A little advice please

Arielnesika
Arielnesika Posts: 87 Member
edited November 24 in Health and Weight Loss
This is kind of the same 'stuck on a plateau' post, but a little bit different. I've lost 75 pounds in the last year, but this has slowed drastically in the last few months and has basically stopped in the last month. The complicating factor is that I've stopped breastfeeding (also in the last month). My child is a toddler and wasn't nursing that much so I hadn't been deducting calories for that.
Some additional info: I'm still at 215 pounds and hope to lose around 35 more. I'm 5'8". I weigh and measure most of my food (but could probably tighten up my calorie counting more). The daily allotment is currently at at 1470 and I dread needing to go lower. I hike or walk outside several times a week, but I'm confident that my weight loss has been due to diet more than exercise so far.
My question is, do I need to just be more patient? Should I reevaluate my calorie intake or even hang out at maintenance for a minute? Thank for your input.

Replies

  • PAV8888
    PAV8888 Posts: 14,254 Member
    fitoverfortymom wrote: »
    You could and should probably do both of these. A maintenance break for a few weeks and then recalculating could do your psyche a load of good.
    Nursing does burn some Calories, a burn you have now lost.

    And yes to the above!!!
  • toxikon
    toxikon Posts: 2,383 Member
    Arielnesika wrote: »
    I weigh and measure most of my food (but could probably tighten up my calorie counting more).

    I think you answered your own question there. ;)
  • fiddletime
    fiddletime Posts: 1,868 Member
    5’8” and 1470? Are you using sedentary and adding back in half your exercise calories? Are you set at 1# a week? That 1470 seems low at your height.
  • ladyhusker39
    ladyhusker39 Posts: 1,406 Member
    I think it's a mixed answer (as most usually are).

    When you were heavier it was easier to be off your calories consumption by some amount and still see solid results. As you've experienced that starts to taper off as you get smaller.

    On the other side, your body is no longer producing milk so that burn has gone away.

    Between the two, it would seem you've lost most of your previous deficit.

    Now that you're getting closer to goal it will be necessary to really tighten up your logging as you've most likely been eating more than what you state. Like I said above, that's worked until now and is perfectly fine. I still don't track my calories religiously, but it's becoming more difficult to keep a consistent deficit that way.

    My plan since I don't particularly want to change the way I'm eating is to create a small deficit with increased cardio activity. You can do this as well if you prefer to have more to eat.

    Great work so far. You've lost lots more than me and should be very proud of your accomplishment thus far.
  • Maxxitt
    Maxxitt Posts: 1,281 Member
    Yes, hang out at maintenance another two weeks. Then resume a deficit, and continue for a month before tweaking anything as your menstrual cycle does its thing.
  • Arielnesika
    Arielnesika Posts: 87 Member
    Thanks everyone! I think that helps me decide how to move forward. I suppose I did answer my own question: tighten up logging, up my exercise and be patient. I appreciate your insights.
  • Christine_72
    Christine_72 Posts: 16,049 Member
    fiddletime wrote: »
    5’8” and 1470? Are you using sedentary and adding back in half your exercise calories? Are you set at 1# a week? That 1470 seems low at your height.

    That's how much MFP gives to lose 0.5lbs a week set at sedentary. I'm OP's height, but weigh 156lbs. She's obviously chosen a higher rate of loss than me, plus i'd say I'm considerably older, 45.
  • Arielnesika
    Arielnesika Posts: 87 Member
    fiddletime wrote: »
    5’8” and 1470? Are you using sedentary and adding back in half your exercise calories? Are you set at 1# a week? That 1470 seems low at your height.

    Sedentary at a loss of 1.5# per week. I add back 1/2 or more of the calories that I burn. When I updated my goals today at my current weight, the calories went down to 1380. I'll see if I can hang with that.
  • Christine_72
    Christine_72 Posts: 16,049 Member
    Christine_72 wrote: »
    fiddletime wrote: »
    5’8” and 1470? Are you using sedentary and adding back in half your exercise calories? Are you set at 1# a week? That 1470 seems low at your height.

    That's how much MFP gives ME to lose 0.5lbs a week set at sedentary. I'm OP's height, but weigh 156lbs. She's obviously chosen a higher rate of loss than me, plus i'd say I'm considerably older, 45.

    I forgot the pertinent word ^^^^^

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