Why am I not losing weight?

[ClandestineAdulation]

Really frustrated and looking for advice.

In December, a typical day of eating would look like this:

Meal deal sandwich or wrap (usually between 400 and 500 calories)
Sugar free fizzy drink
Grab bag size packet of crisps

100g of Dairy Milk (apparently 500 calories…)
Sausage roll

Dinner consisting of chips or roast potatoes, steak and peppercorn sauce or chicken alternative and peas

More chocolate or cake before bed

For the whole of January, my diet has looked like this:

Plain porridge with a superfood topper (seeds, dried fruit etc)

or

Homemade salad with chicken

Dried apricots, yoghurt coated bananas and cashews as a snack (weighed to the correct serving sizes)

Dinner of chicken and veg (occasionally with some rice but not often as I don’t fancy it!)

I’m not hungry, don’t feel like I’m missing out on anything and have started an exercise class once a week too, which I didn’t do before.

Should I be losing weight?! If you’ve been in a similar position, when did you start to lose weight?

So, 3lbs down this week which means 9lbs in total since 3 January!

You are complaining at a 9lb lose in 4 weeks !!!😱

I am only aiming for 1lb loss each each. i would be amazed at 9lb

1500 -1800 calories a day with 100g protein
3 strenght classes a week
15000 a day

I am very happy with my 1lb a week

1500 steps a day

Excellent result @ClandestineAdulation! That’s brilliant.

@elizabethdraper not complaining at all!! I was initially upset that I hadn’t lost any weight for 2.5 weeks despite making drastic changes.

@Peridot1 thank you!! I swear if I hadn’t lost anything this week I’d have given up 🤦🏻‍♀️

Few reasons.

1. you’re skipping breakfast which is proven to cause obesity.
2. you haven’t mentioned any form of exercise in your main post.
3. not sure how many calories are in the food you’re eating.

It really is as simple as calories in v calories out. If you’re burning 1000 calories a day for example with hard exercise, you can easily eat 2000 and lose weight. If you’re not exercising then you need to eat a lot less to lose weight. I recommend exercise to all for mental health as well as physical health. Also please eat breakfast.

I was in the same boat OP. In definite, absolute caloric deficit, exercising every day, weight didn't budge at all for two weeks. It was so so disheartening. Then all of a sudden it started falling steadily at about week 3. Bodies are weird, congrats on the loss so far!

Brilliant news OP. Maybe you didn't lose due to some unexpected water retention. One other thought, do you think you scales are accurate, ie perhaps they don't always register your correct weight, so the last 3lbs coud have been lost over the last couple of weeks or so.

So, 3lbs down this week which means 9lbs in total since 3 January!

Wow that’s incredible! Well done!!

Carry on and this time next month you’ll be at least a stone less than when you started 😁

2lbs down this week, so 11lbs in total!

I haven’t really done anything differently this week from the last, though I am on my period so surprised I have a loss at all!

Worrying that I will soon plateau 😬

Well done!

you might well plateau. Everyone does. It’s a bugger! But remember that sometimes even if the scales are not showing a loss your measurements may decrease so it’s worth keeping an eye on that.

You probably will plateau at some point and that's ok! Be ready for it because that's exactly when you need to find your determination and stick with it.

Over my process of losing 97lbs I've plataeud about 3 times for several weeks. It's really disheartening but if you can grit you teeth and stick with it you start to get decent weight loss again 👍

Thank you @Peridot1!

@SlashBeef what do you do differently if you do plateau? I think I’ve usually just given up and I don’t want to do that!

I'm just looking back at my fitness pal progress chart and you can see a few plateaus in there where I literally just stuck to my calorie deficit, continued going to the gym and then after a couple of weeks I'd suddenly start losing again. I honestly don't know the reason for the plateaus but as frustrating as it was, I'd suddenly have a big loss afterwards. For the periods I gained weight I was definitely not staying within my deficit and I'd just sort of strayed off track a bit.

Another 1lb down! Not expecting anyone to see this but I like the accountability of writing it down!

Brilliant, well done. Keep going!

@ClandestineAdulation many whoops for you on your continued weight loss!! Thats absolutely brilliant! Please remember that weight loss is not linear and that you are looking for an overall downward trend rather than a set number of kg (or pounds) per week. As women, our weight will naturally fluctuate with our periods too so don't get despondent if you gain one week- writing it down will show you the overall progress.
I need to lose weight but really struggle at the weekends - I exercise more so stuff my face 'because I've earned it' when in reality I'm only balancing out the lack of exercise in the week!

12lbs down in total but in the last week I have lost all motivation to be ‘good’…

How can I get back on the wagon?! Any tips for staying motivated would be much appreciated!

I've not had chocolate for a week - was eating excessive amounts before. I'm taking it one day at a time and it seems to be working!! Would that work for you>? Just break down the challenge to bite sized chunks (forgive the pun!!). Instead of getting 'back on the wagon' just do it for an hour then two then three, or for one day if that works, then start 'one day' every morning? Its never worked for me before but this time seems to be clicking! Still not lost any weight though but thats another story!!

Well done op that’s great. I think it’s normal to lose motivation after a while. I would advise letting yourself having up to a fortnight ‘off’ but by off, try and maintain but don’t overeat. Is there anything in particular you’ve been craving? Make sure you allow yourself things here and there so you don’t binge. You’re so close to losing your first stone! Honestly I think a plateau week before another push can be really helpful. Also have you got any events etc coming up you have a goal for? Bear those in mind. Also by summer you could be another stone lighter again but you won’t be if you allow yourself to go to totally backwards.

The other tip I have is if it’s about having more food volume, eat a raw carrot before every meal and as a snack, low in calories but really quite filling and takes a lot of chewing so you feel you’ve eaten loads!

Another 1lb down!

13lbs in total, hoping to hit the stone next week 😬

Fab! Well done!