Been working out and under my calorie goal for two weeks. No progress.

I workout out 3-4 times a week. I do cardio classes at my gym, and do weights on the other days. I have been under my calorie goal everyday for two weeks.

All I've lost is 1/2 a pound. I know I sound selfish, but why isn't it more?
Medical Info: I have to take a small steroid for a condition I have. I heard it makes you gain weight. I've been taking it for 6 years.

Any tips/suggestions? I'm really worried I'll never be able to lose this weight!

Replies

unknown

Weight fluctuates pretty dramatically on a day to day basis. Either swap to weighing daily and watch trends or weigh once a week with the knowledge that you may have been 3 lbs lighter the previous day. Could have eaten way too much sodium or approaching that time of the month. Believe it or not, people on restricted calorie diets typically drop pounds the day after eating a huge meal. In turn, you can go for an hour long bike ride and eat 1000 calories under your goal for that day and weigh 3 lbs heavier the next day. It's all natural fluctuations and mostly water related. Remember that water is approximately 8lbs / gallon. It adds up. Weight loss does not go in a straight line because it is much more complicated than that. The attached image is my weight loss of 30 lbs over the past few months. The jagged lines are daily weigh in's and the straighter line is my "trending" weight, which basically smooths and averages out the daily weigh in's. See how insane it is? But see what direction it's going in? Don't freak out over your first two weeks. The body is so much more complicated than we give it credit for.

chart.jpg

unknown

I went through something similar recently. I've been on my weight loss journey for a few years now and recently gained back all the weight I lost because I wasn't tracking. A few weeks back, I started eating healthier and exercising regularly again. My weigh-in this past week said that I gained a pound even though I didn't eat 3500 extra calories. I'm not going to worry about this "gain" because it isn't real. Our bodies need to get used to eating right and exercising.

As another poster said, our muscles retain water to help them repair after a workout. This is a possibility of why you're not seeing results on the scale. Also, as a woman, our hormones affect our weight a great deal. Are you taking measurements? If not, I recommend it because often I see results in my measurements before I see them on the scale. Make sure you're measuring your food accurately, that's key. Finally, just be patient! It takes some time to really see results. Don't give up. Keep working hard and you will see some results.

unknown

Medication won't make you gain weight unless it has calories. Medication only influences your decision-making when it comes to food, such as sending your brain hunger signals when you are not actually hungry, etc. Weight gain over long term (T>1 week) is due to over-consumption of food as it relates to energy expenditure. If you haven't lost weight, it is because you are eating more than you need still, and need to come down in calories. Regardless of whether you track properly or work out, that is the only case it can be in a timespan of two weeks, assuming you track every day and regulate water consumption.

this, of course, is just my opinion. I am no medical doctor, and definitely not a woman, so I could be completely wrong in this, but I follow the Laws of Conservation.

unknown

Often if you are falling under your goals your body will not let go of any extra weight. I would try to log the exercise and meet the goals not fall under them. You have to fuel your machine.

unknown

ccortesemusic wrote: »

I workout out 3-4 times a week. I do cardio classes at my gym, and do weights on the other days. I have been under my calorie goal everyday for two weeks.

All I've lost is 1/2 a pound. I know I sound selfish, but why isn't it more?
Medical Info: I have to take a small steroid for a condition I have. I heard it makes you gain weight. I've been taking it for 6 years.

Any tips/suggestions? I'm really worried I'll never be able to lose this weight!

unknown

Some of the most popular questions being asked about the 3 day military diet continue to be about food substitutes. Dieters want to know what they can eat in place of certain food items on the original menu? The 3 day military diet menu calls for certain foods because many sources explain, it is a chemical reaction between these foods that causes the weight loss. Some agree with this and some don’t. Some say it is just a lower calorie intake diet and that’s why the weight comes off. Either way, since the 3 day military diet is only three days, you can easily experiment and see which foods work for you. If you don’t succeed the first time around, just try again.

Remember, it is always best to stay as close as you can to the original 3 day military diet food list and menu. Make sure you eat the same amount of calories if you use an of these substitute. Only use these substitutes if absolutely necessary, don't re-do the entire menu with all kinds of substitutes and alternate foods just because you like one over the other.

Here are some food substitution ideas that may work for each day's food items.

DAY 1 Breakfast Alternatives
Grapefruit Substitutions:
Orange, Mandarin Oranges

Toast Substitutions:
Whole Grain Cereal, Rice Cake, Tortilla
Saltine Crackers

Peanut Butter Substitutions:
Soy Butter, Almond Butter, Hummus
Most any nut or seed butter would be ok.

Coffee or Tea Substitutions:
Green Tea
Sugar Free Hot Coco (Made with water)

DAY 1 Lunch Alternatives
Tuna Substitutions:
Cottage Cheese, Chicken, Tofu
Pumpkin Seeds or Almonds

Toast Substitutions:
Whole Grain Cereal
Rice Cake
Tortilla, Saltine Crackers

Coffee or Tea Substitutions:
Green Tea
Sugar Free Hot Coco (Made with water)

DAY 1 Dinner Alternatives
Meat Substitutions:
Tofu, Portobello Mushrooms, Beans

Green Bean Substitutions:
Spinach, Lettuce, Tomato
Any other green vegetables are ok

Banana Substitutions:
Apricots, Grapes, Kiwis

Apple Substitutions:
Zucchini, Peaches or Apricots, Grapes
Nectarine, Pears or Plums

Ice Cream Substitutions:
Frozen Yogurt, Fruit Yogurt, Apple Sauce

DAY 2 Breakfast Alternatives

Hard Boiled Egg Substitutions:
Scrambled Egg
Chicken, Nuts or Seeds
Bacon (2 Slices)

Toast Substitutions:
Whole Grain Cereal
Rice Cake
Tortilla
Saltine Crackers

Banana Substitutions:
Apricots
Grapes
Kiwis

DAY 2 Lunch Alternatives

Cottage Cheese Substitutes:
Cheddar Cheese, Ricotta Cheese
Plain Greek Yogurt, Egg
Slice of Ham

Hard Boiled Egg Substitutions:
Scrambled egg
Chicken
Nuts or Seeds
Bacon (2 Slices)

Saltine Cracker Substitutions:
Rice Cake
Plain Toast
Whole Grain Cereal

DAY 2 Dinner Alternatives

Hot Dog Substitutes:
Bratwurst, Baloney (Similar deli meat)
Beans, Turkey, Soy, Veggie or Tofu Dogs

Banana Substitutions:
Apricots, Grapes, Kiwis

Broccoli Substitutions:
Cauliflower, Brussel Sprouts, Asparagus
Beet Root, Cabbage

Carrot Substitutions:
Celery, Bell Pepper, Beets, Squash
Small Salad (No Dressing)

Ice Cream Substitutions:
Frozen Yogurt, Fruit Yogurt, Apple Sauce

unknown

This diet works great

unknown

keithandsteph2012 wrote: »

Some of the most popular questions being asked about the 3 day military diet continue to be about food substitutes. Dieters want to know what they can eat in place of certain food items on the original menu? The 3 day military diet menu calls for certain foods because many sources explain, it is a chemical reaction between these foods that causes the weight loss. Some agree with this and some don’t. Some say it is just a lower calorie intake diet and that’s why the weight comes off. Either way, since the 3 day military diet is only three days, you can easily experiment and see which foods work for you. If you don’t succeed the first time around, just try again.

Remember, it is always best to stay as close as you can to the original 3 day military diet food list and menu. Make sure you eat the same amount of calories if you use an of these substitute. Only use these substitutes if absolutely necessary, don't re-do the entire menu with all kinds of substitutes and alternate foods just because you like one over the other.

Here are some food substitution ideas that may work for each day's food items.

DAY 1 Breakfast Alternatives
Grapefruit Substitutions:
Orange, Mandarin Oranges

Toast Substitutions:
Whole Grain Cereal, Rice Cake, Tortilla
Saltine Crackers

Peanut Butter Substitutions:
Soy Butter, Almond Butter, Hummus
Most any nut or seed butter would be ok.

Coffee or Tea Substitutions:
Green Tea
Sugar Free Hot Coco (Made with water)

DAY 1 Lunch Alternatives
Tuna Substitutions:
Cottage Cheese, Chicken, Tofu
Pumpkin Seeds or Almonds

Toast Substitutions:
Whole Grain Cereal
Rice Cake
Tortilla, Saltine Crackers

Coffee or Tea Substitutions:
Green Tea
Sugar Free Hot Coco (Made with water)

DAY 1 Dinner Alternatives
Meat Substitutions:
Tofu, Portobello Mushrooms, Beans

Green Bean Substitutions:
Spinach, Lettuce, Tomato
Any other green vegetables are ok

Banana Substitutions:
Apricots, Grapes, Kiwis

Apple Substitutions:
Zucchini, Peaches or Apricots, Grapes
Nectarine, Pears or Plums

Ice Cream Substitutions:
Frozen Yogurt, Fruit Yogurt, Apple Sauce

DAY 2 Breakfast Alternatives

Hard Boiled Egg Substitutions:
Scrambled Egg
Chicken, Nuts or Seeds
Bacon (2 Slices)

Toast Substitutions:
Whole Grain Cereal
Rice Cake
Tortilla
Saltine Crackers

Banana Substitutions:
Apricots
Grapes
Kiwis

DAY 2 Lunch Alternatives

Cottage Cheese Substitutes:
Cheddar Cheese, Ricotta Cheese
Plain Greek Yogurt, Egg
Slice of Ham

Hard Boiled Egg Substitutions:
Scrambled egg
Chicken
Nuts or Seeds
Bacon (2 Slices)

Saltine Cracker Substitutions:
Rice Cake
Plain Toast
Whole Grain Cereal

DAY 2 Dinner Alternatives

Hot Dog Substitutes:
Bratwurst, Baloney (Similar deli meat)
Beans, Turkey, Soy, Veggie or Tofu Dogs

Banana Substitutions:
Apricots, Grapes, Kiwis

Broccoli Substitutions:
Cauliflower, Brussel Sprouts, Asparagus
Beet Root, Cabbage

Carrot Substitutions:
Celery, Bell Pepper, Beets, Squash
Small Salad (No Dressing)

Ice Cream Substitutions:
Frozen Yogurt, Fruit Yogurt, Apple Sauce

I think you are in the wrong thread...

unknown

keithandsteph2012 wrote: »

This diet works great

It's a fad diet that isn't sustainable. The fact it has to lie about an association with the military is telling. If you think it is a great plan, you are wrong and your advice isn't worth taking.

unknown

Make sure you are eating enough! Eating too-little will restrict weight loss as your body will hold on to all the fat it can, thinking it may be being starved!