Not losing any weight with diet and exercise! Help!?
 

I've been exercising and dieting, and the first two weeks I lost 6 pounds, but then I've been stuck. It's really frustrating ...it makes me want to give :(

Starting weight was 164
Now 157
Height 5"5
Female, 18 years old

I work for 1.5 hours a day and go 5 times a week, and I ride my bike to the gym and back home which is 1.5 miles away so its 15-20 minute ride

I usually eat 800-1200 calories a day

Hello! You are work so hard. And your muscles become bigger. Muscles are heavier than fat. So, everything is OK. Do not worry. Good luck!

Track all the food you eat!
 

Continue exercising as you are but the most important thing to do to lose weight is track and weigh EVERY food you eat during the day to ensure you are staying under your goal calorie amount. Don't rely on memory as we can easily deceive ourselves. :)

Try cutting back on the exercise by about half for a week and see what happens. I suspect over training/under eating is putting your body under some stress. Sometimes less IS more. More than likely your muscles are retaining water. Remember losing the weight slowly is important so that you can keep your muscles while losing fat. Also, rather than just watching the scale get out a tape measure and use it for another look into what your body is actually doing.

Thanks guys, you made me feel better. I'll continue with this and get back to you

With the amount you excersie 800-1200 calories is not enough...up your protein. You should be a =between 1200-1400 maybe more some days. Up your water also

I listen to two guys who have a podcast on iTunes (free to subscribe to their podcast), 'Fat 2 Fit.' They also have a website but i like listening to their podcast.

They have a refreshing take on dieting. They say to live like the slender person you are aiming to be. It sounds to me like you are doing just that. Everyone's got an opinion about slim people but, excepting the people who are naturally skinny people and may even have a hard time gaining weight, slim people do eat less and move more.

That's what you're doing. You're just getting impatient about the weight loss. I agree with whoever suggested carefully counting all your food (weigh and measure it as well...) Not only do people underestimate how much they eat but they tend to get sloppier about how they measure as time goes on - those people who even bother to measure, that is!

Make sure that you don't underestimate you calorie intake..Where the calories come from isn't important when it comes to calorie counting. A calorie is largely a calorie, and it makes no difference if your 1200 calories come from chocolate, or garden-grown salad leaves that were watered with organic spring water.
Healthy food (there is no such thing as 'real food'), or if you want to call it that, 'clean food' is certainly healthier for you, and will have a positive impact on your wellbeing, but in the scheme of losing weight and controlling calories, it makes no difference whatsoever..
hope it would help out..
thanks..
please do not spam our site.

It sounds as if you have reached one of the dreaded "plateaus". But that should pass and you will start losing weight again.
Best wishes!

Not all calories have the same effect
 

I sort of have to disagree with stotalhealth on the calories thing. Having read the exhaustively reserched and very well documented book by Gary Taubes I believe that not all calories have the same impact on health or weight. (edit: book is Good Calories, Bad Calories) Eat more fat, fewer carbs (much fewer grains and other starches especially, and quit sugar altogether), watch your protein quantities. This might shake you up a bit and you may see some slow movement downwards.

And I agree 100% that you are not taking in enough total calories. Your body may be slowing down weight loss to hold on to its own lean mass. More fat and meat, fewer carbs - why not give it a try?

Just a suggestion, but look at where those 800-1200 calories a day are coming from. 800 calories a day seems pretty low. Check your weight range for your age and height. Your gym may have a fancy scale that gives that information, or you can find it on the web. Also, if you're working out five days a week for an hour-and-a-half, depending on what you're doing, you may want to work with a trainer to get the most impact. Good luck - it's good to read about your motivation to live a healthy lifestyle.

loose unwanted fat
 

I just want to make one thing clear that diet doesn’t means to make away from food but diet means to have a food in a good routine basis to have a good diet and to loose unwanted fat is to eat green vegetables and fruits on a daily routine basis. Also a daily routine exercise makes a body in a good tone.

You are so right! A calorie is a calorie and they all add up to be a pound if eaten in excess. We must concentrate on being healthy and not just about losing weight. Its a delicate balance, but it sounds as though we are all on the right track and we will make it with such great support people. Thank you!

Yes it is true to have healthy diet. It does not matter that how much times you are skipping your meal. But the thing is that how much healthy meal you are taking. Stop eating junk food and drink water at least 15 to 20 glasses a day even more if you can. Wake up early in the morning and have exercises. always have your meal on time.

MDRL so far every response that you have received has been applicable to your situation, especially the post by Evaner.

If I could talk to you personally, my first question would be about the intensity of your workouts.

My scale hasnt moved now in weeks, but I am putting on muscle and dropping fat like crazy, and I EAT CONSTANTLY. I am eating now!!

But, I had been wearing a 36 pant. The other day, I decided that they were too baggy so I dug out some other pants.

I put on a pair that I think a friend left here.

I thought that they were 34, but there was still room in them, then today I took them off and looked at the size and they were only a 33!

I dont even remember the last time I was 32, but I am heading there.

With me, though I am in little different scenario.

I really hit the gym hard, really hard, Plus, last night I walked for an hour, today I did 1/2 hour cardio at around 70 to 75 percent of my max heart rate.

People don't realize the importance of calories, and depending on your work out intensity, you may not be getting enough.

BUT, every single person on here has a different body type, and agenda and we all react to certain foods and methods of exercise differently.

This isn't really exact, this dieting, but the basic principles apply to everyone.

More than likely you base rate is probably 1200 calories, and that means if you were just laying there breathing.

Whatever you do, don't starve yourself, it work in reverse.

Why can't I set a weight goal higher than my current weight?
 

Why can't I set a weight goal higher than my current weight?

I guess you have to loosen up a bit. Maybe there's nothing wrong with your exercise routine but there is with your other activities. Might be you're too stressed on other things then you do exercise. Stress is one contributor of getting no good results in something you want to achieve. I had the same experience when I studied internal medicine for a few years. I got back in losing weight fast after I got through with my studies.