Not "Loosing" , Frustration Setting In

danimalkeys

I got down to just under 208lbs in mid January. Since then, I've been sitting at around 209. Some days 211, some days 208, never back under 208. I've pretty much stalled out. A month without seeing anything but water weight fluctuations is getting old. I redid my calorie calculations about 2 weeks ago and cut back 300 a day to see if it helps, so an increased deficit of 2100 a week, but nothing yet. If it's all about calories in vs calories out, 2100 should equate to some kind of loss right? My measurements haven't changed either.

Any suggestions? I'm doing cardio a couple times a week and lifting 1-2x a week. Net carbs are around 50, more on the weekends, but sometimes a lot less during the week.

I'd post in a general forum but I'd get the 28 year old guys with 6 packs telling me I need to eat McDonalds and potato chips, and I don't want that kind of advice.

FIT_Goat

How are you measuring your food? Could it be that you've slightly upped your intake?

How often do you weigh yourself? Do you have an accurate idea of what your average weight is each week?

What is your bf% (the lower it is, the harder it is to move pounds... although I suspect that's not it unless you're super-tall)?

How many calories are you eating? What's your predicted TDEE? I know you said you're 2100 calories (300/day) short for the week, but what are the other numbers?

I don't know. It's tricky. You might try and up the deficit for a while, to see if that moves things along. It really depends.

danimalkeys

How are you measuring your food? Could it be that you've slightly upped your intake?

How often do you weigh yourself? Do you have an accurate idea of what your average weight is each week?

What is your bf% (the lower it is, the harder it is to move pounds... although I suspect that's not it unless you're super-tall)?

How many calories are you eating? What's your predicted TDEE? I know you said you're 2100 calories (300/day) short for the week, but what are the other numbers?

I don't know. It's tricky. You might try and up the deficit for a while, to see if that moves things along. It really depends.

I weigh everything on a digital food scale. Faithtully! That's one of the reasons dropped my daily limit down 300, just in case I'm missing something, because I'm the household cook and there are a lot of taste this and test that things happening as I prepare meals.

I weigh every morning. I have a pretty accurate idea of my weight from week to week, but I don't track it anywhere.

BF, according to the "measure body parts" calculators, is between 17-18%.

I'm eating 2000 cals right now, It was 2300. Per the keto calculator web site, my BMR is 1857. TDEE is 2553.

Macros are set at 30% protein, 60% fat, 10% carbs, though I don't use the % on carbs, I track net carbs and let the other numbers fall where they land. I tend to go over my protein by a few % points a day.

I don't want to eat below BMR, that's for sure, which I why I thought 2000 would be a good start for dropping down more.

My goal weight is 200, then I will evaluate what the mirror shows me, and maybe cut another 10lbs if I'm getting close to visible ab territory. So, I'm close to that 200, which I know is the hardest part, but the stalls are really getting to me!

FIT_Goat

I'll be honest, it looks like you're doing everything right. I don't know why you're currently stalled. I would keep with the new deficit for a couple weeks and see if that shows some improvement.

Citrislazer

Do you know what formula your calculator is using for TDEE? Some are less accurate than others.

danimalkeys

the one here:
http://keto-calculator.ankerl.com/

Citrislazer

Checked it. They're using the recommended formula, so that's good. If you've increased your workout habits at all such as doing it more often or they're more intense, you may have some temporary water retention. Also, if you've been doing the same workout routine for months, it may be time to switch it up. You may not be burning as many calories during your workouts as you use to. If you're searching for those 6/8-pack abs, you'll need to lower your fat count and up your protein. I've also noticed that some foods that others can eat without problems, stall me. It may be worth reviewing the foods you've been eating and seeing if there's any correlation.

Your instincts are probably right that there's a calorie deficit issue. I agree, if any of the above isn't an issue, then stick with your new calorie goal and see what happens, then check your carb count. You got this! :-)

Nicole9187

Have you tried having a high carb day?

What about carb cycling on your weight lifting days?

Nicole9187

Also, what's your water intake like?

Have you considered doing a fat fast?

danimalkeys

My water intake is good, at least 8 glasses a day and typically more like 12, though some days I'm not as good about it.

What is a fat fast?

I tried doing the carb cycling thing a couple months ago, I didn't like it. I'd gain 6-7lbs in 1 day and then spend the rest of the week getting it back off again, and then end up the same or higher weight at the next carb up day.

awiswasser

I agree with maybe trying a fat fast (maybe just 2 or 3 days) or just trying to up your fat. I stalled November - January, did a 3 day fat fast and got the numbers moving.

There is a lot of information on Fat Fasting if you search it. I go by no restrictive eating, just cut more carbs/protein and add more fat. I love Shirataki noodles so I will have those with 2 tblspns of butter and 2 oz of cream cheese, home made fat bombs and avocado. I am not a huge meat fan so changing my menu helps too!

Nicole9187

I started drinking a gallon of water and it has really helped out.

The premise of a fat fast is to just concentrate on eating LOTS of fat.


Check this out:
http://livinlavidalowcarb.com/blog/fat-fast-for-a-few-days-to-induce-weight-loss/1189

I am not a fan of eating high carb once a week, but I would recommend at least once a month or so.

danimalkeys

That fat fast doesn't look too appealing.

I'm going to stick with the reduced calorie goal for a while and see how things go.

My biggest weakness is having good beer on the weekends. I don't blow my carbs by a lot but it might be doing enough to keep my weight loss from progressing.

lisajsund

At my current weight and height, I burn 2600-2700 calories daily - on non exercise days, as told by my LifeTrak device (similar to a fitbit).
I am 5'5", currently 187 lbs, 28% BF and am 35. My basal metabolic rate is about 1680.
If your BMR is 1850, you are probably burning closer to 3000 calories daily, before exercise.
If you cut too much, you might be putting your body in starvation mode, even if you don't feel hungry.
Try 2000 calories for a couple of weeks, and if that is still not working, try 2500 calories and aim for 0.5 lbs per week.

SideSteel

Keep in mind that any estimation calculator is simply an estimation tool and you should always let your results indicate which direction you may need to go with activity or intake. With that said I wouldn't personally be concerned about eating under whatever you believe your BMR to be. Given the amount of estimation error that takes place in food logging combined with the fact that the BMR target in itself is an estimate you don't really even know whether or not you're eating under that to begin with.

In the rare chance that someone DOES need to eat under BMR to produce weight loss I would point to inactivity as being the likely culprit since activity thermogenesis (EAT+NEAT) is what really creates the big gap between TDEE and BMR.

But all that aside, given your situation I would stick with the 2000 calorie intake and do the best you can regarding adherence to your tracking and food scale use, and give that a good ~3 weeks. If you don't see any losses I would reduce another 100 kcals or so OR consider adding in an additional couple of exercise sessions.

EDIT: And if it eases your mind any, I'm 36 now, I'm bulking so my abs are pretty faded, and I don't think you have to eat McDonalds

FIT_Goat

Something isn't right with your numbers.

Your TDEE multiplier to your BMR would be 1.55-1.61 on "non-exercise" days. This would mean your low exercise days would be equivalent to a Moderate Exercise level or higher. I can't even imagine what an "exercise" day would look like with those numbers.

* Little or No Exercise: TDEE = 1.2 x BMR
* Light Exercise/Sports 1 to 3 Times Per Week: TDEE = 1.375 x BMR
* Moderate Exercise, Sports 3 to 5 Times Per Week: TDEE = 1.55 x BMR
* Heavy Exercise, Sports 6 to 7 Times Per Week: TDEE = 1.725 x BMR
* Very heavy exercise (e.g., physical job; training 2x/day): TDEE = 1.9 x BMR


My BMR is 1652 and my multiplier is 1.48 to get my TDEE of 2,445 calories (calculated from actual loss rates and caloric intake)... that's walking 12k+ steps a day and generally being pretty active. My TDEE as calculated by my fitbit will often be off by a few hundred calories. I trust the calculated results more.

Based on the standard tables, the calorie burn for OP is probably between 2,220 and 3,500 (with lower values under 2,900 being much more likely). OP doesn't really risk negative effects (such as the fabled starvation mode) until under 1,800 calories/day (and probably even closer to 1,400/day)--unless he's really going to extremes, which isn't the activity level he described for himself.
* 2,220 (Sedentary)
* 2,545 (Light Exercise)
* 2,865 (Moderate Exercise)
* 3,200 (Heavy Exercise)
* 3,500 (Very Heavy Exercise)

danimalkeys

Frob, that's what I have been thinking, that my numbers were off and I wasn't burning as much as I thought with my activity level. I have a sedentary job- I don't even commute, I work from home, so there's no walking to the car, walking to get lunch, walking around the office. My exercise level has been low- 30 mins of cardio a couple times a week and 1-2 days of lifting for 60 mins or so. Shovelling snow has been my cardio a lot recently.

Before I cut my cals down to 2000, was using numbers from a spreadsheet I had downloaded here. It asks you about all kinds of activity- standing around- since I cook a lot, I do spend a lot of time moving around in the kitchen, figure 10 hours a week. Heavier labor- about an hour a week of loading my band gear in and out of the van for gigs and rehearsals. Cardio and lifting times. That spreadsheet gives me a BMR of 2043, a TDEE of 2900, and a daily eating goal of 2350. That's what I was doing, and not losing. I thought my activity estimates were pretty spot on and trusted that the spreadsheet was giving me a good guideline to follow.

If I take the BMR from the keto site and use the light exercise multiplier to get around a 2500 TDEE, then the 2000 cals should help me out. If my TDEE is around that 2500, and I was eating 2300, and sometimes going over, then that'd account for my lack of progress.

danimalkeys

oh- SS- at your age you are approaching the geezer club, so your advice is always trusted!

skinnyone2012

Over the years and my time on LC, when I have stalled it was due to not enough fat, not enough water and just not enough eating. I would say up your fat and water and check again for hidden sugars.

danimalkeys

Well, today I was finally back down to the 207.7 I was exactly 20 days ago. That weigh in 20 days ago was probably an anomaly anyway- it was the day after a band gig when I'm typically more dehydrated from the activity/sweat even with drinking a lot of water while performing We'll see how the next few days go.

Sunday I have to fast for a (ugh) colonoscopy on Monday. I'm sure that process will jump start some weight loss, but not in a good way!

danimalkeys

Another band gig anomaly I'm guessing, but I'm down to 206 even today. My lowest ever. If I can hold it thru tomorrow I'll count it as a new weight.

Thisisit51

It is very normal to "stall" or hit a plateau. This happens to most people. I wouldn't worry about it. Just keep doing what you're doing. Although, I wouldn't decrease my calories. I would decrease the carbohydrates. If you want to jump start your weight loss, try eating 0 carbs/high fat for three days. Just my non-expert opinion ;-)

Nicole9187

Ugh, now I'm stalling! This is very frustrating. I'm going to try increasing my fat intake and water.

danimalkeys

I'm not sure if I broke it or not but I held 206 for a couple days. Then I was supposed to fast last Sunday for a medical procedure on Monday. So, Saturday I met some friends at a restaurant and had wings that were way too salty, and some jambalaya, thinking I was going to fast Sunday. Well, they cancelled my appt due to an impending snow storm. I gained 4lbs in water weight from the wings and jambalaya! Today I'm finally back down to 207 as of this morning, and I'm fasting today for the rescheduled procedure tomorrow.

I think what helped me the most was really being aware of my calorie counts. I have so little room for error, so I was conservative on what I ate for that last week and that's what did it.