Will the weight ever drop?

[MadaboutMonsteras]

Hi everyone,

I'm looking for some help here. Been through a ton of the older posts already. I'm 36 and weight 186 lbs currently. My 'heavy' maintain weight it usually between 159-160lbs and my good weight is anywhere around 140 lbs. I've been yo-yo dieting my whole life which understandably has shot my metabolism but what really works for me to drop the pounds has been a low carb low fat diet. I avoid going the high fat route because I am genetically predisposed to high cholesterol.

Now, I've decided that I need to drop this weight and I need to do it the right way. So 1 month ago, I started restricting my calories to 1100-1200 a day which I track on MyFitnessPal(at no point was I hungry or starving), eating primarily protein and good carbs like salads, veggies. I also started making sure I was getting in 10000 steps and 7 kms of walking. After 2 weeks I bumped it to 12000 steps and 8 kms. Some days I even run 25% of my total kms now that I have more energy. I have also introduced zumba or resistance training 2-3 times a week.

I feel tighter, my clothes definitely fit slightly better but apart from the weight loss that happened in the first 10 days, when I dropped 9 lbs, (I started out weighing 196lbs) have stopped going down in weight. In fact, in the past 2 days, I've even put on a pound.

I drink a lot of water. I'm definitely in caloric deficit and I've basically gone from a sedentary lifestyle to super active. I know I'm likely building muscle but I need to lose the weight also because its in a terrible range and in case I can't work out in the future for whatever reason, I don't want my 185 lbs of muscle turning back into fat.

I'm really happy going on my runs so definitely not going to stop that but I'm so frustrated at the scale. Will it ever budge? What can I do better? I'm probably being a little impatient but I don't want to waste months only to find out I did jt wrong.

Earlier I would only diet, usually the Dukan way and the pounds kept coming off like clockwork.

Sidenote: I take medication for hyperprolactinoma but all my hormones are in check. Too much resistance exercises can drive up my cortisol which makes me feel unpleasant so I prefer the walks and runs more.

[moreless Administrator 7 stone]

Hi and welcome, MadaboutMonsteras

It sounds as if you've already found the way that's best for you to lose weight and it's just the cholesterol issue that's bothering you. You may find that this will reduce your concerns. Note the paragraph about Familial Hypercholesterolemia zoeharcombe.com/2015/03/wor...

If you reduce your calories too much, your body may perceive a famine, in which case it will slow down your metabolism and hold onto your fat reserves, in case things get worse.

When we talk about weight loss, what we really mean is fat loss - weight is just a number, but too much fat can harm your health. Btw, a 9lb loss in 10 days is never going to be sustainable and was probably mainly water loss.

Exercise is great for health, well-being and muscle toning, but it shouldn't be used as a weight loss tool. Building muscle does allow your body to go on burning fat after exercise though - muscles are hungry. However, muscles cannot turn to fat, they are two entirely different things, what is more likely is that muscles may shrink and fat cells may grow to fill the space, leaving a 'squashier' appearance. That's why it's important to build a sustainable exercise routine that you can see yourself still following in 5/10 years time.

I'm afraid I know absolutely nothing about prolactoma/hyperprolactemia, or the drugs used to treat it. Your GP would be able to tell you if they cause weight gain/prevent weight loss.

All of the information you need about the forum can be found in Pinned Posts healthunlocked.com/weight-l... and we hope you'll be joining all the Events, Challenges and Clubs that we run, especially a weigh-in and the daily diary.

If you haven't already taken it, here's a tour of the forum healthunlocked.com/?tour=true

We've found active participation to be key to successful weight loss and, of course, it's a good way to get to know people, find inspiration and share support and encouragement.

Wishing you all the best

[Hidden in reply to moreless]

First rate advice you've given here, moreless.

[moreless Administrator 7 stone in reply to Hidden]

Thank you Drodie

[cle123]

Sounds like you found the motivation for exercise but honestly I think your calories are way too low if your 186lbs . I’m 165lbs and my calories in a deficit are around 1600. Maybe bump up your calories a bit as the amount of exercise your doing and the low calories your eating can’t be good. Try taking measurements rather than focusing on the scale weight. Sometimes seeing the measurements go down even when the scales stay the same is motivational. Best of luck

[MadaboutMonsteras in reply to cle123]

You're right on that. I'm actively trying to up that. It's a bit of residual trauma from years of dieting so its always scary to up my calories. I get the change in measurements, but I still don't get why the scale won't budge. Because I actually do want to go down on the scale as well. In the coming years, my metabolism is only going to face more challenges with age so I don't wabt to keep putting on the weight. Thanks for your input!

[cle123 in reply to MadaboutMonsteras]

I’m the same from years of dieting and diet clubs. Seeing the scale move always make you feel better and it’s hard to change that mentality that we’ve always had. Some weeks I can avoid the scale other weeks I’m on it constantly 😂

[moreless Administrator 7 stone in reply to cle123]

Hi and welcome, cle123

I hope you'll follow the forum links I've given MadaboutMonsteras and will also become an active member of our community.

Onwards and downwards!

[MadaboutMonsteras]

I'm not sure you get what I mean. When I say low fat, I mean I'm not following... say, keto. I cannot find a good enough excuse anywhere for eating butter by the spoonfuls or downing it in my coffee. The low carb lifestyle is not sustainable long term but it is one which works best when trying to limit carbs to drop weight. Reintroducing it brings one to a gradual maintenance. In that respect, after having abused my body for years I am trying to move to more active lifestyle with my goal being both fat reduction and weight loss hence currently tryinf to curb the carbs. Cholesterol is not something I'm concerned of, or something that effects the choices I make so don't nreally want to make this discussion about that. Thank you for taking out the time to write.

[MadaboutMonsteras]

Totally agreed! Also I'm not for or against keto. It just isn't for me. I agree with you on the fats from protein bit. I eat a fair amount of protein for my meals particularly salmon so I think I get a fair amount of fats from my meals. What I have cut out is mostly cheese and butter.

[Maxy6 6kg]

I'm not sure I have anything useful to add. I follow a modified Mediterrean diet and it seems to be working slowly, along with exercise.I did have to add a bit more healthy fat, as I was just plain hungry.

[Hidden]

I have heard the Michael Mosely 800 cal system works well. Not 800 cals every day just a couple of times a week. Have a look online. Good luck. Well done on getting so fit and active that is fantastic and will be doing your health the world of good.

[MadaboutMonsteras in reply to Hidden]

Never heard of that, I'll check it out. That'd mske sense, it's effectively what i am trying to do by upping my cals slightly on the weekends because otherwise I can feel my body struggling to cover my exercise goals. And thank you.

[Hidden in reply to MadaboutMonsteras]

I thought it was 800 each and every day but thankfully that is not essential! amazon.co.uk/Fast-800-combi.... Good luck.

[Missdoubleyou]

I wonder if you should have a day where you eat more? Your calories seem low for the amount of exercise you do, but if you are determined to eat that little I’ve heard that having a ‘cheat’ meal can stop your body going into starvation mode. Maybe ask your doctor if eating that many calories and exercising that much is healthy?

[MadaboutMonsteras in reply to Missdoubleyou]

Hi, I don't do a cheat meal per say but I do a version of carb cycling on thw weekends to feed some carbs and extra cals to the body. I've gotten quite in tune to the body so if I feel overtly tired and hungry, I mske sure to refuel. Fingers crossed

[Hidden]

Hi. As others have mentioned, your calorie intake seems low considering the amount of exercise you do. It's worth experimenting with upping your calories and/or keeping the weekly amount the same but trying a couple of lower calorie days as another post suggests. I also drank a lot of water until I discovered that drinking too much is bad for you. Didn't believe it at first, however, after researching, I now limit myself to 2-3 litres a day (depending on exercise) and feel less bloated as well. Good luck 😊

[Bee-bop Maintainer 2st 7lbs]

Hi MadaboutMonsteras ( I just bought one for my daughter and she was very happy that it was doing the"leaf thing" she said! )

I think it can be hard not to think you are doing something wrong if the scales aren't budging but, it doesn't mean that other things aren't as in fat changing to muscle and your internal system having a overhaul. Your new exercise plan sounds great and as you say, not something you wish to give up. I do wonder, as others have said about your low calorie intake and hope you can up that without feeling you are doing something against what you feel you should.

All kinds of things can affect the weight on the scales, what you ate the day before, whether you are constipated/due a period/water retention/medication/wearing clothes when you weigh in and/or changing the clothes you weigh in/the time of day you weigh at. Also if you weigh once a week or everyday.

For me, I didn't go low carb per se but I went better carb so, sweet potato rather than white potato, wholegrains instead of processed etc oh and I dropped sugar because I was pre diabetic which I no longer am. my own weight loss plan focussed on uppping my veg and fruit and making sure that at least a third of my plate was full of this.

What I would say is that many people on here seem to think that they have somehow ruined their body somehow by yoyo dieting but, in the wild that is exactly what we'd be doing because sometimes we wouldn't be getting the same variety and nutrients we do now and so would use our fat reserves and replenish them over and over. Think about what you want to do going forward, what you want to maintain and how much you want that.

Good luck on your journey 👍

[MadaboutMonsteras]

Here's an update. I upped my calorie intake, we were in Italy last week so lots of walking but also pasta dinners. Came back tnis week, lost a few pounds. I guess my body needed that push. Thank you everyone for your input. It's a process and I cannot afford to get impatient.