looking for advice

forevermaryb

I posted this topic on the general board yesterday and got some great responses, but I don't think I explained my question well. What I'm looking to have answered is, did anyone have a similar situation where your weight loss stalled due to being so close to goal and what happened when you decided to go to maintenance and upped your calories? My concern is the fact that I am working really hard to lose just a couple of pounds, but those couple of pounds are truly not bothering me. It's the fact that I am eating at a deficit (really and truly logging, measuring and weighing all my intake), working out like crazy and basically maintaining my weight. I'm looking to see if anyone experienced this and what happened when you went to maintenance? I understand that I will put on some pounds upping my calories and I fully expect normal weight fluctuations, however, there is coming a time where 1670 calories/day plus 6-7 days/week of pretty hard exercise is just not doable for me. I would like to go to maintenance, which according to various calculators gives me around 1900 calories (on a lightly active setting to give me motivation to earn calories by exercise, which 3-5 days while moving more the other days is more reasonable).

This is the original post I wrote:

"Stats:
46 years old
CW 146.4 (have gotten to 143.3), GW 142
5'9" tall
have my goal set to lose .5 pounds/week, so I eat 1670 calories/day (with macros set at 35p/35c/30f) plus my exercise calories that I determine using a HRM (I don't eat them all back to allow for error in calories eaten, but always make sure I net at least 1200 calories)

I lost 45 pounds from Jan 2013-May2013 with the Ideal Protein diet. From the end of May until now, I've been using MFP, so I've lost anywhere from 17-20 pounds as well as a few more inches (I have not lost any inches since the beginning of December). Since the middle of Jan, I've been increasing my strength training. I focus on my lower body/butt 2x per week with tons of weighted squats, lunges, bench steps, etc. Each time I either increase the weight or add a few reps. 2x per week I focus on my upper body, again increasing weight or reps. I also do cardio (Zumba, spin class, machines or walking) almost every day (except the days I do lower body work). I do understand that strength training can cause water retention, but shouldn't I be seeing some results somewhere? My tape measure hasn't moved in over 2 months. My scale only seems to gain and lose the same few pounds (which I know is typical) since the very beginning of Jan where I saw the low of 143.3 just that one time. Prior to that, I had plateaued for about 6 weeks, after coming off another plateau of about 4 or 6 weeks. It has taken me over 4 months to lose 3 pounds.

During the week, I am pretty careful about my diet. I eat lots of lean protein and fresh vegetables, with some whole grain carbs, fresh fruit and dairy. On the weekends, I often indulge in a meal out, but I am rarely over my calorie goal, and if I am, I've usually "banked" calories from the week. However, a meal out usually results in a 2-3 pound gain (I know it's water retention, etc) which takes the whole week to lose and then the weekend comes around again and I'm stuck in this cycle. I know the obvious answer is to not have a meal out, but my concern is not necessarily getting to my goal weight. My concern is am I working this hard to be in maintenance? According to various calculators, for someone with my stats, for maintenance I should be allowed around 1900 calories (plus exercise calories. I use "lightly active" in order to keep myself motivated to exercise to earn calories). If I'm basically maintaining at 1670 calories and exercising like it's my job, what's going to happen at 1900 calories and I can't keep up this level of exercise?

Should I continue as I am and hope to see some kind of result? I haven't had any measure of success since early Jan. My clothing fits exactly the same since September/October and my measurements haven't changed in 3 months (and then it was 1/4 of an inch). Am I just on an extended plateau? Or should I try upping my calories and see what happens?

My diary is open. I don't track my water intake, but I always drink at least 80oz/day, usually more. Any advice, support, commiseration, etc would be greatly appreciated."



So hopefully I have better explained what I am looking for: others who stalled at losing, went to maintenance, and what happened when you upped your calories and eased back on the exercise?

A disclaimer: I fully understand that I can't go back to eating what I want and not exercising to maintain. I know I will always have to watch my calories and exercise in some form. I also know that 1900 is not a "magical" number for maintenance and that I am going to have to go by trial and error to see what works.

skinnybythanksgiving

I've been on maintenance since December. I started about 4.5 pounds before I reached my goal weight by adding 100 calories every 2 weeks or so. My goal calories according to fitwatch are about 1690 for light activity and 1475 for sedentary. I gain big time on 1600, even though I exercise 4-7 days a week. So I made my goal calories 1400, and when I go over I do gain. The calories I've seen for maintaining weight are an estimate only and fluctuate up or down for age, activity level, metabolism, stress, etc.

It sounds like you are maintaining now. You can try different things, like drop a day of exercise for one week, drop two days of exercise the second week, add 100 calories the third week, etc. If you gain and the weight stays on, you'll know where you stand. If you have more weight to lose I would lose that first, although apparently you'll need to reduce your calories to do it, because your level of exercise is high already. You may have to reduce your calories a bit if you want to reduce your exercise and maintain your weight. Just experiment. Sometimes the body will surprise you!

nxd10

If I understand what you wrote, I think I had a similar situation. I think of it as a 'soft landing' for weight loss.

First, have you re-input your weight to see what MFP puts you at? If does not reset calories well as you lose weight and that can cause stalling.

Second, you're working out a lot. Are you eating back your exercise calories? If not, you may be able to keep your deficit more easily.

Third, I did NOT gain back weight when I went to maintenance. I stayed exactly the same even when I upped my calories and had not been losing. From what I can tell, that happens to many people. I upped by 250 calories (went to a half pound/week) and have maintained there, so I just stayed there. I upped my exercise (you probably don't have to) so was comfortable with what I was eating.

Fourth, after going to maintenance, my body continued to change, even though my weight didn't. I have lost 2" from my waist and an inch from my hips even though I have stayed stable (I'm 5'10" and a very curvy 150 pounds). If it is fitness, not weight, you are interested in, I might try going to maintenance and keeping your exercise and see how you do. If you don't like it, you can always go back on a deficit.

forevermaryb

Thanks for the response. I have re-input my weight several times into MFP. 1670 is what I get at my current weight of 146. I also don't eat back all of my exercise calories to account for errors in underestimating calories eaten and overestimating calorie burn (I do wear a HRM, but I just like to leave a little wiggle room).

I'm glad to know that you did not gain back the weight and that your body continued to change after going to maintenance. While I'm not losing anything according to the scale, tape measure or clothing, I do notice changes in my body; more definition, less jiggle here and there. I do think I'm going to go into maintenance once I get to the lower end of my current weight fluctuation. I'll keep the exercise the same, but up my calories for a while and see how it goes.

Sarah4fitness

If you've started adding a weightlifting routine to your workouts while eating the same amount of food, chances are your slow weight loss is due to increasing your muscle. Women build muscle MUCH more slowly than men, even given ideal nutrition, but part of the scale-battle may be that you are in fact increasing your muscle density.

I'd take a break from frequent weigh-ins, maybe weigh once every two weeks, and keep up the weight lifting. Increase your weights whenever you can (without compromising form) and continue to build strength. You will continue to lose fat, and will see changes in the mirror, in your body, and in how clothes fit. I'd worry less about hitting "goal weight" and focus on how you're looking and feeling.

psmd

Are you taking measurements? I bet you are tightening up and don't even know it! GL!