Ready to ease back into weight loss. Need advice.
BodyTemple23
Posts: 90 Member
Hi All,
My weight loss plateaued in July. I had some health concerns but am now ready to return to the challenge.
The problem was that my workouts and diet weren't helpful. I'm now switching to morning workouts. I was spinning 3x a week, Zumba 1x, and weights 2x a week. I think I should do spinning 2x a week, do other types of cardio like elliptical and staircase 2x a week, and maybe add yoga. I think morning workouts will help with metabolism and avoiding eating late dinners after 8 pm. I was doing intermittent fasting, but I'm finding myself hungry these days, so I have started eating breakfast to switch it up a bit.
For my diet, I'm trying to increase my protein intake from 40-60 grams to 80 grams, but I'm finding it hard as it also increases my carb intake to 200+ grams. I can eat up to 1500-1600 calories with workouts. I'm a vegetarian and eat two gluten-free rotis, quinoa, or brown rice for carbs with both meals. I eat lentils, legumes, eggs, and Greek yogurt for protein. Yes, I also eat lots of vegetables, edamame, and leafy greens. I drink a plant-based protein supplement 3x weekly.
I'm trying to lose about 15-20 pounds overall. I'm aiming to lose 4 pounds a month. I'm 44 years F, 5'3, and weigh 145 pounds.
If you have experienced a weight loss plateau. What did you do to restart your weight loss journey?
My weight loss plateaued in July. I had some health concerns but am now ready to return to the challenge.
The problem was that my workouts and diet weren't helpful. I'm now switching to morning workouts. I was spinning 3x a week, Zumba 1x, and weights 2x a week. I think I should do spinning 2x a week, do other types of cardio like elliptical and staircase 2x a week, and maybe add yoga. I think morning workouts will help with metabolism and avoiding eating late dinners after 8 pm. I was doing intermittent fasting, but I'm finding myself hungry these days, so I have started eating breakfast to switch it up a bit.
For my diet, I'm trying to increase my protein intake from 40-60 grams to 80 grams, but I'm finding it hard as it also increases my carb intake to 200+ grams. I can eat up to 1500-1600 calories with workouts. I'm a vegetarian and eat two gluten-free rotis, quinoa, or brown rice for carbs with both meals. I eat lentils, legumes, eggs, and Greek yogurt for protein. Yes, I also eat lots of vegetables, edamame, and leafy greens. I drink a plant-based protein supplement 3x weekly.
I'm trying to lose about 15-20 pounds overall. I'm aiming to lose 4 pounds a month. I'm 44 years F, 5'3, and weigh 145 pounds.
If you have experienced a weight loss plateau. What did you do to restart your weight loss journey?
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Replies
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Exercise timing won't affect metabolism and eating after 8 isn't an issue. Your weekly caloie amount will determine whether you lose fat or not. If you arent losing on X amount of weekly calories then lower 200 a day and sit there for a month and review at that time. You don't need 200 cals of carbs a day, it would be more benificial to up protein instead .
You didn't mention your height and weight however even 80G of protein is mostlike sub par. Protein helps prevent muscle loss when in a calorie deficit and has much better saiety factor than carbs.1 -
tomcustombuilder wrote: »Exercise timing won't affect metabolism and eating after 8 isn't an issue. Your weekly caloie amount will determine whether you lose fat or not. If you arent losing on X amount of weekly calories then lower 200 a day and sit there for a month and review at that time. You don't need 200 cals of carbs a day, it would be more benificial to up protein instead .
You didn't mention your height and weight however even 80G of protein is mostlike sub par. Protein helps prevent muscle loss when in a calorie deficit and has much better saiety factor than carbs.
actually the poster did include height and weight "I'm 44 years F, 5'3, and weigh 145 pounds."1 -
lol. an F in reading comprehension today 🤣🤣🤣🤷🏼♂️zebasschick wrote: »tomcustombuilder wrote: »Exercise timing won't affect metabolism and eating after 8 isn't an issue. Your weekly caloie amount will determine whether you lose fat or not. If you arent losing on X amount of weekly calories then lower 200 a day and sit there for a month and review at that time. You don't need 200 cals of carbs a day, it would be more benificial to up protein instead .
You didn't mention your height and weight however even 80G of protein is mostlike sub par. Protein helps prevent muscle loss when in a calorie deficit and has much better saiety factor than carbs.
actually the poster did include height and weight "I'm 44 years F, 5'3, and weigh 145 pounds."
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I am in my 50's, 5' 3 1/2" and weigh 135. I walk 2-4 miles a day and garden as my only exercise. I lost 25 pounds last year and so far 13 this year. I eat 1400 calories a day total. I am losing about 1.5 pounds per month right now. I agree with the advice above to consider lowering your calories a couple hundred or really scrutinize your logging to see if portions are edging up. That happened to me.5
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As mentioned, I'd drop calories 150-200 then see how it goes.
A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 35+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
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@Rockymountainliving, congratulations on your weight loss. A few questions:
1. Do you split your walking or do that in one short? Is it in the morning or evening?
2. How long do you garden?
3. Are you generally also active during the day? Like cooking, cleaning, groceries, etc.
4. What does your diet comprise? Where do you get your calories from? If you track your macros between carbs, proteins, and fats, can you please speak to the sources of foods?
5. When you lost 25 lbs, how much weight were you losing in a month?
6. Did the rate of weight loss slow down this year after you lost the majority of the weight?
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BodyTemple23 wrote: »Hi All,
My weight loss plateaued in July. I had some health concerns but am now ready to return to the challenge.
The problem was that my workouts and diet weren't helpful. I'm now switching to morning workouts. I was spinning 3x a week, Zumba 1x, and weights 2x a week. I think I should do spinning 2x a week, do other types of cardio like elliptical and staircase 2x a week, and maybe add yoga. I think morning workouts will help with metabolism and avoiding eating late dinners after 8 pm. I was doing intermittent fasting, but I'm finding myself hungry these days, so I have started eating breakfast to switch it up a bit.
For my diet, I'm trying to increase my protein intake from 40-60 grams to 80 grams, but I'm finding it hard as it also increases my carb intake to 200+ grams. I can eat up to 1500-1600 calories with workouts. I'm a vegetarian and eat two gluten-free rotis, quinoa, or brown rice for carbs with both meals. I eat lentils, legumes, eggs, and Greek yogurt for protein. Yes, I also eat lots of vegetables, edamame, and leafy greens. I drink a plant-based protein supplement 3x weekly.
I'm trying to lose about 15-20 pounds overall. I'm aiming to lose 4 pounds a month. I'm 44 years F, 5'3, and weigh 145 pounds.
If you have experienced a weight loss plateau. What did you do to restart your weight loss journey?
If you want to increase your protein - which I agree is a good idea - would it be feasible to decrease the foods you eat for carbs (rotis, quinoa, brown rice) and increase the foods you eat for protein (lentils, legumes, eggs, Greek yogurt)?
Most of the foods you eat for protein also contain carbs. It's probable that the vegetables you eat also contain some carbs (edamame certainly do). If you want to increase protein, something has to decrease, if staying within the same calorie level or reducing calories. If you decrease the things you mention eating for carbs, but eat more of your protein foods, you'll still be getting a reasonable level of carbs.
I don't really understand the concept of categorizing individual foods as being for carbs or for protein (mainly). Of course, some foods have more carbs than protein or vice versa, but the issue is finding a combination of foods that balances out total nutrition within calories. If something you're eating for protein also has carbs, those carbs still count as carbs, it seems to me.
For me, as someone who's also vegetarian, foods like the "for carbs" foods you mentioned are foods that were easiest for me to to reduce - breads and grains - so that I could increase my protein intake. Since so many vegetarian protein sources have some carbs in them, that overall nutrition that resulted for me was still moderate to high carb, but I was getting more of the protein I needed.
We're all different, and we all think about food and nutrition differently, so this is not meant to be a directive "you must" kind of thing, but more like an idea to consider.2 -
BodyTemple23 wrote: »@Rockymountainliving, congratulations on your weight loss. A few questions:
1. Do you split your walking or do that in one short? Is it in the morning or evening?
2. How long do you garden?
3. Are you generally also active during the day? Like cooking, cleaning, groceries, etc.
4. What does your diet comprise? Where do you get your calories from? If you track your macros between carbs, proteins, and fats, can you please speak to the sources of foods?
5. When you lost 25 lbs, how much weight were you losing in a month?
6. Did the rate of weight loss slow down this year after you lost the majority of the weight?
1. I usually split it up based on how I feel and the weather. No real routine. Just walk every day.
2. Gardening the same. Generally about 1/2 hour a day weeding or hoeing. I log the exercise as gardening/general.
3. I do cook, clean, shop and count the steps I take for those. I use the not very active setting, lose .5 pound a week (this gives me 1240 calories) and then add my exercise after and eat back about 1/2, which takes me to about 1400 calories a day.
4. Honestly, I really only pay attention to fiber as I get diverticulitis and shoot for 25g + a day. But protein fills me up more so I eat that when hungry. I do eat lean meat but also homemade refried beans, avocado and tofu fill me up. I do have ice cream or chocolate 1x week and that day, I am hungry as I still stay in my calories🥹. I have learned not to be scared of being a little hungry.
5. I was losing 1 pound a week last year, but walked more (about 4-5 miles a day) and ate 1200 calories vs. 1400 and I took about 4 months off at the end of the year just to try maintenance.
6. I purposely slowed it down this year for the "last 15" so I can't speak to whether I could have kept up the 1 pound a week. Adding 200 calories a day and walking a bit less feels decadent though!
7. I don't drink ANY calories. No alcohol, juice, added powders, coffee creamer etc. I drink water, tea, coffee in the morning and sparkling water. I need all the food calories I can get to feel full. I reward myself with clothes or travel vs. yummy wine lol.
8. I do work with my doctor and get lab tests 2x year or so. I take a quality multi-vitamin, Vitamin D and she just added iron. Hence why I don't really track this on MFP.
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Do you mean you can eat 1500-1600 plus eating back exercise calories? One thing to consider — I am 41 and close to your size (a little taller and a little lighter) and my MAINTENANCE calories are 1600. I wonder if instead of all these changes you simply needed to shave off 150 cals per day and keep at it? Just a thought!1
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@Rockymountainliving thank you for the detailed response. Very helpful.
It's funny. I was working out so hard at the gym 6x a week for 90 minutes at the stretch. And also undereating (about 1200 calories). My weight loss plateaued and I had a bunch of other issues. I lost weight on light exercises 3x a week and eating 1200 calories in 2019. I never understood when people talked about weight loss plateaued, but now I do. Thanks again!0 -
@AnnPT77 yes, I've been thinking about cutting back on carbs to increase protein.
I have a question for you, Do you know if you are getting the complete protein? Based on what I've been reading you need a combination of foods to get all amino acids. I knew nothing about this until recently.
https://integrisok.com/resources/on-your-health/2022/august/how-to-eat-complete-proteins-in-vegetarian-and-vegan-diets0 -
BodyTemple23 wrote: »@AnnPT77 yes, I've been thinking about cutting back on carbs to increase protein.
I have a question for you, Do you know if you are getting the complete protein? Based on what I've been reading you need a combination of foods to get all amino acids. I knew nothing about this until recently.
https://integrisok.com/resources/on-your-health/2022/august/how-to-eat-complete-proteins-in-vegetarian-and-vegan-diets
It's a thing I think about, yes. Many - most - of my protein sources are complete. (I eat quite a bit of dairy and traditional soy foods.)
Beyond that, I vary protein sources that aren't as complete to try to get a more well-rounded profile of amino acids from the totality of those, too. I keep protein grams on the high-ish side as a bet-hedge.
I don't count amino acids explicitly, though, or anything like that. (I don't think anyone does anymore. When I first became vegetarian (1974) it was thought that we needed to complement amino acids within the same meal. It's now believed to be a little more time-flexible than that.)
On the rare occasion, I do look up the protein complement for some particular food, but a lot of the combinations are somewhat built into my habits by now. It's also the case that complements tend to be structured into traditional eating styles that are more meat/fish sparse. For example, beans and rice is common in quite a few global customers that are veggie-centric.1 -
BodyTemple23 wrote: »@AnnPT77 yes, I've been thinking about cutting back on carbs to increase protein.
I have a question for you, Do you know if you are getting the complete protein? Based on what I've been reading you need a combination of foods to get all amino acids. I knew nothing about this until recently.
https://integrisok.com/resources/on-your-health/2022/august/how-to-eat-complete-proteins-in-vegetarian-and-vegan-diets
You already are getting complete protein. For example, quinoa, yogurt are complete, and a rice and legume combo is complete. For other foods, like the article and Ann say, you don't need to get it all in one meal.
You probably still won't have an issue if you decrease rice to allow more room for protein. In a typical rice and legume meal, how much would be rice and how much beans?0 -
BodyTemple23 wrote: »@AnnPT77 yes, I've been thinking about cutting back on carbs to increase protein.
I have a question for you, Do you know if you are getting the complete protein? Based on what I've been reading you need a combination of foods to get all amino acids. I knew nothing about this until recently.
https://integrisok.com/resources/on-your-health/2022/august/how-to-eat-complete-proteins-in-vegetarian-and-vegan-diets
"Incomplete" doesn't mean the food doesn't have all the essential amino acids. It just means the essential amino acids are not in the food in the perfect proportions that would allow your body to use all of them to build proteins if that food were your sole source of amino acids.
It sounds like you're getting a good variety of protein sources, OP, including animal sources (egg, yogurt) and edamame, which is a "complete" plant protein. Plus your other legumes and grains are complementary proteins. Boosting the overall intake is a good idea, as 40 to 60 g of protein is pretty low, even if they were all coming from animal sources.1 -
Thanks all for the helpful comments and insights. Much appreciated.1
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My views are very basic with diet. As in... If you eat a wide variety of healthy foods, limit junk food to a minimum, get the recommended activity minutes (150-300) in per week, and stay within your calories, your body weight should fall in line over time.
As far as the whole carb thing goes, I'm not a believer in forcing your body into burning fat instead of carbs, but if you are not exercising regularly, you don't need as many carbs as if you "are" exercising regularly. IMO, carbs are what your body "should" be burning while exercising, and anyone who has run out of carbs mid workout will tell you, it's like hitting a brick wall, because your body has no choice but to try and burn fat. It happened to me during a 10 mile run one time, and I felt like crap for a couple days after that.
I do agree that you should eat healthy carbs, and not too many if you are not exercising regularly.1 -
I'm in general agreement that carbs aren't bad if you exercise regularly.
The answers I was hoping to find were what to do if you are experiencing a weight loss plateau. I believe the answer may be in adding more protein-rich foods, but I can't do that at 1400 calories without increasing carbs too, even if I choose to eat less carb-rich food like brown rice and rotis.
Nevertheless, I love the input and advice I got; I'm eager to give it a try.0 -
BodyTemple23 wrote: »I'm in general agreement that carbs aren't bad if you exercise regularly.
The answers I was hoping to find were what to do if you are experiencing a weight loss plateau. I believe the answer may be in adding more protein-rich foods, but I can't do that at 1400 calories without increasing carbs too, even if I choose to eat less carb-rich food like brown rice and rotis.
Nevertheless, I love the input and advice I got; I'm eager to give it a try.
That's awesome that you're open to advice and thinking about boosting your protein intake! 😊 To figure out your daily protein target, just multiply your weight in pounds by 0.7; that's your sweet spot in grams. I'm currently rocking 156g of protein daily, and you can check out my MFP diary for ideas if you're struggling to hit that goal.
To smash through that weight loss plateau while sticking to 1400 calories, focus on tasty protein sources like chicken breast, fish, and tofu. By cutting back a bit on carb-loaded stuff like brown rice and rotis, you'll have more room in your calorie budget for protein power. Keep an eye on your progress and make tweaks as needed. You've got this! 🚀👍1 -
cheryls1mx3 wrote: »BodyTemple23 wrote: »I'm in general agreement that carbs aren't bad if you exercise regularly.
The answers I was hoping to find were what to do if you are experiencing a weight loss plateau. I believe the answer may be in adding more protein-rich foods, but I can't do that at 1400 calories without increasing carbs too, even if I choose to eat less carb-rich food like brown rice and rotis.
Nevertheless, I love the input and advice I got; I'm eager to give it a try.
That's awesome that you're open to advice and thinking about boosting your protein intake! 😊 To figure out your daily protein target, just multiply your weight in pounds by 0.7; that's your sweet spot in grams. I'm currently rocking 156g of protein daily, and you can check out my MFP diary for ideas if you're struggling to hit that goal.
To smash through that weight loss plateau while sticking to 1400 calories, focus on tasty protein sources like chicken breast, fish, and tofu. By cutting back a bit on carb-loaded stuff like brown rice and rotis, you'll have more room in your calorie budget for protein power. Keep an eye on your progress and make tweaks as needed. You've got this! 🚀👍
Using current weight times 0.7 could be major overkill for someone severely obese, and hard to fit into limited calories. 0.6-0.8g per pound of healthy goal weight should be adequate, in most cases. We don't need bunches of extra protein to maintain our fat mass: It's mainly to maintain our lean mass.
Or there's this evidence-based source (one that doesn't sell protein supplements, BTW):
https://examine.com/protein-intake-calculator/
https://examine.com/guides/protein-intake/
Note that the guide says it can be OK to use a reasonable goal weight as input to the calculator, if materially overweight currently.0 -
cheryls1mx3 wrote: »BodyTemple23 wrote: »I'm in general agreement that carbs aren't bad if you exercise regularly.
The answers I was hoping to find were what to do if you are experiencing a weight loss plateau. I believe the answer may be in adding more protein-rich foods, but I can't do that at 1400 calories without increasing carbs too, even if I choose to eat less carb-rich food like brown rice and rotis.
Nevertheless, I love the input and advice I got; I'm eager to give it a try.
That's awesome that you're open to advice and thinking about boosting your protein intake! 😊 To figure out your daily protein target, just multiply your weight in pounds by 0.7; that's your sweet spot in grams. I'm currently rocking 156g of protein daily, and you can check out my MFP diary for ideas if you're struggling to hit that goal.
To smash through that weight loss plateau while sticking to 1400 calories, focus on tasty protein sources like chicken breast, fish, and tofu. By cutting back a bit on carb-loaded stuff like brown rice and rotis, you'll have more room in your calorie budget for protein power. Keep an eye on your progress and make tweaks as needed. You've got this! 🚀👍
Using current weight times 0.7 could be major overkill for someone severely obese, and hard to fit into limited calories. 0.6-0.8g per pound of healthy goal weight should be adequate, in most cases. We don't need bunches of extra protein to maintain our fat mass: It's mainly to maintain our lean mass.
Or there's this evidence-based source (one that doesn't sell protein supplements, BTW):
https://examine.com/protein-intake-calculator/
https://examine.com/guides/protein-intake/
Note that the guide says it can be OK to use a reasonable goal weight as input to the calculator, if materially overweight currently.
Thank you for sharing your perspective and the provided resources. Actually to be fair, I agree that the protein intake calculation should consider an individual's healthy goal weight, especially for those who are severely obese. It's important to tailor protein intake to maintain lean mass rather than excess fat.
The Examine.com sources you mentioned are indeed reputable/updated on a regular basis and evidence-based as well, offering valuable insights on calculating protein needs based on a reasonable goal weight. This approach can be more realistic and achievable within limited caloric constraints. 📚💡
I quite like healthline.com as well, as its the same idea. My response was looking at optimal results outwith any barriers like high obesity/contraindications.
Good shout
Cheryl Sim1 -
cheryls1mx3 wrote: »BodyTemple23 wrote: »I'm in general agreement that carbs aren't bad if you exercise regularly.
The answers I was hoping to find were what to do if you are experiencing a weight loss plateau. I believe the answer may be in adding more protein-rich foods, but I can't do that at 1400 calories without increasing carbs too, even if I choose to eat less carb-rich food like brown rice and rotis.
Nevertheless, I love the input and advice I got; I'm eager to give it a try.
That's awesome that you're open to advice and thinking about boosting your protein intake! 😊 To figure out your daily protein target, just multiply your weight in pounds by 0.7; that's your sweet spot in grams. I'm currently rocking 156g of protein daily, and you can check out my MFP diary for ideas if you're struggling to hit that goal.
To smash through that weight loss plateau while sticking to 1400 calories, focus on tasty protein sources like chicken breast, fish, and tofu. By cutting back a bit on carb-loaded stuff like brown rice and rotis, you'll have more room in your calorie budget for protein power. Keep an eye on your progress and make tweaks as needed. You've got this! 🚀👍
Using current weight times 0.7 could be major overkill for someone severely obese, and hard to fit into limited calories. 0.6-0.8g per pound of healthy goal weight should be adequate, in most cases. We don't need bunches of extra protein to maintain our fat mass: It's mainly to maintain our lean mass.
Or there's this evidence-based source (one that doesn't sell protein supplements, BTW):
https://examine.com/protein-intake-calculator/
https://examine.com/guides/protein-intake/
Note that the guide says it can be OK to use a reasonable goal weight as input to the calculator, if materially overweight currently.
The reason many weight loss/fitness experts recommend this is specifically because it is difficult to fit in. If your trying to get 200 grams of protein in, it's really hard to eat cake, cookies, chips, etc (all the yummy things it's so easy to overeat). But yes, definitely not necessary to eat that much protein.0 -
sollyn23l2 wrote: »cheryls1mx3 wrote: »BodyTemple23 wrote: »I'm in general agreement that carbs aren't bad if you exercise regularly.
The answers I was hoping to find were what to do if you are experiencing a weight loss plateau. I believe the answer may be in adding more protein-rich foods, but I can't do that at 1400 calories without increasing carbs too, even if I choose to eat less carb-rich food like brown rice and rotis.
Nevertheless, I love the input and advice I got; I'm eager to give it a try.
That's awesome that you're open to advice and thinking about boosting your protein intake! 😊 To figure out your daily protein target, just multiply your weight in pounds by 0.7; that's your sweet spot in grams. I'm currently rocking 156g of protein daily, and you can check out my MFP diary for ideas if you're struggling to hit that goal.
To smash through that weight loss plateau while sticking to 1400 calories, focus on tasty protein sources like chicken breast, fish, and tofu. By cutting back a bit on carb-loaded stuff like brown rice and rotis, you'll have more room in your calorie budget for protein power. Keep an eye on your progress and make tweaks as needed. You've got this! 🚀👍
Using current weight times 0.7 could be major overkill for someone severely obese, and hard to fit into limited calories. 0.6-0.8g per pound of healthy goal weight should be adequate, in most cases. We don't need bunches of extra protein to maintain our fat mass: It's mainly to maintain our lean mass.
Or there's this evidence-based source (one that doesn't sell protein supplements, BTW):
https://examine.com/protein-intake-calculator/
https://examine.com/guides/protein-intake/
Note that the guide says it can be OK to use a reasonable goal weight as input to the calculator, if materially overweight currently.
The reason many weight loss/fitness experts recommend this is specifically because it is difficult to fit in. If your trying to get 200 grams of protein in, it's really hard to eat cake, cookies, chips, etc (all the yummy things it's so easy to overeat). But yes, definitely not necessary to eat that much protein.
Yeah, I suppose it's like the idea that doctors recommend 1200 calorie diets so often, even in cases where that calorie level is silly-low, because they believe (with reason) that people will under-count their calorie intake.
I'm more in favor of treating people like adults.
If someone gets better results - more sated or whatever - eating more protein, that's fine. If they want to reduce consumption of cake, cookies, chips, etc., there are potentially multiple ways to do that, of which eating excess protein is only one.
Grown-ups ought to be able to learn accurate facts, and make their own decisions. Absent pre-existing kidney disease, it seems to be fine to eat more protein than strictly necessary.1 -
I love the discussions here.
In my case, it's been four months since I have eaten anything in the junk category.
If I feel like something sweet, I eat a dates-based power snack called Navitas. All ingredients are clean and healthy such as chia seeds and maca powder. I only have 1-2 pieces; no sugar.
The weight loss plateau is puzzling, but I really hope to break through it by adding more protein. I shopped for protein food yesterday. I'll report back after a couple of weeks.1 -
sollyn23l2 wrote: »cheryls1mx3 wrote: »BodyTemple23 wrote: »I'm in general agreement that carbs aren't bad if you exercise regularly.
The answers I was hoping to find were what to do if you are experiencing a weight loss plateau. I believe the answer may be in adding more protein-rich foods, but I can't do that at 1400 calories without increasing carbs too, even if I choose to eat less carb-rich food like brown rice and rotis.
Nevertheless, I love the input and advice I got; I'm eager to give it a try.
That's awesome that you're open to advice and thinking about boosting your protein intake! 😊 To figure out your daily protein target, just multiply your weight in pounds by 0.7; that's your sweet spot in grams. I'm currently rocking 156g of protein daily, and you can check out my MFP diary for ideas if you're struggling to hit that goal.
To smash through that weight loss plateau while sticking to 1400 calories, focus on tasty protein sources like chicken breast, fish, and tofu. By cutting back a bit on carb-loaded stuff like brown rice and rotis, you'll have more room in your calorie budget for protein power. Keep an eye on your progress and make tweaks as needed. You've got this! 🚀👍
Using current weight times 0.7 could be major overkill for someone severely obese, and hard to fit into limited calories. 0.6-0.8g per pound of healthy goal weight should be adequate, in most cases. We don't need bunches of extra protein to maintain our fat mass: It's mainly to maintain our lean mass.
Or there's this evidence-based source (one that doesn't sell protein supplements, BTW):
https://examine.com/protein-intake-calculator/
https://examine.com/guides/protein-intake/
Note that the guide says it can be OK to use a reasonable goal weight as input to the calculator, if materially overweight currently.
The reason many weight loss/fitness experts recommend this is specifically because it is difficult to fit in. If your trying to get 200 grams of protein in, it's really hard to eat cake, cookies, chips, etc (all the yummy things it's so easy to overeat). But yes, definitely not necessary to eat that much protein.
I understand your concern. The protein recommendation of multiplying weight in pounds by 0.7 is often suggested for weight loss due to its potential satiating effect and challenge in consuming excessive unhealthy foods. However, scientific consensus varies on exact protein needs, and individual requirements can differ based on factors like activity level, goals, and health status. It's essential to consult with a registered dietitian for personalized advice. 📚🔍
Instead of internet/Google I will consult with studies & journals before giving this advice because new studies come about and can change tomorrow you never know. I refer to research published in reputable journals like the "American Journal of Clinical Nutrition," "Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition," or "Nutrition & Metabolism" for studies on protein intake and its relationship to weight loss and fitness goals. These journals often contain studies exploring various protein intake recommendations and their effects. 📖🔬0 -
BodyTemple23 wrote: »I love the discussions here.
In my case, it's been four months since I have eaten anything in the junk category.
If I feel like something sweet, I eat a dates-based power snack called Navitas. All ingredients are clean and healthy such as chia seeds and maca powder. I only have 1-2 pieces; no sugar.
The weight loss plateau is puzzling, but I really hope to break through it by adding more protein. I shopped for protein food yesterday. I'll report back after a couple of weeks.
That's fantastic progress, and it's clear you're dedicated to making healthier choices! Incorporating clean, protein-rich foods can indeed help in breaking through a weight loss plateau. Keep up the great work with your clean eating choices like Navitas snacks; they sound delicious and nutritious! 💪🍏 Stay consistent, and I'm looking forward to hearing about your progress in a couple of weeks. You've got this! 🌟0 -
Just wanted to say that, while not a vegetarian, I’m learning a lot from this thread. It’s also giving me a flashback to my tattered old copy of Diet for a Small Planet and the concept of protein complementarity. I’m curious now to know if that approach is still a useful guide and am reading the comments here with that in mind.0
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history_grrrl wrote: »Just wanted to say that, while not a vegetarian, I’m learning a lot from this thread. It’s also giving me a flashback to my tattered old copy of Diet for a Small Planet and the concept of protein complementarity. I’m curious now to know if that approach is still a useful guide and am reading the comments here with that in mind.
The concept is still useful, but it's now believed (via research) that it's not essential to do the complementing all in one meal at the same time. Reasonably short timespans should be OK. I haven't tried to pin down exact time estimates. (I just eat plenty of protein, try to get more of it from complete/bioavailable sources, and vary the others widely across a day.)1 -
cheryls1mx3 wrote: »sollyn23l2 wrote: »cheryls1mx3 wrote: »BodyTemple23 wrote: »I'm in general agreement that carbs aren't bad if you exercise regularly.
The answers I was hoping to find were what to do if you are experiencing a weight loss plateau. I believe the answer may be in adding more protein-rich foods, but I can't do that at 1400 calories without increasing carbs too, even if I choose to eat less carb-rich food like brown rice and rotis.
Nevertheless, I love the input and advice I got; I'm eager to give it a try.
That's awesome that you're open to advice and thinking about boosting your protein intake! 😊 To figure out your daily protein target, just multiply your weight in pounds by 0.7; that's your sweet spot in grams. I'm currently rocking 156g of protein daily, and you can check out my MFP diary for ideas if you're struggling to hit that goal.
To smash through that weight loss plateau while sticking to 1400 calories, focus on tasty protein sources like chicken breast, fish, and tofu. By cutting back a bit on carb-loaded stuff like brown rice and rotis, you'll have more room in your calorie budget for protein power. Keep an eye on your progress and make tweaks as needed. You've got this! 🚀👍
Using current weight times 0.7 could be major overkill for someone severely obese, and hard to fit into limited calories. 0.6-0.8g per pound of healthy goal weight should be adequate, in most cases. We don't need bunches of extra protein to maintain our fat mass: It's mainly to maintain our lean mass.
Or there's this evidence-based source (one that doesn't sell protein supplements, BTW):
https://examine.com/protein-intake-calculator/
https://examine.com/guides/protein-intake/
Note that the guide says it can be OK to use a reasonable goal weight as input to the calculator, if materially overweight currently.
The reason many weight loss/fitness experts recommend this is specifically because it is difficult to fit in. If your trying to get 200 grams of protein in, it's really hard to eat cake, cookies, chips, etc (all the yummy things it's so easy to overeat). But yes, definitely not necessary to eat that much protein.
I understand your concern. The protein recommendation of multiplying weight in pounds by 0.7 is often suggested for weight loss due to its potential satiating effect and challenge in consuming excessive unhealthy foods. However, scientific consensus varies on exact protein needs, and individual requirements can differ based on factors like activity level, goals, and health status. It's essential to consult with a registered dietitian for personalized advice. 📚🔍
Instead of internet/Google I will consult with studies & journals before giving this advice because new studies come about and can change tomorrow you never know. I refer to research published in reputable journals like the "American Journal of Clinical Nutrition," "Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition," or "Nutrition & Metabolism" for studies on protein intake and its relationship to weight loss and fitness goals. These journals often contain studies exploring various protein intake recommendations and their effects. 📖🔬
If the sources you mention recommending calculating protein needs by multiplying CURRENT "weight in pounds by 0.7" rather than LEAN BODY MASS or GOAL weight, I'd be very interested in seeing this.1 -
cheryls1mx3 wrote: »sollyn23l2 wrote: »cheryls1mx3 wrote: »BodyTemple23 wrote: »I'm in general agreement that carbs aren't bad if you exercise regularly.
The answers I was hoping to find were what to do if you are experiencing a weight loss plateau. I believe the answer may be in adding more protein-rich foods, but I can't do that at 1400 calories without increasing carbs too, even if I choose to eat less carb-rich food like brown rice and rotis.
Nevertheless, I love the input and advice I got; I'm eager to give it a try.
That's awesome that you're open to advice and thinking about boosting your protein intake! 😊 To figure out your daily protein target, just multiply your weight in pounds by 0.7; that's your sweet spot in grams. I'm currently rocking 156g of protein daily, and you can check out my MFP diary for ideas if you're struggling to hit that goal.
To smash through that weight loss plateau while sticking to 1400 calories, focus on tasty protein sources like chicken breast, fish, and tofu. By cutting back a bit on carb-loaded stuff like brown rice and rotis, you'll have more room in your calorie budget for protein power. Keep an eye on your progress and make tweaks as needed. You've got this! 🚀👍
Using current weight times 0.7 could be major overkill for someone severely obese, and hard to fit into limited calories. 0.6-0.8g per pound of healthy goal weight should be adequate, in most cases. We don't need bunches of extra protein to maintain our fat mass: It's mainly to maintain our lean mass.
Or there's this evidence-based source (one that doesn't sell protein supplements, BTW):
https://examine.com/protein-intake-calculator/
https://examine.com/guides/protein-intake/
Note that the guide says it can be OK to use a reasonable goal weight as input to the calculator, if materially overweight currently.
The reason many weight loss/fitness experts recommend this is specifically because it is difficult to fit in. If your trying to get 200 grams of protein in, it's really hard to eat cake, cookies, chips, etc (all the yummy things it's so easy to overeat). But yes, definitely not necessary to eat that much protein.
I understand your concern. The protein recommendation of multiplying weight in pounds by 0.7 is often suggested for weight loss due to its potential satiating effect and challenge in consuming excessive unhealthy foods. However, scientific consensus varies on exact protein needs, and individual requirements can differ based on factors like activity level, goals, and health status. It's essential to consult with a registered dietitian for personalized advice. 📚🔍
Instead of internet/Google I will consult with studies & journals before giving this advice because new studies come about and can change tomorrow you never know. I refer to research published in reputable journals like the "American Journal of Clinical Nutrition," "Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition," or "Nutrition & Metabolism" for studies on protein intake and its relationship to weight loss and fitness goals. These journals often contain studies exploring various protein intake recommendations and their effects. 📖🔬
@cheryls1mx3, since this seems to be a subject that you've followed, what are you finding to be the most useful recent studies on the topic? Can you suggest links to them? Even the abstracts would be good, but full text even better.
As someone over 60, I've found this study group report useful, but it is from 2013, and it would be helpful to know if there are newer resources, or something(s) speaking to other subgroups' needs.
https://www.jamda.com/article/S1525-8610(13)00326-5/fulltext
Beyond that, I tend to trust Examine.com's analysis of research, and they do have a non-paywalled protein guide in which they're very transparent about the sources they rely on.
Do you have useful insights to add? Thanks!1 -
It's official! I've broken the weight loss plateau!! I've lost three pounds since adding more protein, reducing carbs, and slowing down on my workouts. Yay!
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