Scale not going down

[TheBluntCrab]

Just that really. I've been back on it for three weeks. Massive calorie deficit and walking 10k steps everyday as well as some you tube workout videos. I'm following the Team RH plan and meticulously tracking. I've lost NOTHING is three weeks. The trend is staying the same. No loss, no gain. But how?! From someone of my size, 280 lbs, 5.4. the weight should be falling off seriously? I'm getting so disheartened and I'm trying so so hard. Why is it not moving?! Can anyone tell me what's going wrong? As far as I know I'm doing eveythung right. I even lowered my daily calories last week. Still nothing. I weigh every day, at the same time, in the same spot.

With team RH they will review your diary after 3 weeks, have you asked them to do that? What calories are you aiming for? Are you hitting your protein goals set by them? To be honest, they've set my calories really high (about 1500 a day) but I know my own body well enough to know I won't lose weight eating that much, so I'm just focusing on the goodness of the food that I am eating. If you are in a big enough deficit and are reaching your step goal the weight should come off. Are you tracking absolutely everything.....nothing slipping through as sometimes extra here and there can add up to an awful lot of calories.

They set me 2022 cals with 5 k steps. No change. So I lowered my cals on the app as if I was doing no steps which lowered it to 1826 but I always am under my 100-200 and I'm still doing 10 k steps. I'm reluctant to ask them for help to be honest because I know they will tell me to have the calories they set me but it just doesnt work for me. I'm meticulously tracking every single thing, even diet pepsi and spray oil etc. I just don't know how I can get results. Maybe it's just a case of being patient. The scale isn't going up so I guess that's something.

I have to say, they do like to say trust the process. It does seem strange you havent lost a single pound though so I really ask them to look at your data. Are you hitting the protein and fibre goals? Drinking enough water? It's not going to be a quick thing, more of a lifestlye change really. Keep going, don't get disheartened.

You know your body, so if you think your calories are too high, maybe a few days of 1300 calories and see if that makes a difference. No way would I lose any weight at all on 1826 calories.

If you've paid money for the support of Team RH then they should be able to give you some relevant and helpful advice.

I make your TDEE to be around 2300 cals a day. A 500 cal deficit would be 1800 cals a day, which should lead to a 1 to 2 lbs weight loss a week.

If you've been accurately weighing and measuring your food, and sticking to 1800 cals or less, then the weight will start to shift and it might just be a matter of time.

I'm doing 10k steps as well, but I changed it in my app to no activity to lower my calorie goal and that's how I got to 1800 calories. I know they say trust the process. But their calculation with me doing 10k steps is to eat 2200 calories and obviously wasn't losing on that. I drink loads of water, and I'm good at hitting my protein goal, fibre is a bit hit and miss. Some days I hit it and some days I come in just under. I'm also really watching my sodium intake too as I know this can cause water.

I have just had my period and I did upy exercise all last week but surely the whole week you would expect my weight to go down just a little bit? I've got a 0.0 lb gain on last week= no loss whatsoever.

It's frustrating isn't it. I’ve recently joined a gym. For the last 5 weeks I’ve been 5 times per week: 1x Circuits, 3x Strength & Conditioning, 1x 1:1 PT focusing on heavy compound weights. Trying to hit 8k - 10k steps a day (is a bit hit and miss admittedly!). Tracking calories (1550 per day) and so far only down 0.95kg. I’ve done more exercise this month than I have in years 😆 I think its down to my age (45) - years ago I would have dropped half a stone by now. I'm trying to reframe my thinking which is that I'm getting fitter and healthier and making good food choices. But it is hard wired into me to look at the scales and be disappointed *even though rational me knows that isnt what I should be focusing on. Keep going 💪

I’ve been losing weight for the last 18 months, and one thing I have definitely realised is what I expect and what actually happens sometimes aren’t the same thing. And that weight loss is not linear or predictable.

I'm 32, so a bit younger, I guess I need to get out of the mindset of expecting instant results. But also, the more I don't see the scales move, the less I eat because I'm worried I'm eating too much. I just thought that at someone of my size that the weight would melt off when I'm giving it my all.

If your weight hasn’t changed in 3 weeks, you are eating too much, period. Do not use a TDEE calculator for your current weight, you need to use a TDEE for your adjusted weight. Your excess fat is not as metabolically active as your organs or immune system.

What do you eat in a day, on average?

Sorry, but can I have this in language I can understand. I didn't use a TDEE calculator myself, I pay for the Team RH app, who work out your calories for you and your macros. I have been following that. I'm sure I'm not eating too much. I'm eating under 1800 calories a day and doing 10 k steps every day as well. I'm certain I'm tracking everything correctly.

I don't eat breakfast. i usually fast until 2/3 pm. Then I might have a jacket potato with salad and cheese other toppings, and then my evening meal is usually a slimming world mean and veg or salad, or chicken and salad or etc, then I might have a yoghurt or a small sweet treat. I may have snacks in between like bananas or boiled eggs.

I'm keen to lose half a stone.

I have been in calorie deficit for 2 months. I am eating very little - today I have had two boiled eggs and a fairly small jacket potato and cheese - that's literally it for the day. I just cannot shift it. It's like my body has decided that since hitting 50 I am unable to lose weight.

I heard that insulin resistance can make it difficult to lose weight. I'm not sure I have this but I suspect that because of my weight and I healthy habits over the years that I may have. My belly is huge and round and where I carry all my weight. I managed to lose 2 and half stone last year through slimming world so I know I can lose weight (gained it all back plus more) I just don't know what's going on.

Sounds like you’re eating at maintenance level calories. Drop to 1400cals and you’ll see some progress.

But how can maintenance be less than 1800 cals? I'm 280 lbs. I'm huge.

I’m taller than you are, but older and my maintenance calories are only 1400 daily. I’ve had this checked and my fitness watch confirms.

The calorie allowance they have set you seems high.

My weight goes up when I exercise due to water retention from the muscles repairing. Just keep going because you will be building beautiful muscle under it all, and this will be revealed!

I do think 1800 is too high. It’s too easy to have assessed it a bit under what it actually was too. I’d drop it to 1400

That doesn't add up to 1800 calories. What else are you eating?

Forget about the 10000 steps. By which I don't mean don't aim for it, but forget any role it may play in losing weight. It won't. It's a baseline activity level you should aim for.

If you've had your period and increased exercise it could be water retention. Give it another week drink loads of water and see.

Please don't say things like this. She's carrying 20 stone of weight. She needs sufficient number of calories to maintain basic function. She can easily lose weight at 1800 calories if she's doing it right. Losing weight should NOT be about as few calories as possible!

Do you weigh 20 stone?

It's not. Ignore this terrible advice. Keep on the RH plan. Post on their Facebook page rather than mumsnet.

I'm assuming you're pretty low weight already if your goal is half a stone loss? OP weighs 20 stone. She's in a very different position.

If you think you have insulin resistance then baked potatoes with cheese and processed meals aren’t great.
Try lean chicken or fish with salad, veg, few whole grains. Limit sugary fruit. Bit of healthy fat.