Stubborn fat, weight loss stalled, I've tried everything. Anyone got any more advice?

LivingtheLeanDream

I have nothing to add as it looks like you can see what to do now as good advice already has been given ref measuring and weighing your food ...just wishing you all the best for your remaining pounds to lose

cerise_noir

shambamm1994 wrote: »

yirara wrote: »

Are you using a food scale and really weighing everything you eat, including the individual cooking components of your food? Your plateau isn't very long yet thus I would not worry too much about it, but if you're not weighing your food then you only estimate your calorie intake and might be eating more. Most portion sizes printed on packages are wrong; usually a product weighs a bit more and hence you consume more calories. And what about a banana: is it a big, medium or small size? You don't know what the person who entered this information into the data base had in mind. What I'm getting at: you've lost some weight which is great. but the calories your body needs to stay at a given weight goes down once you lose weight. Thus it is possible that if you don't weigh your food and overestimate like most people you might have come closer to your maintenance calories.

I always over estimate my food calorie amounts and scan all my food items. Yeah, say if I was making a meal from scratch, then I'd weight in all the different amounts and even add stuff like salt and pepper etc.

I personally feel a 5 month plateau is quite long I thought it was perfectly normal to stall for a couple of months, but not 5?

You need to weigh all the foods that you consume in grams on a digital food scale, and measure all liquids. Scanning is not always accurate since it just brings up user generated entries that can be quite inaccurate.

Weigh and accurately log every morsel you eat (even tastes/bites/licks), and reassess your weight loss after a month. Weight all fruits and vegetables. Weigh pasta, grains and rice raw. Weigh meat raw. Weigh mayonnaise and peanut/nut butters. Also, weigh pre-weighed foods such as eggs, pre-packaged items, bread slices, as the weights listed on the packages are just estimates.

clbrto

Here's some ideas to consider trying:
A low carb diet (you mention wanting to eat less pasta, instead of porridge and banana, have eggs and strawberries for breakfast) https://authoritynutrition.com/low-carbohydrate-diets/
Or skip breakfast altogether http://jamesclear.com/the-beginners-guide-to-intermittent-fasting
Some folks prefer the 5-2 IF protocol to the 16-8 protocol https://thefastdiet.co.uk/

I make my own diet jello with gelatin, stevia powder, and koolaid powder for a cheap, filling, low calorie snack. Some folks consider gelatin a weight loss tool http://holdthetoast.com/content/gelatin-blowing-my-mind
I love using stevia instead of sugar, this 100% pure powder is my favorite brand http://www4.netrition.com/steviva_stevia_extract_powder.html?gclid=CjwKEAjwlfO3BRDR4Pj_u-iO2U0SJAD88y1Srs8qn1WCZqUVX22q7LHSTHJw5k_azIg0laLSw_KkxBoCCSzw_wcB
I make pudding with nonfat milk (can also use almond or other milks), gelatin, stevia, and lots of cocoa powder.

To reap the benefits of apple cider vinegar for weight loss (if any), I keep a big bowl of pickled vegetables in my fridge at all times (with lots of spicy jalapenos in there, another possible tool for weight loss).

Haven't used any supplements, but just ordered some of this fiber stuff, it's suppose to fill your stomach and can also be used as a low-carb culinary thickener https://authoritynutrition.com/glucomannan/. I like baking coconut flour breads with cauliflower and zucchini, they're quite satisfying, and low calorie. Applesauce brownies too. I do use "diet teas", this one and others, but I buy them at my local health food store. http://www.luckyvitamin.com/p-25817-triple-leaf-tea-super-slimming-tea-20-tea-bags?utm_source=googlebase&utm_medium=fpl&utm_term=TripleLeafTeaSuperSlimmingTea20TeaBags&utm_content=68499&utm_campaign=googlebase&site=google_base&scid=scplp2972817&gclid=Cj0KEQjw3Le4BRDxx5bk4aDn9t4BEiQAfmxQGeCQLu9oA5PX0QEaHqnsItQNPa2Gr9Q6Si5Mfe0TKewaAuO68P8HAQ I have a huge assortment of good coffee and herbal and green teas on hand to choose from. I'm all about ANY non-caloric treats!

I'm 56, and have gone from 359 pounds in August 2014 to 226 today using these tools. I too hit a 5 month plateau (was 233 in November 2015). I joined MFP to help break the plateau, have been seriously monitoring carbs and calories since. I have severe arthritis, so swim regularly for exercise. Here's one last (very controversial) tip: vaping for weight loss. I'm a life long non-smoker, and just took up vaping, but lost 7.4 pounds last week (HELLO nicotine) (yeah yeah, I know, but it HAS been used pharmacologically http://discovermagazine.com/2014/march/13-nicotine-fix).

Here's an excerpt from a vaping discussion on this site:
So, why vape if you're not a smoker? I do because I find it a relaxing and quite enjoyable alternative to snacking. I now work from home and the temptation to snack is great. When I take a break, instead of eating something I know I shouldn't, I have a nice cup of tea and vape a bit. I prefer fruity flavors (watermelon, blueberry, strawberry, caramel apple and many more) but also butterscotch, cinnamon roll, tea/lemonade mix, and most anything else you can think of. I have lots on my wish list and will probably try the mimosa and Irish coffee for the holidays. http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/comment/30093241#Comment_30093241

With the vaping thing, you can get the liquid that makes the steam with OR without nicotine.
Good luck, sorry for any tmi

CindyA2268

AJ_G wrote: »

Surprised it hasn't been posted yet, but here you go. The chart doesn't lie, be honest with yourself and find out what you're doing wrong:

Where our how can I get a copy of this thing to print off?

aeloine

@CindyA2268 this post is from a year ago. Is there something that you were curious about? You could start your own discussion and let all of us chip in!

CindyA2268

Aeloine, I was just trying to see where to find that chat as a way to stay motivated when things stall on like they currently have

Jackibrazil

AJ_G wrote: »

Surprised it hasn't been posted yet, but here you go. The chart doesn't lie, be honest with yourself and find out what you're doing wrong:

I read the part about heart rate monitoring. If my heart rate is very elevated does that mean I'm burning potentially more calories than estimated because it's estimated for a rate of like 150 when mine is 169? Maybe a dumb question but my heart rate is always higher than it's supposedly supposed to be when I excercise yet when I've gotten my blood pressure checked it's optimal...

Jackibrazil

BTW I was at a stand still with my weight loss for a while before I was diagnosed with Celiac. When I cut out gluten I lost like 10 pounds but then I found the GF subs for everything and gained some back. It could be an intolerance causing bloating and water weight more than actual fat. That was me. I had a ton of excess water weight and was bloated all the time because of inflammation from eating things my body couldn't process.

CindyA2268

Jackibrazil, have been tested (stomach biopsy) and no celiac but do suspect I may have an intolerance to gluten. Currently cutting bead and don't use a lot of pasta but will be doing more research into the subject as I plan to go ultra low gluten to totally gluten free to see what that does. Have lost in the past cutting bread so we'll see. Also an going to focus on ways to increase protein while lowering total body inflammation. #NewYearNewMe