What am I doing wrong? Not losing weight!

[loveabitofbluey]

Started a diet three weeks ago. To give a bit of context before I started my lifestyle was ridiculously unhealthy. I ate whatever I wanted whenever I wanted, lots of chocolate, crisps etc. ate three meals a day, normally toast for breakfast, sandwich, crisps, some sort of choc for lunch and then pasta or something similar for dinner. We normally ate two takeaways a week if not more. I also drank almost a bottle of wine to myself each night. I know how bad this all is so I really want to turn my life around and make myself much healthier for the sake of my DC.

So three weeks ago I turned a corner. I stopped drinking completely (I had a couple of glasses the weekend of the first week but realised I didn't actually miss it much and haven't since then). I've started fasting which I'm actually enjoying, I start eating at about 11/12ish then finish eating at 5/6pm. That leaves me time to have two meals a day and one snack. This is usually eggs with fish or a salad and chicken for my first meal, a piece of fruit with a tablespoon of peanut butter for my snack and then a healthy meal for dinner. I've been measuring out all of my food and try to stick to 1200 calories a day. Sometimes this creeps up to 1300.

I've also started exercising, I go to the gym 4 times a week. I normally do 30 minutes HIIT training on the treadmill followed by 30 mins on the rowing machine. I'm going to swap my gym routine around a bit this week but I just started with these exercises as that's what I felt comfortable with.

When I started all of this I weighed 11 stone 12lbs. I weighed this morning and am only at 11st 9lbs. I've also started measuring myself and have lost 2cm around my waist but that's pretty much it. I really don't know where I'm going wrong! Anybody got any suggestions?

Keep going!!! Most people give up because the changes they experience don't match their expectations.

Weight training is something my Dh suggested I start doing too so I will look in to that this week.

@Cattlepillar I'm feeling much better for it all! My asthma is much better and for the first time in a year I haven't had to take my omeprazole tablets for acid reflux, so I can definitely feel some benefits already.

@Whataretheodds I definitely just want to look and feel better. Someone told me I should just stay off the scales for now which I think is probably a good idea!

Ignore this - peanut butter is a great healthy snack. Your diet sounds really sensible and a good way of making sure you can maintain your new healthy lifestyle. You might lose weight more quickly on a fad diet with meal replacement shakes, etc, but that sort of lifestyle isn’t sustainable in the long term. Make changes that you can live with over the long term!

@loveabitofbluey yes stay off the scales for 12 weeks I reckon.

One training period I had a body fat analysis before and after 3 months of working out regularly and eating differently. I had lost 1 kg overall but reduced my body fat by 30% and my clothes were falling off me.

She's eating 1200 calories a day. I don't think she needs to drop calories anymore.... Peanut butter is it satiating and high in protein. Calorie count this low is already likely to be hard to stick to and lead to binging. Don't want to take it any lower...

Didn’t you see where she’s counting the calories and eating 1200-1300? That’s a very low level anyway unless you are very petite.

You will have lost water retention on you fad diets. This is just due to the salt reduction on your diet, you tissue holds less water. This water it's retained again as soon as the carbs/salt increase.

If you're loosing 1lb a week, that's a lot.

Your weight loss is sustainable and it sounds like you'll keep it off.

Whereas those fad diets - people just pile it back on!

I did Keto years ago and lost 2 stone. The moment I reintroduced carbs I'm back to where I started!!

Now I'm fasting like you (it's a long term strategy!) And I'm going out for my first run in ages later today. I'm scared 😬

I'm also 5ft ish and I fully understand that "need" to be 9stone ish. Drives me mad.

Oooh and congrats!! You're doing amazingly!

Don't listen to other people about calorie targets, look up your TDEE on a calculator and go from there.

Loads of people will look at a 1200 target and think its too low. I'm your height and I have to aim for that to loose (I am lighter to start with though). My basic calorie need a day without exercise, based on me working in an office so little movement during the day is about 1300. To loose 1-2lb a week I would have to eat 800 calories a day. So I am for 800 but wear a Garmin watch and add in all of my exercise calories. - usually works out at about 1200-1300 calories a day depending on what I have done.

Many people do not understand how difficult it is to lose weight when you are short. If you are shorter than the average child, you really don't need to eat more just because you are an adult. Less in fact as most adults are less active than children.

Then listen to your body, if you feel tired, up the intake.

There is a thread for shorties trying to lose weight. You may get some good support there.

Page 4 | Shorties trying to lose weight- thread 5 | Mumsnet

I saw an article recently that talked about the fact that when you exercise (especially hiit), you essentially don’t loose much weight because you’re hungover and because muscle weigh more than fat. 3 weeks is nothing, so if you’re building muscle underneath your fat you need to wait for the fat to melt to see the benefit. Scales won’t show the same. If you stick to this regime and honestly it sounds all very good, in a years time won’t recognise yourself in the mirror. Not only you’re going to be slim but you also will be quite lean. Good luck!

Sorry not hungover - hungrier!! Autocorrect haha

Following, I'm similar weight and height with a similar aim!

@Hoolahoophop I've just looked it up on that calculator and according to that I should be eating approx 1500 if exercising moderately each week to lose and 1850 to maintain.

Oops sorry that should have been 2000 to maintain. I read it wrong!

I think that's a good way to lose weight, more sustainable, and much healthier for you overall. Plus weight can vary anyway day to day. I'd focus more on how you feel, and how your clothes fit you.

I felt like you in the first month, it was just so slow. I’ve kept at it though and now three months later I have lost 11 kilos. There are some weeks I lose nearly a kilo and some weeks where my weight stays the same but it is coming off. Stick with it and that weight will come off.

Have the tip of using a piece of clothing that is too tight for you and once a month try it on and see if it’s getting looser. I have a pair of trousers I use. Couldn’t get the zip up at all, now the zip goes all the way up. I can see it’s still a bit too tight round the waist but I look forward to the day that it can be buttoned up with ease.

Sounds reasonable. You will probably find that 1500 is more sustainable long term. Particularly if that's your max (because research shows that the typically we underestimate calorie consumption) but allows you some treats or a little relaxation at weekends. Definitely monitor energy levels and listen to your body but sounds. Like you are doing brilliantly. Wish I were doing so well I'm currently in a binge mood while I wait for tests to see if there is a reason for a few health issues.

Loving the peanut butter love

Well done you’ve done amazing so far! I was also going to suggest looking up your TDEE! I have some days where I eat 1200 calories and some where I eat 1800 as long as I’m in a deficit overall that week then I’m happy with that! Make sure you’re using food scales and weigh everything. It’s amazing how many hidden calories there are in things such as sauces, cheeses, juice etc! For example I had a bread roll yesterday which when I scanned in MyFitnessPal it said 1 roll = 179 cal when I actually weighed it and did it by weight it was 245 cal! If you did this all day/week them extra calories would quickly add up! I’m also trying fasting which I haven’t done before but I’m enjoying it so far!

@Cookiedough123 yes I've been amazed by how many calories are in things. I've been weighing all my food every day and it's surprising how many extra calories it can add when weighed properly.

Thanks for all the other comments. Glad to hear it's usual to lose weight at this pace. And good luck to all of those that are trying as well. I can keep this thread up as a motivation/tips thread if anyone would want to join x

Weight loss, real loss takes a while.

this is my weight loss on a graph over 3 months. I’ve spent loads of weeks losing nothing and then some losing more. It’s a long term trajectory downwards on a gradual slope. You can’t let it demoralise you this early on or you will fail, you have to keep going and then look back to see how far you have come. Stop weighing yourself for a while and just focus on feeling healthier

Would be nice to keep this up for a weight loss thread. I started dieting (for want of a better word) a month ago today, 5'4 with a starting weight of 12st12lbs. Currently 12st7lbs. I'm pleased with it so far. I'd like to get to around 9st to feel comfortable.

@Beezknees @Menora that's amazing well done!
I think I'm just going to stay off the scales for a while. I took some pics in some clothes that were too tight at the start so I'm going to try them on again in a few weeks and hopefully see a bit of difference

Use a weight loss and calorie counter. You put in your weight and height and it tells you how many calories you need to maintain, and how many you need to lose 1/2/3 pounds a week.

1200 is very low and unsustainable.