Why have I not lost any weight???

[SKessex78]

Sooo frustrated! Nearly finished week 3 and despite calorie counting and the running I have lost NO weight! I just don't understand....I'm not just running to loose weight, but it does play a part..... The number on the scale has stayed at exactly 10st1lbs!!!! Grr!

[Vivwestie Graduate]

Well, at that weight, you probably don't need to lose any! Maybe, stop calorie counting and only eat when you're really hungry, sticking to veg, fruit, grains, pulses, nuts... and oh, and some meat and fish, if you're not veggie! In other words follow your real hunger appetite. Forget calorie controlling - it's real food you need, but only when you're hungry.

[BettyJane Graduate]

Your body will catch up in the end. The sudden (?) extra activity has put your body on guard, it takes a few weeks catch on that you intend to keep this extra activty up. I've been steadily losing 1 to 2lb a week for a year (nearly at target) but in the first 4 weeks of C25K I didn't lose any weight. So keep at it. Also th muscles your building up weigh heavier than fat.

[Fraz73 Graduate]

But running does build muscle which will increase weight (in a good way). Do a search on here; there's plenty of blogs and questions regarding this issue and lots of C25Kers who found they didn't lose any weight until the latter stages if at all, but lots of comments about changes in shape and firming up.

Stay positive; if you're eating healthily and continue the programme then as the minutes increase you should see a difference.

[Oldgirl Graduate]

Take out your tape measure and take a note of your vital statistics, I'll bet you will be much more toned in no time at all. Also make sure you are eating enough now you are exercising more, you also need to drink at least 6 glasses of water a day.

[suki_007 Graduate]

Oldgirl's right, the tape measure is a good thing to use rather than scales. Or that pair of jeans you bought a long time ago... However, I did online weight watchers and it really suited me. They encourage healthy eating and I have never, ever stuck to a diet before, but I stuck to weight watchers. The way they do it means that even if you've used up all of your points for the day you can still eat fruit or vegetables. I've only had about two days in the last four months that I've felt a bit hard done by, the rest of the time I feel I was eating enough and I'm very greedy. I went down from just over 11 stone at the beginning of May (it was over 12 last year) to 8 stone 12 now. And I really enjoyed my food, truly. My secret weapon to keep it off is running, but I still log absolutely everything I eat or drink on WW. It's not for everyone obviously, but it may work for you.

[pingle Graduate]

Really good blog on this from Alaiyo a while back. couchto5k.healthunlocked.co...

You are still quite early in the programme and not really running for long enough to burn loads of calories but you are getting much fitter (and just in the last few days research has been published that seems to show that people who are overweight or even obese but who are fit avoid many of the bad outcomes of carrying too much weight).

The weight will come off if you combine C25K with a sensible diet but I would definitely do as Oldgirl suggests and do some measuring. I didn't and really regret it as the change in shape has been much more dramatic than the movement of the scales even though i have not changed by diet at all. Good luck and hang in there.

[magster Graduate]

I didn,t start losing weight until well into the programme but I was losing inches according to the tape measure. Since graduating I am losing approx 1lb - 2lb a week, so dont lose heart keep going you will benefit in more than one way.

[tygfuz Graduate]

How many calories a day are you taking in? You should be able to lose 2lbs a week just by dieting.

[Hidden]

I can only echo what others have said on here. I started the programme to gain some energy and saw weight loss as an added bonus. As the weeks went on I kept complaining to my husband that I just wasn't losing any weight and couldn't understand why not. I lost faith in the scales and stopped weighing myself. Then last week when I looked in the mirror it struck me just how much weight I had actually lost from my hips. My shape seems to be changing every week and, out of curiosity, I weighed myself and I've lost 3 lbs in a few weeks. I think my body went into shock in the first few months and hung on to what it could!!!

[Rosie2607]

these comments have been soooo helpful for me too, thanks. love ur last comment frockyhorror! x

[Stevetheb Graduate]

I've lost a stone and a bit in the 10 weeks I've been running... but I suspect most of that is down to my new policy of not having the usual Cornish Pasty for lunch and refraining from buying cakes and biscuits... and generally being careful with what I eat...

[Ade_Dennis Graduate]

I can honestly say, as SK's partner, that her body is shape is definitely changing and she's heading in the right direction. There's now jeans which are falling off her, so I'm going to keep encouraging her and have to say she's doing brilliant at the minute with her running.

[Malcy Graduate]

I'm just back on the community pages after being inactive for a few months. But if it's any inspiration, I started the programme at 15.5 stones (about 97kg) - not so good! My weight went up for a while after starting to run, but it did level off. I started in February, it's now about 7 months later and I am 11.5 stone (about 73.5kg). So although you clearly don't have as much of a weight problem as myself, you can see that it does work. However, I have to add that I've become pretty adept at counting calories. Show me a product, I'll shout ot the calories. Drives my wife mad! But I can have the last laugh. Instead of squeezing into 36 inch jeans (I really needed 38s), I now happily wear 32 inch ones. Just keep the faith, get through the muscle-building phase, count those calories and I promise the weight will come off.

[Legion Graduate in reply to Malcy]

That's brilliant. Well done Malcy. That's an amazing weight loss in a few months. Hope I can do the same. It's certainly inspiring to keep up with the running.

[Deano1615]

If you really want to lose weight and get fit google the biggest loser web site online and take look I have lost over 3 stone since march and my wife has lost 4 stone

[KTMACNESS Graduate]

I've lost no weight either and I'm on week five Sad times, but I do feel my body and posture changing for the better. The scales are a cruel mistress!

[maidar]

Hello! I am just wondering what a stone is in pounds!