Are my scales telling lies?

[CrimsonMama]

I've increased my calories and lowered my exercise to try to maintain my weight now I reached my target of 9 stone. But I am still losing weight. Which is OK. I was pretty thrilled to see 8st 13 on the scale. My lowest weight in twenty years!

However Friday I weighed in at 8st 12. I have been stressed, depressed and not feeling great the past week. But still eating up to my calories. However the scales today and yesterday say 8st 10lbs. That's impossible surely!!

I have been feeling more hungry in the colder mornings. Maybe I need more calories to maintain this time of year.

[moreless Administrator 7 stone]

It sounds as if you're needing to eat more, CM. No point being hungry unnecessarily.

[cheritorrox]

I'm no medical expert but there's something called cortisol which increases when you're stressed - might have something to do with it?

Meanwhile agree with moreless - eat when hungry (but try to keep it healthy stuff!)

[S11m]

Hi, CrimsonMama

Do you look like your avatar?

This happened to me too, and I have stabilised a stone below my target weight.

For decades my target weight was 18 stone, then I became disabled and lost muscle mass and went up to 19½ stone. I got down to 18 stone for my sister's 75th birthday and 16 stone by my 70th birthday - and I have now stabilised at 15 stone and 15% body fat. I think that might be my lowest weight for 20 years (I was slim for a year or two in the '90s) or 50 years - when I was in my early 20's.

I am finding I need to eat more in this cold weather (I try to keep the heating bill down). I even had two potatoes with my Sunday carvery.

The theory is that we should write about our successes to give hope to members who still have weight to lose.

NHS BMI is nonsense for tall, old, muscular people - and I think that losing more weight would not benefit my life expectancy.

Some days I even "snack" AKA eating after 14:00!

[PippiRuns 6kg Restart Jan 2025]

I am SO glad to read this update as I was the one who told you a week and a half ago to up your calories and reduce your exercise!

Congratulations on having listened to your body and bringing it out of starvation mode!

[PippiRuns 6kg Restart Jan 2025]

How's the relationship with your daughter developing? Are you able to spend more time with her now that your exercise regime is less time consuming?

[CrimsonMama in reply to PippiRuns]

Hey PippiRuns. Thank you for asking! Things are much better! I feel much more relaxed as I can do my exercise and have free time either for the kids (if they want me) or getting more chores done like tidying the bathroom cupboard or going through the toys to throw out the old unused (to charity shops). OR even some time to do drawing which I haven't done much of for years! I might even be able to do my study but I'm having a break at the moment.

My daughter is coming out for long walks on the weekend and we are having an hour in the evening without her sister so she can talk about stuff if she wants to.

I am hopeful that CAMHS can help with deeper issues like self esteem and friendship issues. But I'm doing what I can from my end.

AND weirdly as this post says I am losing MORE weight despite less exercise and more calories so I feel I can have the occasional treat on the weekend without pressure so that's nice and I can take turns taking my daughter's out for a treat (or all together depending on the day/occasion).

I'm hoping as S11m said, my body is just stabilising and is going to settle soon. I'm not going to complain if it settles at 8 stone something instead of nine stone!

[PippiRuns 6kg Restart Jan 2025 in reply to CrimsonMama]

I'm glad you are able to spend more time with her. I'm sure that's important to her and helps her a lot. As parents we can't solve every problem our children meet on their way - even though we would like to. But we can make ourselves available to them by listening and sharing. I hope she feels better and gets the help she needs from CAMHS,

It does not surprise me at all, that you are losing now. You were eating way too little and exercising too much - your body thought there was a famine and was clinging on to every ounce of fat.

Well done, CM

[CrimsonMama in reply to PippiRuns]

My fat percentage has gone from 60% to 26.6%. Which is crazy! I told myself I would be pleased at 30% body fat and never thought I would be close to 25% (considered the normal for a woman). I've seen on here it often suggested to eat more calories to lose weight and I've seen it make a difference to the people who have followed that advice. I just didn't feel that applied to me as I was following the NHS guidelines. However now I have stopped actively trying to lose weight its crazy how my metabolism has reacted to my full calorie allowance!

[PippiRuns 6kg Restart Jan 2025 in reply to CrimsonMama]

My body is also responding very well to it. I'm eating 1700 calories per day and am still losing even though I'm just trying to maintain. If I continue to lose, I'll add 50 calories next week.

[PippiRuns 6kg Restart Jan 2025 in reply to CrimsonMama]

Wow - that fat percentage is amazing. Mine is 33 so there's still work to be done