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

YABU because you are already a healthy weight.

If you've got enough room get a tread mill. I lost 2 warlnut whips worth in 45 mins. I'm 52 and a couch potato. You can watch the telly really loudly. It's quite addictive but you feel a bit dizzy afterwards. x

I think you are doing really well as you are and I really wouldn't suggest eating much less if any less at all.

Keep a log over a period of 3 months, keep taking measurements and see how you get on. It might be a slow process but sometimes these things take time.

I have a lot of luck restricting and then having some time off then going back to restricting.

Whatever you do it needs to be sustainable and something you enjoy doing. If 7-10K steps is all you can do then that's all you can do, if you hate running/cycling/badminton with a passion there is no point doing it just to lose weight. Restricting calories too much just leads to misery and can damage the metabolism. I eat around 1800 to try and lose half a pound a week although I am younger and I do a lot more exercise but even so I do think it's worth you playing around with increasing your calories and seeing what happens over a period of say 6 weeks to allow for random fluctuations.

You’re correct in everything you say. No one over 50 can know if they have good bone density. It’s impossible to know without DEXA scans - regardless of family history.

Try this guy - he has a calculation on how to lose weight. He seems sensible and informative: www.instagram.com/darrenliufitness?igsh=dm5rZ256bTY4N204

Disappointing to see the handful of pro-ana posts on here. Thankfully it seems as if the OP has far too much sense to pay them any heed. I’d hate for someone vulnerable to stumble upon this thread, though.

So I have read the whole thread now and there is some interesting stuff and also some bonkers stuff. (Starvation mode does not exist. Muscle does not weigh more than fat, but it takes up less space etc. etc.)

I actually thought when I first read the opening post that 1350 calories was insane, but having checked the TDEE calculator that I swear by (and I do know my stuff, I have lost 5 stone and kept it off for a year, successfully done a clean bulk and now moving into a final cut), it does look about right for your height and weight if you are trying to lose. Maintenance calls come out at about 1750.

SO. I think you're probably not gaining muscle to a significant enough extent for it to be showing on the scales - this is pretty hard to achieve in deficit, and you are in deficit because you are losing, albeit not as fast as you want to be.

I think your options are to be really really forensic with your tracking to see if you're missing anything - no skipped days, look at your weekly average etc. If you're eating 1350 calls Mon-Thurs, then 2000 calls Fri-Sun, you're not eating 1350 calls a day on average. And if you really are sure you're tracking is 100% solid then you can either stick with it and accept a slower loss (which maybe is fine considering you're already a healthy weight), or drop a bit to get to where you want to be. But it won't be much fun, which I think you know already.

It really irritates me when people keep banging on about being in the healthy weight range for your height means you shouldn't want to lose any weight, as if anywhere in that range is the right weight for everyone and only if they went one pound over would they be overweight.
For example, I'm 5'4" and some sources would say the healthy range is 7st 12 lb to 10 stone, but being at the lowest or highest weight in that range would not be ideal for me, whilst for somebody else it could be. In my twenties, pre-children, I was at the bottom end, despite eating whatever I wanted and drinking alcohol regularly; it was the right weight for my body at that time. In my thirties, post children, my weight tended to be about half a stone heavier, whilst still being able to eat whatever I wanted and remaining slim.
If I was 10 stone, I would definitely be fat/overweight for my body, though for someone else the top of the range could be right for them. As far as I am concerned if I have a roll of fat around my waist, then I'm carrying extra weight, therefore above the ideal weight for my body.

"For example, I'm 5'4" and some sources would say the healthy range is 7st 12 lb to 10 stone, but being at the lowest or highest weight in that range would not be ideal for me, whilst for somebody else it could be."

I agree.
I also think being on the high side of the healthy range is risky - one big Christmas and you're over, better to go into older age lower down the scale so you have some space to play with.
Also those who are against BMI talk about other things like body fat percentage and waist to height. For me to have those in a good place, I'd need to get my BMI lower! Of course, it can be different to women who are natural hour glasses.

At a guess your body had adapted, your exercise needs to be switched up and changed, surprise your body. Also don’t demonise food, you seem to have that whole “sugar is bad”, “this is bad”, “that is bad” approach.

That doesn’t seem accurate, tbh. I’m 5’9”, 185lbs and active and 1750 calories is the target I use for slow, steady weight loss. If I use the calculator you suggest and take off 20% I still get over 2050 calories and I wouldn’t lose weight eating that. You also have to make sure you count everything like milk in tea that a lot of people miss. I’m not menopausal but I do have PCOS.

@Sorryagain I’ve not read the whole thread, but I’ve read all of your posts. You might like to join us over on this thread. We all understand the challenges of being shorter and why just losing/gaining a few pounds can make a huge difference to how we feel and/or look. It’s a lovely, supportive thread. We don’t have all the answers but it’s helpful to share thoughts/ideas with others who understand that what might seem like a low weight to taller people might actually be overweight for us.

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/weight_loss_chat/5181505-petite-support-for-losing-a-few-poundsgetting-to-our-happy-size?utm_campaign=thread&utm_medium=app_share

I’m peri so slightly different stage and fat clings on in a way it never did before. The only way I lost weight is by cutting my calories and not eating after 8pm until 10am. I also logged literally everything I ate. Every cup of tea, cheeky grape out of the fridge etc. It’s pretty boring. Also, it was slow. I lost around a pound a week. Stick with it. Unfortunately, as we age, it gets harder and harder to lose weight. Good luck. Keeping the weight off is the next fun bit x

if that isn’t disordered eating, I don’t know what is

Thank you

Thank you, I might

Sorry been at work

breakfast
lunch
tea
snack

c is number of calories

so b might be porridge 230c or 2 slices of toast and marmite or a protein shake 200 or ommlette 250

l cuppa soup 100 or jacket and tuna and salad or pasta and mince

t chicken/mince /protein based meal or micro meal if working with veg

Sorry didn’t see your reply straight after

glad you worked it out

I am 65 and have recently lost a stone using the WeightWatchers app. Still have a lot more to go though. Very simple and healthy, leading to a steady weight loss.

Definitely have to drink 2-3L of water a day it helps with weight loss.
If you are still not losing then you have to reduce your calorie intake.

You need to eat around 500-1000 per day! Muscle weighs more than fat so … you maybe bulking up too much hence no weight loss..

Nobody should be eating as little as 1000 calories let alone 500.

As for bulking... I've been lifting heavy for years and have yet to get bulky. It's really hard for a woman to build muscle like men especially being in a deficit.

I hate to say it but you ARE eating way too much!

It's really horrible and seriously unfair - but it's miserably true.

Try to stick to under 1000 calories - less if you can (it's really, REALLY shitty - but if you want results - this is honestly the way forward). Ram your diet with veggies, a bit of fruit (though less so because - sugar!) and if you need to fill up go for rice or jacket spud. Cut out all processed foods, sugar and alcohol.

Take it from me who used to be a professional dancer, PT and fit as a whippet ... unfortunately now a post menopausal, overweight mess (through no fault of my own - but having had long covid for over 4 years and a number of other illnesses and injuries meaning I can't be active and it's literally killing me!)!

I also think that you're over-egging it on the weight training tbh. I would try to go for a decent walk each day. Drink as much water/herbal tea as possible (literally so you're constantly on the loo and flushing your body out every day).

Limit weight training to just 45 minutes twice a week and do aerobic exercise or gym work once a week and maybe yoga or pilates once or twice a week, to work anaerobically and work on different muscle groups. Mix it up a bit.

I would also recommend trying to go to bed earlier and getting up at a reasonable time and trying to stick to a regimen!

Honestly - this really helps. Routine is key.

If you try to stick to this it will take time - but it will happen ... slowly, gradually, but it will happen. Trust me.

Give over - 500 calories a day! Such dangerous advice on here I’m tempted to report. I’d hate anybody to take this advice on board. Fortunately OP is sensible and not listening to the eating disorder crowds.