Slower Weight Loss
musiqueange
Posts: 64 Member
Hello!
I've been wondering this for some time now and I felt that you all might have a better idea of what I'm talking about rather than the whole boards and their judgement. :P
Current weight is 202 lbs, height is 5' 1"
My BMR should be around 1698 or a little higher.
My TDEE (according to a lot of websites) should be around 2800 (which I'd say is pretty close unless I'm having a lazy weekend - I have a bodymedia armband and that's pretty much my average).
Via MFP I've been told that to lose 2 lbs a week I should eat 1320 a day (because it says that my tdee is 2320). I put in a conservative exercise burn goal for twice a week and met it (before the holidays when my work out space has been closed/I've been lazy!)
I've been at this for three months and have consistently lost 1.4 lbs a week following MFP's calculations. If my tdee is truly 2800 then I should be able to eat 1800 a day. However, I'm too afraid to do it because I'm fairly certain that I ate like that before I started trying to change my habits. It's all this eat more to lose more talk and I don't trust it.
Then there's the PCOS issue of insulin resistance and carbs and I wonder if that is the cause (hence my posting here).
I should have been losing 2 lbs a week by having a 1000 calorie deficit, right? Or do I really need to eat more? OR is it *what* I eat? So much to take into account.
I shouldn't complain because I'm steadily and healthily taking it off little by little but I just really want to know why, you know?
Thanks for the advice, even though I sound whiny.
)
I've been wondering this for some time now and I felt that you all might have a better idea of what I'm talking about rather than the whole boards and their judgement. :P
Current weight is 202 lbs, height is 5' 1"
My BMR should be around 1698 or a little higher.
My TDEE (according to a lot of websites) should be around 2800 (which I'd say is pretty close unless I'm having a lazy weekend - I have a bodymedia armband and that's pretty much my average).
Via MFP I've been told that to lose 2 lbs a week I should eat 1320 a day (because it says that my tdee is 2320). I put in a conservative exercise burn goal for twice a week and met it (before the holidays when my work out space has been closed/I've been lazy!)
I've been at this for three months and have consistently lost 1.4 lbs a week following MFP's calculations. If my tdee is truly 2800 then I should be able to eat 1800 a day. However, I'm too afraid to do it because I'm fairly certain that I ate like that before I started trying to change my habits. It's all this eat more to lose more talk and I don't trust it.
Then there's the PCOS issue of insulin resistance and carbs and I wonder if that is the cause (hence my posting here).
I should have been losing 2 lbs a week by having a 1000 calorie deficit, right? Or do I really need to eat more? OR is it *what* I eat? So much to take into account.
I shouldn't complain because I'm steadily and healthily taking it off little by little but I just really want to know why, you know?
Thanks for the advice, even though I sound whiny.
) 0
Replies
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My first thought is that you shouldn't change something that's working for you.
I am one of the people on here who uses TDEE calculations rather than what MFP gives me. I found that I lost steadily before and then stopped so I switched. We tend to concentrate more on strength training rather than burning 5 million calories a week doing cardio. So I have seen a change in my body composition and clothing sizes, which not necessarily seeing a huge change on the scale. I'm okay with that - because along with it, my cycles are now of normal length, rather than being non-existent like there were before.
I would ask myself what my real goal is: mine was to regulate my cycles and I've done that with strength training, cardio, diet, and Metformin. So I'm happy with that even if I go weeks without losing on the scale.0 -
The math doesn't always work out perfectly. I'd say 1.4 pounds per week is pretty good! Insulin resistance can cause slower weight loss (I lose about 1.3 - 1.6 pounds per week), so I know how you feel. Do you have insulin resistance? I find cutting carbs way down helps bump that number up a bit. If I eat too many carbs, I don't lose ANY weight that week.
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Thank you both for replying. I know I'm being silly by complaining but it's frustrating to start out with an expectation of a goal and then realize that it might actually take longer than you anticipated. :P My body media armband told me initially that I'd reach my goal in July and then it told me a month later that it'll actually be December. I suppose if I worked out every day for an hour or so I might have that result but at the moment I don't have the time, energy (and most importantly WILLINGNESS) to do that, haha.
As for my cycle, my birth control has helped a lot by just allowing me to have a period (I didn't have one for two years and didn't do anything about it) and it's pretty reliable within a few days of starting the last week of the pack. I have awful cramps, though.
My gyno told me that I am "slightly" insulin resistant and then told me I was kind of/almost pre-diabetic but didn't give me any instructions besides "maybe cut out some carbs if you want". I was a little confused by her wording - should I be on a diabetic diet or what? :P
With carbs, I know I should probably start paying closer attention to sugar in what I'm ingesting but I'm lazy. I do check if there's a label but usually after it's too late. That is on my list of things to try this year: drink less sugar (because I know that's where it is!), start weight training and try running when I'm down a bit in weight.0 -
For my body, the addition of PCOS requires lower carb intake, with 1 or 2 higher card days per week (I can feel when I need more carbs) and use of the low end of the calorie window, or cycling calories. Even with all that in the mix, I still only lose about 0 to 1.5 pounds per week. Which should translate to a loss of 2-6 pounds per month, but I've found more often I lose nothing for a month or two then drop several pounds for no particular reason. Also, prepare yourself for the little weight gain you might experience throughout a month so it will not throw you off track.
In 2012 I lost 26 lbs, and that was a whole year spent tinkering with diet and exercise plans. I still have not found the right balance, and would say just remain open to changing your calories, macros, activities often to realize the best results.
Good luck!0 -
My doctor also told me that I am only slightly insulin resistant (which surprised her since she thought for sure I would have major insulin resistance given my dark patches of skin, which is a sign of insulin resistance). She advised me that I am teetering on the edge of being pre-diabetic...which scared the crap out of me. When I saw her again, for another ultrasound, I talked to her about trying a low carb lifestyle. She highly recommended it, but told me not to overdo it. I did really well for a couple of months, lost about 28 pounds--with very little consistent exercise, and then quit it all together for reasons I am still unsure about....probably just feeling overwhelmed. I was able to maintain my 28 pound weight loss for about 6 months and then I gained 5 pounds of it back since Thanksgiving. This gave me the boost to start over. I have just started back on the low carb thing and my husband is exercising with me(which he hates, but he knows it will help us both). Since I know it worked before and I am ready to make a big change with the new year(cliche, but hopefully it will keep me motivated) the low carb thing isn't bothering me as much as it did before.
It's a slower weight loss than my friends who are dieting and working out, but it's the only thing that has worked for me. Just be happy that you are losing...in the end it will all be worth it.0 -
It's a slower weight loss than my friends who are dieting and working out, but it's the only thing that has worked for me. Just be happy that you are losing...in the end it will all be worth it.
I hear ya. I have a friend (not a close one) that just announced to my group of girlfriends that she'd lost 40 pounds since September by doing the paleo diet: no dairy, no grains, no legumes. I wouldn't last long. I love milk and I love pasta. :P 0 -
I was following a Jenny Craig diet for about 6 months eating 1200 calories. I worked out at the Gym about 3 times a week for about 40 minutes (walking 2 miles and some weight machines). I didn't lose a single pound. Well, that' not wholey true. I lost 3lbs my first week and gained it back and then got stuf in a yo-yo between 215 and 220. I lost my job in July and quit JC. I started going to the Gym 5 days a week and eating exactly what MFP said, I measured everything. I went back to 220 and sat there.
I don't know ll the reasons but I know WL is much harder for us and progress can be slow going. Since I've restarted my Metformin I've lost about an average of about .5 lbs a week. I've been eating under my calorie goals (generally 400-500 under since 1700 feels crazy for me). In November I was exercising about twice a week and December I wasn't exercising. My daily schedule was almost the same. I lost roughly the same amount.
After I spent about 9 months working my *kitten* off and not losing a real pound (that first 5 was likely fluctuations and water) I'm happy that the scale is moving, even if it's really damn slow.
Best advice I can give about MFP is: Try not to look at the "you should weigh *bull**** number* in 5 weeks if you eat like this" because it doesn't really apply to PCOS girls. If it was right I'd either be my goal weight of 51lbs and be able to come off my meds! I also try not to do the math about how long it will take. It can be really damn depressing. at .5 lbs a week I'll hit 190 in 44 weeks. That's almost next year and that can make you feel like giving up. Just focus on doing good today and changing bad habits, that way even if the scale doesn't move you aren't completely disappointed. =D0
