have I reached my bodies set point?

shakybabe · May 2012

Last year in June I was 12 st 7 and hoping to get back to 9st 7 which I was when I was young and healthy before I had to go in a wheelchair.

Well I made it to 9st 7 last month and have only been losing 2lb a month since January usually the week after my monthlies ended and an extra 2 lb came off with the water that went on.

I have been doing Wii Fit for ages, a few years now - I used it for physio a few years before I decided to get stuck into serious weight loss.

On Wii Fit it suggests I should be 9st 3 (with an height of 5ft 4).. I'm actually 5ft 3 and half but it won't let you put halves in... but as I've always been medium build I figured I wouldn't get much lower and from teens to young adult I have always been around 9st 7 at my healthiest.

This months TOTM has ended and I just got weighed and was disappointed to find the extra 2lbs haven't come off.. I've only lost the 5lbs that went on :sad: .. as I've only been losing 2lbs a month since after xmas I wondered if my body has reached its set point as I had always been around 9st 7 before gaining all the weight due to illness (did originally go up to 16st in 2002 when thyroid went wrong and started producing Reverse T3).

I know 6st is a great loss considering I've been in a wheelchair since 2005 with very limited mobility.. I did originally get from 16st to 11st 7 in 2010 then put a stone back on last year taking to 12st 7 by last June.. and lost 3stone since last June.

Is my body just tired of dieting and exercising on top of coping with my condition (the extra energy it takes to do things with ataxia and the involuntary movements).. not sure if I've just hit a plateau or my body has reached its set point that my weight was originally throughout teens and twenties?

I've got my waist down to 30 (was 38 " last year) and biggest part of tummy down from 48" to 34 ".. sizes UK 20 down to 12-14.

I'm trying going back to strict no carbs with meals (other than whats in fruit and veg), and mostly vegetarian/fish diet for a few weeks.. maybe allowing meat once a week or sunday dinner and upping the exercise again (trying to fit in 90 mins-2 hours exercise a day again) to drop the last few pounds... or is 9st 7 an acceptable weight for someone 5ft 3 and half, medium build?

I still see fat around my tummy though my arms, legs, wrists, face and neck are noticeably much thinner. My chest size has also unexpectedly dropped from a 40 to a 34, which I didn't set out to do (was just trying to lose weight around core to reduce back pain levels originally).

Lozze · May 2012

Well that puts you firmly in the healthy range. Congrats on your awesome weight loss.

It might be your set point. I know the best hint for that last bit of fat is strength training but you do have issues that would make that more difficult. Hopefully you'll get some of the more knoweldge ppl who can advise you. Have you thought of a personal trainer? (if it's in the budget)

shakybabe · May 2012

Thanks... a personal trainer isn't in the budget I'm afraid!.. I'm been changed over to new ESA benefits in UK and haven't had any money in my account since March! ... spent all week trying to get through to someone on the phone to tell them I didn't get any money paid in in April and all my bills are going out for a second month with nothing having gone in! :ohwell:

I can wear weights like ankle and wrist weights and started with a 6lb balance belt that was the right weight for me when I was 12st 7, but a bit big now and not really helping as it throws me off balance now.. can't afford to replace it at minute as it was shipped from the US and was £70.. but still using the ankle and wrist weights when exercising and have a resistance band and some exercises I can do with it from chair.

Also got passive trainer bike (like motorised exercise pedals.. moves my legs for me in pedaling motion) that was the best burn at just over 600 cals for an hour.. according to the display. My thighs are noticeably leaner and definitely got a bigger gap between them!

I'd like my tummy to be a little flatter and tighter, been trying cling film wearing in bed with electric blanket on to make me sweat around the middle more and have been getting night sweats occasionally (starting peri-menopause) thats really the only time I break out into a sweat! .. have a post pregnancy DVD I've been trying too thats mainly all floor exercises that I can do.. thought that would work as it targets tummy muscles!

tumteetum · May 2012

I'm not knowledgeable enough about the weight loss thing but wondered if you tried looking for targetted ab/core exercises you can do seated or lying?

Something like this http://exercise.about.com/od/abs/ss/abmoves1_2.htm

Or would you be able to try some pilates - there's quite a few core exercises you can do lying down and you could use your existing weights too to add an extra dimension. I like Lynne Robinson - her warm up for Body Control Pilates DVD is all lying down but has core exercises in it which my physio gave me to build core strength for my back problem - though you might not have the money for a DVD right now. There's lots of Pilates clips on youtube which might be a good fit and you can get adapted exercises for seated position.

Pilates is supposed to help other elements of MS too according to this site (which seems to have a lot of advice about fitness with disability)

http://www.disaboom.com/adaptive-fitness/improve-your-mobility-with-pilates

tumteetum · May 2012

Tummy toners for wheelchair users
http://www.disaboom.com/adaptive-fitness/tummy-toners

victoria4321 · May 2012

Congrats on the weight loss! I don't think its your body's biological set point but it might be your personal set point. I mean that as in this is the weight you're most comfortable maintaining with your current lifestyle.

Personally, I'd skip the vegetarian part. I was a vegetarian for 3 years and gained 10lbs within that time. Its pretty hard to go low carb vegetarian without supplementing.

Helloitsdan · May 2012

Take a diet break for a few weeks and relax.
Last thing your body needs is more stress huh?
Sometimes a diet break at maintenance does wonders for catapulting you to the next level when you resume the diet.
Maybe look into different workout routines?
Maybe look into different diet techniques?

GJ so far!

potluck965 · May 2012

I just want to say "Congrats" and that I am in awe of your accomplishments. I see people complain about little problems but you have a major obstacle and yet you have persevered and accomplished an amazing goal. Many people in your situation might just give up or give in.

I know that you will find what you need to do to accomplish any further changes, you are just that kind of person. Kudos.

shakybabe · May 2012

Thanks to everyone for answers and I'll check out the links to core exercises and see if can find that DVD on YouTube for now, see if there's any new one's on there that I'm not already doing.

I'll check my weight again tomorrow as it seems I ate some dodgy chicken last night as was sick this morning and spent most of rest of day in and out of the loo. The cramps are just easing off! ... though any water lost might have gone back on again by tomorrow morning!

Thanks! :flowerforyou:

shakybabe · May 2012

well I was a pound lighter last night and again this morning, I suspect only cos of been sick and having the runs yesterday, from the dodgy chicken on Thursday night!

I had weighed day before and had only gone back to what I was before TOTM started, so its depressing that I only lost 1 lb the whole month and that was only cos I was sick all day.

I'd cut carbs and was having fruit for breakfast like one apple, salad or something like carrot sticks with hummus for lunch and dinner is plate of salad or vegetables with portion of lean white meat or fish (no batter or breadcrumbs etc usually. I hadn't been drinking as much water as was always cold these last few weeks so been tending to have tea, cup-a-soups or hot chocolate so I'll try and get back to water only now the weather's warming up.

I'm not sure what else I can cut out of diet, but replaced some meals with Quorn alternatives instead of higher fat meat products like beef mince. I've reduced diary to a few times a week and limited to one small yoghurt or a babybel, so there's not much fat in
diet

I do eat more choc PMT week and usually have a small bar (around 200cals) but also go on pedals for at least an hour around 660 cals.. if I'm really craving carbs and want small portion of chips etc too I've been doing 90 mins on bike, nearly a 1,000 calories burned to make up for extra food and still have a deficit. Nothing is deep fried though, everything either oven cooked or boiled, steamed.

I've cut wheat and reduced other grains to a few times a week, other than existing on fruit, veg and water I can't see how I can cut fat/carbs much further? .. exercising as much as I can and also have involuntary movements everytime I try to use arms to do something, cooking, dressing, typing etc (even at rest I have some,, never completely still unless fast asleep) all regular things take extra energy ontop of 60-90 mins of exercise when I manage it... in theory the weight should be dropping off me if the NEAT theory is also correct?.. but definitely seem to have come to a standstill this month. don't think I'd have lost any if I hadn't had the runs and sickness yesterday.

em9371 · May 2012

Sounds like you are maybe not eating enough / exercising too much, even with being in a wheelchair you burn more cals than me and I eat nearly 2000 a day!!!
With most of your exercise being cardio, it's possible that you have lost muscle and therefore will now find it harder to lose, that much cardio is not really necessary.
Dans suggestion of a week at maintenance is a good idea, then maybe look up his post 'in place of a roadmap' and calculate your cals based on bmr / tdee

Try and meet all macros, not only calories - cutting all fat / carbs / dairy out of your diet is not necessary either. Aim for a healthy balanced range of foods, rather than a 'diet' with just salad and fruit / veg!

shakybabe · May 2012

Thanks.. I never really understood the macro thing, but I'll try and eat more.

I do have an actual wheat intolerance (and severe nut allergy) but having what I call a spike day for a few days had rice krispies for breakfast then just had rye bread with melted wensleydale on when got back from dogs walk... i had got a left over quorn curry to eat but might add some oven chips to it for a change and try and bump my cals.

Sunday's I usually eat more anyway as I like scrambled egg on toast or with turkey rashers or Quorn alternative for brunch and of course sunday dinner with chicken, veg. I do allow a mini yorkie pud on sunday but try and avoid wheat the rest of the week as it really does make me bloated. I was replacing roasties/mash with carrot & swede mash, but might bring more potatoes back into my diet to see if that helps I don't eat much bread cos Gluten free bread is expensive for a small loaf so try and make it last the whole month so only have it once a week, though I use corn tortilla's sometimes for sandwich wraps instead of regular wheat ones.

I only got food delivered wed so will have it eat it, but I will try and eat more throughout the rest of the week and maybe reduce the exercise to 30 mins bike & 30 mins Wii, or one or the other per day?

I'd take a break but my goal date is in a few weeks (6th June my birthday.. I was 12st 7 last year on my birthday) and I'm only 3lb off now! I'd decided to get down to 9st 3 by my original goal date instead, as I had reached 9st 7 a few months earlier.

Ralphrabbit · May 2012

Who cares about what the charts say, congratulations on your success!! You have done so well & against disability too. I have just started back to the gym but tend to lose my balance there as I have MS. Taking it slowly & falling over much less painful & less frequent now I am 6 stone lighter!!
Enjoy yourself & have some fun while keeping your diet under control & doing some exercise. Get a bit of perspective from good friends who you trust, while listening to that small voice occasionally that tells you that you may have a few pounds left to go.
Try all of the above but be proud of who you are & what you have done.

Jenjaz1910 · May 2012

First off WELL DONE on your amazing loss! I'm a little bit shorter than you and my goal is about 9st 7, which I think is a good weight for our height! The WII only goes on BMI which I believe isn't the perfect gauge on what you should weigh, don't pressurise yourself into losing more. Just go by how you feel and how your clothes fit! I personally wouldn't cut anything out of your diet as your body will just crave it more, just make good choices on what you eat and like Dan said maybe have a break and eat at maintanence for a few weeks. Good luck x

have I reached my bodies set point?

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