Please help, I'm having trouble losing weight despite really trying

Hi all, I'm new to this forum and am having real difficulty in losing weight. I have been going to the gym now properly for 8 weeks and dieting for 6 weeks, however I don't seem to be losing any weight. I'm weighing myself every fortnight and the first time I weighed myself I'd lost 3 pounds and the second time I'd lost half a pound.
At the gym I do spinning on a Monday and a Wednesday, I do pilates after spinning on a Wednesday, studio resistance on a Thursday and just do my programme at the gym most other days. I'm really getting down about it. I go on holiday in 7 weeks and can't bear to go looking like this. Oh by the way I'm 5.3 and weigh 13 stone. Please someone help me. I don't know where I am going wrong or what else I can do.

Thu. Aug 5, 6:05am

While exercise is one part of losing weight, I'd put it at <30% for me. What I eat (or don't eat) is the other 70+% of success. Are you keeping your food log? Are you tracking calories or points? Do you have group mates who can point out to you where you might be going off track?

Thursday, August 5, 2010, 6:21 AM

No I'm not keeping a food log, but what i'm eating is this:
Breakfast - either a boiled egg with a glass of milk or some cereal (oats and honey), I alternate each week.
I then have a snack of carrot sticks and hummus. For lunch I either have a chicken salad, with a light salad dressing, olives and feta cheese, or I have crisp bread crackers and low fat cheese spread. For my tea (sorry I'm from England, not sure what you call this meal) I have something like a jacket potato with cottage cheese, or a prawn or chicken dish, or noodles etc.

Thursday, August 5, 2010, 6:38 AM

All of that could be helpful or not, depending on _amount_. Hummus is great for one in moderation -- small serving size is key for chicken salad or potato or noodles or cereal. Start measuring and counting calories and see how you come out. It's easy to be eating >2000 calories/day with those foods without realizing it.

Thursday, August 5, 2010, 8:23 AM

actually, as healthy weight loss goes, 3 1/2 pounds in 4 weeks is on the slow side of normal. I know you want to drop a bunch of weight before your trip, but it's risky to go faster than 1-2 pounds per week over several weeks.

Maybe the eating plan you're following isn't the right one for you? Many women have better weight loss and keeping it off with a low carb or balanced carb plan like Atkins, Protein Power, or South Beach. For some reason we turn carbs into fat where men use them for energy. :-(

Also, portion control is important. Get a set of measuring cups and spoons or a postal scale, and stick eactly to what you plan prescribes - you will be amazed at the difference between usual servings and the real deal.

Hang in there - it is harder for shorter people for some reason. My 5'0" mom struggled with her weight almost her entire life - only ill health and dentures allowed her to return to her pre-marriage weight in her 80's.

Thursday, August 5, 2010, 10:22 AM

Having trouble losing weight despite really trying, here's help

It sounds like you are not doing cardio. So in essence, you are building muscle but not doing anything to lose fat. It could also be that you are not eating the right diet foods for your body to react to. Remember, the first 5-10 lbs is always water, then you will start losing weight if you are doing the right things. And the more weight you have on you, the more you will lose initially. I am not sure what 13 stone means but if you have 50+ lbs to lose, try starting out on a veggie diet first. If you can stick to eating veggies with spinach and beans for protein for two weeks, you will definitely see a loss. Stay away from fried foods and processed foods and fat for those two weeks, and the weight will jump off. You will also need to do cardio at least 4 days a week. Swimming, walking, or jogging are great ways to do cardio. And stay off the scale for the two weeks and you should see some progress after this.

Thursday, August 5, 2010, 11:19 AM

the soup rocks... definitely try this recipe:

http://blog.peertrainer.com/tip_of_the_day/2009/12/pureed-peertrainer-energy-soup-recipe.html

Link

Thursday, August 5, 2010, 11:32 AM

log, log, log!

You said you're not keeping a food log?
I can almost GUARANTEE that once you do, you will lose weight. Log every bite, every single thing you put in your mouth. And yes, as others suggested, watch your portions. Measure them out exactly and calculate the calories. At 5.3, I wouldn't go much over 1600 calories a day. (I'm 5'2" and I try to stick to 1200-1400 calories a day to lose weight).
Good luck and hang in there!

Thursday, August 5, 2010, 12:02 PM

I'm a shorty and completely agree with 12:02. We just don't need as many calories to maintain a healthy weight and the calories to maintain (vs. lose) add up SO quickly. It can be the simple difference between a few extra bites at every meal/snack.

Thursday, August 5, 2010, 12:52 PM

Doctor

Have you been to the doctor? Do you know your numbers? This is something I keep meaning to blog on and write on for peertrainer. Your cholesterol, thyroid, tryglycerides, fasting blood sugar, and cortisol levels all affect weight loss and gain. If you don't know your numbers, get them checked and then sign on with a professional weight management counselor (like myself).
Carrie

Link

Thursday, August 5, 2010, 1:07 PM

Logging your food intake is SO important. I always manage to convince myself that I'm eating so healthy. But when I start logging, I realize I have a handful of M&Ms here, way too big of a serving of rice there, and it's easy to overlook when you 'drink your calories' - cream and sugar in your coffee, etc. It adds up. When I got back on track a few weeks ago, I took a hard look at what was going in my mouth by writing down EVERY single thing. End result? About 750 calories a DAY of crap I just didn't need.

Also, please be aware that when you're exercising a regularly, especially when you're strength training, you might NOT see the scale budge much. But then ask yourself: Are your clothes looser? Do you look more toned? It may be simply a matter of building muscle (which is more dense) and losing fat which may seem to you like you're not losing weight - but if your body is becoming slimmer and more toned, maybe it's time to focus less on the scale numbers, if your body is improving?

Thursday, August 5, 2010, 3:05 PM

Also, it definitely DOES sound like you are doing cardio (one of the PPs said you weren't, but you said you spin and work out at the gym), so I have to agree with the above poster that you need to look at how your clothes are fitting and how you feel. I'm a big proponent of before and after pictures, too! Even when the numbers don't move on my scale I can look at pictures I took the week or two before and see a difference. And I agree that food logging is imperative. Good luck! We are all in this together and we all go through plateaus. So frustrating, but keep at it :)

Thursday, August 5, 2010, 3:09 PM

Can't lose an ounce either!

I'm also short and 52, which could be part of the problem, but I've been logging religiously for over 7 weeks and have lost...1 pound. I haven't been exercising much because of an injury, but I'm averaging 1350 calories a day, almost no wheat or starchy carbs and I'm even eating the PT soup. I keep thinking that I must be doing something wrong.

Then tonight I was listening to the tip of the day #6 and something really grabbed my attention (I wasn't really paying attention, I was making a salad, of course) I heard Joshua say if you eat and eat and eat and never feel satisfied, it's emotional eating. It came across so loud and clear.

Every night I eat until I go to sleep. I'll eat cardboard if I have to to keep the calories low, but I ruin every 1200 calorie day with a couple hundred more of ... something. (often air popped popcorn, my only bad carb.)

Just realizing that seems to have stopped me from eating tonight. Could this be a turning point for me? Stay tuned.

Saturday, August 7, 2010, 10:52 PM

Related Content: How To Lose Weight- The Basics Weight Watchers Points System The Fat Smash Diet The Eat To Live Diet The Beck Diet Solution How To Get The Motivation To Lose Weight		How To Be Successful Using PEERtrainer How To Burn Fat Online Weight Loss Support- How It Works Does Green Tea Help You Lose Weight? Tips On Using PEERtrainer Visit The PEERtrainer Community Diet and Fitness Resources
Fitness Weight Watchers Meetings Learning To Inspire Others: You Already Are Writing Down Your Daily Workouts Spending Money On A Personal Trainer? How I Became A Marathon Runner		Preventive Health How To Prevent Injuries During Your Workout Flu Season: Should You Take The Flu Shot? Are You Really Ready To Start PEERtrainer? Super Foods That Can Boost Your Energy Reversing Disease Through Nutrition
New Diet and Fitness Articles: Weight Watchers Points Plus How To Adjust Your Body To Exercise New: Weight Watchers Momentum Program New: PEERtrainer Blog Archive Review Of The New Weight Watchers Momentum Program		Weight Loss Motivation by Joshua Wayne: Why Simple Goal Setting Is Not Enough How To Delay Short Term Gratification How To Stay Motivated How To Exercise With A Busy Schedule
Real World Nutrition and Fitness Questions Can Weight Lifting Help You Lose Weight? Are Protein Drinks Safe? Nutrition As Medicine?		Everyday Weight Loss Tips How To Eat Healthy At A Party How To Eat Out And Still Lose Weight The Three Bite Rule Tips On How To Stop A Binge