Advice on my chronic lack of weight loss?

sayhitostephz

I'm a 5'8" female who is 32 years old and 260-ish lbs. Body fat is unknown.

For the last few weeks, I have been eating to TDEE (2400 cals) in an attempt to reset my metabolism.

Targets are 150g protein, 107g fat and 210g carbs. Haven't really been hitting those in this 'reset' state though.

I do not use a food scale to measure everything currently, but have in the past.

Yes, you can see from my food diary that I record the good, the bad and the ugly (except certain long working days or out of town trips to the in-laws where I do not have internet access).

I do not take cheat days or days off per se, but I haven't been as vigilant since I haven't been able to lose for so long.

This story starts a LONG time ago. Winter 2003 hit my heighest weight ever before moving to a different town (264 lbs). In the new town, I did Atkins with no exercise and lost 30 lbs fairly easily - my first time ever really dieting. I couldn't maintain low carb over the long haul, but maintained 232 lbs for several months after I stopped Atkins. At that point I decided to try calorie counting instead. I ate a 1200 cal diet with gym sessions ~4 times a week (running, lifting, gym classes). I saw a faster loss with not eating my exercise cals back, so did that for a while. Lost 20 more lbs in about 3 months and stalled there (at about 210 lbs). For 3 years! During those 3 years, I was targeting around 1200 cals, doing South Beach, exercising my butt off (lots of gym classes and trained for a couple of half marathons. I even worked with a trainer/nutritionist duo and they were flabbergasted about why I wasn't losing. I got desperate in May 2008 and tried the 'cookie diet' which is extremely low calories (800) and lost 20 more lbs in 2 months. I was now at the lowest weight I had ever been in my adult life and was feeling great, but could not sustain the low calorie (and expensive) diet, so went back to eating 'normally'. I was eating very healthy and proceeded to gain back EVERYTHING I HAD LOST since I started dieting back in 2004 (back to 260 lbs!). Since then, I have tried low carb, counting calories on MFP, Weight Watchers, primal/paleo, South Beach, you name it and NOTHING WORKS. I have been consistently dieting (shooting for 1200 cals when I'm counting calories) for the past 5 years (minus about a 2 year period where I was pregnant and breastfeeding, but got back to pre-pregnancy weight no problem without counting anything). Reading on the forums here, I believe I have damaged my metabolism very badly. I am in the process of finding a doc to check my thyroid (just moved to another city and need to get all that insurance and new doc stuff straightened out) and am just eating to TDEE(2400) now until I get an idea of what to do next.

Once upon a time ago, before I gained all the weight back, I was VERY active. Ran half marathons, hiked, multiple exercise classes a day, very fit! Since all the weight has come back on, I've been plagued with knee and back problems, so my exercising has been sporadic. Seems like everytime I'm ready to give it a go, I injure something and have to lay off again. Currently nursing the area above my right knee, so I've been walking, a little elliptical, but have to stay away from moves that tax the quads (squats, lunges, etc). I've been wanting to do Stronglifts, Crossfit or a Body Pump class, but am afraid of hurting myself again. =\

Have been stalled for 7 years basically, except for that go at the cookie diet.

No, not breastfeeding.

Not sure about the thyroid issues. Should have that sorted out soon though after I see a doc. I have never had an issues with PCOS thus far.

Any insight/suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

Sarauk2sf

Tagging to follow up shortly.

DopeItUp

I wouldn't listen to anything Sara says, that *kitten* is getting fluffy!

sayhitostephz

I wouldn't listen to anything Sara says, that *kitten* is getting fluffy!

^^ Yikes!

Saw your original comment though and appreciate the advice. Good to know I'm finally focusing on the right stuff...

SideSteel

I wouldn't listen to anything Sara says, that *kitten* is getting fluffy!

^LOL

Sarauk2sf

I wouldn't listen to anything Sara says, that *kitten* is getting fluffy!

Sarauk2sf

Please could you open your diary.

sayhitostephz

Done! Sorry about that.

sayhitostephz

Bump

SideSteel

Thanks.

One of us will get back to you as soon as we can.

Please refrain from bumping until 48 hours has gone by from your last reply. At that point, please bump the thread to bring it to our attention in case it was missed.

sayhitostephz

Oops yes, saw that rule after I had already bumped. My bad!

Sarauk2sf

What has you weight done since joining MFP? Did you track calories prior to that?

sayhitostephz

What has you weight done since joining MFP? Did you track calories prior to that?

Weaned my daughter this past December, did Paleo/low carb/low cal (~1400 cals) 3 weeks of January and lost basically nothing.

Took February easy (didn't track much, but was still watching what I ate in carlories) and then started MFD in earnest March. Was shooting for TDEE- 20% (~1900 cals) and also doing Paleo until early April.

03/01/13 257.8 (MFP only)
03/08/13 258.2 (MFP/Paleo)
03/15/13 257.2
03/22/13 257
03/29/13 255.8
04/03/13 255.2
04/05/13 255.8

Since early April, I've been eating to TDEE (~2400 cals) and the 5 lbs of water weight are back on, with maybe 1 more lb for good measure.

04/10/13 261 (Family in town, off Paleo)
04/12/13 262.2 (Eating to maintenance)
04/18/13 260.4
04/23/13 262.2 (Friends in town, probably ate and drank way too much this week)
04/30/13 262.2
05/01/13 261.4

The fluctuation between 255 and 260 is water weight I think because it comes off pretty easily the first week I do low carb and then comes right back the first week I go off low carb...

sayhitostephz

For good measure, here's all my weight info for the past 6 years:

01/13/04 264.4 (Highest weight ever, started Atkins)
06/02/06 210 (After Atkins and my first stint on MyFoodDiary.com eating to 1200 net cals)
(Trained for my first half marathon in 01/2007 while still counting calories on MFD)
01/18/08 210 (restart MFD - eating to 1200 net cals, just finished training for and running a second half marathon)
02/01/08 211
02/05/08 214.5
02/08/08 211.5
02/13/08 210.5
02/14/08 210
02/22/08 208
02/29/08 209
03/06/08 209.5
03/14/08 209
^^ Worked with a nutritionist and trainer during this time working out 5-6 days a week and reporting my food diaries to the nutritionist. They had no idea why I wasn't losing.

03/17/08 209 (Got fed up/desperate and started the horrendous low calorie 'cookie' diet ~800 cals and also working out twice a day)
03/20/08 208
03/31/08 202
04/07/08 198.8
04/14/08 196.8
04/22/08 194
04/28/08 196.2
05/06/08 192
05/13/08 193.5
05/22/08 191
05/29/08 189.8
(took a break because cookie diet is expensive, but ate normally and worked out)
07/14/08 211 (restarting the cookie diet after a break)
07/15/08 204.5
07/16/08 201
07/17/08 199.5
07/18/08 199.5
01/14/09 238 (Starting Weight Watchers after eating normally off the cookie diet, after another half marathon)
01/21/09 232.8
01/28/09 230
02/04/09 228
02/11/09 228.4
02/18/09 228.4
02/25/09 228.4 (^v Very active during this time of hiking, 5k's and working out in the gym)
03/04/09 228.8
03/11/09 226.4
03/25/09 226.8
04/01/09 226.6
04/08/09 225.5
08/07/09 242.2 (steadily gaining weight when not constricting cals extremely)
08/18/10 258.8 (Gained 16 lbs in 1 year eating normally)
01/14/11 264.4 (Back to highest weight ever, Restarted Weight Watchers)
01/21/11 263
01/28/11 261.2
02/04/11 261.2
02/11/11 260.4
02/18/11 257.2
02/25/11 257.0
03/04/11 258.4
03/11/11 256.0
03/18/11 257.6
03/25/11 257.6
04/01/11 256.2
04/08/11 256.6
04/13/11 260.8 (After a gluttonous trip to Vegas)
04/15/11 258.8 (Started Paleo)
04/22/11 252.8
04/29/11 252.6
05/06/11 250.0
05/10/11 249.8
05/18/11 253.2 (After a trip to Mexico for a wedding)
06/03/11 249.8
08/30/11 251.0 (Found out I was pregnant and went off Paleo)
09/16/11 251.5
09/23/11 250.2
09/30/11 250.8 (Stopped all exercising except walking and yoga because of bleeding scare)
10/14/11 251.2
10/22/11 253.8
11/02/11 253.6
12/02/11 256
01/05/12 262.6
01/27/12 267
02/10/12 269.6
02/24/12 273.4
03/09/12 274.8
03/23/12 275.4
04/05/12 279.8
04/13/12 277.8
04/16/12 280.2 (Day before birth of my daughter, was walking daily)
03/01/13 257.8 (Started MFP eating to TDEE - 20% = ~1900 cals, knee has been injured for a while but restart gym)
03/08/13 258.2 (MFP + Paleo)
03/15/13 257.2
03/22/13 257 (reinjure knee, stop working out so knee can heal)
03/29/13 255.8
04/03/13 255.2
04/05/13 255.8
04/10/13 261 (Family visit - off Paleo)
04/12/13 262.2 (Eating to Maintenance ~2400 cals)
04/18/13 260.4
04/23/13 262.2 (Friends in town, probably ate and drank way too much this week)
04/30/13 262.2
05/01/13 261.4

I'm sure that's more than you ever wanted to know, but so you have the big picture.

sayhitostephz

Bump, 48 hours.

Sarauk2sf

Bump, 48 hours.

Thanks - you forgot to call us peckers though

SideSteel

Bump, 48 hours.

Thanks for properly bumping.

We'd put your intake as follows and please follow-up with us in 2 weeks or sooner if any issues come up.

1800 kcals
140 protein
80fat
130 carbohydrate

I would also like you to use your food scale and track meticulously over the next two weeks to make sure you are eating as closely as you can to the above numbers.

Please note:
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/872212-you-re-probably-eating-more-than-you-think


Let us know if you have any questions!

sayhitostephz

Any advice on workouts to go along with the intake plan?

Sarauk2sf

Do you have access to a gym with Barbells?

sayhitostephz

Yes, just joined a big gym.

sayhitostephz

Also, is there a possibility that I can get an explanation of how/why you came up with the numbers you guys suggested?

Sarauk2sf

With regard to the calories, it is the intake level that should give you a reasonable deficit based on your results so far. With regard to the macros, it is based off what we show in the following link, but tweaked to take into account your stats. http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/819055-setting-your-calorie-and-macro-targets

Sarauk2sf

Regarding a workout. I would suggest a full body workout 3 x a week, such as Stronglifts 5 x 5. There is a great group here you can join which has all the details as well as video's to help with form and faqs:

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/groups/home/4601-stronglifts-5x5-for-women

sayhitostephz

Because of my bad knees, I've been steering clear of squats until I lose some weight. I tried Stronglifts 5x5 back in March and reinjured my right knee (irritates the area above my knee and inside my knee). Is there something I can do to modify the squats and deadlifts to protect the knee?

Sarauk2sf

If your form is good, it should not be hurting your knees. Is there any way you can video you doing them and myself and/.or SideSteel can look to see if anything looks wrong with your form

Otherwise, you can do alternatives to squats - I show them here: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/902569-barbell-routines-when-you-only-have-dumbbells

sayhitostephz

It's less of the actual knee joint and more of the connection of the muscle/tendon(?) to the top of the knee cap area. I think maybe that transition is weak/damaged? With as heavy as I am, it's a strain on that area to lift myself up from the squat position. I feel like the alternatives would be even harder on that area because they are one legged, which would put double the stress on that leg.

The straight legged dead lift looks like a great alternative to the SL5x5 deadlift though.

Thanks for your advice. I'm waiting on the results from bloodwork before I move forward with the plan.

bostonwolf

^Good luck with your plan. I have a knee that has been operated on 3 times and I can still do squats/deadlifts, etc. Don't give up on them entirely. Once you slim down a bit try to work them in. When you do them correctly in proper form there really isn't anything that compares. They give you more bang for the buck than just about anything.

Might want to experiment with stance too. I'm still a pretty big guy, so I had to widen my feet a bit to get full extension because my gut is still getting in the way.

Again, good luck and get ready to go kick some *kitten*

Sarauk2sf

Locking to try to help track open threads. Feel free to PM either myself or SideSteel to unlock if you want to follow up or add anything or have questions. Please link this thread in the PM.