Stuck at current weight

[KitKat174]

Hi all, this is my first post here! 🤗

I realised last year that my weight had ballooned to 12st 11lbs over the last couple of years. I am 5' 2". I have been overweight for probably the last 12 years and even before that I was always on the upper end of healthy BMI, I am 43 yr old female. I had been really stressed out with work for the past few years that I hardly noticed what was happening until I went away on holiday with friends and couldn't keep up with them in lots of activities. Part of that was due to smoking but I had become so unfit and overweight.

I started Jane Plan in November and lost weight very quickly, around 20lbs in 7 weeks. I have now plateaued at 11st 2 and can't shift the extra weight. I can't maintain the Jane plan diet anymore. The calories are too low and I have become bored of the food. I quit smoking in January which has become my main priority but apart from a couple of crazy food cravings in the first couple of weeks of qutting smoking, my diet has been fairly ok. I have increased my exercise, am running 3 times a week and going to gym and pool. I have another 3 weeks of the Jane Plan food left so will continue till the end as don't want to waste the money. I think I can maintain the level of exercise as I am loving it and feel great but don't know what to do about my diet. I also work a mixture of very unsociable shifts including nights which makes a regular meal plans very difficult. I would love to get back to a healthy BMI which means losing about another 20lbs but feel very stuck!

Anyway, hello! and any advice would be much appreciated 😊

[Minniewinny 5 stone Maintainer]

Hi KitKat174

Welcome to the forum...

Well done on the weight you've lost and quitting smoking. ⭐️

Please check with your health professional regarding your actions to lose weight and get their support locally to compliment this wonderful forum...

I'd like to invite you to read our Newbie Pack - which is what I call the sat-nav to the benefits of the forum, here's the link:

healthunlocked.com/nhsweigh...

Please also read this about the importance of locking your posts:

healthunlocked.com/nhsweigh...

Cheering you on to reach your goals 🎉🎉🎉

[IndigoBlue61]

Hello and welcome Kitkat 😊

Very well done on losing 20lbs already, that’s an excellent achievement. Weight loss plateau is common, especially after losing weight quite quickly,

I don’t know what kind of food you’ve been eating but I suspect it was quite a low calorie plan? Current research suggests that eating too little isn’t sustainable long term and suggests eating just little enough to create a calorie deficit but not too low or our bodies cling to fat 😕

However, with quitting smoking as well you have done remarkably well so please be proud and optimistic 😊

Have a good look around the forum, especially at the Daily Diary and also check your personal calorie target using the NHs BMI checker

If you have any questions please just ask

Anna 😊

[Tiggerr]

Welcome KitKat and congrats on the weight you've lost and on quitting smoking... amazing.

It could be the speed at which you lost weight that may have caused you to plateau. It's possible that your body has gone into 'starvation mode'. You can find more info here...

healthunlocked.com/nhsweigh...

[Maxi3]

Wow fab job with ur losses, the exercise ur doing will help you keep those losses I’m similar height and age and weight...hit a plateau for a few weeks which felt awful but kept going as best I could and stuck with exercising....finally another 1lb gone....if I’d given up I’d be heavier for sure. So try and stay strong and keep going....ur taste buds will have changed after eating different way so you’ll do well after ur finish ur current plan

[misswobble Maintainer]

Well done, let me say, first up💪🙂👍

You have taken on quite a lot at once but that’s ok if you can break it all down into manageable chunks

The running and healthy eating weight loss thing go hand in hand so that’s all right then

The thing with Jane plan though is what does it teach you about healthy eating and cooking, prep etc? There is no substitute for actually planning, prepping and making your own grub. It’s how you learn to get to grips with your weight loss goals long term

You can do it and have a life, honest. it does require planning and a good bit of organisation though It becomes second nature though

If your weight has stuck then you need to get it unstuck. So, you turn your eats upside down! Have a complete change of menu, and move more! After two weeks of eating/drinking healthily - with different meals - and more exercise you should see a shift

It’s a bind sometimes but it’s worth it . Invest the time in yourself 😃👍💪🏃‍♀️