Please help I need to know why I am not loosing weight

[Sp3849]

I was hoping somebody here may be able to advise me on where the hell I am going wrong?
Since changing my line of work from being in my feet all day to a desk job I have struggled with my weight. In a year I had put in 2 and a half stone and I feel gross. So in September I thought I need to sort myself out. I have arthritis quite bad and the extra pounds is not helping at all and I am a 36 year old woman 5ft 3 and currently 12st 8 and It is really knocking my confidence.
So I started slimming world ( which had worked years previously) I stuck to it and followed it religiously after a month and only loosing 2 pound I thought okay it's not for me. I have never really been able to eat carbs It bloats me terribly and I put on weight quickly if I do and it tends to really tamper with weight loss efforts. I thought maybe a different diet would better suit.
So I tried my own method of staying under 1200 calories a day limiting carbs and ensuring I reach my 10,000 steps a day. Which when you are sat on your but from 8am til 6pm is hard. But I have managed it. 10 weeks on and all I have lost is 3 pound! I am tracking everything I eat in my fitness pal and I am weighing it so I know portions are correct. I am so frustrated I have started fasting this week 18hours out of 24 and eating between 1pm and 7pm and only consuming 1000 calories I have not lost a thing!
I am mostly eating porridge fruit veg eggs and lean meat. I was having a treat day once a week and having a takeaway but stopped that before Christmas.
Am I being unreasonable? I haven't dieted in years and when I did need to shed a few pounds they always came off so easily!
Any advice is welcome I am at a loss! I have just ordered an exercise bike to do half hour before bed. I have no time to go to the gym I work full time have two children and my husband works away. It's really getting me down. I have never been this big I am ashamed.
Has anyone tried anything that helped? I would be happy with loosing a pound or two a week.

That seems unusual. Maybe get your thyroid tested? Also drop carbs lower to 20g per day for a bit, and do some weight training so your muscles burn more calories.

Are your scales accurate? Have you taken measurements and how do you feel in your clothes?

I don't think you gave SW a long enough chance, you lost 2lbs, sometimes it takes a while for the body to get the hang of it and then you start losing. I always tick along not losing much then suddenly have a big loss all in one go.

Your calories are way too low - Google James Smith calculator, input your data and it will
give you a guideline amount. I reckon you’ll be about 1400 or so

It’s food not totally exercise generally to lose weight- keep going as you’re going with activity and add if you want but you’re doing great in that respect but as someone said above you’re not eating enough! And get your treat day back, there was a guy on the radio explaining why your body needs a break from exercise and dieting. No need to go absolutely crazy but it needs it. I’d also add make sure you’re drinking enough water and not eating after 8 at night x and you are doing great, it’s fecking hard, myself and dh lost weight last year , me coming up to a stone, dh three stone and it is a slog xxxxx

Have you been to doctor to get your thyroid checked? It can be very difficult to lose weight if u have an under active thyroid and if you are eating the wrong foods that block your thyroid(green beans, cauliflower, Brussel sprouts, kale, strawberries to name a few) that won’t help either. Also get them to check your bloods to see if it’s anything to do with hormones as PSOS can be hard to lose weight if you have that. Perhaps it’s something else medical. Elsewhere look at what you are drinking as plenty of drinks have empty calories and hidden fats in them. And don’t exercise before bed as the body needs to wind down and this is not the best time to be burning off fuel. Morning is better. Also don’t eat anything with too much salt as this will retain fluid in the body causing weight gain.
The body gets rid of what you’ve eaten between 8pm - 4am so don’t eat anything after 8pm long before then if possible. Any foods out a box or packet are also not great for you. You don’t need diets either just eat when you are hungry, stop when you are full and don’t eat rubbish for snacks. And walk everywhere . Hope this helps. 🙏x

Are you keeping hydrated?

Your body uses water to break down fat (lipolysis) if you don't have enough you will retain water, if you increase exercise then your muscles will be in a healing pattern which uses water.... you need to make sure you are drinking around 2lts a day of water/squash/herbal tea/black coffee

Are you sleeping enough?

If you are not getting enough sleep your cortisol levels increase and that slows your metabolism.

You are also probably not eating enough, just did a quick TdEE, based on sedentary lifestyle your BMR is 1749 so you should be eating around 1300 calories a day, more if you are more active that 1x 30 min exercise a week.

You need to make sure what you are eating is wherever possible whole, healthy food, reduce simple carbs which spike blood glucose and increase fat and protein which help keep you feeling full while stabilising blood sugars.

Thank you everybody so much for your helpful advice I will take it all on board. I don't drink enough I will start taking a water bottle to work with me so that I can monitor my fluid intake. I don't eat processed foods anymore everything I make is from scratch, I don't sleep enough as working full-time and running a house with two kids is full of and I am always tired. I had also been having my tea late until recently so I will make sure to have tea as soon as I get in from work from now on. I do also have pcos but had this since young and it's not had this much impact before. I probably should get my thyroid checked as that does run in the family ALOT. I had it checked a few years ago but maybe I should go again. I didn't realise certain foods would also make this worse.

I shall continuing my plight and add your suggestions in.

Thank you everybody

Up your calories to 1600

Eat 100g protein and lots of fats

Avocado, real butter full far Greek yoghurt etc

Either you need to get your thyroid checked or you're not weighing and logging things correctly. Don't forget the dash of milk in coffee. The peanut butter on toast (weigh jt) the butter on toast. Btw this is a lot and I don't actually recommend tracking like this. But it has worked for some people.

Are you logging your sugary drinks? Portion sizing. Walking is good but as you're only 12 stone, you need to raise your heart rate higher.

Protein lots of it. A rainbow of fruit and veg. Water. And allow yourself a treat.

I mean this in the nicest way. None of this is factually correct.
Please do not follow. Expect going to the doctor to have bloods and get advice

Are you drinking beer? Or eating chocolate?
Seems like you might need the gp to test you. If it's true what you eating then you should lose weight.

It's really simple. Your treat day and your takeaway are enough to cancel out your calorie deficit and you have actually been averaging out at just below maintenance calories in order to lose 3lb. You stopped at Christmas.. That was only a week ago.

Do 2 weeks at 1200 with no cheat days or takeaways and see what happens.

Some of the advice on here is terrible.

How many times are you working out? Also, if you are doing cardio, you need to keep your heart rate in the fat burning zone. Get yourself a smart watch, track your steps. You need to be in a deficit to lose weight. Weigh everything that goes in your mouth.

I suspect there is something in your diet that's preventing you from losing weight. You have to thoroughly track your food. I use my fitness pal.
You can eat at whatever time you like it makes no difference.

check your calories using. TDEE calculator, then knock off 500 from maintenance. I agree a treat day and takeaway could cancel out a week’s effort so I’d definitely stop doing that. I tend to have a treat when I’ve hit a target. How long do you follow the 1200 a day for? When I lost 24lbs during 2020 lockdown I only lost 3lbs in month 1, then it started coming off. I did a lot of home exercise, steps with Leslie Sansone (YouTube) or Team Body Project (some also on YouTube) plus bought some strength bands etc. It’s hard when you work full time, but not impossible. Are you counting absolutely everything? Weighing things? Don’t give up

If you’re not losing weight then you’re not on a calorie deficit. Agree with @EauNeu

also agree with advice to use the James Smith Academy calculator, then stick religiously to the calorie target. Try to eat right up to it, not over.

Follow him, the Fitness Chef (good Facebook community) and Jordan Syatt PT for sensible and non faddy diet and fitness advice. No foods are banned, cut through all crap you hear about losing weight. No magic solution, but you’ll get there!

Get the nutra check app .. you must be over eating as it's not possible to not lose weight .

Remember it's what happens over the week and most people over eat or drink at the weekend .

At 12 stone odd I would eat 1500 cals at least as your body will burn more than a smaller person just moving around .

I find mfp very inaccurate and nutra check so much better !

Can you list everything you eat and drunk in a typical day?

What was wrong with 2 pounds in a month? You can't speed run weight loss and the quicker you lose it the bigger the inevitable rebound will be out of the diet.

Work out your tdee and see how many calories you need instead of picking the usual 1200. I'm 56kg and eat 1550 calories a day and lose weight. I'm very active though. Keep going, 2lb is still great.

Your BMR is 1459 and to put you in the sedentary category your maintenance would be 1751 cals a day

So to lose a pound a week you should be eating 1251 cals a day

So you're in the right ball park figure and need to really be careful about logging accurately, weigh everything, dont use 'portions sizes' or cups or by sight, weigh everything out per 100g and use the packaging to accurately log (as much as you can its not an exact science).

You did well at SW, your 2lbs in a month is half a pound a week, thats a significant loss over time

MFP is only inaccurate if people use it inaccurately!!!

I find it accurate because Im meticulous about what I put in and double check everything.

Carry on and that is 24 lbs in a year, not to be sniffed at.

PCOS is a bitch. You have my sympathies.

2.5 stone in a year is a lot, even accounting for a change in activity levels.

Are you absolutely, 100% sure you are keeping track of everything you are eating and drinking?

Yep this! The excess calories from the treat day/takeaway will be enough to cancel out the deficit from the other 6 days. For me to lose decent amounts I have to be consistent 7 days a week, no treat days.