Why can’t I lose weight?!

[hereincornwall]

Hi,
I’ve been using My Fitness Pal for about 6 weeks - tracking what I eat and I’ve increased my exercise too. I do 1.5 miles jod a few times a week. 4 times this week actually. The odd swim in the sea, lots of walks and some surfing/paddling. I eat relatively healthy, drink alcohol a few times a week. I’ll eat a bacon sarnie sometimes, but then have salad lunch and a good cooked evening meal. I’ve lost half a stone, so I’m finally under 12 stone, but nothing else is shifting. I’m 5’4 so not that tall and would just like to be under 11 stone. 10.5 would be ideal. I’m fairly active and try to do 10k steps a day. The weight is just not shifting!!! Any ideas? Thanks.

How many calories are you eating? I’m a few inches smaller than you and have to average around 1200 calories per day to loose weight. It’s crap.

From personal experience, you need to be brutally honest about exactly what you eating. Forget the exercise (in terms of weight loss - obviously keep it up for fitness). A bacon sarnie? Ok, not hugely calorific. But was it buttered? Ketchup? Could be an extra 100-200 calories.

I did MFP for a few days and was pedantic about logging everything. I weighed my usual portion of cereal. I measured out my milk for tea. I included the extra half fish finger I stole from my son's lunch, the cake at my friend's house I didn't plan on. I thought my diet was relatively healthy too but was SHOCKED at how much it all added up to. I was kidding myself to be honest. 1500 calories a day can be blown so quickly and easily. Being brutally honest about what you're eating and not going over, 7 days a week for months, is really hard.

I aim for 1200 but often it’s about 1400 - but then that’s usually a day I’ve been for a run and so My Fitness Pal increases the daily calories allowance.

Thanks for your reply.

Don’t eat back your exercise calories.

I’m same height as you - have just got to 10st 4, and that’s by doing 1200 cals a day (exercise levels similar to yours). It’s slow and hard.

Are you logging your calories in your drinks too? And weighing your food, it's amazing how quick it adds up.

I'm 5ft 4 and started at 74kg and in 6 weeks in down to 68kg. I'm eating 1900 calories a day but I'm doing a really intensive exercise routine. 6 days a week I do an hour's strength training in the morning, and then moderate cardio in the evening. I have a written 3 week rolling meal plan I'm following and I weigh out everything

I found I had to weigh everything I ate and almost never guesstimate.

I’m 5’5” and even whilst still breastfeeding and running 15 miles a week had to go down to 1200/day to lose by the end (started at 1700/day initially). I maintain on about 1800.

You're eating and drinking too many calories. The short jog you do is no reason to take in more calories.

Have a look at team rh on Facebook. I track on MFP and I've lost about 30 lb so far (12.5 to 10st) eating 2300 calories per day. If you aren't losing you aren't In a deficit so up your exercise. 1200 calories is really low and it's hard to get enough nutrition. Also I'd be hungry.

You can't eat your exercise calories.

Sounds like a nice steady weight loss though. You have lost weight. It's not going to happen overnight.

I was told by an expert in these matters it's because my mouth hole is bigger than my a**e hole. I've checked with a mirror and it would seem to be correct. I suppose the only two options are to sew my mouth up or... something else.

WhoWouldhHaveThoughtThat it is a common problem that many of us suffer from.

Half a stone lost in 6 weeks is good progress!

Honestly I think stopping alcohol was the biggest thing that helped me. I went from a 22 to a 10 in a year and it was definitely down to stopping drinking and stopping the 'odd' treat I didn't think counted. Not saying its the same for you, just what worked for me. Good luck!

OP, if your weight loss has hit a plateau, try the egg fast diet for 5 days: www.healthline.com/nutrition/egg-fast#what-it-is

It requires you to eat just egg and cheese, 2 of my fave foods, so relatively easy for me to stick with. I get bored with the diet quickly so actually end up eating very little but don't feel hungry, just feel a little meh because I want more variety.

Works for me to bring the needle down on the weighing machine.

Drink tonnes of water , change to black coffee or tea with no sugar or sweetner , don't drink diet drinks .. I think you have to shock your body into losing weight by changing something . This has worked for me !

Obvs whilst counting calories

Wow Katie that's terrific.

OP you are losing slowly. That's steady and sensible

Thank you! I've literally got to the size 10 a couple of weeks ago, been hard going especially with the boredom of lockdown but I feel fab.

I'd agree that it's that you're eating/drinking too much for greater weight loss. The bacon sarnies and alcohol will be calorific, and these cooked evening meals could be more calorific than you realise. Low carbing and reducing overall calories in is starting to show results here. It's not easy. Keep going!!

Are you including absolutely everything you eat? Oil in your cooking, butter on sandwiches, sauces etc. I use a calorie counter app and adding these in can really change your calorie count.

One thing that has really worked for me is the ketogenic diet, teamed with exercise I was smashing the weight loss and loss over 1.5 stone in 8weeks, but have hit a plateau and wall recently and have made bad choices so need to get back into it.

www.healthline.com/nutrition/ketogenic-diet-101

I'm 5'4 and 50 and lose more than my set loss by mfp. When I use it, I weigh everything I eat, though. No estimating. I'm active so lose steadily at 1800 calorie intake, at 10.5 stone.

Lay off the booze. Bacon isn’t exactly healthy. What kind of bread and what are you adding? Be ruthless, log everything mouthful.

Well quite clearly you're eating too much