Why the f*** can’t I lose weight? I’m doing everything right

[Sorryagain]

Postmeno, 55, want to lose half a stone. I don’t like my weight. I’ve always worked out, done lots of heavy-ish weights and eaten healthily but in the last month I’ve really upped weights a lot. I’ve also

• kept to a low calorie count (20% off my TEE - track food most days. Try to keep to 3 meals but some days I do graze but not over cal limit
• upped protein most days to around 100-120g a day
• upped walking to try to do 7.5-10k a day
• added at least one HITT class onto 3 days weight training
• drink more water (my weakness)

i don’t drink, I eat v little sugar and almost no white stuff

the scales have moved by 1lb! I’m so fucked off.

I know post meno it’s hard but this is ridiculous.

I feel stronger, though, and I sense more muscle definition. But I don’t believe muscle will weigh more and keep me at this weight

thoughts? It’s v un motivating

Thanks. Whilst I agree about needing more cardio, weights are actually evidenced as a higher fat burner in my age group

500 cal deficit a day is huge

@LunaNorthI so agree with you. Life’s too short to live on 1200 calories.

Op I’m a similar age and height to you. I feel your struggle. I exercise 4 times a week I try to stick to 1500 calories but the weight doesn’t want to shift. I’m slowly trying to make my piece with it but I’m not giving up. I’m not hugely overweight, I wear a size 10, am very toned but I want to weigh a stone less.

No advice but can empathise.

Interesting, thanks - will walk faster!

Thanks, I hope you’re feeling better

Have you looked at Fast 800?

Keto OMAD keeping carbs under 20g is the only way my 69 year old mother with thyroid issues has been able to lose weight.

It's hard to start, but she loves it now. She's done every diet under the sun, including VLCD and she's losing more on this at 1200-1400 calories daily. She does slightly adjusted OMAD at a 2 hour window. So dinner at 6pm and then supper at 8pm because she couldn't eat enough in the first meal.

Obviously that’s a mistake - 129lbs

ah ok op I guessed there was a decimal but was just wondering. At 5 2 that sounds perfect to me to be honest, and because you weigh that much it’s going to take some time to lose even small amounts. Also the older you are the more of a store you need in case you get sick, I honestly believe that (well I know it from three relatives who were told so when very sick in hospital)

You weight 58kg which is 9 stone. Maybe that’s simply a good weight for your body and you can only lose more by losing muscle, which would not be desirable.

You’ve had some good recommendations but I feel everyone is assuming you are overweight, which you are NOT

Great post, LunaNorth!

I’m in my 50s and find I now don’t lose weight when I try and calorie count but do lose weight when I forget about it and try and just eat sensibly and in about a month I notice the scales have moved. For me it seems to take several weeks for the scales to catch up plus I find I eat less when not focusing on losing weight and focus more on trying to eat a bit better without weighing and counting. I think I tend to eat more when it’s on my mind about what I ‘think’ I should be eating everyday.

LunaNorth

love it!!!💖

Bottom line your eating too many calories.
I'm same age and post menopausal and 5ft 4 .
I could only lose weight with sustained 1200 calorie or less per day and this was while I trained for a marathon and did weights
A single bad day and my weight loss went out the window.
Whatever you think, if your not losing weight you're not in a calorie deficit.
Which means you're either underestimating the calories, or eating more than you think.

I lost the weight using mounjaro...made me realise how little physically 1200 calories was.

If you have gained muscle from working out, remember that muscle weighs more than fat. Your body will change shape, you will be healthier but the scales may not change as a result.

Have you put muscle on? That would obviously be good.

I'm a little older than you and can't exercise at all due to a chronic health condition. I have lost 3 stone since November by altering my diet.

Calories matter but food quality matters far, far more. Try eating your 1350 exclusively plant based.

I eat extremely well but don’t be doing plant based only anytime soon.

Dr Stacy Sims has done a lot of research into menopause and exercise / diet. Her life’s work is around female physiology and how ‘women are not small men’. Her book ‘Next Level’ is aimed at peri/ post menopausal women and she has worked with Hayley Happens to provide an online programme Power Happens. She also does podcasts, publishes articles etc.
Much of what she says is around the need for women to lift heavy weights (as you say you are) but also that many women are not eating enough and that this can actually prevent you from losing weight/gaining muscle.
Loads to explore there, hope that helps x

So dispiriting isn’t it. I lost 2 stone in 2020 bmi 27 down to 21 kept weight off for 4 years. Had relaxed abit but weighed in Jan bmi 25. So upped exercise thought I was being good up another half stone!

1200 calories is really nothing.

but I’m nowhere near close to being able/wanting the injection

Go carnivore. Its insane how much weight you lose so easily whilst stuffing your face.

I’ve read her books and listened to her talk. She’s great

Sadly I think pp are right, too many calories. I'm five foot 6, 60 and do Noom, the calories per day I'm "allowed" are 1200. I have lost a kilo a month for the last three months, which obviously is ridiculously slow loss but I put it down to age.

Exercise really makes very little difference to weight loss. But at least when you're exercising, you're not eating.

I’m 5 ft 5 130lbs very active but can only loose weight at 1500. I’m in my 50s too. I think your calories are too high. Those bmi calculators aren’t great. According to some of them I can loose on over 1800 cals which simply isn't true. If it were me, I would drop by another 100 cals and see what happens.

Ok, I will reduce calories even further and see what happens. Crazy and boring as hell!