Hello! I need some advice because nothings working. Little bit of back story. As soon as I decide to lose weight and start just being conscious of what I'm eating I can lose 20 lbs in 2 weeks. But thats as far as I ever get. I've never really been real motivated because I have no health issues from being overweight. My husband stopped drinking pop and going to the gym a few times a week and lost 80lbs in a few months. So now I'm jealous lol. I'm 5'7" and 295lbs. This is my current "health plan" I never eat more than 1600 calories a day, haven't had "real pop" in about 6 months and I do an hour of hard cardio at least 3 days a week, usually every other day though. I sweat, I get my heart rate where it needs to be (145ish), I mix it up between bike treadmill and elliptical. I'm a very busy hairdresser so I'm not sitting all day I'm hustling 40 hrs a week. Anything I'm missing out on? Any advice as to what I'm doing wrong? I'm constantly thinking about food, and I work out so hard that I'm always achy. HELP!?

Men are infuriating that way, aren't they? Skip a meal and walk around the block twice, and my husband can lose in a day what took me weeks to lose.

Are you recording everything you eat? Do you weigh and measure? You should be losing if you're burning more than you're consuming, so the only thing I can think of is that you're getting more calories than you realize?

It could be what you eat. What do you eat? Maybe you need more protein, less carbs, or more carbs, less proteins? Maybe you eat too many processed foods? For me, even if I stay at or below my calorie goal for the day, if I eat too many processed foods or refined sugary foods (candy, cookies), I will not lose. My body seems to like a higher protein diet with fewer carbs.

Otherwise, perhaps there is something metabolic going on and a trip to the doctor is in order to check hormones, thyroid (including free T3 and free T4), blood sugar, etc.

I count and measure and log everything. I can only eat fish meat wise. I eat tons of spinach salads, rice cakes, non buttered popcorn. Typical days are slim fast shake with soy milk when I wake up, lunch is usually a salad with apples and pecans and dinner is usually steamed fish and a rice pack. I drink lots of water and I usually have a 20oz of diet pop I sip though out the day but I normally dont even finish that. I've had my thyroid panels ran every year for the last 6 or 7 and nothing has shown, I dont know if they ran for that though? No blood sugar issues however I was on depo for 10 years and just switched to an iud last month.

I am new to calorie counting and just in the few weeks I've started I have learned that carbs hinder my weigh loss so I have to control those (Not cut them out totally). Also I've learned that by avoiding processed or fast foods I lose quicker. Another thing I learned is that my portion control had a lot to be desired for.
These are just a few things I've learned. Maybe something here will help you. I was also going to mention like Twinieten mentioned about maybe too many calories going in and not enough going out.

After you lose that initial drop the first two weeks, are you losing anything else - even a lb a week?

I can tell you that I dropped a lot of weight the first month, and then it slowed considerably and is now maybe a lb a week if I'm lucky. This seems to especially true for those starting out over 250.

I'm not sure what you're asking. For hunger - consider more protein and fat, and fewer carbs. Are you getting enough fiber and veggies? Also see below for more.

For being sore - this should pass fairly soon. However, you would most likely be better of lifting weights than doing cardio for losing fat. There are a number of reasons this is true but a big one is that cardio makes a lot of people (including myself) hungry. Less cardio = less hunger for me. If you enjoy the cardio and hate lifting than ignore my suggestion but personally I find weight lifting far more interesting than cardio plus less hunger.

For fat loss - this plan should work fine for some time to come. If the lbs are not coming off - be patient. They will.

How long have you been on this plan of counting calories? Prehaps it is your expectations that need adjusting. 20 lbs in 2 weeks is in no way sustainable for continued losses. I'm shocked that you lost that much that quickly at all.

It sounds like you have a reasonable plan. 1-2 pound losses per week are pretty standard. As another poster asked, are you losing at all?

Are you eating frequently? Eating a large meal will spike your insulin level and pack on or hold on to fat/food, and then waiting hours before eating again will drop it dramatically, also packing on or holding onto the fat. I know many hairdressers and they go hours without eating sometimes. Even though you're 1600 calories is a good place to start, you should try to spread it out throughout the day. There should always be food in your belly. Try having a small snack between each client.

No, not really. Unless a person has certain health requirements, there's no reason to eat frequently. Some people eat one large meal a day and they're better off that way.

If your thyroid is in check, and your doing everything you said you are, then be pacient because nothing is wrong....Weight loss isn't linear...You won't loose the same every week and you will have stalls. Personality, I've had stalls that have lasted a month...But if your creating a defict calorie wise then the weight will eventually come off

Other factors could be masking it, such as water weight and bloat

20 pounds in two weeks is alot...give your body some time to catch up...Good luck

Quick question ...how long have you been stalled for, and are you sure your eating the proper amount of calories for your height, weight, and excerise level?

I agree with the others on that frequent meal myth. I think people need to do what works for them. I need to feel full. I do much better with fewer larger meals than frequent small ones. If I eat several small meals, I'm hungry all the time and that results in over eating.

I'm also going to ask the same question. Is it that you've lost zero pounds over a period of weeks? Or has your loss just slowed? Are you giving up too soon? When you say you don't lose anything, it's after how many weeks? An initial, huge loss at the beginning of a diet is normal. Then it slows down. It sounds like your diet is really healthy.

I'm a really slow loser, averaging maybe a pound or two a month. Seriously, it's depressing. But perseverance got me where I am now.

This is me exactly! I can't have all those small frequent meals through out the day. It triggers me to keep eating.

I'm the exact oposite...I cannot stomache large amounts of food...and since I do intermittant fasting, and only eat for 8 hours a day, I end up snacking continiously during that time...without feeling to full, and without feeling hungry for the 16 hours after...Wierdddd

I can go up or down up to 5lbs a day, and then it always settles back to the lower end, like now I go anywhere from 295 to 300 in a day. Over my highest was 318 and my low lately is 295. thats as far as it goes. I lost the 20 around halloween and nothing more since. I use the snap gyms, and their online fitness planners. To do a steady "detox" I'm supposed to have 2200 but to me that sounds more like maintaining. The diet plan they formulated for me is 2 smoothies in the morning and then, lots of fruits and veggies for dinner. Which if following the example smoothies thatll drop me to 1100 calories. I know myself better than to do that, I'm sure Id follow it for a week or so then just want $20 worth of mcds or something lol and Im sure Id be way cranky to boot. My husbands being great and is doing the whole itll come it takes time but its just hard to drop 20 like its nothing and have to fight for a few lbs one way or another.

You should be able to still lose weight even eating way more than you are...even over 2000 per day. Have you considered maybe upping your calories? Perhaps you've plateaued? Personally, I would get my thyroid and stuff checked out by a doctor if I were you and I truly were eating just 1600 per day.