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Only 2 lbs in 2 months (Warning: Long, there's a TL:DR at the bottom.)

I am a 28f, 5'3", 168 lbs and for starters. Started at 170 - and have only seen a slight change in the month I have been dieting/exercising between just 2 lbs and very little clothing difference. I'm coming on here with a full story and full honesty because I've obsessed over articles and differing info all over Google - maybe a more direct ask the question approach would help.

Full context: a couple years ago I was working at a job and literally sweating while simply cashiering. I was 198 and I remember feeling literally disgusted with myself. I was like this is it I need to lose weight. Portion control and counting calories about 3-4 months got me to 170. Still chunky but thinner than High School and the majority of my years on earth so no complaints there.

I maintained that as the job I worked at became more active in what I ended up having to do (big retailer so one minute I could be your cashier, next minute your electronics associate, the next your cart pusher.) For awhile, I picked up jogging and intermittent fasting and hovered around the 165 point. Unfortunately that ended about a year ago since I had moved to a new place along with new job.

Now, I work from home at a desk overnight (that's the new job,) and I've noticed that my clothes are tighter, some to the point I can't fit. While my scale still says 170 - I suspect I lost muscle and gained fat. Its been a year since that stopped jogging. Intermittent fasting on and off, I actually find it pretty easy to do since I really only eat once or twice a day anyway.

So a month ago I had another "that's it" moment like I did a couple years ago. I started off on the 4th ironically with calorie counting again (originally tracked at 1600 cals for first week, then realized I needed to say sedentary and it's 1270 cals, using the LoseIt app.) I also began incorporating more fruits and veggies (love veggies, fruits are harder so I usually so a smoothie - 1/2 cup Unsweetened Vanilla Almond Milk, 1tbsp Peanut Butter, 1/4 cup Strawberries, 1/4 cup Banana, 1 tbsp cottage cheese - yes that was in the recipe though I will say half the time I include it half the time I don't - and 1 tbsp honey.) My bad stuff = buy bottled Coca Cola because I can take sips and put it away - if I get a fountain drink I end up drinking it all within a few hours. I also drink 2.5 cups iced coffee everyday, with chocolate caramel creamer 1-1.5 tbsp. Because pasta and rice are cheap, and I love cheese, that's in there but have been cutting that portion to fit the good stuff in (like if I'm going to have a 300-400 calorie smoothie, I can only calorically afford 500-700 to fit the iced coffee in - I have that down as 185, and Coke again it's sips so I usually say 58-133 depending on if it's a sip or a fourth of the bottle.)

The upcoming Thursday night that week (I work overnight, no complaints as I am so not a morning person,) I decided to go to the gym. Well - 5 minutes into walking/running on the treadmill at only 3mph/5mph an hour on only a 3% incline, I had to lay down (since I was a kid I've had a chronic vasovagal syncope issue - so far the main triggers were heat and my menstrual and the last episode I had was 5 years ago so I thought I was good - guess not :( but as a result of having this issue I know when I'm about to pass out such as starting to lose my vision, I know to lay down.) I suspect it has to do with the lack of activity and then suddenly introducing it again so I decided I needed to start slower.

Anyway so I started my second week off with walking 10k a day, roughly 1hr 45 min. I believe I missed 1 day, then ended up doing 23k the next day. Last week I went back to the gym and what I did was go after work (so in the morning while it's cooler outside - the gym at my appt complex doesn't seem to have A/C.) I do 3mph on a 7% incline, when I jog 4.5-5mph I usually do 3-5% incline. I know that's not a lot, yet after 30 minutes I'm sweating a ton and my legs feel like jello (I have steadily increased more run minutes less walk minutes as well - still majority walk though I admit.) I usually continue with trying to lift 15lb dumbbells (I know also low,) plus I'll do a few minutes (5-15 typically,) on the exercise bike while alternating lifting 10lb dumbbells until my arms are tied whilst peddling. Believe it or not I feel like jello once I'm done from just this, I did have to take a rest day yesterday though because I got sick (I think it was something I ate because I had sushi but I may be developing an intolerance to tuna strangely enough considering each time I've eaten it in the passed few years I got very sick, and sad because I like tuna. It couldn't be pickles lol.)

So far with all this it's only been 2lbs this month. Compared to my earlier mentioned weight loss that I've maintained from right before Covid? Took about 3 months total, and that was 28 lbs. Granted that was combined with an active job where i got no less than 15k steps a day, but I'm not really sure if I'm hitting a plateau, counting my cals wrong, or just not pushing hard enough? With the latter, I will admit since the vvs episode at the gym 4 weeks ago, I've been a little scared it would happen again so maybe I'm being a little too meek with the exercise.

So, any advice? Or, do I just need to be more patient with myself/trust the process?

TL:DR, I am a 28f, 5'3", 168 lb. Only lost 2 lbs and not much difference in clothes fitting despite calorie count, adjusting to add healthier foods lessen processed foods, and exercise with slow increases to intensity in one month. Advice/Thoughts?

submitted by /u/ITBeginnerTroubles
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from loseit - Lose the Fat https://www.reddit.com/r/loseit/comments/waxtqk/only_2_lbs_in_2_months_warning_long_theres_a_tldr/

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