Last 20 pounds Club

tatiana_13

I upped my calories for last few weeks to 1540 from 1200 but have gained. Some may be water weight from a weekend but nonetheless scale shows a gain. I'm not sure if I should lower it back down-what are your thoughts? I would hate to raise my calories again and gain weight. Your input would be great

I don't know what your plan was before and during the upped calories and I'm not sure what your calorie needs are...as it depends on a number of variables. I am kind of assuming that you didn't pick 1540 randomly, but picked it on the advice of a plan or suggestion from someone or some blog (?). Maybe that original source had an overall plan in mind of which I am unaware...

But. My general advice is that if your plan was to test raising your average calorie intake, I would do it a little more slowly than a 340 jump. My inexpert advice (based entirely on my own experience) is that, without changing anything else, I actually *would* expect a weight increase with such a drastic change in calories. In the land of calories, 340 is a significant jump. Looking back at corsayre8's post, you'll see that she said that she *slowly* raised her calories.

But, my cavaet is always, part of the journey of losing weight is to experiment on yourself. I certainly have an opinion...but its based on an n of 1. You are your own n of 1. If you find you are gaining weight eating 1540 calories, you have an undeniable outcome that the balance of energy is out of whack with where your metabolism is right now. Maybe lower it a bit (says the amateur). Maybe down to 1400 and see if that balance works better for you.

Good luck!

ShaeDetermined

13 stubborn pounds to go.
been at or around here for 8 months now.
by the end of summer i want them GONE!!!

d_smith85

I set my original goal as 145, now I'm pretty sure I want to be 135.

Today was weigh in and I'm 155.6 so 20lbs to go! I've been able to maintain a 1-2lb weight loss for the majority of my journey... praying I don't hit a plateau!

tatiana_13

Its friday. And here's an update about me. I've been fantastic with the food. Exercise...I'm on my way to finishing well. I finished run 2/3 of my c25k for the week. I skipped it yesterday due to a bad case of malaise....however, someone in one of my challenge forums encouraged me to do something, so I did a slim in 6 workout I'm trying to make my way through. I'm not committing to doing it 6 days a week, my goal is no less than 3, possibly 4 times a week. But I have to say, that workout, at least the one designed to be done the first 2 weeks is freakin' boring. I find myself not pushing myself as hard as I can because that woman is boring me to tears...and its only 25 minutes. It reminds me why I started doing exclusively interval training a few years ago (running and bodyweight/weights)...because, I hate exercise. Nothing, but nothing is fun to me. So, I learned that if I'm going to do something I don't like, I actually do better when its so hard that I have to be 110% engaged, mentally and physically, heaving and sweating buckets and feeling like I'm going to die, the entire time...and the entire time is thankfully very short and relatively infrequent.

This time around, I'm dreadfully out of shape, so I thought it would be better to focus on a baseline of fitness for the next 6 weeks. I think I can manage the c25k, that is challenging enough to keep me interested. But endless squats and lunges combined with aerobics moves...I'm getting bored just typing about it.

Cletc

I have had good luck by working out twice a day.

Seems to be keeping my metabolism up.

Oh good to hear.

I wogged this morning.
I'm going to bike just before dinner tonight.

...I'm REALLY motivated not to have to open up a "last 30 pounds" club for MYSELF

looney9708

I upped my calories for last few weeks to 1540 from 1200 but have gained. Some may be water weight from a weekend but nonetheless scale shows a gain. I'm not sure if I should lower it back down-what are your thoughts? I would hate to raise my calories again and gain weight. Your input would be great

I don't know what your plan was before and during the upped calories and I'm not sure what your calorie needs are...as it depends on a number of variables. I am kind of assuming that you didn't pick 1540 randomly, but picked it on the advice of a plan or suggestion from someone or some blog (?). Maybe that original source had an overall plan in mind of which I am unaware...

But. My general advice is that if your plan was to test raising your average calorie intake, I would do it a little more slowly than a 340 jump. My inexpert advice (based entirely on my own experience) is that, without changing anything else, I actually *would* expect a weight increase with such a drastic change in calories. In the land of calories, 340 is a significant jump. Looking back at corsayre8's post, you'll see that she said that she *slowly* raised her calories.

But, my cavaet is always, part of the journey of losing weight is to experiment on yourself. I certainly have an opinion...but its based on an n of 1. You are your own n of 1. If you find you are gaining weight eating 1540 calories, you have an undeniable outcome that the balance of energy is out of whack with where your metabolism is right now. Maybe lower it a bit (says the amateur). Maybe down to 1400 and see if that balance works better for you.

Good luck!
[/quOTE

Thank you so much! That makes total sense. My calorie numbers are from MFP for losing a pound a week. I will lower it down to a mid range. The 1200 calorie recommendation was for losing 2 pounds a week and so I lowered my 'expectations':))) What you said makes sense though! Lets see how this week goes:))

d_smith85

Its friday. And here's an update about me. I've been fantastic with the food. Exercise...I'm on my way to finishing well. I finished run 2/3 of my c25k for the week. I skipped it yesterday due to a bad case of malaise....however, someone in one of my challenge forums encouraged me to do something, so I did a slim in 6 workout I'm trying to make my way through. I'm not committing to doing it 6 days a week, my goal is no less than 3, possibly 4 times a week. But I have to say, that workout, at least the one designed to be done the first 2 weeks is freakin' boring. I find myself not pushing myself as hard as I can because that woman is boring me to tears...and its only 25 minutes. It reminds me why I started doing exclusively interval training a few years ago (running and bodyweight/weights)...because, I hate exercise. Nothing, but nothing is fun to me. So, I learned that if I'm going to do something I don't like, I actually do better when its so hard that I have to be 110% engaged, mentally and physically, heaving and sweating buckets and feeling like I'm going to die, the entire time...and the entire time is thankfully very short and relatively infrequent.

This time around, I'm dreadfully out of shape, so I thought it would be better to focus on a baseline of fitness for the next 6 weeks. I think I can manage the c25k, that is challenging enough to keep me interested. But endless squats and lunges combined with aerobics moves...I'm getting bored just typing about it.

Hey girl, I did SI6 in January/February, I followed the plan religiously, and I had great results (about 15lbs in 6 weeks I think) I DO agree with you though, PAINFULLY BORING. I did Start it up, for only one day, then I did Ramp it up for 3 weeks and then Burn it up for 3 weeks. By the end of it I never wanted to see debbie siebers again in my life. lol Then I did 12 weeks of Turbofire! If you want something FUN, engaging, challenging. Try it out! Its hilarious for the first couple of weeks especially if you're un coordinated. But once you get the moves down its a blast! You get a great calorie burn and its super fun. Anyways, I had good results with that program too.. I don't know how much I lost over the 12 weeks, I'm going to say close to 22lbs anyways. I stepped it up again and now I'm doing Insanity. Kicks my butt, not for the faint at heart, but I feel like I really need to push to lose these last 20lbs!

Cletc

I did my jogwalk for today
Burned some calories
....I hope this is helping me....!.... teehee
These last 20 are just ....not...budging....yet!

Cletc

I forgot to weigh in today!
I got all dressed to go jogging and didn't feel like stripping down for weigh-in.

I'll assume scale went down and I"ll be "really good" today to try to maintain the (fantasy) weight loss ha

whatever works for my Motivation

corsayre8

Tatiana, and those she was talking to,

I started at 1200 calories, as it seems a lot here do. It wasn't a realistic number to maintain long term for me and my activity level. And yes, I did raise them "slowly", 1200-1350-1500-1650-1800. Pretty much increasing each month as fat stores were depleted. I lost quickly, 55 pounds since January. And yes, my weight loss has slowed, but then it had to. I am no longer significantly overweight, (actually well within a healthy BMI), so this "vanity" weight an toning is going to take time.

I am still losing, and my metabolism is strong. Even when the scale stops, my body keeps changing. More visible muscles, less visible fat.

Hope that all helps.

tatiana_13

@cletc...take your motivation wherever you can find it...fantasy or not! The scale is sometimes a phantom anyway. How many times have i got on the scale on a Tuesday where it told me I lost 3 pounds, then hopped on it Wednesday and the loss disappeared overnight?....and weeks later, I never got back to that elusive Tuesday weight? The line between fact and fiction is more tenuous than we could ever imagine...

@d_smith...I am glad I am not the only one who thinks she is boring! I was beginning to think that maybe I just didn't want it bad enough. But I'm glad to hear its not *my* fault...its definitely hers! I'm going to try to get through one more interminable week. And then, I think I'm going to move on to something else. Ramp it up/Burn it up might be better but the workouts are longer, and I am a firm believer in the 30 minute cap. If I'm working out for more than 30 minutes its either because its so much darn fun and I just don't wanna stop:huh: , or because I must not have worked hard enough for those 30 minutes. If I have a choice between intensity and length, i choose intensity...because, I pretty much hate it all anyway, so I'd rather kill myself and be done with it. .....But just so no one gets the wrong idea and thinks I'm making exaggerated clams ("Well Bob, I only do my super special exercises a mere 30 minutes, 4 times a week, and I lost 300 pounds!"), I walk for about 75% of my transportation, so i do get a fair amount of long, slow cardio in, pretty much everyday--which, of course, is not to be discounted. I just don't think of that as exercise, its just getting through my day. I don't think the 30 minute rule would work if you sat on your bum the rest of the day.

tatiana_13

Hey peeps! How is everyone doing? Despite the exclamation mark, I'm draggin' a little. I didn't exercise today at all. Its so hot! When I run, I usually do that in the morning, but I usually do strength training in the evening...its too hot to do strength anything. So, I'm sitting around eating strawberries and nuts and cheese. Because that's what you do when its hot...eat anything you can that doesn't involve the stove.

I'm also losing a little bit of the pep in my step...the scale is not cooperating with me. And, I know I'm at one of my "hard" weights to get past...so I know its going to take some effort...and patience. So...I'm trying to be patient. Now. Back to my strawberries...

kel7298

Hello all! Sorry for not posting lately..work has been crazy with the summer coming up.

I have been trying the zig/zag calorie method and feel good with it. I have been exercising 5-6 days a week alternating between Treadmill Incline Intervals and Bob Harper Cardio something..ha.

Question - I was wondering if any of you ladies might be interested in doing a workout dvd swap?

tatiana_13

@Kel...I'm not much of a DVD workout person. But what good idea for those who might be.

How is everyone? I can hear the sound of crickets in here. I suppose this could mean you're all out, living life to the fullest...running, playing volleyball, cooking healthy food...instead of checking in here. But I'm feeling a wee bit lonely. Have we already lost steam? Are is this just a really laid back group of folks?

I've noticed quite a bit of silence on a number of MFP forums this spring. I wonder if there is a new and improved community out there...siphoning off all the activity. I use to be on peertrainer...and at one point, all the activity/life got sucked out of there and I eventually left for here. Anyway...just thinking out loud. I guess I find losing weight to just be one of the more boring things in life (maintenance...no problem...but weight loss? zzzz...), and being online with folks kind of breaks up the monotony a bit. So when I'm the only one breaking up the monotony...well, you see where that goes. I have nothing to entertain myself with besides incessantly getting on and off the scale and pondering the infinite number of possible explanations as to why it has taken me 2 weeks to lose half a pound...

tatiana_13

...tumbleweeds....

Cletc

@cletc...take your motivation wherever you can find it...fantasy or not! The scale is sometimes a phantom anyway. How many times have i got on the scale on a Tuesday where it told me I lost 3 pounds, then hopped on it Wednesday and the loss disappeared overnight?....and weeks later, I never got back to that elusive Tuesday weight? The line between fact and fiction is more tenuous than we could ever imagine...

Very True! Thanks
This is why I weigh daily on my lowest-price bigbox store (probably inaccurate) Scale and just watch the Numbers trend.
:-)

Cletc

Hello all! Sorry for not posting lately..work has been crazy with the summer coming up.

I've been away busy being responsible with my obligations of Life
:-)

Today
Is my MFP 3-week-iversary

MFP says I've maintined 2 pounds loss as of today.
I had previously seen MFP say I was 3 pounds down, so I'm fluctuating but scale is moving.

I originally wanted to lose "a pound a week"
but I'll tell ya, if I can keep those 2 pounds gone, gone, gone forever, I'll take the "2"

:-)

I'm off to eat a can of Green Beans for breakfast and see what I have for Protein (so sick of eggs :noway: now!)

:drinker: :drinker: :drinker:

Cletc

Today
Is my MFP 3-week-iversary

MFP says I've maintined 2 pounds

4-week-MFP
Maintained loss 1 pound

This is going to take almost four years at this pace

I better get back into the " log again and exercise" :-) habit again, see whether I can speed things up here

My sedentary home- an job-life and the recent overtime not helping !

ShaeDetermined

Think I'm gonna be a lifetime member here.
No offense, but I'd way prefer to join the "I reached my goal" club!!! :sad:

Cletc

5 weeks
Maintained 1 pound loss.

I can't stick to any plan!
I'm terrible at this it seems!

I've got to do something here.
I've been at this for six months!
:-)