What gives? weight loss stall out.... HELP!!!
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jenfitz
Posts: 66 Member
So, I've been eating primal since the beginning of March. When I began I weighed in at just under 197lbs and now weigh around 189. I am small boned and top out at 5'5". When I first gained the weight while pregnant with my first kid, I developed asthma and have been medicated for such ever since- he'll be 10 this summer. I am 42 years old and in arguably the worst shape of my life. There is no question that I need to loose between 50-60 lbs not accounting for muscle gained. I am a breast cancer survivor and am one small surgery away from finishing my reconstruction for the dble mastectomy I had almost exactly a year ago. I get that it's been a stressful year, and I do cut myself a break BUT- I've committed to this diet/lifestyle and was hoping to see more changes!
I've signed up with a cross fit gym but they can't start me for another two weeks.
So I lost 5-6 lbs almost immediately, but then it all stopped and I've been hovering around the same weight for weeks. I feel like I've been working so hard and eating SO MUCh differently that something ought to happening! It's so frustrating! I used to be such a carb junkie and sugar addict. Here I've made a huge shift and I still weigh about the same as I did when I was shoveling in pancakes and candy bars!
Initially I had not cut out any dairy and thought that maybe dairy was stalling my weight loss. These last few weeks (3), I only use pastured cream and some cheese in salads and such. Could a little whey and caisin really be the culprit?
I'm getting to the point where I'm starting to feel like it's not worth it to be so vigilant and I find myself buying crap like lentil chips/crackers. Not a terrible cheat but a cheat none-the-less I know....
ANYway- my diary is open and I'd love some help or ideas.
I've signed up with a cross fit gym but they can't start me for another two weeks.
So I lost 5-6 lbs almost immediately, but then it all stopped and I've been hovering around the same weight for weeks. I feel like I've been working so hard and eating SO MUCh differently that something ought to happening! It's so frustrating! I used to be such a carb junkie and sugar addict. Here I've made a huge shift and I still weigh about the same as I did when I was shoveling in pancakes and candy bars!
Initially I had not cut out any dairy and thought that maybe dairy was stalling my weight loss. These last few weeks (3), I only use pastured cream and some cheese in salads and such. Could a little whey and caisin really be the culprit?
I'm getting to the point where I'm starting to feel like it's not worth it to be so vigilant and I find myself buying crap like lentil chips/crackers. Not a terrible cheat but a cheat none-the-less I know....
ANYway- my diary is open and I'd love some help or ideas.
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I noticed a couple things, but I'm quite new to primal myself so I apologize if it's not 100% accurate. You do eat a lot of dairy and are quite high in sodium as well, you could maybe experiment with these two and see if it helps at all. I also noticed that you eat salted & roasted nuts, and while nuts are primal, it is highly recommend you go for the raw varieties (which have better ratios of good fats) and perhaps go unsalted. I also noticed that you eat some deli meats, which depending on how primal you want your diet to be, things like salami are not really primal as they are highly processed and contain a lot of sodium. As well, if you eat out frequently, the numbers may not be accurate, causing you to underestimate your caloric intake. I would ensure that you are truly sizing your portions correctly when you log them. As well, if you haven't done this already, maybe try calculating your TDEE (just google TDEE calculator and average a couple different ones) to ensure your calorie goal is set properly. I hope some of this helps you out :flowerforyou: Feel free to point out anything in my comments that isn't accurate, I'll check back to reply.0
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I eat roasted nuts too and don't find a difference. Primal or not, I like and eat them.
I lost 15 lbs the first 3 weeks of doing primal/paleo. Then it came to a screeching halt (3 week plateau). I now average about 1.25 lbs every week. It's frustrating, but I keep trying to remind myself that 1 lb per week = 52lbs in a year. AND... what I'm doing is sustainable - I will have a bite of dessert or a glass of wine on occasion if I so choose. I guess I could lose more quickly if I buckled way back, but then I'd be back to my "all or nothing" mindset which hasn't worked in the past (and won't EVER work for me.)
Have you determined your TDEE - 20% yet. Even when you're paloe/primal, It's still calories in/calories out. My TDEE (total daily energy expenditure) is about 1875ish so (-20%) I have my calories set at 1500. That should equal out to 1 lb per week. (I'm 5'5, 175). To determine your TDEE, go here: http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/
Try to remember, slow and steady wins the race.0 -
Hi guys- thanks for the ideas.... yes, I've done my TDEE and its actually higher than what I have my daily calories set for. I've been trolling the internet this morning and am thinking of trying the following: 1) cutting out dairy completely for at least a week and see what happens. I got this from Robb Wolf's blog and also bc after having my morning coffee and cream, I immediately began sneezing and phleming up. ( I've been attributing this to allergies- but maybe its the dairy); 2) going back to super high fat eating for at least a week. Perhaps my body has not yet learned to burn fat for energy and my small cheats (sweet potatoes, fruit, lentils) have been derailing me. I will also try to watch sodium.
Still open to ideas. I will post my results...0 -
I think with a lot of people they have initial big loss...this is often inflammation as well as some water weight.
I believe for most women it's slower to come off.
Age,activity and all the rest comes in it.I would say just play around and see what works for your body.Eventually it will start to move.
Some people also talk about losing,not losing and then having a big whoosh of weight come off.
One day at a time,good luck0 -
Well as being paleo, with no eating dairy at all, fruit or nuts can be the culprit when trying to lose if you consume too much. I think if you cut dairy again you might see better progress.0
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You're doing well so don't give up now just when you're really getting into the swing of it!
this may help: http://www.marksdailyapple.com/17-reasons-youre-not-losing-weight/#axzz2QOkuA9l9
Until you are fully fat adapted and burning fat for fuel I would try staying away from the nuts, nut butters, apples, chocolate, processed meat etc. Chocolate should be an occasional treat, not a little cheat every day while you are trying to lose.Those little lentil snacks and other things here and there can be enough to kick you out of ketosis. Also like others have said, your sodium is very high on a regular basis - perhaps aim for under 1500 a day?
I notice when I stall it is usually one of a few things: a high sodium day can leave me without weightloss for a week, carbs over 50g does the same as does too much protein. When that happens I kickstart my weightloss again by doing a couple of really low carb/calorie days to get things moving again or intermittent fasting.
Keep experimenting until you find what works for you, it's about listening to your body and getting the most nutrition from every mouthful :-)
All the best for your final surgery :-)0 -
Are you exercising? I stalled for months with a pretty darn good diet but very, very little exercise. Adding regular workouts kickstarted my progress.0
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2 additional questions, as I don't see anything in your diary not mentioned (carb levels seem ok, and I don't think you've overdone the fruit): 1) you didn't mention what, if any, exercise you're doing, or what your daily activity is like? and 2) are your inches/clothing changing at all? My weight can stall out for a while, but my inches/clothing can change pretty drastically without the scale changing.0
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Just keep at it. Experiment a little bit with some of the suggestions here and see what works for you.
Remember that this is a long-term journey though and that it didn't take 3-4 months to gain the weight. You shouldn't expect it to take 3-4 months to lose it all.
One thing with Paleo that I think can work against it is the rapid weight loss in the first few weeks from dropping the carbs/sodium. In most cases, the majority of that weight loss is water weight and what happens is people get this expectation that they're going to continue losing 2-3 lbs a week, which is unrealistic in most cases.
As TS65 mentioned, even losing 1lb per week is 52lbs over one year.
In your case, you mention that you lost 8 lbs since the beginning of March. 5-6 were lost in the first week or two, which means you lost another 2-3 in the last month. That's still pretty decent!
There could also be a number of other factors playing a part in your weight. For example, my wfie probably gains 3 lbs during her TOM.
Best of luck and don't get discouraged! This isn't a sprint. Experiment with different foods and different methods and see what works for you. The best thing you can do is make it sustainable. It's tough sometimes, but it shouldn't be a constant struggle. Learn to embrace the lifestyle and if you're enjoying yourself, weight loss will become a secondary bonus
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I don't see anything in your diary that would be preventing weight loss. You are losing at a nice pace. After a bit of a drop your body will replace fat with water for a time. Be patient. It will drop.
One item in your diary that I would recommend you cut out is the store bought mayo. It is made with soybean oil. Making homemade mayo is easy. There are recipes floating around MFP and the internet is full of them. I use extra light olive oil to make mine.0 -
1 - 2 lbs per week is what you should target, but I prefer to think of it in terms of a month, so 5 - 10 lbs. You've done that so far and now your body is trying to find an equilibrium. So, now you want to shake things up. I would start with your workouts. What are you currently doing? Consider increasing the distance or pace (or resistance if you're using an elliptical). Or you could look into HIIT training to kickstart your metabolism.
To break a plateau, you have to do something different than what you've been doing.0 -
What I notice (and I am kind of surprised no one else has commented on it) -- is the lack of vegetables. Are you just not tracking them? I would encourage you to move away from the packaged/processed stuff (don't even go down those aisles at the store, or if you have to for some reason, just don't look -- get what you NEED in that aisle and get out). And stick to the outside of the store for the most part. Even if you are not a big fan of vegetables, I think it would be a great help to have a generous serving several times a day (as all of the Paleo/Primal books I've read suggest). You get the fiber, the vitamins and minerals, antioxidants, etc. -- and they can be very filling for VERY little calories.0
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What I notice (and I am kind of surprised no one else has commented on it) -- is the lack of vegetables. Are you just not tracking them? I would encourage you to move away from the packaged/processed stuff (don't even go down those aisles at the store, or if you have to for some reason, just don't look -- get what you NEED in that aisle and get out). And stick to the outside of the store for the most part. Even if you are not a big fan of vegetables, I think it would be a great help to have a generous serving several times a day (as all of the Paleo/Primal books I've read suggest). You get the fiber, the vitamins and minerals, antioxidants, etc. -- and they can be very filling for VERY little calories.
I did notice it, but only recently as she had dropped her carbs more. There were more veggies a couple weeks back, but her carbs were higher then. #mfpstalker lol0 -
I stalled out for 6 weeks !!! ( after my first 15lb goal .. )
But in the one month that I didn't lose any 'Pounds'
I actually lost over 3.5 inches ... all my clothes are loose and people are commenting now that I'm looking slimmer..
I agree with the comments about the Processed " Healthy" foods ..
Stay on the outer edge of the store - skip the bakery and head right to meats and Fresh veg !
Also - Maybe you could try some MCT oil / Coconut oil .. ?? ( I think it helps to start the "fat energy " burning again ..
Good luck .. keep us posted !0 -
I didn't bother to read your diary, and here's why:
That's not really enough time to see massive changes and then decide to jump ship. Especially if you're in as poor a shape as you claim. Assuming you're staying pretty true to a paleo diet, your body is working very hard to try to heal itself before anything else. Give it at least several months.
Also, EVERYONE has their weight loss stall at one point or another.
Good luck.0 -
Hi All:
Thanks for the great posts. First to answer some questions:
1. workouts:
I have joined a cross fit gym but am waiting for my on-ramp to begin (hopefully they can fit me in next week!)
For now my exercise comes from wiling, moving large boxes of clay around my studio and isometric resistance to 10-12 lbs of clay spinning on my wheel;) -- I quit my other gym when I signed on with cross fit...
2. veg (or lack thereof)
I love veggies and usually eat tons - however, I am experimenting with ketosis ala Mark's Daily Apple and trying to get most of my cals from fat right now.
I lost inches initially but not since. No worries, I'm committed- just frustrated. Thanks again!0 -
Why wait to exercise? There's all kinds of stuff you can do now! Check out nerdfitness.com for ideas on bodyweight exercise routines, no equipment needed!0
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Make sure you are taking measurements and measuring bodyfat in addition to weight. They give a much better picture of progress than just weight.0
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I didn't bother to read your diary, and here's why:
That's not really enough time to see massive changes and then decide to jump ship. Especially if you're in as poor a shape as you claim. Assuming you're staying pretty true to a paleo diet, your body is working very hard to try to heal itself before anything else. Give it at least several months.
Also, EVERYONE has their weight loss stall at one point or another.
Good luck.
This. It does get frustrating but keep going. Sometimes the visual results aren't reflected but doesn't mean there is no progress.0 -
Do you eat alot of fruit? I cut my fruit intake way back when i stalled and weight started coming off again....MArks daily apple recommends women who are paleo and want to lose weight, keep fruit to a minimum, I eat maybe a piece here and there, like every other day.0
