Help! I keep gaining and losing the same 5 pounds!

Bjane01
Bjane01 Posts: 23 Member
I can't seem to get over the hump with weight loss. It's actually been going on for years. I can get my weight to about 150 maybe 147 but it doesn't want to budge from that. I am still considered overweight at 5'3". I follow the calories. I gave up this summer and just maintained. But I'd like to lose at least 10-20 lbs. I feel my age is against me. I am 45. I do work out and my intensity has varied from 5 days a week one hour down to 2 days a week.

Replies

  • Bjane01
    Bjane01 Posts: 23 Member
    Do you know how many calories you were eating to maintain your weight through summer? Shave off 250 to 500 calories per day.

    That is a good idea. I think I was eating around 1200-1500 a day. I think I need to change my settings to sedentary since I have a desk job. I am pretty active outside of work but just sit at a desk all day for work. It brought me down to the minimum of 1200 calories with only a .08 weight loss per week. My weakness is chocolate and I can blow 400 calories a day on it!

  • Bjane01
    Bjane01 Posts: 23 Member
    kimny72 wrote: »
    How accurate and consistent is your logging? Do you use a food scale? Double check that the entries you are choosing in the database have the correct calories? Do you log everything - condiments, cooking oil, beverages, late night snacks, cheat meals, etc?

    Once you get close to a healthy weight, many find that the "good enough" logging that got them so far starts to fail them. At the least, a month of super accurate logging will make it easier to figure out what's going on :smile:

    I do log everything. I am not sure I am 100% accurate though with it. I don't have a scale.
  • RetiredAndLovingIt
    RetiredAndLovingIt Posts: 1,395 Member
    I am the same height & about same weight & quite a bit older & if I put 1/2# a week, it gives me 1390 net calories.
    I also put it as lightly active, tho, because although retired & pretty lazy, I do walk quite a bit.
  • Bjane01
    Bjane01 Posts: 23 Member
    Kathryn247 wrote: »
    What the above posters said.
    And don't let your age hold you back. I'm 46, 5'2.5", and went from 182 to 133 in the last couple of years. The first 40 pounds in 2017, the next 10 in 2018. The closer you are to goal, the slower it goes. But it will go if you stick with it!

    Thank you. I'd like to get back to the "normal" weight. I can easily get down to 150 but everything after that seems to stall. I think I am eating too many calories.
  • getto80kg
    getto80kg Posts: 17 Member
    Just make sure you're doing weight training as well, you will need those calories, don't worry too much about the scale, concentrate on how your body is feeling and changing.
  • tena1028
    tena1028 Posts: 80 Member
    We need to be friends. I am in the EXACT SAME BOAT.....I am 5'-2" though but stuck between 147-150 what seems like forever. I think I know how to maintain now (which is great). I just need to get off the last 8-10 lbs.
  • Bjane01
    Bjane01 Posts: 23 Member
    tena1028 wrote: »
    We need to be friends. I am in the EXACT SAME BOAT.....I am 5'-2" though but stuck between 147-150 what seems like forever. I think I know how to maintain now (which is great). I just need to get off the last 8-10 lbs.

    It's like my body loves this weight!! I can maintain easily but can't seem to lose any more no matter what I do!
  • rajikaurbajna
    rajikaurbajna Posts: 21 Member
    Same story here . I am at 145lbs and it’s always fluctuating but not going to be less than 145. I don’t use food scale. Let me know if you do any changes and see the results. Thanks
  • Bjane01
    Bjane01 Posts: 23 Member
    Same story here . I am at 145lbs and it’s always fluctuating but not going to be less than 145. I don’t use food scale. Let me know if you do any changes and see the results. Thanks

    I’m going to try eating small amounts all day. Healthy food. And tracking better. I suspect I’m eating too much. I’m at 148 this morning. I’d like to break 140 by 30 days. We’ll see.
  • emmamcgarity
    emmamcgarity Posts: 1,594 Member
    At your current stats weight loss will be slow and logging accurately becomes more important. Using a food scale is definitely more accurate. However, I don’t use one. I measure by volume. I have my goal set to lose 0.5 lbs per week and I end up losing 1.0 lbs per month. I know the reason I am not losing as quickly is because my logging isn’t as accurate as it can be. Is a scale required? No. Is a scale difficult to use? No. I’m just old, lazy and stubborn, and I don’t want to bother since I’m still losing (albeit slower). I’m ok with losing slower. FWIW my stats are female, age 52, 136.5 lbs, 5’1”. My starting weight was in the 170s. I’ve been tracking on MFP for a year and a half. I plan to keep tracking. Likely forever. I’m 11.5 lbs from goal. I’m
    in no hurry as longs as I don’t gain.

    Start where you are.
    1. Do you track everything you eat? If not, start here. Don’t stop tracking just because you go over calories. It’s just data. Keep logging.
    2. Are you eyeballing portions instead of measuring? If not, tighten up on measuring in some way even if that means measuring cups/spoons.
    3. Already using measuring cups/spoons but not losing at anticipated rate? Consider a scale
    4. Using a lot of generic entries in the database? Look for USDA when possible. Double check entries against nutritional labels.
    5. Don’t want to change your current calorie intake but are maintaining? Try adding a 20-30 leisurely walk daily without eating more than you currently are.

    My point is that there are lots of strategies. And a food scale is your friend. But if you don’t want one yet, there are still some other strategies that may help.
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