Not losing any weight - what am I doing wrong?

I've been working out consistently for about 2 months now. I run on the elliptical or treamill 3 days a week. I also recently started running outdoors as well. On the days that I run indoors I also do 20 minutes abs plus another 15 to 20 minutes of legs.

I notice some toning in my legs and butt, but other than that I haven't seen much if any change in my body. I havent lost any weight...literally not even 1 pound. And my mid section is still gross. I'm not overweight by any means to begin with but I'm just not in the greatest of shape. What am I doing wrong? Why cant I loose weight? I'm not dieting, but I'm also not eating terribly. I have coffee every morning, usually a mini whole wheat bagel with egg whites and lowfat cheese for breakfast, salad for lunch, a lite dinner, and for dessert I alternate (either ice cream or yogurt) every day. I snack once in a while throughout the day on peanut m&ms here and there but thats not everyday. So, I dont feel like I'm overeating or making poor choices. I just dont get it

Re: Not losing any weight - what am I doing wrong?

When I hit a wall like that, I did two things. I started counting every single calorie and looking at things like carbs, sodium and fat grams. I found alternatives to things (wasa crackers instead of bread) that made a difference, and upped my protein intake (low fat peanut butter, egg whites, baked chicken).

I also bought myself a heart rate monitor and found out that I don't have to work as hard as I thought. I just have to do it for longer periods.

I keep my heart rate between 130 and 145 for normal exercise, and do bursts of 155-160 for no more than a minute at a time. But I do that for at least 30 minutes at a clip. The more 30 minute routines I fit into a week, the more I lose. About 1 pound per workout, as long as I limit the treats (frozen yogurt, egg/potato/biscuit for breakfast) to once per week. I don't eat dessert during the week because it's the best way for me to fall off the wagon.

Everyone is different though, so I'd go back to basics, counting calories, and work up from there.

Re: Not losing any weight - what am I doing wrong?

To be honest, it doesn't sound like you're eating enough. If you write down everything you eat for a week and count calories, you'll have a better idea of what you're taking in like the PP said. But it may turn out that as you're upping your exercise, you may actually need to eat a little bit MORE to lose. Not more empty calories, but more filling whole foods.

Re: Not losing any weight - what am I doing wrong?

By the way, I like this website for counting calories, looking for low-fat/high-protein foods and figuring out your target heartrate:

http://www.freedieting.com/tools/calories_in_food.htm

Re: Not losing any weight - what am I doing wrong?

Re: Not losing any weight - what am I doing wrong?

If you want to lose weight you should track all of the calories you are consuming. Most people underestimate the number of calories they actually consume - so track everything for a little while and then see if you need to make adjustments.

Re: Not losing any weight - what am I doing wrong?

Re: Not losing any weight - what am I doing wrong?

I think you really need to count your calories as PP have said.
You may not be eating enough, or you may be eating more than you think.

I did lose some weight on my own, just watching what I ate, as it seems you are doing, but I lost a lot more once I joined WW. I know you don't have a lot to lose as you said, so it's a different story, but I think the concept will still help you. Write down everything you eat for a week and examine it. Are you getting enough fruits, veggies, lean protein, and whole grains? Are you eating more in "empty calories" than you think? maybe you're not eating enough to keep your metabolism going.


You can also look at your workout routine. Sometimes your body gets used to a routine too easily and it's not as effective.

Re: Not losing any weight - what am I doing wrong?

Re: Not losing any weight - what am I doing wrong?

Are you eating fruit at all? Can you maybe substitute fruit for the ice cream or almonds for the peanut M&Ms? What counts as a "light dinner"? Are you eating any protein in your salad, or just lettuce? What about small snacks to keep your metabolism up in between meals - a piece of fruit, Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, turkey jerky, a hard-boiled egg, a skim milk/fruit milkshake... Just things to think about - you're not necessarily overeating at all, but you could be filling up on more nutritious items.

I'm not sure how long you're working out each time, but when you do cardio, make sure you're aiming for at least 30 minutes of activity, and I agree about adding more weight training too, especially with your upper body since you mentioned you already do abs and legs - if you build some muscle, your body will burn calories more efficiently.

ETA: Another thought! You said what you've been eating, but what are you drinking? Could you be consuming extra calories through what you drink and not realizing it?

Message edited 5/10/2011 1:58:33 PM.

Re: Not losing any weight - what am I doing wrong?

Thanks for the responses everyone. I'll try to answer everyone's questions in this post. Let me know if I miss anything.

For a while I did WW (about 2 to 3 months) and I kept losing and gaining back the same 5lbs...but I was ALWAYS staying within my points. I eventually stopped because I felt it wasnt really working for me. It was at that point that I started working out again. I do snack throughout the day to keep my metabolism going. I eat a decent amount of fruit (apples, bananas, etc.) I try to have a banana per day since I get leg cramps often. I know for a fact that I do not drink enough water throughout the day - I am trying to rectify that problem.

When I do cardio I do a min of 30 minutes. Never more than 45 though.

My meals are pretty well rounded as far as protein, veggies, etc. For instance, if I have a salad, it usually has chicken in it. I use a lite balsamic dressing (very little though). Dinner always has protein, starch, and veggie.

I guess I should start calorie counting again...its the only way to really know if I'm under or over eating at this point...

Re: Not losing any weight - what am I doing wrong?

I think everyone made some great suggestions (this is why I love this board!) Anyway, I know it's a long shot but when was the last time you had bloodwork?

Re: Not losing any weight - what am I doing wrong?

Re: Not losing any weight - what am I doing wrong?

I just wanted to add, do intervals!!! Intervals on the treadmill really work! Run as fast as you can for 30 seconds, recover, and do it again and again for 30 minutes. Running consistently at the same pace so frequently can actually make your body so efficient at doing that, that it stops burning fat. Change it up!!