Why did I not lose weight

Highroad12 · 03-02-2020 11:49pm #1

Hi, not sure if anyone will be able to answer but I spent the week eating no more than 1300 calories each day and I also walked around 5k each day yet at weigh in I only lost a pound ðŸ˜ðŸ˜ðŸ˜ Surely I should have lost more?

I'm 5'2 and 14stone 12.

colm_c · 04-02-2020 8:58am

Highroad12 wrote: »

Hi, not sure if anyone will be able to answer but I spent the week eating no more than 1300 calories each day and I also walked around 5k each day yet at weigh in I only lost a pound ðŸ˜ðŸ˜ðŸ˜ Surely I should have lost more?

I'm 5'2 and 14stone 12.

1. Are you tracking your calories correctly? Weighing food etc.? Most people under estimate the calories they eat.
2. Are you tracking your weight daily?, at the same time, ideally first thing in the morning after the toilet. You should be using an average for the week to determine if you are losing weight.

Within 1 day your weight can fluctuate 3 pounds or more.

Weightloss is a journey, it won't be instant.

antix80 · 04-02-2020 9:08am

Unfortunately you're so short that every meal is a big meal. You're likely running a small calorie deficit thanks to the walking but if you're overestimating calories consumed by even a little you're not going to make any progress.

Make sure you're eating healthy rather than just calorie counting. I'd recommend weightlifting and some more strenuous exercise than just walking alone. If you go that route, eat meat and veg for a few weeks with carbs from bread, pasta, etc, only a day or 2 a week. Hopefully you'll see some progress within 6 weeks.

Alf Veedersane · 04-02-2020 10:50am

Highroad12 wrote: »

Hi, not sure if anyone will be able to answer but I spent the week eating no more than 1300 calories each day and I also walked around 5k each day yet at weigh in I only lost a pound ðŸ˜ðŸ˜ðŸ˜ Surely I should have lost more?

I'm 5'2 and 14stone 12.

You're wondering what's wrong after a week.

Give it longer. You may have lost weight but there may be water retention issues, time of the month etc etc that might be reducing the impact on the scales. Give it a couple of weeks more and see where you are across those 4 weeks.

Mellor · 05-02-2020 1:07pm

At 5'2" you are probably only burning 1800 cals a day.
Eating 1300 cals a day is a 500 cal deficit. Which amounts to 1lb of fat lost.
Completely normal.

FoodC · 11-02-2020 11:13am

hey!
That is good you have questions

It is too short time to see results as people here already told you.
The most important is the quality of food you eat and daily activity a minimum 30 minutes a day. I mean any activity which increases the heart rate for 30 minutes It can be cardio exercises or weightlifting.

Do you have any plans for the food you eat? Do you have a meal plan customized just for you?
Here is a good ebook 'Healthy Eating Guide' to download for free - basic information about healthy eating. Maybe it will help you with your weight loss journey.
But anyway it is good to contact nutritionist.

santana75 · 12-02-2020 7:19pm

Highroad12 wrote: »

Hi, not sure if anyone will be able to answer but I spent the week eating no more than 1300 calories each day and I also walked around 5k each day yet at weigh in I only lost a pound &#55357;&#56877;&#55357;&#56877;&#55357;&#56877; Surely I should have lost more?

I'm 5'2 and 14stone 12.

First thing, dont count calories. Its not an accurate way to monitor your intake. Its about the composition of what you eat, not the calories. Best thing is to eat a natural diet. I promise if you do this, weight will fall off you without any type of caloric restrictions. Stay away from processed food, make meals for yourself that are composed of foods that have nothing added to them. Go by that guide, not the calorie value thats on the back of processed foods, those values are misleading.

Shanotheslayer · 12-02-2020 7:21pm

santana75 wrote: »

First thing, dont count calories. Its not an accurate way to monitor your intake. Its about the composition of what you eat, not the calories. Best thing is to eat a natural diet. I promise if you do this, weight will fall off you without any type of caloric restrictions. Stay away from processed food, make meals for yourself that are composed of foods that have nothing added to them. Go by that guide, not the calorie value thats on the back of processed foods, those values are misleading.

I don't understand how is calorie counting not accurate?

endacl · 12-02-2020 7:28pm

antix80 wrote: »

Unfortunately you're so short that every meal is a big meal.

I know I shouldn’t have, but I giggled at that.

Alf Veedersane · 12-02-2020 8:10pm

santana75 wrote: »

First thing, dont count calories. Its not an accurate way to monitor your intake. Its about the composition of what you eat, not the calories. Best thing is to eat a natural diet. I promise if you do this, weight will fall off you without any type of caloric restrictions. Stay away from processed food, make meals for yourself that are composed of foods that have nothing added to them. Go by that guide, not the calorie value thats on the back of processed foods, those values are misleading.

Food quality and food quantity are not completely independent of each other. Food quality absolutely matters but you can still eat more than your calorie requirements.

santana75 · 12-02-2020 8:48pm

Alf Veedersane wrote: »

Food quality and food quantity are not completely independent of each other. Food quality absolutely matters but you can still eat more than your calorie requirements.

Forget about calorie requirements, theyre not accurate gauges to live by. Theres a concept called "Intuitive eating" which is a far better way to live. You eat what your body needs, not what some numbers say. Your body has its own intelligence and it wont lead you wrong, if you let it guide you in what and how much to eat as opposed to something thats calculated by formulas. And when you eat intuitively your body will be drawn to natural, nutritious food and not processed junk. Its so much easier that way, you dont even think about calories, you eat what your body needs and when this happens the paradox is that excess fat falls off without the effort of dieting and monitoring.

Alf Veedersane · 12-02-2020 9:59pm

santana75 wrote: »

Forget about calorie requirements, theyre not accurate gauges to live by. Theres a concept called "Intuitive eating" which is a far better way to live. You eat what your body needs, not what some numbers say. Your body has its own intelligence and it wont lead you wrong, if you let it guide you in what and how much to eat as opposed to something thats calculated by formulas. And when you eat intuitively your body will be drawn to natural, nutritious food and not processed junk. Its so much easier that way, you dont even think about calories, you eat what your body needs and when this happens the paradox is that excess fat falls off without the effort of dieting and monitoring.

"Your body has its own intelligence and it wont lead you wrong, if you let it guide you in what and how much to eat"

That must be why there are no overweight people...

I've nothing against promoting good food quality but if you're telling me that once the food quality is good then the quantity doesn't matter, then you're wrong.

If what you're trying to say is that you don't think counting calories works (albeit the qualifier "for you") should be added, then that's different.

Ultimately it's about burning more calories than you consume to lose weight. Some people try keto and they find that to be a sustainable of being in a deficit/at maintenance for them. Others use Intermittent Fasting, Paleo, Weight Watchers etc etc. And some people count calories. Quite a few on these forums have had a lot of success that way.

The same fundamental basis for weight management applies in all cases.

So yes, better food quality is something that will help. But quantity matters.

jam_mac_jam · 12-02-2020 10:04pm

Of course count calories. It's the simplest way to loose weight.

Food quality is important but you can gain weight eating good quality food if you eat too much.

Keep going. If you loose only a pound a week and you continue you are more likely to keep it off. Next week you might loose two or three and other weeks none.

You did loose some. Just be careful you are counting and weighing your food properly.

FionnK86 · 12-02-2020 10:06pm

Highroad12 wrote: »

Hi, not sure if anyone will be able to answer but I spent the week eating no more than 1300 calories each day and I also walked around 5k each day yet at weigh in I only lost a pound ðŸ˜ðŸ˜ðŸ˜ Surely I should have lost more?

I'm 5'2 and 14stone 12.

That seems normal amount of loss.

Im 171cm, 74kg and on 1,640 cals/dy since 20/1 and have lost 4.8kg with a bit more exercise than yourself.

I had a 10” pizza Saturday & paying price since, though weight fluctuates by 1 kg during day.

I’d recommend taking as much data as you can to get a full picture, it’s not a lot of effort to count calories (especially with app) but to really help eat same meals and don’t eat out so you know what you’re getting!!

jam_mac_jam · 12-02-2020 10:08pm

santana75 wrote: »

Forget about calorie requirements, theyre not accurate gauges to live by. Theres a concept called "Intuitive eating" which is a far better way to live. You eat what your body needs, not what some numbers say. Your body has its own intelligence and it wont lead you wrong, if you let it guide you in what and how much to eat as opposed to something thats calculated by formulas. And when you eat intuitively your body will be drawn to natural, nutritious food and not processed junk. Its so much easier that way, you dont even think about calories, you eat what your body needs and when this happens the paradox is that excess fat falls off without the effort of dieting and monitoring.

What complete nonsense. If your body magically knew what it needs nobody would be overweight.

Your body looks for sugar and fat. It was not designed for the amount of food we have now.

How completely unhelpful. Calories are not gauges to live by. My body is not more intelligent then scientific analysis of food.

santana75 · 12-02-2020 10:16pm

jam_mac_jam wrote: »

What complete nonsense. If your body magically knew what it needs nobody would be overweight.

Your body looks for sugar and fat. It was not designed for the amount of food we have now.

How completely unhelpful. Calories are not gauges to live by. My body is not more intelligent then scientific analysis of food.

Oh dear. This is the kind of ignorance that has people all over the world in serious physical distress. Read "Intuitive eating" by Evelyn Trebole. When you've done that, then we can talk.

edit_me · 12-02-2020 10:18pm

Weight loss is a marathon. Not a sprint. It takes time.
Decades of unhealthy lifestyle cannot be fixed in two weeks.

jam_mac_jam · 12-02-2020 10:39pm

santana75 wrote: »

Oh dear. This is the kind of ignorance that has people all over the world in serious physical distress. Read "Intuitive eating" by Evelyn Trebole. When you've done that, then we can talk.

I have no interest in talking to you about this rubbish and won't be reading the book.

Mellor · 13-02-2020 12:15am

santana75 wrote: »

First thing, dont count calories. Its not an accurate way to monitor your intake. Its about the composition of what you eat, not the calories. Best thing is to eat a natural diet. I promise if you do this, weight will fall off you without any type of caloric restrictions.

Calories measurement/counting is not perfectly accurate. But I'd really interested to known what way of monitoring is more accurate? Did you post an alternative. Obviously not counting isn't accurate at all.

Also is easy to eat a natural diet and be overweight. Many people eat naturally foods and are overweight.
Many people are over weight because they eat whatever their body wants.

radiotrickster · 13-02-2020 9:03am

Are you sure walking is enough exercise? You need to walk fast, raise your heart rate and have a bit of a sweat to really see results by exercising.

To quote a doctor I spoke with recently, “when did the world get so lazy that walking became exercise?”

Try running, even if it’s only thirty seconds at a time. Couch to 5K is great to get people started.

bucketybuck · 13-02-2020 9:06am

santana75 wrote: »

I promise if you do this, weight will fall off you without any type of caloric restrictions.

santana75 wrote: »

You eat what your body needs, not what some numbers say. Your body has its own intelligence and it wont lead you wrong, if you let it guide you in what and how much to eat as opposed to something thats calculated by formulas.

This drivel does not help the OP.

Mr. CooL ICE · 13-02-2020 10:58am

santana75 wrote: »

Oh dear. This is the kind of ignorance that has people all over the world in serious physical distress. Read "Intuitive eating" by Evelyn Trebole. When you've done that, then we can talk.

If you cannot get your point across without asking other posters to read a book first, then you don't have much of a point to begin with.

jim o doom · 13-02-2020 11:03am

My recommendation would be to read The Obesity Complex by Jason Fung, or alternatively Eat Stop Eat by Brad Pilon.

The first one is more scientific, and explains how standard dieting through caloric reduction doesn't work, and how a lot of weight is due to insulin resistance.

Both books recommend fasting. I've used both, fasted regularly since I was in my late twenties (39 now). Was over 16.5 stone when I started, weight has never gone over 13.5 stone since I started fasting, and is regularly around 13.

Highly recommend both books, both are supported by, and quote many large scale studies that involved thousands of participants.

Both books in short: eat more greens and veg, reduce sugar and finely milled flour based products (like biccies, breads etc), and most importantly; introduce fasting into your life, and some fashion of resistance exercise to prevent muscle loss.

-edits-

While I fast, and eat a generally healthy diet, I drink alcohol at the weekend, I eat chocolate semi regularly, and I eat a lot at the weekend.

I train either with weight and body weight 3 times a week, martial arts twice a week, and cycle regularly to work, once it's not mega windy and raining.

Even with all of the above, I was consistently overweight and looked overweight until I started fasting.

I did lose weight with a calorie counting diet, but the weight came back. With fasting it has stayed off.

Cill94 · 13-02-2020 11:07am

santana75 wrote: »

Oh dear. This is the kind of ignorance that has people all over the world in serious physical distress. Read "Intuitive eating" by Evelyn Trebole. When you've done that, then we can talk.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dunning%E2%80%93Kruger_effect

Macy0161 · 13-02-2020 11:09am

To lose weight, you need a calorie deficit, because Science.

Calorie counting is one way of achieving the deficit. It depends on a fairly good estimated of TDEE, and the accuracy of the counting (accurately weighing/ portioning). This method worked for me, from over 120kg to 71ish kg. My diet wasn't "bad" before hand, but my portions of even quality food were massive! My body didn't seem to intuitively balance at a healthy weight....

Calorie Counting enabled my food choices, and change diet rather than it being a diet. A lot of it was portion control initially, and then comparing potential options and realising I could eat loads of veg for small amounts of calories compared to equivalent volumes of other options/ processed foods etc. But this was a gradual sustainable process for me.

So calorie counting worked for me, but may not for other people. I personally prefer the everything in moderation approach, and only not eating foods I don't like or that make me sick. Other methods that work for other people to achieve deficit are things like IF, Low Carb, Weight Watchers, Slimming World etc.

In my opinion, you have to accept it's a long term change in diet, rather than "a diet", whatever method you use. That's why people yoyo, nothing to do with what method they pick, once its sustainable for them.

SusieBlue · 13-02-2020 11:32am

Intuitive eating is a great option for a person who:

1) Has a good relationship with food, ie. doesn't restrict/binge
2) Has a neutral/positive attitude towards their body image
3) Is already at a healthy weight and is looking to maintain
4) Is ok with the fact that you may gain or lose, isn't under pressure to reach a certain weight for a certain date, and is aware that its a learning curve.

Advising someone who is already quite overweight, and at the beginning of their weightloss journey, that this is the miracle they were looking for is extremely irresponsible and unhelpful. People consuming in surplus of their dietry requirements need to resolve their issues with portion control and self control before they can be expected to know straight off the bat that enough is enough.
Otherwise they will go from binging on one thing to another, and think its ok because its "healthy".

You actually learn how to eat intuitively through tracking calories over a sustained period of time. You know roughly what your body needs, you know roughly what calories are in the foods you regularly consume, and you can make sensible choices by taking all this information into account.
I have been eating intuitively for the last year and have sucessfully maintained my weightloss with it, but I wouldn't have lost the weight in the first place had I not been educated in calories, defecits and learning to control portions.

H3llR4iser · 13-02-2020 11:48am

Highroad12 wrote: »

Hi, not sure if anyone will be able to answer but I spent the week eating no more than 1300 calories each day and I also walked around 5k each day yet at weigh in I only lost a pound �� Surely I should have lost more?

I'm 5'2 and 14stone 12.

It needs a bit more time - and a bit of a more strenuous exercise regime added to the diet. Rule of thumb, if something doesn't make you sweat, it's not enough - and by sweat I mean "need a shower" sweat.

At the beginning, especially if you've not exercised for a long time or ever before, most of the weight loss will be water.

All in all, weight loss is a tricky long distance journey, not a sprint. From personal experience (lost about 45kg in 12 months back in 2007), leave internet forums, "guru" books and fad diets alone; Trainers are hit and miss, some are very good, some completely up their own hole in "miracle" methods.

Ask your GP, ask around, search the web if you have to - but find a good dietitian and make a plan with them. It will cost you, of course, but the advantages are numerous:

- A plan that is tailored for YOU and not some snake oil internet thing;

- It keeps you accountable: having the monthly check with the doctor WILL motivate you to stick to the plan (even more than the money spent!);

- On-the-fly adjustments based off of your results; In my case for example, after the first couple of months I had started loosing muscle mass as well as fat, so there was the requirement to adjust both the diet and the exercise plan;

- Most importantly, assistance in modifying your lifestyle - being seriously overweight is not something that happens because you had a bit of a holiday binge; It's the result of a complex interaction of factors, almost always of a behavioural nature. In order to lose weight and keep it off, you'll need to modify your approach to a few things, and the doctor/dietitian can assist greatly in this. Please know this is not finger pointing from a fitness fanatic who's run 10 km a day since he was 15, this is from somebody who used to weigh 150kg (nearly 24 stones) in his 20s and went personally through all of the above.

Having the proper support/assistance is fundamental in both keeping you "on track" and making the process easier (NOT easy, let's be clear...EASIER

).

santana75 wrote: »

Forget about calorie requirements, theyre not accurate gauges to live by. Theres a concept called "Intuitive eating" which is a far better way to live. You eat what your body needs, not what some numbers say. Your body has its own intelligence and it wont lead you wrong, if you let it guide you in what and how much to eat as opposed to something thats calculated by formulas. And when you eat intuitively your body will be drawn to natural, nutritious food and not processed junk. Its so much easier that way, you dont even think about calories, you eat what your body needs and when this happens the paradox is that excess fat falls off without the effort of dieting and monitoring.

Uh...call the scientists because if "Intuitive eating" is real, then my "intuitive appetite" makes me the only example of a living T-Rex!

GreeBo · 13-02-2020 11:52am

I'm sure intuitive eating works really well if you live in the Serengeti, but when you are wandering around a FoodCourt looking for glazed donuts its kinda not going to work.

Dravokivich · 13-02-2020 12:22pm

Highroad12 wrote: »

I also walked around 5k each day

Whenever you watch those shows on the TV and they encourage people to start walking to get fitter, walking isn't expected to be the activity to get them fitter. Walking is used to start them thinking about what can be done within the same time frame as they would have used, just lounging about not really achieving anything.

Stone Deaf 4evr · 13-02-2020 12:34pm

A lot of people posting links to books etc.
for what its worth, I've found this article to be the most concise and well researched, and its presented in a very easy to follow format. (there is a seperate one with plenty humor and swearing, if thats your thing.)

https://physiqonomics.com/the-best-fat-loss-article-child-friendly-version/

Alf Veedersane · 13-02-2020 12:58pm

jim o doom wrote: »

The first one is more scientific, and explains how standard dieting through caloric reduction doesn't work, and how a lot of weight is due to insulin resistance.

Both books recommend fasting. I've used both, fasted regularly since I was in my late twenties (39 now). Was over 16.5 stone when I started, weight has never gone over 13.5 stone since I started fasting, and is regularly around 13.

'Standard dieting' and fasting are both ways of reducing calories. That's why both can result in weight loss.

The issues people have, when they ultimately put back on the weight they lost, is that their means of caloric reduction is not sustainable for them.

Some people fond counting calories helpful, others don't.

Some people find fasting/IF/time-restricted eating to be the best way, others don't.

Same for keto, low carb, paleo, etc

If you lost weight and put it back on, it's cos you couldnt sustain the changes that you made to lose the weight in the first place. Not becaise it wasn't fasting. Fasting is a sustainable way of managing your caloric intake for you.

Why did I not lose weight

Comments