Doing everything "right" and can't seem to lose

I'm 5'7" and 176 lbs, and have been counting calories for about two and a half weeks now. 

I am planning on losing slowly, and would be happy even with a 1-1.5 lb loss by now, but I am not seeing even that!

I exercise 4-5 times a week, for 40 min on the treadmill, walking very briskly.

I drink a decent amount of water per day (probably close to 50 oz.)

I am sticking religiously to 1800 cals per day (I am strict with counting), with the exception of one day which is closer to about 2500 (definitely not more, probably less, and still relatively healthy foods.)

In general, my food choices are excellent (low fat proteins, whole grains, heavy on the fruits and veggies.)

I weighed 176.0 three weeks ago and today weighed in at 176.6.

Am I missing something?  I see many discussions about "plateaus" but these people all seem to have started by losing *something.* 

I realize that two and a half weeks is a very short amount of time....but still...to have *gained* 0.6 lbs overall? It is very frustrating.

I would really appreciate anyone's thoughts/support!

Either try more exercise or cutting more calories. Also the first choice is way better than the second.

That sounds really frustrating!  Sometimes it does take a while to start losing - especially if you are new to exercise.  Your muscles may be retaining water to heal themselves from the unaccustomend activity.  Make sure you are pushing yourself on the treadmill to get the maximum effect of it.  You might consider lifting weights - I've had a lot of success with that.

Have you lost any inches?  Do your clothes fit any better?  Sometimes weight doesn't change much, but your size does.  Remember scales really are fickle things, and weight can be affected by a lot of factors, so the number you are seeing may not be a true reflection of your progress.  It is not unusual to have a 2-3 pound difference from day to day.

I agree with the previeous posters, try changing your calories or your exercise around and see what happens. I know that whenever I start a new exercise routine its pretty typical to see a two or three pound weight gain, your muscles hang onto water more to aid in recovery, so maybe the water gain cancelled out a loss??? Secondly, if you are a girl could it be close to that time of the month? that usually causes a gain to. Whaterver happens, stay healthy, keep experimenting if you are like 99.9% of people in the world your body is totally able to lose weight you just have to play with the numbers

You and I have very similar stats, and when I first started working out I didn't see any results for the first couple of weeks, but then my body got the hang of things and it went fine (1 lb. per week lost).  So don't worry; keep going!

Drop your calories down to 1500 a few days a week. 

Pick up the pace walking or try run/walk

Cut out sugars, carbs (the bad ones) and alcohol.

Good luck 

It is possible that it's your measurement methods as well. If you're measuring with measuring cups and spoons rather than a scale, your estimation of how many calories you're consuming may be very off.

Lets start first with your BMR.   You say you are 5'7" and 176 pounds.  I'm guessing you are female and I'll take another guess and assume you are in your early twenties?   Please correct me if I'm wrong.   The more facts, the easier it is to figure it out.

Going by my guesses,  that would put your BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate) around 1600-1700 calories.  What that means is that your body burns that many calories every day just for every day bodily functions.   If you are an active person,  you are going to burn more.   

One pound of fat is equal to 3500 calories.  To lose one pound per week,  you need a calorie deficit of 500 calories per day.  This can be done a couple of ways.  Eating more calories,  but burning them off through exercise,  or by eating less than your BMR.   The best way to do it is by incorporating both exercise and reduced calorie intake. Do you know how many calories you are burning during your workouts?

If you are eating 1800 calories per day, and not burning enough, you are maintaining weight if not gaining a little.

I have been trying to lose 10 pounds for the last 5 years, and this:

Original Post by canuckabroad:
Cut out sugars, carbs (the bad ones) and alcohol.

plus no carbs at all at dinner has me down 8 pounds in 11 days.

Hang in there and good luck!

k

I started at your height/weight as well, and girl you are not overweight enough where "walking briskly" is going to substitute for a real workout plan. 

As someone else already mentioned, 1800 is a high number for a diet and you are going to have to do real workouts if you want to see the scale go down. 

People talk about walking being the key to losing weight - but these are older, more overweight, completely sedentary people.  Walking will not help someone in a more normal weight range.

40 minutes of walking 3 miles per hour MIGHT be burning 200 calories in each workout, if you're lucky.  Adding in just a little running, or switching to an aerobics exercise tape, anything that actually raises your heart rate will really help.

incorporate resistance training.  it will definitely help you break through your plateau.  and make sure the intensity level of whatever exercise you are doing is at least above moderate.  your body is designed to be efficient, and so doing the same exercise you did two months ago at the same intensity and type won't burn you as many calories as it did before.  and may i suggest HIIT (high intensity interval training), it definitely gave me good results.

and yes, 2 1/2 weeks is a relatively short time to expect results, as your body may be in an adjustment period as another replier said.

stay motivated, don't give up.  good luck =)

Hello,

I agree with many posters here where they advise you to exercise a bit more and possiblty cut your calories.  Another thing I would recommend in drinking more water. that helps flush fat cells (and other bodily toxins/waste) out.  Generally speaking 50 oz is not that much water.  Plus, it will help you feel more full (and hopefulyl will help you want to cut a few extra calories out of your diet.  I would also try maybe eating less fruits and more veggies.  This way, you get the vitamins and fiber, but not as much sugar.  My 2 cents. Good luck- you will get there!

HEY BRIT LOVER

LISTEN I KNOW HOW U FEEL I SPENT 3 WEEKS OF INTENSE DIETING AND WORKING OUT WITH 0 RESULTS. PLEASE GIVE IT TIME I KNOW THAT IT IS FRUSTRATING BUT U HAVE TO LET YOUR METABLOISM CATCH UP WITH YOUR BODY CHANGE. IT HAS BEEN 2 MONTHS AND I AM STARTING TO SEE RESULTS OF INCHES AND I FINALLY LOST 5 POUNDS. IT IS NOT EASY BUT THE BEST THING TO DO IS STICK IT OUT. REMINDER TRY TO EAT AS LIGHT AS POSSIBLE IN THE EVENING AND EAT MOST OF YOUR CALORIES EARLY ON. IF POSSIBLE TRY TO WORK OUT IN THE MORNING AS OFTEN AS YOU CAN BECAUSE THE HEART RATE AND METABOLISM GET A BOOST EARLY ON AND HELP YOU LOOSE WEIGHT THROUGHOUT THE DAY. I KNOW ITS FRUSTRATING AND I STILL AM FRUSTRATED BUT IN THE END KEEP IT UP AND THE RESULTS WILL HAPPEN. GOOD LUCK!

ok I'm going to sound like the anti cc person but I was experiencing your pain but after 6 months. I was exercising a lot, walking every day and elip. 3 x plus weight lifting. no results. ugh. I went to a nutritionist finally. I was so glad I did b/c I thought I was crazy + people must have thought I was eating in my sleep. With her instructions I had one week of eating whatever 2400+ and maintaining my exercise load. After that week of eating dangerously I was up .5 lb! Then she reduced my calories to 1600. She called it restting my metabolism. I need that again!! But I was able to lose slowly with her help and using cc as a guide, 7 lbs in 4 months.

So I don't know...I guess I would consider you could be eating too little. There are many pros now who tweak your intake up to yield better results. And as far as walking is concerned, I think it's great. My friend lost 20 lbs by watching her calories but mostly by walking. I love it bc I do it every day, rain or shine. I like a habit I can maintain and incorporate into my lifestyle not something I'll do just to get results and then drop. Good luck!

Hey ya'll...

I want to apologize for not responding to a lot of the great advice you guys had for me.

I did read it and find it really helpful...thanks for the support!

I want to update:

began calorie counting on 7/03 at 176 lbs (eating 1800/day and exercising on treadmill 4-5 times per week)

by 7/27 I was at 176.8 lbs

I switched to 1500/day and am now (on 8/03) at 171.6!!!

Which is a loss of 4.4 lbs in 4 weeks, which is I am really happy about.  I guess:

a)  I may have been overeating a bit with 1800, since I don't think 40 min on the treadmill 4x a week is burning as many cals as I thought it was

and b) some people's bodies just work differently, and instead of losing steadily, they drop a lot all of a sudden.  I'm sure also that my body did need to get used to my new routine.

I hope this keeps up!

Thanks again for the support.