Horrified - NO weight loss!

[Mazroz]

A whole month of no alcohol, portion control, limiting processed food and very few treats of any description, swimming, walking and yoga. Weight loss a big fat zero. I am devastated. I don't want to be fat any more, am I going to have to accept that I can't lose weight? What's wrong with me? 😰😰😰

[Tiggerr]

Wow all that exercise, I wish I had your get up and go. That may be a factor for no weight loss as your body converts fat to heavier muscle. Sounds to me like you're on the right track so stay positive.

Are you calorie counting? I have the odd treat but try and make sure its within my calorie count.

Keep on going Mazroz.

[Mazroz in reply to Tiggerr]

Thanks ewillday - I don't feel as active as your reply implies! I certainly don't feel as though I have developed much muscle, but I can hope... I am not calorie counting but think I am going to have to bite the low-calorie bullet and weigh and measure everything. I guess I had to go through this disappointment in order to show me the right way to go.

[Mazroz]

Thank you for replies. I am deducing I am going to have to count calories, or do some sort of 'plan' like SW or WW. I really hate weighing every morsel I eat, and my husband, who does all the cooking, hates it even more. Because of my job, he does all evening meals, so that makes it difficult. But I am thinking it's all I can do. I wanted it to be a change in my lifestyle and not a constant weighing activity. I also have a real aversion to processed foods designed for the 'diet industry', eg low fat cooking sprays and cheese, etc, and would rather eat less of the 'real' stuff like olive oil and good quality mature cheese. But it seems as though I have to concede defeat on that one, which makes me really miserable. Treats-wise, I have had the odd chocolate, and have made lower sugar cakes (carefully weighed, and lower calorie than non-diet bought ones), but NO crisps or snacks which I can't stop eating once I start. I am seriously wondering if I am just destined to be fat forever. You literally can't have your cake and eat it, you have to feel the pain to get the gain (or loss, in this case...). I guess I'll feel better in a few days, once I have got used to my disappointment and got over my self-pity.

[Ketogirl in reply to Mazroz]

intensivedietarymanagement.... - this great blog by Dr Jason Fung may help a lot, explains why even the smallest amount of sugar/sweetners even LOOKING at scrummy food pics will spike your insulin - and insulin is the key hormone to fat storage. good luck

[Fran182716 in reply to Mazroz]

Hi Mazroz, sorry you have made good positive changes and the scales haven't shown what you'd like. But they are still positive changes for your health you just need to tweak it a bit more. I hate counting , weighing and measuring and am not doing that at the moment but like you have found healthy mindful eating is a good way to maintain but not losing much.

I felt bad for you when I read you were thinking of swapping real food for nasty processed "diet" stuff. I really don't think you need to do that, stuff like olive oil and cheese are great but so calorie dense it's easy to overestimate and there's the difference between maintaining weight and a small steady loss. Calorie counting is a chore but I'd still rather do that than give up real food.

I think Hidden had a really good idea when he suggested calorie counting for a while so you get to know what 30g cheese etc looks like, it's clearly not something that would suit you long term, and once youve got a better idea you could just weigh the most calorie dense foods and estimate the rest.

Good Luck 😀

[Mazroz in reply to Fran182716]

Thanks for your comments. Feeling a little less 'raw' this morning, and more resigned to persevering. I think I will start weighing stuff, and trying to train my husband to use the scales and measuring jug! Like you, Fran, I can't face nasty 'diet' stuff! Hey Ho, here we go!

[Mazroz]

This all sounds really sensible, concerned, thank you. Sorry if I'm being a bit dense, but can you explain what you mean by getting my energy from 'natural fat'? I have definitely heard of low GI foods, and cutting back on protein.

[CaptainRainbow 10 kg]

I can sympathise with this a lot. When I first joined a gym, and making (admittedly small) changes to my diet, I weighed myself after 3 months and was horrified to discover I'd put on 2.5kg. I was absolutely mortified, and no matter how much the trainers at the gym tried to reassure me this was likely just muscle mass, it still sent me down a bit of a spiral, and I wondered why on earth I was putting in all the effort for no gain... however, at least I knew my gym routine was good, but after I stopped crying (after about a week) it gave me the kick I needed to really overhaul my diet and get much more strict with myself. So I was in a very similar place to you, but with a few changes since then I've lost 10kg. So it is possible, just sometimes it takes a while.

[Mazroz in reply to CaptainRainbow]

Thanks Captain Rainbow - I need stories like yours to make myself keep going!

[CaptainRainbow 10 kg in reply to Mazroz]

I totally get that, it's easy to feel like you're the only one ever struggling, and everyone else is succeeding! One of my partners had found when he started running and gymming that nothing really changed on his body for months, and then all of a sudden it started moving - took me a long time to believe him, but it's what made me keep it up.

So you're certainly not alone with this, and it's horrible to feel like your effort is for nothing, but it's always paving the way, so long as you stick it out and keep making changes until you find something that works. For me, I found omelettes for breakfast and low carb dinners helped the weight finally start shedding.

[Latinlady]

Hi Mazroz In your normal eating day do you ever feel actually hungry? I have found if I do get hunger pains during the day I enjoy my meals far more and usually lose weight on these days. It seems to me that feeling peckish/hungry signifies I am not overeating and my weight does go down.

At the moment I have been doing the Jane Plan which has all the food you eat worked out for you, in my case 1200 calories. It is not cheap but I do think worth a try as it takes the guesswork out of calorie counting. The food for the most part is also quite tasty. I have been on it a month and have lost 7lbs. I am doing it again for Feb and then intend to introduce my own food after that and stick to 1200 calories. Might be of interest to you?

I know how despondent it can make you feel when you have tried so hard and then lose a big fat zero! Excuse the pun! I do think though in my case what I perceive I am eating as a reduced diet is always more calories than I thought so have had to count them which as you say is a real bore. I hope some of this is helpful and I do wish you all the best and everyone on here.

[Mazroz in reply to Latinlady]

LatinLady - I would definitely do something like Jane Plan if I were in charge of the cooking/shopping! However, my husband does all of that, and I don't think my resolve would last eating different food from him. I think JPlan must help to get things started - and like you say, you can revert to your own creations once things are under control! I must start weighing stuff. Good luck with your journey, and well done for losing 7 lbs!

[Paja02]

You've definitely gained muscles, I'm sure you'll start to loose weight soon

[Doobie1702]

Hi Mazroz are you making sure your keeping to your daily water intake as this makes a tremendous difference to weight loss and hunger. 😁