to hold on to all the calories it can since it thinks there is some kind of famine out there. Work with your body, not against it. Eat the calories MFP recommends.
  • WonderKP
    WonderKP Posts: 146 Member
    As for the Weight watchers meals I only have them every now and then when I can't cook my own meals... What excactly is a clean diet?? I heard so many talk about it but I still dont quite know what it is

    It means non-processed foods from what I gather... so instead of frozen meals to go or any premade food, buy raw chicken breasts, fresh or frozen veggies and fruits, nuts....for example. like making every meal 'from scratch'. I believe.
  • krisiepoo
    krisiepoo Posts: 710 Member
    I have changed my lifestyle completely at the beginning of May. Counting every calorie I put in my mount up to 1200 to 1500 a day and working out anywhere from 45 min to 2.5 hours a day (running and walking) with one rest day a week. Since then I have lost 8 lbs... very sloooow and I feel like I have to work soo hard for one pound... Then this morning I step on the scale and I GAINED a pound...WTH???? I am so discurraged right now and want to give up but I know I can't. I also quit smoking at the same time and cut out bread except for one day a week. I don't know what I should be eating. I am afraid to eat carbs so I don't eat starch pasta or rice. My meals consist of protein, fruits and veggies and also frozen meals such as weight watchers. I need some help in what I should be eating. Does anyone have any examples of a daily meal? Please I need some help....

    Have you taken measurements of your arms, chest, stomach, thighs? I find that my clothes fit better after awhile and while the scale may not show much, I am actually losing inches! I'd much rather be fitting into clothes, feeling good and losing inches than obsessing over a scale number!
  • WarriorReady
    WarriorReady Posts: 571 Member
    Well there are days where I burn up to 1500 cal in a day and then eat 1500 cal for that day. I can't help it, I feel like if I don't work hard then I won't do my body good

    The other issue I have is too what can I eat to get to my calorie goal, someone was saying no more then 2 pieces of fruit a day but you can eat only so many veggies too... what are some healthy snacks I can have and still lose weight?

    Make sure about 20 min before working out you have a good protein/carb snack to help push through. My go to is 2 rice cakes w/ a Tbsp of Natural Peanut butter. And within 15 min of being done with my workout I eat about 1/2 c (4-6oz) of fat free greek yogurt w/ a cup of berries. Working hard is great but getting enough calories to make sure you are not burning up your muscles is even more important. Hang in there - You are doing AMAZING!!!
  • racmar0208
    racmar0208 Posts: 16
    I have had alot of success with sticking to a primarily vegitarian diet. It's not that I don't like meat, but I've been trying to be very food consious. My protein has been coming from hummus, other types of beans, low fat cottage cheese (which I mix with blueberries and blackberries) and the vegan protein powder that I use in my fresh fruit smoothies. These things mixed with lots of raw veggies and my addiction to wholly guacamole! :) I hope this gives you some food ideas!

    Please don't get discouraged! 8 lbs is great, and every little bit is that much closer to your goal!

    Good luck! :)
  • rpounds1957
    rpounds1957 Posts: 177 Member
    I have changed my lifestyle completely at the beginning of May. Counting every calorie I put in my mount up to 1200 to 1500 a day and working out anywhere from 45 min to 2.5 hours a day (running and walking) with one rest day a week. Since then I have lost 8 lbs... very sloooow and I feel like I have to work soo hard for one pound... Then this morning I step on the scale and I GAINED a pound...WTH???? I am so discurraged right now and want to give up but I know I can't. I also quit smoking at the same time and cut out bread except for one day a week. I don't know what I should be eating. I am afraid to eat carbs so I don't eat starch pasta or rice. My meals consist of protein, fruits and veggies and also frozen meals such as weight watchers. I need some help in what I should be eating. Does anyone have any examples of a daily meal? Please I need some help....

    Feel free to add me if you'd like. My diary is open and you can see the sort of things that I have been successful with, including snacks, etc. I have averaged 2.75 pounds per week.
  • biankavarner
    biankavarner Posts: 26 Member
    Thanks to all the advise, I am going to make some small adjustments and see how that works out.. I always have had a hard time to even make it to 1200 cal in a day just cause I have a hard time figuring out what I should and can eat... I havve to remember that for sooo many years I have been eating bad so now this is brand new to me..

    I am not giving up, just wishing I could get closer to the 200 lbs a bit faster since I have been working twice as hard.. maybe I have been watching the Biggest Loser to much and figured I can drop record breaking numbers as long as I just work out harder
  • wilson1024
    wilson1024 Posts: 126 Member
    Took me over 3 months to lose 20 lbs! You don't wanna lose it fast! Just like everyone says on here you didn't gain all that weight at one time! The longer it takes you to lose it the longer you will be able to keep it off. I have seen and learned this over and over again on here! Your doing great! As long as you keep eating clean and exercising you will def see results it just takes time and patience! Lots of patience!!! Good Luck!!