To think my body has defied mathematics?

[Musicforsmorks]

And the laws of physics, etc 😁

So I’ve been same weight more or less for my adult life. Not had children so not much in way of changes or fluctuations.
Small build, 5’4 tall and always rested comfortably at 8st.

Only health issues are mild ibs, occasional stress.

Do lots of walking as don’t drive. Fell walking, etc. Other than that I’m fairly active but not into gyms, running or any planned stuff.

Until lockdown!

I’m now about 9 lbs heavier. Of course was housebound far more than before, but not exactly bedbound!
Had gained a bit from eating/drinking more in March, then around start of April I decided to cut back.

Since then, I cut out snacking and wine entirely, so a caloric deficit of 500-700 per day. It is now fucking 23 of may and I am not budging - I am still not losing one single pound! Nearly 2 months on a deficit and not one damn pound!

Recently going out walking more so activity near original levels but no joy.

Always heard only food assist in weight gain/loss, so why have I put on so much? If I’m eating less consistently?

I’m not overweight, but clothes uncomfy and I won’t buy a new wardrobe, I can’t.
I’m not saying there is anything wrong with my weight, it is still healthy. But it is not what I’m used to and I’m confused by the maths.

Is my body defying science?

If you're not losing weight then you're not on a deficit. I know the feeling that you must be on a deficit - but, if you're not losing weight, then you're not. If you're 5'4 and a healthy weight then your BMR will be around 1400 calories per day. You have to actively burn off everything on top of that to lose weight.
I recently lost almost 40% of my body weight. I'm 5'2 and I ate 1300 calories per day, did one to two hours of cardio per day and one to two hours of weight training. I'm also exclusively breastfeeding so I express 1l of milk per day (around 700-1000 calories). I was losing around 1kg per week.
Not sure what makes you think only food contributes to weight loss?!? We're referring to fat loss rather than weight loss but, to be clear, the amount of fat you lose is a balance of how much you take in and how much you use up. What you take in is from eating. What you burn is made up of 1) your BMR which is around 1400 calories per day 2) your exercise, which probably is only a couple of hundred calories at the moment and 3) your NEAT, which is calories burnt from living your life like moving your hands to type or doing laundry. This will be a couple of hundred calories. You should be eating around 1600-1800 to stay the same weight. If you want to lose a lb a week you should eat around 1100-1300 per day.
You need to take special care to make sure you're including everything in that. Milk in tea? Mayonnaise or ketchup? Cooking oil? Stock cubes? These all have calories and they add up very quickly.

Have you counted the actual calories you are consuming?

You say no snacking but If you are choosing a banana instead of a packet of crisps that, although healthier, could actually be a similar amount of calories if it’s a large banana. Unless you are weighing and calculating everything you may not be in as much of a deficit as you think.

Sorry-I’m a calorie bore. 2stone lost with no exercise thanks to logging everything on My Fitness Pal.

How much do you drive each day?
You will need to replace that activity also. It's more activity than sitting still.

I would query some water retention if you are less active and consuming more alcohol and snacks you wouldnt normally eat 7 days a week or eating more frequently I.e. your body reacting to changed diet and habits.

Hi OP - without being too personal - are you anywhere close to perimenopause / menopause?

I have to literally stop eating for days to see any change at all in my weight / shape - am 51 and hit menopause early in my mid 40s - sometimes the hormones throw a curveball - on that note, I low / zero carb as much as possible because one sniff of pasta, a potato or bread can gain me several pounds overnight. Am in no way advocating starving yourself but it may be worth exploring - oh, and stress - that really doesn't help either.

Wishing you the best anyhoo !

I am 46, so do often wonder, but I dialled back snacking in. Same way 6 months ago and it quickly fell off then.
I like to keep to same weight generally because I’m comfy with it, feel healthy and don’t want to replace wardrobe.

These are helpful replies. Thank you.

I have deliberately followed calories, at least tried to, recently when I noticed weight didn’t fall off.

I’m embarrassed to ad,it I’m not a big eater in general so have worried at decreasing my intake.

Since cutting out snacking I am probably eating less than 900 per day.
I like veg, chicken, fish, salad and sometimes egg/bit of cheese.

I’m not eating any different;y, or boozing more than I’ve ever done.
I’m quite boring.

I’m sure I read my resting metabolic rate needed about 1300 or so for me to exist so I’m really confused.

Forgive my ignorance,I’m not experienced with diets, etc..

Don’t eat much carbs, or dairy due to IBS.

Also don’t consume hardly any sugary stuff, just 1 dairy milk on occasion.

If I drink booze I like jack Daniels, a few shots. Drink twice a week sometimes.

Always eaten like this really.

Bloody hell @BumpBundle you must be starving! Breastfeeding made me utterly ravenous, never mind that amount of daily exercise on top! I applaud your willpower.

You're quite small and calculations on metabolic rate are not accurate and also your body can significantly adjust its metabolic rate. Are you stressed? Sleeping well?

Are you pregnant?

Yes, my lifestyle and habits are same as usual, all ok.
I ate and drank more in feb/march so gained a bit.
But have cut back a lot in past 2 months so can’t understand why not one single pound drops off.

I don’t tend to gain via stress, if anything I tend to lose it.

I will give an example of a day in my diet!

Breakfast - one crumpet with touch of butter. (Around 120 cals)

Dinner - oven baked small chicken fillet with asparagus, pepper, tomato, mushroom. (around 300 cals)

Evening snack - few strawberries and blueberries or else a handful of nuts with a baby bel cheese. (Around 200 cals)

Occasionally few shots of whiskey with ice or a mini can of coke.
Treats - small M&S pizza once a week, a fairly milk, etc.

Am self employed and nocturnal so don’t need a traditional ‘lunch’ as my breakfast is eaten late if that makes sense.

Not pregnant!

I'm approaching 50 and I can honestly say I eat at least half the amount I did 20 years ago, to be a stone heavier.

No change in exercise habits whatsoever, just a rapidly slowing metabolism

Oh I do drink tea, with semi skimmed milk several times a day BUT I always have done.

The only difference in my life is I’m not as active.

Yeh I wondered if my metabolism has dropped a bit. Possibly due to less activity, getting older,
It’s just that it’s only happened since lockdown.

My partner thinks it’s water retention but my weight is evenly distributed, I’ve no idea.

It's being 46, I'm afraid. You're going to either have to accept that your body is naturally changing the way it processes food and will therefore become a different shape and size, or you're going to have to work very, very hard to prevent that.

Ha serves ya right! 😂 welcome to the club 🐷

I think I’d accept it than try too hard, to be honest.
But it has happened suddenly, since lockdown.

🐖 🐖 🐖

These pigs they are cute.

I’m embarrassed to ad,it I’m not a big eater in general so have worried at decreasing my intake.

How little do you normally eat i.e. pre-lockdown, with normal activity levels, because what you have said you are eating at the moment is barely anything. It could be that the reason you have maintained your weight at 8 stone all your adult life is because your normal diet is quite restrictive anyway, and when you ate a bit more, combined with being less active, it has gone up to what is the natural weight for your body.

@MellowBird85 I've never been so hungry in my entire life hahaha.

You're still very slender for 5'4.
I'm 5'4. I was 8.5 stone most of my twenties then went up to 9.5. Put on half a stone over lockdown and like you, trying to calorie reduce.
I would remove the crumpet and try more cardio exercise eg running rather than walking.

No this decrease in calories was to get back to original,weight.
I’m not well up on this kind of thing but do feel it is too little, and would not eat like this permanently.

I gained a few pounds in Feb/March, but cut back at start of lockdown.
So can’t see why not even a pound has fell off in 2 months, even considering my ‘age’.

I normally eat more, just larger portions, more cheese, olives, stuff like that.

Oddly I am not hungry and don’t feel restrictive. But I know if I was out and about again like pre-lockdown I’d have to consume more energy.

You aren’t eating enough. That is a tiny amount OP

Remove the crumpet 😂😂😂
God I love those buggers so much! That’s like asking me to chop my legs off. But I do need a breakfast of some sort. I can’t not eat until 6pm - or can I?

I know I’m at a healthy weight, it is just unfamiliar. I do not think I’m big, just different to usual. I just really can’t get my head around the maths.