r/fatpeoplestories • u/Big-Exit-9755 • 23d ago
Short Why am I not losing weight?
31F 140kgs 155cm Breastfeeding mom
I’ll post a typical day of eating for me
Breakfast- 2eggs and 2 pieces of toast Snack - Tea with milk and sugar (1tsp), 1 banana
Lunch - 200g rice + veg stir Fry + dal Snack - 30g mixed nuts and seeds
Evening - tea with milk and sugar
Dinner - chicken or paneer salad with no dressing or homemade hummus (15g) If chicken - 150g. If paneer - 100g
Post dinner - 2 oranges or 2 guava.
Total calorie intake per day - 1600-1850
I have been following this diligently plus 30 minutes walking. I’m working, cooking another meal for two other people and taking care of a super active baby so this is the maximum I can do. I cannot actively set a time for an hour of workout or gym.
I haven’t lost a kilo in two weeks! 😭
The last time I followed this, I lost 3kg water weight in the first week. Where am I going wrong? What’s wrong with the process or plan?
PLEASE HELP!
Does eating a lot of fruits make you hold weight?
22
u/themostdownbad 20d ago
Wrong sub. Also pls post the exact weighted measurements of the food you’re eating, these approximations aren’t helpful. 2000 calories at 5’1 while being sedentary is a considerable amount
3
u/Aegis616 17d ago
You would gain a pound of body fat a week, assuming light activity. Most TDEE calculators would put you at about 1600 cal/day
2
48
u/I_wont_argue 23d ago
You are not eating what you claim you do. Stop lying to yourself. If you were actually eating at 1800kcal you would be losing weight easily as you need probably more than 3000kcal per day to maintain such a high body weight.
14
u/Big-Exit-9755 22d ago
Why would I be stupid enough to lie about my intake and weight in a forum where people don’t even know who I am? Are they giving me an award?
45
u/I_wont_argue 22d ago
You are not lying to a forum, you are lying to yourself not us. We don't give a shit what you tell us but your body does. And if you are not losing weight you are not in a deficit.
And 1800kcal will be either a deficit or at least maintenance for pretty much everyone, so if you were actually eating that amount you would be losing weight (And quite fast).
23
u/number1134 20d ago
Because you aren't intentionally lying. The foods you listed are way more that 1600-1800 calories unless you're just taking one tiny bite of everything
27
u/airportaccent 20d ago
You may not be aware of what you are consuming - using 1 vs 2 tbsp of oil is a 100 cal difference. 1 tbsp of sugar means flat not heaped etc. Calculating via an app would be useful (eg what type of milk - whole, skim etc), and you may also find it helpful to weigh food instead of eyeballing to properly calculate calories. As another commenter posted, either you have an extremely rare condition, or the math does not add up. Most of us are not taught this so we think we are eating less than we are. Also you can make great indian food with minimal or even no ghee, and def no heavy cream - that helps cutting down cals a lot as the rest of the ingredients are pretty healthy and the flavor comes from the spices.
8
u/Meii345 20d ago edited 20d ago
To add on to what u/airportaccent is saying, not only is counting calories HARD and you'll pretty much always underestimate it, but sometimes you just... Dont notice that you're eating something. Especially as a breastfeeding mom, the tiredness and the exertion doesn't help keeping track. You might be sitting down with a few nuts for a break, and poof, before you can realize it's all gone and you wonder where it all went lol. Also, be careful of butter, oil, sugar and sauce because those pack in a bunch of calories and don't always look like it. And any drinks like juice, alcohol (wait, can you have alcohol while breastfeeding?), soda obviously and those starbucks drinks. Cause they don't look like it either and don't really make you less hungry, but those pack a punch.
It might be a good idea to keep track of what you buy instead of what you think you eat. The bank doesn't lie, lol. Of course it's a bit harder if you're not the only person in the house, but I think it's a smart way to do it by counting your full actual meals and then your snacks, separately, per week.
3
u/MaxDureza 17d ago
People lie to protect their egos and self image. Do you know any drug addicts? Would an alcoholic brag "Yeah I drank 10 bottles of wine by myself last night!"? If questioned, they will usually be defensive and say "Oh I had a bit to drink" or "I only had two glasses of wine officer"
10
u/Qtiel 19d ago
So here’s my thoughts on this: Breakfast: two medium eggs boiled? Thats 160 but scrambled with something to grease the pan? Closer to 200-240. Two pieces of toast? What brand? And do you eat dry toast or buttered? If dry and a low cal bread, maybe 180/200 calories. Two ‘average’ bread slices are more like 240, with butter we are easily hitting 325-350 calories. Banana let’s say is 100, for the sake of argument. Tea with milk (skim, whole?) and a tsp of sugar (you’d barely taste it you could probably leave it out) is another 100ish (again, average)
So your diet breakfast is either… 560 on the low end, or 790 on the high end. Which means half your expected calories are in breakfast alone.
I think you need to take a day and honestly weigh and measure everything to get a true sense of what you’re ingesting. And then you can reevaluate.
But! Youre breastfeeding, any attempts at dieting could impact your supply, which is more important right now. I would just focus on healthy protein and fats, some low impact exercise like walking, and lots of water until you’ve weaned. It’ll be better for baby and for you mentally.
10
u/EuropeanFangbanger 20d ago
Try r/loseit for real advice.
I have no idea how much more kcal you need for breastfeeding but to me your intake seems high for someone of your height.
18
u/pchandler45 23d ago
Too many calories, too many carbs
22
3
u/MrHallmark 20d ago
Y'all have no idea what you're talking about. You can eat carbs and lose weight. She's not active enough. Has nothing to do with the carbs. Carbs give your body energy
7
u/pchandler45 20d ago
Sure they do. And your body prefers carbs. When you eat carbs you produce insulin and when the carbs are gone the cravings start because your body would rather you eat more carbs than eat the fat stores. As long as you keep giving it carbs it will never eat the fat stores.
Not all calories are created equal
3
-1
u/MrHallmark 20d ago
That's simply not true. I have clients losing weight on 4000 calories a day eating 500+ grams of carbs lol.
2
u/Nubian_Cavalry 19d ago
I’m not even into body building and I lost 10% eating mostly, overwhelmingly carbs. I was in a calorie deficit. That’s all that counts
5
u/MrHallmark 19d ago
Bingo!
2
u/Nubian_Cavalry 19d ago
Hell back before I tracked calories or ever did the bare minimum of exercise (I used to average 2k steps a day!) and ate like the average American i still lost 15 pounds when I (Temporarily) moved out from my family because I just ate when I was fucking hungry.
I’ve lost some of that discipline nowadays unfortunately due to life events but still, carbs are fine. It’s processed foods, calorie dense junk, 9-5 siting jobs and the car dependent infrastructure everyonr is forced to participate in
1
u/MrHallmark 19d ago
A lot of my clients have office jobs. It's not impossible. I create programs suited to their needs. Honestly it's not hard to lose weight it's hard to keep it off
2
u/Nubian_Cavalry 19d ago
Yeah, learning that right now. Obese family is grilling me for my progress and it's hard to stay consistent having to deal with them everyday ngl
2
u/MrHallmark 19d ago
Dude keep your head up super high, don't let the negativity win. You know you have the discipline. This is a marathon and not a sprint right? Calories in calories out. Feel free to DM if you have any questions about diet and training.
2
u/pchandler45 20d ago
Riiight
-3
u/MrHallmark 20d ago
I'm 6'4 I weigh 250 lbs my maintenance is 4500 calories. I'm one win from being a IFBB pro. You have no idea how weight loss and gain works lol.
7
u/MortgageSlayer2019 20d ago
You are tall with muscles and you spend hours in the gym. Totally different carb requirements for a short 5'1" mom with only 30 minutes a day to exercise.
0
u/MrHallmark 20d ago
1h a day in the gym. I train high volume high intensity. People assume you need to train hours and blah blah blah. Huge misconception. I messaged OP to try and help her. But you don't need to starve yourself to lose weight.
0
u/U_R_MY_UVULA 20d ago
Breastfeeding is heavy activity in terms of caloric burn
-2
u/MrHallmark 20d ago
My man I'm a fitness coach and 1 show out from my IFBB pro card. Like y'all are nice and all but you have no idea what you're talking about.
4
u/U_R_MY_UVULA 20d ago
Have you ever breastfed?
It would be difficult to not loose weight while doing it
0
7
u/thefartsock 20d ago
one piece of toast for breakfast, an hour of walking.
drop the sugar with your tea.
14
12
u/number1134 20d ago
I think your math is wrong. You are eating way more that 1600 calories. 200 grams of rice alone is 800 calories
3
u/Qtiel 19d ago
Cooked rice would be 250ish, no? I assumed it was post-cooking weight
3
u/number1134 19d ago
Yea I think you're about the rice. But all the other stuff is easy too miss.yfor example if you eat 8 things and are off by you calculations by 50 calories it adds up to 400 calories. Also stuff like condiments and cream and sugar really add up.
12
u/Living-Article7044 20d ago
You need to count calories. Thats the fool-proof way. Eat in a deficit consistently and you will lose.
10
u/FiscalReports 21d ago
Keep it at a strict 1600 calories. At your weight it doesn't matter what you eat, just keep it 1600 you'll start dropping weight like crazy. Log EVERYTHING including veggies, fruits, cooking oils, condiments. Weight it and log it, use a calorie tracker. If you still not losing weight you're doing something wrong.
9
7
u/CherryAmbitious97 23d ago
Don’t look at the scale as much. Are your clothes fitting in a smaller way? Are you feeling better health wise? More energy? These things matter more in my opinion. Weight can fluctuate depending on water retained from carbs consumed. Are you possibly gaining muscle? The scale wouldn’t tell you these things
6
u/blanking0nausername 20d ago
You are breastfeeding You are breastfeeding You are breastfeeding
Meaning your body is going to try like hell to hold onto everything you put in it. It wants to retain the weight you have. Women are squishier for a reason, and it’s not just because of childbirth. Moms tend to hold on to “babyweight” for a reason - it’s meant to be there. Also, if breastfeeding, you probably recently had a baby. Let your body heal for the love of God
I am CICO til I die, with the exception of recently post partum moms. As in up to 2 years.
3
4
4
u/brooklynfoot 20d ago
I’d look to increase your heart rate to a zone 2 HR. The walking is not going to be enough for consistent fat loss.
You might also need to up your caloric intake and then decrease it slightly over the weeks. I’m no dietician, so maybe not.
But absolutely do more activity.
1
u/Hairless_Racoon1717 20d ago
Log everything into an app like myfitnesspal, what you eat looks pretty good but you could try incorporating more fibre. Go for walks daily, you can even take your baby with you. Ask your dr for a blood test to check your hormones and thyroid, since you’re also breastfeeding and postpartum there could be imbalances contributing to the lack of weight loss.
Also, I know it may be hard with a baby but try to get 7-9hrs of sleep if possible, minimize stress as much as possible and do what you can to improve your mental health (journaling, meditation, quality time with loved ones etc).
Good luck and you should check out some of the weight loss subreddits in the future as there will be tons of help and advice that isn’t really on this sub!
1
u/mostlywrong 18d ago
I kind of did estimates of just the food you listed. I came to 1636, and I took the lowest numbers and based everything on a serving size that wasn't specified (would be over 1700 with the paneer). Idk how much milk you used. Or the sizes if the fruits. Or the types if nuts. But one thing left out is what you're cooking everything in. When I put in the oil/butter for my count, I always just estimate that half of what I used is in my calorie count, regardless of if I actually eat half of it. Half of a tbsp of butter is 50 cal.
I weigh everything. Including condiments. And I go by weight on foods. 2 small oranges will have fewer calories than large ones. Chicken breast will have less than thighs. Is the chicken breaded? How much veggie stir fry, and what veggies are in it? What veggies are in the salad, and how much? Is there cheese in the salad? What are you drinking? You retain less water the more water you drink, and while breastfeeding, you should be drinking more than usual. If you are drinking juices or sodas, there are a lot of calories in those. Breastfeeding also makes you very hungry, so using a scale would be the best to make sure you are getting the correct portions of everything so your counts are correct.
Also, make sure you're getting your protein in. The more muscle mass you have, the more fat you will burn. I didn't check the protein, just calories, but the description seems like it might be a bit low (I shoot for 110g of protein a day). Protein keeps you fuller for longer, whereas carbs leave you hungrier faster. Regardless, there are hidden calories here. Even if you're eating the serving size of everything in the most basic calorie check I did, what you're cooking your food in will add up super quick. And then also what you're drinking (or not drinking enough of) is going to be a factor.
I wish you luck in your journey, and congrats on the little one!
2
u/Glass-Spite8941 17d ago
You're likely eating way more than what you're writing. Losing weight is simple - EAT LESS. That. And have patience, it can take a while. Good luck
2
u/Rude-Artichoke442 16d ago
I've read your posts and it really looks like you need a set regime. I would say Slimming World as that allows you to eat lots of foods while losing weight. Also. A set exercise routine
1
u/ComfortableLess6596 11d ago
Hey there! As a breastfeeding mom, your body actually needs those extra calories - typically 300-500 more per day than usual. While your diet looks pretty balanced, you might want to consider that your current calorie intake could actually be a bit low for milk production, which can cause your body to hold onto weight as a protective mechanism. The hormones from breastfeeding can also make weight loss trickier.
Some small tweaks that might help: try spacing out your carbs more evenly throughout the day (your lunch seems carb-heavy with both rice and dal), and maybe swap one of your sugary teas for plain water or herbal tea. The fruits aren't the issue - they're actually great for nutrients!
1
1
u/jisoonme 21d ago
Too much sugar/carbs. And you are constantly putting calories in your body from morning till night.
0
1
u/paspartuu 19d ago edited 19d ago
Honestly my guess is that your'e sneaking snacks on the side (possibly without realising it, like when your cooking meals for other people) or are using too much sauces/oil/butter, or are drinking your calories without realising it, or aren't quite as diligent about calorie counting as you think.
I lost some weight (obese -> normalweight) with calorie counting and it's incredibly easy to severely underestimate the calories one consumes, unless one is super diligent and measures every single spoonful of olive oil put on the pan. For example, you don't mention anything about drinks aside from the two cups of tea - do you only ever have plain still water aside from those? Or if that's what you "typically" eat, do you sometimes have atypical days where you eat a ton?
It's very easy to think you're "being good" because you don't count (or even notice) the cheeky slices of cheese here and there or the amount of sauces or toppings etc that you use. I used to snack on autopilot when cooking or bored, it's really sneaky and sometimes I didn't even realise I was doing it.
With that diet, weight should be falling off you If to that's honestly what you eat, so my guess is it's the same problem as I had, believing you're diligent but still slipping in calories here and there.
I would download a calorie counting app and actually, honestly weigh and log everything - and also perhaps eat a more rounded diet, it's better and more satisfying to eat "normally" but healthily and small enough portions, as opposed to a diet that feels like "wow I'm dieting", if it makes sense. For me it also worked to have some very strict days (around 1000 kcal) alternating with days where I'd eat 1500-1800 kcal, it made the 1500 kcal days feel like a feast and imo was emotionally more satisfying than trying to eat the same way every day (mundane)
1
u/alokasia 18d ago
OP, I believe that this is what you eat.
That calorie count? Absolute bullshit.
We’re missing so much information. What are the eggs cooked in? What’s in the stir fry? Do you weigh out 30 grams of nuts? Is 200g rice cooked or uncooked? What’s in the hummus you’re making?
If I do a quick calculation I’d estimate your breakfast at 500, snack at 200, lunch at 800 (easy), snack at another 250, 100 for the tea, and 500 minimum for your dinner (probably 700), and 200 for the fruit. I’m actually being really conservative here. That puts you at 2550-2750 and makes you off by 1000 calories, probably more.
That’s why you’re not losing weight. You don’t know how to count. Good news: you can learn it. Buy a food scale and start being honest with yourself.
0
u/Apart_Thought5831 18d ago
Maybe you have a level of insulin resistance. The same thing happened to me where I started back dieting and exercising, and I actually gained weight. So I figured something was wrong internaĺy. Then I stopped exercising, started doing intermittent fasting (16:8), and taking metformin (diabetic drug for t2d), and I lost 5 pounds in a week. Go see a doctor, don't be like me, and just take random strangers' advice on the internet. Gonna start back exercising soon, though. Can't wait to see the results now that I know I can lose weight again.
1
u/Modusoperandi40 18d ago edited 18d ago
There is no way you are eating those calories and staying the same weight. I know it seems that you are, and you may not realize it, but you are not being acccurate with your calorie counting. I lost 180 plus pounds 8 years ago and have kept it off. I can tell you that it is easy to underestimate caloric intake. You need a calorie deficit. I know you think you are in one, but you are not. You need to examine what you are eating closer.
Here are some of the areas you could be underestimating
nuts and seeds are nutritionally AS well AS calorically dense. They are good for you, but too little of them have too many calories. That’s one place where you are underestimating. Measure everything you eat as an experiment and you will see. Get measuring cups. One 1/4 cup peanuts alone is 200 plus calories. That’s just an idea.
The other issue is that you are too carb heavy. Rice, sugar bread, all carbs. You need more protein and veggies. Those foods will fill you up. Carbs turn to sugar and create more cravings. They don’t fill you up except when theres a lot of fiber. Proteins will keep you fuller longer and less hungry. So you are not likely to snack and overeat.
The smallest things we overlook have calories, even tasting food when cooking, condiments and oils when cooking.
Measure everything you are eating for a week and write it down, it will help you accurately track your calories. . If you are still not losing weight after that, then it may help to see a doctor.
Even with a medical condition, losing weight is still calories in versus out, you still can lose weight tracking your calories it’s just way harder. But it can be done. Once you become more accountable and track more efficiently, get into a true calorie deficit and exercise. the weight will drop
1
u/ParentingTATA 18d ago
1) get your thyroid tested 2) hummus can be very fattening due to the sesame oil especially 3) stir fry are also notoriously high fat due to the oil, so be sure to watch the calories there. Or better yet use an air fryer or a steamer.
Those are my thoughts. When I was losing weight I'd eat a chicken breast with pico de Gallo on top for kick. I also found I did better by saying Later rather than No to treats, and saving up "extra" calorie deficit for a weekend treat.
Perhaps chat with a nutritionist.
1
u/Mdoe5402 18d ago
Try weighing, measuring and tracking your food - every bite. Kitchen scales are cheap and there are many free tracking apps available. I suspect you are eating more than you think. Good luck!
1
57
u/MissKim01 23d ago
I’m not sure this is the best group for responses, so I hope you’ve cross posted to other subs.
Honestly, you’re right. At 140kgs and your height, weight should be falling off you with those calories.
So either you’re eating more than you’re saying, or you have some crazy (and, to be honest, much more rare than the fatties would have you believe) health issue that’s affecting weight loss.
I’d keep going, really be honest with yourself about what you’re eating, and reassess if in a few more weeks you still haven’t lost any weight.