Not losing weight

[Palmtree76]

I’ve starteebSlimming World again as I’m about 3 stone overweight for my height. Target is 10’5, when I joined I was 13’5- classed as obese for my 5’7 height.

I’ve stuck to plan 100%. I’ve weighed everything. I’ve used all syns every day (but no more) and I’ve not even dropped a touch of booze in these two weeks. I’m drinking a shed load of water. I’m doing some body magic (running/walking). In theory it should be falling off me!

But in two weeks I’ve lost 4lbs. I know at the beginning I usually get bigger losses than this and actually all that weight came off in week 1. I’ve lost nothing in week2. it feels like I’m stuck and I don’t know why! Does anyone have any tips or stories that are similar? Was feeling so motivated and now I feel like giving up.

I've only got a stone and a half to lose and I've had to cut down on the syns - I dont lose if I use my whole allowance

2lbs a week is loads. Why do you say you aren't losing weight??
You lost fat and water in week one then lost fat and regained the water in week 2 hence the scales staying the same.
If you're expecting instant results you'll be disappointed. 2lb a week is excellent and the top of what you should be losing.

I know at the beginning I usually get bigger losses than this

Was feeling so motivated and now I feel like giving up

This is so telling. You're a yo-yo dieter who doesn't actually understand the science of weight loss. It's time to educate yourself about calories, fat and nutrition so that you can maybe finally break the pattern.

What are you actually eating?

The idea you can eat what you want without care that SW puts out is bollocks.

What are you actually eating?

She's clearly in a calorie deficit so at this point it doesn't matter. It will matter as she loses weight and her TDEE drops of course

She's clearly in a calorie deficit

What part of the OP is clear about that?

What part of the OP is clear about that?

She's lost 4lb in 2 weeks! Ergo she must be in a calorie deficit

It's a long term game. If you give up you'll likely end up fatter.. I know as I've been there.

You have to find the tight syn amount for you. I found I had to keep it below 7 each day or I wouldn't lose weight. I went from 9 stone 3 to 8 stone 1. No exercise, just the diet. But it took me a good 4 month as about a third of the time I was still experimenting to see what did and didnt work.

For example I found I couldn't eat pasta. Even wholewheat versions. As it totally hailed my weight loss.

Also average weightless when I stuck.l to it was 2lbs-3.5lbs per week.

She's lost 4lb in 2 weeks! Ergo she must be in a calorie deficit

No. She lost 4lb in ONE week. Nothing the next. The reason will be 100% down to what she is eating, so yes, it is an important question to ask.

No. She lost 4lb in ONE week. Nothing the next

1. You can't judge at which point she lost 4lbs, bodies aren't that specific
2. During the initial period of calorie reduction and increased exercise women often lose excessive water which will then be replaced meaning the scales can fluctuate
3. It's REALLY unlikely that she lost 4lb of fat in a week. That's only possible in people who are extremely obese.

Really, it's no wonder that the diet industry is so huge and people yo-yo all the time if the level of ignorance about weight loss is so high.

Really, it's no wonder that the diet industry is so huge and people yo-yo all the time if the level of ignorance about weight loss is so high.

The assumption that SW puts you in a calorie deficit is stupid.

OP was asking why she isn't losing weight, at completely reasonable to ask what she is eating. It is reasonable for the very reason I have bolder that you are using against me actually. The level of ignorance surrounding healthy eating when you follow SW is staggering. Yes, OP could be eating very healthily, but she could equally be loading up with absolute shit and still 'on plan' according to SW.

I completely agree with you regarding SW! However it generally does put people in a calorie deficit at first, and even if they spend the day only eating white pasta and potatoes, if they are in deficit they will lose weight.
The OP complains she isn't losing weight which is contradicted by her own account. She's close to giving up because after 2 weeks (!) she's (only!) lost 4lb. Weight loss has to be judged over time, not on a daily or even weekly basis.

Ok so I don’t class myself as a Yo Yo dieter- granted I’m not a brain box in nutrition but understand about basic calorie deficit etc. But I know how poor my diet was before joining SW and having done this once before (a long time ago) I remember quicker losses than what I’m seeing now! But I appreciate 2lb is a lot.

Normal day (yesterday for example)

40g weetabix with chopped banana and some strawberries, with a coffee using my hex A skimmed milk allowance

Apple for a snack

Lunch was tuna with pasta, sweetcorn, cucumber and a blob of salad cream (factored into my syns)

Snack a jack for a snack about 3pm

Chicken stir fry for dinner, all with fry light and lean chicken. No sauces as made my own with soy, garlic and ginger. Basmati rice and loads of veggies plus pak Choi.

For pudding I used remaining syns, a curly wurly and a mini milk, ending day on 11 syns.

That sounds fine
Can you stick to it? Are you eating food you enjoy? Are you satiated?
If you're tempted to give up after 2 weeks there is something you need to tweak in what you're eating. More veg? More fibre?

I’m just a massive foodie and LOVE food. I really like eating cakes and chocolate and SW really restricts that so I do find it hard. My “normal” diet although balanced (ish) was quite fat-heavy- like croissants and jam for breakfast with some fruit and a creamy coffee. An avocado bagel with egg and chorizo for lunch and then a creamy pasta type thing for dinner with a salad . So I’m struggling with lack of sweet and “fat” stuff.

I couldn’t give a stuff about pasta or potatoes

I've never been a big loser. It's always slow and steady. But this time it's stayed off. I fell out with my old consultant for going on about a member who had lost x amount in so many weeks as I could see one person ready to cry seeing as she's lost 1lb a week since starting and I said the big losses were not everyone's route and that it was better to not make a big deal of big losses. It caused a lot of upset in my class 🙈

As long as you are losing that's the important part. And I hate the "eat more speed" to get bigger losses.

I've been doing SW since the beginning of the year and have been losing an average of a pound a week which I am happy with as it is healthy and sustainable. I've been doing the online version from the outset as I have no interest in joining a group or having anyone advise me - I just wanted the recipe ideas really and the discipline of recording what I'm eating seems to work for me. It strikes me as a reasonably sensible diet provided you also control your portion size. I don't really buy the "free" food concept - if you eat a complete bag of pasta at every meal you obviously won't lose weight, but they assume that you won't do that I suppose. Certainly I have had weeks that have been less good than others and if I really scrutinise what I have eaten I have either allowed portion sizes to creep up or not accurately recorded lots of small items of food which in isolation are negligible but add up to quite a lot over the week.
I haven't got anything to compare to as I've never done a specific diet plan before, but I am finding that if I stick to mainly syn free foods in reasonable quantities with a few treats then I am losing steadily and feel pretty good. But there's no such thing as a miracle diet - I think its a bit disengenious of all the various diet companies to suggest that you can lose weight without ever feeling hungry! I find SW a good basic framework but to make it work I have definitely had to reduce quantities, even of free foods.
Maybe stick with it for a bit longer and try to reduce portions gradually rather than dramatically. I'm a bit of a chocoholic too but have more or less given it up now. I would rather have a decent chocolate bar or a good piece of cake infrequently than the "pretend" desserts they suggest. I'm eating mainly fresh fruit for dessert, and quite like Skyr which I hadn't tried previously - I find it creamier than other low fat yoghurts.
Set yourself realistic targets and dont get too obsessed with weigh ins. Good luck.

We all know about calorie deficit etc but with plans like SW and WW, your calorie intake can vary quite considerably from week to week, despite following the diet to the letter. If you stick with the plan you will lose weight, but expect blips.

But you did lose weight! People who lose so much are usually bigger than you or they really restricted food portions or ate mostly veg and fat free protein.
You could be eating sw on 1000kcals low carb low fat or 2500 high carb low fat...

You have lost weight @Palmtree76. Well done

Yes it’s hard when others lose 5/7lbs in forstbeeek then a steady 2/3 a week

I’m usually a lb a week girl. Wish was more

I think the speed does make a difference for me and I find it best to do the trick of putting it on your plate first so there’s less space for the rest - or if it’s an all in one dish such as chilli or pasta bake I make sure it’s about 50% of the dish.

The other thing I wondered is what time you eat? The curly whirly is legit but I know if I ate one at 8pm it would affect loss. I eat with the kids at 5ish and after dinner I consider the kitchen to be closed! Otherwise I’ll stuff my face until bed...