Stuck at same weight - would low carb help?

if you have not lost weight in 4 weeks or longer, you are eating at maintenance and need to reduce your calories, or increase your exercise.

weigh ALL your food ON A SCALE

Low carb is not the answer- increasing your deficit is what you need- so either drop your calories a bit or increase your exercise and activity. Low carb might give you weight loss on the scale initially but it will just be water weight- carbs cause a certain amount of water retention so when you decrease them you lose a little water weight but if your calories are the same there won't be actual fat loss.

It is NOT always as simple as calories in calories out. From your picture, weight and height you are very fit. It may be that you are not eating enough calories, not the right kind of calories, or simply not eating them at the right times. Do you know where you are as to BMI? IF you are already below 25 then it might be body sculpting work out not weight loss that's needed. I was on a very strict diet 1000-1200 calories a day exercising cardio 3-5 times a week. My weight loss completely stalled even when I increased exercise and decreased calories. I went to a doctor and nutritionist who both said calories in calories out. I finally went to a major academic medical center and saw a metabolic based nutritionist. She looked at all my stats, including bone scan, blood work, exercises and my food diary (which was already very healthy) and revamped my program as follows. ADDED weights 2-3xs per week and mixed up cardio which is five days per week to include three different (run swim elliptical) types per week instead of just swimming, INCREASED calories to 1400 on exercise days from 1200 on non exercise days. Carbs 40% of total Cals, fat25% of total cals. And protein 35% of calories (this was a huge increase) AND at least 25 grams of the protein must be consumed within 30 minutes of exercise. I take paleo protein powder to the gym and drink 1 scoop with 12 oz water before I even shower. It has 26g per 120 calories no fat, cholesterol or anything else but protein. She also recommends doing exercise in morning as best. She also increased my water to at least 80ounces per day starting with HOT water in the morning mixed with either 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar (I use Braggs unfiltered) or fresh lemon juice. I began losing weight again within the first week of this program. The key here, however, is you need a metabolically balanced diet for YOUR BODY. You may need more protein less carbs or different exercise.

How much more weight are you trying to lose? Since your stats have you in a healthy weight range for your height, losing those last few pounds is going to be a very slow process.

At this point, logging accuracy becomes very, very important. So use your food scale to weigh everything and really tighten up your logging.

What do you think are the "nos" ?

torsaer wrote: »

Oh thank you so much for all your replies so far! I think that I have got a bit complacent about weighing everything and am probably eating far more than I think I am. I would like to try the two week challenge and see what happens - eating 'real' food is the way to go after all.

Yes! Please don't think low carb equals only meat. I think this is a common misconception and a terrible practice. I eat plenty of healthy vegetables, fresh and cooked in healthy fats. Things like olive oil and real butter. I do not eat any refined or unrefined sugars. No breads, crackers or beer. I don't weigh food or count calories. No snacking. I try to eat when I am hungry and stop when I am full. I had to try hard to learn what hungry and full felt like because I was a snacking clock eater.

Good Luck!

happyfeetrebel1 wrote: »

wislawcat wrote: »

It is NOT always as simple as calories in calories out. From your picture, weight and height you are very fit. It may be that you are not eating enough calories, not the right kind of calories, or simply not eating them at the right times. Do you know where you are as to BMI? IF you are already below 25 then it might be body sculpting work out not weight loss that's needed. I was on a very strict diet 1000-1200 calories a day exercising cardio 3-5 times a week. My weight loss completely stalled even when I increased exercise and decreased calories. I went to a doctor and nutritionist who both said calories in calories out. I finally went to a major academic medical center and saw a metabolic based nutritionist. She looked at all my stats, including bone scan, blood work, exercises and my food diary (which was already very healthy) and revamped my program as follows. ADDED weights 2-3xs per week and mixed up cardio which is five days per week to include three different (run swim elliptical) types per week instead of just swimming, INCREASED calories to 1400 on exercise days from 1200 on non exercise days. Carbs 40% of total Cals, fat25% of total cals. And protein 35% of calories (this was a huge increase) AND at least 25 grams of the protein must be consumed within 30 minutes of exercise. I take paleo protein powder to the gym and drink 1 scoop with 12 oz water before I even shower. It has 26g per 120 calories no fat, cholesterol or anything else but protein. She also recommends doing exercise in morning as best. She also increased my water to at least 80ounces per day starting with HOT water in the morning mixed with either 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar (I use Braggs unfiltered) or fresh lemon juice. I began losing weight again within the first week of this program. The key here, however, is you need a metabolically balanced diet for YOUR BODY. You may need more protein less carbs or different exercise.

No. 100% no.

But you have to love the variety of woo that a single post brings. I really think you could hit MFP bingo with this one.

wislawcat wrote: »

This type of approach is coming from cutting edge medical research at a world renowned academic medical center. As I said, however, this type of program must be geared specifically to each individual. I am not saying anyone should follow my program. I was just giving details to show how increased calories and other considerations msg work. The most recent scientific studies are focusing on individual genetics and metabolic reactions. If you are a scientist in these fields, I would be interested in your research. I don't think one should otherwise just write off the approach. In any event the proof is in the program --which has been successful for me.

Which academic medical center recommends apple cider vinegar for weight loss? There are no peer research clinical studies that show this to be true.

wislawcat wrote: »

This type of approach is coming from cutting edge medical research at a world renowned academic medical center. As I said, however, this type of program must be geared specifically to each individual. I am not saying anyone should follow my program. I was just giving details to show how increased calories and other considerations msg work. The most recent scientific studies are focusing on individual genetics and metabolic reactions. If you are a scientist in these fields, I would be interested in your research. I don't think one should otherwise just write off the approach. In any event the proof is in the program --which has been successful for me.

By conceding this point, you've effectively derailed OP's thread and turned it into a discussion about your specific weight loss plan, which is obviously not helpful to the OP. Derailing threads is against forum rules. So if you want to debate the merits of your specific approach to weight loss, you'd be better off creating your own thread.

wislawcat wrote: »

I must say that I was completely skeptical when I started all of this (especially the vinegar thing). But was amazed at the success I experienced.

no. You experienced results from something entirely non vinegar related.

singleflutelady I don't know that the inclusion of vinegar is for weight loss.
I believe it is more for digestive health, lipid health and antioxidant effects.

Again I am not saying vinegar caused weight loss. It's part of of complete healthy diet plan supervised by certified nutritionist, dietician, and mds at MCW and Froedert in wisconsin.