In a healthy deficit, exercising lots and still not seeing results. HELP!

[TillyH]

In April I got down to around 54.5kg. In June/July I got really lazy, had an injury which stopped me from doing much cardio and had a dip mental health which meant a lull in my exercise. 

I got up to around 58.7kg by end of July/beginning of August - and now many of my clothes no longer fit. It’s honestly just so crap - as I’ve always been realllllllly into my exercise.

Around 3 weeks ago I adjusted

my portion sizes, myself and my boyfriend have been eaten better (I love to snack and love rich food 🤣), I’ve been maintaining a healthy deficit (around 400-500 cal deficit - is that maybe too much?) and I’ve been exercising minimum 4 times a week.

However, I’ve seen no budge in scales or in tape measurements at all! I know weight loss isn’t instant - but I’ve been absolutely smashing it and so feel really disheartened that I haven’t even seen a few cm or a few pounds come off.

Is there anything that could be making

my weight loss harder? I don’t look any more muscly - so I’m not necessarily gaining muscle mass I don’t think. 

I have a few nagging injuries which cause some inflammation - does this contribute to clinging on to fat? 

I am just totally at a loss as to how I can start seeing some progress. 

[Glenda]

@TillyH Yes Tilly, if what you said is accurate that would be really difficult to do especially for any length of time.  Rounding off your weight figure from 129.4 to 130 pounds....you probably maintain that weight with 1300 calories a day and 500 less is only 800 calories.   Exercise is critical for better health.  It uses a few calories too.  But people who exercise to lose weight hardly ever do because they eat more.   I can only guess you need to work harder on the best food choices with more fiber,  less sugar and flour, & counting calories better than I do it.  Best wishes and good luck.

[TillyH]

At the moment I’m burning 1800 calories on a low exercise day, and around 2200 on a high calorie day. I’ve then been keeping my food deficit at around 400-500 calories under what I burn. I absolutely love love love food, so I am not one to unnecessarily starve myself in the hope that I’ll get “skinny”. I just want to feel myself again. 

My food is a mix of all food groups, although probably more carbs on some days as I do weight training as well as cardio. 

In late 2019 I weighed my heaviest at 60kg and got down to 53kg in summer 2020. My healthy weight in terms of feeling good, being active, etc has always been around 53-55kg. But at the moment I just cannot see any shift! 

I’m 4ft11 - so I’m also very short. 

[Glenda]

Tilly,  Just my opinion but I think depending on your count of calories burned is a huge mistake.  You would be lots better off if you forget about calories burned and eat a number of calories that would support what you want to weigh.    1,300 calories supports 130 pounds and that isn't what you want to weigh.  For a while, forget exercise and stop eating flour, sugar, &  diary.  Eat vegetables, fruit and protein, about 1000 calories a day as short as you are, or a bit less eventually.  I think 1000 calories is for 5 feet.  Exercise obviously isn't helping you.  Try something different?

[Heybales]

What are your workouts - length and type?

(for instance, Fitbit HR-based strength training workout is inflated calorie burn, if only 15 min 3 x weekly, no big whoop - if a lot more then could be a whoop!)

You have the correct idea to not stress the body into adapting - keep a reasonable deficit, from what you burn in total.

But the Fitbit estimate of that total could be off, on daily activity and exercise.

How many steps/distance do you get typically not related to exercise, like on non-exercise days?

So you started up the exercise again the same time you started the diet again?

Side effect of exercise is water weight gain for several reasons. Of course that tops off eventually.

How many spots are you measuring to know cm are not dropping?

Because that is a great method since scale weight doesn't tell the whole story.

You are correct, gaining muscle is a whole lot harder than most are aware especially for a woman - you aren't gaining muscle in a diet.

Injuries, stress from big diet/exercise change - all can increase cortisol stress hormone - that can cause a slow 20 lb increase in retained water.

How many weeks of scale fat weight loss could that hide? How stressful would that be!

Considering your BMR is almost 1300 (what you would burn in a coma), obviously your daily burn is more than that even if sedentary - which you are not.

Yes a 500 cal deficit would likely not be extreme if still more than final 6.8kg to lose. 250 would likely be better now.

Since you have changed your eating style - have you kept accuracy on food logging, weighing food since calories is per gram?

An alternate week 500 cal deficit might be better - help those stress hormones. 1 week maintenance (off decent calorie burn estimate), 1 week 500 cal deficit.

Some general thoughts, because not all lack of weight loss is due to calories - since water has no calories but does have weight, and many reasons it can increase.