How do you stay sustainable?

squidgybunny_276
squidgybunny_276 Posts: 25 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
After years I've worked out my calorie range for loss is 1400-1600. I can do this for 3 weeks to 1 month however eventually i just get really hungry and start yoyo-ing, over that range, (1800 to 2200) then trying to make up for it etc. eventually re-gaining any loss. Things i've tried to control the hunger are..
1) Keto - personally absolute disaster, after 1 week my mood was seriously affected and i just never stopped feeling terrible
2) Protein increase - this helps a bit.
3) Volume eating - this doesn't work for me, i just end up with stomach pains and feeling rather sick!
Note: over the 1600 range and I don't loose (this is not a decrease the deficit thing).

so my questions are 1) has anyone else experienced the (approx) 1 month hunger hurdle, how did you get past it?
2) what has helped you to keep motivation. i.e. I've considered maybe splitting up thinking about weight loss into 3 week intervals and switching around in terms of what I'm eating etc every 3 weeks or having a planned weekend "off" and starting again..

Last year i almost reached my goal weight after a good 6 week period (i was abroad doing lots of intense physical activity) but the hunger monster struck and i gained back again! This year I'm motivated to form a lifestyle to loose and maintain (hopefully effortlessly in the end!)

Replies

  • Nony_Mouse
    Nony_Mouse Posts: 5,646 Member
    How long are you actually giving it at 1600? Because yes, this sounds very much like it's a decrease your deficit thing.

    If you were able to reach your goal in a 6 week period last year, that suggests you don't have much weight to lose, so it's going to be slow, and the amount of fat you're losing weekly will very easily get 'lost' amongst water weight fluctuations.

    What are your stats? Age, height, current weight, activity. How are you tracking your food intake (digital scale, measuring cups, estimating portions?).
  • tcunbeliever
    tcunbeliever Posts: 8,219 Member
    I do either 6 weeks of deficit followed by 2 weeks at maintenance, or 2 months at deficit followed by a month of maintenance...mostly scheduled around my calendar so cons or holiday or vacations I try to plan for maintenance...I agree that it becomes impossible to stay on a deficit forever, but diet breaks make it much easier.
  • squidgybunny_276
    squidgybunny_276 Posts: 25 Member
    Ahh should have mentioned that. Age 30, current weight 143lbs, height 5ft7, activity 10k to 20k steps per day some yoga. I track with a digital food scale, the things i don't weight are pre packaged items such as protein bars and single portion yoghurts (it kind of takes the convenience out of convenience food otherwise!) I wish to get back to my weight 5 years ago prior to developing a poor relationship with food after starting stressful job. This means loosing 10-15lbs. Though i was close to my goal last year the factors resulting in this loss were NOT healthy or sustainable. In October to March last year I tried 2 months at 1800 with gym+ weightlifting each day for 2 months with no loss (not even a pound!).
  • scarlett_k
    scarlett_k Posts: 812 Member
    Eat more. I found I had this problem when I had too big of a deficit because I just wanted results quickly. Took a while to learn I needed to eat more to stick to it.
  • scarlett_k
    scarlett_k Posts: 812 Member
    Sounds like you're already at a healthy weight as well, or very close.
  • squidgybunny_276
    squidgybunny_276 Posts: 25 Member
    edited February 2020
    @tcunbeliever ooh i like that. I'd like to give that a go, maybe for me 3 weeks deficit 1 week maintenance. Makes sense too as should be easier to move to maintenance permanently at the end of the process without eating the entire refrigerator!

    Yes, this approach seems to make sense. When you're not technically overweight but still wishing to loose there are not so many calories to play around with so the deficit does get exhausting...
  • Satisfiedwithbetter
    Satisfiedwithbetter Posts: 970 Member
    IMHO, not all calories are created equal, as far as the human body is concerned, and certain foods may make you feel more satiated than others. Try eating different, less processed foods and see how you feel.
  • Sand_TIger
    Sand_TIger Posts: 1,098 Member
    I've totally had that problem in the past. Right now I am avoiding it pretty well by doing the following:

    Some kind of protein at every meal, aiming for 100 grams a day as a benchmark, and okay if I go over

    Most or all of my carbs being complex

    Little to no refined sugar (causes spikes and increased hunger in me)

    Few to no pure starches/empty calories

    Vegetables at will - as snacks, with lunch/dinner, replacing lunch/dinner

    Constant exploration/experimentation to prevent boredom

    Exercise instead of snacking when bored
  • squidgybunny_276
    squidgybunny_276 Posts: 25 Member
    @Sand_Tiger Yes!! i noticed the refined sugar thing myself recently.. other points especially complex carbs well noted. I'd also agree boredom is probably a factor too..I tend to have a short tolerance for same-y things.
  • Nony_Mouse
    Nony_Mouse Posts: 5,646 Member
    squidgybunny_276 wrote: »
    @tcunbeliever ooh i like that. I'd like to give that a go, maybe for me 3 weeks deficit 1 week maintenance. Makes sense too as should be easier to move to maintenance permanently at the end of the process without eating the entire refrigerator!

    Yes, this approach seems to make sense. When you're not technically overweight but still wishing to loose there are not so many calories to play around with so the deficit does get exhausting...

    I've done something similar in the past, though I did week days at a deficit with weekend refeeds (high carb, eating at maintenance). And then full (10-14 day) diet breaks every 6-8 weeks.

  • squidgybunny_276
    squidgybunny_276 Posts: 25 Member
    @Nony_Mouse yes, maybe this is the way to go (a structured program including breaks at maintenance), as you mention in your earlier post the change in intake will most likely cause havoc in terms of short term water retention (which i guess could be ironed out by a weight trending app) but may be easier to maintain in the long term.

    Thanks guys, why did I not think of these things logically! Your experience has been helpful, i'll try to implement a combination of these ideas :)
  • Nony_Mouse
    Nony_Mouse Posts: 5,646 Member
    More on the refeeds and diet breaks thing here, in this overly long but highly entertaining thread (you don't need to read it all, unless you have a very large amount of time to kill! Pertinent info is in the first few pages, but lots of personal anecdotes in the thread): https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10604863/of-refeeds-and-diet-breaks/p1

    Doing refeeds, I bounced up about a kg over the weekend, but it was always off plus more by the following weekend.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    How much on average do you lose at 1600? It is mathematically impossible that you couldn't lose on more calories if 1600 is a deficit for which you lose weight, it's just that the rate of loss would be different.

    At any rate, I never had an issue with any kind of major hunger when I lost weight...laziness at times and a desire to do whatever, sure...but I was never particularly hungry when I was losing weight. I had a 500 calorie deficit which is basically a couple of snacks...lost about 1 Lb per week on average.
  • sarabushby
    sarabushby Posts: 784 Member
    At 143lb and a healthy BMI of 22 I would suggest you put thought towards whether it’s really weight loss that you want and that is healthy for you or whether you should instead consider reading up on re-comp to achieve your goals.
    Take a look at some of the stunning photos out there of women with two photos of themselves at the same weight but different body compositions, it’s fascinating stuff and may be a healthier avenue for you than further weight loss.
  • sardelsa
    sardelsa Posts: 9,812 Member
    As someone lean trying to get leaner what works for me:
    -Making sure my goals are reasonable and attainable
    - Slowing my rate of loss as I get closer to goal
    - Regular refeeds and diet breaks (more frequent the leaner I get)
    - Higher protein, fibre, volume and coffee
    - Also not going too low in weight and bodyfat if my goal is to maintain. If I'm bulking I might get very lean temporarily but it's brief until I gain again

  • thescouselander77
    thescouselander77 Posts: 31 Member
    I've tried to keep changes as small as possible. I'm aiming for a 4-500 cal deficit achieved by eating normally but smaller portions and reducing snacks and alcohol. There's also a couple of particularly high calorie foods I'm avoiding at the moment.

    It's been sustainable so far but on days I feel more hungry (especially after a heavy workout) I'll allow myself to eat up to maintenance.

    Small steps are the key IMO.

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