Stolled weight loss

amyrluk
amyrluk Posts: 13 Member
in Goal: Maintaining Weight
Over the past 6 months following my fitnesspal, I have been consistency loosing about 5 pounds per month. Except over Christmas, where I gained badly. No it seems that my weight loss, has stalled I have only lost 2 pounds over the month of March, I am wondering what to do. I have tried cheat meals, but there not working. Does anyone know what I should do. I have about 120 pounds to go. Am I not exercising properly, at the gym I use the bike at least 15 min to an hour, but don't really use the weight machines. Also I think I am addicted to diet soda. I wonder if that is hurting me.
I want this platue to stop. 10 pounds a month is way better then 2 does anyone have any ideas of what I could do .

Replies

  • WeatherJane
    WeatherJane Posts: 1,492 Member
    Do you use a food scale?
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 34,416 Member
    Are you logging your food every day and staying within your Goal?

    It's always going to be about that and being consistent with it.
  • yirara
    yirara Posts: 9,941 Member
    What happens during the days you don't log?
  • nanastaci2020
    nanastaci2020 Posts: 1,072 Member
    What changed? It is not uncommon to get lax in our logging after a while. That is most likely the cause for your stall. You're eating more than you were before, moving less than you were before, or a combination of both.

    Looking at your diary, I see days without logging and days with only partial logging. Perhaps commit to logging 100%- everything you consume - for 30 days. If you are not feeling full/satisfied, then consider changing up the things you are eating. Lots of calories from snack cakes & soda would leave me HUNGRY. Check results, and consider how you feel, after that 30 days.

    I drink a decent amount of diet soda. I honestly don't want to admit how much lol. But I do make an effort to stay hydrated overall, and I personally find it wasteful to drink my calories. I need to eat enough protein/fat to feel satiated. So you may find eating more 'real' food meals that consist of a protein and side or more of veggies gets you better value for your calorie budget. Even with the diet soda, I've found CICO still works. Meaning if I eat at a deficit I lose weight. The diet soda is not a factor.
  • mylittlerainbow
    mylittlerainbow Posts: 822 Member
    As I got closer to my goal, my weight loss slowed way down. Average was 1/2 pound per week for the last few months (which is pretty much 2 lbs per month). You're nearer your equilibrium and it's harder to shed weight than when you're way over where your body should be. I was not thrilled but not really discouraged, because 2 lbs/mo is still a weight loss, better than the alternative of gaining weight! And it's a healthy and sustainable pace. So don't beat yourself up over it slowing down as you approach your goal.
  • WeatherJane
    WeatherJane Posts: 1,492 Member
    mylittlerainbow wrote: »
    As I got closer to my goal, my weight loss slowed way down. Average was 1/2 pound per week for the last few months (which is pretty much 2 lbs per month). You're nearer your equilibrium and it's harder to shed weight than when you're way over where your body should be. I was not thrilled but not really discouraged, because 2 lbs/mo is still a weight loss, better than the alternative of gaining weight! And it's a healthy and sustainable pace. So don't beat yourself up over it slowing down as you approach your goal.

    I read her post that she still has 120 lbs to lose.
  • girlwithcurls2
    girlwithcurls2 Posts: 2,281 Member
    Log absolutely everything. No matter what. And by "log," I mean weigh in grams for accuracy.

    Your food diary looks like you are getting most of your calories at one meal with maybe a snack somewhere. If that is truly all you are eating, and you are truly staying close to your daily goal, then you should be losing. If you find that you have a few things here and there because you are hungry, maybe play around with spreading out your eating. I would not do well with OMAD, although for some people, it works great. Try trading up some high calorie things you're eating for foods that will keep you full. 300-400 calories of soda would go straight through me, but if I was to swap that out for cottage cheese, greek yoghurt, avocado, etc, I'd get more "bang for my buck" and I wouldn't feel as hungry. I had to play around with what worked for me, and it changes over time.

    Meal timing doesn't matter. Number of meals per day doesn't matter. Fast food vs not doesn't matter. But if any of this doesn't work for you and you end up sabotaging yourself, then it DOES matter. Keep experimenting and you'll find out what works for you. Good luck!
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,809 Member
    amyrluk wrote: »
    Also I think I am addicted to diet soda. I wonder if that is hurting me.

    But you are logging 340cals from 24oz of non-diet Mountain Dew very frequently.
    Those empty calories aren't helping your weight loss.

    It's really good that your diary is public when you asked for help - the first step is to log everything with calories, every day.
    Then things like those easy to drop 340cals will jump out at you.
    As will what appears to be missing from your diary - such as vegetables and home prepared food.
  • crackon20
    crackon20 Posts: 20 Member
    Fat Chance

    Book by Robert Lustig
    Author states body responds to diet, fake sugar same as cane sugar.
  • amyrluk
    amyrluk Posts: 13 Member
    Thank you all for your comments I find them very helpful. I don't have a fridge for those of who are wondering. I often use the fridge I have at work. I have a freezer, but not a fridge. It a long story. I will try to cut back on soda, and eat more protein. Also I think the advice of spending more calories on less then one meal. and spacing them out throughout the day will help. I may also eating 1400 calories instead of 1500.
  • mylittlerainbow
    mylittlerainbow Posts: 822 Member
    And perhaps the calories could be chosen from a variety of food groups, rather than focused on refined carbs - cookies, cake, candy bars, sweet rolls.
  • wunderkindking
    wunderkindking Posts: 1,615 Member
    nanastaci2020 wrote: »
    Years of calorie counting and drinking an EXCESSIVE amount of diet soda, have proven this to be FALSE for me. If the body treated 'fake' sugar in diet soda the same as soda with calories, I'd be gaining an average of 1.5-2 pounds per week. For YEARS.

    Daily I drink 1-2 32 ounce cups of fountain Coke Zero. (Granted, some of that is ice, so perhaps 24-28 oz of soda?) Plus a minimum 1-2 16.9 oz bottles of Diet Pepsi. And these days 1 12 oz can of Mountain Dew Watermelon Zero.
    crackon20 wrote: »
    Fat Chance

    Book by Robert Lustig
    Author states body responds to diet, fake sugar same as cane sugar.

    Same. i drink probably a 2 liter of diet (caffeine free, too) coke a day.

    that's a lot.

    if my body was going to treat that the same as actual sugar, I'd be in serious trouble not down from obese to the edge of normal BMI.
  • nanastaci2020
    nanastaci2020 Posts: 1,072 Member
    I was overweight for a long time before I took any steps to 'do' anything about it. But I also understood the sugar/calories in soda was an unnecessary extra so made the effort to switch to diet years before I realized my weight WAS impacting my life.

    I like my soda. I have no trouble sleeping, so I don't even bother to limit caffeine.
    wunderkindking wrote: »

    Same. i drink probably a 2 liter of diet (caffeine free, too) coke a day.

    that's a lot.

    if my body was going to treat that the same as actual sugar, I'd be in serious trouble not down from obese to the edge of normal BMI.

  • nanastaci2020
    nanastaci2020 Posts: 1,072 Member
    edited April 2021
    Without a fridge, do you often buy prepackaged/already prepared foods? That can lead to calorie counting errors in a couple of ways.

    1. If you buy deli type prepared food that does not come with nutritional data, are you looking for similar sounding database entries? This would lead to guessing about the portions and calorie content.

    2. If you buy packaged items that says the package contains X grams for Y calories: you should weigh it. Often, there is more food in the container than the label says. Which also means more calories.

    If you find yourself buying prepared food and estimating the calories, you may want to limit that so that you are estimating less often. And go more for foods with nutritional info (that you can weigh for comparison) or make yourself. Without a fridge that is somewhat limited of course, in terms of prepping your own meals. But ultimately having more control over your food choices (making your own meals) allows you more accuracy.
    amyrluk wrote: »
    Thank you all for your comments I find them very helpful. I don't have a fridge for those of who are wondering. I often use the fridge I have at work. I have a freezer, but not a fridge. It a long story. I will try to cut back on soda, and eat more protein. Also I think the advice of spending more calories on less then one meal. and spacing them out throughout the day will help. I may also eating 1400 calories instead of
    1502.

Categories