Why aren't I losing weight?

[quexi]

Just that really?

In the last four years over 3 stone of weight has gone on. We are halfway through the year. I've not had any alcohol this year and I was drinking far too much before. I don't have sugar in drinks. Four days a week I only eat an evening meal, no breakfast or lunch. I don't binge. I track my calories. And I am either staying the same most weeks or losing excruciatingly slowly. I am 38. I don't understand. At all. I was told that my TSH is within normal limits, they refused to check T3 or T4, but did say my estrogen is high. For the last year I've had a very full on job where I'm quite active for a lot of the day, but it's all made very little difference. I honestly don't think I can cut calories any further, I'm already on 1400 a day. I have coeliac so I don't eat gluten, but my stomach looks pregnant a lot of the time. My thighs and hips are the biggest they've ever been. 😭 And I know people say they track everything and they dont, but I really do! And I weigh my food as well. I am at a loss and so miserable. Please, if anyone's experienced and cracked this, let me know how you did it. I honestly want to cry looking at photos of me 4 years ago

You don’t mention exercise. Are you getting to a state of being out of breath and a bit sweaty 3 or 4 times a week? Whilst you can’t exercise your way out of a bad diet and all that, exercise does give things a boost and will help things tone up when you do start losing fat

You should be losing weight easily if that's what you're eating in a day and the bloated stomach doesn't sound right either. I would be pushing the GO again. Good luck.

This is what I mean, the weight would have definitely been coming off like this a few years ago.

No, I'm not. I do get some exercise as I walk the dog and I swim but I only do that once a week.

When I put it into a calculator- one of the fancy ones that tell you how much of everything you're meant to have- I get numbers like 1750 cals and I know that would put weight on me!

That I should eat that much I mean. If I want to lose weight. And I know that if I'm not losing at 1200-1400, another 3-500 cals isn't going to help me!

OP, I absolutely feel you! I'm 44 and posted an almost identical thread to you last week, where everyone basically told me I was lying and must be eating loads more than I was admitting. Nope. I just cannot lose weight, even when exercising heavily unless I cut down to under 1000 calories a day.

I actually went for a blood test today to check my thyroid and hormone levels.

I have no advice except to say we'll done for losing so much already!

@quexi I have that family high ldl too. I too used to be keto, and got down to 9 stone, but when I fell off the wagon, I think I piled on 2 stone really quickly.
Now I just avoid sugar and white carbs. I'm eating really healthily and also counting calories. I am losing weight but so s l o w l y.
Keto is not for me though. And not because of the high ldl.
If you follow people like ivor Cummins, Ken Berry, loads of others, LOADS, the modern thinking is that high ldl is not necessarily bad if you don't have other factors like oxidative stress (drinking, smoking ) or taking the pill, high BP, or being overweight.
High ldl on its own, relax.

@quexi I know right! And like you, I know I'm weighing and logging like a scientist.

I've lost 7 kilos since 1.1.2023 so it isn't like I've lost nothing this year but it stalls mostly, i have to push hard for any loss.

i broke a plateau daing a 36 hour fast every 4 days for about 20 days. Lostca kilo. or I do zig zag to avoid body getting used to fewer cals. Eg, if you cut cals, do it every second day Only. For example 1500, 900, 1500, 900 that worked for me to shift kilo.. I also did a sardine diet!!! Some people on yourube manage that for 3 days, i salute them, i did it twice for two days. 2 weeks running! You only eat to satiety. I lost a kilo though.

Are you drinking water?

It has a big role in weight loss, I have discovered through much trial and error that the weeks I don't pay attention to my water intake I don't lose weight. The weeks I drink 2lts a day I lose at least 2lbs.

That's sticking to 1600 calories a day and about the same weight as you at 5ft 8.

Your body uses water to support muscle healing and to break down fat. If you don't drink it then your body will cling on to what fluid you do have to try to use that on muscles but won't put it towards the fat breakdown piece.

Try upping your water, you'll be peeing like a race horse the first week but once your body gets used to it that will settle down.

I had a personal trainer at the gym who had herself lost 4 stone. Her tips were to drink loads of water during the day, go for a 20 minute walk first thing (if it’s uphill even better!), cut out processed food and watch portion size. When she reached a plateau she took up running then started weight training to shift the rest.
I just need to follow her advice to lose 2 stone 😆

I find to loose weight now I need to mix things up a bit. So add a longer fast every couple of weeks and add a feast day (lots of calories but from whole foods). This stops your body adjusting to the lower calorie amount.

I would also cut out the sweetened drinks as they have been shown to cause weight gain, reduce/cut starchy carbs (bread, rice, pasta, potatoes) and ensure that at least 80% of what you are eating is whole foods.

I don’t think anyone accused you of lying and eating more than you were admitting, people were saying you must be under counting your calories due to them being so low at 1200 and your weight/level of activeness.

Have you looked into gut biome stuff? I'm by no means an expert, but have been looking into fermented foods / probiotics and the effect an out-of-whack biome can have on your body's efficiency in processing nutrients. Might be worth looking into especially if you're having bloating etc

I think the general calorie guidelines (gov / NHS?) are wrong. My TDEE calculation says I should have 1400 calories a day if not exercising and I’m 5’ 10”. If I exercise I add back in the calories burned and it keeps my weight stable. My advice during the weight loss phase would be to try 1200 calories and add back in half of what you use exercising. So 200 calories burnt on a run means adding in 100 to your 1200 and you get 1300 for that day. This isn’t me coming up with random stuff, they use this method in Noom.

Also make sure you account for butter and oil in calorie count. A very small amount of either adds up massively.