[JenMusic]

Please note - I'm NOT complaining or whining! Just wondering what others have done in a similar situation.

I'm almost in a normal weight range (for the first time since, maybe birth? ) and am very happy with my weight loss. However, as I've been tracking my losses I have noticed a definite slow down. My weight loss was never at a super-rapid pace, but I was consistently losing 6-8 pounds a month. As I hit the 130s, my weight loss has slowed to an average of 1/2 a pound a week.

Again - NOT complaining! But I'm wondering, for others who have faced this, did you decide to lower your calories or just accept a slower loss? I'm eating a daily average of 1350-1375 (averaged over the course of a week) so I certainly could go lower, but I don't particularly want to. I've found that this calorie lever is very sustainable and satisfactory for me, and I don't really crave or binge on it. I'm worried that dropping calories will trigger cravings.

On the other hand, it might be inevitable that I'll need to lower my cals at some point to reach goal (my current ticker goal - 130 - is an intermediate, re-evaluation goal). Also, I'm surprised how much of a mental shift it has been, going from seeing the scale move every weigh-in to seeing it creep along in tiny increments. I miss seeing the drop.

I do exercise, using DVDs mostly. It works out to about 30 minutes 4-5 times a week. I also use hand weights and body weight exercises. I don't belong to a gym and can't really swing that financially at this point.

Your thoughts?

[stacygee]

I had this happen a couple of weeks ago. I can't lower my calorie intake. I am only taking in 1200 calories. However, I did exchange some foods. I took cheese out and reduced red meat to twice a week. I also increased my exercizing to get through the little plateau. It worked and kept me motivated.

[Eliana]

If I was losing 1/2 pound a week consistently, I'd run with it. What I do not accept is NO loss.

[Oboegal]

Jenmusic, we're in a roughly similar situation. I had been on 1500 calories a day; in the late summer, I reduced to 1400 to try to get things moving a little more quickly, but I don't want to go any lower than that.

For the last few months, I've been losing about 3 pounds every four weeks. It seems as if the last couple of pounds are taking forever to come off, but I did weigh in twice last week at 146 and have a decent chance of getting a two-pound "whoosh" a week from now (based on my track record). While I certainly have no complaints overall, it's a little frustrating being so close. I still don't plan to go below 1400.

One thing that's different about our situations is that I don't plan to lower my goal again (though I wouldn't mind losing a couple more pounds). It's possible that you may have to either lower your calories, or perhaps change up your food or exercise plan, to make any more significant headway.

It's also possible that we may have to resign ourselves that our bodies are resisting additional weight loss because we're getting to the weights our bodies "want" to weigh.

Don't know if this is helpful--just wanted to put in my 2 cents and say that I sympathize.

[Pint Sized Terror]

I'm with the "Any loss is still a loss" club.

[KenzideRhae]

If you're happy with your calorie intake and you're still losing, then I'd just stick with what you're doing for now. If the loss totally stalls for a few weeks, then you could try lowering your calories, or zig-zagging them (having the same weekly intake, but having days of higher calorie intake and days of lower calorie intake). Both methods have worked for me when I was experiencing a stall. Changing up the kind of food you're eating might work too. I know that when I monitor my sodium intake, I lose better. There might be something like that that works for you

[joyfulloser]

Have a "cheat meal"...might rev up your fat burning furnace!

[matt_H]

My weight loss has slowed to about 2 or 3 pounds a month. I'm with you on the SLOOOOW train.

As long as it is still going down I'd stick to what you are doing. One thing you might do is mix up your exercise and try other things. This is something that I want to do myself. In addition to running, I'd like to mix in some swimming/ cycling, etc. Your body easily adapts to exercise and you become very efficient at it over time (thus burning less calories).

[SpaceCoconaut]

I either lower the calories or incorporate more exercise into my routine.

[fivestone]

I'm right there with you -- but unlike you, I AM complaining! It's frustrating to no longer see the big losses, when you've gotten used to them.

By the same token, I am grateful that there is loss. I'm reluctant to cut too many calories. Personally I'm going to try upping my exercise (I have decreased that a bit, and that could be a factor.) I'm thinking about going back up to 6 days a week, and making 2-3 of the days 45 minutes to an hour instead of 30-40 minutes across the board.

So maybe you could increase your exercise a bit? There are workouts on YouTube, or you could go outside running if the weather isn't too bad where you are, to shake up your routine and add time to your workouts.

[JenMusic]

Thanks for all the input and thoughts. I know this is something that happens to a lot of people at some point, so it's helpful for me to know how others have handled it.

Yes, I agree, any loss is a good loss! I would definitely not use the word "plateau" at all.

I'm already cycling my calories over the course of the week. At my height and weight and exercise level, I definitely don't think my calories need to be rasied.

Switching up my exercise is a definite thought. Even just getting some new DVDs would probably help. I've tried running before, but hated every single second of it, so trying it again is not in the cards any time soon.

At this point I think I'll leave my calories how they are, until an actual stall/plateau occurs, so I have somewhere to go, and work on changing up my exercise.

Thanks!