Please verify your email address to receive email notifications.

Enter your email address

We have sent you a verification email. Please check your inbox and spam folder.

Unable to send verification, please refresh and try again later.

  • Q&A with Australian Health Practitioners

    I've been eating healthy and exercising, but I'm still not losing weight, why?

    Related Topics
    Fitness and Sports Medicine Nutrition Weight Management
    For the last 8 weeks i've started to exercise 4 days a week and have cut out all fatty and processed foods (well most) from my diet. I have barely lost any weight over the last 8 weeks and i'm feeling very frustrated and demotivated at the moment because i have worked so hard at it. What could i be doing wrong?
    answer this question

  • Find a professional to answer your question

  • 2

    Thanks

    Minal Patel

    Dietitian, Nutritionist

    Minal is an Accredited Practising Dietitian (APD), and consultant dietitian working in a private practice in South Sydney, NSW. Minal strongly believes in providing personalised … View Profile

    What sorts of foods have you cut out from your diet? Is it only fat and processed foods you have cut down on? What are your portion sizes likes? Do you snack in between meals?

    With weight loss we have to look at your overall diet-fats, carbohydrates and proteins. These food groups are essential for a healthy diet, and they will all contribute calories, so it is important that you get the balance right to ensure you are meeting your nutrtional requirements and eating a healthy diet, without exceeding your energy needs. It is also important to consider little extras like soft drink, fruit juice and some “low fat” food options, as these can contribute a significant amount of sugar into your diet, which will not help with your weight loss journey.

    As for fats, it is important to understand that although there are benefits to including good fats into your diet for health reasons, fat is still fat, and if you eat too much of it-good or bad fats, you will gain weight. 

    I would definitely recommend you get in touch with an Accredited Practising Dietitian in your area, for more tailor made dietary advice to help you on your weight loss journey.

    Of course exercise is also important, and seeking advice from an Exercise Physiologist would be beneficial.

    Reply to this post
     · 
    Report

  • 6

    Thanks

    Genevieve Michael

    Dietitian

    Having gathered 28 years of private practice experience , Genevieve wants to assist people with practical changes to their food and lifestyle issues in order … View Profile

    I understand the frustration that you speak of when trying so hard to lose weight with apparently little success.
    i would like the opportunity to talk to you about your goals and your expectations of the rate of your weight loss. I wondered how often you are weighing yourself.
    It is also important to know that the stress and anxiety that you feel around this issue raises the levels of a hormone called cortisol in your body which does not help with fat loss.
    I would suggest that you congratulate yourself on the ‘little’ weight that you have lost, that you try to relax into your new way of eating and exercising and, as suggested above, that you consult with an Accredited Practising Dietitian to review your meal plan.

    Reply to this post
     · 
    Report

  • 18

    Thanks

    Dr Richard Wong

    Personal Trainer

    Qualified with a B: Human Movement Science and Certificate. I grew up with sport. I competed succesfully at a state and national level as a … View Profile

    there is a number of things can could be going wrong. most of the time we see this, where people follow low fat eating plans exercise all the time but rarely seem to lose any weight. it has to come from a combination of weight training, cardio exercise but more importantly nutrition. i can let you know all the things you need to do and then you decide on whether you are doing them or not.
    firstly weight train twice a week, covering your full body with compund exercises. exercises that use more than one msucle group at one time. like leg press, cable seated row, seated chest press, lat pulldown and a plank. make sure you have 24hr gap between your weight training.  now if you are doing all hard cardio, simply stop it now and focus on low to moderate exercise, with a heart rate around 120BPM. like a paced walk. now with your nutrition, you should be looking at how much carbohydrate, protein and fat you are in taking. try to have 20g of carbs at breakfast, morning tea and lunch, like burgen bread sandwich 15g in the afternoon tea like 4 vitawheat biscuits and 5g from green veg at night. make sure you have meat at every meal and fat from good or essential omega 3 and 6 like fish. yes thats right, make sure you are eating every 3 hours. if you have breakfast at around 9 then you will more likely just get 4 meals, dont worry just eat every 3 hours. prior to cardio exercise eat 2 hours before. try that, even give me a call anytime and i can quickly have a chat over the phone 9634 8639

    Reply to this post
     · 
    Report

  • 2

    Thanks

    Kirsty Woods

    Exercise Physiologist

    Hi I’m Kirsty Woods,I would like to use my experience, expertise and passion to help you reach your weight, energy and health goalsI have been … View Profile

    Great replies all…i think this article from a recent Body and soul sums things up well:)

    http://www.bodyandsoul.com.au/body+fitness/weight+loss/10+reasons+you+cant+lose+weight,17235

    Reply to this post
     · 
    Report

  • 1

    Thanks

    Melissa Adamski

    Dietitian, Nutritionist

    I am an Accredited Practising Dietitian (APD) and Accredited Nutritionist (AN) with a passion for food and good nutrition. I also have my own private … View Profile

    Also are you saying you havent lost much weight according to the scales? What about your clothes- are they feeling loser? Scales dont always tell the full picture and many people become fixated on what scales tell them.

    Remember that scales also weight the amounts of water and muscle in the body- when are you weighing yourself? After a large drink? Before you go to the bathrrom? This will all contribute to what you see on the scales. Monitor your waist circumference as well.

    I suggest seeing an Accredited Practising Dietitian and an Accredited Exercise Physiologist to help provide you with some advice.

    Melissa Adamski, APD

    Reply to this post
     · 
    Report
  • Ashleigh Jones

    Dietitian, Nutritionist

    Remember it's not just what you eat, but also how much.  It sounds like you've made some very positive changes and have greatly improved the quality of your diet, but have you considered portion size?  An Accredited Practising Dietitian can help with this.

    All the best,

    Ashleigh Jones, APD

    Reply to this post
     · 
    Report

  • 3

    Thanks

    Gunal Ertur

    Pilates Instructor

    I have been teaching Pilates since 2002. Pilates exercises helped me to gain mobility and flexibility with my shoulder which I had injured due to … View Profile

    The type of exercise you are doing is important.
    What kind of food do you eat 

    a)You might be burning energy rather then calories
    b) you have to get your heart rate high (providing that you have no health issues)
    c) I would check with my GP. regarding to any thyroid issues
    d) your metabolizm might be slow and needs a boost (again see your GP)
    e) cut down carbs  eat high protein foods
    f) no sugar and alcohol

    Reply to this post
     · 
    Report
answer this question

You must be a Health Professional to answer this question. Log in or Sign up .

You may also like these related questions

Community Sponsor(s)
Related Fact Sheets
Related Questions

Empowering Australians to make better health choices