can anyone point out where i am going wrong??

[blushingm]

I am about 5 stones over weight. I decided to do something about it in april so i joined the gym and started watching what i was eating.

I've been going to the gym 3 times a week and working off (according to the machine) between 600 and 800 calories per session. i mostly use the cardio machines with a small amount of lifting. I am trying to follow a low fat diet with between 1500 and 1800 calories per day.

Now the problem is I don't seem to be getting any smaller - if anything i am bigger now than when i started. I can't think where i am going wrong - i have lost a fair amount of weight twice in my life and found it relatively easy but this time - after i had my daughter 4 years ago the weight will just not shift.

If anyone hsas any ideas where i am going wrong or what else I could do it would be much appreciated

oh and i take 60mg per of fluoxetine and 350mg per day of quetiapine - the side affects of both say weight gain but i always assumed it was cos they increased your appetite

I don't know about the drugs you're taking - you should read further on that.

Are you drinking alcohol at all? Very fattening / counter-productive to losing weight.

Have you got more muscle than before? It's heavier than fat.

Oh, and 1800 kcal a day is not really that much of a diet, is it? It's 2000 for average woman. Are you active outside of the gym as well? Housework, walks etc?

No idea about the drugs but two things that might help:

• often when women diet they eat salads with dressings. Cut out the dressing (or halve it) and instead make sure you are eating some lean protein at every meal possible. So, eggs for breakfast (and do not skip it), and a piece of chicken, fish or steak the size of your palm at lunch and dinner. Then fill up on veggies. Fruit in moderation (not 5 a day of fruit).

• I have always found doing weights to be more effective in weight loss than aerobic exercise. More muscle mass means your body burns more calories simply to function. Does your gym do an induction session? Speak to the instructor - they may be able to help.

Underactive thyroid? Sometimes triggered by pregnancy messing with hormones.

Possibly building muscle through exercise, although you do say you are doing cardio rather than weights.

Agree with anonymosity that it could be the drugs - they might affect your metabolism.

Good luck - sounds like you're working really hard and not eating that much, and you must be really frustrated!

i would say you need to look at increasing your gym burn off week by week.

keep your calorie intake as it is if you can increase the burn off. i would not do the weights at the moment tbh i would use that time to walk or use the weight machines on the lowest weight setting and make sure you are keeping resistance in the movement ie not pushing the bar as far forward as it should do but hold for counts of 10 to fifteen.

increase your reps ie 10 reps of 5. rather than say 2 reps 20. that way your body is working.

when you do cardio it is important to make sure you push your heart rate and bring it down, this gets the body working harder than just thrashing it out as hard as you can.

as far as food i would try to cut carbs low and eat protiens and some fats these are important for you when you are working out. snack before and during the gym and eat your larger meal imediatly after. eat more in the day and less in the evening.

hope that helps at all but i lost about 4 stone a long time ago with this, i thought about what my body needs to exersise and ate alot of bulky veg, eggs lean meat and green veggies. bannanas and advocados. no bread or potoatos. always snaked on fruit and veg and treated with a milky way or plain choc chunck every day. no crisps

i never counted calories but kept within my fat recomendations per day cant remember what they are now tbh. was adviced this at the gym by instructor

You are burning off around 1800-2400 cals max a week at the gym.

I have read that to lose a pound of weight you have to have a deficit of 3500 cals. a week.

If you could get your daily intake down to 1500 cals and also use up 300-400 cals a day, with exercise,you would make more progress.

As it is, you are still probably eating 1600-1800 cals. most days which is not low enough as most women need around that amount daily- up to 2000 cals.

Instead of just relying on weight as a measure you also need to take measurements- as others have said, muscle weighs more, so you could lose say 2 inches off your waist but weigh the same or more due to having more muscle in your legs, arms etc.

wow thanks for all you replies

i don't drink alcohol at all (except xmas eve when wrapping presents)

i do most of the housework so i am up and down a lot of stairs but my job is very sedintary which probable doesn't help/

i'm not one for salad dressings but i do like mayo (low fat one)

i will try cutting the carbs and increasing the proteins

wft thyroid - possible as i was on lithium until recently and apparently that can mess with thyroid (according to google searches anyway) - do i just ask doctor to do a thyroid test then?

and yes i am getting incredible frustrated - i can feel my fitness level rising but the weight doesn't seem to be shifting

well you are boing well for effort but would go to gp and discuss also get a one off fitness plan from gym and play around and increas it your self. gd luck