HELP, middle age slump.

Eat more! I'm hungry just looking at how skimpy your food intake is. Your body needs fuel especially if you're earning 900 calories/day in exercise. And be patient. Healthy loss is no more than 2 lbs. a week (and for most people that's pushing it; more like 1 lb./week).

I am not a patient person.

You're going to have to learn how to be patient - there's no getting around it.

I would definitely say you need more protein but probably more carbs as well with the excellent circuit training you do :-)

hey there---I too have hit a slump and am unable to lose weight. I blame it on age (45 yrs) and slowing metabolism! It is very frustrating. I did view your food diary and there are a few things that stick out to me. I had the same habit as you--- putting large amounts of sugar in my coffee, and decided that cutting back on sugar may make a difference. I gradually reduced the amount of sugar i put in my coffee over time. I went from 4 tsp to 3 tsp for awhile and now I am at 2 tsp. If it is too bitter for you, I have also tried mixing sugar and stevia (50/50) and using that instead. Or, using honey instead of sugar in my coffee.

I also notice that you get 200 calories from Gatorade. I would cut out the gatorade (use water with lemon) and try to get those 200 calories from something with more nutritional value. Try getting more protein in your diet too.

I saw your question about working out at night versus morning. Although I HATE getting up in the morning to work out, I believe that in the morning, you have more energy and get a better work out in. I think it jump starts your metabolism and helps you all day long. I am too tired after work and don't get the best work out in.

These are just a few tips. Good luck on your journey!!

As you guessed, I too would recommend eating more. I would probably work on adding more protein to your diet. I try to have an egg at breakfast or some bacon or ham. Don't be afraid to eat, just eat good stuff and avoid sugars, processed or snack foods like chips. What kind of exercise are you doing?

What is your actual weight?

Sorry to hear your frustration..

MFP takes the long slow road here, 1-2 pounds a week is the target. We have to have patience and do it as long as it takes because along the way we are learning how to eat better so that we lose (or gain) weight.

There are quicker ways to lose 30 pounds but then its a diet, and sometimes temporary so at the end if one does not re-learn how to eat, they will regain the weight and then some. so back to square one anyway.

Hang in there..

I noticed that right now you are not tracking your sugars. Where fibers is you could switch to sugar. I am eating my calories but going over on sugar pretty much everyday. If you can afford it switch from processed foods like hamburger helper to all real food, that might help too. It is expensive but might help as you will get more nutrients for the same calories and be healthier.
Good luck.

245.6 this morning.

At 43 years old, 5'9" and 245 lbs, your BMR is estimated at 1835 calories daily. That's how many calories your body burns to keep all your organs functioning without any body movement whatsoever. If you never exercise, just work a desk job and barely move, your TDEE is estimated at roughly 2200 calories daily... your maintenance calories without exercise.

Your goal of 1300 calories/day is well below your BMR, which means in order to keep you alive AND moving around on 1300 calories, your body has to break down muscle mass and skimp on other processes like cellular repair (think hair and nails, skin) and slow your metabolism to match your intake. A goal of 1300 calories would be, in essence, creating a 900 calorie daily deficit until your metabolism slows to match your intake, at which point there will be very little deficit, thus stalling your weight loss.

Your best bet is to exercise moderately for 3-5 hours a week. e.g. walking briskly, weight lifting and whatever other activities you enjoy. If you do, your estimated TDEE will jump up to 2845 calories daily. Then, if you eat 1850 calories daily you should still see a 2 lbs/week loss and you'll be eating above your BMR.

If in addition, you get in over 100g protein daily - even up to about 150g - you will see better retention of lean body mass (the muscles are what burn the calories in the end) so that your maintenance calories at your goal weight will be higher/normal rather than suppressed from dieting.

So my advice is this:

Exercise for 3-5 hours a week moderately
Eat 1850 (at least) calories every day of the week without adding back exercise calories
(or, eat your 1300 calories daily and add your exercise calories, but this makes rest days suck)
Aim for 100g protein daily
If you are hungry and/or lethargic and/or unable to stick to 1850, eat more knowing anything under 2850 is still at a deficit.

Start there. Don't worry about fat/carbs... just aim for protein to start and eat whatever you want to the tune of 1850 calories/day.

I promise the weight will come off.

I looked at your diary and it is clear , you are not eating the right kinds of food. You are eating food that is high in sugar( oatmeal, yogurt ect, or high in sodium ect(bacon), clean up your food , with continued exercise and you will see results, if you want you can add me I am on here everyday and at 49 , I am doing good. Be happy to give you tips ect..

You are definitely not eating enough. You need lots more protein, try greek yogurt, almonds, lean meats, tuna, cottage cheese. Look at your macros and how much you have left each day. And your calorie goal needs to be set higher. Figure out your TDEE ( http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/ ) and go from there. You will stall yourself this way. I have hit plateaus and have gotten over them by changing up my type of exercise and eating more. Good luck!

Totals 1,037 175 19 62 2,109 13
srhelm Daily Goal 2,262 311 74 85 2,500 35
Remaining 1,225 136 55 23 391 22
Calories Carbs Fat Protein Sodium Fiber

So true. I have no patience with myself, either, but if you're going to look at this as a lifestyle change rather than a DIET, which it has to be, you need to learn to develop patience. :happy:

Agreed on the more protein. It also seems you're eating very little fat, so I'd suggest getting more healthy fats like peanut butter, avocado, olive oil, fatty fish, etc. You need some fat in your diet for a variety of health reasons, and I think this is particularly true as we get older--who wants to be that dried up looking older woman?