Need tweak suggestions: last 20 lbs
 

I'm completely stalled 22 lbs above a normal BMI and getting really sick of it.

Yesterday, I went shopping, and I went into the expensive work clothes section of Nordstrom-- I STILL am wearing XLs in higher end clothes and have to go through the racks looking for 14s.... and frankly, I'm just on the border of a 14 of higher end clothes... I had that familiar embarrassing feeling when the sales lady suggested that I might do better looking for pants in a different department-- not the PLUS department, thank god, but even so.

It's JUST SO FRUSTRATING. I'm starting to lose sight of all of the weight I've lost-- the memory of being morbidly obese is fading a little, and now I feel like that overweight lady who is just about to size out of regular clothes. I spent a lot of my younger years right around this spot, and so it brings back a lot of unhappy memories...

I think I'm going to HAVE to do something different to lose the last twenty, but I'm not sure what.


My plan, thus far, has been very simple:

Track calories daily on fitday.
breakfast: one slice whole grain bread with almond butter (sometimes I have half a banana) and coffee.
No mid-morning snack.
Lunch: lean protein (I've given up red meat and I only eat either chicken or fish) and a variety of cooked veggies. Sometimes I eat carrot sticks, sliced cukes, occaisionally salad, but not that often since I've never developed a taste for low-cal dressing.
Afternoon snack: single serving snack: cheese stick, apple, or yogurt
Dinner: lean protein and veggie again.
Dessert or evening snack: fruit, or yogurt, or sometimes both.

That's a pretty good synopsis....

I remember being hungry back when I was losing rapidly, but now, most of the time I feel perfectly satisfied, and I think I've lost about 3 lbs in the last 2 months, but it's hard to tell, because I'm sort of bouncing around within that three pound range.

Exercise: I run 30 minutes three times a week. I walk several x a day for about twenty minutes.... (I used to lift and run 4-5x weekly, but I moved recently and have had a harder time figuring out my schedule.) I am planning to re-up my exercise and start weight training again now that I'm a little more settled after the move. There is a small gym in the complex where I live, but unfortunately, it was closed for repairs, so I've been running outside and walking instead, and it's a little harder to fit in because I have to time it to daylight-- my normal routine has always been to exercise at night.

So, for those of you who have whipped those last 20-30 lbs, any advice???

I'm in the middle of the last 15-25 myself. T'aint easy. ;) As if you didn't know that. :rolleyes:

I see a couple of options:

1. Change your diet routine. I know you've stuck to peanut butter and bread for breakfast since day one and that you love it...but could you try eggs? Or Fiberone cereal? Or yogurt with Fiberone cereal? Or...something else? Just for the change your body is looking for.

2. Have you considered entering maintenance like CFMama did on purpose with slightly higher calories for a period of time. Perhaps then you hit the ground running on January 1st or something.

3. Heavy cardio daily. I know you're walking and running but what about running 3 days like you are and running up and down the stairs 3 days, or doing a spin class, or the elliptical. I think 20 minutes of walking probably isn't enough at this point.

4. Try low (NOT no) carb. For instance, no bread, no banana (very high on the glycemic index) and less other fruit. You can get your carbs through veggies and lower glycemic index foods like apples, sweet potatoes, etc, and maybe only 1-2 of those per day. (This is similar to South Beach)

5. Decrease the calories, even though your calories look pretty good. :( This is what I've had to do.

From knowing you as I do throughout your journey and how similar our journeys have always seemed, my guess is the exercise is the issue here.
I think that your body has got so used to running for 30mins three times and week, and like Eliana says, now that you're so slim and fit the 20min walks just don't do it for you. I really think that you need to give your body a shock by changing up your exercise routine by either trying something new or increasing the time spent running, or the frequency, or maybe both.
I hit a stall and couldn't figure out what to do, spoke to my PT at the gym and he wrote me a new cardio and weights programme. The week after I had a 4.5lbs whoosh... He told me my body had got used to what I was asking it to do and I wasn't taxing it anymore, and so by giving it a shock it started to let go of the weight again.
I'm no expert but it's worth a try, and I really hope it works for you.

Well, I haven't gotten to those last twenty pounds yet, so I hope it's OK that I chime in. :)

Anyway, I echo what others have said: change up your food and exercise - not necessarily decreasing or increasing either, but just try something different. Especially with exercise, I think, our bodies adapt and become more efficient over time at whatever it is we're doing, so it takes less effort over time. I think once you get back into the weight-lifting, that will make a difference, too.

I am in the boat with you but I wanted to give you some thoughts. You didn't talk much about how much water you drink and if you drink sodas. I know giving up soda helped me drop some weight.

I also suggest Jillian Michaels 30 day shred dvd for those days that you cant get out to the gym. It's 20 minutes and bootcamp style exercise and you WILL workout a sweat for sure!

Thank you everybody for chiming in! All good suggestions.

Calories: I'm trying to stay very tight with no drift and to watch the high glycemic foods.

Exercise: Sigh...I REALLY miss my old gym routine and HAVE to find a way to get it back.... the gym in my complex is opening again tomorrow and that should help a lot. I think weight training combined with a more intense overall workout should help.

Water: I don't drink enough water. That's for sure. I am not a soda drinker though.... I actually tend to drink very little and I have to remind myself all the time to drink more.

Right now, I know I'm retaining water, but I'm HOPING that the scale will budge for me in a few days. For a while there I was kind of unfocused, but now I'm definitely back on the attack!!!

Glad to hear you're back on the attack Uber. Definitely get more water down you, I KNOW that as soon as I don't get enough water to drink I start retaining, it sucks especially as it's usually the weekend it happens for me.
If your gym is opening tomorrow then make it a new start and work out a new routine for yourself and stick to it, the weight will soon be dropping again!