why is the weight not coming off?

[Iamclearlyamug]

sorry not really AIBU but posting for traffic. I'm trying to lose weight - been using my fitness pal and it's been coming off very slowly and sporadically.

So last week I joined the gym. I stick to 1300-1400 calories a day, work a tiring physical job with horses, and last week I lost 4lb and was thrilled.

This week I did the same, plus went to the gym 5 days (45 minutes cross trainer and/or treadmill) and I lost HALF A POUND.

HALF AN EFFING POUND!! why did i bother and what am I doing wrong?! I was so excited to weigh in today thinking oooo I've been so good, got on the scales and frankly wanted to scream at the INJUSTICE hahaha.....help me!!

It is coming off, you've lost 4.5 pounds, over two weeks.

I used to be satisfied that I'd lost anything and take it month by month.

If your still having periods, weight can fluctuate without it being connected to body fat.

You should take measurements, not just go by the scale.

Do you have a calorie deficit every day? If you’re not using more than you’re putting in then the weight will stagnate, regardless of how much effort you put in.

I’m v overweight and just starting out but I was given that advice. I use my fitness pal too and at the moment the only exercise is making sure I walk my 10,000 steps every day. I will do more when I’m fitter. However, hitting the steps gives me roughly 150 calories on top of my daily allowance of 1700. I never use those calories even though I could. I keep a calorie deficit every day.

It’s working, slowly mind, I’m losing 1lb a week which is enough for me now.

You should tone up quicker though with your exercise even if you’re not seeing a lb loss. Try measuring yourself as you’ll probably see a cm loss each week.

It might be retained fluids due to taking up new level of exercise. This sometimes happens due to the way your muscles get a little inflamed you can tell they are retaining fluids if you feel a bit sore and tender after exercising. This should soon go off after you get used to exercising more. But remember retained fluid is quite heavy and can affect your weight. So I'd put off weighing yourself for a couple of weeks until you get used to the new exercise.

Could it be that you've lost fat but the extra gym work has increased your muscle volume? Muscle weighs more than fat. Can you tell anything from the way your clothes fit?

Muscle weighs more than fat, which I’m sure what’s happening here. What do you look like? I bet you look much different. Take photos every month maybe. Weight is really misleading

You can't look at it week by week - you have to look at the overall picture over a few weeks or a month because of fluctuations. Eg things relating to hydration, period, even the weight of food you've eaten the day before. By that I mean you could have a day where you ate 4000 calories of dark chocolate mousee and it looks like you lost weight or you could eat 2kg of vegetables and looks like you've gained weight when in fact the opposite has happened and it takes a few days to show.

An average of 2lb a week seems good.
I'd imagine water weight is playing a big part in what's happened recently and you'll see a drop next week when its levelled out.

Muscle doesn’t weigh more than fat. 1lb is 1lb. Yes density plays a factor but one week of exercise is unlikely to cause this to be an issue.
Water retention possibly.
Use measurements and look at this long term. Month by month. Your weight won’t dramatically change in a week.
It’s hard but you’re doing great by keeping going and having the will power to change!

moxiebelle thanks that's definitely possible - my legs especially have been very tender, I didn't realise muscle retain fluid, so maybe next week it'll show more :)

It's only because I'm going on holiday next week so was hoping for more!

I always have a calorie deficit, anything between 500 and 1200 calories a day - so it definitely should be coming off! just wondered if I was missing something

4.5 lbs in two weeks is great! Two weeks is really not a long time, you've only just started. A slow and gradual weight loss is more sustainable than losing lots very quickly. You're probably building up muscle in the gym too, but the fat will definitely be going. Take measurements of your waist, thighs, arms etc once a week. I find that the best way to see the weight loss rather than the scales.

Yeah, you have to look at the overall long term pattern. The odd pound here or there means nothing, there's always going to be a certain amount of noise. Draw a chart and see your weight going down overall.

I think you need to change your outlook completely. Don't worry about weekly progress.

Your body will be changing it's composition of fat/muscle/water/monthly fluctuations. But you're losing! Consistently.

Don't become so impacted about your weight. You are doing amazing yet feeling dissapointed!

I find clothes or how you actually look a much better mesurement. Welldone. You'redoing great. Even on 1600 call with excersise you'd loose.

Continue knowing that if you are doing well you're doing well! Don't yoyo diet cos of the scale psychology. A year from now whether it was 4 pound one week a d 1 pound won't matter.

When you’re only having a calorie deficit, with no exercise, you’re losing muscle and fat. That is why the weight comes off a lot quicker and you see “results”.
When you exercise along with a calorie deficit, you maintain the muscle you currently have, you may or may not be gaining muscle, but you’re maintaining what you do have and only burning fat. That’s why the weight comes off slower.
It really is the best way to lose weight safely and healthily and most importantly the only way to actually keep it off. 4.5lbs in two weeks is just over the recommended so you’re doing brilliantly.

Patience.
Great you are keeping to your 1400 calories. That's the key. Keep that up over a period of time ( months rather than days) and it will really happen for you.
Up your activity even more if you want to see things work faster. Get yourself a Fitbit or similar. Whatever the no of steps you are doing this week try to do even more next week.

Weight can fluctuate due to hormonal changes so it’s better to look at your overall monthly loss rather than weekly. When losing weight I tend to have a large loss followed by a small one, whilst others have steady weekly losses, everyone is different. Just stick at it and you’ll get there. Unfortunately muscle does not weigh more than fat and you will not have gained any muscle mass in a week of going to the gym, it takes hard work and dedication to build muscle. You will get fitter and tone up in the gym so don’t give that up. It’s a good idea to take your measurements because not all fat loss will show on the scales but will do in your shape.

Also agree with moxie that sore muscles will retain water to protect themselves and heal.

Best advice I'm giving if you are going to gym, keep weighing but get a measuring tape and start measuring yourself, weight isn't be all and end all, when you exercise your body retains water to repair it.

The best advice I was given was to weigh fortnightly

The majority of what you've lost is water weight, which comes off quickly at the start of a diet. Half a pound a week is more realistic. A 500 calorie per day deficit will mean 1lb of fat loss per week. You won't have gained large volumes of muscle mass in two weeks, although the muscles may start to store more glycogen as a response to the start of an exercise program.

How much have you got to loose? The less to loose the slower the weight loss

Weight loss is not linear!!! Hardest lesson I ever had to learn. Thats why you should only every look at it over a period of weeks and average it ought rather than fret every week.

Lloyd I need to lose 12lb to be inside the 'healthy' BMI range but realistically would like to lose around another 20lb

Watch Elle ip on You tube and her self made documentary on how she lost her baby weight. Its called Beyond Expectations.

Its a bit DIY ( don't expect high quality cameras or anything) but what it does show very well is that progress isn't linear and that it takes consistency and patience.

I’ve lost 14 kgs in a year, using my fitness pal,
What I found worked for me, so
Not necessarily you ! Is ....
Ignore calories ‘earnt’ by exercise
Keep to the calorie limit advised by MFP but exercise regularly
I believe calorie burning is vastly over estimated when it’s calculated
Spread calories out over course of the day, to help keep blood sugars stable and metabolism up
At some point weight will plateau as body gets used to new calorie limit, as metabolism adjusts
At that point, switch to a higher calorie allowance for 5 days and 800 Cals for 2 days
As in the Michael Moseley 2 day diet model
To get further weight loss
Obviously essential to do this to get into healthy BMI range, not underweight !

You are doing really well! I lost a stone last year through slightly improving diet and exercising at boot camps and it came off VERY slowly, but every now and then a few lbs would drop off (every month or so)
It’s hard but Don’t rely on your scales too much, you’ll feel it in your clothes and yourself.
One thing that worked for me was cutting down refined carbs from my evening meal (using half courgetti and half spaghetti for example) as I wasn’t doing any exercise over night to burn the carbs off !!

It has to be kind of a lifestyle change rather than a 2 week pre holiday panic- that won’t work long term. Just think how good you’ll look in summer

Muscle doesn’t weigh more than fat, but it does take up less room. Most weight loss is due to eating a balanced diet and a relatively small percentage is due to exercise.

Exercise tones you, helps with strength and flexibility and makes you feel good.