[Dreamer2012]

For the past couple of weeks (about 4/5 weeks now), I have been out walking in the evenings for about 60 – 80 minutes and also watching what I eat. However, I’m failing to lose weight and I’m not sure why.

I haven’t been out every single evening but most evenings. As well as walking, I’ve been watching what I eat. I’m a picky eater so it’s hard for me to each things like salads so I have done the following:
• Cut down on unhealthy snacks like chocolate, biscuits and sweets. I would say I’ve had chocolate about 4 or 5 times since I’ve started, the odd biscuit here and there, as well as a packet of crisps. Snacks are now mostly fruit but the odd day I will have some chocolate or a packet of crisps because sometimes it's just needed.
• Drinking a lot more water and trying to make sure it’s all I drink. Sometimes I will have orange juice, tea and the odd day a fizzy drink but it has become very rare now.
• Depending when I wake up, I’ll have something for breakfast. Could be toast if very early, could be an apple if it’s nearing lunch time but too early to eat a full lunch.
• I will eat a lunch every day which would generally consist of a one slice of ham on white bread, with only one size buttered. I will usually have one or two pieces of fruit and drink either water or a small glass of orange juice. Normally it will be water. My lunch will usually be had about 12/1pm and keep me going until dinnertime.
• Dinner hasn’t changed much and would usually be a roast dinner with meat (chicken, streak, pork, beef), potatoes and peas (the only veg I eat!) or something more simple like stew, casserole. I would occasionally have burger and chips or pizza but cutting that down to maybe if even once every 2 weeks!
• Most of the time I have not eaten after 7pm. I’ll usually be going on my walk around then too.

It is kind of getting me down to be honest. I’m trying so hard to lose weight, in particular off my stomach where I carry my weight. I weighed myself a few months ago, the first time in a couple of months and I was almost a stone (14lbs) lighter than the last time I had been weighed. This was down to not even doing anything and I had lost that much. This started me going on a healthier way of living and giving me the motivation to do something about my weight. Now that I’m actually trying and getting nowhere it’s making me very frustrated! At the moment I’m 10st 2lbs (142lbs) at a height of 5'1 and I have a target weight of 8st 7lbs (119lbs) by the end of the summer. I wouldn’t be too upset now if I didn’t reach my target but was well on the road to my target by the end of the summer.

Is there any advice anyone may be able to give me? Is there something else I should be doing? Do I need to look at my eating habits again? Need more walking? Any help would be greatly appreciated!

[deb813]

Hi there
From reading what you've written a few things pop out at me to why maybe your not losing weight. I think you need to cut out the bread and butter. Bread is really one of the worst things that contribute to weight gain. Ive also had to do that- its hard but I let myself have a bit maybe once a week- and I have totally cut out the fast food. You definitley to add more veg to your diet.
How vigorous is your walking? Try doing a specialist exercise that is specifically for losing weight I.e.Gillians 30 day shred or interval training then Im sure you will see results.
Well done for making the change! Maybe try these few suggestions and see how you go. There are defintley very wise people on here who will give you great advice and support.

[inglesita64]

Dreamer, I think the problem might be in the number of calories you are eating. But first things first: what you have been doing is excellent, in that you have started to watch what you eat and seem to be quite in control of your eating and of your physical activity. You have got over unhealthy snacking, which will for sure make it easier now to make the next move. So, don't beat yourself for not losing weight, because you took a great first step and this step has to be taken sooner or later.
What I think is that as you are not very tall --I am 5 ft tall-- you need to eat around 1200 calories to lose weight. And that is not much, especially if you eat butter or beef or other foods which are high calorie.
My piece of advice is that you start counting calories. I got convinced about the need of eating vegetables when I saw that if I didn't, I would get to 1200 very quickly and would get hungry. Try to cook with veggies, try new recipes... How about pumpkin, mashed with some light Swiss cheese? How about a pocket sandwich filled with stewed veggies and chicken? You will have to eat these things if you want to eat around 1200 and not get hungry, so think about it...
Join the featherweight thread in the Support Forum and see how little short women eat... I read the other day than one of us small chicks was eating less than 1200 just to maintain!
I am 5 ft, weigh 8.1 stone or 114 pounds, and I am maintaining by eating around 1300 calories.
Hope this helps! Counting calories is not much fun, but there is a site that makes it bearable and helps you keep track of your weight and of the properties of the food you eat (enter "calorie count" in your search engine and you will find it).
Good luck!

[Dreamer2012]

Thank you both so much! I'll definitely look into what I'm eating and start making better changes there. And I'll look at the featherweight thread for more advice and tips.

Regarding walking. The route I take now is approx 4 miles (according to google maps) and would be walked in approx 60 - 80 minutes. It does tend to differ when I change the route around which sometimes I will make it shorter or more longer.

Greatly appreciated