I've been calorie counting and exercising, but nothing has come off - WHY?

Question

I'm 32 and have gained about 45 lbs over the past few years. I'm a yo-yo dieter - done all the fad diets, lost 20-30 pounds, and then gained it all back + some.

I decided to do it right this time... I'm keeping my calories to about 1000-1400 per day. Trying to keep fat, carbs, sodium lower, fiber up. Eating well-balanced meals - ie, last night I had fish and sauteed spinach. Exercising regularly - walking, aerobics classes, biking. I think I'm doing everything right, but NO RESULTS!

It's been about 3 weeks. 1 week was "getting into it" (I cheated a bit), but 2 solid weeks of discipline. According to me calories in vs calories burnt (and I track everything, every day) I should be losing a steady 2-3 lbs per week.

After 2 weeks, I lost 3 lbs. Got on the scale this morning and NOTHING. It's so frustrating. Can it be that my body needs something else to jolt it into weight loss mode?

Answer 1

Bodies are not coin-operated machines. Especially female ones. If you're doing a permament lifestyle change, why are you asking for yo-yo diet type results? Take the attitude that you don't know your 'ideal weight' and that if you treat your body with respect, it will 'find' it for you.

Look at your project as long term. Kinda life-long term. Continue doing everything you stated, and add an extra apple or two a day and two or three more glasses of water. (Extra fiber and water to move it never hurts.) Use the scale simply to make sure you're not gaining.

You will be svelte and sleek within a year, and remain that way the rest of your life. Can't that be good enough as a goal?

Answer 2

There could be a lot of reasons.

First of all, if you do not normally exercise you could be gaining muscle, as it is heavier then fat. Most people gain around five lbs. of muscle in the first few weeks of working out, so if you think about it with what you are doing you should feel like you've lost eight lbs.!

Second of all, if this is the weight you tend to come back to every time you lose weight and then gain it back, you could be at what is known as a plateau weight. This is the hardest weight to lose weight at and takes time and patience. Your body may need a jolt but it could be something as simple as changing when you exercise during the day or having one meal of a type of food you haven't had in a long time. It could be something as simple as you eating the same thing every night so changing it up to something healthy thats different could do it.

Third of all, you must be drinking water through all of this. Try drinking at least 64 ox (four bottles or eight glasses) of water a day. This is a minimum! If your urine isn't clear you aren't drinking enough and this is vital in weight loss.

Fourth and finally, the number on the scale is not the most important. We really have been deluded by this idea that a number on a dial defines us. I know it is cliche, but in reality a person who is working out and is, say, a size 14, is going to be heavier than a person who doesn't work out and is the same size. It is just the nature of the beast. If you start to look different and feel great, if your pants start needing a belt and your shirts are starting to get too big, if you have more energy and are excited about moving around all day, those are the best indicators of what is going on-and not some number.

In any case good luck, keep it up and dont give up! You sound like you are on the right track!

Answer 3

You will first lose a lot of water from your body the first 3 to 4 weeks. Then they body seems to rest for a while, then in the next stage it will begin to lose body fat. You don't lose everything at once, if you did your body would reject the shock of the lost and regain weight [double of what you where]

I have lost 5 lbs in the past two weeks and now in the last 2 weeks nothing I am still working out and on my diet and know that soon I will begin losing again. I was 165 I need to get down to 145. It will probably take me 7 to 8 months to really lose what is necessary....

Good luck

Answer 4

Wait a minute. He has only gained 30 pounds since you 2 started going out? Were you turned on by him at his former weight? How tall is he? 235 and even 265 is not that bad for a man of average height. If anything I would be a bit more concerned about his inability to control his eating habits. Was he eating this way when the 2 of you first started going out? If not, why the change? You won't be able to help him, unless you figure out what triggered this. Is he aware that you aren't "doing anything" with him because of his weight? If not, let him know. You may also want to point out the health risks (if you haven't already) and ask him why he thinks you would want to be with someone who is working so hard to kill himself. Impress upon him how difficult it is to watch him do this and know that it makes you time together ever shorter. You also mentioned he is not inclined to exercise. Exercise is boring. Try to encourage him to do things with you that involve moving. Go for a walk in the park, go hiking, play a sport, whatever. Find something the 2 of you can enjoy together and make sure you go out and do it. Keep in mind the that more you try and control him, the less likely he is to listen to you. Lead by example.

Answer 5

dont give up you are on the right track, stay focused and dont quit, that happened to me also, you need to measure your arms,waist, chest. i didnt notice a change in weight but did in measurements, you are gaining muscle, which weigh more than fat, people would tell me i look like i lost weight, but the scale didnt say that, and you probably feel your clothes fitting better, just continue to do what you are doing and remember you didnt gain it all so fast so its going to take lots of time to get it off, but eventually your metabolic rate will come up and you will see results on the scale, weigh yourself just every 2 weeks, the time table needs to be longer, say you will lose and keep off at least 10 lbs by end of year then in2008 another 10 lbs, etc, what you are accomplishing is not gaining and losing slowly and getting healthier, so DO NOT GIVE UP, maybe you can strive to exercise everyday. even for 20 minutes. and make EVERY meal count, get a work out buddy and read books about health and exercise, you can always learn and try something different and new,

Answer 6

I notice you'ven't mentioned strength-training.

What I recommend is strength-training with weights. This kind of exercise promotes muscle gain and muscle gain is a great contributor to long-term on-going weight loss.

If you pcak 1 extra lb of muscle into your body thru this training, you're going to speed up your resting metabolism by burning off 50 calories, even if you'rent exercising.

That's right, add 1 lb of muscle, then you're going to burn an extra 350 calories per week, without any additional effort on your part!

And muscle is metabolically active; meaning the more muscle you've, the higher your metabolism and thus the more calories you burn off.

So may be you want to structure your exercise routine like this:

1. Do cardio exercise at least 3-4 times per week, for at least 30 mins per session

2. Strength-train with weights for at least 3 times per week, for at least 15 mins per session

3. Combine these 2 simultaneously with a well-balanced, weight loss nutritious diet

Give your body time to attune to the changes. If you consistently workout and eat right, you'll see results.

Answer 7

I would eat more protein. 1000 calories is on the low side. When I added a protein drink to my diet I lost another 10 pounds. Makes no sense. What I did was keep carbs low, lots of leafy vegetables and tomatoes and low fat protein foods. Fish, chicken and beef. Drink water, 8 glasses. No sugar in any form

Answer 8

Interesting.. maybe you should try doing more cardio and limiting your "strenght" traing (you know crunches, sit-ups etc..). There is a possibility that you could have replaced fat with muscle therefore making your weight stay the same. Soo yea just try doing more cardio :)

Answer 9

Try using something to cleanse the body. Rid all the toxins from the body then see what happens.

Answer 10

you should really try l.a weight loss. i have lost 12 lbs. and it is so easy. you eat what you want when you want just limites a little. It is great