Question about reaching my goal/stalling out????

susanswan

Hello,

I was wondering if any of your "experts" out there had any thoughts about goal setting and using the middle of the healthy BMI as a target? I am currently 165 pounds 5'6" and 54y/o woman. That would put me at 135 pounds. I had made it there once before dieting but not exercising and felt great with nothing hanging over my belt or under my belt. I was not thin by any means but just felt "normal" I was 40 years old then. I realize I may have to adjust my intended goal as I get closer and see how things look/feel.

Today I am exercising in a way that I can maintain for the rest of my life: walking the dog at a brisk pace for at least 30 minutes and usually twice a day during the week for 5 days. Also during the week I do strength training with videos for upper body & abs one day and alternate with lower body & abs the next for 5 days. Then on the weekend I ride my bike for about 40 mnutes and then also try for a walk with the dog for 30 minutes which sometimes I don't get that walk in.

I actually only have to get to 154 (I think) to be at the top rung of the healthy BMI. I have only lost a good 5 pounds the first month so far and now I am stalling out/gaining as I try to fiddle with eating exercise calories, not eating them, adding more protein, taking away most grains, etc. I am ready to forge ahead now and have decided to eat what I will eat forever. Low saturated fat, no sugars, no white flours, no white rice or pasta, low sodium, no alcohol, and eat lots of whole grains, fresh veggies, fresh fruit, fish, and chicken. Pretty much natural whole foods and soy milk instead of cow's milk. I like to lean towards vegetarian eating rather than being meat heavy in my diet. I don't want diet anything type food. I use stevia for sweetening when I need it. I manage to get in my 8 glasses of water a day, but have difficulty drinking more. I count only water as water but drink my own decaf with sugar free soy milk (12 - 16 oz) twice a day as my snack/treat between meals, too.

Any thoughts are appreciated. My diet diary is open to view. Last night was my last attempt at heavy protein, limiting grains, and all the "screwball" stuff I tried this week.

erickirb

That is an okay way to set a goal, but using a range is better. Once you are in a healthy weight range the prime focus should be on BF%, not overall weight. How you look and feel, is much more important than the number on the scale.

jane77

that a fine goal but I reading your post it sounds like you've been switching things up to much to fast if you where lossing a lbs a week why did you change your goals and habit. Seems the only thing you should have changed was making the better food choices not how many calories or even a big protein change. Just trying to understand what made you change the path that was working? And I'm not in any way and expert but would like to help if I can

susanswan

that a fine goal but I reading your post it sounds like you've been switching things up to much to fast if you where lossing a lbs a week why did you change your goals and habit. Seems the only thing you should have changed was making the better food choices not how many calories or even a big protein change. Just trying to understand what made you change the path that was working? And I'm not in any way and expert but would like to help if I can

I changed things up because my weight loss stopped. It started going up during the week and then drop the last day of the week (weigh in day). Then the next day bounce back up again. I was dieting/exercising 2 weeks successfully before I got to MFP. THen I got confused by everyone here extolling the virtues of eating exercise calories, whch I had never done. I tried that and only gained. Then people also commented that I wasn't getting enough protein and to add protein powder (which I never did) but ate more protein and seemed to sustain the gain, then my gi tract came to a halt and I thought I needed more fiber and I pushed it to 50 gms/day which didn't do anything. Then my husband (ex NFL) said I had too much fiber, need protein, cut the grains, and add more veggies and fruit juice. SO that is why I switched things up. I never gave any of those things a chance as none of them seemed to be right for me as every change seemed to help keep the weight from dropping. And in the end, based on my previous experience, I think I am better off just eating as I had outlined in my post. I was just wondering if since I am close to my "healthy" BMI top rung, is it time for my weight loss to start slowing down so much to even gaining? I have my profile set as sedentary as I am behind the desk an awful lot but some days are spent running errands so I am busier than sedentary. I just wanted to be sure not to count on being busier so my base calories is 1200.

jane77

Hi susan I looked over your diary in the month of Fed. quick look boy you eat very healthy!! so great job. So whats going on here? my take (you can take it or leave it) first the scale! i personal weight myself way to much 2 or 3 times a day why because I'm amazed that i can gain weight in the shower yes one day 1.5 lbs no lie and my scale is a good one. I have gained 5 lbs in a day it goes on and on but those are some extreme. so why do i get on the scale so much? it helps me not worry about the numbers! knowing that they change so much, I never say I lost a lb untill I've seen that number more times than not plus by the roll of the dice it has to show up on weigh in day. So try that for a week and don't be a slave to the scale. seconds is the trap we all fall into changing things up to much to qucik. I can tell you are understanding this is what happen. so go back to what you where doing in Febuary do it for 2 weeks maybe 3 because right now your body is confussed too and don't get on the scale or over weight yourself so you can laugh about gaining weight in the shower. Than tweak one thing for 2 weeks just one thing and see what happens this way we give are body time to adjust and react. Remember this is about a health life not abusing are selves and your bodies for a number on a scale.

susanswan

Jane, I appreciate your input. THis is how my body reacted before when I lost the 50 pounds, so why should I think it is different this time? Impatience, I suppose. Time will tell, and this worked for me before, so I do imagine it will work for me again....over TIME! I am just disappointed to not be meeting my first goal which I thought I could lose 13 pounds in 10 weeks due to my diligence. But I can also wear the pants now that were WAY too tight to even consider wearing and ready to explode at the seams just 4 pounds ago, so I think that is due more to exercise helping to cause me to shrink rather than just plain old weight loss which is not so significant.

I only weigh once a day to reinforce my food choices such as to see the effects if I've had too much salt, especially, or if I eat out. Salt attracts water and water is heavy, even 8 ounces. I know there are chemical changes going on and it is probably water balance. I'm not sore from exercising any more, so not sure how that works. Hopefully I will start to actually lose in another week or two. I'd hate to think that this is a" maintenence" for me with so much left to lose!! I can only do so much! I'm tired of playng ping pong with the same 2 pounds!