Stalled for awhile..

skinnynicky53
skinnynicky53 Posts: 26 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hi All, after losing about 30-35 lbs doing the Dukan diet (now more or less just using calorie counting / exercise) I managed to lose about 35lbs :D

However, i am stalled and playing around w/ less cals and more work outs is leading to a slight gain even... i am stumped :( Wondering if i need to go back to less carbs?? or more protein? or more cals... >/ Perhaps I need to let my body shed some fat and gain some muscle before taking the scale seriously? My BF was quite high before i got serious about losing weight (but im still pretty flabby in the middle area :/)

I am averaging apx 1200-1500 cals a day. I did recently start getting much more active: running 1-2 days a week for about 30-60 mins, walking lots, hiking, biking and golfing. My "net" cals are sometimes pretty low. I think i may be retaining water, but my belly seems to be going down a little bit, and im quite sore a few days after my active days. Should I just truck on and ignore the scale for a bit? Or should I lower my cals a bit more to experiment? (i would be eating like 1000-1200 day :/ ... ) or perhaps try increasing them to 1500-1700 day? I am at a loss of what to do ....... ???

I am hearing from others that i 'look great' and 'getting skinny' but at 164-6 lbs for 5'4" girl, its not feeling very good... I would think my body would want to adjust back down to 130s or 40s that I pretty easily maintained in my 20s....

Thanks for any insights!

Replies

  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,267 Member
    I did recently start getting much more active: running 1-2 days a week for about 30-60 mins, walking lots, hiking, biking and golfing

    This can cause water retention.

    I would suggest taking measurments and pics for comparison because the scale is an awful liar sometimes.

    For example I have lost 3 lbs since vacation in February (doesn't include vacation weight gained and lost) and before vacation I couldn't wear a dress I have....I can now...3lbs in 1month...but my measurments are down.

    how long have you been stalled?
  • wampahoofus
    wampahoofus Posts: 38 Member
    I am experiencing a very simular stall. I lost 30lbs in about 2 months. It came off rather easily. Now I am losing about 1 lb or less per week. This has been going on for a little more than 2 weeks now. I suspect that this is a fairly healthy rate of weight loss so I am trying to keep my head up....

    Right now I am sticking with my plan and hoping that I will break loose. I do not expect to go back to the same rapid weight loss rate as I think that the "easy" pounds are now all gone.
  • skinnynicky53
    skinnynicky53 Posts: 26 Member
    Thanks for the feedback. I have been around 164-166 since March 27th... so just about 1 month now.

    Here are my weights for an idea:

    July 2013 apx 198
    Aug 2013 apx 190-195
    Oct 2013 apx 175
    Nov 2013 apx 174
    Dec 2013 apx 170
    Jan 2014 apx 167
    Feb 2014 up and down...
    March 2014 apx 165
    April (present) stalled around 164-166... :(
  • StaciMarie1974
    StaciMarie1974 Posts: 4,138 Member
    You've increased your activity - this can cause temporary water weight gain.
    There are natural tendencies to hold water for sodium, lack of sleep, hormones, TOM, etc.

    Don't decrease your intake. 1500-1700 based on the activity level you indicate is probably about right. Do weigh your food - measuring cups are not mean for dry, solid food. Drink plenty of water, and eventually the scale will catch on.
  • WaynesGurl
    WaynesGurl Posts: 44 Member
    How low are we talking about in your carbs?
  • skinnynicky53
    skinnynicky53 Posts: 26 Member
    Thanks. I think I might actually need to up my cals a little bit. I see when I was losing earlier i was eating 1500-1700 with an occasional 1900 day here and there with a workout (now I am eating 1200-1300, plus all the activity... thinking it will speed things along). But im feeling bloated and weird in my middle area.. tummy bloating.

    My carbs - i used ot do very low carbs a few years ago, since i have read so many mixed messages about them. I feel confused :S I tend to eat apx 100-200 carbs a day.. some days i drop it below 100. It seems to help when I do that, but i have read it can mess the metabolism if i stay too LC for too long... :/

    I also wonder if i drink too much caffeine? i drink coffee and tea all day... i read that can mess up hormones too. but again, so much conflicting info !
  • 1princesswarrior
    1princesswarrior Posts: 1,242 Member
    I have about the same stats as you and have the same stall, around 30 days at 160ish and 5'4.

    I also started a different exercise so I am for all intensive purposes blaming that and just being patient. I'm also shopping for a new gym so I can start SL5x5. The same thing happened in October and all of a sudden I just started dropping again after about 5 weeks.

    Are you also taking measurements? I am still losing inches and have pulled my belt tighter.

    The only thing I'm doing nutrition wise is paying more attention to my macros and making a conscious effort to get more protein.
  • skinnynicky53
    skinnynicky53 Posts: 26 Member
    Thanks for relating.. I honestly think I wasn't eating enough on workout days. I found a good place calculating my needs based on various activity days which is really good and i will keep it handy. I should be eating min of 1500 i think, and a little more on workout days. Opposed to the 1200-1300 nonsense which kept me hungry and moody to boot !
  • skinnynicky53
    skinnynicky53 Posts: 26 Member
    I have opened up my Diary... feedback welcome :)
  • skinnynicky53
    skinnynicky53 Posts: 26 Member
    Just a quick update..

    I was careful to track every bite/taste/thing yesterday. came in just over 1700 (have been soo hungry lately!), and am actually down slightly today.. so Yes i think it was water-weight, and i also think the little extra cals might be what my body/metabolism needs, esp around workout days and since im much more active lately.

    Thank you all ;)

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