Stubborn fat, weight loss stalled, I've tried everything. Anyone got any more advice?

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  • KorvapuustiPossu
    KorvapuustiPossu Posts: 434 Member
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    rachmac1970 wrote: »
    If you've plataued and know u aren't cheating or overeating it could be yr metabolism has down regulated. Low resting pulse and temperature will confirm this.

    Nope... for instance people doing pro level sport tend to have lower pulse... and their metabolism is fine. OP does not weigh her food...hence the problem.
  • RoxieDawn
    RoxieDawn Posts: 15,488 Member
    edited April 2016
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    Use this calcululator as well to double check MFP with this one. It will or should be very close to MFP http://scoobysworkshop.com/accurate-calorie-calculator/ (this will give you an estimated TDEE based on activity level you give it)

    If you are not weighing and measuring food at this point it will be a good a idea to start. I do predict the logging is keeping you at maintenance calories as no change in no weight loss for a long time. Use accurate entries and you have to, enter your own entries using the food labels you have (they do not have to be public in the MFP database)

    The exercise is NOT necessary for weight loss, so you need to adhere to a proper deficit, so reassessing that at this point and starting a new goal is needed here.
  • laurenm0304
    laurenm0304 Posts: 10 Member
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    It's really important to weigh things even if you think they're just a 'large banana' or 'large potato' because that can really vary. Your idea of a large banana and mine could be 50% different which obviously equals 50% more calories for the larger one. You need to be really accurate with your weighing - it'll give you a better idea exactly how many calories you've eaten but I would definitely think you must be eating your maintenance calories at the moment and not realising.
  • shambamm1994
    shambamm1994 Posts: 9 Member
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    You're all super stars! Now I'm past the point of it kinda falling off I can't expect it to stay the same. I'll Deffo try weighing out food, it's a lot harder I have breakfast at work and lunch so don't have scales nor the energy after work to meal prep (plus I'm living at home saving for a house so bit awks with parents). I know I can start weight breakfast and lunch so I'll do that and work up to dinner which is the hardest. Snacks I weight out anyway and put in my lunch box so that's sorted. Ahhh I'm excited to try this all ☺ thank you for all the suggestions, I hope this'll be the start of things picking up again
  • nicole_j
    nicole_j Posts: 13 Member
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    How much protein are you eating? I would recommend eating 40% carbs, 40% protein and 20% fat each day to start. You should be eating lean protein with every meal. If your belly is your trouble area then your diet is likely to blame. Are you eating processed foods? You only really talk about calories but not all calories are created equal. Macronutrients is what you should be tracking, not calories.
  • janejellyroll
    janejellyroll Posts: 25,763 Member
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    nicole_j wrote: »
    How much protein are you eating? I would recommend eating 40% carbs, 40% protein and 20% fat each day to start. You should be eating lean protein with every meal. If your belly is your trouble area then your diet is likely to blame. Are you eating processed foods? You only really talk about calories but not all calories are created equal. Macronutrients is what you should be tracking, not calories.

    Calories, as a way to measure energy, are inherently created equally. We obviously have macronutrient needs that must be met, but if OP isn't losing weight this is still going to be due to not reaching a calorie deficit.
  • KorvapuustiPossu
    KorvapuustiPossu Posts: 434 Member
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    shambamm1994 wrote: »
    You're all super stars! Now I'm past the point of it kinda falling off I can't expect it to stay the same. I'll Deffo try weighing out food, it's a lot harder I have breakfast at work and lunch so don't have scales nor the energy after work to meal prep (plus I'm living at home saving for a house so bit awks with parents). I know I can start weight breakfast and lunch so I'll do that and work up to dinner which is the hardest. Snacks I weight out anyway and put in my lunch box so that's sorted. Ahhh I'm excited to try this all ☺ thank you for all the suggestions, I hope this'll be the start of things picking up again

    That's a good attitude to have! I wish you all the best.

    *Also if you are not comfortable weighing stuff in front of parents when you get a chance weigh some of the stuff you usually eat..like a 'big potato' or a 'big banana'...that will help when you have to estimate. But that being said, weighing food is nothing to be embarrassed about. You are improving your life and your health! People that love you will understand and support you I'm sure.
  • 88meli88
    88meli88 Posts: 238 Member
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    Weight correctly, especially the big ticket items like pasta. Then, you may want to change things up to jump start your next round of weight loss including types of food and type of exercise. Good luck!
  • LivingtheLeanDream
    LivingtheLeanDream Posts: 13,342 Member
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    I have nothing to add as it looks like you can see what to do now as good advice already has been given ref measuring and weighing your food :smiley: ...just wishing you all the best for your remaining pounds to lose :smile:
  • cerise_noir
    cerise_noir Posts: 5,468 Member
    edited April 2016
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    shambamm1994 wrote: »
    yirara wrote: »
    Are you using a food scale and really weighing everything you eat, including the individual cooking components of your food? Your plateau isn't very long yet thus I would not worry too much about it, but if you're not weighing your food then you only estimate your calorie intake and might be eating more. Most portion sizes printed on packages are wrong; usually a product weighs a bit more and hence you consume more calories. And what about a banana: is it a big, medium or small size? You don't know what the person who entered this information into the data base had in mind. What I'm getting at: you've lost some weight which is great. but the calories your body needs to stay at a given weight goes down once you lose weight. Thus it is possible that if you don't weigh your food and overestimate like most people you might have come closer to your maintenance calories.

    I always over estimate my food calorie amounts and scan all my food items. Yeah, say if I was making a meal from scratch, then I'd weight in all the different amounts and even add stuff like salt and pepper etc.

    I personally feel a 5 month plateau is quite long :'( I thought it was perfectly normal to stall for a couple of months, but not 5? :(
    You need to weigh all the foods that you consume in grams on a digital food scale, and measure all liquids. Scanning is not always accurate since it just brings up user generated entries that can be quite inaccurate.

    Weigh and accurately log every morsel you eat (even tastes/bites/licks), and reassess your weight loss after a month. Weight all fruits and vegetables. Weigh pasta, grains and rice raw. Weigh meat raw. Weigh mayonnaise and peanut/nut butters. Also, weigh pre-weighed foods such as eggs, pre-packaged items, bread slices, as the weights listed on the packages are just estimates.
  • clbrto
    clbrto Posts: 5 Member
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    Here's some ideas to consider trying:
    A low carb diet (you mention wanting to eat less pasta, instead of porridge and banana, have eggs and strawberries for breakfast) https://authoritynutrition.com/low-carbohydrate-diets/
    Or skip breakfast altogether http://jamesclear.com/the-beginners-guide-to-intermittent-fasting
    Some folks prefer the 5-2 IF protocol to the 16-8 protocol https://thefastdiet.co.uk/

    I make my own diet jello with gelatin, stevia powder, and koolaid powder for a cheap, filling, low calorie snack. Some folks consider gelatin a weight loss tool http://holdthetoast.com/content/gelatin-blowing-my-mind
    I love using stevia instead of sugar, this 100% pure powder is my favorite brand http://www4.netrition.com/steviva_stevia_extract_powder.html?gclid=CjwKEAjwlfO3BRDR4Pj_u-iO2U0SJAD88y1Srs8qn1WCZqUVX22q7LHSTHJw5k_azIg0laLSw_KkxBoCCSzw_wcB
    I make pudding with nonfat milk (can also use almond or other milks), gelatin, stevia, and lots of cocoa powder.

    To reap the benefits of apple cider vinegar for weight loss (if any), I keep a big bowl of pickled vegetables in my fridge at all times (with lots of spicy jalapenos in there, another possible tool for weight loss).

    Haven't used any supplements, but just ordered some of this fiber stuff, it's suppose to fill your stomach and can also be used as a low-carb culinary thickener https://authoritynutrition.com/glucomannan/. I like baking coconut flour breads with cauliflower and zucchini, they're quite satisfying, and low calorie. Applesauce brownies too. I do use "diet teas", this one and others, but I buy them at my local health food store. http://www.luckyvitamin.com/p-25817-triple-leaf-tea-super-slimming-tea-20-tea-bags?utm_source=googlebase&utm_medium=fpl&utm_term=TripleLeafTeaSuperSlimmingTea20TeaBags&utm_content=68499&utm_campaign=googlebase&site=google_base&scid=scplp2972817&gclid=Cj0KEQjw3Le4BRDxx5bk4aDn9t4BEiQAfmxQGeCQLu9oA5PX0QEaHqnsItQNPa2Gr9Q6Si5Mfe0TKewaAuO68P8HAQ I have a huge assortment of good coffee and herbal and green teas on hand to choose from. I'm all about ANY non-caloric treats!

    I'm 56, and have gone from 359 pounds in August 2014 to 226 today using these tools. I too hit a 5 month plateau (was 233 in November 2015). I joined MFP to help break the plateau, have been seriously monitoring carbs and calories since. I have severe arthritis, so swim regularly for exercise. Here's one last (very controversial) tip: vaping for weight loss. I'm a life long non-smoker, and just took up vaping, but lost 7.4 pounds last week (HELLO nicotine) (yeah yeah, I know, but it HAS been used pharmacologically http://discovermagazine.com/2014/march/13-nicotine-fix).

    Here's an excerpt from a vaping discussion on this site:
    So, why vape if you're not a smoker? I do because I find it a relaxing and quite enjoyable alternative to snacking. I now work from home and the temptation to snack is great. When I take a break, instead of eating something I know I shouldn't, I have a nice cup of tea and vape a bit. I prefer fruity flavors (watermelon, blueberry, strawberry, caramel apple and many more) but also butterscotch, cinnamon roll, tea/lemonade mix, and most anything else you can think of. I have lots on my wish list and will probably try the mimosa and Irish coffee for the holidays. http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/comment/30093241#Comment_30093241

    With the vaping thing, you can get the liquid that makes the steam with OR without nicotine.
    Good luck, sorry for any tmi
  • CindyA2268
    CindyA2268 Posts: 19 Member
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    AJ_G wrote: »
    Surprised it hasn't been posted yet, but here you go. The chart doesn't lie, be honest with yourself and find out what you're doing wrong:

    Where our how can I get a copy of this thing to print off?
  • aeloine
    aeloine Posts: 2,163 Member
    edited December 2017
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    @CindyA2268 this post is from a year ago. Is there something that you were curious about? You could start your own discussion and let all of us chip in! :smiley:
  • CindyA2268
    CindyA2268 Posts: 19 Member
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    Aeloine, I was just trying to see where to find that chat as a way to stay motivated when things stall on like they currently have :(
  • Jackibrazil
    Jackibrazil Posts: 124 Member
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    AJ_G wrote: »
    Surprised it hasn't been posted yet, but here you go. The chart doesn't lie, be honest with yourself and find out what you're doing wrong:

    297ed6d1829fbe5bf22e8d97be46a847.jpg

    I read the part about heart rate monitoring. If my heart rate is very elevated does that mean I'm burning potentially more calories than estimated because it's estimated for a rate of like 150 when mine is 169? Maybe a dumb question but my heart rate is always higher than it's supposedly supposed to be when I excercise yet when I've gotten my blood pressure checked it's optimal...
  • Jackibrazil
    Jackibrazil Posts: 124 Member
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    BTW I was at a stand still with my weight loss for a while before I was diagnosed with Celiac. When I cut out gluten I lost like 10 pounds but then I found the GF subs for everything and gained some back. It could be an intolerance causing bloating and water weight more than actual fat. That was me. I had a ton of excess water weight and was bloated all the time because of inflammation from eating things my body couldn't process.
  • CindyA2268
    CindyA2268 Posts: 19 Member
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    Jackibrazil, have been tested (stomach biopsy) and no celiac but do suspect I may have an intolerance to gluten. Currently cutting bead and don't use a lot of pasta but will be doing more research into the subject as I plan to go ultra low gluten to totally gluten free to see what that does. Have lost in the past cutting bread so we'll see. Also an going to focus on ways to increase protein while lowering total body inflammation. #NewYearNewMe

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