Could someone help me? :(

Hi everyone. :)

My name's Claire and I'm trying to get to an ideal weight for my height.

I started my weight loss challenge a couple of days after new year 2008 and started at 10 stone 7 pounds. I knew that if I carried on with my junk food diet that I'd get overweight for my 5'4 frame.

So, I'm writing a bit of a rant here.

20th January I weighed in at 10 stone 3lbs.

On this current date, 19th Feb, I weigh a dissapointing 9 stone 12, which is 5 lbs weight loss in a month. Also, I haven't lost a pound in 8 days. I'm trying to get to about 8 1/2 stone.

I'm being strict on my diet, eating about 1100 callories a day. However, I reduced my intake to 800 cals because I was noticing no difference. I'm now back up to about 1100 cals a day because there was still no change in my weight loss. I also excercise to Natalie Cassidy's workout DVD 4-5 times a week.

Why am I not losing anything? I'm getting incredibley frustrated! I just feel like giving up.

Btw, sorry if this is in the wrong place. I'm a bit of a newbie. :)


My typical meals each day is this:

Breakfast - Cereal with skimmed milk

Lunch - Chicken breast on wholemeal pitta.

Dinner - Tomatoes, mushrooms, with wholegrain pasta (sometimes with low fat mozzerella cheese)

Snacks - Pineapple/ apples/ 3 party rings at 30 cals each/ low fat hummous with 1 wholegrain pitta.

Drink - Purple grape juice, diet fizzy drinks 1-2 glasses of water, 1 cup low cal Horlicks.
 
I think perhaps your calorie intake is too low, and that your body has gone into "starvation mode" ie it is hanging on to anything it can as it feels it is being deprived. Perhaps you could up your calories by about 200 for a week, drink plenty of water and see if that makes a difference. xx
 
On this current date, 19th Feb, I weigh a dissapointing 9 stone 12, which is 5 lbs weight loss in a month.

Hi Claire :) 5lb in a month is great :clap: It's the recommended amount. Try to be pleased ;)

Also, I haven't lost a pound in 8 days.

This happens. I know it's frustrating, but it's very common to have a stall when you are closer to goal.

I'm being strict on my diet, eating about 1100 callories a day. However, I reduced my intake to 800 cals because I was noticing no difference.

1100 is the minimum you should have on a calorie controlled diet that's not a formula (such as Cambridge/Lighterlife). It's still low though, especially since you are doing a lot of exercise.

The body gets used to such a small amount very quickly. Now, I know this will probably be a shock, but often (in fact...very often), people find it helps to increase the calories. I know it makes little sense, but it works.

Try upping it by about 200 calories a day, or maybe, if you are nervous about doing that, have a day on 1400 (minimum), followed by another at 1100.

But, 1100 isn't really enough with the exercise you are doing. Fine for a week or two, but not for much longer.

Your menus look very healthy:cool:

Do let us know how you get on.
 
Teehee. I didn't see your reply when I sent mine Cheryl
 
Hi Claire :) 5lb in a month is great :clap: It's the recommended amount. Try to be pleased ;)



This happens. I know it's frustrating, but it's very common to have a stall when you are closer to goal.



1100 is the minimum you should have on a calorie controlled diet that's not a formula (such as Cambridge/Lighterlife). It's still low though, especially since you are doing a lot of exercise.

The body gets used to such a small amount very quickly. Now, I know this will probably be a shock, but often (in fact...very often), people find it helps to increase the calories. I know it makes little sense, but it works.

Try upping it by about 200 calories a day, or maybe, if you are nervous about doing that, have a day on 1400 (minimum), followed by another at 1100.

But, 1100 isn't really enough with the exercise you are doing. Fine for a week or two, but not for much longer.

Your menus look very healthy:cool:

Do let us know how you get on.
Thanks alot KD ;)

I feel a little better now, thought my diet was pretty crappy. :eek:
 
Ahh, thanks so much :D

Do you think it'd be ok if I eat an extra 200 cals a day eating a couple of party rings? I'm craving them SO much

If not, I'll have something healthy. heheh

My water intake is pretty low, I'll have to try drinking more :)

Enjoy your party rings :) They'll be fine
 
Hi everyone. :)

My name's Claire and I'm trying to get to an ideal weight for my height.

I started my weight loss challenge a couple of days after new year 2008 and started at 10 stone 7 pounds. I knew that if I carried on with my junk food diet that I'd get overweight for my 5'4 frame.

So, I'm writing a bit of a rant here.

20th January I weighed in at 10 stone 3lbs.

On this current date, 19th Feb, I weigh a dissapointing 9 stone 12, which is 5 lbs weight loss in a month. Also, I haven't lost a pound in 8 days. I'm trying to get to about 8 1/2 stone.

I'm being strict on my diet, eating about 1100 callories a day. However, I reduced my intake to 800 cals because I was noticing no difference. I'm now back up to about 1100 cals a day because there was still no change in my weight loss. I also excercise to Natalie Cassidy's workout DVD 4-5 times a week.

Why am I not losing anything? I'm getting incredibley frustrated! I just feel like giving up.

Btw, sorry if this is in the wrong place. I'm a bit of a newbie. :)


My typical meals each day is this:

Breakfast - Cereal with skimmed milk

Lunch - Chicken breast on wholemeal pitta.

Dinner - Tomatoes, mushrooms, with wholegrain pasta (sometimes with low fat mozzerella cheese)

Snacks - Pineapple/ apples/ 3 party rings at 30 cals each/ low fat hummous with 1 wholegrain pitta.

Drink - Purple grape juice, diet fizzy drinks 1-2 glasses of water, 1 cup low cal Horlicks.

Hi there Claire - sorry to hear you're frustrated at the speed of your weight loss....but you can see that your current weight if 9st 12lbs is within the healthy range of 8st 4lbs (BMI 20) to 10st 5lbs (BMI 25)...

Also - you should NOT be reducing your calories to less than 1000.... going so low can actually be counter productive in that your body will go into 'starvation' mode and will hang on to every bit of extra weight that you may be carrying......

Your body needs a certain amount of calories just to exist - this is called your Basal Metabollic Rate....you don't say how old you BUT I have calculated for age 20, height 5'4" and weight of 138lbs (9st 12lbs) and the BMR is 1462 calories BEFORE you do anything !!!

So - you can see that 800 cals is far too low...have a quick read at this.....

Calorie Needs to lose weight

There are approximately 3500 calories in a pound of stored body fat.

So, if you create a 3500-calorie deficit through diet, exercise or a combination of both, you will lose one pound of body weight. (On average 75% of this is fat, 25% lean tissue) If you create a 7000 calorie deficit you will lose two pounds and so on. The calorie deficit can be achieved either by calorie-restriction alone, or by a combination of fewer calories in (diet) and more calories out (exercise). This combination of diet and exercise is best for lasting weight loss. Indeed, sustained weight loss is difficult or impossible without increased regular exercise.

If you want to lose fat, a useful guideline for lowering your calorie intake is to reduce your calories by at least 500, but not more than 1000 below your maintenance level. For people with only a small amount of weight to lose, 1000 calories will be too much of a deficit. As a guide to minimum calorie intake, it is recommended that calorie levels never drop below 1200 calories per day for women or 1800 calories per day for men. Even these calorie levels are quite low.
An alternative way of calculating a safe minimum calorie-intake level is by reference to your body weight or current body weight. Reducing calories by 15-20% below your daily calorie maintenance needs is a useful start. You may increase this depending on your weight loss goals.

For you - this would be 1462 MINUS 20% (i.e. 293 cals) - calories to LOSE weight would be 1169.6

hope that helps.....you could also have a look at

Weight Loss Resources

FAB site - you can register for a 3 day free trial.....and check out your calorie alowance etc, record exercise against food, break down in fat/carb/protein terms of the food you eat etc. etc.

Also - you may be losing inches rather than weight - have you measured yourself ????!!! Sometimes the scales only tell half the story.......

wishing you lots of luck......

keep us posted with your progress !

Debz xx
 
oops !! was obviously cross-typing with KD & Cheryl :p

hope I didn't confuse the issue !!!

Debz xx
 
I'm wondering if I could also be gaining muscle as well as loosing fat, due to no change in weight loss? =/

Despite the common myth, the extra muscle won't be enough to register on the scales I'm afraid, but, exercise can cause the muscles to hold on to water, so the scales don't give the true story.

No probs, I am glad I got it right! (I seldom do lol)
Rubbish:p
 
Hey, You could always try a rosemary connelly diet, your even aloud a 100kcal treat a day! Most people lose about 1.5 to 2lbs a week. Basically you eat loads of fruit and veg and dont have any item of food above 5g of fat (this is excluding your 100kcal treat a day that can be above 5g of fat)
 
I might just try that, if this diet doesn't go to plan. :) Thanks for the tip

Ok, Since last night and this morning I have put on 1/2 pound. I had an extra bowl of cereal and a lot of water, then I did my excersizes. I've probably only put it on because I'm a lil bloated today though. :jelous:

Today I've had 3 rounds of toast with beans and a bit of my boyfriends sandwhich, two 30cal biscuits and cheerios with skimmed milk, and alot of water (to up my intake of callories by 200). I'm going to have sweet potato mash with quorn sausages for my dinner. Hopefully I'm not going overboard. Does anyone think this is too much? :confused:
 
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