Not losing weight despite massively cutting back

[Morgun]

Can anyone analyse what I’m eating and tell me where I’m going wrong? I’ve cut back so much yet the scales are not shifting. I’m 5ft 8 and 16st

breakfast - porridge oats, 2 slices of wholemeal toast with low fat spread, a fat free yogurt and a banana

lunch - pasta salad with a wholemeal roll and a packet of low calorie crisps.

Aftetnoon snack - apple, nuts and sometimes a fat free yogurt but not always

dinner - homemade spaghetti bolognese (wholemeal spaghetti), 2 small slices of garlic baguette, a weight watchers mouse and a piece of fruit

evening snack - a couple of biscuits

this is far less than I used to eat yet the scales are not budging. I’m being told to cut down further but I can’t see what else I can do, I’m struggling as it is.

That's the internet for you. People say stuff.
I mean feel free to stop replying......

What is "marry me chicken and rice"?

This can’t be real. You’re basically eating 7 meals a day and wondering why you’re not losing weight?

I can understand the sentiment and some people will just never take the time to use something like MFP, but for others it’s hugely helpful, even just until they understand better what they’re eating. Lots of people aren’t good at eyeballing a plate, and the understanding of portion size is very distorted. People also miss “hidden” calories eg how much oil is used in cooking - it doesn’t need to look like a high fat meal to have had a lot of fat used in its preparation. On hols recently with a friend and we both made scrambled eggs on toast for lunch - hers had three eggs, a huge dod of butter in it, and butter on her toast as well; mine had two eggs, 20ml milk, and no butter - literally half the calories. (and ironically I’m not the one trying to lose weight!).

Calorie counting absolutely isn't a waste of time. If you don't know how many calories you're actually consuming it's a valuable tool. It doesn't mean it's suitable for everyone as a consistent weight loss tool but where you need to create a deficit, of course you need to know what's going in.

There is hardly any veg there and no fruit at all.

Marry Me Chicken is the name of a dish. Like Chicken Kiev or Chicken Korma. It's very nice.

Why do people keep quoting the very long opening post?

I agree with part of what you say but not completely.
This is because yes, there's an example of disordered eating going on.

BUT not all calories are equal. It doesn't equate to nutrition values.
You could get your 500 cals from fresh salmon, chicken or a lean lamb chop - or a Mars bar.

OP mentioned she had a Weight Watchers mousse which was probably full of artificial sugar, thickeners and God knows what else- UPF.
When she could have had a bowl of lovely plain yogurt and strawberries.

There are zillions of images on the web about this, cookery books galore, which show a healthy plate so it's a learning curve.

Counting calories mean you just count the calories- do you engage with the actual nutrients?

Yep. I 'knew' there were a lot of calories in mayo but I didn't know what 10g v 50g of it looked like or what it looked like as part of an overall day's calories. Apply that to multiple other foods and many of us are unintentionally eating a lot of calories and thinking we're being sensible and healthy. Add that mayo onto a baguette for example or a side of coleslaw that you also don't know the calorie content of. Eyeballing it is only possible once you've learnt what it looks like in the first place.

Often when people start counting calories learning about the nutritional content is part of that journey. We can't expect people just starting it on weight loss to know all this to begin with.

Blimey, you're currently eating enough to feed a rugby team!

You've had lots of advice on the thread on how to cut down your intake to something more reasonable.

And you certainly want to cut back on the processed crap as it has zero nutritional benefit to your body.

Oh thanks, I've never heard of it!

Too much bread !!!!

You’re just eating too much. Cut the snacks as a starting point. Have a cup of tea if you really need something at that time. Are you accounting for all your hot drinks? Anything with milk in counts as a snack too.

As before- calories don't equate to quality and nutrition.

You can get 1000 cals from crap food or from healthy fresh food.

For most people that tiny bit of mayo is neither here nor there.
It's a drop in the ocean of all the other stuff they eat.

Calorie counting is restrictive eating which leads to yo-yo dieting/ eating, never taking full account of nutrition , and feeling deprived.

If you intake consists of only very simple food like protein, fruit, veg, dairy, some wholegrains, all unprocessed and cooked simply, you will lose weight.

OP has had some good advice here already on what a normal breakfast is - one of the 3 things she's eating.

Well you need to work out what calories you need and then track them. It's really simple! Get a pair of scales, work out your TDEE and then track religiously.

On your breakfast - you have either porridge or toast, not both. Ideally have some kind of protein for breakfast, it will keep you fuller longer.

(and yes the rest of your day is too carb heavy.)

I can tell you straight off the bat - reduce or stop all the bread, fruit is high in sugar so cut out or down the amount of fruit. The low fat yoghurt is likely laden with sugar, find a sugar free version or an alternative.

You've completely missed the point. It's not that a but of mayo is harmful, it's that now knowing how many calories are in multiple foods over the day adds up and puts you into a significant calorie surplus.

Calorie counting is a tool to enable you to learn what a reasonable portion of any given food actually looks like. It is not inherently restrictive, calorie counting doesn't need to be used as a weight loss tool at all. The deficit is the restriction, which you're still advocating for.

On your breakfast - you have either porridge or toast, not both. Ideally have some kind of protein for breakfast, it will keep you fuller longer.

swap one slice of toast for 2 poached eggs- about the same amount of calories (if we must count) but full of protein and vitamins.

You do not have to cut out fruit. It is not the same as refined sugar and the sugar in fruit works in conjunction with the other elements of it eg fibre.

Anything with milk in counts as a snack too.

Oh come off it! My cup of tea with a tiny splash of semi skimmed does not a snack make! This is getting silly now.

No I'm not missing the point, just not agreeing.

It's very very hard to estimate your calorie needs. It's also very hard to count cals accurately.

The calories on restaurant menus have been 'blasted' by every decent nutritionist out there (professionals) as they don't work in changing behaviour.

You’re on a steady insulin rise so you’d keep storing fat. Try spacing out your meals or fast as you can manage then go low carb (proteins and fibre (veg)

OP, I can see that you have already made many changes to your diet and must be downhearted about weight loss
As others say, the diet looks very high in carbs ( and calories).
Can you see a dietician or join a weight loss group for support?