I am not losing weight. Critique my diet?

[Lovezen_30]

Nearly 2 months ago I started eating healthily. I banished all sweet treats and biscuits from the house and have only had the occasional treat since (a chocolate bar on the weekend for example.

Breakfast - 2 boiled eggs or alpro yoghurt with mixed berries

Lunch - homemade French onion soup (no bread or cheese) or falafel salad

Dinner - salmon with mixed vegetables and small portion if brown rice

Herbal tea & a square of dark chocolate some nights.

I am also doing a minimum of 3 hours exercise per week (cardio or weights). When I started 2 months ago I was 12 stone 10.9lbs. Now I am 12st 6.4lbs. I am 5'5 and mainly carry the weight on my boobs/ass. 

I am part of a weigh loss forum and it has been demoralising watching everyone lose steadily. Can anyone tell me where I might be going wrong?

Edited June 5, 2020 by Lovezen_30

[Ellener]

Well done!

You are @ 30 lbs overweight to be inside the 'normal weight' BMI, I think; you can work it out with online calculators for BMI and Daily Calorie Intake.

Your diet day example looks fine, @ 1500 kcals per day by my size portions, apparently a calorie differential of around 500 kcals per day is equal to 1 lb per week weight loss.

30 lb weight loss in @ 3 months is a good goal, though that last ten pounds can be up/down. And if you like your boobs there's no way to keep them at my age except being overweight!

I try to walk 2 to 5 miles a day when I can. I used to swim.

I found eating 8 small meals per day worked best for me plus I eat chunks of chilled peeled cucumber and drink sparkling water in unlimited quantity. Some people enjoy cooking but I have found I cook too large amounts and accidentally eat the leftovers.

Good luck!

 

[basil67]

Have you spoken to your doctor?   You may want to rule out possibly medical causes.

[rjc149]

You may have a genetic predisposition to retaining body fat in certain areas of your body. In your case, boobs/ass. For some people it's the belly, thighs, arms, etc. 

I would be more interested in critiquing your workout regimen, actually. Your diet looks fine, if not a little too calorie-restricted.

You need enough carbs to exercise effectively. Restricting or cutting carbs is for obese people who can lose a lot of weight by simply walking or being active without carb intake. To achieve your goals, you need to be doing 10-20 minutes of high-intensity cardio daily, and you need carbs to do that. 

The yogurt-- how much sugar does it have? Those yogurt cups are often sugar bombs. General rule of thumb -- if it has more grams of sugar than protein, skip it. 

Also, are you drinking any soda or booze? 

 

[Lovezen_30]

Hi everyone and thanks for replying. It is worth mentioning that the doctor thinks I may have PCOS and I am being investigated for possible Endometriosis. So far they don't think I have it but I'm undergoing more investigation.

I have plain yoghurt, sugar content is 2.1g. I only have it every 2-3 days. 

I am going by UK sizing here. I have an hourglass figure which I do enjoy having. But just not at this size! I am a size 14 now. I was happiest at 10-12 and I would be happy at size 12 again. I havent been a size 8 since I was 16 so I doubt that's happening ever again

I drink diet juice very couple of days and honestly I don't snack aside from a boiled egg if I get really hungry.

I feel disheartened at the moment but I will make further changes and see what happens. If I am still not getting anywhere I will see the doctor once it s safe to do so again.

[Lovezen_30]

Workout wise, I am doing a 3 hour mix of:

Barre workouts (really make me sweat)

HIIT weights

Zumba

Belly dance

I also go for a 50 min walks once a week - not a lot I know 

[simpycurious]

Some simply have higher metabolism.  My metabolism is very high so I actually battled weight from the opposite direction as in trying to gain or maintain a certain weight combined with a certain muscle mass index for what I am involved in.  It's not always easy from either direction.  To me, the key is to be consistent and try and stay on course with your regiment and realize results are different for everyone as is the time frame.  Don't give up

[Amanda141]

I have PCOS too, and for example my doctor told me to avoid soy and dairy products (however this could be personal, as it's not a one-size-fits-all piece of advice)

Apart from that I could suggest you to have DAILY walks, try to hit 10.000 steps a day. If you consider walking a boring activity, try to call sb on the phone, listen to music/a podcast, or simply go with a friend   I usually walk 8km a day (4km before lunch, 4km before dinner) and I find it very relaxing.

It's good to do workouts! I miss the gym a lot  but since lockdown I have started to follow workout videos on Youtube (my favourite are madfit and pamela_reif). Try to do more HIIT workouts and weights if you can

Don't give up, I'm sure that you'll see results soon!!

[Andy_K]

Progress is fine, I don't think you have much to worry about. Diet looks great. You shouldn't be 12.5 stone at 5.5" on that diet though, so keep it up and you probably won't be for long

Things to consider:

-You may have lost more weight than that, but be retaining water. Drink plenty of water to keep retention to a minimum.

-5lbs loss in 2 months is a deficit of about 300 calories per day. That's sounds pretty reasonable. In 6 months you could have dropped another stone.

-If you were not doing weights before, you may have gained muscle mass as well as lost fat. Are you stronger now? Do you look different in the mirror?

-I assume you're not, but make sure you aren't drinking any calories. A couple glasses of fruit juice or sugar in tea/coffee is an easy way to ruin a diet.

[Lovezen_30]

I usually drink loads of water but have probably drink a bit less in the last week or so, so I'll get on that.

I have noticed that a pair of trousers that were a battle to get on are going on much more easily and my dress the other seemed baggy (it had always felt tight before). My front shoulder muscles are actually visible in the mirror now. It's hard to tell as my arms are very slender. They are not the problem!

I have a few cups of tea with sugar a few times a week. Not sure if that's ok or if I have to be super strict about that too.

I have a walk planned with a friend this weekend, so I'm looking forward to that. I'm bound to burn a lot of cals on it. I'll make more changes and come back in a few weeks!

[nospam99]

Double your weekly exercise minimum to 6 hours and spread it out over as many days as you can.
Add core exercises so you'll tighten your tummy as the weight comes off.
Exactly what do you DRINK with your meals? Just the tea?

[NuevoYorko]

Do you have a pedometer app on your phone, a fitbit or something similar?  I encourage you to increase your exercise significantly.  Keep the 3 hours of workout but try to walk a lot every single day.  Aim for 10,000 steps per day.  I think that will help you.  

[d0nnivain]

It's all about calories in calories out.  You need to count every single thing that goes in your mouth  That little bit of sugar is 36 calories.  

Portion control is also key.  A portion of something is a LOT smaller then you think it is.  It doesn't matter if what you are eating is healthy if you eat too much of it, you will not lose weight. 

Invest in a food scale.  Weigh everything you eat & watch those portions. 

Keep track of your calories -- everything the teaspoon of sugar, the tablespoon of olive oil you cook the fish in, the breath mint, your multi-vitamin.  If it goes in your mouth you log it.  

[DKT3]

Working out to lose weight can be tricky if your watching the scale. You will gain muscle mass which is heavier than fat. Often you will gain weight or not lose. Stay off the scale, instead take pictures regularly and compare.  

Also add two to three more snacks/small meals, high protein low fat or shakes.

Dont completely avoid sugars and fatty foods they are bad when you have too much but still essential in small amounts. 

Edited June 10, 2020 by DKT3

[DarrenB]

Have you ever considered trying intermittent fasting? @Lovezen_30

[mark clemson]

None of the below is medical advice, so consult your doctor if uncertain.

If you're counting calories do so religiously (no fudging) + throw in at least a bit more exercise than you were doing before.

For me, I liked to do smaller breakfast and lunch and then a larger dinner so I knew I would feel "satisfied" at the end of the day. Knowing I could eat "enough" at dinner helped me get through the first two meals (but everyone's different, so do what works for you).

I did 1700/day for slower weight loss (but I'm a reasonably large man who exercises a lot). I have read that women are able to slowly lose weight on 1700/day as well, although I think the female "equivalent" might be more like 1450 cals (depending on the woman, of course).

Again, if you're not sure, talk to your doctor.

[dangerous]

Am I misreading? Title says you can't lose weight but your first post says you HAVE lost weight?

Its  a slow progress so it takes time. Your diet looks ok, balanced, and not excessive. weight loss is simple: calories in versus calories out (exercise will speed this up and/or allow you to eat more). 

If you have a medical condition then obviously that would impact, but you say you are already in discussion with your doctor. 

Well done so far, and try to keep it up.

[DarrenB]

7 hours ago, dangerous said:

Am I misreading? Title says you can't lose weight but your first post says you HAVE lost weight?

 

On 6/5/2020 at 6:17 PM, Lovezen_30 said:

When I started 2 months ago I was 12 stone 10.9lbs. Now I am 12st 6.4lbs. 

@Lovezen_30 states the above however might be frustrated at the frequency of losing weight. Quote states just over 4 pounds lost in 2 months, when typically you should be losing 1-3 pounds per week which would equate to a minimum of around 8 pounds over the course of 2 months if you are on a weight-loss stricken diet.

[OatsAndHall]

1. Get an app like Lose It and start tracking EVERYTHING you eat and drink. Your diet looks fine but the most important aspect of weight loss is tracking calories. You want the diet to do the work when you're trying ti lose weight and tracking calories allows you to adjust that diet as is needed.

2.  Once you start tracking calories, you can start cycling your weekly deficit which will keep your metabolism from adapting. Start with a baseline deficit of 500 kcals/day and then start cycling. Here's a simple cycle that worked well for me but you can tinker with it as you see fit:

Week 1: 500 kcals/day deficit

Week 2: 750 kcal/day deficit

Week 3: 1000 kcal/day deficit

Week 4: bump to maintenance calories

Week 5: go back to a 500 kcal/day deficit

Bumping back to maintenance is necessary as it gives your body and mind a break from deficit. You'd be surprised at how much weight you'll actually lose during some maintenance weeks. It doesn't make sense "mathematically" but your body kicks over from famine mode and starts to mobilize body fat. 

3. The only macro I have people track is protein: 1.6 grams/kg of body weight per day. That's the threshold for muscle-protein synthesis; anything past that and your body will burn it for energy. You can bump that up if you find protein to be satiating but that's what you need to hold onto lean muscle mass.

4. You're already making good food choices but here is how I break it down for people that I work with:

-Three meals per day and two snacks.

-Each meal consists of some form of lean protein, a low glycemic carb, and a healthy fat source. Certain fruits, berries(strawberries, raspberries, etc..), veggies and nuts can be a major portion of a meal or simply an add-on but they're necessary to help control blood sugar.

-Snacks are light and simple but the focus should be on foods that control blood sugar spikes. Personally, I like trail mixes with nuts and berries as they keep me satiated.

I would be careful with your workouts; some of those are pretty high intensity and can work against you in the long run. Longer, strenuous workouts like Zumba will burn calories but they will also jack up your cortisol levels which is counter productive to weight loss. Especially when you're in a caloric deficit. Cardio while dieting is feast or famine; short intense sessions like HIIT or longer, easy sessions (keep your HR under 120 beats/minute). This comes down to two things: keeping cortisol levels in check and EPOC (excess post exercise oxygen consumption). You want to do forms of exercise that have high levels of EPOC as that's the "after burn" (i.e. boost in metabolism/fat burning post exercise). Reasonable resistance training, HIIT sessions and light cardio sessions all produce a higher duration of EPOC: long, strenuous cardio workouts don't.

[Lovezen_30]

Hi all and thank you for your really helpful advice!

I am now 12 stone 4, so have lost a further 2 pounds since posting (now half a stone in total). I have to be honest here - I have actually been exercising LESS. A close family friend died and I've been feeling quite miserable over the last week or so. But I have remained strong diet wise.

Changes I've made is more fasting and eating a small breakfast or none at all. I ditched the milky coffees and am back to black and green tea. I am snacking pretty much never aside from a boiled egg on some days. For the first month or 2 I felt ravenous when I didnt I those pangs have mostly disappeared.

The biggest change I've noticed so far is mental. Whereas I was thinking about food a lot, planning my next meal etc. This has now changed to 'huh, I'd better eat something' or 'oh I'm hungry, guess it's time to make some dinner' rather than watching the clock until I could eat. This is more like how i was before.

I went hiking last weekend and I've done a few walks after work. Weight trained yesterday and a yoga session but otherwise not done much else. Interesting to see a weight drop when I stopped doing so much exercise?

 

Edited June 19, 2020 by Lovezen_30

[regine_phalange]

I don't think you are eating that much at all. Could it be water weight or muscle since you are working out? Do you have a scale that calculates your body water and your body fat? 

 I really want to know if you find the root of this because I think I experience something similar. I lose really slowly, and lately my weight is the same but my body fat went down a bit. I don't really exercise at the moment so it's not muscle. 

[rjc149]

On 6/6/2020 at 9:09 AM, Lovezen_30 said:

Workout wise, I am doing a 3 hour mix of:

Barre workouts (really make me sweat)

HIIT weights

Zumba

Belly dance

I also go for a 50 min walks once a week - not a lot I know 

This doesn't look entirely adequate to shed vanity weight. There is no dedicated cardio on this list. How intense are these workouts?  Are you challenging your cardio-pulmonary system?

A good indicator of effective cardio is that you should not be able to converse while you are exercising, because you are breathing too hard. Not gasping for breath, but talking should be uncomfortable. I often see couples who are jogging and chatting. If you can chat with someone, you're not exercising hard enough. 

Barre, Pilates, and yoga are more focused on isometric exercise (holding a stretch or position) and are less focused on raising your heart rate and challenging your lungs. 

I'm not sure if the Zumba or belly dancing is being done at a high enough intensity to be effectively challenging your cardio-pulmonary system. I'm assuming not, because it's dancing, not purposeful cardiovascular exercise. 

An hour-long walk per week is not enough. 

I would recommend (if you have access) exercising on an elliptical machine, for 15 minutes at high intensity and moderate/high resistance, 5 days per week. This is a total-body cardio workout, it's zero-impact on your joints, and it torches calories. It's my go-to (was my go-to, gyms are all closed). 

If you don't have access to cardio exercise equipment, I would recommend jump rope (make sure you're doing it properly or you can injure your joints), burpees, or just plain old running (make sure you have proper running shoes with thick cushioning). 

If you're doing it at a high enough intensity to shed body fat quickly, it should be unpleasant and difficult. You need to have the disciple to do it religiously and not give yourself excuses. Workouts get rescheduled if something comes up, they do not get cancelled. 

Edited July 8, 2020 by rjc149