6 months and still in same weight range

flea2449

It's been over a year since I started my weight loss journey and have lost 43lbs. and I am happy about the loss, but I have been in the same weight range 180-187 for the past 6 months. Is there a certain point when your body says" you are done"? I was at 185 when I joined and have lost 5lb, but I'm really getting frustrated that I can't get in the 170's. I'm working out twice a day 5 days a week and once on the weekend. I've REALLY changed my eating habits. Any advice on what I can do different?

daylilies

I haven't lost weight in months either so I'm just commenting so I can check back for suggestions. Hope you find something that works

catcrazy

basically it seems whatever you are eating is maintenance level. I wouldn't even say you're under-eating as after 6 months it would have moved.

So, what calories are you eating, what exercise are you doing, do you eat your exercise calories

Akaratel

Can you open your diary? You may not be eating enough since you have to eat back your exercise cals..., or maybe not enough water, or maybe too much sodium.

Plus measurements are a good way to go because this week i gained a pound but I lost 3" in my waist and 1/2" in my upper arm.

kylakesgal

Hi.....great progress so far. Well have you tried upping your calorie intake.? It could be you aren't eating enough especially since you are working out so much! Also how about water...are you drinking at least 8 glasses a day? Plateaus sometimes last for a few weeks but never that long. You will have to change things up some to get your metabolism going again. Open up your food diary and we can get a better idea of what you are eating. Recently I starting eating 100-200 extra calories a day and that has helped me. Sometimes just have to shake things up a bit because your body gets used to the same exercise and diet. Good luck to you:)

lloydrt

flea, when you do find out, please email me and let me know.....Im at about a 2 month plateau, and nothings helping......hmm, wheres Banks when we need him?

I hope some one replies, this is one post that I would love to get a reply to.....

Nothings working for me, and this is with 6 work outs a week, 1.5.- 3 hours a work out and my caloric intake is about 1950 a day.....sheese, what else can I do.......? Lloyd

hpsnickers1

It's been over a year since I started my weight loss journey and have lost 43lbs. and I am happy about the loss, but I have been in the same weight range 180-187 for the past 6 months. Is there a certain point when your body says" you are done"? I was at 185 when I joined and have lost 5lb, but I'm really getting frustrated that I can't get in the 170's. I'm working out twice a day 5 days a week and once on the weekend. I've REALLY changed my eating habits. Any advice on what I can do different?

http://www.hussmanfitness.org/html/TPAdaptation.html

Could be overexertion. That's a lot of exercise. And if you don't fuel that exercise your body will protect itself from the stress (calorie restriction and intense cardio is stress to the body).

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By John P. Hussman, Ph.D.
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sweebum

In the same spot! Trying something new by cycling my calories more. Eating extreme fat loss for 2 days, then maintenance for 1 day. Mix it up. And open your diary so we can help

Akaratel

flea, when you do find out, please email me and let me know.....Im at about a 2 month plateau, and nothings helping......hmm, wheres Banks when we need him?

I hope some one replies, this is one post that I would love to get a reply to.....

Nothings working for me, and this is with 6 work outs a week, 1.5.- 3 hours a work out and my caloric intake is about 1950 a day.....sheese, what else can I do.......? Lloyd

I definitely know you are not eating enough... Men need more than 1950 and especially with 6 days working out... you will have to eat your exercise calories back... What happens is the body goes into starvation mode and starts using calories your muscles need... then your muscles can't burn any more fat. I hope this helps... I didn't know this before these types of sites.. I trained martial arts for 10 years and wondered why i never lost any more than 10 lbs. It is a very strong workout... i finally realized when i kept track i wasn't eating 1/3 of what my body needed for fuel.

Akaratel

flea, when you do find out, please email me and let me know.....Im at about a 2 month plateau, and nothings helping......hmm, wheres Banks when we need him?

I hope some one replies, this is one post that I would love to get a reply to.....

Nothings working for me, and this is with 6 work outs a week, 1.5.- 3 hours a work out and my caloric intake is about 1950 a day.....sheese, what else can I do.......? Lloyd

I definitely know you are not eating enough... Men need more than 1950 and especially with 6 days working out... you will have to eat your exercise calories back... What happens is the body goes into starvation mode and starts using calories your muscles need... then your muscles can't burn any more fat. I hope this helps... I didn't know this before these types of sites.. I trained martial arts for 10 years and wondered why i never lost any more than 10 lbs. It is a very strong workout... i finally realized when i kept track i wasn't eating 1/3 of what my body needed for fuel.

hpsnickers1

I haven't lost weight in months either so I'm just commenting so I can check back for suggestions. Hope you find something that works

Sounds like you are in a healthy weight range right now. Your fat reserves are low so your body is going to do it's best to protect them.

Switch your focus to weight lifting/resistance training and do cardio as a supplement to the strength workout. We lose more muscle mass than fat mass when trying to lose weight at a healthy weight. It becomes not about restricting calories and running yourself into the ground but about increasing your lean muscle mass which increases your metabolism (my daily calorie burn is higher on the day after lifting too). You won't bulk up but you will have to push aside the scale. Increasing your muscle mass will burn more fat during the day and even during sleep but muscle is heavier than fat (takes up less space though).

check out the post in my signature: "Relatively light but trying to get leaner." It's a long, long post but there is a lot you can skim through. Stroutman81 has a number of posts and blogs on here and he knows his stuff.

And at this point what you eat is very, very important for losing body fat.

flea2449

Diary is opened.

As for exercising, I do a walk/jog for about 32 minutes duing lunch time and then go home and do P90X.

kylakesgal

Your food choices look pretty good. I did notice your sodium is kind of high on most days. I would reduce it to 1500-2000 mg a day. I try to keep mine right at 1500 and I'm 45 yrs old. Sodium will make you retain water and hold on to extra pounds. Try that and also either you aren't drinking water or you just aren't logging it. Water is soooo important. Your exercise reigime sounds great. You are doing the work. Just tweak a few things and avoid processed foods or anything with high sodium. This should get you past your plateau!!

Ozzyzmommy

Im in the same boat...And very frustrated.
Its been over 6 months, and I stay between 170 and 175...
Sometimes I just cry...:(
I've changed things up a million times...
I know my bad health has something to do with it...But my health is alot better since
I started my diet...
I'm just getting so frustrated...:(
I can sure use some support... Please

flea2449

I do drink a lot of water, I just forget to log it. I drink out of a liter bottle and drink about 3 1/2 bottles a day. I am trying to limit my process foods to one meal a day. It's hard because I get so tired after working to want to cook anything.

kylakesgal

Good luck to you too ozzymommy! I know losing weight in your 40's isn't as easy as it was when I was younger but I've been pretty consistent....losing around a lb a week since I started and on weeks that I'm not losing lbs, it seems I lose inches. Be sure to measure yourself too at least once a month. Just a few more tips of what works for me......I eat 3 meals a day and don't skip breakfast. Your body needs fuel to get your metabolism going and I also eat at least 2 snacks a day so I'm really never starving. Protein and lots of fiber will give you that full filling and keep you full longer. Make sure you are getting lots of lean protein in (chicken and fish), greek yogurt is also great for high protein, silk light milk(10gms per serving) and unsalted almonds. Kashi cereals are wonderful too and loaded with fiber which sticks with you!! Once again, drink lots and lots of water. I drink 8-12 glasses a day and this also helps flush too much sodium in your diet. Change up exercise too......so your body doesn't get used to the same thing. When exercising, it's important to eat most of those calories back too since mfp already creates a 500 caloriedeficit for most of us depending on your goals so it's a no brainer. Just follow mfps plan, log every single bite you eat and it will work:) Surrounding yourself with positive like minded people with the same goals too is great for helping you stay motivated. You can do it:)

Akaratel

honestly many people on here that I have met have tried adding 200 cals a day just for a week or so and see what happens.. Really what do you have to lose? good luck

Ervie317

I have found that eating about 5 to 6 meals small meals a day work for me. I limit my sugar intake by only eating one piece of fruit a day among other things. Sometimes you might want to try carb cycling (having low carbs days and high carb days) so that it will keep you body guessing on how many calories that it is going to get and it might possibly raise your metabolism which will help your body burn more calories just at rest.

lloydrt

thanks akaratel. I m stumped..........did great for one year and now last 3 months or so, nada........

Im thinking of chaning my exercise method, Im not crazy about strength training as much as I like cardio, but its going to have to change........
thanks again, this info really helps.............Lloyd

tuscaroragal

I agree with the previous postings...you probably want to look at how much sodium is in your diet, because your calories numbers aren't that bad...also, mix up what you eat and mix up how you exercise. Try adding some lifting weights into your routine and see if that helps! Best of luck....

kylakesgal

Good luck to you too Lloyd!:) It's good to do cardio one day and next do strength training because if you are working your muscles really hard, they do need a day of recovery time. If something isn't working, sometimes just doing small changes will be the difference you need in losing again.

Ozzyzmommy

Thank you so very much....
I started this diet on January 2010...
I track my weight and exercise on my "Biggest loser" Its been a great motivator for me...
I started it and lost 1 to 3 lbs a week...But...I was only eating 700 to 900 cal a day...
When I raised my calories to 1100 to 1200 a day... I stopped losing...I dont gain but I dont lose...
I eat alot of fruit now...Dr told me today that what I was doing gave me great blood work results...
She said my diabetes tests were best I ever had...So the sugars from the fruit are ok...
The bad news was my Lantis insulin is keeping me from losing..Its making me gain weight...
But then my changed eating habits and exercises make me lose...And thats what keeps me
at this stand still...
So with support from you and others, and advise and suggestions...
I think i can get through this...
Thank you to you and all others who post...You gave me the drive and motivation to fight this and
I think i'll win...:flowerforyou: Thank you...Thank you...

kylakesgal

It makes it harder with health issues but not impossible ozzyzmommy. I know my main reason for losing is because of high blood pressure. I'm not on medication but I know with diet and exercise, my bp is dropping and is better than it has been in yrs. Diabetes also runs in both sides of my family and I know being overweight I am more at risk for it. Do you have to take insulin shots? I love Biggest loser!! That is strange that you can't lose eating 1100-1200 calories. I know when I first started I was eating under the 1200 and was losing but since I upped my calories to about 1300 a day, the weight is coming off more now. This is totally backwards to me from what I was raised up believing.......eat more to lose more. In the past, I always ate less not knowing that was not the best way to do it. This has been a great learning experience for me and some days I have to make myself exercise lol but I always feel better when I do. Good luck to everyones continued success:)