Why Am I Losing So Little Weight?
I’m losing weight slowly. What can I do to get results faster?
Q. At work, a group of us have started a group weight-loss competition modeled on “The Biggest Loser.” So, for the past six weeks I have been watching what I eat and I’ve been walking on the treadmill three or four times per week. But I’ve only lost four pounds! I’d like to lose at least 12 more pounds. What can I do to see results faster?
A. First, congratulate yourself because a four-pound weight loss may not be your end goal, but it’s a solid accomplishment—especially if you can avoid gaining the weight back. If you can lose more weight and also maintain that loss, even better. Sure, you want to see greater weight loss, but try to resist berating yourself when you are actually experiencing a successful result. Remember, it’s only the beginning of your new and healthier lifestyle! (And it’s vital to appreciate that your new behaviors are the beginning of a longterm lifestyle change, rather than a quick fix to lose weight and then a return to the same old habits.)
“But research shows that all diets ultimately reduce how many calories you eat, even if you are not consciously tallying them up after each meal.”
Seeing dramatic results quickly is seductive. But ask yourself this: How many people do you know who went on a fad diet or underwent a serious weight-loss regimen for a week at a spa, only to gain the weight back?
Quick, drastic weight loss should not be your emphasis. Make your goal gradual, healthful weight loss that can be sustained over time. The good news is that you are on your way.
Now, how do you expedite the weight-loss process?
There could be several reasons why you aren’t losing more weight faster. Most likely, you are burning more calories from walking while eating fewer calories from smarter food choices, but not making as dramatic a change in overall calories, or energy balance, as you could. You don’t mention how strictly you are following your healthful eating plan. Are you counting calories? You also don’t give details on how long you are walking, nor how fast. Both are factors that will influence your overall calorie burn.
If you controlled your caloric intake a bit more carefully and exercised more often, for longer or at a higher intensity, to accumulate a greater weekly calorie burn, you can probably get greater results.
Assess your current diet and fitness plan
Burning more calories than you take in will lead to weight loss. But if you are only vaguely monitoring your intake, you may not be cutting out as many calories as you think—and that can slow down your weight loss.
There are many ways to cut calories and a number of diets to choose from. But whether it’s a low-carb, low-fat diet or some other approach, all diets work because they reduce how many calories you take in. Sometimes you may not be aware of the caloric cut if you are instead focusing on avoiding carbs or certain banned foods. But research shows that all diets ultimately reduce how many calories you eat, even if you are not consciously tallying them up after each meal.
The 2009 position statement from the American Dietetic Association on weight management recommends reducing your calorie intake by 500 to 1,000 calories per day to achieve a weight loss of 1 to 2 pounds per week.
To do this you first need to figure out, on average, how many calories you normally take in. You can do so by keeping a food diary and looking up the calorie count for everything you eat each day (You can look up foods in the USDA nutrient database or try CalorieCount.com.
Eat less
You only need to log your meals for three days or so to get an estimate (although tracking more days is more accurate). Once you know your average energy intake, subtract 500 to 1,000 calories from your total and aim to eat that amount. If “watching what you eat” up till now means that you were simply avoiding desserts or saying “no” to seconds, then assessing what you eat more carefully may help you discover ways to reduce your caloric intake even more.
If you’re not a calorie counter, experiment with other ways to control portion sizes. You might try a commercial diet plan that provides meals, if that’s within your budget. Or stick to frozen dinners, which will allow you to keep tabs on the exact number of calories you are eating.
Exercise more
Regular exercise can add to the caloric deficit that you need to create to lose weight, but the key to seeing results from exercise is consistency. The 2008 Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans recommends doing at least 60 minutes per day of moderate- to vigorous-intensity activity on most days of the week, and up to 90 minutes to prevent weight regain after weight loss. You wrote that you are currently walking three to four days a week. So, bump it up to five or more days. Or do other activities like cardio machines or aerobic dance classes. If your walks only last 30 minutes and are at a moderate pace, start increasing your mileage and/or speed in small amounts to boost the calorie burn. Keep a daily physical activity diary to help monitor your progress.
For a specific regimen to follow, check out the food and fitness plan I devised for MSN, Lose 10 Pounds in 5 Weeks. The program includes an easy-to-follow, progressive five-week walking routine.
Do you have a fitness or weight-loss question for Martica? Send e-mail to experts@microsoft.com. Please include Ask Martica in the subject line. Each of our experts responds to one question each week and the responses are posted on Mondays on MSN Health. We regret that we cannot provide a personalized response to every submission.
Martica Heaner, Ph.D., M.A., M.Ed., is a Manhattan-based exercise physiologist and nutritionist, and an award-winning fitness instructor and health writer. She has a Ph.D. in behavioral nutrition and physical activity from Columbia University, and is also a NASM-certified personal trainer. She has written hundreds of articles for publications such as
Self
,
Health
,
Prevention
,
The New York Times
and others. Martica is the author of eight books, including her latest,
Cross-Training for Dummies.
(Read her full bio.)
More From MSN Health & Fitness:
Weight loss is simple math: eating less + exercise = weight loss
People simply don’t push themselves as hard as they can – they don’t think their body can take it, but you would be surprised what your body is capable of. Walking is fine, but if you want to make progress...work harder.
I lost 45 lbs over three years ago and kept this off by using a reasonable and adaptable method of losing weight so as to adjust it to everyday life after my goal had been obtained. This is the only way to take it off and keep it off. I combined a few methods...essentially a modified Atkins. I decreased my carbs week after week until they were very low. At that point the weight really came off, but I didn’t suffer that sudden drop in energy often experienced with a cold turkey style Atkins. Once I reached my goal, I slowly incorporated whole grains back in to my diet. I never counted calories or fat grams just carbs during the weight loss period. Now, I balance a healthy level of fat/carbs/calorie intake.
Building muscle is key, but I disagree with a female writer who indicated that 10lbs of muscle will burn more calories. Ok, technically this is true, but I don’t know many WOMEN who reasonably gain 10 lbs. of muscle. That is sort of steep for the average woman to gain unless doing supplements and lifting a lot of weight. Weight training is essential because it makes you a calorie burning machine. You burn more just standing still and make you less prone to injury (even small everyday aches and pains). Our muscles hold our body together and they are the first to degrade due to age, so weight training is critical. Take measurements around your body and keep a log of your inches lost. Sometimes the scale makes no sense and will cause you frustration. Good luck....
Eat less, exercise more...really? Is that a startling revelation? Stop looking for magic bullets...it's always about eating less and exercising more....doesn't take a genius.
i agree with the previous post. this writer is being extremely irresponsible with her advice. 500-1000 calories?! unless the person you are speaking to consumes 3k+ a day that just isnt sensible. think about the teenage girls googling fitness seeing that they need to cut 500-1000 calories out of their diets?! and recommending frozen dinners that are packed full of preservatives, additives and fillers...not to mention the toxins that are being found from the packaging alone...i seriously take issue with someone claiming to be a nutritionist recommending TV dinners. after reading the author's glowing resume, im sorry but based on this article im calling Bullsh*t!
since i feel that this article had more misinformatin that anything else id recommend that ppl looking for the most efficient and safe way to boost their weight loss program check out the HIIT (high intensity interval training) principles in the Tabata Protocol. also the workouts and nutritional information ive found on BodyRockTV.com is spot on and challenging.
Want a REAL magic bullet? All you have to do is follow some basic guidelines of food combining (a.k.a. the pH Diet, the Medical Diet, the Dr. Hay Diet). It's a method of eating in harmony with the human body's natural chemical processes, which often results in quick weight loss with very little effort. I've been doing it for 12 weeks and have lost 26 pounds without adding any exercise at all. That's an average of over 2 pounds per week just falling off my body from doing nothing more than changing how I eat certain foods together.
Food combining also can instantly end most digestive issues including acid reflux/GERD, gastritis, constipation, IBS, heartburn, diverticulosis/diverticulitis, diarrhea, ulcers, colitis & Crohn's (IBD). That's how I got into it--to resolve my horrible daily IBS issues--and can I tell you it worked starting literally DAY ONE?? No joke.
Other side effects include sleeping better at night, feeling better all day, having more energy you can actually feel, and potential relief from symptoms of many chronic conditions including osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, fibromyalgia, high blood pressure, allergies, bladder problems, kidney conditions, hormone imbalances, joint pain, aching muscles, lactic acid buildup, chronic fatigue, slow digestion, elimination problems, and yeast/fungal overgrowth (has helped me with arthritis, hbp, allergies, joint pain/swelling, fatigue, and yeast).
You thought I was kidding about that magic bullet thing, huh?
Search "food combining" on the web and do a little research for yourself. If you decide to try it, go all out -- don't do it halfway or only sometimes because you won't see results very quickly that way (if at all). Every miscombined meal sets you back, so if you want to experience a level of health and vitality you may never have known before, be sure to do it right.
Now, there are some amazing fat flushing natural health drinks which can be mixed with water and literally wash the fat right out and help detoxify the liver. Also, there are some very healthy, concentrated natural food formulas that provide more serious nutrition in fewer calories. These easy to use natural food concentrates make it easy to avoid hunger and cravings while feeling more energetic than ever. I lost 30 pounds in 30 days with this kind of approach and have kept 20-25 pounds off for 9 years, now.
Use the Internet to search for the right tools and keep trying to adjust your diet until you find what works best for you.
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