Why am I not losing pounds?

I have now been on a new diet and fitness regime for 3 weeks. I have noticed that I am definitely losing inches (I have gone from a comfortable size UK14 to a size UK12) but appear to have only lost 3lbs. I am 5.7" and weigh about 168lbs and would love to go down to 145lbs. I exercise 4 times a week, for about an hour at a time and am currently doing 2 sessions of cardio and 2 sessions of weights. I eat about 1400 calories a day. Now obviously I am happy with the inch loss but fail to undertand why the pounds aren't shifting. I know the science (muscle weighs more than fat and takes up less space etc) but I can't understand why the pound loss is so slow. Am I destined to weigh 168lbs forever??!! Call me old fashioned but I like to see movement on the scales as well! Any ideas?

Public Comments

1. I think u must try push ups in ur workout! do 100 in sets of 10 or 20!
2. muscle weighs more than fat. eventually the scale will move just be patient.
3. You seem to know exactly why you're not losing pounds. Muscle is much denser than fat, simple as that. You're doing a fantastic job, don't depend on that scale to give you validation. It measures weight, not fat. Keep it up!
4. You might think about trying this book called "The Movie Star Diet" by Steve Simmons. It helped me lose thirty pounds in 2 1/2 months when I didn't think anything would work. My goal to begin with was only 20 lbs! It has a really easy plan to follow and an excellent workout as well.
5. what does it matter? if you can see the inches being lost, then your diet is working. so who cares if the weight is going down?
6. It's actually not too common to see a dramatic weight loss after only 3 weeks for one simple reason; Your body is still clinging to excess fat and water because it's adapting to a new way of taking in nutrients because of a change of diet. The fact that you're building muscle is not the reason why you have stayed the same weight. It is not possible for your body to generate the same weight in muscle as you had in fat in that short of a space of time. Because you are eating such a small amount of calories, your body will cling to the fat for longer. To go from a size fourteen to a 12 is great. You're on the right track. Keep eating heathily and keep up the cardio. I guaratee you'll see big results on the scales after the 2 month mark and from there you'll be able to maintain your goal weight (which, by the way at 145 is a very healthy and realistic weight) much easier. The first 2 months are the hardest. PS: My top tip is to drink 3 litres of water a day and cut out excess salt. Right now you're body is probably retaining water and by drinking more, the weight will drop off.
7. Hi, Silverine Congratulations on your hard work! You deserve to do well. Be as kind as possible to yourself and try not to worry about losing pounds. Focus on losing body fat and flourishing physically for the rest of your life. I have a few suggestions about how you might maximize the benefits of your efforts. 1400 calories a day is too strict for you as an individual. Such a dietary approach will not last long-term. Eventually, you will go off it and probably regain whatever weight you managed to lose. Additionally, it is likely that a higher percentage of the regained weight will be more body fat than you had before. For some people, calorie-restricted diets will not work because they don’t correct an underlying metabolic imbalance that has caused fat to be stored in the tissues. Think of it this way: for tens of thousands of years our ancestors did fine without weight loss diets. For them weight gain was not an issue because they had a natural diet. Our ancestors did not eat refined carbohydrates. Neither did they eat grains. By that, they had a natural low carbohydrate diet. You could now try counting carbohydrates rather than calories. For example, if you eat refined carbohydrates cut them all out. That one dietary change can quickly make a big difference. If you have a history of being overweight, dieting and then regaining weight, you may have become insulin resistant. In which case a natural low carbohydrate diet will suit you better. If you decide to adopt that approach, get all of your carbohydrates from natural sources such as (nutrient rich, organic) low carb vegetables and low carb fruits. Additionally, instead of 3 larger ones, eat 5 or 6 smaller meals daily and ensure that you are getting at least 15 grams of proteins, from natural sources, at each of those meals. (If you insist on counting calories, then you as an individual should probably be getting about 2200 calories daily--and certainly not less than 2000.) You already realise that weight is not what matters. What matters in terms of your health and appearance is your percentage of body fat. Measure that once a week. At this stage, it is more important than what you see on your bathroom scales. If you are training intensely on basic exercises such as squats, deadlifts, rows, and presses, two sessions of strength training per week are fine. In time, you will increase your lean muscle mass, which will "burn" more calories 24 hours a day. If, on the other hand, you are socializing for an hour in the gym and simply using whatever machines happen to be free, you are not building muscle. Additionally, if you are not eating properly, you are failing to maximize the benefits of the strength training that you are doing. Two sessions of mild cardio per week may not be sufficient for you. (If you are working for an hour each session, it must be a mild cardio session and not an intense one.) Consider doubling that to four sessions per week, which is much more in accordance with U.S. government recent guidelines. (As a precaution, you can check with your medical professional before significantly altering exercise habits). I do not think that you are destined to weigh 168 lbs forever. You seem determined to lose weight. Training, though, is a lifestyle. Three weeks is barely a beginning. Relax and trust the process. The fat will come off and you will lose weight. Do a little more cardio and commit yourself to exercising for as long as it takes and preferably for the rest of your life. Aditionally, try counting your carbohydrate intake. Moreover (irrespective of counting calories or carbs), eliminate all refined carbohydrates. That is the way to lose body fat and stop body fat from returning. At the bottom of this answer, I have listed a free Internet resource that gives more information about refined carbohydrates and other things that can interfere with weight loss. Good luck, Silverine! I hope this information helps you. All my best wishes. .