Exiting weight loss Plateau

susfry714

I have lost 55 lbs and would like to lose 20 more. However, I have hit a plateau and haven’t been able to break it for 5 months.

I do not exercise, and I know that would help, but I didn’t exercise to lose the 55 lbs. I ve been told I’m not eating enough calories.

I live in southern New Jersey and thought a nutritionist may be able to help me. I’m looking for any recommendations of a nutritionist in my area or advice from anyone else who has found a way n out of their own weight loss plateau.
Thanks, Your frustrated friend

tomcustombuilder

After losing 55 pounds your body needs less energy to survive so you need to drop your weekly calorie amount in order to continue.

However, it does depend on how long you’ve been at a plateau if it’s been less than four weeks give it another week or so and then if still no lost then yes you definitely need to drop your calories. Not eating enough calories has never prevented weight loss.

AnnPT77

In most of the US, I'd suggest you look for a registered dietitian (RD), not a nutritionist.

I'm not sure about New Jersey, but in some states, anyone can call themselves a nutritionist, even if they have zero relevant formal education or serious certifications. Registered dietitians have to meet fairly stringent education and certification requirements, and adhere to a formal Code of Ethics.

You haven't said anything about your height, weight, age, or daily life activity level, nor about what calorie level you've been eating for that 5 months, so it's hard to guess whether you're eating too few calories, too many calories, or something else entirely.

In general, Tom is right. Eating too few calories doesn't stop weight loss. It can seem to slow loss down versus what's expected, basically because of fatigue, subtle or dramatic, because we rest more and move less so burn fewer calories than we would with better fuel and nutrition. Eating too few calories can also trigger some extra water retention though physical stress, but 5 months would be a long time to have that be the explanation if there's a real calorie deficit in the picture.

If your loss gradually slowed down over a period of weeks, then stopped, you've probably found your current maintenance calories. If loss had been going at a good pace, but stopped suddenly, other explanations may be more likely.

If you haven't changed your calorie goal since the start of losing 55 pounds, that could be a factor.

If anything about your lifestyle has changed, that could be a factor. (Examples would be changing jobs in a way that reduces physical movement either on the job or commute, moving from a big house with lots of chores to a small apartment with few, etc.)

If your loss of that 55 pounds was pretty fast, that could be a factor. No, I'm not saying "wrecked metabolism". There are things in fast loss like losing more than minimal muscle tissue alongside fat loss, triggering the fatigue that I mentioned earlier (when even subtle differences can potentially be a couple of hundred calories daily), some contribution of stress-related water retention, and more. IF fast loss is among the triggering factors, there are ways to work at reversing some of the effects, but it's not a sure thing. Best to avoid fast loss in the first place.

Bottom line, I can't suggest a nutritionist in NJ, or a registered dietitian. I'm over here in Michigan, too far away. I might have some tips about what's behind your weight-loss stall, but there's not really enough information in your post to do that.

Best wishes for success - I hope you can find a solution!

totameafox

you need to look at your tdee and your calorie intake to see if there is a deficiency. Yes you can eat too few calories but without knowing your numbers, it is hard to say that is the problem. You've lost 55 lbs. that is effing awesome. Now get off your bum and start walking. I can't do that anymore, being disabled and not able to stand more than 10 minutes at time. But when i was able I started walking after losing 30lbs and it was freaking awesome. I was not a fan of working out but i took my cane and headed out the door. Discovered it was so awesome I got up every morning for months before work. Give it a shot... if you can move... please move...

ps... it is awesome. you are awesome. go be more awesome.

yirara

With just 20lbs to lose weightloss will be slow, sometimes even excruciatingly so. Your body needs less energy at this point, and hence your calorie deficit will be smaller. If you don't weigh your food intake very thoroughly it will be very easy to eat too much. If your weight is truly the same for 5 months, clothes not fitting differently, not even half a pound change per week then you have found your maintenance calories. Thus I suggest you look at your logging again and weigh all the things you started to eyeball.

springlering62

Have you gone in and readjusted your goals? If you haven’t done this for a while, you may be eating too many calories. You need fewer calories the lighter you get, and MFP doesn’t automatically adjust as you lose.

Also- I’ve been struggling to lose some vacation pounds. I thought I’d been cutting pretty hard, but when I calculated yesterday what I overate during two or three months of traveling versus what I underate the three months since we’ve been back, including holidays (I didn’t think I’d eaten that much extra), I was shocked to find that they net difference wasn’t more than a couple of pounds worth, which I’ve lost.

Math sucks. So does weight loss. 😂

It’s much harder to lose those last few the closer you are to goal.

mmillsrd1177

Hey there -- congrats on your loss. Yes it is very difficult -- plateaus / back slides happen. I love the fact that you are looking for a "fresh" look from some one. Check with your insurance company. "Nourish" is currently doing tela - health (on line / face time) visits with an RD (Registered Dietitian) that are covered under your insurance co. Nutrition services are just starting to be covered by insurance and not all private pay. Best of luck and keep at it

springlering62

My gym offers dietician services at a very reasonable rate. Because it’s a gym, she’s also very invested in helping users improve their dietary needs.

I saw the dietician tuesday., for a “touch up”. Hadn’t been since mid weight loss. This one was a new dietician to the gym. Mega props to her for knowing MFP inside out, and immediately going to my diary and reviewing it, as well as 7-day averages. Heck, half the users here can’t even do that!


It was super gratifying to get immediate feedback on what I was consuming, thanks to careful logging.