My Weight Loss Efforts Just Aren't Working!

Are you monitoring your heart rate during exercise? Cardio should be banging out between 65% and 85% of your maximum predicted heart rate for maximal benefit. I've seen many people plateau only to discover that inefficient cardio work was the cause.

As much information as you have given, it's still not enough to accurately figure out what you're "doing wrong". However, there are a few things you need to look out for. Firstly, you claim to be eating very healthily, but it is possible that you're not eating quite as healthily as you think. I've read that drinking diet sodas can have the same effects as normal soda (increasing insulin levels, therefore shifting the body towards fat storage) despite being low calorie. Low fat, low carb, or somewhere in between, you need to be getting adequate protein in - approximately 1 gram per pound. You could also either be working out too hard or not hard enough. Working out too hard without adequate rest will raise cortisol levels, which has been linked with fat storage. Working out not hard enough and you're not doing enough. Are you getting enough sleep/rest? Remember, you have to have a balance. If you're working out really hard, you have to rest really hard. Those are just a few things, hope it helps.

First, please disabuse yourself of the notion that eating "healthy food" will help you lose weight. It won't. Calories are really all that matter. Carbohydrates are not evil. It's okay to eat sugar. Relax. Enjoy life.

If you have been "trying to lose weight for four months" then you need to STOP dieting. Take a two week break from dieting to eat at maintenance level calories. You can estimate your required calories including the day's exercise using any number of calculators on the web. I like the one on ExRx.net.

After you take a two week break from dieting, then you can try again.

Hi sanp,
Good for you for working out and attempting to get your weight down. It sounds like you are on the right track with a variety of workout modes and healthy eating. Have you consulted with your doctor before getting started? If not, you may want to let your physician know what you are up to and how it's going. Not all doctors are very well versed in weight loss, but if you believe that your efforts are in vain, you might want to eliminate the possibility of an underlying metabolic problem. That's actually pretty rare, but it does happen. Also, do you realize that muscle weighs more than fat? That is, one pound of muscle takes up a lot less space that one pound of fat. So, don't just weigh yourself, be sure to take measurements with a flexible measuring tape, and maybe get a trusted friend to take some "before" photos so that you can document your progress. To make sure you are accounting for calories properly, keep a food diary for a few weeks. Write down *everything* you put in your mouth, including beverages and condiments - it all counts. Finally, even if you haven't lost any weight, your activity is strengthening your heart (if, as moddoctor pointed out, you are working out hard enough.) But any activity is better for you than none, and eating healthy foods like you've described is better for you than just giving up and eating fried & sugary foods. Hang in there - and ask for more help "on the ground", where you are, either from your doctor or from a certified fitness professional at your gym. Best of luck to you.
-Colleen W.

I had a similar issue last summer. I thought I was eating healthy but found I really was not. I did lose some weight, about 20lbs, but gained it right back plus 5. May I did things differently, I've lost 30lbs WITHOUT changing my calorie intake. Here's my suggestions:

1. I recently did an experiement for my college SR. project about estrogen and endocrine disrupting hormones. We found that the male rats we injected with estrodiol gained more weight. And here's the kicker. They did NOT eat more. I went organic for my chicken, milk, eggs, ect. At least go organic for the dairy and eggs if you can't afford to do it completely.

2. Do NOT starve yourself. You will just crave carbs as I did I'm sure and binge. Eat your protein. You absolutly must have that in order to work out. If you're not getting enough to go GNC and get some whey protein it's only like 120 caleries and mixes right into a glass of water. Additionaly, if you are working out, especially if you are working out. You HAVE TO HAVE FAT. This is important. You can buy those fish oil tablets at like walgreens or whatever.

3. Buy and read the book that has changed my life forever: "Good calories Bad calories" can't remember the author's name but he is the editor of science mag. It's extremely technical but it's well worth the work to read it.

4. Go get a check up. There are many hormones that could be absent or reduced which will cause you to be unable to lose weight. Have your doc check your thyroid. Getting the check up should probably be #1 on my list because you should do that before you do anything else.

These are my suggestions and they have worked for me and my husband. I lost 30lbs and my husband has lost 60. Our energy level increased, we started working out in June, just one month after our diet change. Before our diet was changed working out made us so tired. LOL everything made us tired, honestly.

Best of luck,
Jennifer

Hi sanp,

I recently went through a similar struggle. Writing down everything you eat is an amazing process. We forget most of the stuff we eat soon after eating:) Secondly, you are right about not eating enough calories. I don't know your vital statistics but for me, (5'6" about 140), I ingest about 1700-1800 cals/day. I eat 6 meals, portioned control, and the meals contain the three macronutrients (protein, carbs, & fat) is a designated proportion. I can share more with you but it's the only calorie restriction that has ever worked for me... Let me know if you want more info...

Hello Sanp,

Sorry that your weight loss efforts aren't working. Maybe it is how much you are eating in the middle of the day. May if you ate smaller meals it would work. I agree with LisaM 's post. You should eat 6 small portioned meals that are balanced. There a new single-serve meal tote called basikbox that can help you carry smaller portioned meals. I think is really good for eating healthy on the go.

I agree with LisaM. Balancing your protein, carbs, and fat is important. You need protein to burn fat and you need to ingest good fats to help nourish your body. If you aren't eating the right balance of protein, carbs and fats for your metabolic body type, you probably will not lose.
Have you ever thought of starting to take your measurements? How are your clothes fitting? Any different? You could be losing inches and not even realizing it. Muscle weighs more than fat and takes up a whole lot less space.
Would love hear back from you on this. I may be able to help.
Lynn

Try not eating fruit with other foods. When eaten with proteins or starches it will cause your system to take longer to process your food intake.

You may eat veggies with anything, but only eat fruits along. It is also best not to eat proteins and starches together, since they too digest at different rates.

You may have fruit juice, but stop drinking as soon as your begin your meal.

Hope this helps.

I was pretty much in the same boat as you. 5'2 and 147 lbs. I took a break from everything for a couple months and got in contact with a friend of mine who is a personal trainer. I found out I wasn't eating enough. I also had a very low protein intake too. I now supplement with whey protein powder. I am working out 3 times a week and now weigh 149 and have a body fat % of 18. I am still working on getting some fat off around my stomach and my butt but it now looks like I have some hope. I was so stuck on the #s I was working out 6 days a week and eating around 1000 to 1200 calories a day. He pretty much told me too much exercise and not enough food. So I balanced everything out.

I can only imagine how frustrating this is for you. Being a mom twice your age, I'm thinking that a trip to the family doctor might be in order. I hope not, but there could be a physiological disorder causing the problem. Good luck to you. Let us know how you're doing.
P.S. TO BARRY, SHUT UP !!! unless you have something constructive to say. You're not helping.

Hi sanp!

Suz29's advice to your doctor is very good, just in case you have an underlying thyroid problem that could be preventing weight loss.

Another tip, it's not all about how many calories you eat and expend. Equally important, I should say even more even more important, is the proportions of the quality of the macronutrients (protein, carbohydrate and fat) that those calories come from. You'll have the best results eating meal composed of lean protein, lots of veggies, some fruit and a dash of monounsaturated fat. I had difficulty similar to yours, had tried many combinations of healthy eating, and was not losing. I was finally very successful when I started eating according to the Zone diet. The Zone diet is a sensible balanced eating plan that results in gaining hormonal control, lowering inflammation in the body and losing the excess body fat permanently. I lost 100 pounds of excess stored fat during my first two years of eating 'in the Zone', getting to my ideal weight and body fat%. That was 15 years ago, and I've kept it off.

Good luck!

Sanp,

If you're looking for diet plan to follow, Body-For-Life worked great for me. It pretty much spells out what many of those above have been saying. 5-6 balanced meals a day, good carbs vs bad carb, enough food to actually work FOR your exercising rather than against it, hitting your max in exercise in only 45 minutes. I lost 30 lbs on it between Feb 02 and July 02. Unfortunately AS EXPECTED if you go back to eating the way you did before, you gain it all back. And I did... Like you, I am 5'3 hovering at about 165-168. I am really physically fit but I can't seem to get the weight off. I'm trying to get back on this plan (as it should be FOR LIFE) but I'm having to eat at the chowhall everyday at the moment. Makes planning meals a pain in the butt.

Google it and you can find the web site. They sell the book at most book store too. I swear by it, just need to get back to it.