I need some positive stories about doing calorie counting and scale not moving after day 7!

[Firefly45]

Posting on chat cos I think people struggling to lose weight are on weight loss forum but people who have been successful are on here!

First world problem this but ive been doing calorie counting for 7days and scales haven't moved. I've tried so hard and definitely feel less bloated but scales haven't budged.

I wanted to hear from people who have done this and the scale caught up later?

This is why I always give up healthy eating cos its so hard and takes so much willpower and no reward...
Need a pep talk to keep me going!

Thank you!

I had amazing results with HBD diet and can really recommend. I dropped from a size 16 to a 10-12 in 3 months and lost almost a stone in the first 16 days. If you aren't seeing any changes, something must be off. Are you following a programme?

Sorry, that sounded quite negative. What I was trying to say was with the right diet you should see some results, so you need to look at what it is that might be off. Don't give up, just have a rethink!

Takes a while for your body to adapt. Weight loss is rarely a slow and steady flat line. Probably in a few days you’ll drop a lot, then plateau again, then drop to the next level. Calories counting and writing down what I eat is the only thing that works for me. When you actually weigh things and see how many calories are in a certain sized portion it really helps understand what “normal” is (eg the so-called small handful of nuts should really be about 5 nuts - maybe a small handful if it’s the hands of a three year old!)

Don’t just look at calories. Look at macros. If your eating less calories but it’s all carbs the weight loss will be slow. Weigh your food and have more protein

How are you counting calories? How do you know you are in a deficit? Frankly the most weight is lost on the first week or two because initially it’s water weight. That the scales haven’t moved means you are not in enough of a deficit.

counting calories can work but you need a decent gap with what your body is burning off. We are often told women use 2,000 calories a day, but I only go above 1,800 if I do additional exercise to my usual 10k steps.

How big a calorie deficit are you aiming for? (Agree it might feel better if you take more of your calories from protein)

But it’s about more than calories.

You can eat 1500 calories from meat and vegetables and lose weight. You can eat 1500 from crisps, pies and pasta and not lose weight.

Human metabolism is complex and different macros trigger different hormones so it’s also about WHAT you eat not simply the calories.

It's not. See the twinkie diet experiment.

What you eat affects things like hormones, water retention, muscles, bone density etc... but for fat loss it really is CICO.

Me. I’ve been calorie counting since Feb and dropped 22kg (about 50lb ish). Give it time. More water, more protein, more steps than you think. It’ll move down, just takes time.

Yep, if you eat significantly fewer calories than you burn you will lose weight, regardless of what those calories are made up of. However you are more likely to feel hungrier on the same calories if it’s been made up of carbs and junk than veggies and protein. You are also more likely to underestimate how much you are eating with carbs and junk. Also you are less likely to get all the nutrients your body needs on carbs and crap.

there is more to health than body size, but in a pure weight loss - CICO works. You just have to a)work out correctly what’s going on and b) work out correctly what’s gone out. (This is the bit many fall down.)

Progress isn’t always linear — the scale zigzags, stalls, and then suddenly moves. That’s normal, not failure.

I've lost 21lbs in 3 months through calorie counting.

About 12lbs was lost in month 1. Then...weightloss stopped. I did nothing different at all and didn't gain but I lost no more for 4 weeks even though I was strictly on 1400 calories 😭 I can't tell you how many times I nearly jacked it in.

Then, after 4 full weeks of my weight not moving...hurrah, I lost 2 lbs. And have lost steadily again every week since, just reaching 21lbs total (so far) this week.

I think sometimes your body needs chance to catch up and calibrate.

Check your TDEE.

Double-check your calories and measurements - 30g of x, make sure it's not accidentally 60g...

CICO works.

TBH, however unpopular it is, when I started weight loss I used to just buy two (decent) ready meals each day, because the calories were written on the box. Have lost 20kg / 40lbs or so since February.

You need to drink - 2-3l water each day.

All calories count so make sure you eat well. Protein (also needed to avoid muscle loss) and veggies with a small portion of carbs.
I still eat full fat yoghurt as it means I am full longer than on these zero fat ones.

Cut sweets to nearly zero. It's ok to have a biscuit if you can restrict yourself and it fits in your daily counting.

Hidden calories are the milk in your coffee/tea for example, (if you drink 4-5 cups each day, that's easy 100ml). So do count them.
Alcohol is underestimated for calorie content.

I’ve just been on holiday. Weighed myself and the scale says I’ve gained 5lbs. I will go back to my usual eating in deficit this week and I know nothing will change for a week to 10 days. I know this because it happens every time I go on holiday! I come back and my body sort of “hangs on” to the extra weight for a bit, until it catches up. By the end of week two, it will start coming off and by week 3 it will be gone. Keep the faith!

Progress isn’t always linear — the scale zigzags, stalls, and then suddenly moves. That’s normal, not failure.

Absolutely this. I lost 3.5st last year. That was definitely my experience.

I've plateaued now (bc I'm not really trying), still weigh weekly, and the scale goes up and down a pound or two but basically the same.

My weight loss has been quite slow but steady resulting in 1 and half stone since New Year. I've done it by fasting, going to 2 meals a day starting between 12 and 1 pm then next meal at 6. I snack between on fruit/baby bel/hard boiled egg and always have a dessert usually Greek yogurt and berries plus a little dark chocolate. I don't lose every week and have occasionally put on a couple of pounds but usually know why!

It’s not, as said above, linear, and will also, depend on things like where you are in your cycle etc. I decided 2 years ago now to look after myself. Losing weight would be a bonus, but I’d had a tough few years and wasn’t eating well, too much snacking and ready meals, exercise had plummeted, and I was drinking too much random glasses of wine after work.

I have, slowly, lost a stone and a half, and changed shape dropping 2 dress sizes. I still have a stone to go, so I’m now doing portion control. But I know I’m in better shape and it’s sustainable and will last.

keep going, eat more vegetables and fibre and protein….cut out snacks, you’ll get there. It’s a marathon not a sprint.

Weigh yourself next week (or the other side of your period) and it'll be fine.