To think I’ll be stuck at 16 stone forever

It doesn't seem high for someone weighing 16 stone

If you're not losing weight, you're not in a deficit. Have you altered your calories since you lost weight, for example? Because now you weigh less, you need less calories.
Don't add up your exercise calories and then eat them.
Ensure you are drinking and sleeping enough.

If you aren’t losing fat, you aren’t in a deficit.
Either your tracking isn’t accurate or you need to recalculate your deficit.

Morning OP,
A couple of things. What app are you using to track calories? If it’s one where you take a picture that’s massively inaccurate. The only way to know exactly how many calories you’re consuming is to weigh everything. Don’t use the weight stated on packaging or record an egg by size.
Next is nutrition and thermogenics. Your body burns more calories digesting protein and fibre than any other macronutrient. So you should focus on these two with every meal. At least 100-120g protein a day and 30g fibre.
If you do the above along with 10k steps daily and weight training you should lose weekly whilst being in a reasonable calorie deficit. From what you’ve said I’d guess around 1800 -2000 calories a day.
Try my advice for two weeks, I’d bet it works

Don't listen to the posters who are being utter arseholes to you. It isnt as simple as calories in and calories out. Otherwise how would people lose weight on the atkins diet?

I'm currently reading the hunger code by Jason Fung and I would recommend it. It goes into detail about the hormonal effects our diets have on us. He explains why eating 1500 calories of cake or bread isn't the same as eating 1500 calories of brocoli.

I have only been able to lose weight consistently whilst intermittent fasting. I have PCOS and find it harder to loose weight the older I get.

My partner found it hard to shift weight, despite slashing calories, walking a lot, and eating healthy foods. He had food tracked. But, his weight barely moved.

His GP and and a weight loss clinic think the lack of progress is entirely down to his chronic insomnia,

If you sleep badly, that won’t help with weight loss.

Carbs are the devil for me. If I want to lose weigh I have to stick to a high protein/fat diet. Any carbs I have are complex not refined. Eating too many carbs and not burning off, will end up in fat storage, you only need a small amount to get you through a very challenging workout your "lots of lovely wholemeal sourdough" may indicate that this could be your problem

Not lie but you said in your OP

try to run 3 times a week but I’m waiting on some new running shoes

so i wasn’t sure if you actually do this every week or just try to but doesn’t always happen.

I would focus more on lifting weights - the heavier the better — and therefore building your lean muscle mass — than on doing cardio and running. Also focus on eating protein and fiber. Running at a ‘mid’ pace is unlikely to help you lose weight. It spikes cortisol, and especially in women over 35, who have declining estrogen that no longer protects against cortisol spikes, this can promote fat storage. There are other reasons to run of course, like your cardiac health. Building lean muscle helps improve your metabolism by protecting against insulin resistance and improving insulin sensitivity.

Over in the Low Carb Bootcamp threads, we say KOKO - Keep On Keeping On. If you’re doing everything right with your diet and exercise, and your clothes fit better, then it’s likely you’re just in an extended weight loss stall. If you keep on going as you have been then the weight will start to come off again. It can be worth getting some blood tests done, for example thyroid and general health blood tests, even if only to reassure you that there isn’t an underlying issue.

If you feel that you need to do something then don’t cut your calories any lower but you could try looking adjusting your macros, giving intermittent fasting a go, make sure you’re getting enough good quality sleep, or cut down on caffeine or alcohol, all of which could help kickstart weight loss.

The fact that your clothes fit better is the best sign that what you’re doing is working. Scales are an incredibly inaccurate way to measure weight loss. A bit of muscle pain from your workout or your period coming up can easily put your weight up 2-3 pounds through water retention.

You sound very disciplined and like you are following lots of advice.

I believe it is normal to plateau for awhile it’s your body doing metabolic stuff adjusting its hormones and things that control your weight, it is a risk that weight will go back up because your body is apparently defending the energy resources that it’s got.

The only advice that I trust that I have seen to work is to reduce the number of hours a day over which you’re eating so make breakfast later and dinner earlier while also concentrating on fat and protein rich food and away from carb rich food which will help your body to burn fat. I believe this is scientific approach and lots of recent advice stems from this metabolic situation eg Dr Mosley through to Dr Pradip.

I suspect the weightlifting is very good for your body from a physical and metabolic sense and will help your body shape meanwhile.

I am not an expert- most of us are not because everyone is metabolically and situationally different and many people and companies are confusing the issue by selling their solution apps diets gym memberships and this confuses the issue which is a biological one and not a fashion/beauty/competitive/commercial issue.

Forgive me if I've missed this but you haven't mentioned your height or if you have any conditions like PCOS, endometriosis or are pre-diabetic. All of these things can make it really hard to lose weight.

I have also struggled to lose any meaningful weight and thats with calorie tracking and weight loss injections. I can't exercise though due to some health conditions I have but previously I used to do powerlifting competitively and that's when I lost most of my weight.

The more muscle you have the more calories those muscles burn with everything you do simply because they need more energy. Losing weight can also make muscles atrophy, which is another reason why focusing more on weight lifting rather than cardio is being recommended for weight loss.

Water retention is also a kicker because it can last for months in some people before you see a sudden shift and it can be really discouraging. 4 liters of water in a day is a lot of water. I don't even think I can manage 4 whole pints.

The bariatric team have also told me I need to eat carbs, protein and fibre with every single meal to prevent insulin spikes. It's not enough to eat carbs with one meal and then just protein and fibre with the next, because that doesn't protect against insulin spikes.

OP I know you said you run but how far and how many times a week?

Sorry but I have to correct you.

A lb of muscle weighs the same as a lb of fat. So muscle doesn’t weigh more than fat.

What changed though is that muscle takes up less space than fat, hence why OPs clothes fit better. She’s building muscle and losing fat at the same time. Her weight remains the same.

@justmeandthedogs OP, to burn fat quicker whilst building muscle you need to re-look at what you’re eating (focus mainly on increasing protein in take, especially after weight training, and lowering saturated fat) and add in cardio exercise to burn the calories ie HIIT classes, cycle classes, more running etc…

Hi OP, I’ve not RTFT but in case anyone hasn’t mentioned it yet, you may want to focus more on building muscle rather than cardio / running.

Muscle is what helps keep your metabolism burning even when you’re not doing exercise.

If the weights classes don’t suit your schedule, you could add weighted bands to your ankles and wrists while you run.

No mention of bread (or butter) in your daily menu, so where does "lots of lovely wholemeal sourdough" fit in?
I'm not trying to catch you out, I just know from experience that drastically cutting carbs such as bread, rice, pasta is the only way I can consistently lose weight (I still eat a lot of fruit and veg).

You're doing weights, which is great because it will be shifting your body composition from fat to muscle. This is excellent. Muscle is denser than fat, so weighs more. Having more muscle will also increase your basal metabolic rate, as well as helping with your running. And of course, as you run further, you'll burn more fat. Don't forget that gentle exercise, such as long walks, is also really good for this; you don't have to force yourself into HIIT etc (which might affect your sleep quality).

Forget about the scales for a while and focus on how you feel and noticing little changes from one week to the next, like clothes being slightly looser. Changes are happening, slowly but surely! You're doing really well!

Try eating the larger meals earlier in the day not in the evening, more time to burn off the calories

I am 5 ft 2, and was stuck at 11.5 stone for absolutely years. After 40 it got a lot worse and the fat was so stubborn. My usual workouts also just stopped working.

The only thing which worked was Orlistat. I mention it a lot on here, but it changed my life. Whatever anyone says, I did not eat too much fat, and I worked out a lot (still do) and yet that number just would not budge from 11.5 stone. I looked terrible in photos.

After a course of Orlistat, plus healthy eating and working out (both as previously done) I went down to 8.5 stone.

I genuinely believe some people need an extra push that can't be done with diet and working out.

If your weight is stuck at your current calorie count, you need to drop your daily calorie intake.

Calories work on a sliding scale. You can lose weight on 2500 cals a day if overweight enough. The smaller you get the fewer you need. Try dropping to 1400 a day, then when you stall again, drop again. (It's not much fun!)

People who have never struggled to lose weight simply do not understand that those of us who do know exactly what we’re eating and know that we are doing all the right things.
Have you had a word with your GP? It has taken me a long time, but my GP is finally listening to me and has referred me to endocrinology for further testing and monitoring.
I wish you luck with your weight loss. For some of us (especially post menopause). It is an enormous uphill struggle to lose weight because our bodies are determined to prevent us from doing that.

Or if you can afford WLI that's what I've decided to do..
Sorry for all the unhelpful responses you have had!

I was eating 1200 calories a day and not losing weight even though I was 13 stone with a BMI of 30. I stuck to 1200 calories for 18 months with no weight loss. I then started on Mounjaro and have lost 2 and 1/2 stone. My diet hasn’t changed dramatically. I’m still eating around 1200 calories a day. If you can afford it and meet the criteria, I recommend giving it a go.

Have you measured your fasting glucose & insulin along with HbA1c? You may also want to check your blood glucose 1-2 hours post eating to see how your body is handling this. Can buy a wee finger stick device pretty cheap online.

It sounds like your body is locked into storage mode where it wants to store fat. High insulin and insulin resistance will drive this.

If you eat in a calorie deficit then initially you will lose but then your body will recalibrate its basal metabolic rate and you will go back to maintaining or even gaining. If you are insulin resistant (so many people are) then you have to fix this as otherwise you will continue this cycle.

I feel for you.

Not withstanding a vitamin or mineral deficiency, or hormonal or medical issue, sometimes this is just the way it is.

I'm about 14st, I eat 1,500 calories a day, to lose weight I need to dip under 1,100 calories.

It's unfair, and also unsustainable.

But it's just the way my body is built, if I eat "normally" like any average size 12 person, and exercise "normally" like any size 12 person, my body stays a size 18.

This is why I havent done WLI, I know that I'll need to take them forever, as my body has no interest in keeping weight off.

Edited to add: I eat mainly home cooked "ingredient" food, with a focus on protein and fibre, I go spinning twice a week, I walk a few miles a day. I'm actually medically quite "fit" (good BP, good heart rate, good recovery rate, excellent glucose metabolism).