Hovering around the same weight points for months

allunits
allunits Posts: 95 Member
edited November 24 in Social Groups
Just venting....

I’ve been at it since November 2016, doing mostly low carb, sometimes keto, and have gone from 200lbs to 176 (5’3”). I’m so happy with the progress and I haven’t been perfect along the way so some fluctuation is to be expected, but I’m at the same time frustrated with how slow this is going. I overwhelmingly try to stay at about 1,300cals so based on that alone I was hoping I’d lose more. I seem to lose 3-4lbs, then get stuck at certain weights for months. I’ve been 174-177 since August, with counting, measuring, and mostly in ketosis. I look at keto meals on Instagram and think, I eat so much less and less well than these people, yet they lose steadily... what am I doing so differently?

This is not about giving up because LC has takes away my joint pains, plantar fasciitis, and I’m able to be satisfied eating this way. But boy, I feel like I’ve changed my woe and some days I feel so envious of people who seem to melt their weight away.

I will try to add sticking to macros more faithfully this year. I have a hard time eating 120ish grams of protein. I feel ready to step it up a bit and would love to get to the 140s this year.

Anyone else snailing along?...

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Replies

  • carol7878
    carol7878 Posts: 302 Member
    I agree the picture really show a difference
  • Mistizoom
    Mistizoom Posts: 578 Member
    The progress pic is great, but why are you eating 120 g protein? For the vast majority of women 5'3", 75-80 g/day is plenty.
  • allunits
    allunits Posts: 95 Member
    Thanks, guys. I’m happy, but just wish it was a little faster or more consistent.

    Mistizoom, I dunno... macro calculators seem to give me protein goals of abt 120-130...

    Sunny_Bunny, that’s amazing!! Wow, what a difference, desire the scale.
  • kwalton65
    kwalton65 Posts: 50 Member
    what is your current exercise routine? maybe you need to mix that up a bit, your body may be used to and expecting the current program.
  • Shortontime
    Shortontime Posts: 25 Member
    You and I could be weight loss twins... except I started in August 2016...
  • Cheesy567
    Cheesy567 Posts: 1,186 Member
    I lose weight in fits and spurts, too, you’re not alone! Stick with the plan overall, make small changes if you need to change it up a bit.

    If you’re at a plateau (which can also be viewed as a “maintence break,” abeit an involuntary one), you might toy around with increasing your calories a smidge, and see how many you can eat and still maintain. Like, if you’re at 1300 a Day now, what happens if you go up a smidge to 1350 a day? If you stay the same weight, then maybe try 1400 a day. Find the maximum calories you can eat and still *maintain* weight. Then you can choose to eat at that level for a couple-few weeks, and when you choose to take a deficit, you might find that you can lose again.

    I had to stay at a point of maintaining my weight for most of 2017, for medical reasons. But as a person who has successfully lost weight many times and can gain weight without thinking twice, I had never built the skill set of how to maintain weight. I’m glad I had to do that. I’ve been cleared to take a calorie deficit again, and it’s working well to lose weight. I plan on taking maintenance breaks periodically as I go, though, to practice those habits to maintain weight at the lower weights too.
  • Xerogs
    Xerogs Posts: 328 Member
    I've hit a plateau as well so I know what you are going through. I always think of it in a biological sense that just before winter and during winter your body is just geared towards maintaining or gaining weight. I know that I become less active during the winter months and if I get sick I don't work out which all contribute to a weight plateau. Naturally even before going LCHF I used to lose roughly 10lbs going into Spring and Summer and I am sure it will happen again this year.
  • lowil44
    lowil44 Posts: 21 Member
    I'm snailing along as well. 5'3", 59, female, started at 167, took a whole year to lose 18 lbs. Combination of post menopause, age, type 2 diabetes. Just keep at it.
  • allunits
    allunits Posts: 95 Member
    It’s nice to know I’m not alone, although I do wish all of us to lose a little faster! I’ve been more diligent with upping my protein and calories this week and have lost at least 2lbs! Cheesy’s post has been very helpful in particular because it hadn’t occurred to me that I have to learn how to maintain along the way too, especially since this isn’t a woe built around eating as little as possible.
  • tishsmith101
    tishsmith101 Posts: 1,681 Member
    My journey is similar to yours, 201 to 169 at 5'4" since Feb 2016. I was down to 165 last summer but then was less active than I'd previously been. My body needs me to get moving if I expect to see further changes. My youngest's April wedding recently got me motivated to get back into a workout routine. I started a yoga class once a week this month and just added a spin class this week. I need to add more walking and some strength training.
  • lowil44
    lowil44 Posts: 21 Member
    I wish the temp were more conducive to walking. I hate winter when its -31c (-24f)...brrrr
  • kpk54
    kpk54 Posts: 4,474 Member
    lowil44 wrote: »
    I wish the temp were more conducive to walking. I hate winter when its -31c (-24f)...brrrr

    Youtube. Leslie Sansone, Walk Away the Pounds or Jessica Smith both have indoor walking programs that can be easily toned down or ramped up. If you're energetic you can easily make it quite aerobic.

    Beginner Step Aerobics with Jenny Ford (no need for the step) can be easily adapted into indoor walking.

    No equipment needed for any. Just shoes.
  • tcunbeliever
    tcunbeliever Posts: 8,219 Member
    My goal last year was to lose 11 lbs, however I managed to gain 6 instead. Currently 5'9" and 151 lbs

    On the plus side, I dropped my body fat percentage from around 26% down to about 20.5%

    I am in a size smaller clothes and they are baggy on me at this point. So, don't get discouraged, less fat is way healthier no matter what the scale says. Take measurements, lots of them, particularly around the abdomen, and take photos. I usually measure once a month: arms/legs (widest place flexed), belly button, 2" above/below belly button, chest/hips. When I was not losing on the scale this past year I was always seeing reduced measurements somewhere. Sometimes it was in my thighs, sometimes it was in my waist, a lot of it was in my low belly and hips...it kind of shifted around from month to month, but the measurements were always encouraging even when the scale was going the wrong way.

    Your body wants to be healthy more than it wants to be a particular weight, so record the non-scale progress you are making and know that you are improving your health with that progress. Don't get discouraged!
  • solska
    solska Posts: 348 Member
    That is great progress! I know the need to see change on the scale, but check it alongside muscle/fat ratio and the tape measurements!
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