Diet Tips Needed
twistersister141
Posts: 12 Member
Does anyone have any suggestions on how to reduce calories daily. I have reached a plateau after losing 24 pounds and I cannot lose any more weight. I keep trying to reduce calories but one day I do well and the next day I do not. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
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Replies
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How long has it been since you've lost?
Are you using a food scale? If not, you may very well be eating more than you think.
Is your logging consistent? Have you double checked that the entries you are using in the database are correct?
Most of the time a plateau is fixed by tightening up your logging and being patient. It's normal to have a week or two stall.1 -
If you still have weight to lose, you can still lose weight. How to reduce calories is technically "eat less". But if you try to reduce calorie intake too much, you can't continue doing that for any time to see any real, lasting effect. If you weigh and log properly, you will know how much you are eating, and make sure you aren't eating too much, and not too little.
"Can't lose more weight" - or are you just losing more slowly? That's how it is and should be. Be more patient. Weigh yourself regularly, and look at the trend over time.
If you have set an appropriate calorie target, and struggle to stick to it, maybe you aren't eating properly. There are a few things you can do. Set your diary to track fat, protein and carbs, and try to hit those goals too. Log in advance what you intend to eat that day. Tweak amounts to get the numbers more in line. This will most likely make you eat more balanced, and make you less hungry for the same calories.
Another strategy to achieve a balanced diet, and maybe you have to do it anyway to hit your macros, is to build your meals up from protein, fat and vegetables. Add on dairy, grains, fruit.
It's also important that you vary your intake. Eat different things through the day and from day to day. Each food provides differerent nutrients in different amounts, and we need them all, every day. A varied diet is the easiest way to achieve that.
It's also important that you eat food you like. Don't force yourself to eat "superfoods"; don't deny yourself treats. But do aim for a well rounded diet.
If you still feel hungry - it's only in your mind, and you just have to adjust your expectations. You're not supposed to feel full all the time. Feeling of hunger before meals is good, and normal. Most of the time we should feel "empty". It's also normal to want to eat, even if we have eaten enough. Wanting something doesn't always mean that you should have it. But you can't stop doing what you want, either. You have to have what you need, and sometimes you can have a bit of what you just want.5 -
Thank you so much for the advice. I think I am trying to reduce calories too quickly. I have tried for a month to reduce 300 calories from my daily intake. I think I will try to reduce 50 calories daily for a week or 2 and see how it goes. I am also going to take your advice and list my food items for the day in advance and start eating a variety of foods. I definitely eat too many of the same foods all of the time. I have successfully given up sweets by eating fruit daily. I also allow myself to eat one meal of any kind each week. This allows me not to feel deprived and I do not have to give up the fattening recipes that I love. I can cook them and eat one portion and give the rest away. Thank you again for your advice. It was very helpful.3
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You won't see any results if you just eat 50 calories below maintenance. You have to set your calorie intake according to your expenditure, which can be estimated pretty accurately based on your height, weight, sex, age, and activity level. Then you have to decide if you have more weight to lose, and if so, subtract from your estimated calorie need, enough calories to lose 1% of your body weight per week. This is easiest to do in kilos - because 1 kilo of body fat equals 7000 calories, and there's 7 days in a week, so a daily deficit of X calories will produce X grams of fat loss. MFP will give you a calorie target that should be pretty easy to hit is you eat properly. But keep in mind that any predictions are on average, over time, and provided that you eat exactly the amount of calories you think you are, and are as active as you think you are. Water weight fluctuations can easily mask a week or two worth of fat loss. So the only way to make sure you are on the right track, is to log your intake correctly, and weigh yourself correctly.
You also have to do this for a long time, and you probably want to keep the weight off, too. And if you suffer, you want to stop suffering. And it's easy to stop a weight loss project. Make it easier to stick to it. Investigate if giving up sweets really is a success - if you don't miss it, it's a success. I would also advice not to eat one random (unlogged?) meal per week, but instead eat food you like for every meal, but log it. And stop thinking of certain meals as "fattening", there is no such thing. All foods can be eaten in moderate amounts, surely, some foods are more calorie dense, but you don't gain weight (or stop losing weight) just by eating certain food, that happens when you over time eat more than you burn. It's exactly like you say, eat one portion, and you'll be fine.3 -
My advice is to embrace the plateau!
Maintenance is hard: Every day you are within your weight band (selected by you), throw a little party: "Yay, I am (within a few pounds) of the same weight!"
This means, of course, eating at your maintenance level and staying fit. Have fun and enjoy yourself. Life is good!2 -
I am on a plateau for about week or less. Soooo frustrating! I am trying to make myself do some cycling or something but just haven't gotten into that habit yet. My diet is great healthy food and never more than 1490 calories. Some days about 1300. Hope things will get moving again soon since I'm not LOL>1
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I walk for one hour in the morning with a friend at the mall. I am trying to add weight lifting and walking for 30 minutes in the afternoon/evening but it is very hard to find the time to do this. Hope I start soon since reducing calories is just not working for me. I am trying to reduce 100 calories a day for a week or two and then increase my reduction in calories until I can lose more weight. Good luck - Helps to know I am not the only one struggling to continue my progress.1
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I am on a plateau for about week or less. Soooo frustrating! I am trying to make myself do some cycling or something but just haven't gotten into that habit yet. My diet is great healthy food and never more than 1490 calories. Some days about 1300. Hope things will get moving again soon since I'm not LOL>
A week is not a plateau. Weight loss isn’t linear and you’re likely retaining water for one of several reasons.1 -
Have you tried using something like happy scale or Libra. These weight tracking apps help you see small loss over time easier.
Also increase your daily movement. Something simple like getting up every hour and walking 200 steps will up your overall daily burn significantly. Or park father away.
Or take the stairs
Or skip one calorie drink for a non calorie drink
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Weird but yesterday logged more calories than I have had for a while. Almost 300 over the rec. 1490 for weight loss and finally the scale moved Down! I didn't expect that!0
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Water retention can account for a plateau and can be frustrating. Try eating at maintenance for a bit and possibly increase your cals a little and see if you can maintain at a higher level. Give the “diet” a break for two weeks. You may be surprised. Then set to cut only half a pound a week and see how you get on. It is not linear and there is some trial and error involved!0
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