Whyyyyyy is this weight not coming off???

[DakotaFanny]

First of all, apologies for starting a new thread. I've had a good look through at all the other ones and feel inspired but still have questions. Can anyone help please?

Last year I very very slowly lost a stone, taking me from 14.3 to 13.2 - largely by low carbing.

On NYE I drunkenly signed up for a 10K. I have dabbled in running before, kind of like it, but generally do a few weeks and quit. I thought that entering an event would keep me motivated and, at 41, know that completing it will be a major life achievement. So, New Year's Day I started couch to 10K and all is going well. I don't find it easy but am up to running for 50 minutes and around 4-5 miles. I am so proud of this. My body wasn't made for running!!

At the same time, I logged back onto mfp and began counting calories. If you can't lose weight when you're running three times a week, when can you?

Numbers wise, on an average week I eat 1500-1700 calories a day (probably not 'good' calories- I am a lazy eater!) and my Fitbit tells me I burn between 2200-2500 calories most days. I average 10-13k steps on non-running days, 15-18k on c210k days.

I thought the weight would fall off! It isn't! Since nyd I have lost only 6lbs. I'm currently 12.10 and have only lost 1.6 lbs this month so far. I am probably trimmer, but mostly on my waist and not enough to merit smaller clothes or anything. I carry most of my weight on my legs. Sigh!

Can anyone shed any light on this please?

Sorry for the rambly post and hope the figures I've posted are useful and not overkill!! Thank you!

For sleep improvement. No carbs at supper at all, just protein and veg then step away from the kitchen/snacks. The less you have to digest the better you will sleep

I really am sorry, I didn't mean to attack you.

However, you are not a freak of nature. ☺ If you eat fewer calories than you use, you will 100% lose weight.

It is extremely likely that you are consuming more than you think. You can minimise this by cooking proper food from scratch and measuring it meticulously.

Oh katie, I didn't feel at all attacked! I know you're right and thanks for your points.

I never move much on a Monday- long day at work and next to no sleep on a Sunday, typically. Am going to haul my ass around the block in the evening sunshine and dream of summer bikinis!

And we'll done scrambled! There's a guy who lives near me who seems to just walk walk walk. He has pretty much halved his weight in the last couple of years.

And thanks Wally, that's definitely an interesting tip- would make the evening calorie count lower too I guess.

Re;Paul mcKenna- I have thought about getting that. I downloaded a very similar app last year and had some success with it- if only because it made me feel more in control! Thanks

I feel your pain as it has taken me 6 very long months to lose 2 stone.

First off I absolutely HATE with a passion these calorie burners as I am convinced they are all wrong!! Running or fast walking burns about 90 cals a mile yet I go for a 5 mine walk with my friend and her fit but tells her she has burned 900 odd calories instead of the 450 she has a actually burnt!! Plus then there's the calories you would have burnt just sitting in the sofa so that 450 is only about 350 on top of what you are burning anyway!!

I am 5'7" and I walk about 4 miles (8,000 steps) a day sometimes more. I don't even add this in to any calculation and to work out my BMR i put myself down as inactive. MY BMR at about your weight said I could have 1825 calories a day to Maintain my current weight so I dropped to about 1300 and lost about 1lb a week. I have since added personal training sessions x 2 and a further 5-7 hours of exercise classes a week and am now up to losing about 1.5 lbs a week. It's hugely frustrating as when I work it out in a calculator of what I "should" be losing I think it's more like 2.5 lbs a week but I guess we are all different! I never ever eat back exercise calories and I don't subscribe to any of the counters other than my plain old phone really which just keeps me on the straight and narrow at aiming for 10,000 steps a day as maintenance (not weight loss).

I am 47 with no other health issues - recently went to the doctor to see if there was anything else underlying as I was soooooo frustrated with losing a measley 1lb a week from 9 hours of mad exercise a week on top of 4-5 miles walking a day and Restricted calories but nope nothing wrong!

I think we massively underestimate how much food we need and massively overestimate how many calories we burn sadly....

Good luck!

You are losing weight though. It's working. So if you want to lose more quickly you need to reduce calorie intake.
I would guess that the Fitbit is over estimating your calories burned. I'm pretty sure mine adds on 5% at least.

Gallavich and the rest!! I used to have the endomondo app which got the calories for a good walk about right at 90 cals a mike! They then "upgraded" the app and the same walk would clock up double the calories than before! Nightmare......

I've used calorie counting from time to time over the years. It has always worked well for me, but since I hit 40 the loss has been bizarrely lumpy rather than steady. I'd be in calorie deficit for weeks and the scales wouldn't change, then I'd suddenly lose 3lb overnight. It makes no sense. My advice would be to stick at it. If you are sure your calorie counts are accurate, it should come off eventually.

Basically exercise won't help you lose weight if calories are too high

Keep a food diary for a week. Weigh your food. Include any milk you are having in teas etc. Measure an amount a day into a jug/bottle eg 500ml and see how much you are actually using.

Make sure you weigh /measure properly. Eg you might use 1 tsp of sugar in your tea. get a proper spoon measures set and level the tsp off.

You might be surprised.

And also, track your weight alongside your period. I always put in 1-2lbs the week before even if nothing has changed. It all comes off the next week!

I would also echo eurochick in that my weight loss is more lumpy now and I sit at the same weight for about 2-3 weeks and then suddenly lose about 3 lbs in one hit. It can be extremely disheartening when others are claiming XXX amount every week and you keep staying the same but eventually it does come off.

Out of interest I have just been to see my personal trainer who I started with 10 weeks ago. I have lost 15 lbs with her but more importantly my fat percentage has come down by 6%, my muscle has gone up quite considerably, I have lost 6 inches off my waist, 4 inches off my hips, 1 off my bust and various others off legs and arms etc. Plus my doctor took me off my blood pressure medication this week for the first time in nearly 10 years! It's sometimes not all about the lbs lost

Oh and re your comment about muscle weight gain or water weight gain, I think that really does only last a couple of weeks in the early days of starting new exercise.

I've been following Richie Howey on fb
Do not decrease your calories is his advice

Increase your activity
Looking at the figures you supplied you are going about it the right way eating
1700 calories and burning 2200 gives you a calorie deficit of 500 a day. This equals one pound of fat lost a week.
This is how it should be and you may lose more...i.e. Water.

If you are only burning 2000 a day then you only eat 1500

Week one learn to track your cals on mfp

Weigh your food.

Also you need to get your macros balanced. Eating too much carb isn't good. Or too much protein or too much fat
You need that balance for you.
I haven't started it properly as I've been away but I've tracked every morsel of food and drink and I honestly don't think I have put on. I moved around more as it was warmer .
I'm on 1300 as I only burn about 1650 normally but I was hitting 1750 and 1850 while I was away.

If you diet on a small amou of calories you will feel deprived and as he says , you will lose your 💩And then you will binge.

If you do binge, he advises not to cut calories the next day but to increase your calorie burn. Jogging on the spot will do wonders.
Rachel does hiit cardio once or twice a week.
People are doing amaze.
I felt great when I put my travel dress back on and it was loose.

But you must look to your macros after week one when you've learnt to measure, weigh and track all your food.
Oh and if you do binge...still track it . It might not be as bad as you think and extra movement can see you bring it back into line.
He does great videos, sweary and funny. He offers great help.

Richie advises weighing first thing on a morning, after the loo. Record each day. You might only hit your low point once in a week but by recording it you can track your weekly loss.

Wow my macros are almost spot on today.
I wasn't eating enough carb.
I've been feeling very tired and run down....for years.
I've slowly upped my carb...I did retain a bit of extra fluid but it's gone now.
I am feeling like I'm getting some energy back.

Hi all and thanks for new messages.

I've had a better week this week and cut, fairly comfortably, down to 1360. I feel less bloated and weigh in is tomorrow so fingers crossed!

...and 2.5 lbs off!! So eating less IS the key! So obvious!

I think you have just been over estimating the calorie deficit. You have probably had a deficit around 250 a day which creates loss but not very fast.

Well done! Lovely feeling, isn't it?