The slow down - what have you found?

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  • Traveler120
    Traveler120 Posts: 712 Member
    Jmgkamp wrote: »
    Am I on the right track? Am I really looking at another 8-9 months????!!!
    I started in January at 152 lbs, I'm 5'5" and it's taken me 8 months to get to 127. I lost the first 15 in 3 months, maintained that for 3 months and then lost 10 more in the last 2 months. I'm giving myself another 2 months to lose the last 10.

    So, yes it may take you that long but it depends on how agressive your efforts are. I chose to eat about 1700 cals and get my calorie deficit from exercise. I figured that at my goal weight of 118, if I was active, I could eat that much to maintain so I decided to start of with that amount of food so that I didn't have to change it when I was done.

    I also eat a high carb, mostly plant based diet (starting 2 months ago) and it's working really well for me. Just be patient and if you hit a plateau, change something. Usually I get out of a plateau by increasing exercise.

  • arb037
    arb037 Posts: 203 Member
    The body makes adaptions. If you have been eating at a deficit since March with no time off ( aka refeeds) , where you eat at maintenance for 3 days then your metabolism has slowed down to adjust to the lower amount of calories.
    So in essence you TDEE is now much closer to the level you are consuming.
    Highly advise reading on Lyle McDonalds site, as he has books and tons of reasearch discussing this.
    http://forums.lylemcdonald.com/showthread.php?t=11223

    http://forums.lylemcdonald.com/index.php
  • 42firm03
    42firm03 Posts: 115 Member
    Jmgkamp wrote: »

    Now I'm much lighter. I'm 42 yo

    Snip

    Am I on the right track? Am I really looking at another 8-9 months????!!!

    If I were you I'd turn this thinking around. Hopefully you've got about 45 more years to enjoy that 'much lighter' self. There really is no end to what you're doing if that is your goal!
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
    You are normal. That's just what happens. I'm 45 and 5'3 and at a certain point your maintenance calories just aren't so high that you can reasonably maintain the kind of deficit that leads to 2 lb/week. 1 lb/week is still great -- like others said, take the long view and try to ignore the annoying fluctuations.

    Lots of it is mental too -- when I was losing I'd always feel it would take a ridiculous amount of time to get from, say, 150 to 149, and then when I'd look back it took no longer than 156 to 155--just seemed slower because I wanted that 14_ so much.

    What has helped me from the beginning is to think how fast time passes in other respects. At least as I get older I feel like I blink an eye and 6 months have gone by. ;-)
  • fvtfan
    fvtfan Posts: 126 Member
    That happened to me - and I got frustrated and quit caring and now am looking at 25 pounds gained. Please don't follow my lead! I am also 5'2" and have been down to 162 twice and both times got stuck and bounced back up. Last year it was 15 pounds (which I lost over last summer), this year it is 25 - gained between November and August....crazy how fast it comes back on. Trying to get my mind back to where it needs to be to reverse the trend.
  • Jmgkamp
    Jmgkamp Posts: 278 Member
    FYI - I weighed 159.9 this morning. How hilarious! But it's in the 150s right??? I seriously laughed.

    Thanks for all of the comments. I'm in it for the long haul. Not too worried about having compromised my metabolism. I have eaten more from time to time. I really listen to my body and have found that I have hungry days and not-so-hungry days. It winds up okay over the week.

    Strength training is key but I've got serious neck issues :(. But my legs are way worse than my torso so I could focus there.

    I have adjusted my weight loss goals and going to .5 pounds gives me 1430 calories. Man, being short is a b!tc$ when you're working CICO!

    Thanks again for the support and encouragement.

    Sincerely,

    A150-something pounder :)
  • AlabasterVerve
    AlabasterVerve Posts: 3,171 Member
    edited August 2015
    I calculate my TDEE each month from my MFP records so I know pretty much exactly what I'm going to lose for the month (depending on how much I eat of course). It doesn't speed up my weight loss but it helps knowing everything is working as intended and I'm losing the expected amount.

    It also motivates me to up my NEAT when I see my TDEE getting lower than I'd like -- I don't want any surprises come maintenance.

    And huge congrats on the hitting the 150's -- well done! :smile:
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
    Jmgkamp wrote: »
    A150-something pounder :)

    Yay!

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