28 years old, 253 lbs, workout like a banshee....no weight loss

[cjfrankum]

I'm at my wits end.  For three straight weeks now I have tracked EVERY calorie (I have a food scale) that goes in and out of my body.  

EVERYDAY I lift weights for 30 minutes and then do 30-40 minutes of high incline walking on the treadmill.

EVERYDAY I run at a 400-600 calorie deficit.

I have lost .5 pound.  One. half. pound.  This is ridiculous and I honestly can't take it anymore.  What's the point in continuing to work out of it does nothing?  Can anyone help?

[bigmom3]

dont you dare give up ! even if you arent losing you are getting better with every passing day . think of how big you might become if you say the heck with it all . i am going to eat what i want when i want .this is what got us in the mess we are in anyway . stop and think . It might take awhile to lose it . you did not gain it all overnight . it took years . I think of all the people who are naturally thin and want to be like them . steal some of their ideas and ways . they dont eat like there is no tomorrow . they push their food around the plate like they dont like what on their plate . take you time eating your food . enjoy the smell and feel of the food in your mouth . the way it tastes . identify flavor . enjoy every bite but cut back on the amount of food but put less of it on your plate . smaller plates . eat slowly . .I am 74 years old and was not fat when i was a child but am now to big for own health .

[Stonefit]

Yess don't give up!  Two things here worth noting.  First, I found when lifting and pushing protein I was gaining musecle while losing fat so shape changes which is good - though I have a long way to go and this can make weight move slower or even occassionally bump up.  Second, and I don't know what others think but when I have the calorie counter on normal settings given that I have a desk job, etc. it was giving me to much room in the calorie department - when I exercised, I took advantage and ate more and so weight moved very slowly and would go days without moving at all.   There is a feature where you can change the setting to sedentary and it will tighen up how many calories you can eat - that has helped me stay in a better range and forced me to control my intake a little better.  The one hard thing is it sometimes makes it tougher to have the energy you need to get higher lifts but I figure cut a little and build back up.  Hang in there - you'll find the setting in the log section where you log your food.

[JenniLacey]

Simple. When you first start an exercise program (or anytime you change, increase duration or intensity) your muscles retain more fluid (glycogen stores) this can mask fat loss on the scale for up to the first 6 weeks.

You can reduce fluid retention by cutting back on sodium and added sugar and staying plenty hydrated.

[Stonefit]

Thanks this is helpful - I have been taking Hydroxycut too which seems to help with this.

[smhermione]

Especially with doing so much weight lifting, make sure that you are counting any inches lost as part of your weight loss.  If you're gaining muscle that is GREAT and will help you to burn more fat in the future.  Also, make sure you are taking a day off the exercise once a week to give your body a chance to recover.  Good luck and stick with it.  This process is not easy, but it is worth the effort.

[cjfrankum]

Thank you for the motivation, everyone.

I've gotten much stronger, but my clothes don't fit any better and I don't look any different.  I'm seriously considering giving up the weight training because I would rather see progress on the scales.  I don't look or feel any different and it makes me feel like something is wrong with me.

[JenniLacey]

That is a bad idea. If you don't strength train while losing weight, up to 30% of your loss will come from lean muscle/tissue. The *type* of weight you lose matters... you want to lose fat, you want to keep muscle. If you don't it will leave you "skinny-fat" at your goal weight. Meaning you will have a high body fat percentage and be flabby at a low weight.

Not to mention, the more muscle you have... the more calories you burn even at rest. Weight/resistance training is a vital component to fat loss. The scale lies and does not determine how you look. You could have two identical twins and one weighs 130 lbs with 18% body fat and the other weighs 115 lbs with 25% body fat. The heavier twin would still be able to borrow her sister's clothes and look better (more toned) wearing them. People would assume she weighs the same as her sister even though she was 15 lbs heavier. Her sister, even though 15 lbs lighter would still have flab and problem areas.

Like I said, it takes 6 weeks. If you're eating at a calorie deficit, I can guarentee you're losing fat but fluid retention is masking it. You cannot expect to see a difference in such a short time. I honestly couldn't tell a difference in how looked until I lost about 20 lbs. Weight loss is a slow process and changes don't happen overnight. It requires patience and dedication. 

The scale is NOT a good measurement of progress and should be taken with a grain of salt because it does not isolate fat-loss. Your weight is largely made up of fluid weight which can change with a soft breeze; exercise, hormones, sodium/sugar intake, how hydrated you are, etc.

[SarahOR]

As frustrating as it is, keep being patient and keep working at both the cardio and the strength training!  

You will see the benefits on the scale and in your shape.  Jenni's advice on glycogen/muscle edema is great!  Keep working at it and remind yourself of all the good things you are doing for yourself/ your health.  

One thing that helps me is to set up a non weight related goal/reward program - ie if I go to the gym 6 out of 7 days for 4 weeks, then I buy myself something to work out with (ie a new headband or brightly colored socks).

Don't give up!!

[gerrymcd]

If you eat mindfully and exercise regularly you will loose weight.....it just takes time for your body to get used to the new lifestyle. 

[Spryguy]

Hey cjfrankum,

Couple quick questions

Are your measurements getting better?

Is your Body fat % getting better?

a number on a scale ISN'T the ONLY way to determine if you're getting healthier!

[FitDiitz]

In my experience, one has to lose about 20 pounds (maybe this is different for men--say15?) before there is an  appreciable difference in appearance.  Stick with the scale and the way your clothes fit.  Aren't you feeling better too?  

[gerrymcd]

It all depends on the distribution of fat (and the person's size, both height and width).  Some people can lose 20lbs and it may not be enough for anyone to notice, whereas other people can loose 20lbs and it will be very obvious.

If most of the excess weight is carried around the middle (for example men with 'beer bellies' can have very large stomachs but thin faces, arms and legs).  In their case they have to loose a lot before people notice their belly is smaller.

[RAC]

You have to feel better working out every day even if you don't loose the numbers you want too. I am in the same boat I log everything I eat ,and work out one to one and a half hours five days a week and the loss is soooo slow but I feel great. So keep going and it will come.

[Naomi94]

Your body is still adapting to increased activity. The changes that take place in your muscles after exercise prepare them for more of the same by storing additional fuel for energy. Muscles replenish glycogen stores after a workout, and extra water in the muscles is a natural side effect of this process. This can last a few weeks.

Just keep at it, enjoy your workout, enjoy your new diet and your body will eventually start to lose the fat. 

Watch your sodium intake. Keep it to a minimum. 

[RAC]

Stonefit thanks for the suggestion of changing settings to tighten up the calorie count. i have been trying to do that for a week and read your comment and did it in 2 seconds. Thanks

[RLJack]

Think in the long term, after exercising for 3 months to 6 months I really noticed differences. But when restarting after sickness or injury, I always bloat out and it is very discouraging at first, but it has always leveled out, btw I am 49 years old.

[danid512]

Measure.

I am 29, 225 and work my butt of in the gym. I didn't see results for a LONG time on the scale, and even now I will still have that problem.

Measure. I am thankful that I did, because where I didn't see ANY movement on the scale, I saw a loss of inches in a short amount of time.

Don't stop weight training. Just stick with it, be patient (trust me, I realize it's frustrating) and you'll see it come off. Just give it some time and realize that even though it's annoying, your body is healthier even if the weight isn't dropping like the biggest loser.

[ATXmomma]

maybe youre overdoing it...try switching up your exercise routine. alternate weight training days and switch up your cardio. 

i follow a lot of health people on instargram that share great tips and diet is everything. not just calories but the quality of the calories. 100 calories of veggies isnt the same as 100 calories of cheeseburger ya know? not that youre eating cheeeburgers but one girl I follow use to work out 1-2 hours 7 days a week and had an eating disorder ie: monitoring every calorie. well now she eats 100% clean, whole foods, no calorie counting and only works out 30min-1 hour 3-5 days a week and looks amazing and competes in fitness competitions. I hope youve made some progress on figuring out what works for you! 

[KSS2]

I'm not sure how long you have been doing the same thing for, but the body gets used to the stresses you put on it. This means it adapts to what you ask of it. You have to keep asking it to do more over time to take into account the modifications.

Keep up with the weight training but you need to up the anti - add a couple of extra reps or go for a higher weight and dropback the reps. As far as the treadmill goes, its good you are on the incline but what you really need is high intensity interval training. You can actually spend less time on the treadmill but get a far more 'burn' of fat over a longer period of time i.e. some hours adfter exercise. Fast Exercise by Dr Michael Mosley explains the research behind the HIIT, but it is a prooven way to get fit and lose weight fast.

Don't give up but you do need to change things. If you are sure your food intake is under control that really is the main thing. You cannot out train a poor diet. All the very best.