Jump Starting Weight Loss

JessyLovesJCS
JessyLovesJCS Posts: 169 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I've been quite discouraged lately with the lack of weight loss. Well, really the last 6 weeks. :sigh:

I have about 70 more pounds to lose (and have lost 68 pounds in about 2 years which isn't all recorded here on MFP). I have adjusted MFP for the weight I have lost previously, walk or do low impact aerobics almost daily, drink about 7-8 cups of water a day, and rarely go over calories.

The only time I have lost weight in the last 6 weeks is 4 days after THANKSGIVING - 2.1 pounds - when I returned after spending the weekend with family (not recording what I ate).

My diary should be open, but keep in mind that I haven't been overly dedicated the last few weeks do to the lack of any downward movement. But I am trying to really get going again.

Any suggestions?

ETA: I do measure and weigh food...and tend to eat 5-6 times a day, small meals/snacks with macros set at 40/30/30.

Replies

  • Mia_RagazzaTosta
    Mia_RagazzaTosta Posts: 4,885 Member
    Invest in a food scale if you don't already have one and weigh/measure your intake. It's very likely you're eating more than you think if you aren't logging accurately.
  • JessyLovesJCS
    JessyLovesJCS Posts: 169 Member
    I just added that I weigh/measure food as you posted! LOL I try to be very careful about that.
  • WalkingAlong
    WalkingAlong Posts: 4,926 Member
    2 lbs. in 6 weeks isn't that bad considering you've lost so much already. I think sometimes our bodies just need a break. Keep at it and you'll eventually lose again. Maybe change something-- exercise more or differently, alter your calorie level a little. I'm not sure if it helps a lot of people or just coincides with the plateau breaking anyway but worth a try.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,992 Member
    Increase the intensity of your workouts. Doesn't have to be drastic, just make them a bit harder.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal/Group FitnessTrainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
  • JessyLovesJCS
    JessyLovesJCS Posts: 169 Member
    OK. So, change up exercise. I've been eyeing the loooonnnggg hill at the next road over as more of a challenge, but I just started the low impact aerobics.

    I'll admit that I am out-of-shape and working in these things slowly.

    (I have made great strides! Last year my long walk took 1 1/2 hours with frequent stops. Now, I can do the same distance without stopping in about 30 minutes. Perhaps it's gotten too easy...)
  • wishfuljune
    wishfuljune Posts: 2,607 Member
    Sounds like the walk was getting too easy! Time to shake things up! I'm a big proponent of working out with Youtube videos. You'd be surprised by some of the workouts that you can find on YouTube! It's like having your own personal trainer yelling at you to keep going in the comfort of your own home.

    Also, try running for 1 min and then walking for 1 min for 30 minutes or so. That will get the heart rate up and change up your walk a little bit!
  • Mokey41
    Mokey41 Posts: 5,769 Member
    Be really conscious of your food intake. No guessing and unless you get some major calorie burn going for exercise I'd quit eating it back just to allow for errors. There's no magic jump start to weight loss. If you truly eat at a deficit you will lose.
  • JessyLovesJCS
    JessyLovesJCS Posts: 169 Member
    Just did a Fitness Bender video on You Tube!

    Yeah, I could try to 1 minute jog/1 minute walk. Good suggestion!

    I really think I'm doing very well with measuring and weighing food, even matching macros on the bags/boxes if it's that kind of food to MFP. I don't take a nibble of anything without recording it. I know doing so isn't going to help me.

    MFP puts at at 1490/day to lose 2 pounds per week. Before I adjusted this morning it was 1550...and most days I was under that anyway. I also tend to not record ALL exercise as I know MFP usually over-estimates calories burned. (I don't have a HRM.) The video I did was 30 minutes and I recorded 20.
  • thompsoj05
    thompsoj05 Posts: 86 Member
    Just did a Fitness Bender video on You Tube!

    Yeah, I could try to 1 minute jog/1 minute walk. Good suggestion!

    I really think I'm doing very well with measuring and weighing food, even matching macros on the bags/boxes if it's that kind of food to MFP. I don't take a nibble of anything without recording it. I know doing so isn't going to help me.

    MFP puts at at 1490/day to lose 2 pounds per week. Before I adjusted this morning it was 1550...and most days I was under that anyway. I also tend to not record ALL exercise as I know MFP usually over-estimates calories burned. (I don't have a HRM.) The video I did was 30 minutes and I recorded 20.

    Fitness blender is great. Lots of different types of exercises. They have 8 week Fat Loss Programs at fitnessblender.com that you might want to check out. You also might want to check into a decent HRM (Polar is good)
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
    OK. So, change up exercise. I've been eyeing the loooonnnggg hill at the next road over as more of a challenge, but I just started the low impact aerobics.

    I'll admit that I am out-of-shape and working in these things slowly.

    (I have made great strides! Last year my long walk took 1 1/2 hours with frequent stops. Now, I can do the same distance without stopping in about 30 minutes. Perhaps it's gotten too easy...)

    It's not really a matter of changing it up.

    As suggested, being more intense.

    What you are doing may have some efficiency improvements (not walking, guessing you've been doing that for a while) which would lead to slightly less calorie burn when doing them.

    But many will get more efficient and then back off too. Same weight same intensity same calorie burn. But less weight same intensity, less calorie burn.

    So gotta get more intense. For walking, hills is great idea, actually about the only way. Walking over 3.5 mph also starts getting less efficient, so faster is more calorie burn in that case.

    Also, if you are starting new things, your body is going to make improvements from the exercise, even if not muscle mass because it's not that hard and you are eating at deficit, but other improvements that will mean you will lose inches of fat, even if weight stays the same.

    So measure many spots, or have those clothes you don't wash and shrink, or wear often and stretch, that can be worn purely as a measurement device - am i smaller in them?
  • ash8184
    ash8184 Posts: 701 Member
    Increase the intensity of your workouts. Doesn't have to be drastic, just make them a bit harder.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal/Group FitnessTrainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

    THIS. I broke through my massive plateau by adding running in to my routine (after losing 100+lbs on the elliptical). I needed to increase my heart rate, and I started dropping weight like crazy. Change it up and add as much intensity (even for short periods) as you can.

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