so i've been doing this whole weightloss thing off and on for the past 2 years or so. about a year or so ago i was doing calorie counting and working out and i managed to lose about 30 lbs which i was super excited about and then i went through a break up and managed to gain all the weight back. since then ive been in the yes i will!-no i wont kinda spirit. this month i decided to finally focus and get this done again. i've been working out, drinking tons of water, sleeping plenty, and eating less meat and more veggies. i havent lost any weight. i figured its probably my caloric intake so i started counting calories again and still nothing. so i thought i'd ask you fine people: what am i not doing? why is this not working? suggestions are appreciated. im starting to get pretty bummed out just feeling sore but not losing inches or pounds.

Sometimes the scale takes longer to reflect our efforts then we would like. It does this to me to, it is very frustrating. There is not much you can do other then keep trying, it will go down eventually. My best advice would be to give it two months. If the scale does not waiver at all then maybe it's time to reassess your plan or caloric needs.

Also make sure you are tracking everything and even measuring foods out. Our brains are horrible at judging portion sizes, this is so true for me. What I think looks like a cup to me, is actually two or more sometimes and those calories add up quick! I also monitor my sodium intake, only because I am prone to bloat and retain water. I find when I don't monitor my sodium then my weight loss stutters. That could just be my body though so it is only a suggestion

Good luck and if you ever need anyone to vent to feel free to message me! We can support each other!

how much are you eating? are you keeping track of calories by measuring/weighing?

it seems i may have budged by 1lb. so i guess thats some progress. im eating about 1400 cals a day. i was eating about 1600-1700 before but nothing happened. im measuring and making my food and stopped going out for fast food. the only thing im still guilty about would be sweet tea from mcdonalds. i do mostly turbo jam or 30 day shred and when i dont, i love playing just dance for the fun of it. it works up a sweat. i work at a call center and its pretty sedentary so i try to stand as much as possible and walk around. thanks for the replies!

Try calorie or carb shifting to confuse your metabolism. It seems to work for many, including myself.

Also, are you measuring and weighing your food to be sure you're being completely accurate? That could make a world of differences.

honestly i hadnt looked much into calorie shifting. heard of it and i might try it out. i try to get food that is portioned out already and just serve myself, then i scan the barcodes with this app that has the nutrition info for the food and it counts for me, i also have a little scale thing to weigh. i make sure that all the info matches, so as far as im aware everything is accurate. its weird that im not seeing any changes now when im not doing anything different than i was the first time i started losing weight. we'll see what happens.

start eating HEALTHY FOODS ONLY. as in, get all your foods from whole, raw natural sources. you will see the weight start coming right off you. want your carbs for the day? eat the 10 bananas or apples or whatever it is. use caloriecount on about.com to count it right. your body has a difficult time digesting foods that aren't straight from nature. give it an easier time to digest.

what does your diet look like right now? as in, what are you eating for these calories?

How much sweet tea are you drinking?

I was going to ask the same thing about the sweet tea, that sugar can really mess with your system.

This is a load of crap. Yeah, eat 10 bananas... that's like 1000 calories of pure sugar. THAT will certainly help.

The general consensus is to eat "whole, natural foods" and I will agree that it will give you the most nutrients for your calories, but there is room in your diet for just about anything (individuals vary due to certain dietary restrictions and reactions of course). There is no reason why you can't have everything in moderation, but the key is to BE AWARE of what it is that you are eating.

Your overall calories make up the bulk of the difference in terms of WEIGHT losses and gains. I won't get into a lengthy discussion about macro breakdowns, fat versus muscle, etc. If you are concerned with the most basic goal of getting the scale readouts lower, start basic and count calories, or at the very least be aware of how many calories are in what you are consuming.

That way, should you stall, you won't be surprised to learn that your favorite "healthy" meal is 300 calories more than you had thought - just as a random example.

Keep it simple... no need to jump in to the deep end and get intimidated and overwhelmed.

I do find that when I eat whole foods, rather than foods that are lower calorie but more artificial, I lose weight more easily/quickly, even when eating the same number of calories. Obviously this isnt good scientific evidence for a whole food diet, but it makes sense to me. Plus my skin just doesnt like artificial ingredients like colourings, flavourings, preservatives or sweetners, so I have a bias for a whole food diet ^_^ But i would definitely recommend giving it a go. Of course, I still have the occasional meal when I go out or on special events that doesnt match this, or the odd diet coke, but like Joss says, its about moderation in all things.

But yeah, 10 bananas is really not great advice >.< It's not 1000 cals of pure sugar as such, but its definitely around 1000 cals of, well, banana. Counting calories is a good idea, because the deficit is the most bottom line at the end of the day.

How long have you been doing your exercise regime for? it might need some shaking up if its been the same for a while. How tired are you at the end? Are you giving 80-100% in your workouts? Are you pushing your limits each time? Doing that if you arent already might also help

Basically- calorie count (esp that tea!), hard workouts, whole foods- thats how I do it

I had the same problem. Once I started counting calories down to the last smidgen and watching my sodium I've been dropping the lbs. You just need to find what works for you and don't worry you will. Just keep your chin up your on the right track!

oh wow. i kinda took a little break from here and now that i've come back its wow! thanks to all for the responses

i dont OD on sweet tea. i have a large sweet tea maybe once or twice a week if that. i gave up mickey d's and most fast food. sometimes when i forget to pack a lunch i'll buy subway or church's chicken which i know is not good but its whats closest to work. i'll usually have a thigh and a biscuit. most of the time though i dont even finish it.

im kind of a picky eater where i dont do veggies a lot. i'll eat broccoli and carrots and cucumbers by the boatload. those seem to be the only veggies i can stand, i do like fruits though so i try to eat those. i try to limit how much of those i eat because like you mentioned 1000 calories in bananas is still 1000 calories, regardless. i try to do as best i can as i live with my mom and brother and sister, both of which were blessed with being ridiculously thin. so they can eat whatever they want and my mom is always bringing snacks and treats and ICE CREAM home. its kinda sucky but i try to make do. i make a lot of chicken with veggies or fish maybe some rice (brown if i have it, 5 minute instant white if i dont) , progresso soups because my mom bought me a whole case but they are definitely not my fav. i used to eat lots and lots and lots of salt but i've cut down waaaay much.

like i said, i did the working out thing then stopped and now i've been at it for about a month or so with some stops along the way because i kinda feel discouraged. i usually do turbo jam or some 30 day shred. i just recently started the 200 squat challenge and this week i've started turbo fire. at the end of the work outs i can barely breathe and im drenched in sweat. im really tired after working out which is bad because i work afterward and am tired all day.

i have a calorie count account and i use it as much as i can although i will admit ive been slacking lately so maybe that could be it. im eating foods and counting calories, working out and doing everything like i was previously with the exception of the 200 squat challenge and turbo fire and i was losing weight every week. i weighed myself in the middle of the week and i gained 4 pounds and its not even close to TOM. im always fluctuating between 217 and 221. doesnt seem to get lower than that.

i kinda thought maybe it was because of all the stressing work was causing me. i've quit that job and found another with a cute little cafeteria and even a GYM in the building. im so excited to start working there. hopefully it'll be the change im looking for. new job = better pay = better food and more time to work out. if you guys have any other ideas what it could be let me know. this girl needs a clue.

How many calories are you eating a day?

Last year, I started my journey to lose my baby weight. I did good, I lost 23 pounds, and got back down to normal size. Over the course of the past 7 months, I stopped "dieting," really just stopped counting calories but stuff to pretty much the same stuff and managed to put on 5 lbs of that back.

So here I am, I would like to lose another 10 lbs and I'm eating EXACTLY the same as when I was dieting but no weight lose. So I feel for you. I actually just got back on this form today after a long hiatus because I need a push. I opened up my calorie counter on my phone for the first time in months, & I plan on going for at least one run between now and the weekend (slow but steady).

Just be super careful of what you are putting in your mouth. Avoid overly processed foods. Count calories. Try & exercise at least 3 days a week. When I first started dieting last year, it took 2 WHOLE MONTHS before I started noticing any difference at all.

Good luck!

fyi- any packaged/pre-portioned/frozen/etc food or meal item is allowed by law and FDA regulation, to be off in its nutritional value listed by as much as 20%! This is really the best reason, where fat loss in concerned, to stick to whole foods as much as possible.
Do you weigh every bite,lick and taste that passes through your lips? NOTHING has zero cals, no matter what the nutritional info may say.
and if you eat out AT ALL, then you have no way of accurately knowing how many calories you consumed...... despite what subway lists on their menu