Need help losing the next 40 lbs.

ercarta · April 2019

So I’ve been logging now for 910 days and I’ve lost 40 lbs. Most of that came off in the first year and a half or so. I’ve largely been maintaining since. I’m 5’ 11” and weigh 235lbs. I’m wanting to get under 200lbs.

I try to keep my caloric intake close to or just under 2000 cal daily. I don’t consume calories from liquid, I keep my fiber up around 30g per day, and exercise for two hours twice a week. I drink plenty of water and I’m minimally stressed so no binging.

Not sure why my weight loss efforts plateaued but I’d like to jump start the next wave of loss as soon as I can.

Any thoughts on how to get the needle moving on progress again after one flatlines?

Thanks in advance for your insight.

Eric

pierinifitness · April 2019

The math doesn’t add up. Is there a possibility the calories eaten stats might be greater than what you state?

sijomial · April 2019

You should be losing steadily with your stats and that calorie allowance.

First thing to check when results don't match expectations is the accuracy of your food logging.
An open diary helps enormously if you want help with that.

Dilvish · April 2019

Assuming you are in your late 20's or early 30's you should see some weight loss with that caloric intake.

Remember that the body gets used to the exercise routine over time so it needs to be changed. If you aren't already doing it, add weights/resistance training and maybe shoot for more time rather than just 4 hours per week.

Also be sure what you are tracking or logging for food is as accurate as possible. Guessing at the calorie content of food is usually the culprit when weight loss stalls as we tend to either overestimate or underestimate the caloric values.

ercarta · April 2019

Thanks, I appreciate you all.

It sounds like the consensus is that something might be wrong with my logging accuracy...

I generally scan bar codes and adjust portions based on consumption against the “servings per container” claim. When I cannot scan anything, I’m searching the database and selecting the items marked with checks where possible. I’ll have to evaluate where it is I’m missing something.

My caloric intake allowance based on my goals and current activity level is actually 1500 calories but I’ve not needed to go that low historically to lose the weight I’ve lost. I was hoping I wouldn’t have to either. That’s a really restrictive allowance. Seems like I may need to strive for the 1500 after all.

I’ll take anything else you guys have as it comes to you. 😊

Eric

fitoverfortymom · April 2019

Package portions and database entries are only accurate if you're using a food scale to weigh/compare them. It's unlikely you need 1500 to lose weight (I'm a 44 year old woman at 5'6" tall, weigh about 160 and lose about 1lb per week if I eat 1500).

Get a food scale and weigh your portions and verify your database entries for a week or two and I'll bet you'll get the kick start that you want. You might also make sure your current stats are what MFP are using and set a reasonable rate of loss (probably 1-1.5lb per week).

joefettucine · April 2019

Have you tried carb restrictioning? Keto is a bit extreme on the fat side and can be hard on the kidneys, so electrolyte supplements and ensuring high fiber intake is absolutely a necessity. But, to be less extreme, simply restricting calories taken in by net carbs can be very effective, especially for men. Be sure the fats consumed are high quality, and I had a bad experience with too much MCT. But, combined with calorie restriction, dropped me past a similar plateau using a low net carb paleo methodology.

OooohToast · April 2019

Well done on the weight loss ! From my own experience, I can get quite the calorie drift (upwards, always upwards !) if I am not weighing and logging my food. Also, I find preparing my own food as much as possible seems to improve weight loss results, probably because the logging is more accurate. My body deffo prefers a lower carb approach but we are all different and you have to find what works for you. Good luck !

puffbrat · April 2019

I highly recommend a food scale. Initially you probably had enough wiggle room to be able to lose without that level of accuracy, but now the added accuracy of scale would be beneficial for you. Check out these two posts for some help.

https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1234699/logging-accurately-step-by-step-guide/p1
https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10634517/you-dont-use-a-food-scale/p1

cheryldumais · April 2019

Chances are you're eating more than you think you are. A scale is worth it's weight in gold. If you start to weigh your food and you are eating as low as you think you are then I would suggest a diet break. That's eating at maintenance for a couple weeks. I got stuck after a year of dieting and that helped me. I plateaued for 3 months. Finally I took a break and although I gained a couple pounds at first, when I started restricting again the weight came off and I lost another 20 pounds.

Yivs_87 · April 2019

Congrats on the success so far! And I'd also recommend using a scale.

I'd even recommend making your own food database. It's not often but I've seen some records that are different from the ones on the packages when I scan some foods. It might be due to regional differences in the food quality, but... I do prefer knowing that the foods I log are ones that I've personally double checked. And then I do measure every single thing that I put in my mouth. The only thing that I guesstimate is sometimes my lunches (when I'm eating out), but I've made sure that I'd be below my allowance by a couple of hundreds just in case.

But really the big secret is the scale.

Though I'd like to hear your secret about being minimally stressed!!

garystrickland357 · April 2019

I get that you are scanning bar codes and attempting to be accurate. You have to face reality though - if you are not losing weight then you are not in a calorie deficit. Just remember nothing is broken - not your method, or your metabolism, or the food industry. Logging and calorie counting is a game of averages over time. You do the best you can do and assess based on data - which is the bathroom scale. If you are not losing you simply need to eat a bit less. You may not be logging accurately or your exercise burns are unrealistic; it doesn't really matter - just cut back a few hundred calories a day and the weight will come off. I noticed that you try to stay under or "close to" 2,000 calories a day. Be careful of those days you go over. It's not hard to ruin a deficit with a couple of days of eating more than you thought you were eating. Once in a while doesn't matter - but going over consistently can be a problem.

flintflash1 · April 2019

You may want to look at lower your calorie intake a bit or adding a couple more workouts. I am also 5'11" and 230 pounds and am looking to get to 180 (I was there 3 years ago). I believe that 2000 calories is what our bodies burn through the normal functions of the day (heart pumping, lungs breathing, blinking, moving normally, etc.). So eating 2000 cals each day is just a "break-even" for us, meaning No Gain or No Loss. In order to lose weight, there needs to be a deficit, which is achieved by either eating less or burning more. I was taught that 3500 cals equals a pound. If you were to have a 500 cal deficit each day, then by the end of the week you would lose a pound (500 cal deficit X 7 days = 3500). On days that you workout, you can bump up the intake a bit, but on the days you don't workout, I'd try to increase that deficit by lowering the amount of calories that you eat. I am going to shoot for losing a pound a week and plan on keeping my calories around 1500-1600. As I start to add workouts into my plan, I'll probably increase my calorie intake (depending on the intensity of my workout). As everyone else has suggested, get a scale to weigh your food so you are confident that you are logging true figures. But I would look at adjusting your calorie intake for a slightly larger deficit. If you want a fellow 5'11" supporter, feel free to Friend Request me! I could use the extra motivation!!

ercarta · April 2019

Wow! This is great feedback y’all! Thanks sooo much.

I don’t know how to tag folks or respond to each comment to address specific points but I do believe a couple things are at play here based on your collective feedback.

Because I originally went from no diet essentially, to intentional tracking of calories there was almost certainly lots of low hanging fruit there. All of which I’ve picked, so to speak.

I like the idea of upping the ante by deploying a food scale and leaving a couple hundred calories (error cushion) to spare each day. That statement above about not losing weight due to not being in a calorie deficit came through loud and clear. If I’m consistently below my point of equilibrium (energy burned/consumed) I’d be losing, period.

Lol, with respect to how I stay minimally stressed. I’m probably oversimplifying here but here goes...

I’ve developed a bias toward action and risk when my juju feels off. That is, I move towards the things and people that energize me and divest ruthlessly from things and people that drain me. I do this in both my personal and professional life.

Energy (clearly not the caloric sort) is finite and vital to so many areas of my life. Without it, I’m flailing. I’ve found it’s worthwhile to be a mercenary with respect to my approach to protecting it. It’s gotten easier with years of practice and so has my life.

Eric

Need help losing the next 40 lbs.

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