The slow down - what have you found?

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Jmgkamp
Jmgkamp Posts: 278 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Firstly, I am NOT complaining... I've been following MFP since March and have lost approx 59 pounds. From 220 to 161ish. I weigh myself every day, have since the start, and I'm happy to do it - doesn't make me nuts.

In the beginning the weight flew off. I was losing 2-4 pounds each week. I was obese and sedentary, so restricting calories to 1200 and adding exercise had a huge impact.

Now I'm much lighter. I'm 42 yo and 5'2". 1200 is the lowest I'll go because anything less is not sustainable. I accept this. What I'm finding now is it is a battle to lose the pounds. I find that I'm losing about 3-4 pounds each month, but in the strangest way. I bounce up and down 2 pounds almost daily, and yet I can see that over a month I've lost 3.7 pounds. But I still have 35 pounds to go.

Am I on the right track? Am I really looking at another 8-9 months????!!!
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Replies

  • atypicalsmith
    atypicalsmith Posts: 2,742 Member
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    Have patience; it will come. Give up; it will not.
  • Jmgkamp
    Jmgkamp Posts: 278 Member
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    Ah yes... I will be patient. What choice have I got really? I just am so close to finally being overweight rather than obese. If I can get to 159 I'll be at that magic place. But my scale seems to love between 160.4 and 162. Damn scale!
  • BWBTrish
    BWBTrish Posts: 2,817 Member
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    i have the same

    i am 157.8 atm
    But it slowed down a lot.

    1. because i want to keep as much musle mass as possile so i upped my calories
    2. because i have less to lose :)

    Eating around the 1450 atm and still losing weight...and it is fine by me that it goes slower :)
  • Jmgkamp
    Jmgkamp Posts: 278 Member
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    So I'm normal. Well that's good :). I just want the scale to say 15_ anything so I can finally be OVERWEIGHT!!! Maybe tomorrow... or the next day... or the day after...
  • BWBTrish
    BWBTrish Posts: 2,817 Member
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    yes just relax about it :) makes it all a lot easier.
  • lorrpb
    lorrpb Posts: 11,464 Member
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    My weight bounces daily in a 2-4 pd range so I just track each new low.
  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
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    Sounds like my pathway

    I hope you've slowed down your goal weight loss to get more calories ...a lb a week is great so is 0.5 a week
  • Kalikel
    Kalikel Posts: 9,626 Member
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    Yes, bouncing around is normal.

    Have patience. It takes a long time. Progress is progress! Hang in there and it will come off! :)
  • victoria_1024
    victoria_1024 Posts: 915 Member
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    We have similar journeys! I started at 212 and now I'm 152 and I'm also 5'2. Started mfp in February. :smile: I wouldn't say my weight loss has slowed down, but like you I used to lose really consistently. Now I won't lose much for a couple weeks and then suddenly 3 pounds drop off. I don't know about you, but I've also been way more relaxed with my logging because of vacations and pot lucks and things like that over the summer. I am fine with my weight loss slowing at this point.
  • harlequin0318
    harlequin0318 Posts: 415 Member
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    rabbitjb wrote: »
    Sounds like my pathway

    I hope you've slowed down your goal weight loss to get more calories ...a lb a week is great so is 0.5 a week

    This ^ when you lose a significant amount of weight - you should be adjusting your calories/weight loss per week
  • pineapple_peach10
    pineapple_peach10 Posts: 239 Member
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    I'm 5'10, HW 234.2 and CW 151.5. since getting into the 150's, my weight loss has been extremely slow. Guess we just need to keep at it and we will get there :)
  • lx3tx
    lx3tx Posts: 34 Member
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    The same exact thing is happening to me! I started at 220 and now I'm at about 163. I feel like I'm looking at another year of weight loss. :( Some days I'm perfectly fine with that and other days I feel frustrated.
  • canary_girl
    canary_girl Posts: 366 Member
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    Me, too. I started around 200, got to 160's and stayed there for a while. To the point I thought that I would just stay there. Then I started dropping again and am currently in the 140's, and I feel like I've been here for months. My eventual goal is somewhere around 130. Just trying to keep at it the best I can.
  • T1DCarnivoreRunner
    T1DCarnivoreRunner Posts: 11,502 Member
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    I've been a bit slower at losing weight for various reasons, but fluctuate 2-3 lbs. from hour to hour and day to day just like everybody. Unfortunately, I don't normally see a weight change after a month except just hovering around the same weight amount. I'll go months before seeing a loss, and it is several lbs. in a few days when I do. (i.e. a "whoosh")

    For the first 8 months, I lost like what the rest of you did. Then I started experiencing plateaus and whooshes. Plateaus last 4-6 months typicaly, and it is very difficult to stay motivated waiting for a whoosh. It is really great when it happens, though.

    Just thought I would add a different experience to show that there really is more than one path.
  • SingRunTing
    SingRunTing Posts: 2,604 Member
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    You're losing at a pound per week (3.7 pounds in a month). Sounds like a reasonable rate of loss for your size.
  • sars388
    sars388 Posts: 29 Member
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    I too am going through this. Just got to keep on going. Good job on the weight loss. Keep it up you will reach your goal..
  • brightsideofpink
    brightsideofpink Posts: 1,018 Member
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    It does take some adjusting when you're used to seeing big scale drops, but I'd encourage you to change your perspective a bit. You've come far enough that you can spend less time looking at the scale and more time at the mirror. Rather than focus on the frustrations of slower loss, think of the benefits. Slower loss, especially coupled with some strength training, will help you to get not just the number you want, but the body you want. You'll likely keep more muscle with slower loss. Congrats on how far you've come already!
  • paulvmax
    paulvmax Posts: 19 Member
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    Start weight training strength training will not only burn calories it will tone muscles it also speeds up your metabolism. You may gain a little weight but loose body fat it will make your measurements smaller, IE; waist ect.

    I suggest you stick with compound lifts if you would like any more advise please message me. Some times the scales are not the best measurement to go by, use body measurements because as you loose body fat via exercising, but your muscle mass will increase thus making you add llbs showing you a fake plateau.

    DONT GIVE UP POWER ON THROUGH.
  • Kelleygirl79
    Kelleygirl79 Posts: 71 Member
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    Me, too! I'm 5'6", started around 200 (in May) and have consistently lost 2 lbs/wk until now. Currently I'm bouncing around the 171. I'm going to try to be patient because right here REALLY is ok.

    Since maintenance is going to look alot like what my current feed-me status is, I'm trying to stay coolio :p And 99.9% of the massive quantity of clothes in my closet fit perfect right now! I want to lose another 20 lbs. to GW.

    I'm glad to know there are others in the same place...!
  • atypicalsmith
    atypicalsmith Posts: 2,742 Member
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    Also, the less you weigh, the less calories you burn just because you aren't carrying that extra weight. The number of calories I burn walking a mile keep shrinking!!!!

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