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

Breakfast, lunch, tea/dinner, snacks and the respective calories per meal

I've said this already but you may have missed it, I think you're doing great, and because you don't have much to lose, it's going to be a bit tougher.

However, positives are you are toning up and you're not gaining, maintenance is a job in itself.

Please don't be so hard on yourself!

Weight loss jabs for what op wants to lose ?

madness

Never gonna happen as she isn’t obese

she is perfect weight via bmi

Are you sure you are tracking the calories of EVERYTHING you eat and drink? If you are not losing weight, your calorie consumption is high enough to maintain your current weight. Make a food diary for a week, work out the average daily calorie intake, then work out how to knock off 500 cal/day. That should put you in a 3500 cal/week deficit which equates to 1lb fat loss per week. It won't be all fat because some muscle and water might be lost but some of it will.

Muscle weighs more than fat. Are you measuring your progress outside of the number on the scales (I.e., waist size)? If you’re eating a tonne of protein (well done btw) and you’re lifting heavy, then you will be gaining muscle, which is heavy but also looks a hell of a lot better than fat. 1lb of fat does not look the same as 1lb of muscle!

I used to be a powerlifter. At the peak of my training, I was HEAVY — easily 1-2 stone heavier than I “should” have been and with an overweight BMI — yet I wore size 6-8.

Iam post meno, lost 13 pounds since Jan 1st doing 1200 cals a day. Iam.52 it is doable

@Sorryagain if you don’t like how you look and feel then I’d highly recommend reducing the weights and doing body weight exercises instead. I’d be bulkier than I like if I lifted heavy and if you’re one of those people who puts on muscle easily you will look bulky.

Muscle weighs more than fat - that doesn’t help. Reduce calorie intake and up aerobic exercise

Fuck me if one more person on this thread says "muscle weighs more than fat" omfg NO IT DOESN'T IT JUST TAKES UP LESS SPACE

Also it takes YEARS of work to build enough muscle to "look bulky", Years. Not 45 minutes at the gym twice a week.

I don’t look bulky - and I’m def not giving up lifting heavy. I love being strong and I need to be strong. I’ve got crap bones.

i just need to get the food stuff right, as so many have rightly pointed out.

As for the suggestion of weight loss injections?! For gods sake, of course not

Defo don't give up lifting heavy, i wasn't suggesting that. I have not read every single post on the thread but I'm at a bit of a loss really on your calorie situation if you really are sure that you are tracking 100% accurately. They seem to be very low already for how much you are training.

If you're not doing A LOT of exercise, your protein is too high. Reduce that and up your fibre. How much fibre are you having? Make sure you're counting correctly any oil, butter or sauces in your calories. Weight loss isn't always fast and as you have only half a stone to lose concentrate on good nutrition and it will happen.

This is rubbish! The amount of crap advice on this thread is crazy. We lose muscle mass from the age of 30. We will not be ‘bulky’ if we lift heavy weights. It’s really important we do so - the strength of our bones is related to how strong the muscles are. You are at risk of osteoporosis if you don’t lift weights.

I know I said I was leaving this thread due to the eating disorder brigade being out in force but it’s so important that people don’t give out the wrong advice. As someone else suggested - OP if you have the spare cash I’d speak to an expert in this area (though you sound healthy and strong to me).

It is complicated and harder to keep an ideal weight when we’re older. And our usual tricks to lose weight don’t work. But there are complex reasons for that (many of them hormonal). I’d really recommend the Next Level book.

I don't understand why you want to be so thin at your age. You are a healthy weight. I wouldn't want to look old or lose muscle or have saggy skin

Muscle weighs more than fat so some of this may make you more healthy but if you want to lose weight it's diet. I can only assume if it's not what you eat its portion control

Yeah that’s still not going to be enough of a reduction to lose weight. You need to get it down to between 1000-1200 temporarily to lose weight.

If I lift heavy weights I look overly muscly and yes, bulky. What you’re saying is false - we don’t all need to lift heavy to maintain good muscle mass.

I have very good bones and low risk of osteoporosis, and also put on muscle very easily. Body weight resistance work and small weights are plenty for me. I have visible muscles in my arms, legs and abs just from this.

You’re making sweeping generalisations and not taking into account body types.

Yes you are making generalisations as it’s very unusual at a certain age to maintain good muscle definition with light weights and body weight. Yes when we are younger we can. OP said she is not bulky so your personal situation is not relevant. She said she’s happy lifting heavy weights and feeling strong.

Unless you have regular Dexa scans I’m not sure how anyone knows what state their bones are in. Maybe you do have regular scans. OP said her bones are not so good and she finds heavy weights help so again your personal experience is not relevant here.

Apologies if this is something you've already thought about, but have you measured yourself (waist, hips etc), When you're doing weights, upping protein etc, you change shape, but don't necessarily lose much weight. I would say don't get too hung up on the scales and take more notice of how your clothes are fitting you. Take a look at Sindy Bond on Facebook who has a plan specifically for menopausal women over 40. I'm not part of her program, but have a friend who is and it's really helped her.

I understand that about the OP. I was correcting you since you said ‘you are at risk of osteoporosis if you don’t lift heavy weights’ and ‘you will not look bulky’ as if this was true for everyone.

These are generalisations and I was sharing my personal experience as proof that it’s simply not a given.

My grandmother and mother never lifted a weight in their lives and did not have osteoporosis and never broke a bone, despite several falls in old age.

I’m not saying that lifting heavy isn’t great for you, but for some women it’s not necessary and for some it can make them not like the way they look.

I weigh 284lbs and I eat 900 - 1,200 a day and swim 60 lengths three times a week and walk other days. I’m losing 2lb a week. I think you’d need a much lower calorie to lose at your low weight.

also at your age your body needs a bit more weight you might look haggard at 1/2 stone lower. It really brings out neck age.

Your personal experience is pretty unusual. I’d still argue for anybody being able to lift heavy weights is a good idea as we get older. But we can disagree on that. And I understand not everyone wants or likes to lift heavy weights. OP does though so suggesting she stops doing that isn’t helpful.

My Mum or Gran never broke a bone despite some falls. I don’t assume that means my bones are great. I’ll still do heavy weights and jump training to keep them strong. Unless you’re getting regular Dexa scans they nobody knows for sure what is going on with their bones.

Osteoporosis affects 1 in 5 women over 50 and many more are osteopenic. Heavier weights and loading the bones helps prevent this.

I’m 62 and have lost a stone - feels like it’s taking ages but calorie counting, gym 3/4 times a week doing weights, protein and most importantly 10k+ steps a day and the weight is slowly coming off - another stone to go

So you’re already 129lbs for 5ft2 height… which seems a pretty good weight to me. It may be that your body feels the same way, which is why you’re struggling to shift any more off.

either way it seems a lot of pain for not a lot of gain (half a pound off).