Stuck at a particular weight. Can this be a body memory thing?

JoanneAcevesMoss

I have lost up to 80 lbs in the last year and half. I have been plateaued around 220 - 230 for 6 months. I go up and down, back and forth but cannot break the 220 mark. I want to lose 40 more lbs. There are times I work hard at it and times I simply maintain but I am really frustrated. I have just come off of a 6 week period of traveling, high stress (and I use food as a coping mechanism) so I am at the high end again. But I am back on board and hoping I can break through this time. Any thoughts on body memory? I was this weight for about 7 years before I gained even more. Any recommendations on what I can do to push through? I really want to beat this!

T0M_K

I don't think there is such a thing. are you logging your intake? accurately? as you lose weight you have to lower your calorie intake. When have you last calculated your calorie needs? its about burning more calories than you consume...regardless of your weight.

trjjoy

Are you using a scale to weigh your food? Do you use MFP's recipe builder? Are you using the correct food entries from the database? Do you eat back exercise calories? If so, what percentage do you eat back? Do you weigh and log the butter or oil you use to cook with?

T0M_K

so the point is...we need info to help you

JoanneAcevesMoss

I haven't been using a scale to measure food. I do use measuring cups. I do use the recipe builder and log butter and oils ..most of the time. I don't eat back my exercise calories. But I do think I need to lower my calories. I just adjusted it 300 calories after doing done research. I think you're right. I need to be diligent about measuring everything. And I need to just burn more then I consume. And I need to tighten the reigns. My big goal is to build enough strength, stamina and endurance to climb Half Dome.

cmriverside

It's all in your head.

Like everyone has said, and you admit, your logging needs to be accurate and consistent. Do that and the weight will fall off. Cups and tablespoons are not accurate means of food measurement. I found a lot of success once I started using a $10 digital food scale.

170 is attainable by the end of the summer.

kommodevaran

My guess is that it's "food as a coping mechanism" and not "body memory" that's at work here. There is no such thing as a weight plateau, either - weight loss can take some time to show up on the scale because of water retention etc, but not for six months - you are simply eating at maintenance.

Tighten up your logging - weigh everything and double check entries, even the "verified ones (especially the "verified" ones), and find other ways to let out steam. Eating (more than you need) will feel good for a moment, and then it just will feel worse...

emdeesea

Nope. You're just eating too much.

As others have already said, ditch the measuring cups and spoons, weigh it and track absolutely everything every day.