why arent i losing weight

[residential1]

Hi, I was wondering if anyone had any thoughts for me as to why I cannot seem to lose any weight. I keep my food intake to 1200 calories a day, I am 5 ft 4 and 1/2 inches tall and weigh 157 pounds and 10 of those came upon me since gallbladder removal even tho my diet did not change...My calories in are less than calories out and I am now seeing fat acculating on the sides of my hips....I record food in MFP and then recheck with WW points and it all comes out as it should except I am not losing any weight and gaining fat...your help would be so appreciated.

[Maxit]

How old are you? How active are you?  Are you getting sufficient protein?  How long have you been eating @ 1200 calories/day? 

[Mickiab]

Hi,

Don't give up!  I felt the same as you -- the scale did not budge for a month despite everything I did, including working out more and harder.  Nothing.  I spent a lot of time here reading posts -- getting different ideas and I ended up going back to basics.  I really paid attention to what I was eating, and started to weight food (oh boy -- that small portion that I thought I was eating really wasn't all that small).  I drank a LOT more water during the day.  I also totally mixed up my typical exercise. Instead of walking/jogging all the time, same place, same time, I took a different route -- and then I would jog/sprint/walk/sprint/jog/sprint. I started taking a BodyPump (weight lifting) at the gym.  Overall, I'm mixing it all up.  And, what do you know -- after doing this over a week, the scale dropped!  I couldn't believe my eyes!!  Not sure if this mixing it up will work for you, but thought I would share.  Don't give up!!         

[residential1]

Thanks so much for some ideas, I do believe my gallbladder removal is part if the problem as I gained 10 pounds rather quickly after the removal, but I will continue to hang in there and try to mix it up, thanks again .

[Heybales]

So 1200 calories is the minimum recommended for safety to get all your nutrients in for a sedentary woman.

Are you sedentary?

Might view it as minimal building codes for safety. Not for performance, not for longevity, not for aesthetics.

You want to perform better, live longer, look better - then don't do minimum.

Do reasonable - use the Fitbit for what it's purpose is - giving you a potentially good estimate of what you burn daily - and then you eat less than that by a reasonable amount.

Not bare minimum. Usually that just leads to a smaller version of what you got today. What folks call skinny fat when they get there.

You might also verify your food logging is by weight, not by volume.

You weigh yourself - so weigh the food that goes in to you too.

Calories is by weight, grams - not by volume, cups and spoons.

[LewWagner]

Residential1,

I have lost a lot of weight over the past 8 1/2 months (114 pounds) with about 16 more to go.  I have experienced flattening out (plateaus) along the way.  Some of it was due to me "slipping" (birthday / anniversary dinner out), being sick and not exercising, or just holding poop.

In any event, I would get back on track, do my exercising (mostly walking about 6-7 miles a day), and stick to my nutritional intake plan (originally 2K calories, 65 fat, 300 chol, 2400 sod, 150 carb, 25 fiber, 90 sugar, 50 protein but now around 1,100-1,300 for calories).  I'm getting in around 21K in steps each day.  My walking rate is steadily getting faster (now around 3.33 with peaks of 3.66 for a 3 mile walk on uneven trails).

So, if you are stuck on a plateau for a longer time, perhaps review your nutrition, exercise, and sleep patterns now to see if possibly lower nutrition values (if higher than what I stated above), take some Fiber Con or Dulcolax, and/or exercise so that you burn around 3K calories a day (this latter is what I am seeing from Fitbit) against a 1,300 calorie intake.  Smaller food portions possibly (3-4 ozs of protein vs. 8-10 and less complex meat like fish and skinless chicken thigh/breast).

Not saying my way is the best or only way for others.  Just offering it if it provides any value add to what you're trying to achieve.  Good luck and kudos on the loss so far! 

Lew Wagner

[LewWagner]

I have lost a lot of weight over the past 8 1/2 months (114 pounds) with about 16 more to go.  I have experienced flattening out (plateaus) along the way.  Some of it was due to me "slipping" (birthday / anniversary dinner out), being sick and not exercising, or just holding poop.

In any event, I would get back on track, do my exercising (mostly walking about 6-7 miles a day), and stick to my nutritional intake plan (originally 2K calories, 65 fat, 300 chol, 2400 sod, 150 carb, 25 fiber, 90 sugar, 50 protein but now around 1,100-1,300 for calories).  I'm getting in around 21K in steps each day.  My walking rate is steadily getting faster (now around 3.33 with peaks of 3.66 for a 3 mile walk on uneven trails).

So, if you are stuck on a plateau for a longer time, perhaps review your nutrition, exercise, and sleep patterns now to see if possibly lower nutrition values (if higher than what I stated above), take some Fiber Con or Dulcolax, and/or exercise so that you burn around 3K calories a day (this latter is what I am seeing from Fitbit) against a 1,300 calorie intake.  Smaller food portions possibly (3-4 ozs of protein vs. 8-10 and less complex meat like fish and skinless chicken thigh/breast).

Not saying my way is the best or only way for others.  Just offering it if it provides any value add to what you're trying to achieve.  Good luck and kudos on the loss so far! 

Lew Wagner

[residential1]

Hi Lew thanks for so many helpful tips.. I was wondering about my calorie imput vs output as I noticed a huge difference in your ratio.. For instance I put out 1500 and take in 1200 so compared to your ratio your output is way higher than mine... Didn't really have this problem until gallbladder surgery so that probably has a part in it, but thanks so much for your help.

[residential1]

Sorry Lew forgot the congrats on your tremendous weightloss !!!

[Donna-R]

Try to use the food tracker religiously.  I noticed when I was responsible for accounting the entire amounts of food I was eating it kept me in check better.  I was doing treadmill 10,000 steps and have lost 32 pounds but am at a plateau, so I am going to get back on threadmill and monitor all my food and try not to cheat or slack off, seems I had every excuse to do just that over the last couple of months, but no more.  I really want to hit my goal weight by July 3rd...not sure if I can loose 20 pounds from April 8th to July 3rd.  That is a little more than 12 weeks.  I think it is doable...now just doing it!  🙂   Less than 2 pounds a week SHOULD be doable...want to be friends and help eachother?  Donna R.

[Blakes]

Hi, are you eating enough calories and protein? i had the same problem and it was due to me not eating enough calories or protein so my bodly slowed down. Up your protein count.

[josephz2va]

You may need to see what your Food Quality is. 5'4" 157 puts you at 27 out of 25 BMI which is within the okay margin. The fat percentage can be due to the quality of the food. Like eating regular processed foods or foods cooked by a chef which they empty a jar of table salt into your food (ie: soups and bacon cheeseburgers at a restaurant have 1200 MGs of sodium). Try looking at the link - Eat To Build Lean Muscle and limit just about every number you see on the back of the box except for Fiber and Protein. Cals, Fats, Sodiums, Carbs, Sugars too much is all bad.

Also, are you toning up with exercise? There's three exercise groups to look at. Regular cardio, weight lifting, and personal training like ab crunches and hip exercises. Less of that can lead to deterioration.

[AtomHF]

Are you measuring your calorie intake accurately (e.g. using food scale)? I had a similar issue a couple of years ago. I was burning around 3000cal a day including heavy gym work (calculated using chest strap) and eating roughly 2500. My weight did not shift anywhere for a month. I then started using a food scale calculating the 2500 in take and my weight started going down. It is very easy to miscalculate food calories if you are not using a food scale. As you lose weight your caloric needs go down but Fitbit calculates that for you.

I had a sports injury and couldn't do training for almost 6 months which resulted in to weight gain. Now I'm slowly starting to train again and watching my diet to lose the weight. I know it is a big hassle but using a food scale helps a ton!

I'm doing a test analyzing what Fitbit tells me I'm supposed to lose (based on the deficit) and what my body is actually losing:

https://community.fitbit.com/t5/Weight-Loss/Fitbit-Charge-HR-12-Weeks-Weight-Loss-Test-March-30th-Ju...

[bklynite]

Residential1: i had my gallbladder removed and I was advised to cut down the fat that I eat since the gallbladder played a bit aid in digestion. It produced and housed extra bile that was needed to break down the food. Now your liver is doing it all on your own and perhaps since you haven't changed your habits they maybe catching up with you. I agree with reexamining your food and mixing up your workouts.

[PLURmedic]

What worked (and still does) wonders for me was Intermitent Fasting. I wake up and 5 and cardio/weights and skip breakfast. I cram my daily calories between 11am and 6pm. The pounds have been falling off. I'm sure my daily Synedrex helps too. Both options show great results to everyone I know that does one or the other or both.

[Sassyjen33]

We always assume that the portion is smaller until we weight it and we find out we are totally wrong....Good for you in weighing your portions and changing your routine...You have to trick you body into something new... Good for you and way to keep going.

[residential1]

Thanks so much for the great advice, seeing what you are walking I am not doing a fraction of that and I will get it going, thanks again for the push😃

[Sassyjen33]

I am willing to help anyone in their journey. ...get up and walk around as much as you can. Especially when watching tv or even having a conversation. ..stand up and sway, lean anything. ..don't sit if u don't need too....best thing to do

[residential1]

Hi Donna you can do it and you sound so determined good for you😃. I try to convince myself exercise helps but slack way off and will get back to it, just get discouraged. But no excuses!!! Thank you for taking the time to help me.

[NewBeginBren]

What type of foods do you eat?
Could you give us an example of a day of meals for you?
This might help.

[residential1]

Hi I would be glad to share my food journal. Breakfast is always a piece of lite string cheese and some pita crackers...
Lunch if I eat any is usually a salad with chicken slice of bread, afternoon snack sometimes some candy or crackers, dinner usually kale salad and protein and lo cal dressing or fish and vegetables perhaps potato, night snack piece of fruit and maybe crackers and that's about it... Thank you for your thoughts.... Sally

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