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Original poster

Where am I going wrong in my diet?

110 replies

PrettyHungry · 16/01/2025 13:20

I’ve been dieting since Jan 1st and have only lost 4lbs. I know to some that would seem loads but I would have expected a little more by now.

Ive been really strict. This is my average daily food:

Breakfast - sugar free latte from Starbucks (medium) - 150cals.

Lunch - slice of Jason’s sourdough, topped with smoked salmon and 2 eggs - 400 ish cals. No butter!

Dinner - M&S count on us range ready meal or home cooked dinner with salad. I always make sure half the plate is salad with no dressing - 500 ish cals.

I only have sugar free, zero calorie drinks like Pepsi Max. I only ever snack on berries and not every day, maybe 3-4 days a week if I’m a little peckish in between meetings or in the evening.

That’s just over 1,000 calories a day. Even with a little wiggle room to account for errors in weighing or underestimating, I’m still way under. Any ideas for how I can speed up my weight loss? I don’t like exercising so would rather diet related suggestions.

I’m 5’6 and 11st 4lbs.

OP posts:
WrylyAmused · 16/01/2025 13:50

Might be worth finding an online calculator for your basal metabolic rate (BMR). That will give you the calories you would expect to use "doing nothing".

I'm small, so my BMR is about 1200kcal/day, so if I were eating 1000 per day, that's only 200kcal deficit, and will take me longer to lose weight. Plus, then you can get a feel for whether 1000/day is reasonable and healthy for you - for some people it's fine, others not so much.

When I want to lose weight, I eat about 800/day, which most people would be horrified by, but works fine for me cos it's only ~400 deficit, which is completely reasonable. And I can add a bit more on exercise days.

Emilianoo · 16/01/2025 13:44

You're not exactly overweight to be able to get those big losses.

SpringleDingle · 16/01/2025 13:44

Normally it is because one then overeats on the weekend. One bad day a week can totally ruin progress. However as a lifelong weight watcher... I lose the same 2 stone to get back into middle of my healthy BMI every couple of years ... I am finding it FAR harder to shift the weight now in my late 40s.

littlemisssunshine247 · 16/01/2025 13:41

That's because you lose water initially. Your current loss rate is perfect but I'd still up your calories to at least 1200 and get more protein in there. Salad is pointless at filling you up so veg would be much better.

TiramisuThief · 16/01/2025 13:41

1000 calories is really low, it's not healthy.

Sugar substitutes are not good for you anyway. Drink water, if you want a can of coke have the full fat one. Much more satiating.

I think you need to eat more and get some steps in your day. I'm the same height as you, eat 1600ish a day and I'm still losing weight.

Original poster
PrettyHungry · 16/01/2025 13:30

loropianalover · 16/01/2025 13:24

its only the 16th so that’s 2lb weight loss a week - what were you expecting?

When I have done Slimming World or other diets in the past, I’ve always had quite dramatic losses at the beginning - so I’d expect to be averaging 3-4lbs a week at this beginning stage.

OP posts:
Emilianoo · 16/01/2025 13:29

2lb a week is great. And given that your BMI is only 0.5 above the healthy range. You're not consuming anywhere near enough calories. So yeah, don't know what else to say really.

Fetburzswefg · 16/01/2025 13:29

4lb in about two weeks is at the upper limit for safe weight loss so I don’t think there is anything wrong with your approach. It’s very unlikely to come off any quicker than it currently is.

loropianalover · 16/01/2025 13:24

its only the 16th so that’s 2lb weight loss a week - what were you expecting?

Original poster
PrettyHungry · 16/01/2025 13:21

I am also 30 years old.

OP posts: