Why can't I lose weight?!?

I have not been eating red meat since July 2007 and stopped eating meat all together (except fish) September 2009. I have been working out at least 3 times a week for an hour at the Y. (I just started this a month ago and have yet to see results) I'm 5'3 and I am continuing to gain weight!



My eating habits are as follows:

Breakfast: usually an egg and cheese biscuit or a muffin. Sometimes I eat those peanut butter cracker packs. But they are always wheat crackers.

Lunch: Maybe a piece of fruit, peanut butter crackers if I didn't eat them for breakfast, a cheese stick, pringle sticks, fruit snacks, and/or cereal with no milk.

Dinner: Usually make anything I can find in my house. Lately I have been eating vegetable pizza with spinach, green peppers, mushrooms, onions, sauce (moderately), and low-fat skim milk cheese: I put these toppings on Pita bread thing and toast it in the oven. I eat a lot of fish. And I really enjoy salad with olive oil and pepper - I might throw some crab meat on, but not often. I like chips and I eat salty things. I don't like sugary things too much so I don't eat ice cream and cake or cookies or that stuff!

Oh and I drink nothing but water and cranberry juice! NEVER soda! It's nothing I even decided to cut out! I have never been a sugar fan so I don't like all those sugary drinks!

I don't eat bread a lot (if I do it would be a subway) - because I like wraps. When ever I buy food I try to get the things that say low-fat or reduced sugar or things like that because I have no problem compromising taste to be more healthy. People keep telling me to eat 6 meals a day, but I'm not that hungry! I don't want to keep shoving food in my mouth just because. I also used to eat a lot of healthy tacos using beans as a substitution but now I get extreme gas when I eat beans so I cut that out. Every now and then when I work out I take Acai pills.

Please keep in mind that I am a high school student and it is not always possible to eat certain things at certain times and what not. I cannot make fresh meals at school for example, and I don't have time in the morning to make a big breakfast! We do have microwaves available at school though.



My workout routine is: Bicycle for 20 minutes (I strive to do at least 1.75 miles) I then do 3 different types of abdominal workouts (at least 30 each) usually 50, and then 50 arm workouts and some leg kick thingys. I have weights on all the workouts I do, 30-50 lbs. Every now and then I do the elliptical cross trainer.

On top of all of this, I have been prescribed birth control pills for my severe acne. I heard that taking them will cause you to gain weight also.



I know I am about 60 pounds overweight but that is not even my main concern! I have been overweight a lot throughout my short life so it is nothing new to me. I just want to feel good when I put on my clothes. I have gained 25 pounds in the past year alone. I can no longer fit into my shirts comfortably and I have even had to go to the store and buy pants sizes not one, but two sizes bigger than what I am use to! After working out for the past month, nothing has changed about my weight, but most important my clothes don't fit any different! I am starting to get severe stretch marks almost everywhere.



I really want to know why I am not losing weight at all and why am I gaining so much weight! I understand it will take time, but my gosh, not a single bit of progress at all? WHAT IS WRONG WITH ME?Why can't I lose weight?!?
Cut out your chips and salty things. Cut out the peanut butter crackers. Quit buying fat free and sugar free stuff, it is not really fat free and the sugar free stuff uses artificial sweeteners. Basically stay away from boxed foods and chips and crackers, unless they are organic. They all have processed ingredients in them, unless they are organic. You want to go natural on your foods as much as possible. Drink only water. Read the ingredients on your juices to make sure that they do not have corn syrup or sugar added.



As far as you going to the gym, you need to do a minimum of 5 miles of cardio to lose weight. You can walk it, jog it, or ride it.



I do not know a lot of the side effects of birth control pills. You need to talk to your Gynecologist about that. They may contribute to you being bloated and gaining weight, however, high salt levels and the other stuff you are eating also do this.Why can't I lose weight?!?
Eggs, biscuits, muffins, peanut butter, chips and cheese are very fattening.



For breakfast, try egg whites with low fat cheese on a piece of rye bread.

Quick, easy, filling, low calorie, and yummy.

For lunch, you could have a veggie burger on a whole wheat bun with some fruit on the side.

The dinners that you listed sound pretty good.



Stay away from high fat/sodium foods as they can cause you to feel bloated.Why can't I lose weight?!?
Nothing is wrong with you. Change your eating habits. Cheese biscuits, muffins, peanut butter crackers, salty chips are fattening . Good for drinking water. But store bought juice usually contain a lot of sugar. Try buying a juicer to make your own juice. If you don't have time to make breakfast make a smoothie. Here's a recipe that I tell my friend to use for dieting:



1 Frozen Banana

8 ounces of plain yogurt

1 TBSP Protein Powder

6 Ice Cubes

1 1/3 cups water

Handful of Frozen Strawberries



Now for your workout. Try to aim 4 to 5 times a week when working out. Also, when working out push yourself to the limit, like if bench pressing keep saying one more rep, and change up your workout every week or so. Bicycling for 20mins is good. Also try running on a treadmill. Do uphill running. One suggestions when using the treadmill, sprint for 30secs and walk for a min, then do it all over again for 10mins. Just don't use diet pills, waste of money and not healthy.
birth control pills only make you gain weight. you seem to be doing good but you need to stick with a calorie diet like lean cuisine lunches for work an plenty of fruits. a 20 minute walk that you take 4 to 5 days a week can also help seems your trying too hard. stick to a routine an work on it for the first week then change it the next week. your body fat might be turning to muscle fat which means your toning your body stick with it you'll see results soon..