Slow loss with around 100 lbs to lose.
AlmightyAce
Posts: 35 Member
So, this isn't a Poor Me thread by any means. It's more of a "Can someone better at math than myself please shed some light as to why my loss is slow?" thread. I cannot do the 1200 calories a day; I tried it and almost killed people. SO. That's a no go.
SW: 266 on 2/6/14
CW: 248.6 on 5/10/14
GW: 150
Height: 5'6"
I've calculated my BMR and TDEE from numerous sites. I'm eating around 1700 a day, RARELY go over that number, do not eat all my Fitbit Allowance calories back, but losing less than a pound a week it seems. I'd like to be losing at LEAST one a week, more would be outstanding. I do own a Fitbit Flex and burn between 2400-2700 cals a day according to it. Oh, and I aim for my 8 glasses of water a day. No health problems aside from bad asthma that is limiting any exercise at all right now while I try to get it under control.
I know weight loss isn't linear, but being this large, shouldn't it be going a little faster? =(
Thanks in advance for reading and if you can shed any light. Feel free to add me as a Friend as well if you'd like.
SW: 266 on 2/6/14
CW: 248.6 on 5/10/14
GW: 150
Height: 5'6"
I've calculated my BMR and TDEE from numerous sites. I'm eating around 1700 a day, RARELY go over that number, do not eat all my Fitbit Allowance calories back, but losing less than a pound a week it seems. I'd like to be losing at LEAST one a week, more would be outstanding. I do own a Fitbit Flex and burn between 2400-2700 cals a day according to it. Oh, and I aim for my 8 glasses of water a day. No health problems aside from bad asthma that is limiting any exercise at all right now while I try to get it under control.
I know weight loss isn't linear, but being this large, shouldn't it be going a little faster? =(
Thanks in advance for reading and if you can shed any light. Feel free to add me as a Friend as well if you'd like.
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Replies
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1. Are you using a digital scale to weigh everything that you eat and are you verifying that your entries are accurate?0
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I am indeed, yes. Weigh and measure everything that goes in. Overestimate if I eat food when out and about.0
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You've lost almost 20 lbs in 3 months. That's not a slow loss at all!0
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It sure feels like it lol. Other people's posts who are my size are losing like crazy. I just don't know if I have my calories counted incorrectly or what.0
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Your loss seems pretty good, actually! That's about the rate I was losing when I started with similar stats - 5 or 6 pounds a month. (Now I'm only losing about 3 per month.) It just feels slow because goal is so far away still!0
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Maybe that's it....the goal seems SO bloody far off that its discouraging. What was your calorie intake at that weight, khoshgeleh16? Do you recall?0
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It sure feels like it lol. Other people's posts who are my size are losing like crazy. I just don't know if I have my calories counted incorrectly or what.
It took me a year to lose 10 lbs because of my medical conditions. Now that is slow! Lol.
Everyone loses weight at a different speed. It's not about racing to the finish line. It's not a race. Slower weight loss is ultimately better because most people who lose weight fast, gain it back even faster. Continue to weigh all foods and make sure you are meticulous about calorie counting. Maybe even try playing around with your caloric intake… drop down to 1600 calories… change the settings on your macronutrients… etc. Weight loss is a game of trial and error!0 -
It sure feels like it lol. Other people's posts who are my size are losing like crazy. I just don't know if I have my calories counted incorrectly or what.
It took me a year to lose 10 lbs because of my medical conditions. Now that is slow! Lol.
Everyone loses weight at a different speed. It's not about racing to the finish line. It's not a race. Slower weight loss is ultimately better because most people who lose weight fast, gain it back even faster. Continue to weigh all foods and make sure you are meticulous about calorie counting. Maybe even try playing around with your caloric intake… drop down to 1600 calories… change the settings on your macronutrients… etc. Weight loss is a game of trial and error!
True, you must have been frustrated at that! I know it's more of a marathon than a sprint, it's just disheartening being this size and not losing weight faster despite doing things right. Thank you all for your replies and motivation. I think I just really needed to hear it.0 -
It has taken me 10 months to lose almost 38 pounds. Slow indeed. And I have been feeling like it has not made any difference because like you I see the rapid transformation of others and get discouraged. BUT, tonight I had a photo taken with my daughter before her prom, and while I was loading photos on facebook I saw one from last July 4th and I almost gagged at how awful it was (and I remember feeling pretty good about myself that day!!). I put the two of them side by side and made it my profile pic for a bit. So...yes, it may feel slow but I promise you it is good progress. :flowerforyou:0
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Hi! Congrats on the 20 lb weight loss -- that's awesome!
This is not scientific fact... but I know that for me, I need to keep my blood sugar balanced to be successful at losing weight. (I'm not diabetic.) If I eat too much at one meal, I feel like I have a crash. My snacks section of my food diary is as big as my meals because I like to spread out my calories over the whole day. I also try to make protein and fiber a priority.
Have you ever had your thyroid tested? Are you getting enough sleep? Fighting untreated depression? Taking medications that have weight gain as a possible side effect? There could be other factors impeding weight loss other than just the food you're eating.
Good luck!0 -
Thyroid has been checked, and it is fine. Not diabetic either, no PCOS. I do have a Vitamin D and B12 deficiency. Sleep is another story; my sleep has been beyond screwed for like 10 years. I haven't found a way to combat that yet, sadly. The only medication that could be causing weight gain would be Birth control or possibly Flovent. Not fully sure on either of those.Hi! Congrats on the 20 lb weight loss -- that's awesome!
This is not scientific fact... but I know that for me, I need to keep my blood sugar balanced to be successful at losing weight. (I'm not diabetic.) If I eat too much at one meal, I feel like I have a crash. My snacks section of my food diary is as big as my meals because I like to spread out my calories over the whole day. I also try to make protein and fiber a priority.
Have you ever had your thyroid tested? Are you getting enough sleep? Fighting untreated depression? Taking medications that have weight gain as a possible side effect? There could be other factors impeding weight loss other than just the food you're eating.
Good luck!
And thank you.
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SW: 266 on 2/6/14
CW: 248.6 on 5/10/14
GW: 150
Height: 5'6"
As long as you are being accurate in your measuring and not overestimating your exercise burn, then you're going to keep dropping. My start weight was 229 on 1/19/14. Current just dropped to 199. (Not logging that yet because it was on a different set of scales so not positive it's accurate). While I do keep up with my weight and love watching it drop, I am not stressing even when I go three weeks without losing a pound. I am currently eating at approximately what my maintenance will be when I reach my goal weight so, to me, I figure I've made the changes that I need to make and add in a bit of exercise and some weight lifting along the way. My body will shrink and become what I'm treating it as, a healthy, fit and lighter person.
As far as your sleep troubles, I had issues sleeping for years. I attributed it to all sorts of things, divorce, other emotional ups and downs, an overactive mind.. and then I stopped drinking caffeine after 3 pm and now it's rare that I have trouble getting to sleep. Not sure what you drink in the evenings but it's the only thing that came to mind.
You're on the right track and you're making progress. There's no end goal in this.. there's no finish line so there's no reason to race either a sprint or a marathon. It's adjusting for who you want to be and then become that rather than worrying about winning a blue ribbon.0 -
First, congratulations on your 20 pounds! That an accomplishment and you should be proud of it.
You mentioned that your sleep is beyond screwed up? Aside from being consistent with your food diary and steps (I've got a Fitbit One and I'm in love with it!), since you're battling asthma, I'd see if you can get your sleep straightened out, since how well you sleep does have an effect on your weight loss. Not to mention, better sleep would probably just be a nice benefit in and of itself!
The only other thing I can suggest is to start with some strength training, if you're not already doing that. You're already working in cardio with the Fitbit, so I'd recommend getting a resistance band or dumbbells and just starting with some basic strength exercises that won't wind you (so you don't provoke an asthma attack). At worst, this will help keep you from losing muscle tone while you lose weight and the more muscle you have the higher your metabolism will be in a resting state, which will only help you.
Again, congratulations on your weight loss so far and good luck.0 -
This is actually a great pace for losing weight! 1-2 a week is ideal because its more sustainable. You'll stick with it! I know I had trouble with the whole idea of losing 60 lbs. It felt insurmountable. HOW COULD I DO THIS?? And the journey seemed like it was far too slow. But this poem put everything in perspective. And my weight loss rate has been 1.5-2 lbs a week.
Melinda Mae by Shel Silverstein
Have you heard of tiny Melinda Mae,
Who ate a monstrous whale?
She thought she could,
She said she would,
So she started in right at the tail.
And everyone said,"You're much too small,"
But that didn't bother Melinda at all,
She took little bites and she chewed very slow,
Just like a little girl should...
...and eighty-nine years later she ate that whale
Because she said she would!!!0 -
20 pounds! Congratulations!
Do you FEEL better? Do your clothes fit better? Are you choosing healthier foods/portions? For me, the way I feel inside and in my clothes has made me happier than any number. And I'm starting to automatically do better in the food department (and I've only lost 17 pounds of 118). It's just a number, you are doing things right. Isn't slower weight loss supposed to be easier on your body? Like reduce the chance of gaining it back? You may be slower than others now, but in the long run, if you keep it off and they don't... who's really won?
Add me if you'd like to!0 -
I think 20# is great. I lost 65 pounds (on about 1200 calories/day) in about 6 months after having my son. I did this with a lot of "supplements" thru Herbalife. Meal replacement shakes, lots of vitamin pills, and cutting a lot of carbs. I could do the 1200 calories because the shakes were filling but I think the weight came off faster than other Herbalife users because I nearly stopped eating bread and pasta. If i wanted a sandwich I'd have it on a thinbun or split the filling between corn tortillas (100 cals for 2). I also ate a lot of nuts and jerky as snacks, so it was like Atkins meets Slimfast. Of course, using that method wasn't sustainable because of cost (and I like food!) so I gained someback. and now that I'm not using Herbalife to lose, I'm losing a lot slower, but also learning to be accountable for my food decisions and actually exercising. So fear not! Consistency is the name of the game. And WHAT you eat (not just how many calories it adds up to) makes a difference, so you could do some experiments (like try lower carbs for a week or lower sugar for a week or sodium or fat or whatever) to see what your body responds to.0
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I feel your pain! I'm also seeing a slow weight loss, and have come to the conclusion that my calorie burn isn't anywhere near as high as the calculators say it is. I weigh everything, log everything, and exercise and don't eat back anywhere near all the cals but still only see slow weight loss. I reckon from my logging that my tdee is about 2200 even with exercising quite a bit for a fat girl. I'm trying hard to acknowledge that this is the way it is if I don't want to have to starve myself. Chin up, at least if it's slow we will keep it off!
Eta my starting weight was a guess, so I think my actual loss is nearer 20 lbs than 30 since 6th Jan
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+1 for slow loss. It preserves your muscle mass to an extent too. As long as you're losing, be happy.
Congrats on the 20lbs!
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It happens that way for some people. I am one of them!!
In February 2012 I got seriously into the gym. I am 5'2" tall and weighed 228 lbs.that's 90lbs overweight! In the first year I lost less than 30lbs, despite going to the gym 4 days a week AND eating low carb. I did go from a size 18 to a 16.
The second year, I started lifting weights with a trainer and I lost a few more pounds. At the beginning of the year I dropped from a 16 to a 14.
Im now 4 months into my 3rd year...in January I dropped from a 14 to a 12. Im still lifting heavy, and I'm in the gym 5 days a week. Ive lost 6lbs since November, 4 of them in the last 6 weeks or so. I'm now 185lbs, and recently managed to button and zip a size 10,but I've got a huge muffin top in them. In another month, they should be ok.
I'm still clinically obese for 20 more pounds AND it has taken me 28 months to lose 43lbs.0 -
One of my favorite quotes is: "Some quit due to slow progress, never grasping the fact that slow progress...is progress." I was one of those people who quit because it was too slow and I got frustrated and gave up. So, a couple of months ago when I found that quote I wrote it on a sticky note and pasted it up on my bathroom mirror so I'll see it at least twice a day.
I'm not saying you couldn't lose weight faster if you changed things; every one is different and maybe if you changed one thing you would lose faster. But, as I explore different things and try to figure out what works best for my body, I try my best to remember the above quote. Becaues even if I only lose 0.25lb in a week or 1lb a month, it's still a lower weight than I was and I'm a little bit closer to my goal. It's been working well for me so far.
Good luck! And congrats on the 20lbs so far!!! :flowerforyou: :drinker:0 -
Hi there,
So I hear what you're saying about losing weight what you think is slow but I just want to say congrats on the first 20 lbs and DON'T GIVE UP!! It's 20 freaking pounds!!
I took a look at my weight history to see the rate I was losing and here goes:
2 months to lose 20 lbs.
At 4 months I lost 30 lbs
5 months I lost 36 lbs
9 months 53 lbs
1 year 61 lbs
I am on track to lose 100 lbs or so and the more I lose it seems the slower it gets. But that's okay. Some weeks you might not lose anything but then the next you might lose 2 or 3! Ever since I got to under 200 4 months ago I've only lost 8 lbs. However, it's still 8 lbs and I know I'm healthier than I was those 8 lbs ago. It is DEFINITELY frustrating but just try try try to stay focused. I started out eating about 1900 calories, now I stay 1700 or under but I eat at least half of exercise calories back. I don't follow any particular eating patterns (paleo, clean, fasting, etc), I eat less and move more. At times when I seemed to be stuck I increased my calories and started losing again. It's a process that is always surprising me! Don't give up, 9 months from now you will look back over the year and you will be glad you stuck with it. It might help to make smaller goals. Instead of 100 lbs, my Body Mass Index was in the 40's and my first goal was to get it under 40. Then my next goal was to get to 199. Now, my next goal is to get to 175. I just break it up, then it doesn't seem like such a pain in the butt.
Good luck, stay focused and DON'T GIVE UP!!0 -
I'm in the same boat as you, 30 lbs in 3 months, however I am following what the MFP says I should be eating to lose 2 lbs a week, and that appears to be what I am losing overall.
I agree with the 1200 calories being way too low for someone our size. There's no way I could stick to that and not lose my mind or go off the rails after a few days. With what MFP says to eat now, I feel satisfied and there's some wiggle room if I want a treat now and then.
Plus as someone said earlier, losing slower helps preserve muscle and also for a larger person gives your skin a chance to shrink so it's not all loose after you lose so much weight.
I know it's a cliche, I think slow but steady wins the race with weight loss.0 -
Some great advise already and congrats on your loss to date. You say you can't exercise much because of asthma. Do you have a very active job or walk a lot every day? The reason I ask is your Fitbit burn seems pretty high. I have a Fitbit One and log all my exercise on the Fitbit website with steady state cardio cals logged from my HRM. I work out every day (2 days a week twice a day as do weights in a morning and then running club in an evening). I'm running 20-25 miles a week and my average Fitbit calculated TDEE is 2830 (based on a rolling 8 week average). So if you don't have a very active job or walk a lot then I think your Fitbit is over recording cals and so your deficit isn't as big as you think. I had a Flex for a while and found it overly sensitive - to get it close to accurate I wore it on my non-dominant wrist but had it set as being on my dominant hand. This reduce the sensitivity so it wasn't counting all movement as steps.
I'm eating an average of an 700 cal deficit now as was finding with the exercise I was doing I was starving with a bigger deficit. The weight loss has slowed but I'm in it for the long haul - its still coming off quicker than it went on!
Best of luck :flowerforyou:0 -
Thank you all for your replies! I'm actually really proud of YOU all for all of your accomplishments thus far. I guess 20 lbs in 3 months isn't as bad as I thought.
To the person that asked about my Fitbit burn- I have a Desk job but I am up and running around the office a fair amount during the day. Also I usually have to run by the grocery store after work so I am averaging, according to Fitbit, about 2-2.5 miles a day from that. I wear my Fitbit on my Dominant hand, but had it set for Dominant hand as well; because that's how I thought it went haha. Should I change the settings to Non-Dominant? And if my burn is grossly overestimated, that may be part of the problem too, even though I've been eating around 1700 cals since starting this and before my Fitbit.
And DataSteven- For Sedentary to lose 2lb a week on MFP, it's only 1320 cals. To lose 1.5 it's 1,570. Even that stretches it for me sadly. 1lb a week would be 1,820. So I have it set to 1700 to lose a little over a pound a week, which I just haven't been seeing sadly.
Again, thank you all for your replies. :flowerforyou:0 -
Maybe that's it....the goal seems SO bloody far off that its discouraging. What was your calorie intake at that weight, khoshgeleh16? Do you recall?
At your weight (and I'm shorter - only 5'4") I was eating around 1460, not exercising, and losing about the same amount as you. I lost 8 lbs the first month than 5 to 6 a month after that. I think your loss is exactly where it should be.
I would advise you to change your goal. Don't look at 150. StArt by shooting for losing 20 lbs. when you hit that, look to be under 200. Once there, aim to get out of the obese range. Then shoot for that final goal of 150. It's too overwhelming to look at the ultimate goal so set smaller ones so you can enjoy your success!0 -
Thank you all for your replies! I'm actually really proud of YOU all for all of your accomplishments thus far. I guess 20 lbs in 3 months isn't as bad as I thought.
To the person that asked about my Fitbit burn- I have a Desk job but I am up and running around the office a fair amount during the day. Also I usually have to run by the grocery store after work so I am averaging, according to Fitbit, about 2-2.5 miles a day from that. I wear my Fitbit on my Dominant hand, but had it set for Dominant hand as well; because that's how I thought it went haha. Should I change the settings to Non-Dominant? And if my burn is grossly overestimated, that may be part of the problem too, even though I've been eating around 1700 cals since starting this and before my Fitbit.
And DataSteven- For Sedentary to lose 2lb a week on MFP, it's only 1320 cals. To lose 1.5 it's 1,570. Even that stretches it for me sadly. 1lb a week would be 1,820. So I have it set to 1700 to lose a little over a pound a week, which I just haven't been seeing sadly.
Again, thank you all for your replies. :flowerforyou:
Based on this I'd say your Fitbit is giving you too higher burn. As a comparison (I'm 5'6" 195lbs 41yo female with a walking stride of 2' 5", I also have an office job that sounds similar to yours) on an average day when I was the same weight as you I was taking around 9k steps, walking 4 miles and burning 2900 cals a day and that included 30mins on the elliptical trainer burning 400 cals. So if you're not doing the exercise then I'd expect a lower burn (nearer 2400-2500) depending on your height & age of course.
Make sure you set your walking and running stride length in the Fitbit settings. Personally I'd wear it on your non-dominant hand but leave it set to dominant and see how that goes.
That all said you're doing great! Its just a case of tweaking things a bit so you're losing slowly and steadily developing eating habits you can sustain. You don't want to cut your calories really low now as a)who wants to be hungry all the time?! It only leads to binging for most of us and b)you may need a little wiggle room when you near target.0 -
Maybe that's it....the goal seems SO bloody far off that its discouraging. What was your calorie intake at that weight, khoshgeleh16? Do you recall?
Sorry, haven't been around much the last few days and didn't see this! I think early on I was netting around 1900 calories, down to 1840 by the third month (I'm now netting 1600) but I usually ate at least 2200-2400. My current intake is usually somewhere in that range, occasionally up to 2800 depending on my exercise calories - I'm about 230 right now, so I still get pretty big burns, and I do a LOT of exercise - though being active has never been my problem! ;-)0 -
I agree with all the people saying it seems like a reasonable loss. When I started I was losing bout 6 a month but of course that slowed down after a while. There's no method to the madness sometimes, some weeks I can eat way over and not gain. Whereas sometimes I had a period with no loss or lost at a quicker rate than I had set. Sometimes it has advantages. I've been (not meaning to) in maintenance while 3 days a week going over my TDEE. So I'd say, you're doing fine, I think my body was happy to lose at a slower rate, and has helped me to maintain a little easier, or so it seems. Keep going!0
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