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!

More protein is supposed to help weight loss. As a pp said I would ditch cereal and have eggs and veg for breakfast and then no snack.

My mantra is eat for health as much as possible then let the scales fall where they may.
Don’t spend all your energy fighting your body.
I delay breakfast now and try and do a morning walk before eating. Incidentally means a 14-10 fast. I used to eat rubbish I’ve cut that right down. I feel much better and more on track… I don’t weigh myself.

Honestly I spent years “dieting” but getting hungry, binging and not losing weight. It’s not worth it.

That seems terribly unfair OP but in all honesty O didn’t notice a real weight loss from walking, it started really happening through lane swimming. Would that be an option for you? You meet many new people through lane swimming, it’s incredibly relaxing and very good for your body.

Also be careful not to eat too little … my dad eats like a bird and he’s not losing weight, I think his body has gone into starvation mode and thinks it needs to store everything just in case it will be a while until he eats again next time.

Well done on the health changes - that’s what truly truly matters. You don’t see that kind of change but your body is really thankful you’ve cut back on all that alcohol. Health comes first, a toner body is a welcome addition.

I think it's been pointed out above but you won't lose weight through exercise unless you're doing a vast amount, so concentrate on the calorie intake.

To put it into perspective, a 12st person needs to walk 35 miles, at a good pace, to burn enough calories to lose 1lb.

People vastly overestimate how much fat you can burn through exercising.

Cut the booze completely. Keep on exercising because eventually it will pay off.

Youll be building muscle which will put weight on a bit but fat lost will tell eventually.

Cut out all processed food, swap branflakes (high in sugar) for 40g porridge oats with frozen blueberries on top, make a veg soup for lunch with a baked potato no butter on the side and a dinner of meat/fish/veg/a carb. Drink water all day no squash or juice.

Its hardcore but if you’ve got a wedding to go to worth it.

The Perricone 3 day diet is fab for re-setting before an event.

Well done on the alcohol reduction! I've been following Davinia Taylor on Instagram and have her books. I've lost 1 stone 4 lb and I'm 9 stone now, 5'1. I don't calorie count but I don't eat ultra processed foods, I'd ditch the coleslaw, cereal, chips and swap for potatoes, eggs and bacon. I just eat full fat food but a smaller amount. I'm never hungry. But I don't eat until around 11am. She has some great ideas and her book explains about hormones and the effect food has on them. She was also an alcoholic (I'm not suggesting you are!) and talks alot about the effects of it on your body. Good luck and keep going

Agree with other posters pointing out that 3 nights with alcohol is probably not helping - at all. How much alcohol on those nights? is an important question.

If it's one small glass of wine with meal - okay. If it's a bottle or half a bottle, with accompanying snacks post dinner - not okay.

Best of luck and good effort for trying - I'm well over 50 and literally just have to look at a cake to put weight on . And yep - like wine at a weekend but do tend to indulge more after having had a drop or four....

I bet you that next week or the week after a good 7lb will suddenly drop

Bodies dont work like clockwork

Plus you really need to weigh everything per 100g on your calorie counting app to determine your calorie intake so that you know for sure you are in a deficit

You said already that your tummy is smaller.

I think his body has gone into starvation mode and thinks it needs to store everything just in case it will be a while until he eats again next time.

That's a myth. Your body doesn't just store everything extra just in case. What it does is amenda calories spent, eg. Turning off the heat. But these are temporary. Hence why people who don't eat more than tiny ration lose weight...

It's not enough to cut your eating /drinking down. That will just stop you gaining more weight. You need to properly ensure you are in a calorie deficit.

So first, the fact you aren't gaining more is a good start.

But now you need to look at everything and work out if you are in a calorie deficit. My guess it will be the alcohol you are still drinking and a portion control issue /ignoring snacking that will.be stopping you being in a calorie deficit.

Are you actually following a specific plan?
Have you upped your exercise at all?
Do you feel healthier?
Losing weight and/or changing shape isn't a one size fits all, there's more to consider than just calories in. I know when I started swimming lots I changed shape, I probably didn't weigh much less though. I probably need to start swimming more again to tone up a bit. 😁

Muscle does not weigh more than fat. A lb of muscle and a lb of fat both weigh 1lb. Muscle is more dense and takes up less space.

'Eating like a bird' ?

Sorry but I thought you were going to say 'a handful of nuts/grains/lettuce leafs once, maybe twice a day at most' 😂

Do you feel healthier ?

Your basically eating a normal (not so healthy particularly with the lean chicken & 2 slices of Ham' type meals

But yes if your genuinely over weight & no longer drinking alcohol (assuming you drink mixers)
& eating snacks there should be some minor changes

See a GP if necessary but good luck anyway (if you feel good, stick at it)

Fyi birds eat like third of their weight in food wvery day. Ao probably not the best diets 😁

Op it will suddenly go, whenever I start a regime I put 12 weeks on calender

Hi did you only clock up 3.6 miles. I walked 12k steps yesterday and it was over 5 miles?

But that’s fish and chips… on a diet.
On a cereal box the average serving is listed as 40 grams, I think. That’s a tiny portion, like one of those very small IKEA plastic kids bowls. I feel your pain though.

😂 didnt know this

Once you're tracking accurately, head over to the Big/slim/whatever weight-loss club section of MN, where there are boards covering every weight loss approach under the sun. You could join one of the long-running group threads, or start your very own.

It's the hidden extras that add up on calories.. Oil esp, oil for chips/fish or butter for peas etc.. Its hard to cut though 😑

I would start from the basics: focus on the quality of your diet, not the calories. Two bottles of wine most nights, UPF cereal for breakfast and hardly any veg is never going to sort out your weight (and health) long term, no matter how few calories you try and eat.

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

What kind of exercise are you doing. For example, I set myself a target of 100 workouts in 100 days. I also put myself on a diet. I lost 5 lbs, which is nothing as I had 2 stone to lose. However, loads of people have told me I have lost a lot of weight. I haven't, but I have toned up a lot so look different.

Cut the wine altogether (swap to spirits if you must) and swap 1 hour of walking for 1 hour of sweaty exercise a couple of times a week.

What do you mean 'thats fish and chips on a diet'

What does that mean, that you cant eat fish and chips when you're wanting to lose weight?

What do you mean by fish and chips,, a fish and chips from the chippy, the whole portion?

What does OP mean by fish and chips - some grilled fish with 100g of oven chips?

You have no idea, what OP has eaten (and probably neither does she becuase shes not weighing things out). Nothing wrong with a small portion of oven chips and fish in breadcrumbs or plain fish dependent on size or calorie intake.

So that’s the diet now

What was the diet before?