Maximum effort, minimal weight loss - help!

[Proseccohoho]

Just that really. Been 'good' for 10 days, given up daily wine (nearly a bottle a day), eating healthily, not much sugar, etc and have lost a measly 2lbs! Feel very deflated. Doing yoga and several spin classes a week. What am I doing wrong? I am a stone overweight.

Can you give more info about what you've been eating on a daily basis?

Giving up significant alcohol consumption often leads to fast initial weight loss so that's unusual.

Greek yoghurt with a little Tesco's nuts and seeds muesli for breakfast. Spinach and cucumber for lunch. Evening meal such as spanish omelette, beef and lentil casserole, chicken breast or fish with veg/salad, always home cooked from scratch. Occasionally if still hungry a little greek yogurt. Doing 5:2 also and eating full fat yog, semi-skimmed milk in coffee or black coffee. No bread, limited potatoes/rice etc. I did eat chocolate twice this week though . Was going to treat myself today with steak and chips and wine but not sure I deserve it!

Are you drinking plenty of water? What else are you eating in the day?

Don't give up as you haven't seen much of a difference yet, anyway 1 to 2 lb per week is a healthy weight loss.

Are you eating enough? Spinach and cucumber for lunch doesn't seem much at all. Could you add in some chicken breast for protein?

That's true that 2lbs is a good weight loss over that time - slow and steady better than a rapid loss which is then put back on.

Just spinach and cucumber for lunch? I'd be an angry monster by 3pm if I just had that for lunch with no protein. Can you add a can of tuna or something?

Make sure you are drinking plenty of water. My PT despairs at the amount of coffee I drink, I do like green tea & other herbals but I need a couple of coffees every day. Maybe quit the caffeine for a few days if you can manage it? Difficult on 5:2 though if you're using it to keep hunger pangs down.

Maybe you could try tracking your calories on MFP temporarily to check you are getting enough. Although 2lbs is a good, steady rate at which to lose weight I can understand why you're disappointed if you've made such a drastic change.

It's hard to tell without knowing qualities or total calories. I recently had a similar experience and was very disappointed, especially as it's the first couple of weeks when normally you lose more. In the long run a pound a week is good though. The quicker it comes off the quicker it goes back on in my experience

Thank you for you help. I drink one cup of coffee a day, lots of water and some peppermint tea. I will up my protein and see if that helps. I am a bit constipated too. I have decided that I will enjoy some wine at weekends though - need something to look forward to. I will still be drinking around 4-5 bottles a week less and together with the healthier eating hopefully will have a steady weight loss. I have been using MFP but on the 500 cal days it tells you off for not eating enough! Does anyone take those fat or carb blockers?

I assume fat or care blockers are pills? I wouldn't go down that route as when you stop them you will gain back any losses.

Better to change your lifestyle than go for faddy diets/pills/shakes etc.

Care blockers is obviously supposed to say carb blockers! Blooming phone!

From what you've said above you arent eating enough so whatever you do eat, your body is hanging on to. Also the break down of fat, protein and carbs is skewed. At lunch try adding 125 grams of rice and some tuna or 110 grams of rice, tuna and a table spoon of mayo.

Try working out roughly how many calories it is that you are consuming. As a guide you need 1500 calories to power your body at rest. If you you are excercising it's probably closer to 1700-1900 depending on your current weight. In addition try and aim for 2.5-3 litres of water per day.

Happy to offer some more specific advice if you wish

I think you would be better off doing actual weights than yoga & spin.

I should add that I usually do weights 3 x a week but at present I am injured so limited, this was the incentive to cut down on the booze, I figured that if I did then I would start losing. 2lbs isn't much but a step in the right direction, I will not give up!

Oh, okay- well, you're doing the right thing then

2lbs might not be much but often weight loss takes a while to 'kick in'. Don't be disheartened!

Thanks, Koala x

Good attitude try not to get obsessed with weighing yourself either. Weight can fluctuate so easily & it's the long term that matters.

Enjoy the wine. I am marathon training at the moment but am having a couple of gins tonight & really looking forward to it!

Ooh Nachos, did the same several years ago, loved the running, got hooked on those wonderful endorphins. When I was running I could eat/drink anything and still be slim. Good luck with the run and enjoy your gin, your deserve it!

2lbs is a caloric deficit of 7000 so that is a considerable weight loss. It won't happen overnight.
Better to focus on fitness and strength - right now I am the same weight I was 1 year after having children but I can do multiple pull-ups and run 10K in just over 1 hour.