Why the F*** am I not losing weight?

[Noyesno]

I work out about 3 times a week - lots of weights/resistence. I am a clean eater and careful about what I eat/how much I eat. I put on a weight a couple of months back - convinced myself it was muscle - but then had a FIT 3D scan done in a gym, which roughly shows fat/muscle percentage and it would appear it was only marginally more muscle than my FIT 3d scan a year ago.

I'm 54, post menopausal, and I would like to lose about half a stone.

So, two weeks I signed up to a new programme. A great online gym programme with nutrition attached. Signed up to My Fitness Pal, to chart my calories/macros etc, an agreed amount with the trainer running the programme. Lots of protein - which I've upped considerably. Rest of calories to come from carbs or fat, whatever suits.

I've been really careful except on one day when we entertained.

I've tried really hard. I've done 10K steps on average per day as well as 3-4 workouts.

Just weighed myself. I haven't lost a single pound.

What am I doing wrong?

You're only two weeks in. You haven't lost any but you haven't gained any either. Keep going and see if you can get body composition done again in a couple more weeks.
Then alter based on what the reading says then. It's got to be sustainable whatever you do so don't be disheartened. It's bloody hard to build muscle mass the older you get. The point is you're doing the work and if you weren't you would be losing muscle which is far worse than your current situation of not losing fat (so you think!).

Just because someone lies in the BMI healthy weight range doesn't mean losing 1\2 a stone is needed for someone to feel their most healthy.

I don't know where she lies on the range but as someone on the lower end I'd not be comfortable with an extra 1/2 stone.
It's a small amount but surely it's better to keep a check at this stage.

At a guess it may be that your metabolic rate has dropped and you need fewer calories than you thought. It’s really common. Highly recommend listening to the DOAC podcast interview with Dr Layne Norton, it’s fascinating.

https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-diary-of-a-ceo-with-steven-bartlett/id1291423644?i=1000649156587

It's even better not to obsess about an extra 3kg if someone has a healthy lifestyle and everything else is ticking along nicely...

I spoke with a few drs about this recently….it’s impossible for you to not lose weight if you’re in a true calorie deficit….

the only reason people don’t lose weight is if they’re eating too many calories…you can’t not lose weight if you’re eating too much and most people drink their calories..

therr are a few ways that would make it slightly harder to lose weight quickly. But all drs agreed with me that it’s impossible to eat less and not lose weight.

thanks for all the messages, I do appreciate it.

To clarify: I don't see living healthily and using my body as punitive. It's a privilege. I feel like living in calorie deficit, and really working at it - but not yielding results as punishing!!

I say 'punitive' because even though I would eat healthily out of choice, eating healthily and trying to be in calorie deficit don't match up!

What I meant here - is that even though when I've typically been eating healthily, it's obviously not been in calorie deficit.

I do log everything. I don't add in exercise. Hopefully, it will happen. But I am very proud of the weights I lift (I can deadlift 70Kg, bench 40kg, Squat 30Kg) and what I do to keep myself well. I just would like to feel a bit thinner. Shallow, yes, but that's how it goes.

That said, at 5ft 2, you really do show the extra weight. My bum, for example, has got big - never been tiny but now it's rounded, thighs are thicker. It might be due to all the many squats and powerlifting shit I do. I hate it

If you don't want your thigh and glute muscles to grow - stop doing squats and powerlifting. What did you expect to happen?

Chapeau 💪💪💪

Keep doing what you are doing

Me, I work out with Caroline Girvan most days.

Highly recommended

I have to do it for bone reasons - osteopenia etc - it's the only way to try and stall the onslaught of osteoporosis, which i'm nudging in one area.

Oh thanks, will listen. Even though I can't bear Steve B

There are plenty of ways to build bone strength without building too much muscle: walking/hiking, dancing, resistance training, yoga. Weights are great but if the one's you've chosen are building muscle in places you really don't want it maybe switch it up a bit. The cardio one's would help with your calorie burn too.

I hear you, but actually the evidence is pretty specific - weights and progessive overload is the greatest tool to stalling and reversing osteoporosis.

What about swimming or swimming pool based exercise for variety. Water is weight bearing and can be good for dodgy joints.

Oh sorry - I thought you said it was for osteopenia

Theres a website where I read that after middle age, you re body is designed to gain weight.
If your weight is constant, technically youre ' losing'
If youre Losing weight , its considered a miracle.
The website is smartbmi.com

It could be your thyroid, or depending on your shape lipodema. I’ve also read that yo-yo sitting can mess up your metabolism

5'2, 130lbs on 1300 cals? Those will just be maintenance calories, so no, you won't lose weight

It's shit, I know

I use an app called methreesixty. Scans your body and calculates body dimensions,,, not sure how accurate it is as its difficult to know exaxtly where its measuring but i am monitoring the change in the numbers rather than the numbers themself. Im 45 and Since 4th jan I have been on a cal def 1300, 12k steps, gym sessions with a pt once a week and another 2-3 sessions on my own plus a cardio sessions per week, and compared to years ago, its coming off very very slowly. Not quite 10lbs in 3months. I weigh myself daily and record my weight. Constantly goes up and down like a heart rate trace machine!! However i have lost inches so im focusing on that. But i hear ya… the thought of doing this for years is not appealing!! And try take pics too but not too close together .. i didnt see much in 2 weeks which got me down but when i compared the monthly one i could really see a difference. Keep going it will shift im sure xx

Seriously, don't worry too much about your weight and the size of your thigh, glutes etc.

I am 70 years old. BMI is 22.5 or thereabouts. I'm strong, I have muscles - without looking bulky. I work out for 70-90 minutes, mostly with quite heavy dumbbells (8, 10, 12 kg) most days. I do push-ups, wall sits and planks every day.

I can ski for 6 hours without a break. I go rock climbing with my granddaughter. I can do cartwheels. My core is rock solid. Lots of people have commented on my posture. I feel great. My skin may be a bit wrinkled here and there, but I'm fitter than most women in their 40s.

That's enough boasting....... the gist is focus on your fitness and your health rather than a few extra pounds 😄

Because your body has reached a weight at which it feels happy and healthy.

Your distress and your determination to lose a mere seven pounds is obsessive, and may I say arises purely from vanity.

There is no way that carrying seven pounds more than you would ideally like is in any way unhealthy. If you didn't own a pair of scales you would not even know.

I am sixty and have lost 15 kgs over 5 months . I have just reduced carbohydrates .
I still eat bread etc but in smaller quantities. I eat veg and protein to feel full.

@Helpisso so by eating less you've created a calorie deficit. It's not to do with the actual food groups although as you rightly state protein and veg fill you up.

You have my sympathies. I’m a littler taller but a lot heavier than you; I was fine but I let myself slide since November and suddenly I put on half a stone, have gone up a dress size, and am not happy with the way I look.

i’m also around 50 so nothing seems to work.

The real kicker for me is that I am injured at the moment so can’t run at all or walk that far. I find this incredibly hard because even if I am heavy I love getting outside for a run; it makes being bigger much more bearable.

So enjoy what you can do! I reckon you will see results soon.

I haven’t read through all the posts so not sure if this has been asked and answered but have you ever had your thyroid bloods done

Similar situation here OP. I've always been able to lose weight pretty easily when I put my mind to it. In the past year I've put on weight as I've struggled with plantar fasciitis and it really limited the amount of exercise I could. I also started eating and drinking more as it was getting me down in the dumps. It didn't bother me too much as I could at least assign a reason to my weight gain and I knew it would come off when I put my mind to it.

Anyway, in January I joined a gym and started going three times a week, 12,000 steps on non-gym days and improved my overall health mindset and started eating loads better - lots of veg, low carb, high protein, low sugar, drinking less. I expected to see results pretty quickly. I haven't lost a single pound. And then if I do indulge or have a slip-up the weight gain shows immediately! It seems so unjust and I sometimes find it hard to keep the motivation going. But then I worry about what would be happening to my weight if I wasn't doing the right things...would I have ballooned by now??