Complicated weight loss slowing to a stop

chrissywelsh10
chrissywelsh10 Posts: 66 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I've been loosing weight - approx 5kg so far over 6 weeks. 10 -15kg to go ( depending on my bmi)

This is now my problem - 2 weeks with little to no loss.

I eat 1200 calories from MVP. I weigh & I track.

I have an under active thyroid, I take medication for it. So should not be an issue.

I recently took up cycling - bought a race bike. It burns a lot of calories or it says it does. I eat back approx half of those.

Advice needed to get me through this.

Eat more?
Eat less?
Change my foods?
Low Carb?
Stop exercising for a week?

I read so much conflicting information. What has helped you get through this?

Thank you

Replies

  • capaul42
    capaul42 Posts: 1,390 Member
    Just hang in there. We've all had the small stall from new exercise. Just keep up what you're doing.
  • ogtmama
    ogtmama Posts: 1,403 Member
    I think you're doing awesome (especially for someone with a thyroid issue)! Weight loss is not linear so,I would recommend keep going. I know that there are some weeks where I don't lose anything and then a whole bunch comes off the next. It gets difficult but as Dory said in Finding Nemo...just keep swimming!
  • Machka9
    Machka9 Posts: 25,477 Member
    chrissywelsh10 wrote: »
    I recently took up cycling - bought a race bike. It burns a lot of calories or it says it does. I eat back approx half of those.

    Just a comment on this. The bicycle burns no calories.

    You burn the calories. However, how much you burn depends on how much you put into it.

    I am also a cyclist, and I choose to use this formula to count my calories burned: 100 calories for every 5 kilometres. It fits toward the low end of the currently recognised 30-40 calories per mile formula (30 for relatively small slender people ... 40 for larger people). 100 cal/5 km works out to about 33 cal/mile.

    Interestingly that formula also matches MFP's calories burned for a light ride (16-19 km/h) ... and whether I do what I consider quite a strenuous ride or not, I always log that I did a light ride.


    If I do a really short ride (1-2 hours), I might only eat about half my calories back. If I do a slightly longer ride (2-4 hours), I might eat about 75% of my calories back. And if I do a longer ride 4 hours+ I will usually eat most of my calories back. I have found I seem to need the fuel on the longer rides.

    So, if the change you've made is the bicycle, you might consider checking the calories burned that you're logging. Perhaps they are a bit too high?

  • 3dogsrunning
    3dogsrunning Posts: 27,167 Member
    I second the advice above about checking how many calories you are logging.

    Also - it is not uncommon for people to increase or stay the same weight when the start exercising or increase intensity. Your body stores extra glycogen in anticipation of the next workout and this can add a couple of pounds. It could be hiding your weight loss.

    And, 2 weeks isn't long enough to decide it's a plateau. 6 weeks or more without weight loss and you can consider it a plateau.
  • chrissywelsh10
    chrissywelsh10 Posts: 66 Member
    Thanks - so just keep things the same for now in terms of diet. Keeping the carbs & fats & protein on balance.

    For the bike my rides are about 45-50km and takes me around 2 hours.

    I'll log it as a light ride & eat back a little less. I'll try eating back 1/4 of them?
  • 3dogsrunning
    3dogsrunning Posts: 27,167 Member
    chrissywelsh10 wrote: »
    Thanks - so just keep things the same for now in terms of diet. Keeping the carbs & fats & protein on balance.

    For the bike my rides are about 45-50km and takes me around 2 hours.

    I'll log it as a light ride & eat back a little less. I'll try eating back 1/4 of them?

    My first plan of action would be to keep it the same for now. Give it another week or two and see if it is just because of the increased exercise. If you just added that in, my guess is that is the issue.

    But it is hard to say without knowing what exactly you are logging.
  • RoseTheWarrior
    RoseTheWarrior Posts: 2,035 Member
    Patience.... always patiience. Weight loss is not linear. Weight stagnation or even small gains are very very normal and depend on anount of fluids, exercise, sodium, time of month, etc, etc. You must look at LONG TERM trends to guage progress. Also take photos and measurements so you have more than the scale to measure progress.
  • dlkfox
    dlkfox Posts: 463 Member
    New exercise always creates a stall because of water retention. Keep doing what you are doing. Keep eating at a deficit. Keep exercising for health. Weight loss isn't linear...but stay the course and the scale will cooperate in a little while.

Categories