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Why am I not losing weight?
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Asked
4mon ago
Viewed
1.2k times
Updated
4mon ago
0
I am on my third week of being faithful to workout and to watch what i eat. I am using the Fitness and Nutrition site on the website to log my workouts and food intake. I have meet the bar on all days except Sundays for a day off. The first week I lost 3 pounds, but I have not lost anymore since then and my clothes still fit the same. Would you have any idea what I can do? I am 47 years old, I went through menopause at 36. I mainly do cardio most days and lift twice a week. Thanks...
11 Answers
4
Suzanne- your intake sounds really low to me. Are you eating 1348 and burning 500? If that is correct I suggest you go in and do the "fine tuning" in your diet tracker. What is the diet tracker saying your RMR is? You should be eating above your RMR. If that is true that you are eating 1350 and burning 500 that leaves you with a net of less than 900. Thats not enough for your body to perform its basic functions of breathing, digesting, etc. etc. in this case you are probably putting your body in starvation mode and it is refusing to give up its fat store because of this.
I suggest you add 300 calories in your fine tuning option. I know it sounds counterproductive, but your body won't give up its fat stores if it thinks you are starving it. I have had to add calories to bust through plateaus in the past and it has worked for me.
Good luck!
Sarah
0
Do you have your activity level set correctly in your goals? If it is not set correctly it will tell you to eat more calories than you truly need.
That being said, it does take time to drop the weight. It is only your 3rd week. They say that 1-2 #'s per week is a healthy rate to lose. So congrats on the initial 3 #'s!Your body is going through some big changes right now, you are adding some muscle while you are losing fat which might be why you don't see a change on the scales. 3 weeks may be a bit soon to see results in the way your clothes fit, it is different for every1. I have found that there is a delicate formula for myself and it took me a while to figure it out.
One more thing to consider is your water intake, it may sound silly but water will flush the sodium out of your body that is responsible for water retention. I drink 4 liters/day
Don't give up, you are on the right track. Keep at it, and as long as you push yourself you will see the results you want. They just dont happen over night.
Rob
0
Thanks Rob for the encouraging words. I have the activity level set and my daily calories to burn is 503 with a 1348 intake allowance if those are burned for food. I am sure i need to drink more and I will keep being faithful and hopefully soon I will see more results.
0
I am still going no where. any suggestion?
0
It's only been 3 weeks since you started working out. It could be that you are gaining muscle in exchange for the weight you want to see drop. Don't worry about the pounds right now; concentrate more on your BMI. If you get that going down, the weight will start to come off. It wouldn't hurt to use a trainer 2 or 3 times a week either. A good trainer will help you with not just workouts, but also with getting your nutrition on the right path. I know, because I use one 3 times a week.
0
i hope by day off you mean a day off from the gym. you shouldn't take a day off of dieting.. if you need to cheat just have ONE cheat meal on sunday. it's about the lifestyle change baby!
0
Suzanne I am going through the same thing. I am 41 and have lost about 4 pounds since January. Discouraging as I used to lose that much in the first week. I struggle to meet the calories this tracker says I need when eating good healthy foods. Sure I could get that to go up by eating junk but I don't want to do that. I have worked on improving my diet over the past year, my biggest downfall is my sweet tooth. So I added the exercise this year and told myself I am going to make this time for me this year!! I've been at AF for two weeks now doing what my trainer has told me to. I am in there every other day and do cardio at home on the other days. I usually give myself 2 days of rest and I pick them by what days are the busiest for me so it's never two days in a row. I don't know if you weigh every day, but I do and I think that bums me out b/c of daily fluctuations. I joined the -15 in the support groups and it just started on Friday in hopes of encouragement to get me through. Right now I am doing cardio for 15 min., then doing a weight circuit, 15 min of a different cardio and then another weight circuit. 30 minutes of cardio on my off days and burn 300-400 calories each day. I'm still not dropping like I want to, but I know the lifting and muscle weight is probably why so I'm waiting patiently knowing I am doing what it is right. I was hoping lifting would boost my metabolism and finally get the scales moving. I would suggest talking to a trainer to see what they suggest for you. You are welcome to friend me, maybe we can keep each other motivated and join the -15 support group...they may have some ideas for you as well.
0
Suzanne,
I decided on a major lifestyle change in January. I wanted to lose weight and become healthier. I read various nutrition guides, diet plans, etc., and found myself becoming more interested in the case study evidence of changing to a plant-based, whole food diet. I also omitted other things from my normal, typical diet. The main culprits: Redbull and other sodas/foods with high levels of fructose corn syrup, and alcohol (except for the occasional glass of wine with dinner). Since I stopped eating animal-based foods and stopped putting crap into my body, I have dropped 14 lbs - and I'm just getting started!
Generally, people tend to shy away from Vegan diets and equate them with "hippy food" that tastes like cardboard. I personally was terrified at the thought of losing my best friend, cheese. However, since I've started this diet, I have never once been hungry, I get plenty of nutrients that are in their correct proportions in the nutrition tracker, and my calorie intake has only rarely gone over my "allotted amount."
If you are interested, check out: http://www.21daykickstart.org/ - this goes over the medical benefits for changing to a plant-based diet. I also strongly suggest you watch Knives over Forks. If you like to cook, and you are open to trying new things, this is a great opportunity to discover all sorts of good-tasting treats.
Also - exercise is always good. Always.
Good luck and best wishes!
0
Hi Suzanne. I remember being in your boat exactly 2 years ago when I joined ATF! I had 58 to lose at 46 years old. I remember weeks of losing 1 to 4 lbs and weeks of sustaining. My suggestion, don't be on a "diet". It is a life style change not just in your eating habits but a mind set! The first 8-12 weeks are the hardest and you can't get discouraged! You don't have to go crazy and take away everything you love to eat but you have to be smart! I was strict with my calories and worked very hard on my cardio and lifting knowing that I wanted to gain muscle and kept in mind muscle weighs more than fat. You are going to go through different stages and you must be patient with yourself. I am to a point I eat what I want when I want it and I am not worried about gaining weight because I know my body and what I need to do to maintain my fitness level. Surround yourself with people that motivate and inspire you! Plan your workouts and make them challenging but fun! Change things up so you don't get discouraged and ask for help when you need it! Everyone loves to help! YOU CAN DO It! Keep us posted on your progress.
0
Just a different school of thought for you. Have you had your thyroid checked recently? Or, are you already taking thyroid medication? An underactive thyroid can promote weight gain and/or prevent weight loss. If my plateaus last more than a few months (that's being generous after carefully looking at my diet, exercise and compliance) I find it helpful to have my thyroid checked to be certain that I am taking the correct amount of medication. This may not be the case for you but it wouldn't hurt to check it off the list of possibilities. Good luck!
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