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

Life really is too short!

Just when you think the thread's run out of ways for people to give ill-informed bad advice, even more people pop up going "eat even less! Stop resistance training!" Look, I'm sorry for those of you who totally fucked your metabolism with the grapefruit diet in the 80s but jfc read a book on nutrition. Nourish your body so it can lift things.

It really is.

Surely eating healthy with some treats is much better than starving yourself.

Do some posters not realise strength training is good for women over a certain age? Starving yourself and running is not going to end well.

I have just lost a load of weight - after years of eating healthily and going to the gym three times a week and weight still creeping on with menopause. I went up to 11 stone but I'm back at 10 again now. It was simply because I was consuming too many calories - a lot in the form of wine! I've had to cut it to under 1,300 a day to lose weight. That's done it, but I am permanently hangry now! The truth is that I just can't eat or drink what I want to and get away with it, like I used to be able to pre-menopause (and I've never been a particularly big eater). I think this is the brutal reality for a lot of people, unfortunately. You just have to eat a lot less.

Please don't give eating disordered advice like this.

Please don't give eating disordered advice like this.

I couldn't lose weight and a dietician put me on amazing diet. When I stick to it, I lose 1-2lb a week. Exercise is also important.

So, log your calories in an app. Ideally one that logs calorie burn too. You need to aim for a 500 calorie deficit. Any more than that and you won't lose weight — seriously, it turned out I wasn't eating enough to lose weight!

Also, the increased protein doesn't work for everyone. Aim to eat no more than 100g of meat or cheese per day (protein substitutes are included in that but not things like beans).

You track food ‘most days’. You need to track EVERY day, to the gram. Milk in tea, cheeky morsels you put in your mouth etc. it all adds up. Also, I think 7500 steps a day is quite low.

Wow this has made me give my head a good wobble and I thank you!

I couldn't agree more. Some of the advice on here is really unhealthy. Like eating just 500-1000 calories a day, there's just no way you'd be getting enough nutrition, and you could end up damaging your health. As we get older the idea is to maintain health and strength, not become frail waifs. Putting extreme stress on your body in later life can also trigger illnesses, or weaken your immune system, it's just not worth it for the sake of a few pounds.

I'm convinced if op just tweaks her diet with a bit more veg and fibre, whilst keeping up the weights and activity, it'll work. There's absolutely no need for a crash diet, and it could do her harm.

You shouldn’t feel dizzy after getting off a treadmill.

7500 is a great achievement for a lot of people and it's not always possible to fit more in with busy lives.

I can do triple that most days but that's because I have kids that need walking to school and a job where I'm on my feet. If I had a sedentary job that needed a commute by car then I would definitely struggle to get my steps in.

You might do if you're running along but watching the telly. Like reading a book on a train or in a car/or on the phone. Causes me to get dizzy and feel sick

Rather than a treadmill, you could just get a yoga mat and do some core exercises whilst watching the telly. I usually do 3 sets of 50 deadbugs, and some Russian twists or mountain climbers. These exercises are really good for strengthening your back, and since I've been doing these stretches and exercises, alongside cycling, I've almost cured my sciatica caused by my second pregnancy.

I know what you mean - like you’ve just got off a boat? That should get less and less as you get used to it though. Even watching telly.

Wow 50 deadbugs, I can't concentrate long enough to do 10 without forgetting which arm and leg I'm supposed to move! Also you must have a cast iron core, they really hurt!!

Thanks all. I’ve now caught up on all the messages.

There’s some helpful advice here - and I’m aware I kickstarted the discussion by wanting to shave off weight - but I do have to say I’m shocked how many women are accepting of a lifestyle where they eat very few calories. i honestly thought I was eating a low amount. And certainly on 1350, it’s not treat fuelled days!

and whilst I accept that my body has changed in composition and metabolism post meno, and I do need to eat a little less if I want to shave off some fat and build muscle, I also don’t want to end up creating a monster - I.e having to maintain a life on 1100 calories. It’s just not a nice thought. It feels disordered and only something for very short term goals because I hope that lifting heavy and putting max efforts into that will push me out of worrying about calories once the deficit has got me to where I want to be.

i hope that makes sense. Thanks to all, again. I think I’ve got what I need from this thread

Your thread has been playing on my mind - I'm also shocked by the levels of disordered eating going on; I guess people will confess to things on here that they wouldn't in real life?

I think you've really hit on the key, which is sustainability.
I lift heavy, and I can drop my body fat low and look 'ripped', but it's a lot of hard work and I inevitably lose a bit of my hard earned muscle in the process. So it would need to be a very VERY special occasion!

If you're serious about exercising, you should definitely take a look into getting your body fat measured, you'll get a feel for how it relates to your look after a while. It'll also alert you quickly if you're eating too little and losing muscle

Oh - to avoid training fasted, I eat a spoonful of peanut butter before 6am class
Yup straight up😆
It's a tiny volume to add to my stomach but hopefully enough to convince my brain it has calories to work with and we're ok to go build muscle 💪

Thanks, I had to work up to it! The coordination aspect of deadbugs is really good for your brain, too. Skipping is another one, very good for balance and motor skills.

Very impressed by 50 dead bugs! Getting my mat out right now!

The need for women to eat before exercise has been debunked.

I love skipping, but sadly my prolapses don't love it 😂

I will start doing some deadbugs if you think they are that effective? I normally do 'bodyfit by amy' and I sigh when she says it's time for deadbugs!

Debunked by who?

I work in the industry and it very much has not been debunked. It’s especially important for perimenopausal women.

Great advice. We don’t need to eat lots but just something in the stomach helps. My go to is a banana. People think they need to eat a big meal - not true but just something for energy is better than nothing.