Loss slow down

Gena575

I've lost almost 30lbs. I've got 60ish to go to be in a healthy weight based on bmi. I have my calories set as lightly active, 1.5lb/loss per week. I have fit bit linked and average 12-16k steps per day on weekdays, less on weekends. I try to eat half or less of my fitbit adjustments and allow negative adjustments. I walk 3-5 nights a week for 1-2 miles at a semi-brisk pace (20 min mile on average).

The first 2.5 months doing this I was losing 2-3lbs per week. I had minimal disruption for my TOM week, never noticed an issue around ovulation. The past two weeks I've slowed way down. Logically I know weight loss isn't linear. But I am also concerned I've slipped into some bad entries? I weigh most things (not lettuce or tomatoes or packaged things) and build my own recipes. I do eyeball % of recipe and *think I over estimate my portion size (like take less, log more) because I've been using the crockpot some and my scale won't handle it full.

I've set my diary to public and would love kind, constructive feedback. Yes, I have fast food every Friday. Yes, I eat treats daily. This keeps things from being too restrictive and "diet" feeling to me. Maybe I need to accept the slowdown and go on. But something seems off when fitbit is saying my tdee is close to 3000 daily, I eat well under 2k daily (usually in the 1700 range average). Yet this week I've lost .6 lbs.

I am 5'5, 219lbs. 41 yrs old. Female. Cycle day 16 today with a typical 35 day cycle.

Sorry for the novel, but wanted to preemptively answer the usual questions.

capaul42

Have you readjusted your calories to account for the weight you've lost? The less we weigh, the less calories our bodies need.

I'm on the app currently so I can't view your diary but I can say that packaged items should be weighed as well. They can be off substantially from the weight recorded and these can wipe out a deficit if you arent careful.

OldAssDude

Your fitness level could have improved to the point that you may have to increase the pace/distance to get the same effect.

I was upwards of 230 lbs. and started power walking every day. At first I did a mile at about a 3 mph pace. As my fitness level improved, I picked up the pace and distance. In the first 52 weeks I lost 57 lbs. (about 1 lb. per week), but every time I my weight loss started to slow, I increased the pace and distance.

Many folks don't think of this, and can't figure out why their weight loss has slowed or stopped.

Gena575

@bcalvanese I've recently started working on doing some biking. I can't manage more than 15 minutes currently...it's tougher than I remember as a kid lol! We've been out just three times in two weeks, so it's a slow process. I'm so out of shape despite my walking all day at work. Crazy out of shape!

OldAssDude

Gena575 wrote: »

@bcalvanese I've recently started working on doing some biking. I can't manage more than 15 minutes currently...it's tougher than I remember as a kid lol! We've been out just three times in two weeks, so it's a slow process. I'm so out of shape despite my walking all day at work. Crazy out of shape!

I hear ya.

When I first started power walking 1 mile at a 3 mph pace, I had to lay down after each walk and felt like I was going to die. I kept pushing it a little each time and it got easier and easier.

Now, I can power walk about 10 miles at a 4 to 4.5 mph pace with no problem. I recently started adding jog intervals into my power walks because its hard to get my heart rate up now just by walking.

My fitness level has gone from "extremely poor" to "fair" in a little over a year, my resting heart rate has gone from the high 80's to the low 60's, and all my bloodwork is normal now. My doctor calls me his success story.

You can do this @Gena575 , and you are doing good so far.

Gena575

capaul42 wrote: »

Have you readjusted your calories to account for the weight you've lost? The less we weigh, the less calories our bodies need.

I'm on the app currently so I can't view your diary but I can say that packaged items should be weighed as well. They can be off substantially from the weight recorded and these can wipe out a deficit if you arent careful.

I have readjusted as I've lost. And tweaked activity level (which with fitbit is kind of moot as the end of the day it matches within 30-50 calories no matter the activity level I choose). If my average fitbit tdee is 10% high and it seems about that based on tdee calcs online, then my 1700/day average *should be getting me close to 2lbs/week. Up until the past 2 weeks I'd have said my fitbit was fairly accurate based on loss rate.

As to prepackaged, I have weighed randomly just to crosscheck. My quest bars are within 3 grams (even weighed all the ones in the house just now! All were, wrapped, 65 gr or less when stated weight is 60 gr.) My bread and buns within a few grams every time I've checked...some over some under. So it feels a bit redundant over less than 200 calories a week. But possibly that's part of the issue.

capaul42

You said you just started cycling. You may be retaining water from the new exercise as well. I usually do the first few weeks of new exercise.

And don't sweat it much that you can only do 15min right now. Baby steps. When I started in January I could do 10 on the stationary bike. I just kept at it and added 5 minutes every week until I was up to 45. Don't bike anymore, prefer my weight training now. But every so often I'll grab my iPad and watch some Netflix while on the bike for a cardio night.

kshama2001

Gena575 wrote: »

I've lost almost 30lbs. I've got 60ish to go to be in a healthy weight based on bmi. I have my calories set as lightly active, 1.5lb/loss per week. I have fit bit linked and average 12-16k steps per day on weekdays, less on weekends. I try to eat half or less of my fitbit adjustments and allow negative adjustments. I walk 3-5 nights a week for 1-2 miles at a semi-brisk pace (20 min mile on average).

The first 2.5 months doing this I was losing 2-3lbs per week. I had minimal disruption for my TOM week, never noticed an issue around ovulation. The past two weeks I've slowed way down. Logically I know weight loss isn't linear. But I am also concerned I've slipped into some bad entries? I weigh most things (not lettuce or tomatoes or packaged things) and build my own recipes. I do eyeball % of recipe and *think I over estimate my portion size (like take less, log more) because I've been using the crockpot some and my scale won't handle it full.

I've set my diary to public and would love kind, constructive feedback. Yes, I have fast food every Friday. Yes, I eat treats daily. This keeps things from being too restrictive and "diet" feeling to me. Maybe I need to accept the slowdown and go on. But something seems off when fitbit is saying my tdee is close to 3000 daily, I eat well under 2k daily (usually in the 1700 range average). Yet this week I've lost .6 lbs.

I am 5'5, 219lbs. 41 yrs old. Female. Cycle day 16 today with a typical 35 day cycle.

Sorry for the novel, but wanted to preemptively answer the usual questions.

With 60 pounds to go, losing a pound to 1.5 pounds per week would be a great rate of loss

Your 0.6 pound this week could be water weight due to ovulation and/or the addition of biking. Hang in there!