14 mo in, lost 72 lbs, need new ideas for weight loss

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So, like my subject states, I have had a great deal of success with a slow, patient regime of diet and exercise to lose weight. I started with swimming, then realized diet would have to become a lifestyle change, played around with that for a while. Weight finally started to come off when I started doing exercise with impact. Once I had lost 35 lbs (which put me under 200 for the first time in 20 years), I started running and training for a half marathon (I had been a competitive distance runner for all of junior high and high school). I achieved that - weight loss, of course, got slower - running isn't exactly a huge pound-losing endeavor. I added strength training to my regime, where I have worked up to using 10 lb weights in each hand for most of an hour class - squats, lunges, all sorts of bicep/tricep/chest/back/shoulder work. I have gone from 235 to 162 - not complaining by any means. But.......I still have 20 lbs to lose - and I am realistic that it could take another year, or it may not happen at all. I have stalled, and my diet is staying consistent....if anything, I'm exercising too much - I take 4 strength training classes a week, 2 half-hour abs classes, plus I run at least 3 times a week for 4+ miles a piece. I do usually have a rest day each week.

I need ideas on what to incorporate to kickstart some more weight loss. I try to stay around 1350 calories per day. I try to keep my carbs under 100 grams, and my protein around 100 grams. My sodium stays under 2000mg each day. My fats might be a little high - since I don't love meat or eggs, and so a lot of my protein is cheese/dairy.

I have heard the phrase "lift heavy", but don't really know quantitatively what that means. Could that help my metabolism - to lose either inches or pounds or both? This summer has been a little frustrating - only 5 lbs lost all summer, so far. I could use some ideas.

Replies

  • SLLRunner
    SLLRunner Posts: 12,942 Member
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    You've lost 72 pounds and you have only 20 more pounds to go. You don't need any new ideas to "kick start" anything, you need patience and to lower your goals to lose only .5 pounds a week. Enjoy the ride to maintenance, because sometimes that can be harder than while you were eating at a deficit.

    Weight loss is not linear.

    Congratulations on all your hard work. Keep it up and, as I said.......

    Patience.. :smile:
  • thegreatcanook
    thegreatcanook Posts: 2,419 Member
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    You are doing awesome. I've lost a lot and have 25 to go. Patience is key! Add me for some encouragement!
  • bacn60s
    bacn60s Posts: 33 Member
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    Very much the same for me here...14 months ago I was 235, today I am 160lbs.. I have been stuck at 160 for about 3 months now.
    I am very active, 4 mile fast walks in the am and swim at the Y in the afternoon...I stick with 1200 calories faithfully.
    Seem to just hang at this weight level???? Id like to lose another 10 lbs. and call it quits .then maintain. at 150lbs.
    Nice to hear from others that have similar interest..
  • Anniebotnen
    Anniebotnen Posts: 332 Member
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    Congratulations on your weightloss so far! That is an awesome achievement! Looking at your exercise schedule, I do think you may want to consider dropping the classes with the 10 lb dumbells and the abs classes, and substituting 3 whole body strength training workouts with heavy weights. These types of workouts may not burn quite as many calories as your classes, but they will keep your metabolism churning for hours afterwards and really help firm up your body. I recommend Strong Curves or New Rules of Lifting For a Women. Both are excellent programs. You would need to get the book for the program you select. Both books are very informative and contain enough workout plans to keep you going for quite a while. Many people here recommend Strong Lifts and Starting Strength. Both are beginning powerlifting programs that I think are available on line. I personally would get bored quickly because of the very limited number of exercises performed, but this could be a good thing for someone who is just learning to lift!

    As for what is considered heavy, it depends on the individual, and you would have to experiment a little to find out what is heavy for you. Generally, for the first two programs, it would be a weight you can lift for 8-12 repetitions before it gets too heavy. For the powerlifting programs, the rep ranges are lower, I think around 5 or so, before you fail.

    Good luck with your continued weight loss!
  • Beautifulbridgittlee7
    Beautifulbridgittlee7 Posts: 352 Member
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    Hang in there. be patient, maybe change up your workouts? Try something new to add in there sometimes? Might work. Good luck.
  • miriyummy
    miriyummy Posts: 37 Member
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    Try a skill that you can learn and master, like dancing, martial arts, circus skills etc?
  • Fallingsakura
    Fallingsakura Posts: 19 Member
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    Very encouraging to read..
  • Annie_01
    Annie_01 Posts: 3,096 Member
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    My question would have to be...why so low calorie?

    I will be 62 in less than a month.

    My stats:

    SW 246
    CW 167
    GW Somewhere between 155 to 145

    Lifestyle Active
    Loss per week 1lb
    Current calorie level 1640

    For the last 3 months I have averaged losing 5lbs a month. I walk a lot...do some resistance training but my exercise is certainly not as high as the OP.

    Since I have only 10 to 20 lbs left I have shifted my focus from weight loss to fitness. I am okay with the size that I am now. At this point I want to work on a fitness and activity level that will help me keep the weight off. So if my weight loss slows down...I am okay with that.

    On my birthday it will be 1 year since I started this little journey of mine. I hope to be at 165 by then. At that point I will shift to 1/2 lb a week...and start the transition over to maintenance. The weight loss will be slow for those last few pounds...I know that. I just think that at some point my focus needs to be trying to find a way to keep the weight off.

    I am just not so sure how the OP and the others that have said they were in the same boat...have such a low calorie goal.
  • WBB55
    WBB55 Posts: 4,131 Member
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    It's all about adherence now and having fun with your health goals while maintaining your commitment to a slight calorie deficit. I agree with changing your goal to 0.5 lbs per week. You might find (I know I did) a performance improvement with the additional 250 calories per day. HOWEVER, accuracy with counting intake becomes MUCH more important at a 0.5 lbs/per week goal.

    What if I told you it might take a year to reach your goal weight? Would you stop working out? Give up? You went from 235 to running half marathons. BE PROUD!! SO what if it takes another year? What size are you now? What was your original sizes? BE PROUD!!