I can’t loose weight

[mrsrednose]

I can’t lose weight, BMI 27. what am I going to do?!

I’m 41 and feeling really stuck.
I’ve been trying to lose weight but nothing seems to shift. My BMI is 27 so I can’t access any weightloss treatment.I do go to the gym, and I even have a PT once a week, plus I fit in shorter workouts on my own.

I eat healthily, I make sure I’m getting enough protein, I don’t snack but my appetite is huge and the scales just won’t move.

Has anyone else been in this situation? Did you manage to break through it somehow, or is my metabolism just against me now I’m in my 40s? Feeling frustrated and a bit lost.

Same here. Eat well. Exercise lots. Nothing is shifting atm

Get rid of the protein. I had a PT and lost nothing.
Ive now lost about a stone and am finally at target 🙌

Are you tracking calories? It's boring and disappointing but the most likely answer is that you are simply eating too many calories - especially if your appetite is 'huge'.

Exercise is great for toning and health but basically useless for actual.weightloss. It's what you eat that counts.

I tried counting and cutting calories but honestly I just end up light-headed and exhausted if I eat less. I eat what I need daily to keep functioning. Since working with a PT I’ve actually gained 6lbs. I think a lot of it is muscle because I feel much stronger but at the same time I also feel a bit bigger round. I have such a big appetite that if I allow myself I would easily eat more. I feel like it’s emotional or hormonal?

How many steps do you do a day? I burn about 600 cals from walking 15k steps a day. Ensures a calorie deficit

10k average

I guess I can try getting in more steps, I like walking

I really struggled to lose weight even in calorie deficits, then I had some blood tests privately and found out I had insulin resistance. Pretty easy to fix and weight dropped off. It's plateau now but I think it's more common than we realise

You will have to make some changes to your calories. Do you know how many you eat on average? What does eat healthily really mean?

I'm finding high protein and low carb is working for me at the moment, although admittedly I am on Mounjaro for my diabetes.

I had gestational diabetes so insulin might be a factor. I will try more protein more steps. Fingers crossed

I unexpectedly (to me!) had some success with intermittent fasting. I have always had a large appetite and sometimes got stomach cramps in the afternoon if I went too long without food. I thought it was crazy to suggest skipping breakfast, as I would be RAVENOUS by lunch, to the point of being unwell. In actual fact I have found that isn't the case. I can have an earlyish dinner (done by 6/6.30pm) and be ok until an early lunch. I get hungry, but no more hungry than I used to be after my 7.30am Weetabix.

For me it's been a revelation to realise my hunger is variable based on external cues e.g. I often feel hungry because it is 'time to eat'. I used to think of hunger as being linear i.e. I'll just get more hungry until I eat, but I have realised that isn't always the case.

I still eat enough food at lunch and dinner to feel reasonably satisfied but try to avoid snacking in the evening or breakfast.

I would suggest tracking calories, and working out your TDEE then reduce your daily calorie total to less than your TDEE. If you find you get light headed and exhausted then increase your calories a bit whilst still being under your TDEE. You might have to accept a slower rate of loss than you’d like in order to avoid the exhaustion.

How did you fix it?

Thanks for all the comments! I’ve decided to drink my coffee and tea without milk, cut out alcohol completely, and skip orange juice. I’ll also make sure to get more steps in and add more vegetables to my meals. Let’s see how it goes!

Hi OP, I’d definitely recommend prioritising steps rather than intense gym workouts. I found that I was finally able to shift the pounds after doing this. Walking doesn’t spike your appetite like a gym session can but you still get good bang for your buck in terms of calorie burn. I aim for 10k steps as a bare minimum but push for 15k. I bought a walking pad which has been a game changer. I put it in front of the tv - I do thousands of steps this way without even noticing. Good luck!

I have found Intermittent Fasting to work - tea/coffee/water til lunchtime

also cutting out sugar - so yes I may still snack but on a corn cake rather than a biscuit (still get the crunch) or an apple or carrot sticks

it takes a while for the no sugar thing to shift - so no lo cal “sugar” drinks, no biscuits/cake, nothing sugary or “sugary” at all
once you have weaned yourself off sugar, it makes it so much easier

I stopped eating sugary snacks a while ago, which was a great decision. I’ve noticed I tend to eat my kids’ leftovers as I don’t like wasting food. so I’ll give them smaller portions and avoid finishing their plates, and my daily coffee with milk and a glass of orange juice( with collagen) just adds extra calories. skipping them feels almost like intermittent fasting.

Would you mind me asking how you fixed it?

Following glucose Goddess hacks, she's on Instagram.

Vinegar every day, eating veg before the rest of your meals, exercise after eating, high fibre, having sweet things as puddings rather than standalone. I also take berberine supplements and digestive enzymes