I have 5kg to go to goal but my weight loss has slowed significantly and is just hovering - advice?
Replies
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ah understood, thank you.
Thank you! I'm not quite sure what you mean - skipping a meal? I'm such a foodie I'm not sure I could bear it. I really need my three meals a day (regardless of how small they are!)elisa123gal wrote: »Have you entertained the idea of eating off for a meal or one day within reason? then jumping back on your plan. It seems to work for me.. even while I'm losing. I eat one meal off on the weekend..but never binge. It seems to keep me losing.
How would that help? (genuine question, I am not being flippant) I just can't see how it would make a difference?
I think she means a 'cheat meal', not skipping a meal
I am a former binge eater, so a cheat meal doesn't really sit right with me - I think it could start me back on a slippery slope but thank you for the suggestion.
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Hi, I could have written this post myself!! I've been at the same weight since September, hovering up/down around 66kg. I took cals down to 1200, the scales finally started moving but after two weeks I was just really tired, ravenous and fed up so went back to 1430. No real advice, just sympathising! I'm trying to eat back no more than 50% of the exercise cals. Not sure that I was before, but being very strict about it. Here's hoping change comes soon - it's got to if we're eating less than maintenance....right?!2
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When I started my weight loss journey last year I only had 10-15 pounds to lose so I plugged in my numbers for an aggressive weight loss and loss nothing that first month...But I read and learned so much on this sight especially from the stickies. I was also taking a body pump class and not improving. I thought I was eating enough protein since I ate some with every meal but as I started to track I realized I was eating barely 45 g. I doubled my protein and increased my calories to 1350. I ate back most my exercise calories and surprise surprise surprise I started a slow weight loss, .5 pound per week and actually became stronger too. This is just my story but sometimes tweaks here and there work. Good Luck!!!!5
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Hi, I could have written this post myself!! I've been at the same weight since September, hovering up/down around 66kg. I took cals down to 1200, the scales finally started moving but after two weeks I was just really tired, ravenous and fed up so went back to 1430. No real advice, just sympathising! I'm trying to eat back no more than 50% of the exercise cals. Not sure that I was before, but being very strict about it. Here's hoping change comes soon - it's got to if we're eating less than maintenance....right?!
Thank you. Its reassuring to know I'm not alone and it does help. Fingers crossed for both of us!2 -
Anabirgite wrote: »When I started my weight loss journey last year I only had 10-15 pounds to lose so I plugged in my numbers for an aggressive weight loss and loss nothing that first month...But I read and learned so much on this sight especially from the stickies. I was also taking a body pump class and not improving. I thought I was eating enough protein since I ate some with every meal but as I started to track I realized I was eating barely 45 g. I doubled my protein and increased my calories to 1350. I ate back most my exercise calories and surprise surprise surprise I started a slow weight loss, .5 pound per week and actually became stronger too. This is just my story but sometimes tweaks here and there work. Good Luck!!!!
I wondered about increasing protein. I'm not sure how to increase it without increasing my calories and I already eat a decent amount of protein rich foods. I know that I'm not getting enough (today is 62g, with everything tracked, weighed and measured) . Maybe I should have another look at protein powders. Thank you for sharing your experience!0 -
I would suggest eating more one day then going back to the diet the next day, because I think it helps boost metabolism a bit (at least if you're already undereating which you're not), and once your metabolism is faster you can actually eat less and expect to lose weight. This helps a bit for me when I don't want to actually eat even less than I already do, but I'm not in any way an expert so pls don't come for me if it doesn't work0
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Anabirgite wrote: »When I started my weight loss journey last year I only had 10-15 pounds to lose so I plugged in my numbers for an aggressive weight loss and loss nothing that first month...But I read and learned so much on this sight especially from the stickies. I was also taking a body pump class and not improving. I thought I was eating enough protein since I ate some with every meal but as I started to track I realized I was eating barely 45 g. I doubled my protein and increased my calories to 1350. I ate back most my exercise calories and surprise surprise surprise I started a slow weight loss, .5 pound per week and actually became stronger too. This is just my story but sometimes tweaks here and there work. Good Luck!!!!
I wondered about increasing protein. I'm not sure how to increase it without increasing my calories and I already eat a decent amount of protein rich foods. I know that I'm not getting enough (today is 62g, with everything tracked, weighed and measured) . Maybe I should have another look at protein powders. Thank you for sharing your experience!
Maybe swap out some of your low protein choices for higher protein options. Chicken and cottage cheese are a couple of my go to options for protein. I usually eat around 110-130 grams of protein a day and stay within or close to my calorie goal (unless I’m intentionally splurging and going over).1 -
Dogmom1978 wrote: »Anabirgite wrote: »When I started my weight loss journey last year I only had 10-15 pounds to lose so I plugged in my numbers for an aggressive weight loss and loss nothing that first month...But I read and learned so much on this sight especially from the stickies. I was also taking a body pump class and not improving. I thought I was eating enough protein since I ate some with every meal but as I started to track I realized I was eating barely 45 g. I doubled my protein and increased my calories to 1350. I ate back most my exercise calories and surprise surprise surprise I started a slow weight loss, .5 pound per week and actually became stronger too. This is just my story but sometimes tweaks here and there work. Good Luck!!!!
I wondered about increasing protein. I'm not sure how to increase it without increasing my calories and I already eat a decent amount of protein rich foods. I know that I'm not getting enough (today is 62g, with everything tracked, weighed and measured) . Maybe I should have another look at protein powders. Thank you for sharing your experience!
Maybe swap out some of your low protein choices for higher protein options. Chicken and cottage cheese are a couple of my go to options for protein. I usually eat around 110-130 grams of protein a day and stay within or close to my calorie goal (unless I’m intentionally splurging and going over).
This.
At a more mechanistic level: Take a look at your food diary over a few days. Look for foods that bring you relatively many calories, but maybe don't have a proportionate payoff in nutrition, satiation, or taste-happiness. Consider whether you could reduce or eliminate some of those, substituting another food you enjoy eating, that better helps you meet your goals.
For me (might differ for you) some example helps were eating more chickpea pasta instead of wheat pasta, choosing veggies with relatively more protein, plain nonfat Greek yogurt in place of sour cream, salads with vinegar & herbs plus pumpkin (or sunflower) seeds rather than an oilier vinaigrette dressing.
For protein specifically, this thread is a great help in that kind of strategy (it links to a spreadsheet listing many, many foods, in order by most protein for fewest calories):
http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10247171/carbs-and-fats-are-cheap-heres-a-guide-to-getting-your-proteins-worth-fiber-also
Keep repeating that "review and adjust" process, gradually working your way to an improved overall picture.
I'm vegetarian, and able to get 100g+ protein daily in maintenance, after using that kind of process while I was still losing. I ate a bit less protein on fewer calories while losing, but still routinely in the 80s-90s grams area.2 -
Thank you AnnPT77 & dogmom1978 I see what you are saying. I eat very healthily (I'm not a veggie but I really, really love vegetables so a large part of my meals are vegetables) so it is hard to see where i could add more for the same calories but I will have a look at the spreadsheet.
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Hi everyone. I'm a little stumped and could use some advice if anyone can offer any help please?
I am 40F, 5"7' and have lost 17.5kg/39lb since March through CICO using MFP, sticking to around 1350 calories a day based on TDEE - 500. I use a food scale and am meticulous about weighing my food and tracking accurately.
I walk and do pilates daily and lift weights 3-4 times a week and have seen a huge change in my body, however, while I have never been a big loser, I was regularly losing 2-2.5kg/about 5lb a month. Since early October however I have been hovering between 64 and 65kg (my starting weight was 82kg) and am seemingly unable to drop any lower than 64kg.
I understand that as I get closer to my goal (60kg) and am now in a healthy weight that it will inevitably slow down and take longer, but is there anything I can do to get the scales moving? It feels very much like one step forward, two steps back and I am finding it a little upsetting. I am trying to focus more on measurements and strength, etc and less on the scale but it is hard!
I'm very grateful if anyone has any advice, or have experienced this themselves and got through it? Thank you all!
If you’ve been in a deficit since March then I would definitely take a diet break for 1-2 weeks and eat at maintenance. Then go back into a deficit and the weight will start to come off again.1 -
Thank you AnnPT77 & dogmom1978 I see what you are saying. I eat very healthily (I'm not a veggie but I really, really love vegetables so a large part of my meals are vegetables) so it is hard to see where i could add more for the same calories but I will have a look at the spreadsheet.
There's a recipe on MFP for lasagne baked in a pepper. It has an egg, ricotta and mince in. I think I clocked up nearly 50g of protein in that when I made it last week!
Also Skyrr, it's probably on the spreadsheet, but that's pretty high in protein if you normally eat yoghurt it could be an easy swap.3 -
Thank you AnnPT77 & dogmom1978 I see what you are saying. I eat very healthily (I'm not a veggie but I really, really love vegetables so a large part of my meals are vegetables) so it is hard to see where i could add more for the same calories but I will have a look at the spreadsheet.
There's a recipe on MFP for lasagne baked in a pepper. It has an egg, ricotta and mince in. I think I clocked up nearly 50g of protein in that when I made it last week!
Also Skyrr, it's probably on the spreadsheet, but that's pretty high in protein if you normally eat yoghurt it could be an easy swap.
I'll second the skyr! My breakfast is skyr yoghurt with protein powder and fruit, a great high protein breakfast which really helps me reach my daily protein goal.5 -
I'm pretty wedded to my beloved Greek Yogurt but I will look at Skyr!
I just wanted to update to say thank you to you all, for offering advice, empathy and support.
I have upped my protein, adjusted my calories slightly, double checked my logging and been running more and today I weighed in at 63.8. I had been stuck in the 64s for well over a month and it felt like nothing I did was going to get me past the 64 barrier.
I'm not counting my chickens just yet but it really really helped to hear your experiences, to know that I'm not alone and to really trust in the process.
Most importantly your posts allowed me to relax and realise that the slowdown was absolutely normal and expected. It's given me a huge lesson in patience and made me remember that I should be focusing on more than just the scale. I feel thinner at the moment and yesterday I put a top on which I hadn't worn for a few weeks and it was super baggy after being on the snug side before, so things are changing even when the scale says otherwise.
Oscar speech over 🤣 but a huge thank you to you all. I'm hugely grateful.12 -
I have upped my protein, adjusted my calories slightly, double checked my logging and been running more and today I weighed in at 63.8. I had been stuck in the 64s for well over a month and it felt like nothing I did was going to get me past the 64 barrier.
... It's given me a huge lesson in patience and made me remember that I should be focusing on more than just the scale. I feel thinner at the moment and yesterday I put a top on which I hadn't worn for a few weeks and it was super baggy after being on the snug side before, so things are changing even when the scale says otherwise.
These two things. ^^^^ First, a hearty "Well done!" I have been following this thread as I was in a very similar situtaition. My ahah moment was realising that I was still clocking my rowing calories with the division between light and mderate that I used from the beginning, with 18 - 20 strokes/minute as light and >22 strokes/min as moderate. That worked a few months ago but I am much fitter now, so 22 strokes/min is no longer moderate. I am now putting them them in as light, and have therefore eaten less. Maybe it is coincidence, but voilà: the scale finally dropped below 76kg after exercise and below 77kg before exercise this week. This was a reminder to me to revisit my exercise calorie calculation as I get fitter. In addition, like you I am finding that the fit of my clothes was changing even though my weight wasn't and in fact when I measured I found I had lost 2cm off my waist which was a nice surprise.2 -
I have upped my protein, adjusted my calories slightly, double checked my logging and been running more and today I weighed in at 63.8. I had been stuck in the 64s for well over a month and it felt like nothing I did was going to get me past the 64 barrier.
... It's given me a huge lesson in patience and made me remember that I should be focusing on more than just the scale. I feel thinner at the moment and yesterday I put a top on which I hadn't worn for a few weeks and it was super baggy after being on the snug side before, so things are changing even when the scale says otherwise.
These two things. ^^^^ First, a hearty "Well done!" I have been following this thread as I was in a very similar situtaition. My ahah moment was realising that I was still clocking my rowing calories with the division between light and mderate that I used from the beginning, with 18 - 20 strokes/minute as light and >22 strokes/min as moderate. That worked a few months ago but I am much fitter now, so 22 strokes/min is no longer moderate. I am now putting them them in as light, and have therefore eaten less. Maybe it is coincidence, but voilà: the scale finally dropped below 76kg after exercise and below 77kg before exercise this week. This was a reminder to me to revisit my exercise calorie calculation as I get fitter. In addition, like you I am finding that the fit of my clothes was changing even though my weight wasn't and in fact when I measured I found I had lost 2cm off my waist which was a nice surprise.
With apologies to the OP for the major digression:
If it's a Concept 2 rower, your better bet for a calorie estimate is described here:
https://www.concept2.com/indoor-rowers/training/calculators/calorie-calculator
I suspect that's still gross rather than net (back out your BMR estimate or base calories for the time period from the total if you want to), but it's much, much better than MFP's or a fitness tracker/HRM estimate for machine rowing. You can either create your own exercise in MFP to record it, or change the calories on the standard one when you log it.
I think you probably already know this, but for general purposes: The same exercise, done at the same measured intensity** (not perceived intensity), for the same time period, at the same body weight, is going to burn roughly the same number of calories, regardless of fitness level, regardless of how it feels. (This is a generality; there are some edge cases where mechanical efficiency improves enough to make a difference, but not always in the direction you'd think, i.e., not necessarily burning fewer calories, depending on how those calories are estimated. For most activities, efficiently isn't a big factor. We're just misled into thinking we burn fewer calories doing X as we get fitter, because it feels easier, and our HRM may give a lower estimate because our heart's trained to pump more blood/oxygen per stroke.) Mostly, what matters in determining calorie burn is the work being done, in the physics sense of "work" (not with "work" as a synonym for "effort"). For some activities, a big chunk of the the work involves moving body weight, so body weight can matter . . . but fitness per se, not so much.
** On a decent rower, that's pace, not strokes per minute.3 -
With apologies to the OP for the major digression:
If it's a Concept 2 rower, your better bet for a calorie estimate is described here:
https://www.concept2.com/indoor-rowers/training/calculators/calorie-calculator
I suspect that's still gross rather than net (back out your BMR estimate or base calories for the time period from the total if you want to), but it's much, much better than MFP's or a fitness tracker/HRM estimate for machine rowing. You can either create your own exercise in MFP to record it, or change the calories on the standard one when you log it.
I think you probably already know this, but for general purposes: The same exercise, done at the same measured intensity** (not perceived intensity), for the same time period, at the same body weight, is going to burn roughly the same number of calories, regardless of fitness level, regardless of how it feels. (This is a generality; there are some edge cases where mechanical efficiency improves enough to make a difference, but not always in the direction you'd think, i.e., not necessarily burning fewer calories, depending on how those calories are estimated. For most activities, efficiently isn't a big factor. We're just misled into thinking we burn fewer calories doing X as we get fitter, because it feels easier, and our HRM may give a lower estimate because our heart's trained to pump more blood/oxygen per stroke.) Mostly, what matters in determining calorie burn is the work being done, in the physics sense of "work" (not with "work" as a synonym for "effort"). For some activities, a big chunk of the the work involves moving body weight, so body weight can matter . . . but fitness per se, not so much.
** On a decent rower, that's pace, not strokes per minute.
Hi @AnnPT77 , thanks for taking the time to comment. I row on a WaterRower, found some useful estimates of calories based on that, and used those to decide which of the entries in the mfp database I should choose. You are quite right of course about the calories, so I guess need to have another rethink. The display tells me that I am now rowing at a significantly higher intensity at 22 str/min than I was to begin with, but it feels like a lot less work. I don't use an HR monitor. As i say, I'll ponder, but thank you for your thoughts.1 -
Just wanted to come back to give an update.
I was still stalling at Christmas, so decided that I would try to stick to maintenance for my current weight in the hope that a break from a larger deficit might kick start weight loss.
It didn't, unfortunately BUT I was eating my exercise calories back too. I gained a couple of pounds but was sure it was water weight and would come off.
After Christmas my weight continued to stall. I seem to stop at around 64kg and it feels like a huge effort to get below that. There is an awful lot of hovering and one step forward two steps back.
I had a big old think and decided that I would up my calories to maintenance for my goal weight (from 1350 to around 1580), but not eat back my exercise calories and in the last week I have started to lose weight again.
Tentative fingers crossed etc but thank you again for all your advice.3 -
Just wanted to come back to give an update.
I was still stalling at Christmas, so decided that I would try to stick to maintenance for my current weight in the hope that a break from a larger deficit might kick start weight loss.
It didn't, unfortunately BUT I was eating my exercise calories back too. I gained a couple of pounds but was sure it was water weight and would come off.
After Christmas my weight continued to stall. I seem to stop at around 64kg and it feels like a huge effort to get below that. There is an awful lot of hovering and one step forward two steps back.
I had a big old think and decided that I would up my calories to maintenance for my goal weight (from 1350 to around 1580), but not eat back my exercise calories and in the last week I have started to lose weight again.
Tentative fingers crossed etc but thank you again for all your advice.
Thanks for coming back to update: I always wonder how these stories turn out, whether the OP took any of the advice, what worked, etc. We can all make better progress IMO if folks share experiments and outcomes, and the same strategy can work differently for different people, just to make things more confusing.
Bodies are weird.
I'm happy to hear that you've figured out what works for you!2
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