Only 1 Pound Lost In A Week

[magicbeatledel]

Hi everyone,
I am a bit annoyed with myself. Two weeks ago I started a diet which consists of just a dinner (700-1000 calories) a noodle pot from Tesco for lunch (only 204 calories) and an apple and orange. So about 1300 per day at max. The first week, I went on the exercise bike once (burning about 800 calories) and done 60 sit ups another day which left my abs hurting for two or three days. After that first week I went down from about 13 stone 9 pound to 13 stone 4.6 when I weighed myself last Friday. (Over 4 pound in one week). However, I have just weighed myself again (at the end of the second week) and I am now 13 stone 3.6. I have only lost 1 pound. I went on the bike a few days ago and burnt off just over 1000 calories. I have also had two days in the last week where I cut out the noodle pots and only had an Apple and Orange. I have had hunger pains, but have learned to live with it. But it's not working. I have now decided not to let my body win, so I am not going to eat anything today. (Surely if you don't eat, you MUST lose weight?)
My mate reckons I'm not eating enough. He says you have to eat more to lose more. I don't believe him. That just doesn't make any sense. I think he just doesn't want me to lose it. I have always been a big eater and that's what got me into this trouble in the first place. (My stomach was like a 9 month pregnant woman's at my largest 15 stone 4)
I am 44, and 6 foot 1.

Thanks.

[Old_Geezer]

No time to do the sums now but you can eat insufficient. In which case the body's defence system goes into what is known as "starvation mode" and becomes very frugal with burning off energy. Check your regime against trusted ones on the Net.

[Old_Geezer]

Having skimmed the length of your post it does look as if you are being less than wise with what you claim to eat. Go find healthy diet menus from one of the many trusted sites.

[ummmm]

You're going into starvation mode.

[VHG]

The weight you lost on the first week was a "false" weight loss, everybody loses a lot the first week due to less food in your body (less weight) and other factors.

A weight loss of between 1 and 2 pounds a week is about right, and losing weight any quicker is not good for you.

Remember weight can go ON over weeks and months (maybe years) and you cant lose it just like that.

A weight loss program should be over many months (even years) and you should not get too upset over what you lose in one particular week.

p.s. not eating at all is VERY BAD for you. Your body goes into starvation mode and switches off vital components and it can make you ill. Just eat little and often.

I have to say you are going about this the wrong way, expecting to lose a lot of weight in a matter of weeks. It does not work like that, as I said. it can take months or years to lose lots of weight.

[Prudie]

Your expectations are too high as well, a fast spurt at the start can be normal but weight loss of a 1lb per week is considered the right and healthy way to go.

[Gavmacp]

Why are you being so hard on yourself. If you are serious I would suggest going to weightwatchers or other group as they will give you sensible advise. Look it is January so make a date that you would like to be your ideal weight and shape I would suggest October to December and work towards that goal slowly. Make gradual changes to your diet, excercise and lifestyle that will assist you.
Your friend is right you do have to eat more! It is eating the correct things that will help. You don't have to starve yourself.
Best advise is go to weightwatchers!!

[Old_Geezer]

As a layperson rather than an expert I would suggest to you

a) Don't overdo the exercise. It's good to do some but one needs to do a lot to burn off even a small snack, so do 30 minutes a day maybe of moderate exercise and accept this will up the metabolism a bit and improve your health/fitness/silhouette but don't expect it to work miracles on your weight.

b) Up the daily calorie intake. I'd suggest about 2000 a day, but feed your details in on a web site and see what is suggested for you. Don't expect miracles, as folk have said, it is pointless expecting to work it all off in a few weeks. It took years to come, it needs time to go, and in my experience the body is a lot more reluctant to get rid of reserves than it is to build them. Aim for a pound or two a week and accept periods when the body takes stock and tries to hold still weight-wise. It seems to be reluctant to reset the 'normal' level to something lower. It takes time to convince it. Give it a year or so.

c) Try to eat the right foods rather than simply go for low energy. You need nutrients/vitamins/etc. too. Cut down on the foodstuffs known to build fat, such as fat, carbs, etc. but don't remove them altogether. Remember when you reach goal you still need to have got into the habit of eating well and even though you may ease back a bit, you want to be able to continue eating healthily not put it all back on again.

d) Remember that the best advice comes from knowing your circumstances. Age, activity level, present weight etc. Do check out the trusted websites, and consider the suggestion of joining a club. It creates long term encouragement, and the constant realisation that you are all in the same boat. (Besides 95% of the members at such clubs will be female ;-) which is something else to look forward to.)

At 13 st 3.6 lbs you are already lighter than I so you seem to be panicking a bit here. At your height you may be overweight but certainly not obese. I think you need to chill somewhat. Even if you stayed where you are it would be no major issue. After all you have done the important bit of getting down from over 15 stone.

[jourdain2]

Just consider yourself lucky that you haven't got the menopause to complicate things! The advice I have read on here is excellent. 2,000 cals. a day for a male should result in healthy weight loss. You are sending your body into panic starvation mode. Not wise. Have a look at some sensible diet plans, Slimming World is good. A boiled egg for breakfast (for example) is very few calories, but gives you protein. A hard-boiled egg makes your body use stored fat to break it down - but check out the cholesterol issues. An established diet plan is best, plus steady exercise. Slow but sure is the motto.

[magicbeatledel]

Hi Everyone.
Thank you all for your answers. I think I understand it a bit better now, and am not annoyed with myself now. Just to clarify, If I eat too little it takes the calories you've eaten and stores it away as fat? If you eat just the right amount, it dosent have to do this and burns those calories you've eaten in a normal day? However, with a bit of exercise iyou will then start burning off the excess fat you have stored. Have I got all this right?
Anyway, I bought some Porrige yesterday, and had a bowl of it an hour ago. Just having a Coffee now, then going on the exercise bike. After that, I will be making my dinner, before going to work. I will take a sandwich and some fruit. I also have a tin of sardines in my bag to eat later.

[boxtops]

You're certainly not eating enough, and when you eat, you're not eating the right things. All this exercise is building up muscle, and muscle weighs more than fat. You need a balanced diet including fruit and vegetables, protein and carbs.

[magicbeatledel]

Hi everyone.
Just an update.
I started eating more, as everyone suggested I was going into starvation mode. (My workmates all said the same). I started having a bowl of Porrige every day as recommended by a mate of mine who has lost about 4 stone in as many months. I then would go on the exercise bike for an hour a day and burn off anywhere between 700-1000 calories. I cut out all sugary foods like chocolate, ice cream, cake etc completely. And no Fizzy drinks at all. I mostly drink water, Tea and Coffee. I have been eating mostly healthy dinners like Chicken breast, boiled Potatoes (not many potatoes) and veg. I cut out virtually All high carb foods like bread. If I do make a sandwhich occasionally, it would be wholemeal. I haven't had sugar in Tea or Coffee for about 15 years anyway so that's not a problem. And I have an Apple and an Orange every day for lunch, along with a noodle pot or something similar (200-400 calories)
So all in all, I must have between 1500-2000 calories a day. I try and cut out all sugar, and keep my carbs down to a minimum. And I exercise every day.
However, in the last two weeks I have put on 4 pounds in weight. Someone at work said it is probably muscle, as that weighs more than fat. However, it can't be that, as my belly is bigger not leaner. So it must be Fat. Whatever I do I can't win. If I diet too much I don't lose it, if I try and eat more (and eat healthy) I put it on. Even if I exercise. I think maybe my body isn't like everyone else's. I used to eat crap everyday. And lots of it. For instance, if I went for a fry up I would order 2 breakfasts as I wanted at least 4 sausages, 6 rashers of Bacon, three or 4 eggs, more beans, more mushrooms etc. And that was just breakfast. Now, I don't eat fry ups at all. However, changing my eating habits completely, and exercising isn't making a blind bit of difference to my weight. I'm still putting on weight just like before. I might as well give up and enjoy my food. The only thing is I'm depressed because I look 6 months pregnant. I want to look good.

[Cloverjo]

Have a look at the "Fast Metabolism Diet" book by Hayley Pomroy. It's well worth doing, is easy and I think you'll be pleasantly surprised. You eat plenty of different foods depending on what day it is. I lost a stone easily in one month. No starvation, no killing yourself on the exercise bike.
Please do have a look at it.

[magicbeatledel]

Thank You Cloverjo. I will do. Where can I get it? Cheers.

[Cloverjo]

Here, I hope the link works.
Amazon.co.uk User Recommendation

[boxtops]

A friend of mine has done really well on the 5:2 diet - five days eat normally, 2 days only 500 calories. Again, you can get the book from Amazon.

[Dizmo]

In your opening post it sounds like you were trying a ketogenic diet - very risky. I know from personal experience the troubles with the body going into starvation mode. The trick with a ketogenic diet is to test your urine with ketostix's (to check the ketonin level) and once they get to a high concentration - eat something high in fat, in order to bring them back down.

"The ketogenic diet is a high-fat, adequate-protein, low-carbohydrate diet that in medicine is used primarily to treat difficult-to-control (refractory) epilepsy in children. The diet forces the body to burn fats rather than carbohydrates. Normally, the carbohydrates contained in food are converted into glucose, which is then transported around the body and is particularly important in fueling brain function. However, if there is very little carbohydrate in the diet, the liver converts fat into fatty acids and ketone bodies. The ketone bodies pass into the brain and replace glucose as an energy source. An elevated level of ketone bodies in the blood, a state known as ketosis, leads to a reduction in the frequency of epileptic seizures."

95% of my intake was protein, the rest carbohydrates. I've also tried the orange man project which is where you live off carrots for a month - very very bizarre and can be extremely dangerous - you do turn an orange'y' colour though!.

At your age (please don't take offense) your metabolic rate may be somewhat slower than that of a younger person.

[Cloverjo]

Which is why I recommended the Fast Metabolism Diet. I think it would be perfect for the OP.

[Ken4155]

You also have to take into account that when you first begin to exercise on a regular basis, you are turning some of your body fat into muscle. Muscle is heavier than fat, therefore it is not uncommon to actually put a little weight ON in the early weeks of dieting and exercising. Once your body has become more in tune with both your diet and your exercise regime you should begin to see the benefit - both on the scales and in the mirror.

[magicbeatledel]

Hi everyone. Thanks for all your answers. I wasn't offended in the least Dizmo.
Thanks for the link Cloverjo. I just bought the book on Kindle. Will give it a read. However, at first glance the recipe's look very complicated. I've never made food with all those ingredients in my life before. Finding them will be a task in itself. Then making them. Also, I noticed there is a lot of Turkey meals. What if you don't like Turkey? Can you use Chicken instead? Or is Chicken not allowed? Anyway, really would like to give this a go if I can. Looks like a hell of a lot of cooking though. And I work full time. Normally start around 4-5 pm, and get home about 2 in the morning. I'm a train driver, so will be stuck on the front of one most of the time. Will this make it difficult? Thanks again.