Undergoing a 'system reboot' - scary!

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Bella_Figura
Bella_Figura Posts: 4,098 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hi all

After losing 30kg (66 lbs) in the past 9 months, my weight loss has completely stalled these past three weeks - in fact I'm 0.8kg up despite dropping my calories to 1100 a day to try to push myself past this slow patch. I'm not close to goal - I've only just dropped into the 'overweight' BMI category, so I have another 17kg still to lose (about 35 lbs).

I asked for advice and someone advised me to try a 'system reboot', by eating at my maintenance calories for a week to see if that would cause my body to release some of its fat stores.

My maintenance calories are between 1740 and 1960 (depending on which calculator I use), so that means adding an additional 650 - 850 calories a day for the next week. SCARY!!!

Yesterday was day 1 and I ate 1677 calories (all good, nutritionally clean food) and this morning I had gained another 0.2kg, putting me 1 full kg above my lowest weight.

Dammit!

So now I'm trying to hold my nerve and trust in the process... I think I'll be logging about 1700 calories today (again all good clean food), and if the scale is up again tomorrow I will really have to force myself not to give in and go back to 1100 calories.

Wish me luck!!!

Replies

  • TheRunningGuppy
    TheRunningGuppy Posts: 651 Member
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    Good luck! And keep eating more, your body needs the fuel. It does seem wrong at first, but it works!
  • RoseTears143
    RoseTears143 Posts: 1,121 Member
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    That little bit of weight you are seeing on the scale as an increase isn't actual weight gain. Your muscles are probably just replenishing glycogen..water weight. Stick it out, it will level off and once you go back to weight loss mode it will come off.
  • BikerGirlElaine
    BikerGirlElaine Posts: 1,631 Member
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    Weight fluctuations over a couple of days are not true gains or losses. It's just the amount of food/waste/water that is changing, not your actual fat & muscle amounts. Hang in there and be patient -- give it several weeks. You will be fine and will feel so much better.
  • wadedawg
    wadedawg Posts: 315
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    I stalled out after 5 months of steadily losing weight. I lost and gained the same 2-3 pounds for about a month. What got me back to losing weight was switching to an intermittent fasting plan. I highly recommend it. Look up the Leangains approach to IF and give it a shot.
  • djkronyx
    djkronyx Posts: 77 Member
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    1. Congrats on the 66 pound weight loss!

    2. Bringing your calories back up to maintenance so quickly is not always the best idea. As you've lost weight, your metabolism has slowed and thus you actually need fewer calories for maintenance then you did 66 pounds ago. Better to slowly work your way up to maintenance. For example, if you were dieting on 1200, then increase to 1300 or 1300 for a week, reassess, and then increase again the next week. Hopefully you don't have a damaged metabolism, but rather just a plateau. Good luck!
  • primal7
    primal7 Posts: 151 Member
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    It is good to mix it up every once in a while.
    You might want to not weigh yourself daily during the process, since the body can change weight several times a day and you can get discouraged.
    Good Luck!
  • briabner
    briabner Posts: 427 Member
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    eat more to loose weight really does work. I started here in January with eating 1200 calories with little exercise maybe a walk here and there or 20 minutes on my stationary bike. The first month I lost about 8 pounds. In February I decided to get a gym membership and starting working out 5-6 days a week doing cardio and weight training and burning about 500-800 calories every workout. I continued eating only 1200 calories and not eating any exercise calories back. Needless to say my weight stalled for over 6 weeks before realizing that I needed to do something. I looked up the TDEE - 20% and started doing this. It also freaked me out too. How does eating more make you loose weight...Think of it this way instead eat more to fuel your body and fuel your workouts. Within the first week of eating 1800 calories I lost 2 pounds. I have ben consistently loosing about 2 pounds per week ever since. I thought that I would change things up and what do you know I stopped loosing again. I have finally found the right combo for me. But eating more to loose weight really does work. I would also give it more than 1 week or a few days as you discussed. It is normal for our weight to fluctuate on a daily basis. Eat like this for about 2 weeks and then weigh yourself. Don't weigh yourself everyday.
  • ajcmoran2005
    ajcmoran2005 Posts: 173 Member
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    I stalled at 1600-1700 calories so people suggested I eat at maintenance for a week (about 2000 calories) but to not weigh in for at least a week. It will be tough to do but I'm going to try!
  • Bella_Figura
    Bella_Figura Posts: 4,098 Member
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    Thanks for all the support everyone!

    I've weighed daily since I started back in August, and I try to take the rough with the smooth and not get too hung up on the daily fluctuations. I can gain or lose as much as 1kg overnight, and I know that can't be proper fat loss.

    Having 300+ daily records of my weight allows me to see that fluctuations are normal and even themselves out over time. I suspect I'd get upset if I weighed only once a week and one of those weigh-ins coincided with an upward 1kg fluctuation, whereas I can take it on the chin if it's just one of my daily readings.

    I'll keep faith with the process and hope it works!

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