Dieting for 6 weeks and guess how much I’ve lost?

[CollagenQueen]

I’ve been dieting for 6 weeks. I’ve been eating like a bird during the day, with a normal evening meal.

I’ve cut out crisps and chocolate (which I used to eat daily).

I’ve dropped my wine consumption massively, now having several tee total days a week (I used to drink every day!)

I’ve also upped my exercise enormously, I now usually walk about 15-20k steps a day, rather than my usual 7k.

After six weeks of this, I’ve just weighed myself and guess what I’ve lost?

Absolutely nothing.

What the hell? Can anyone explain this? I really don’t want to give up, but this just seems insane!

Honestly I am eating like a bird during the day! Yesterday my intake was:

one bowl branflakes
2 slices of ham
quarter of a small chicken breast
tablespoon coleslaw
one hard boiled egg
piece of fish
peas
small portion of chips
two glasses of water
one coffee

Yep like everyone says it's the calories..over the whole week. Probably need to get rid of the wine completely for a few months. Agree with you though...it's SUCH hard work.

But what size of a bowl of branflakes and what type of milk? . You would need to weigh it.....It all adds up.

You're eating a lot of calories though. Really. You need more vegetables. z

Often it's what you eat across the week and not On a set day that catches you out too .. so you eat 1000 cals on weekdays buts then 3500 on weekends and therefore for the week you are not in a calorie deficit.

It took me a long while to get my head round this but I have lost a lot of weight by calorie counting and it does work but you have to be honest with yourself

Also find foods that are low calories but high reward Luke salad or. Veg to bulk out your meals

The way you are eating is daft and will only lead to hunger and binging ( over eating ) across the week .

Thanks everyone. I will still keep trying as I have my daughters wedding in December. I would have been happy with a pound a week. 😫

No where near enough water !! 2 to3 litres a,day is needed when dieting

You're not calorie counting.....for example milk at breakfast has to be included

And of course, this is one day without wine.

Have you considered intermittent fasting?

And have you had your thyroid levels checked?

Just saw that you were drinking 2 bottle of wine a day. Amazing that you’ve been able to get down to four alcohol free days - well done.

If you are still drinking 2 bottles a day on the remaining 3 days of the week that is at least 1200 calories - an entire days worth of calories for someone your size. If you’re eating normally on those days, or even eating a little more as you’re drinking (which is usually what happens with alcohol) I’m not at all surprised you’re not losing weight.

I think you should carry on with what you’re doing and make small changes. You’ve got a much healthier lifestyle now and it’s sustainable.

challenge yourself to drop to one more alcohol free day.

you will see weight loss, but if you make general health your priority you will feel more motivated to continue.

Be proud of yourself! You’re not on a diet, you’re creating better habits. Don’t make food the enemy.

Oh, and although the walking isn’t burning loads of calories, it is better than sitting and eating - so don’t give it up!

Yes and also drink 2 litres of water . I drink squash as it goes down. Better

I think tracking your calories and setting yourself a daily allowance is probably the answer. For example if you're going to allow yourself 1,500 cals a day break it down into three meals and snacks. So 300 cals for breakfast (toast and spread), 400 cals for lunch (soup, roll, yoghurt), 600 cals for main meal (chicken pasta bake) and 200 for snacks/glass of wine.
When it comes to weight loss it's 80/20 food/exercise so, while you'll be getting a lot fitter and healthier the effect exercise will have on your weight loss is negligible.

You need to drink more water.
you need to add more to lunch.. get rid of the coleslaw and add more veggies/fruit/seeds etc that are better for you. But lowin calories. Coleslaw can be hiding some calories.
Why only a small amount of chicken…. Up your protein!!

The wine will be adding calories taking you over a deficit.

Your age works against you with regards to hormones that can affect weight.

Track calories for a short while to see if it makes a difference

Walking while very good for health won’t be doing much for weight loss.

OP are you listening to what people are saying about calories. Your bowl of bran flakes could be massive. Portion size matters.

Brutally. This is how my mum was dieting... And not losing and lamenting. I logged her "diet" into fitness pall including all the butter and oil and the other bits she "forgot about" there and there and it was obvious why.
17k steps is like 8km+ day. Are you really walking that? Great if you are!

Well done on your alcohol reduction.

You probably are smaller even if you haven't lost weight.

It might be worth trying a different way. A Low Carb bootcamp has just started this week if you fancy giving that a try and getting some support.

Have been dieting recently, have cut down on crap and bread, amn’t eating after 8, am eating better too (loving apples and frozen grapes and yoghurts and raw green beans) minimal loss BUT more energy, better skin and hair, less spots and I feel less bloated and at times feel like a model (I do not look like one and my body shape is probably the same). I think my clothes fit slightly better too. As a result I’m strutting even though it isn’t warranted. Do you feel any of this when you think about it?

Bless you, OP, after all you've done....and the changes you've made are huge.... this must seem very disheartening

We all want to help...we're on your Team!

Keep reporting in. I'm very invested in your weight loss 🥰😍❤️

if you're only having 2 cups of water you need to up it ! 2 litres at least. Don't eat things like chips. Your small portion can add weight. If i had something like chips and wine, i would have it middle of day to give me time to digest and walk some of it off. I notice if i have anything like that at night i'll put the weight on. That and add more fibre vegies. Go on how you feel too. Forget the scales.

Ditch the cereal and the egg snack and instead have eggs for breakfast, like poached eggs or scrambled. Cereals are not a very healthy food, large corporations and industrialisation/commercial interests are behind their popularity.

Also omit chips for obvious reasons and stop drinking (empty calories).

Try intermittent fasting.

Fill up on veg, then you won't be hungry.

The 'recommended portion size' for cereal is like those stupid tiny boxes. About a mug full. Normal people have about a bowl full. With milk, it can be up to 500 calories.

That is leaving you 1000 calories for the rest of the day. What you've listed is more than 1500 calories. So you're not in deficit.

So you're not losing weight.

You might however look more toned. Waist measurement is something that you should also track.

Track on my fitness pal and track everything that you eat from adding soy sauce, mayo or whatever. It’s an eye opener the calories in some foods. You need to eat more protein. Wine is empty calories.

You need to find out what your calorie intake should be, then weight and track what you eat. I use the James Smith macro calculator. and Nutracheck to track calories/intake and exercise. If your intake is what you’ve outlined above then that looks like crash dieting which can slow down weight loss. It also means that you have nowhere to drop down to as you lose more weight.

You need to drink much more water and add more fibre and protein.

How much alcohol are you drinking on the days you do drink?

Increased activity can also mean your muscles hold water as they recover, this should settle within a few weeks

I've had this experience. BUT... I had measured everywhere I could think of (! lol) prior to eating less and getting more exercise. No weight loss on the scales but inches came off everywhere. Can you feel the difference in your clothes? And eventually I did start losing - I tended to lose in fits and starts rather than a steady 1lb per week or so though. Good luck!

@CollagenQueen It takes time for your body to react and change - you might find that in two weeks time your body will suddenly react and get in gear. It’s not possible for your body to have not changed at all - it’s likely you’ve begun building muscle and cleared some toxins, improved your liver function and improved your blood sugar regulation.
Those are all very positive effects that wont change the scales, but change will be happening!!
keep going. Don’t wait to weigh yourself at big ‘milestones’ because this creates a ‘will it work or not’ and that’s stupid because it is working on some level.
do not give up!!!!! I’d suggest having your main meal at lunchtime aswell rather than the evening. Xx

I can be like this when I diet, no initial loss and then a big drop, keep going!