Cannot shift a stone

[NeverChange]

No sure where else to post this.

I'm a stone overweight largely due to Covid19. Don't feel awful but would really prefer to get back to previous weight. I'm short so there is a very noticeable difference due to the weight gain.

Since January 1st, I have done all of the following with a grand weight loss of zero and am getting extremely pissed off that it's not working.

• calories of 1200 per day, strictly, none hidden, all tracked on fitness pal etc.
• minimum 2L water a day
• no takeaways, no chocolate, no crisps or an unhealthy snacks
• no alcohol, no white bread, no chips etc.

Felt hungry the first two weeks but that's gone now. Genuinely not cheating or fooling myself but no change to the scales at all. I don't even miss the junk and am finding it easy but no results!

Any suggestions?

Increase your calories to 1500

And exercise.

Have you tried on clothes that were tight to see if space has changed

Have you had a thyroid blood test

What sort of exercise are you doing?
I started c25k recently but due to an injury have had to stop. I am walking at least 3 miles a day and have lost weight every week.

How old are you (ish!)?

Jesus that's annoying....

What's the 1200 cals made up of? (BTW if you are short and sedentary 1200 IS FINE)
Is it processed stuff or is it chicken breast / avocado / eggs fruit and veg etc?

What age are you? If you only have a stone to loose, you need to consider vigorous exercise in addition to calorie reduction.

It's not so much that the calories you lose in exercise count so much but it increases your metabolic rate so that you will be more effective at burning calories for up to 8 hours after.

Do 10k steps a day or 15 if you can.

If you do too much exercise you will have to switch your calories around and sort your macros out as you'll be hungry.

If you stick to 1200 and 10k steps it will start coming off. How salty is your food? That can hold water in your body as it will think you're dehydrated.

Late 30s, exercise is mainly brisk walking but started back spinning this week too.

Very little processed foods, mainly chicken and beef, baked potatoes, brown rice or pasta but very small portions of same, and loads of vegetables, less fruit, mainly berries and grapes.

Don't see any real difference with clothes but thighs are looking a little better (I think).

Have regular blood tests due to a medical issue but doctor says same in not a contributing factor and nothing wrong with thyroid etc.

I know it's not huge weight gain but I preferred smaller me. Also I'm not a full stone overweight, I'm a stone over my normal weight which is mid range for my height. Luckily weight goes on my thighs and calves first so it's not awful but I just want to reverse it.

I have to eat around 1000 calories to lose weight.

It's a basic calculation.... you're consuming more calories than your burning off. I guarantee your consuming more than 1200 cals. Oil/dressings/sauces etc?

Change your exercise to something like HIIT, and incorporate weights.

You will see a difference. Spinning isn't intense & varied enough for weight loss. It's fine for general CV work outs but won't increase your fat burning rate enough.

@Fayekrista

I can guarantee you that I am not consuming more than 1,200 calories. I'm far from stupid and have no wish to delude myself. I've gone from a size 10 to a size 12. The reason for the increase was more food and two family bereavements. I'm normally very good with diet and looking after myself.

No sauces, no oils, very occasional spritz of fry-lite but most things are grilled or baked and herbs as seasoning. No salt either.

My activity levels are unchanged, if anything they have increased slightly.

I'm posting because it's not making sense. When calories burnt aren't changing but calories consumed have reduced, there should be weight loss. I'm curious as to if there is something I've done to mess up metabolism etc.

I will try the HIIT, weights etc. Thought the calorie reduction would work but it clearly isn't so have to try something new. I'll also get a step counter and try walking speed, calories burnt etc.

Sorry, the only other thing that has changed is less sleep. I know it's rumoured to have an impact but surely not as I'm not eating more in the extra hours awake. Anyone know much about sleep and weight?

@NeverChange

Sorry, the only other thing that has changed is less sleep. I know it's rumoured to have an impact but surely not as I'm not eating more in the extra hours awake. Anyone know much about sleep and weight?

Definitely. I suspect in your case it's impacting your metabolic rate.

You are already slim. So your excellent diet isn't allowing you to have sufficient calorie deficit to lose a small amount of weight. It probably would if you were heavier.

I think vigorous exercise may help with the sleep too.

Lack of sleep can impact weight loss.

Are you adding back the calories burnt in exercise (if so, don't)?

Weight loss is also harder as you get older and metabolism slows. How long ago did you last try to lose weight?

Thank you both. I will try improve the sleeping.

I only once tried to lose weight before and it was manyyears ago. Moved city and social life too over, lots of dinners out etc. but lost it quickly enough with limited effort.

I've only ever been size 8 (I look ridiculous, have big boobs and I look a bit plastic under size 10), size 10 (love my body at this size), size 12 (only this size 12, it's not awful my any means, I just prefer size 10 and don't want size 12 to become size 14 etc.

There is roughly a stone weight for ever dress size increase imo.

Don’t calorie count and carb count instead. Pasta and potatoes are high in carb so bin them and have extra green veg. Grapes have a lot of sugar so stick to the berries. If you are eating any bread even brown bread exclude that as well.

I really relate to this! I’m trying to lose baby weight, pre baby size 6/8, now a big size 10. I am walking at least 5 miles a day (my watch tells me since the start of the year the fewest amount of steps I’ve done in a day is 11000, which was yesterday in the storm!) and do weights 3 times a week. I’m counting calories and I’m not deluding myself with eating more than I think in sauces or oil etc. I’m assuming my metabolism has just stopped functioning!

Anyway I hope you manage to lose your extra stone, I will be upping exercising as I’m not sure what else I can do!

Just picking a random figure for calorie intake is always going to be a bad idea.

You need to calculate your TDEE, and limit your calories to create a defect.

If you’re short and sedentary, 1200 might well be your TDEE, so eating that number of calories won’t result in a loss.

I hate to say it, but if you’re not feeling hungry, you’re unlikely to be losing any weight.

I have to limit carbs & do exercise to lose weight and still take several days to start reducing. Since January I lost 5 of the 11lb I want to lose quite quickly but have now plateaued and it’s difficult to lose more while I can’t always exercise (mainly weather) & still drink alcohol at weekends. Am thinking I might have to do 2 days per week ‘fast’

Thanks everyone, bread (2 slices of McCamridges a week only -literally dividing it up and defrosting 2 slices a week), pasta below (1 portion a week) and potatoes (2 medium boiled and 1 large jacket) now eliminated. Grapes are the only sweet thing I eat,will miss them but there are off the list now too!

1200 calories calculated using a metabolic calculator. Fitness pal recommends 1400.

Will try, more sleep, different exercise and a let again improved diet and post back again in 2 weeks with hopefully a lighter update. @Inmypjsagain, hope you get the results you want too and it dies help knowing the someelse is also having same problem despite doing so much right.

I'm bringing the grapes to the bin and going to try jog instead of walk this evening!!!! Thanks all.

Unless there's a medical condition effecting things then you are deluding yourself.
I'm not intending to be rude.... but blunt.... you're consuming more than 1200 cals!