Not losing weight

[Erin_1975]

New here just got 1st fitbit on valentines and iam 5'5 45 years old and weigh 217lbs, I eat 1300-1600 calories and have a - deficit of 1000-1300 the past 7 days and steps are between 10k-12k haven't lost anything  please help!! Iam eating healthy foods changed everything!

[JohnnyRow]

In just a week you might not see the difference.  Sometimes when you cut back on food, your body retains extra water and it can take awhile to adjust.  Or some night you might feel like you have to get up to pee every half hour, and then find you have lost a few pounds the next morning.

[SweetFreedom]

It's taking myself awhile to loose weight, then again I'm in perimenopause and have low thyroid. Maybe get those two things checked out with your doctor because the combo of the two is the root of my weight gain.  I'm eating a mediterranean diet lifestyle, eating more fruits and veggies, protein, doing strength training (weights), pilaties and drinking more water.  Maybe reduce carbs one week or dairy the next, see what works for your body.  Don't give up, the weight loss with happen.

[JuanFitbit]

I agree with both posts above!

As @JohnnyRow mentioned, I think, that you might not see a lot of changes in 1 week. Keep in mind, that your body needs to adjust to the changes you have made, change of diet, more exercise, etc.

You also have to think, that many times, you might burn fat, but at the same time you are building muscle. That could cause, that you don't see much changes on the scale. 

As @SweetFreedom said, don't give up!  Consistency, is a big factor to achieve/reach your goals. 

Keep on stepping!

[Heybales]

Normally people would lose extra water weight the first week of starting a diet especially.

But did you increase your walking massively to hit step goals you now have?

Exercise has side effect of water weight gain for many reasons.

Are those steps from just being more active through the day, or going out for a purposeful walk where it got logged as a workout?

Because if purposeful walk, you could also be unfit and your HR went up pretty good - but that also means the HR-based calorie burn is inflated for about 2 weeks while the Fitbit learns you.

Which would mean you really aren't burning as much as you think, and your deficit isn't as big as you think.

And if this is 1st week of food logging, that is probably not as accurate as you think, most are eating more until they become accurate at weighing all foods eaten. So again deficit not as big.

Throw in water weight gained from new level of activity - you probably lost some fat while gaining water.

Showing the benefit of measuring several spots too for getting a complete picture of body changes - scale can be fooled too much.

[Erin_1975]

I weigh food and yes I track very well! My daughter is gtube and I know how to measure and weigh food properly. Also don't over eat.. now to say that the ditbit isn't working or giving me wrong info if that the case its alot of money to be wasted! So my calories are right! I also do straight cadio I don't stop... so the deficit should be right IF fitbit is working like it should! And usally without fitbit I would put on 8k-10k steps daily do to work and kids. I just added cadio and log my food and cut calories.. therefore I should be losing sonething.iam doing it right I do drink 128oz plus a day ,that nothing new for me that common I don't drink pop,I have 1 cup coffee a day that's it. So this is why I questioned weight loss!!

[BASILCHIVES]

I think you need to give this new lifestyle some time for your body to adjust.  Do not get on the scale every day, try for every 2 weeks if you can.   I have started a lot of exercise/diet programs only to become discouraged and quit.  I think my body has learned that the temporary calorie reduction is just temporary, holds on to more water and waits until I give up.  So, keep doing your new lifestyle, don't give up.   Weight loss isn't smooth and linear, it is wobbly sometimes the scale does not move or it goes up a few lbs.   The scale does not measure your level of commitment, reflect your hard work, or even acknowledge your accomplishments.  It weighs your body, including water, and undigested food on your system.  It is a tool, not the holy grail.  Keep on your program, write down your own accomplishments, give yourself a star.   Think of this new routine as something you are doing to make your body healthy,  make sure you weigh, measure and log everything you eat, it is very easy to guesstimate and way under count calories.

[JuanFitbit]

@BASILCHIVES , couldn't say it better. 
Weight loss is not linear and takes time. 
Consistency, patience, and not giving up are the keys to reach the desire weight. 

@Erin_1975 , our friend BASILCHIVES placed some wise words here : " The scale does not measure your level of commitment, reflect your hard work, or even acknowledge your accomplishments."

Be patient, don't give up. 
Once you reach your weight goal or see small changes, you'll be able to look back and be proud of all you have put into this. 

Stay strong and keep us in the loop!

[Heybales]

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@Erin_1975 wrote:

I weigh food and yes I track very well! My daughter is gtube and I know how to measure and weigh food properly. Also don't over eat.. now to say that the ditbit isn't working or giving me wrong info if that the case its alot of money to be wasted! So my calories are right! I also do straight cadio I don't stop... so the deficit should be right IF fitbit is working like it should! And usally without fitbit I would put on 8k-10k steps daily do to work and kids. I just added cadio and log my food and cut calories.. therefore I should be losing sonething.iam doing it right I do drink 128oz plus a day ,that nothing new for me that common I don't drink pop,I have 1 cup coffee a day that's it. So this is why I questioned weight loss!!

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Food should not be measured, only weighed for accuracy.

Your deficit is extreme enough it could easily cause body to put on stress water weight. Even while losing fat. Usually not that quickly but it depends on how stressed your body already was, say with disease or life (who isn't stressed right now!).

You have over 50 lbs to lose to healthy weight for that 1000 cal deficit to be reasonable?

Too short a time period too.

Also - your Fitbit isn't measuring your calorie burn.

It's estimating it with a bunch of formula's that for the average usage can be very good after a couple of weeks of it learning you. It get's more accurate for exercise level stuff.

If your daily walking distance though is badly off because of a bad stride-length setting - that will never be improved until you tweak it.

Interested on improving the tool?

Be like sharpening a knife to make it work better.

But you are right in the end - moving a bit more (not massively) daily, and eating a bit less (not huge deficit) daily - will result in fat loss.

Did you massively change your diet too, or really just cut out some foods?

Again - your time span since V-day is rather short if you made many changes and Fitbit takes a bit to tweak itself.