I've hit a wall and not sure hot to get over it

steelers_guy
steelers_guy Posts: 6
in Health and Weight Loss
Hey Guys, I've been trying many things recently and nothing is really working. I'm not sure how to kick things up a notch. I'm a 58 year old male and that might have something to do with it. I've been probably 50 pounds overweight for over 10 years now. A couple months back my employer started a weight loss contest and I thought what a great excuse to get healthy. So I signed up. I started out great, weighing in at 230 lbs my goal was to get down to 180. Well I lost 30 lbs in that first month, but in the second month things slowed down quit a bit, maybe losing 8 pounds. With one month to go I can't seem to drop anything at all even though my calorie count is very low and I'm exercising quite a bit. I typically swim for an hour 5 to 6 days a week, and do a very brisk walk (4.0) on a treadmill at least 5 days a week, along with some weight training and occasional yoga. I have a little over 3 weeks left in the contest, any suggestions on how to shake things up a bit? I've made some life changes over the last few months, and know I will not put this weight back on after this is over. I am really enjoying swimming and I feel so much better that I will not go back to the guy I have been the last 10 years. It's like getting a new lease on life and at my age and with my families history (father and brother both died at 53) I'm going to make the most of what time I have left.

Thanks for any advice or direction anyone might have!

P.S. - My food diary is public, in case anyone wants to take a look at that

Replies

  • OllyJ_79
    OllyJ_79 Posts: 126 Member
    8 Pounds in a month is 2lb's a week, and that is probably the most you would want to try and loose. Anything more could be considered to rapid to maintain health correctly. I think you should feel proud of the progress so far.
  • DeguelloTex
    DeguelloTex Posts: 6,652 Member
    You're netting under 1000 calories a day. Much less on some days. If your logging is accurate, it's hard to imagine any non-medical reason you aren't losing weight.

    No, it isn't because of starvation mode.
  • cantobean
    cantobean Posts: 287 Member
    Whoa! 30 pounds in one month is a lot. 8 pounds a month is still a lot, but a whole lot more realistic.


    Honestly, this is why I don't like those short-term contests. To be healthy in the long term, it is much more sustainable to take the "slow and steady" route.

    There are certainly tips for how to lose an extra couple of pounds really fast, but I don't necessarily think they're healthy.

    If it's really important to you, you could go low or no carb for these last few weeks. I know people who have had real results this way. The problem is, when they start adding carbs back to their diet, they gain weight back. : /

    I would say to keep doing what you're doing. Maybe challenge yourself to swim a little faster, or add weight to your strength training, or just change up your diet a bit (sometimes eating MORE calories, especially when your workouts are more intense, can give your body an extra boost to drop weight). Don't expect another 30, or even another 8, to drop this month.
  • WalkingAlong
    WalkingAlong Posts: 4,926 Member
    How long since you've lost anything? 38 lbs. in two months is HUGE and you might just have to wait out the plateau. You only have 12 more lbs. to lose? It could take a while.
  • OllyJ_79
    OllyJ_79 Posts: 126 Member
    The best thing to do is to calculate your TDEE with the below:

    http://calorieline.com/tools/tdee

    And then subtract 10-15% and eat a balanced diet. There is no need to cut out any macro group to loose weight. Its really is only a calorie deficit that leads to weight loss.

    The bigger item is teaching yourself how to eat the right portion size, so as you are better able to keep off the weight you loose. People who cut specific food groups out tend to put the weight back on once they begin eating them again, because they are no longer at a deficit from a calorie perspective.
  • steelers_guy
    steelers_guy Posts: 6
    Thanks so much for the replies!

    @OllyJ_79 Hi, I do feel proud, I guess that competitor in me is just trying to push my self as hard as I can to see what I can do with this 3 month period. I feel so much better, I'm not sure why it took me so long to get back on track.

    @DeguelloTex You know I've been wondering if I'm putting myself in starvation mode because of my low calorie count. I'm glad that you think that is not the case. Yes, my tracking is dead on, 100%...I track everything I put in my mouth.

    @cowansar Hey cowansar!, i tried a low carb diet for 10 days (maybe I gave up to quick) but at the end of that trial period i had gained 1 lb. So i went back to what I was doing before, just low calories and exercise. I even tried the cheat day thing a couple weeks ago (I've only cheated once in the last 2 months, and it was barely a cheat) but it took me 5 days to get back to the number i had before the cheat. I was hoping to do 20 in this last month, I'm figuring that's not going to happen, I will just push for what ever I can get at this point. I'm headed to the pool right now, i will swim faster and harder! Thanks for the advice!

    Thanks all!
  • steelers_guy
    steelers_guy Posts: 6
    @WalkingAlong it's been a couple weeks, with maybe dropping a pound.

    With my new mindset, I know I can stay on track and get down to where I need to be. I just have this kamikaze attitude right now in trying to go as low as I can to prove a point to my friends as well as my wife and myself. Thanks again for the help! Off to the pool!
  • dandelyon
    dandelyon Posts: 620 Member
    It's always easy at first.

    I've had contests with my husband and he loses 10lbs the first week, 5 lbs the next...and then loses momentum. I lose a lb a week and end up kicking his butt by the end, because slow and steady is the only way to stick to losing (for most of us).

    1 or 2 lbs a week is fantastic progress and you can probably still win if you go at that rate from here on out.
  • Ninkyou
    Ninkyou Posts: 6,666 Member
    It's hard to tell from looking at your diary, but are you weighing your food? If not, I recommend that you invest in a food scale and weigh all your at-home foods (not things like fast-food).

    Also, your calorie goal is really low. I think I saw a day that was only 787 calories. As a male, in general, you should be eating waaaay more than that. Probably closer to 1800 calories. On top of that, you're exercising. Which means you're not leaving your body with much to go on. You need to fuel your body properly. No, you're not in the so-called starvation mode. But you are restricting your calories/energy too much. Try eating more and giving your body what it needs and wants.

    And lastly, 38 lbs in 2 months is ALOT. Be happy with what you have lost and consider anything extra a bonus. Being too aggressive and/or competitive could back-fire on you.
  • WalkingAlong
    WalkingAlong Posts: 4,926 Member
    When you get close to the end of the contest you'll want to back off on the exercise or at least on any that is strenuous enough to cause muscle soreness or strain. That will help reduce some water weight. I don't read diaries but if anything in your workout routine is new and/or intense, that might also be partly behind a plateau. Though I think it's pretty normal to have some slow loss weeks after so much success, too.

    At the rate you've lost, it wouldn't surprise me if you win the contest even if you don't lose any more.
  • Serah87
    Serah87 Posts: 5,481 Member
    Read OP: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants
  • piezanno
    piezanno Posts: 4 Member
    I think the best thing to do is wait it out, and keep active. I believe when you lose a lot of weight your metabolism has to adjust to the new levels. And dont' forget as you lose weight the calories gained by exercising also drop, so you may have to increase the time of your workouts.

    Take Care
    Karl
  • steelers_guy
    steelers_guy Posts: 6
    Thank you everyone for the support and great advice!

    @Ninkyou yes, i have my wife involved with this mission and she prepares all of my meals. She has a scale and weighs everything and I'm always asking her, "are you sure this is only 4 oz?" I think I drive her a little batty with how strict I have been. She even counts out the pecans and pistachios for me to make sure they don't go over 1/4 cup. :smile: I know I have had several days that my calorie count is super low, and it's mostly me testing myself to see how much I can get by on and how strong a workout I can still have. Like yesterday was kind of frustrating for me, I got up at 6am, had 1 tbls of kirkland natural peanut butter and a whey protein shake. At 7am i went to the pool and did 60 X 25yd laps in a little less than an hour. Went to work with a packed lunch from the wife, 4oz boneless skinless chicken breast, 1/8 cup Quinoa, 2oz steamed broccoli. 2 hours later had a protein bar snack (20g protein, 2g sugar), at 5pm had a protein shake and than when I got home at 7pm i jumped on the treadmill for 45 minutes at 4.0 and 2 incline and than lifted weights for about 20 minutes. Had 4 x 8oz of water after that and that was it for the day. Thought for sure when I got up today i would see something lower on the scale. I lost .04 lbs...it's frustrating, but not discouraging....i just got back from my best swim yet. (i just got starting swimming 3 weeks ago, hadn't been in the water for over 35 years.)

    I'll keep at it, see what tomorrow brings! Thanks everyone for your help!
  • WalkingAlong
    WalkingAlong Posts: 4,926 Member
    Don't expect your eating on Monday to result in weight loss on Tuesday. I think our bodies work more on long term averages than a 24 hour clock like MFP.

    So the swimming is new and so is the plateau? Your muscles might be retaining water as they get used to the new demands.

    Good luck!
  • steelers_guy
    steelers_guy Posts: 6
    yes, the plateau has been the last couple weeks. A friend of mine at work is a swimmer and got me excited about it. I grew up in Hawaii and spent a lot of time surfing and body surfing as a kid. It has been over 35 years since I've been in the water though, and swimming laps is something I've never done, but I am enjoying it tremendously. I've come along way in the last 3 weeks in the pool, day one i did 8 laps in 30 minutes and was completely exhausted. Today I did 66 laps in an hour and felt pretty good. I look forward to making it a part of my lifestyle going forward.

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