Diet break?

daas325 · May 2016

I've been counting calories for the last 12 weeks, and lost around 10 pounds in the 1st 8 weeks. I haven't lost anything since, just maintained, even though I've increased work outs. I'm thinking taking a few weeks off from dieting might help jumpstart again? I really want to lose another 5 pounds. I can't decrease calories further as I'm fairly active. Does anyone have experience with 1 or 2 weeks being enough of a break?

MissusMoon · May 2016

If you only have five more pounds to lose, your weight loss will slow down. It's also completely normal to have weeks where you maintain due to body recomp, water et cetera. Personally I'd stay the course.

110032339 · May 2016

I had the same problem - 4 weeks no weight loss so I had a 3 day weekend where I ate everything that I wanted - takeout pizza, chocolate for breakfast, Sunday roast, bacon cheese burger and cheesecake. Then I got back on it again and now 4 days later I've lost 2 lbs.

I'm a believer that sometimes your body just needs what it wants! Especially when you're so close to goal and it's been a few months. I was 4lbs to go at this point and now I'm only 2lbs to go!!

Have the weekend off and see if the same works for you?

TavistockToad · May 2016

If you've increased workouts then you'll probably be retaining water. Just be patient and keep at it, drink plenty of water

emily90291 · May 2016

I'm kind of in the same boat. I only want 5-6 more lbs but I plan to just treat myself this weekend after working hard this week. I feel guilty but like you said maybe once the new week comes it'll act as a jump start.

daas325 · May 2016

Thanks everyone, it is mentally tough to take a break when you just want to be done! I am going to try a weekend or maybe even a full week eating around maintenance to see if that helps. It makes sense when the diet isn't even working. How did you find your maintenance level, or were these just days of completely not counting calories at all?

hekla90 · May 2016

daas325 wrote: »

Thanks everyone, it is mentally tough to take a break when you just want to be done! I am going to try a weekend or maybe even a full week eating around maintenance to see if that helps. It makes sense when the diet isn't even working. How did you find your maintenance level, or were these just days of completely not counting calories at all?

If you aren't losing weight currently but if you aren't gaining, you've found your maintenance calories. As you lose weight, you'll have to eat less to keep up the same rate of loss. So if you are eating what you previously were losing on it might be too much to lose at your current weight.

maxit · May 2016

I have found taking a break from calorie restriction, and finding out what maintenance is, is restorative. You can choose whether to resume a restriction or stay where you are for a while. If you do that, it's helpful to think of maintaining in a "range," and also to keep CICO data. I found last summer that my activity level increased enough quite naturally to allow "maintenance" to happen without much fretting over calorie levels. Once the winter weather hit, I learned that I needed to be more vigilant.

arditarose · May 2016

You know I get a little mad when people say just because you aren't gaining or losing you've automatically found maintenance calories. I used to believe that but I have been in situations where I KNOW I wasn't eating at maintenance. I've been at this a long time. I know when I'm in a deficit. Sometimes that deficit just becomes too small to see on a weekly or even bi-weekly basis, sometimes something is going wonky with your hormones and you won't see a loss for a month even though you're on a deficit. Not seeing a loss causes extra stress, higher cortisol levels, and then even more time without movement on the scale. Now I didn't see this until I got to lower levels of body fat.

Anyway, diet breaks are refreshing for mind and body. They're also great practice for understanding how to maintain weight AND I find that they get your logging back on better track because you tend to be more careful, since you know going over may cause you to gain weight.

daas325 · May 2016

Thank you, it is stressful to obsess over not losing anything for weeks. I really didn't think I was eating at a true maintenance level just because I have still been very hungry some days! If this was how I would feel from now on this would be unsustainable for sure. I have no issue with extreme hunger when I maintain my weight normally- and I am a small girl so was never overeating or overweight in any way. The amount I am losing is really just for vanity(upcoming beach trip!) I am going to try around 200-400 calorie increase this next week and see what happens

DanaDark · May 2016

I should add: Don't think of a weekend or week at maintenance as a 'delay' or 'setback'. Look at it as training for when you're at your goal weight. Once there, you'll need to figure out how to eat at maintenance, else you might mess up and gain weight or have problems etc.

WARNING: Extra food means extra water retention. Do not freak out if you suddenly gain a couple pounds. It is water.

lemonychild · May 2016

u should eat at maintenance for a while then regroup

afatpersonwholikesfood · May 2016

Two weeks without the scale moving (and has it really not moved at all? Not even half a pound down?) doesn't necessarily mean anything. Give it more time.

Christine_72 · May 2016

I'm 'kind of' doing this now. I'm eating at my goal weight maintenance calories, which is only 5lbs away. Except I set the activity level to sedentary, where as i'm lightly active. It gives me an extra 250 calories a day, plus my fitbit exercise calories which I try not to eat all back.

I'm also just trying to lose the last few vanity lbs, so if I lose, I lose, if i don't, I don't. I'm also tracking on Trendweight, so that'll tell me how I'm doing, but need to do it longer to see a clear picture. Thus far I've lost 0.5lbs, I'll reassess again in 3 or so weeks.

daas325 · May 2016

Great idea! I will just chill and let it happen if it happens! It really hasn't moved down consistently for 4 weeks, I have just fluctuated very slightly up and down around the same weight.

Machka9 · May 2016

My response to diet breaks is here:

http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10386228/how-to-take-a-maintenance-break#latest

daas325 · May 2016

Just wanted to give a little update! It was tough but I gave the dieting a break for the last two weeks. I was on vacation for the past week and my calories were up on average 4-500 each day then my usual. I didn't really want to get on the scale this morning, but I'm actually down slightly from my previous lowest weight. I feel pretty great again, not starving, and had no problem getting back to my healthy deficit today. Hope this helps anyone trying to decide if this will work for them!

Diet break?

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