I've decided to take a diet break.

ChoiceNotChance

I have been on MFP for about 2 1/2 years. I lost about 55 lbs in the first year then it all came to a screeching halt. As I look back at my food diary, I realize that I hadn't been eating enough. I had been eating between 800 and 1000 calories a day. I decided to increase my calories and started to be very diligent about logging, weighing and measuring my food. I have been experimenting for weeks at a time with everything from 1200 -1500 calories a day. No change in my weight except for slight daily fluctuations. I strength train 3 times a week and do light cardio a couple of days a week. All the calculators put my TDEE between 1600 and 1700. So, I've decided to take a break. For two weeks starting August 22, I'm not going to weigh or measure like a fanatic. I'll continue to eat fairly low carb, which I do because of insulin resistance but not to the extent that I have been. I will continue to work out, as I have been. After two weeks, I will start fresh eating around 1350 calories, which will still put me at a slight deficit.

Stat: (Female), 5'1". SW 189, CW 136, 55 yrs old.

Any suggestions, opinions, support will be appreciated.

Deb. :happy:

Kalikel

If you need the break, you should take it. Whatever you need to be happy!

Even if you gained a little, one setback can't stop the overall good work. You could always re-lose it. Then you'll keep going.

Just keep in mind that sometimes a break leads to complete failure, so you can't fall into that. As long as you keep that in mind, guarding against it, it should work out.

You've made great progress and will make more!

Enjoy your break!

ana3067

That's a great idea. Although I'd suggest that you try eating your maintenance for a few weeks first (1600 at least then), see if you actually maintain on that. That way you'll know whether the 1350 intake is high enough for you to minimize metabolic issues.

Or if you want to get back to losing sooner rather than later, you could keep logging but log for maintenance, maybe not be as diligent but just log for a few days to get an idea of waht 1600-1700 calories is like for you, then eat that way for a while and monitor your weight periodically.

Breaks are always good

SanteMulberry

That's a great idea. Although I'd suggest that you try eating your maintenance for a few weeks first (1600 at least then), see if you actually maintain on that. That way you'll know whether the 1350 intake is high enough for you to minimize metabolic issues.

Or if you want to get back to losing sooner rather than later, you could keep logging but log for maintenance, maybe not be as diligent but just log for a few days to get an idea of waht 1600-1700 calories is like for you, then eat that way for a while and monitor your weight periodically.

Breaks are always good

^^^THIS^^^ You must weigh, measure and log your food or you will likely go backward. Not fair, but that's the way it is. I would, however, ignore weighing yourself, except for once a month. If you are compulsive about weighing yourself, ask someone to keep your scale for you and only give it back for your once-a-month weigh-in. An important thing to consider is that the closer you get to your goal weight (and you are pretty close) the more time you should spend in maintenance. Since the real goal of any weight loss is to keep it off, that just makes sense that you would work at identifying HOW and WHAT it takes to keep it off. The forums are full of people who lost a bunch and then gained it all or most of it back and are here yet again trying to figure out how to lose (and the more calorie-restricted diets you go on mean that your body is even less likely to release body fat with each round) and keep it off. One of the problems with calorie-restriction is that it takes a lot of your energy away unless it is planned VERY carefully. You are on the right track with reducing carbohydrates but you need to focus on reducing the right ones. It is no good to lose weight but end up unhealthier (which you will unless you pay attention to nourishing your body properly--especially as you get older). Only the young can "afford" to abuse their bodies with crappy eating.

White potatoes are high in carbs BUT they are great for building mineral balances (and without the right mineral balances, nothing works right). Added sugar is terrible for you, in many ways, BUT fruit, even though it is higher in natural sugars than vegetables, is great for all the phyto-nutrients that it contains. Junk food even "in moderation" is unaffordable on calorie-restriction so you might as well get it out of your food allotment on maintenance as well. Not only is it mostly empty calories (so it is NOT health-building) but it also contains nasty chemicals that reduce your liver's ability to cause fat-burning. And fat-burning should be the focus, NOT weight loss. You could go on a starvation diet and lose weight...and then gain it all back (maybe even more) when you resume normal eating, which you must or die (anorexics refuse to do so, and suffer the consequences).

I have been maintaining for almost a year and I am going to go at fat-burning again starting about the middle of next month. But I will only be on calorie restriction for about 6 weeks to 2 months and then I will go back to maintenance for at least 3 to 4 months. I am only concerned about "body-composition" NOT weight. I would like to get to 25% body fat but I may have to settle for 27% (which is considered the low end of "healthy" for my age--66). Ultimately, the important thing is feeling good, not looking good. However, paradoxically, it is in pursuing optimal health that we look our best as well. Good luck.

jemhh

When I take diet breaks, I eat at my maintenance per a TDEE calculator. Other people don't here's track at all. There's no one right way to do it. Here's an article about diet breaks.

http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/fat-loss/the-full-diet-break.html

JordanMK_

If you feel like you're overdoing then you're doing it wrong, I know that feeling of burn out and it's really a bad sign. See which issues you have and look for possible answers. Anyways you shouldn't call it a diet but a change of lifestyle. Just remember the basics: eat less and exercise more. Any physical exercise is okay!! You don't have to exhaust yourself!! Good luck!!

SezxyStef

I have been on MFP for about 2 1/2 years. I lost about 55 lbs in the first year then it all came to a screeching halt. As I look back at my food diary, I realize that I hadn't been eating enough. I had been eating between 800 and 1000 calories a day. I decided to increase my calories and started to be very diligent about logging, weighing and measuring my food. I have been experimenting for weeks at a time with everything from 1200 -1500 calories a day. No change in my weight except for slight daily fluctuations. I strength train 3 times a week and do light cardio a couple of days a week. All the calculators put my TDEE between 1600 and 1700. So, I've decided to take a break. For two weeks starting August 22, I'm not going to weigh or measure like a fanatic. I'll continue to eat fairly low carb, which I do because of insulin resistance but not to the extent that I have been. I will continue to work out, as I have been. After two weeks, I will start fresh eating around 1350 calories, which will still put me at a slight deficit.

Stat: (Female), 5'1". SW 189, CW 136, 55 yrs old.

Any suggestions, opinions, support will be appreciated.

Deb. :happy:

Not eating enough doesn't cause you to stop losing weight...if anything you lose faster as you are losing muscle and fat.

The issue I see is that you are changing things up too much. If you were logging 800 and not losing yes the measuring was needed...but you have to be patient when setting a new calorie goal. It can take up to 3-4 weeks for you to see weight loss after changing a goal and you have only given it a week.

As for the break have at. No suggestions other than be careful...

zyxst

The worse that can happen is you gain weight. Sometimes taking a step back is a good thing. I'm going to go into maintenance in January and return to a deficit after a month or so. I think I expected too much from my own weight loss this year (only 4# in 9 months), but I have to keep reminding myself that a loss is still a loss despite it being a few ounces a month,

Madame_Goldbricker

I'm currently on a food logging/counting break too. Plus I'm in the process of quitting smoking.

For me my main area of difficulty was binging and that now seems far more under control. I've found that at the minute I seem to naturally gravitate towards eating slightly more on workout days & less on rest days.

It's good to take some time out if you need to. Just be careful not to take your eye off the ball too much!

fatcity66

When I take diet breaks, I eat at my maintenance per a TDEE calculator. Other people don't here's track at all. There's no one right way to do it. Here's an article about diet breaks.

http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/fat-loss/the-full-diet-break.html

Thank you for that link! I take breaks myself, often, planned and unplanned, for about 1-2 weeks at a time. I usually find it easier to lose when I come back from them, and this reinforces my thinking, and tells me I should be doing it for at least 2 weeks at a time. I just came back from one last week, and plan on taking another one after I lose 10 more lbs.

ChoiceNotChance

Thanks for all the input and the link. I will eat closer to maintenance and increase my carbs for a few weeks and see what happens.

WalkingAlong

A TDEE estimate of 1600-1700 and an intake of 1350 is going to take some real patience and careful logging. Even if your logging is dead-on and your TDEE isn't lower than the estimate (it's an average, so some are lower), at 300 calories a day, you're looking at waiting almost 2 weeks for the scale to fall a pound. If you have even 15% logging error, you could be eating at maintenance. I know you said you got serious about the logging but it seems like the longer we do it, the sloppier some of us get (yet the more confident).

Diet breaks are good to do, though. Good luck!

chilly1470

Not to be insensitive, but 136, is that a problem? How much more do you want to lose? I understand this could be a callous question, but I truly am curious and trying to understand. I myself think you are torturing yourself eating 800-1000 calories. At 136? Please don't take me wrong, I understand your dedication and admire you being diligent.

ana3067

A TDEE estimate of 1600-1700 and an intake of 1350 is going to take some real patience and careful logging. Even if your logging is dead-on and your TDEE isn't lower than the estimate (it's an average, so some are lower), at 300 calories a day, you're looking at waiting almost 2 weeks for the scale to fall a pound. If you have even 15% logging error, you could be eating at maintenance. I know you said you got serious about the logging but it seems like the longer we do it, the sloppier some of us get (yet the more confident).

Diet breaks are good to do, though. Good luck!

20% deficit is ~1lb of loss regardless of the number of calories. For OP, if 1700 works for her to maintain, then 1350 puts her at a 20% deficit. This is why you don't simply add or subtract 500 calories when you want to lose or gain weight, because one person's 20% will not add up tot he same number of calories as someone else's. E.g. I have been eating at less than a 500 calorie deficit but I've still lost 13lbs in 2.5 months.

margannmks

This would be a good time to really lift heavy that way if your eating a bit over maintenance you can add some muscle which is always good. Im 54 yrs old 5'2" and weigh 123 im pretty lean now and have good definition and im looking to bulk in the winter to add some more muscle hopefully to fill in some loose skin. Im currently eating 1600 calories with my exercise but i mostly lift and do some cardio. Im going to up it to 1800 in the next few months and keep increasing my weights.

WalkingAlong

A TDEE estimate of 1600-1700 and an intake of 1350 is going to take some real patience and careful logging. Even if your logging is dead-on and your TDEE isn't lower than the estimate (it's an average, so some are lower), at 300 calories a day, you're looking at waiting almost 2 weeks for the scale to fall a pound. If you have even 15% logging error, you could be eating at maintenance. I know you said you got serious about the logging but it seems like the longer we do it, the sloppier some of us get (yet the more confident).

Diet breaks are good to do, though. Good luck!

20% deficit is ~1lb of loss regardless of the number of calories. For OP, if 1700 works for her to maintain, then 1350 puts her at a 20% deficit. This is why you don't simply add or subtract 500 calories when you want to lose or gain weight, because one person's 20% will not add up tot he same number of calories as someone else's. E.g. I have been eating at less than a 500 calorie deficit but I've still lost 13lbs in 2.5 months.

3500 calories is one pound. For all TDEEs, a 500 calorie deficit per day will average out to a pound lost per week because 3500/7 =500.

WalkingAlong

Not to be insensitive, but 136, is that a problem? How much more do you want to lose? I understand this could be a callous question, but I truly am curious and trying to understand. I myself think you are torturing yourself eating 800-1000 calories. At 136? Please don't take me wrong, I understand your dedication and admire you being diligent.

136 is actually overweight BMI for 5'1".

ChoiceNotChance

My bmi is just in the overweight range. My bf% is 30%. I'm not unhappy at 136 but really "should" be in the 120s. As I said in my original post, I started out eating 800-1000 calories. I haven't been doing that all along. I've gradually increased. I've been eating 1500 calories for the past few weeks. I haven't been "torturing" myself. I'm going to try and eat 1600-1700 for the next couple of weeks and see where I stand.

SanteMulberry

My bmi is just in the overweight range. My bf% is 30%. I'm not unhappy at 136 but really "should" be in the 120s. As I said in my original post, I started out eating 800-1000 calories. I haven't been doing that all along. I've gradually increased. I've been eating 1500 calories for the past few weeks. I haven't been "torturing" myself. I'm going to try and eat 1600-1700 for the next couple of weeks and see where I stand.

You have rightly concluded that body composition is everything, in terms of health. Even the area where you carry your fat is a health issue. Internal belly fat is the most dangerous and the most metabolically active. Reducing that fat (known as "visceral fat") is essential as we get older because that is where it accumulates most as we age and where fat does the most damage to our health. Thigh fat and subcutaneous (between the skin and skeletal muscle) is not as much a threat to health. For a woman your age, 30% bf is "acceptable" and considered to be "healthy" but 27% is a better number to shoot for. I am shooting for 25% but I doubt that I will get there. I will settle for 27% which is the low point for women my age. It will be very difficult to get there in a healthy way. Too many people just figure that they will just reduce enough calories to lose weight. In doing so, they lose more lean body mass than fat. (Been there, done that, didn't like it--you won't either.) Losing lean body mass sets you up for inevitable regain. Increasing the calorie deficit through increased activity, even though much harder than calorie restriction, is what helps to increase lean body mass and reduce fat. HIIT is the only cardio that I do for 15-20 minutes three times a week. HIIT helps you to burn calories at an increased rate for up to 48 hours after. I do resistance work as well to keep my muscles from wasting. And I make sure that my calorie deficits are not too large so that I will have energy to do the increased activity. My weight has only been reduced by a couple of pounds in the last year (I have been on maintenance) BUT, I have continued to gain muscle and reduce fat stores (I use a caliper--it's reasonably reliable and is a LOT less expensive than other methods of determining the percentage of body fat).

ETA: I am wearing the same jeans as a year ago, but my shape has changed a bit. Last year, the jeans were baggy in the seat and thighs and tight around the waist. When I ate, I would have to unzip my pants--lol. Now, the same jeans fit in the seat and thighs and are baggy on my waist. My shape is much more like it was in my youth and not my former "old lady" shape. AND I have much more energy and stamina than I had a year ago.

chilly1470

My bmi is just in the overweight range. My bf% is 30%. I'm not unhappy at 136 but really "should" be in the 120s. As I said in my original post, I started out eating 800-1000 calories. I haven't been doing that all along. I've gradually increased. I've been eating 1500 calories for the past few weeks. I haven't been "torturing" myself. I'm going to try and eat 1600-1700 for the next couple of weeks and see where I stand.

Thanks so much for the response, I understand now. I truly meant no offense. It's just hard to get into my fat head, me at 369 lbs how that is a problem. We bigger folk tend to think like that, but actually your determined persistence is what keeps you from becoming like me. I applaud you and keep trying!