Ready to ease back into weight loss. Need advice.

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BodyTemple23
BodyTemple23 Posts: 62 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
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?


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Replies

  • tomcustombuilder
    tomcustombuilder Posts: 1,738 Member
    edited September 2023
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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.
  • zebasschick
    zebasschick Posts: 910 Member
    edited September 2023
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    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."
  • tomcustombuilder
    tomcustombuilder Posts: 1,738 Member
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    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."
    lol. an F in reading comprehension today 🤣🤣🤣🤷🏼‍♂️

  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,579 Member
    edited September 2023
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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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  • BodyTemple23
    BodyTemple23 Posts: 62 Member
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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?

  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 32,429 Member
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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.
  • Rockymountainliving
    Rockymountainliving Posts: 26 Member
    edited September 2023
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    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.
  • csplatt
    csplatt Posts: 1,029 Member
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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!
  • BodyTemple23
    BodyTemple23 Posts: 62 Member
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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!
  • BodyTemple23
    BodyTemple23 Posts: 62 Member
    edited September 2023
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    @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
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 32,429 Member
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    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.
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 27,966 Member
    edited September 2023
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    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?
  • lynn_glenmont
    lynn_glenmont Posts: 9,988 Member
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    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.
  • BodyTemple23
    BodyTemple23 Posts: 62 Member
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    Thanks all for the helpful comments and insights. Much appreciated.
  • bcalvanese
    bcalvanese Posts: 32 Member
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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.
  • BodyTemple23
    BodyTemple23 Posts: 62 Member
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    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.
  • cheryls1mx3
    cheryls1mx3 Posts: 97 Member
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    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! 🚀👍
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 32,429 Member
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    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.
  • cheryls1mx3
    cheryls1mx3 Posts: 97 Member
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    AnnPT77 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.

    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 Sim

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