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Weight loss has stalled and I'm frustrated...

Calliope610
Calliope610 Posts: 3,783 Member
edited March 3 in Fitness and Exercise
Stats:

52yo female, 5'4"
SW - 232 - Feb 2013
CW - 178ish
GW - 165ish, 35% BF by Dec 2014
UGW - 140ish, 25% BF by Dec 2015

I lost most of my weight with cardio and a calorie deficit (sedentary TDEE - less 400-500cal/day + exercise calories), little to no strength training. I am on week 6 of SL5x5 with additional core and leg exercises (leg curls & extensions for a bad knee - 40-50# high reps), and I dropped my cardio from 5-6x/wk (20-25miles/wk) to 3x/wk (10-12miles/wk). I was losing at a rate of 3lbs/mo and I was happy with that b/c I was eating good, was satisfied (and this isn't a race, right?). Oh, I also started C25K - currently W2D3.

And my weight loss has stalled. This month I have been bouncing around from 181 to 176. I know this is to be expected when adding a consistent strength training program to the mix, but I was just wondering how long this stall might last. I know if I just continue to work through it, I will begin to drop weight again; but of course, I would rather this stall be a short one.

And I got a Polar FT4 HRM and have been using that for my cardio calorie burns - they tend to be about 10-15% higher than MFP calorie estimates, so I know that is having some effect on my weight loss.

I just need some reassurance that "this too shall pass". What was your experience when you added strength training? I am willing to wait this stall out, I just don't to have to wait too long. grumble

Replies

  • 4legsRbetterthan2
    4legsRbetterthan2 Posts: 19,588 MFP Moderator
    Do you take measurements too, it might be worth relying on those for a bit and trying to forget the scale for a few weeks. Its frustrating but it sounds like this stall is due to alot of changes in your routine and sometimes it just takes the body a few weeks to work through that.

    I do have a question however: Did you mean you were losing 3 lbs/month or 3lbs/week. It looks like your deficit should be roughly 1lb/week of loss, so if you were getting 3 lbs then I would say your calculations are off.
  • ILiftHeavyAcrylics
    ILiftHeavyAcrylics Posts: 27,732 Member
    For me I tend to retain 2-3 lbs for the first month or so of starting a new lifting routine. Have you been stalled for a month or since you started Stronglifts (6 weeks)?
  • Calliope610
    Calliope610 Posts: 3,783 Member
    Do you take measurements too, it might be worth relying on those for a bit and trying to forget the scale for a few weeks. Its frustrating but it sounds like this stall is due to alot of changes in your routine and sometimes it just takes the body a few weeks to work through that.

    I do have a question however: Did you mean you were losing 3 lbs/month or 3lbs/week. It looks like your deficit should be roughly 1lb/week of loss, so if you were getting 3 lbs then I would say your calculations are off.

    Opps, my bad - 3lbs per month.
  • tomcornhole
    tomcornhole Posts: 1,084 Member
    Okay, first off congratulations. 232 to 178 is amazing, awesome and spectacular. 3 lbs / week is a very, very, super, incredibly fast pace to lose weight and cannot / should not be sustained to you goal weight. Now that you are leaner, I would adjust your target loss to 1.0 to 1.5 lbs / week. That would mean a deficit of 500-750 cal / day. Just my opinion.

    Have you recalculated your TDEE as you have lost weight? According to scooby, your TDEE with no exercise @ 232 lbs was around 2059 cal / day. Now that you are at 178 lbs, your TDEE with no exercise has gone down to 1,775 cal / day. That's nearly a 300 cal / day reduction. Won't fully account for your stall, but it matters.

    As for the change in exercise mix causing a stall, well we could all postulate and never figure it out. If you are patient, you can figure it out on your own. Stick with it for 4-6 weeks and see what the data show. If you are still stalled, then reassess your training. If weight loss is the primary goal, I would eat less as your activity level is very high. If strength / fitness are your goal, keep doing what you are doing and watch your body transform into adonis.

    That's all I have. Congrats on your progress and enjoy the ride.

    Tom
  • Calliope610
    Calliope610 Posts: 3,783 Member
    For me I tend to retain 2-3 lbs for the first month or so of starting a new lifting routine. Have you been stalled for a month or since you started Stronglifts (6 weeks)?

    Actually my all time low weight on MFP is 176.6 achieved on Aug 11 (I weigh daily). Since then I have been all over the map, as high as 182, but not lower than 177ish.
  • abear007
    abear007 Posts: 84 Member
    I just need some reassurance that "this too shall pass". What was your experience when you added strength training?
    My experience has been that I shot up a couple of pounds and it's taking several weeks to come back down. I feel your pain. :ohwell:

    I am willing to wait this stall out, I just don't to have to wait too long. grumble
    You could always add in some intermittent fasting. I've added it to try to get over the hurdle.
  • _HeartsOnFire_
    _HeartsOnFire_ Posts: 5,304 Member
    Have you taken body measurements and progress photos? I know when I started I was up and down the same 3-4 lbs for 2 months or so...but my measurements were all down and clothes fit better. With strength training I think you have to stop using the scale and start using the measuring tape. The scale will drive you nuts.

    ETA: We are all pretty much taught that the only way to make progress with weight loss is that darn scale number. It is NOT the only way progress is made with it. Trade your scale for measurements for awhile. Try to stop focusing on the scale number. You're doing great!
  • 4legsRbetterthan2
    4legsRbetterthan2 Posts: 19,588 MFP Moderator
    For me I tend to retain 2-3 lbs for the first month or so of starting a new lifting routine. Have you been stalled for a month or since you started Stronglifts (6 weeks)?

    Actually my all time low weight on MFP is 176.6 achieved on Aug 11 (I weigh daily). Since then I have been all over the map, as high as 182, but not lower than 177ish.

    I think larger swings in weight are typical for lifters, water retention is part of the muscle repair process. Since lifting is basically a process of breakig down your muscles and rebuilding them again water retention and loss goes along with that. So does emptying and refilling glycogen stores.

    Since its only been about 3 weeks I think you are still in an adjustment period and should wait it out. If by the end of sept you still are not moving foreward then it would be worth re-adjusting your calories. Weight lifting burns can be hard to estimate so that can be a challenge as well. I hesitate to advise you to cut calories at this point though since you are taxing your body, don't want to see you get to large of a deficit and crash/ burn out.
  • ILiftHeavyAcrylics
    ILiftHeavyAcrylics Posts: 27,732 Member
    For me I tend to retain 2-3 lbs for the first month or so of starting a new lifting routine. Have you been stalled for a month or since you started Stronglifts (6 weeks)?

    Actually my all time low weight on MFP is 176.6 achieved on Aug 11 (I weigh daily). Since then I have been all over the map, as high as 182, but not lower than 177ish.

    I'd give it a couple more weeks then. This is a little more minor because it was just a deload and not beginning from scratch, but after my deload week I'm usually sitting around 124. I'll go straight from there to 128 and then gradually come back down over the course of the month. I know it's frustrating when you're still trying to get a clear picture of weight loss, but I think you're likely just dealing with water retention at this point.

    That said if a couple more weeks go by and nothing's changed you could try lowering your calories a bit, or not eating back as many exercise calories. I'm always hesitant to do that though, just because personally I need the carbs for effective workouts. If nothing's happened by the 22nd (which would be the 6 week mark) then I'd try changing something.
  • SingingSingleTracker
    SingingSingleTracker Posts: 1,866 Member
    "Were you previously losing weight, but then it just stopped? If so, you’ve hit the dreaded weight loss plateau and that can only mean one thing: you’re still eating too many calories. Let me explain…"

    Read his most excellent blog post as it will answer why you have stopped losing weight.

    http://www.acaloriecounter.com/blog/why-am-i-not-losing-weight/
  • Calliope610
    Calliope610 Posts: 3,783 Member
    I think I will continue to weigh daily (I'm anal like that lol), but not worry about the weight. I wanted to look great when I see my family at Christmas, weighing a respectable 165lbs, but I know that 4 months of good lifting will definitely show. I will continue to take measurements and know that progress is being made regardless of the scale. I'm definitely seeing more definition in my legs and starting to see improvement in my biceps (batwings are a completely different story).

    Progress just requires hard work, patience and time. I have plenty of that.
  • ILiftHeavyAcrylics
    ILiftHeavyAcrylics Posts: 27,732 Member
    I think I will continue to weigh daily (I'm anal like that lol), but not worry about the weight. I wanted to look great when I see my family at Christmas, weighing a respectable 165lbs, but I know that 4 months of good lifting will definitely show. I will continue to take measurements and know that progress is being made regardless of the scale. I'm definitely seeing more definition in my legs and starting to see improvement in my biceps (batwings are a completely different story).

    Progress just requires hard work, patience and time. I have plenty of that.

    Great outlook. 4 months will make a big difference. And I'm a daily weigher too so I get that. :laugh:
This discussion has been closed.

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