I have been eating between 1200-1500 and have not lost anything. I am so frustrated! I am an ER nurse so I do not STOP for 12 hours each shift (work 3) and I do hot yoga 2-3 times a week which is a big work out. I eat very healthy, fruits/veg/chicken breast/brown rice/beans etc. Only sweet I eat and not always is dark chocolate but still staying within the calories.
I am not going to throw in the towel, but am hoping someone can give me an idea of how to get out of this rut. I lost 40 lbs on weight watchers, want to lose 20 more. I have been stuck between 153/150lbs for over 2 months. I think I am at a set point to get to the 140s. It happened when I went from 180s -170s but this time it is being even more stubborn.
hmm... If you're eating at a caloric deficit you should be losing. Perhaps you are not accurately counting your calories?
How meticulous are you at measuring your food and calculating your caloric intake? I use a kitchen scale to measure mine and it helps me to accurately count my calories. At least, more accurately than measuring by volume.
You won't want to hear this but it's possible that at your new smaller size, 1200-1500 may not be enough of a calorie deficit to keep losing. I would try a week or so with a hard stop at ~1200 and see what happens.
1. How do you track your calories? Old school? Website? App?
2. Do you weigh or measure everything?
3. Is 1200-1500 your gross calories or net calories?
4. Do you have any "cheat" days that could be cancelling out your deficit?
5. Are you counting every single tiny bite you take?
Please excuse if any of these questions seem silly! Sometimes it's the littlest things.
If your calorie counting is dead on (well, as dead on as humanly possible), and you aren't having cheat days that cancel out your deficit, and those are your gross calories (not net), my advice would be: Have a day or two "diet break". Eat more, not a ton, maybe 1800-2000. Then go back to your lower calories, but stay on the lowest end of them. If a couple weeks go by and there's still no change add a couple hundred calories. For as active as you are in your job and exercise, my initial reaction would be that perhaps you need to eat a bit more than you are currently eating. NOT saying that's why you aren't losing weight, not at all, just would be my initial reaction to seeing that calorie level coupled with that activity level, stall aside.
The thinner you get the slower the weight loss with less room for error. Measure everything and perhaps cycle higher and lower with the same average as you currently have. I average 1450-1500 at 154 and still losing but its slow....
Last edited by dstalksalot; 03-05-2013 at 06:50 PM.
Here are some of my answers in no particular order:
I believe I have been stuck for at least 6 weeks. I go to 150.8, then back up to 153.4 and it's driving me crazy.
I use FitPal app on my phone and at home. I'm completely OCD about charting everything I eat - I use the serving sizes provided by foods, and count anything that doesn't have a label based on what they provide and round UP.
Those calories are net and gross. I am never at a 1200 deficit. I am at times "given" 1500 bc of exercise and may use 1450.
I do not have official cheat days or in any regularity. Last time I had one was valentines day.
I don't think I could eat LESS than 1200 without passing out at work or at yoga. Yoga is at 105 degrees and my job is no exageration non stop and helping lift and move people, running to codes etc.
My thought has been am I perhaps building some muscle from the yoga, retaining water, or DOOMED! : )
I am sure I am doing SOMETHING that is keeping me from losing. I do generally lose very slowly, but this screeching halt is very frustrating.
My clothes feel looser and I am getting more fit from the yoga. There is a lot of counter weight used and stretching.
I would think your body has gotten used to your eating pattern. I think have a couple of cheat days followed by eating 1500 or less again. Then maybe calorie cycle, IF or changing up your workout routine? Stay strong!
If the cheat day consensus I at least have an opportunity coming up! Going home to NYC Thrusday through Tuesday. Gives me a chance to shake things up with the food while still getting plenty of walking and maybe even a bikram class. Then I'll go back to my 1200-1400.
But I'm so afraid of doing that!!!! There's no way I am going to let myself gain.
How should I eat on these cheat days? How much? Do you deduct anything for exercise?
Thank you all for having the patience and taking the time to help. It's greatly appreciated. I need some like minds and motivation. Had been away from the forum for way too long!!!
Sounds like you're also retaining water and likely due for a whoosh.
That said - you may want to consider a diet break. Going to NY might be the perfect opportunity to start the diet break.
As for regain - calories dictate fat loss or gain. Don't get caught up in the scale in particular when taking a diet break it is very common to see the scale go up rapidly even though you're not gaining fat.
So how do you suggest the diet break? What and how much? And what is whoosh? A sudden loss : ) ???
I do have a lot of fat to lose. Even though I have lost a lot of weight my BMI is still very high. That is something else I need to figure out how to deal with. I would like to feel more solid and less mushy (ew) Especially now that I live near the beach.
So how do you suggest the diet break? What and how much? And what is whoosh? A sudden loss : ) ???
I do have a lot of fat to lose. Even though I have lost a lot of weight my BMI is still very high. That is something else I need to figure out how to deal with. I would like to feel more solid and less mushy (ew) Especially now that I live near the beach.
Diet break - did you read the article? Two weeks at maintinence calories. Obviously you have to estimate so in your case, as a historically slow loser, estimate low. Figure 1600-1700 calories.
A whoosh is when your body finally releases the water it's holding onto and the scale goes down a couple lbs overnight.
Stuck!
