Can't Lose Weight

[Neeranam]

2 weeks ago, I started cutting out an evening meal, drinking only a fruit/vegetable shake. I only eat weetabix and mango for breakfast and 2 sandwiches(4 slices of loaf) for lunch. The only other thing I eat is mixed nuts in the evening when very hungry. 

 

I was 89 kg and dropped to 87 kg, but now 88 kg. I am 190 cm tall.

 

I also run 25 km per week. 

 

What could I be doing wrong? 

[Brierley]

Your story is my story, I feel for you! How old are you? 

 

I eat a bowl of oatmeal for breakfast, meat or fish and vegetables for lunch and frequently nothing else but raw vegetables for the rest of the day. I was 88 kgs and I can just about make 86 kgs but it's a struggle to stay there. I also run 4 miles every morning, six days a week. I've tried protein shakes as a meal substitute but without any real success. I was prescribed a diuretic for 4 weeks to get rid of a fluid build up and that saw me get down to 85kgs, as soon as the treatment stopped I went back up to 86kgs. If I snack at all it's nuts and raw veg, no soda, no white carbs, no alcohol, no sweets or pastries, just boring basic protein and high value carbs, in small amounts. If you find the answer, do let me know.

[BritManToo]

3 minutes ago, Neeranam said:

I also run 25 km per week. 

 

What could I be doing wrong? 

Not enough exercise.

I walk 9Km per day and don't lose any weight, but it keeps my weight fairly constant.

If you can't take the extra exercise, try cutting down to 1 sandwich with 2 pieces of bread and no nuts.

I'm stuck at 78-79Kg, and would really like to weigh 75Kg.

[Neeranam]

1 minute ago, BritManToo said:

Not enough exercise.

I walk 9Km per day and don't lose any weight, but it keeps my weight fairly constant.

If you can't take the extra exercise, try cutting down to 1 sandwich with 2 pieces of bread and no nuts.

I'm stuck at 78-79Kg, and would really like to weigh 75Kg.

I also do a 6pack app thing. 

I will try to run more but... 

Are nuts fattening?

[BritManToo]

Just now, Neeranam said:

I also do a 6pack app thing. 

I will try to run more but... 

Are nuts fattening?

You really need 3 hours of exercise a day to lose weight if not starving yourself.

My phone insists I walk for at least 10,000 steps a day, I'm managing between 11,000 and 12,000 steps.

Nuts are worse than sweets or crisps.

 

[Brierley]

One mile is about 2,000 steps. You do 9 miles per day that's 18k steps, I easily do that every day, my morning run alone is almost half that.

[Neeranam]

I also cut out a very big meal in the evening, that's why I can't understand not losing heaps. Maybe it takes longer. 

[FritsSikkink]

10 minutes ago, Neeranam said:

I also cut out a very big meal in the evening, that's why I can't understand not losing heaps. Maybe it takes longer. 

Stop with the nuts

[Pilotman]

190cm and 88kg?  there is nothing wrong with you.   

[Brierley]

4 minutes ago, Pilotman said:

190cm and 88kg?  there is nothing wrong with you.   

My UK doc. tells me he wants me at 75kgs, I'm 189 and 86 (the computer says it is so). 

[Pilotman]

1 minute ago, Brierley said:

My UK doc. tells me he wants me at 75kgs, I'm 189 and 86 (the computer says it is so). 

Well he's a dick then. 

[Brierley]

Just now, Pilotman said:

Well he's a dick then. 

He might just be. But the commonly used BMI scale puts me right on the edge of slightly obese, the three rewritten algorithms for BMI all put me overweight or obese. 

[Pilotman]

2 minutes ago, Brierley said:

He might just be. But the commonly used BMI scale puts me right on the edge of slightly obese, the three rewritten algorithms for BMI all put me overweight or obese. 

BMI has been rubbished as a reliable measure of obesity for years now. The medical profession seems to cling to it as a hammer to bash people with, when it is meaningless for large sections of human kind. Try selling BMI to athletes, strength sports enthusiasts, most African peoples, Eskimos, and see how far you get.   

[Brierley]

Just now, Pilotman said:

BMI has been rubbished as a reliable measure of obesity for years now. The medical profession seems to cling to it as a hammer to bash people with, when it is meaningless for large sections of human kind. Try selling BMI to athletes, strength sports enthusiasts, most African peoples, Eskimos, and see how far you get.   

I agree. That said, my body functions best when sub 85kgs, my blood sugar levels are much more easily managed and my lower back/disk problems are not painful at all. My desired and optimum weight is 80 kgs but it's impossible to attain.

[Neeranam]

19 minutes ago, Pilotman said:

190cm and 88kg?  there is nothing wrong with you.   

It's all on the belly.

[Brierley]

6 minutes ago, Neeranam said:

It's all on the belly.

Ditto. Make sure it isn't fluid retention, some of mine was.

[Neeranam]

3 minutes ago, Brierley said:

Ditto. Make sure it isn't fluid retention, some of mine was.

Thanks, I'll have to google that.

[jackdd]

It looks like you nearly only eat <deleted> food. None of the food you listed is good for a diet.

You could of course still lose weight if you eat less calories than you consume, but that you don't lose weight does quite likely mean that you eat too much. (Two weeks is not very long though, some weight fluctuation could potentially hide some fat loss)

There are many ways to diet, there isn't the one truth, you have to figure out what works for you. In general increasing protein, and lowering carbs (especially sugar) and fat helps.

Get a food scale, weigh everything that you eat and write down the calories.

[Brierley]

3 minutes ago, Neeranam said:

Thanks, I'll have to google that.

As you age, fluid retention and compacted stool are normal features for many and they can add four kgs or more to an otherwise healthy body and confuse the whole diet picture. The gut becomes distended because of both problems yet there are few obvious symptoms other than a bulging belly. But it doesn't bulge sufficiently to be recognized as ascites by medical doctors but it can be on the way there. Also, who would have guessed it is possible to be able to poop normally yet still have a colon that is partially blocked by 2 kgs of compacted stool....bypass poop is very common.  I'm sure you probably have neither but for others who are reading and have similar problems, it's worth ruling these things out when diets don't reduce weight and bellies continue to bulge, despite exercise. FWIW I had both problems which are easily solved.

[cyril sneer]

i'm walking 1km a day (out of necessity) with no other exercise and managing to lose 1kg a week counting calories

 

I probably won't live as long as you though

[Swimfan]

You need to create a calorie deficit 

[BigStar]

23 hours ago, Neeranam said:

What could I be doing wrong? 

Most everything. Fruit (except berries), mango, weetabix, 4 slices of loaf, nuts, and expecting your 25 km/wk will make any appreciable difference. Might make you eat more, actually.

 

Here you'll hear only simple-minded repetitions of CICO (calories in/calories out). We love that counting, seems so precise, except the calorie deficit is an unknown moving target. That usually doesn't work, as is clear by how well it's been doing for the general population. 

 

Problem is, your metabolism and internal energy expenditure simply adjust to make up for the deficit and maintain your weight. And, you stay hungry. Once you're off the diet, you regain any weight you managed to starve off.

 

IF you're serious you gotta get right on down to them hormones, man. Go low carb/keto; practice intermittent fasting; lower the body set point and keep the glucose level low and insulin response low at all times. So: no need for any calorie counting, or maybe just a little during fasting days in some fasting methods, e. g., 5:2. Exercise for fitness only (a sufficient reason in itself), forget about calorie expenditure.

 

This method is sustainable because you don't stay hungry. You no longer desire bread, rice, potatoes, breaded fried cr.a.p, ice cream, and other sugars. Few people, esp the carbs and sugar addicted, can live with hunger.

 

Ace TVF Nutritionists sometimes claim, falsely, that low carb/fasting/hormonal theory has been debunked or is a "fad." No, it has a long respectable history, has been used therapeutically for a very long time, and is becoming ever more recognized and popular. Why? Valid theory that works in practice. I've personally seen some remarkable success stories.

 

Here's a short intro that won't stress our attention spans terribly:

 

 

Longer explanation:

 

 

 

 

 

[scubascuba3]

Eat as much carbs, rice sugar as you need, minimise fat and you'll lose weight, don't starve yourself.

 

I'm eating more carbs, rice, sugar as ever and I'm leaner than ever before, fit and 72kg

[Neeranam]

51 minutes ago, BigStar said:

Most everything. Fruit (except berries), mango, weetabix, 4 slices of loaf, nuts, and expecting your 25 km/wk will make any appreciable difference. Might make you eat more, actually

Thanks for the comprehensive reply. 

 

I sweat profusely when running in 35C, I was sure running 5km every other day would help lose weight. 

 

Is dried fruit bad as bad as fresh fruit? 

First time I've heard that fruit is fattening. 

 

Should I cut out weetabix? I thought they are all bran. 

 

All very confusing. 

[scubascuba3]

39 minutes ago, Neeranam said:

 

 

All very confusing. 

Yes very confusing, it depends what you want to gamble on, there's the intermittent fasters, low carb high fat lot, personally i prefer the high carb rice sugar low fat exercise route

[CharlieH]

46 minutes ago, Neeranam said:

Thanks for the comprehensive reply. 

 

I sweat profusely when running in 35C, I was sure running 5km every other day would help lose weight. 

 

Is dried fruit bad as bad as fresh fruit? 

First time I've heard that fruit is fattening. 

 

Should I cut out weetabix? I thought they are all bran. 

 

All very confusing. 

Bottom line: Dried fruit is relatively high in calories and sugar. Common dried fruits contain 38–66% sugar, and eating too much of them may contribute to weight gain and various health problems.

 

Source

 

[BigStar]

50 minutes ago, Neeranam said:

I sweat profusely when running in 35C, I was sure running 5km every other day would help lose weight. 

Disappointing and slightly unbelievable, I know. But exercise is great for all kinds of reasons besides weight loss.

 

50 minutes ago, Neeranam said:

Is dried fruit bad as bad as fresh fruit? 

First time I've heard that fruit is fattening. 

 

Should I cut out weetabix? I thought they are all bran. 

Dried fruit is worse because it concentrates sugar and you tend to eat more of it than you would if it were not dried.

 

Fruit in moderation isn't that bad but you should choose fruits with the lowest glycemic loads and most nutrition/calorie. Why eat mango with a GL of 9 when you can eat healthier strawberries with a GL of 1?

 

https://adrenalfatiguesolution.com/fruits-lowest-glycemic-load/

 

Weetabix, not that bad but does contain 28 grams of carbs, 10 of which are sugar, per serving. Find a high-fiber nutritious carb w/o sugar, like ground flax seed if you must. Eat more strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, and veggies.

 

After you lose weight you can add back in things gradually and see how your body tolerates them.

[scubascuba3]

2 minutes ago, BigStar said:

Disappointing and slightly unbelievable, I know. But exercise is great for all kinds of reasons besides weight loss.

 

Dried fruit is worse because it concentrates sugar and you tend to eat more of it than you would if it were not dried.

 

Fruit in moderation isn't that bad but you should choose fruits with the lowest glycemic loads and most nutrition/calorie. Why eat mango with a GL of 9 when you can eat healthier strawberries with a GL of 1?

 

https://adrenalfatiguesolution.com/fruits-lowest-glycemic-load/

 

Weetabix, not that bad but does contain 28 grams of carbs, 10 of which are sugar. Find a high-fiber nutritious carb w/o sugar, like ground flax seed if you must. Eat more strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, and veggies.

 

After you lose weight you can add back in things gradually and see how your body tolerates them.

Is all that working? what's your BMI?

[BigStar]

1 minute ago, scubascuba3 said:

Is all that working? what's your BMI?

Been working for quite some time. BMI 21.7, includes a bit of muscle 'cause I do some strength training.

[scubascuba3]

2 minutes ago, BigStar said:

Been working for quite some time. BMI 21.7, includes a bit of muscle 'cause I do some strength training.

I'm not trying to lose weight just eating as many carbs as i need for energy, carbed up and all that, minimising fat and avoiding fat junk like chocolate, pastries and ice cream. No weight gain and blood test results all good. BMI 23 i don't need to go any lower