5 years of trying to maintain having a hard time with metabolism

6 years ago I took about 10 months to lose 50 lbs eating 1300 calories a day and 1 hour workouts 5 days a week. I spent the dirt year after struggling with adding back in calories I would put back on 3 or 4 pounds in a week or 2 then would cut back again. It took a long whole of this pattern to realize it was normal to regain carb stores. Not 5 years later I have gained back 13 lbs and I tried to restrict calories again and the scale is not budging. I eat whole healthy foods mostly fruits veggies fish dairy nuts and whole grains. My energy varies greatly day to day. Anyone have a similar situation? How did you get past this? Is there a way to permanently fix a metabolism issue?
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Replies

  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 34,409 Member
    Are you logging all your food?

    How long have you been trying again?

    How tall are you?

    How much are you needing to lose to be at a healthy BMI?
  • jondspen
    jondspen Posts: 253 Member
    First, are you accurately tracking calories in/out? If your daily calories are under your BMR, you will lose weight. Most people under-estimate calories in, and over-estimate calories out from exercise.

    Second, how long have you been tracking? How often do you weigh in? I have seen a 3-4 lbs increase from one day to the next from high salt/water retention. That's why now I only weigh in once a week, after morning bathroom visit and long run (sweat out excess water). This way I figure I am as close to weighing 'just me' as I can be, and it's a consistent state. If I weight you now, then put a backpack on you with a 12 oz steak, baked potato, and slice of cheesecake...of course you're going to weigh more. Just because that 'backpack' is your stomach, doesn't mean the food weight isn't there.

    Third, on the energy - there are a lot of things that could cause this, so not going to speculate. Food type (protein, carbs, fat ratio), development of food sensitivities (was always tired last 5 years or so, till I found out I had lactose/gluten intolerance), or something more serious medically (thyroid, etc) could be going on.

    Fourth, do you exercise, and how much? Walking just 20 min x3 every week can have a huge impact on your health, both mentally and physically.
  • g2baleoparx
    g2baleoparx Posts: 19 Member
    I've been logging all food religiously for 6 years. I'm 5'3" 148 I want to get back at or under 140. I walk 30 mins every morning 5 days and have a physical job and then zumba 3 times weekly. I eat 1400 to 1600 daily and maintain weight but according to mfp I should lose at that. If I eat more then this I gain.
  • g2baleoparx
    g2baleoparx Posts: 19 Member
    I just went back and looked at the past 6 weeks since I started to cut back to 1400 calories per day or so and once per week I get to to 2200 this is usually on a Friday or Saturday my cheat day. Could this one day per week be stopping my progress?
  • SideSteel
    SideSteel Posts: 11,068 Member
    I just went back and looked at the past 6 weeks since I started to cut back to 1400 calories per day or so and once per week I get to to 2200 this is usually on a Friday or Saturday my cheat day. Could this one day per week be stopping my progress?

    Possibly.

    Can you set your diary to public/open? It would give people the opportunity to take a look at some things and possibly provide you with more accurate feedback about your situation.
  • CharlieBeansmomTracey
    CharlieBeansmomTracey Posts: 7,682 Member
    I just went back and looked at the past 6 weeks since I started to cut back to 1400 calories per day or so and once per week I get to to 2200 this is usually on a Friday or Saturday my cheat day. Could this one day per week be stopping my progress?
    yes it can if it causes you to hit maintenance calories(or go over) for the week.
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 34,409 Member
    SideSteel wrote: »
    I just went back and looked at the past 6 weeks since I started to cut back to 1400 calories per day or so and once per week I get to to 2200 this is usually on a Friday or Saturday my cheat day. Could this one day per week be stopping my progress?

    Possibly.

    Can you set your diary to public/open? It would give people the opportunity to take a look at some things and possibly provide you with more accurate feedback about your situation.

    Yeah, and @g2baleoparx - setting your diary to "Locked with a key" (which is what you did) means we still can't see it. Can you set it to "Public"?

  • g2baleoparx
    g2baleoparx Posts: 19 Member
    SideSteel wrote: »
    I just went back and looked at the past 6 weeks since I started to cut back to 1400 calories per day or so and once per week I get to to 2200 this is usually on a Friday or Saturday my cheat day. Could this one day per week be stopping my progress?

    Possibly.

    Can you set your diary to public/open? It would give people the opportunity to take a look at some things and possibly provide you with more accurate feedback about your situation.

    Yeah, and @g2baleoparx - setting your diary to "Locked with a key" (which is what you did) means we still can't see it. Can you set it to "Public"?
    Ok I think it's public now
  • g2baleoparx
    g2baleoparx Posts: 19 Member
    Also I don't always log my daily walks so that's not going to show up in my dairy.
  • melly19762003
    melly19762003 Posts: 15 Member
    I just went back and looked at the past 6 weeks since I started to cut back to 1400 calories per day or so and once per week I get to to 2200 this is usually on a Friday or Saturday my cheat day. Could this one day per week be stopping my progress?

    It could be, you could always counteract this by having a fast day (500 calories) in the week.
  • g2baleoparx
    g2baleoparx Posts: 19 Member
    SideSteel wrote: »
    SideSteel wrote: »
    I just went back and looked at the past 6 weeks since I started to cut back to 1400 calories per day or so and once per week I get to to 2200 this is usually on a Friday or Saturday my cheat day. Could this one day per week be stopping my progress?

    Possibly.

    Can you set your diary to public/open? It would give people the opportunity to take a look at some things and possibly provide you with more accurate feedback about your situation.

    Yeah, and @g2baleoparx - setting your diary to "Locked with a key" (which is what you did) means we still can't see it. Can you set it to "Public"?
    Ok I think it's public now

    Your average logged intake is as follows:

    1692 cals, 210carbs, 62fat, 91 protein

    Given that we are dealing with estimations, and given that most people eat more than they think they are eating (please note, I'm not suggesting you are dishonest - I'm simply stating that many people eat more calories than they think they are eating) I think it's reasonable that you may not be losing if you are averaging around 1700.

    Any advice on what I can do to make a bigger calorie cut without slowing down my metabolism?
  • g2baleoparx
    g2baleoparx Posts: 19 Member
    xxzenabxx wrote: »
    6 years ago I took about 10 months to lose 50 lbs eating 1300 calories a day and 1 hour workouts 5 days a week. I spent the dirt year after struggling with adding back in calories I would put back on 3 or 4 pounds in a week or 2 then would cut back again. It took a long whole of this pattern to realize it was normal to regain carb stores. Not 5 years later I have gained back 13 lbs and I tried to restrict calories again and the scale is not budging. I eat whole healthy foods mostly fruits veggies fish dairy nuts and whole grains. My energy varies greatly day to day. Anyone have a similar situation? How did you get past this? Is there a way to permanently fix a metabolism issue?

    I know how you feel! I was in a similar situation where for a whole year my weight fluctuated between a few pounds and it was so frustrating. I'd never counted calories before. My weight was between 154-160 lbs and I'm 5" 4" and I've yoyo dieted many years and recovered from an ED. I definitely had a broken metabolism. I decided to join MFP and now mix my calories and I find that this is really helping me lose weight. I eat like this:
    Monday- 500 calories
    Tuesday- 1500 calories
    Wednesday- 2000 calories
    Thursday- 1500 calories
    Friday- 500 calories
    Saturday- 1500 calories
    Sunday- 2000 calories

    The 500 calorie days are like fasting days. I also do IF 18:6 and I love it! I can control my appetite with this and I don't feel bloated anymore. I don't IF on Wednesday and Sunday because it's good to have a break, and I try to eat whole foods 80% of the time as that gives me more energy. I also strength train and do HIIT workouts. Hopefully this has given you some insight on what to do!

    Thanks for the good suggestions. What is IF ?
  • CharlieBeansmomTracey
    CharlieBeansmomTracey Posts: 7,682 Member
    xxzenabxx wrote: »
    xxzenabxx wrote: »
    6 years ago I took about 10 months to lose 50 lbs eating 1300 calories a day and 1 hour workouts 5 days a week. I spent the dirt year after struggling with adding back in calories I would put back on 3 or 4 pounds in a week or 2 then would cut back again. It took a long whole of this pattern to realize it was normal to regain carb stores. Not 5 years later I have gained back 13 lbs and I tried to restrict calories again and the scale is not budging. I eat whole healthy foods mostly fruits veggies fish dairy nuts and whole grains. My energy varies greatly day to day. Anyone have a similar situation? How did you get past this? Is there a way to permanently fix a metabolism issue?

    I know how you feel! I was in a similar situation where for a whole year my weight fluctuated between a few pounds and it was so frustrating. I'd never counted calories before. My weight was between 154-160 lbs and I'm 5" 4" and I've yoyo dieted many years and recovered from an ED. I definitely had a broken metabolism. I decided to join MFP and now mix my calories and I find that this is really helping me lose weight. I eat like this:
    Monday- 500 calories
    Tuesday- 1500 calories
    Wednesday- 2000 calories
    Thursday- 1500 calories
    Friday- 500 calories
    Saturday- 1500 calories
    Sunday- 2000 calories

    The 500 calorie days are like fasting days. I also do IF 18:6 and I love it! I can control my appetite with this and I don't feel bloated anymore. I don't IF on Wednesday and Sunday because it's good to have a break, and I try to eat whole foods 80% of the time as that gives me more energy. I also strength train and do HIIT workouts. Hopefully this has given you some insight on what to do!

    Thanks for the good suggestions. What is IF ?

    It's short for intermittent fasting. It's really good at helping people break through plateaus.

    theres no proof of that. if they break through a plateau its because they are eating less. plateaus are 6-8 weeks of no loss. plateaus usually happen because people for many reasons may be maintaining their weight. it could be from water retention,waste,not recalculating calorie goals after 10+ lbs,high sodium meals,not weighing everything and so on. also many lose slower the closer they get to goal and they think its a plateau because they are set to lose more than 1lb a week and for some should be trying to lose less than that. weight loss is not linear either.
  • Muscleflex79
    Muscleflex79 Posts: 1,917 Member
    sounds like you are logging, but not weighing your food?? that is your problem.
  • g2baleoparx
    g2baleoparx Posts: 19 Member
    SideSteel wrote: »
    SideSteel wrote: »
    SideSteel wrote: »
    I just went back and looked at the past 6 weeks since I started to cut back to 1400 calories per day or so and once per week I get to to 2200 this is usually on a Friday or Saturday my cheat day. Could this one day per week be stopping my progress?

    Possibly.

    Can you set your diary to public/open? It would give people the opportunity to take a look at some things and possibly provide you with more accurate feedback about your situation.

    Yeah, and @g2baleoparx - setting your diary to "Locked with a key" (which is what you did) means we still can't see it. Can you set it to "Public"?
    Ok I think it's public now

    Your average logged intake is as follows:

    1692 cals, 210carbs, 62fat, 91 protein

    Given that we are dealing with estimations, and given that most people eat more than they think they are eating (please note, I'm not suggesting you are dishonest - I'm simply stating that many people eat more calories than they think they are eating) I think it's reasonable that you may not be losing if you are averaging around 1700.

    Any advice on what I can do to make a bigger calorie cut without slowing down my metabolism?

    Maintain an active lifestyle, engage in resistance training and eat sufficient protein to maximize muscle which may make a small difference (not nearly as much as people think).

    Metabolic downregulation mainly occurs through a reduction in spontaneous activity.
    SideSteel wrote: »
    SideSteel wrote: »
    SideSteel wrote: »
    I just went back and looked at the past 6 weeks since I started to cut back to 1400 calories per day or so and once per week I get to to 2200 this is usually on a Friday or Saturday my cheat day. Could this one day per week be stopping my progress?

    Possibly.

    Can you set your diary to public/open? It would give people the opportunity to take a look at some things and possibly provide you with more accurate feedback about your situation.

    Yeah, and @g2baleoparx - setting your diary to "Locked with a key" (which is what you did) means we still can't see it. Can you set it to "Public"?
    Ok I think it's public now

    Your average logged intake is as follows:

    1692 cals, 210carbs, 62fat, 91 protein

    Given that we are dealing with estimations, and given that most people eat more than they think they are eating (please note, I'm not suggesting you are dishonest - I'm simply stating that many people eat more calories than they think they are eating) I think it's reasonable that you may not be losing if you are averaging around 1700.

    Any advice on what I can do to make a bigger calorie cut without slowing down my metabolism?

    Maintain an active lifestyle, engage in resistance training and eat sufficient protein to maximize muscle which may make a small difference (not nearly as much as people think).

    Metabolic downregulation mainly occurs through a reduction in spontaneous activity.

    Thank you for your advice and great information. I really appreciate it. It helps now I have a plan to move forward.