Experiencing some frustration

86lbs in 6 months is an incredible loss! I'm sure your body (and your mind) need a wee bit of catch up time to get used to the new, smaller you. I would just keep going, one day at a time, keep logging, keep making healthy choices one at a time, do varied and interesting workouts that you enjoy, and enjoy your good health and shrinking body. Your loss is inspirational and you will no doubt soon get to your goal. Good luck! :-) xo

So I just looked at this, and in the last 13 weeks, I have managed to only lose 18 pounds.

Let's be realistic here. You are losing MORE than 1 lb. a week. How exactly is that bad, or a plateau? You have lost a lot of weight. The closer you get to goal, the harder it will be to lose. But losing 1.38 lbs. per week is never considered "slow".

Work hard, keep it up, and it will come off. It won't, and shouldn't happen overnight. If it does, it likely won't last.

So for a reality check consider the alternative. Stop exercising, stop tracking, and just give up. What do you think the outcome will be? Do you expect that will give you better results? Even if you do not lose one more pound do you want to start gaining a pound a week? Do you want to convince yourself what you are doing is for nothing? You are doing an awesome job, you just have to have faith and patience.

The scale is often a liar...especially if you are lifting now. The lifting has probably already started toning you so just keep in mind that the scale doesn't reflect this. Think about how your body looks rather than how much you weigh. Also, you can try measuring yourself. Sometimes we lose inches rather than pounds...all of this counts! 86 lbs is awesome...just stick with it!

are you measuring yourself? I'm betting that the scale shows little to no movement, but the tape measure will give you different results. It takes time for your body to catch up with your braain. Give it some time. And pat yourself on the back for what you've accomplished!!

Go to your doctor get a physical and see the difference from when you started your journey. All the exercise and healthy can add years to your life. Only looking at one aspect will get you frustrated. You have accomplished a lot!! Take a deep breath, make some small changes, and don’t forget your overall health benefits..

You might not want to hear this but that is awesome!!!!

So I just looked at this, and in the last 13 weeks, I have managed to only lose 18 pounds.

Let's be realistic here. You are losing MORE than 1 lb. a week. How exactly is that bad, or a plateau? You have lost a lot of weight. The closer you get to goal, the harder it will be to lose. But losing 1.38 lbs. per week is never considered "slow".

Work hard, keep it up, and it will come off. It won't, and shouldn't happen overnight. If it does, it likely won't last.

THIS

I found this trick in a magazine to get the weight loss going again. I tried it and it worked. Designate two days in a row each week to eating less than 50 carbs each of those days. Eat up to the calories you are already couting. The rest of the week eat your normal healthy foods. By the 3rd day I started to lose again. :happy: Good luck.

So I just looked at this, and in the last 13 weeks, I have managed to only lose 18 pounds.

I started eating more calories, because I thought my body was in starvation mode, and that didn't help (I have continued to eat more calories and still no great weight loss).

At 5 weeks into the less weight loss, I started training for a 2 mile run on the 4th of July. And 7 weeks in, I started lifting weights. The scale is not moving,

There are really some valuable tips here..which is why I'm responding to your blog/thread. So let's take your statements and what we know is scientific fact first...then throw in the art of weight loss and caution to the wind.

1st - 18 lbs in 13 weeks is awesome stuff. Pat yoursefl on the back for that.

STARVATION MODE: As far as I know, as many dietitians as I've talked to, and as much as I've read..I can't find that STARVATION MODE - if it really exists - is what we are making it out to be. First off, if you stop eating...you lose weight until you die. Seriously, you don't stop losing weight. Concentration camps and African childrens photos are enough to drive that point home. The problem is we think that if we eat too few calories that our metabolic rates slow down and that eating more calories will speed it up.

As I understand it - again from talking to many folks and reading a lot - our metabolic rates are slow to begin with...and converting your diet to protein (harder for your body to break down) or complex carbs may increase your metabolic rate, but only infinately small amount. it's not going to BOOST YOUR METABOLIC RATE enough to make up for the increased calories.

Example. Buy one diamond, get 10 percent off. Buy two, get 20 percent off. Well you just spent twice the money (if both diamonds were the same) and your savings still ended up being more money spent..not more saved.

Eating is the same way...eat more calories (protein or not) and your metabolic rate might increase...but not nearly enough to account for the higher calorie consumption...and even if you eat the same amount of calories you're going to be disappointed at the "increase" in metabolic rate you see...or don't see.

Now don't get me wrong...I'm not saying there aren't other reasons protein isn't good for you. (ie insulin spikes, feeling full, etc). Just saying it doesn't increase your metabolic rate enough to make a difference and eating more food in general is going to make you gain weight...not lose it...just like not eating will make you lose, not stop losing!

2. RESISTANCE TRAINING and AEROBIC CONDITIONING: and weight loss - The goals here should not be weight loss per se. They will increase your metabolic rate..and that's what you want. That's a good thing. Forget eating to increase your metabolic rate as I referenced above...exercise 30 min a day. Period.

Now, there are dramatic health benefits to replacing FAT with MUSCLE...and Dieters lose both fat and eventually lean body mass/muscle as well. Skinny couch potatos actually have more health risks than obese people that are fit / Exercise 30 min a day and this has been proven! In addition, people who lose lean body muscle mass are at high health risks for a number of conditions. So, this is to say that RESISTANCE training is great to improve your HEALTH..not just your looks. It doesn't have to be much. The benefits actually can outpeform Aerobic training...but if you add the two together...the benefits are even far better.

So when the scale doesn't move...it may be that you are replacing fat with muscle...if you exercise enough...and that's a great thing...you'll be healthier for it......

IF you are that concerned with the SCALE number than try going to a place that measures percent body fat by emersion or less accurate calipers. If you see that number changing you know you are really becoming healthier.

If you are curious about your REAL BMR - then getting a sports medicine clinic or sport nutritionist/dietician to do a "Metabolic Cart" on you could tell you your real BMR - not just what the Harris Benedict Equation says. Harris Benedict - for those this term is new to - is an equation that figures out the BMR and multiplies it by an activity factor. Nutritionists use it to calculate out how much food you need. It's one of the more accurate equations.

But think about this for a moment. This equation is to help you maintain your body weight. Science recently showed us that as we start losing weight the brain slows our BMR down...why? So that we maintain, like an internal thermostat, our weight....so your dieting causes your brain to slow your BMR down below what it should be so you gain weight back! How long does this slowed rate last? No one knows yet. But it was showed that people that lost 12 lbs over 1 year had gained half of it back by year three..and the gain was steadily increasing..so at least three years...in that study....sucks doesn't it.

So while the HB equation might help someone maintain 140 lbs....your brain, since your dieting is going to slow your rate down below what it should be to maintain 140. Ie, you'll need to eat less calories than MFP predicts.

Not sure? Get a "Metabolic Cart" done and know what your real rate is for that weight. You'll have to adjust it from time to time...and I'm not sure how much it costs to get it done. Emersion body fat measurements where I am are 45 dollars.

I do have a video link from a medical lecture on diet, exercise, etc that is for medical people..but the facts are there and can be gleaned by non medical people. If you are interested...sent me a PM. I've taken much of this to heart myself...and have learned Resistance training isn't just for being Vane about looks. It's for health. For the first time in my life...I'm doing it along with aeorbic training. It's never too late.

Hope that helps!

Oh yes..and for those of you that want a good resource to look at that is Nationally Recognized:

SCAN - Sports Cadiovascular Health, Wellness and Nutrition! Much of the site is free..but they have lectures that cost and some are totally awesome....

I'd give my left tit for 18 pounds in 13 weeks. Seriously. Anything between .5 and 2 lbs per week is a GREAT loss.

So I just looked at this, and in the last 13 weeks, I have managed to only lose 18 pounds.

Let's be realistic here. You are losing MORE than 1 lb. a week. How exactly is that bad, or a plateau? You have lost a lot of weight. The closer you get to goal, the harder it will be to lose. But losing 1.38 lbs. per week is never considered "slow".

Work hard, keep it up, and it will come off. It won't, and shouldn't happen overnight. If it does, it likely won't last.

As harsh as it sounds, this!

I only drop about 0.5 per week. The closer you get to your goal, the slower you lose. It's natural. Just focus on your fitness goals, and let the weight loss become secondary.

So I just looked at this, and in the last 13 weeks, I have managed to only lose 18 pounds.

Let's be realistic here. You are losing MORE than 1 lb. a week. How exactly is that bad, or a plateau? You have lost a lot of weight. The closer you get to goal, the harder it will be to lose. But losing 1.38 lbs. per week is never considered "slow".

Work hard, keep it up, and it will come off. It won't, and shouldn't happen overnight. If it does, it likely won't last.

this

I lost almost 80 lbs. in my first 6 months, and then slowed down to 1 lb. every 1 - 2 weeks. The important thing to me is that I am still losing! I tried raising my calories and lowering my calories and nothing changed, so I just have decided as long as I am moving in the right direction I will trust the process that has gotten me this far. On the other hand, I am still "redistributing" my weight - losing inches from my waist, and building muscle elsewhere - so it's all good! :drinker:

I'm going to agree with everyone that tells you that you need to re-evaluate your expectations and appreciate how well you are really doing. If you are still losing over a pound a week on average, you are doing terrific. Just remember that big picture. Keep that up for a year and you're down another 50 lbs. It took years to get to where you were, it can take time to get back. Developing good long term habits is more important than quick gratification anyway.

I've lost only one pound in the past month and I've been lifting 2-3 times per week and running 5-6 times per week. Feel good about your progress.