majarichie's Journal, 02 Sep 13

I think 2000 is a great first step! 

You've really fought the 'mental battle' with this stall!! But they don't call this a Journey for nothing. Playing detective with our bodies, and our way of eating, and losing... it's hard. And you've done such a great job. So, please be encouraged..you can, and will...figure this out. My own experiences in the very beginning took me head first into low fat, low calorie and excessive exercise at the gym. Convinced that 'calories in vs calories out' was the answer. And I sent my body into utter shutdown. After a year of totally faithful and diligent work I had 6 lbs to count to my loss credit. 6 lbs for 1 YEAR of HARD WORK! Something wasn't right. And I was desperate. So I went to meet with a nutritionist. 4 visits for $100. What a total waste of money and time. Went to meet w/ the 'trainer' at the gym. He's the one who told me to stop counting calories!!! WHAT I ate was far more important than HOW MUCH I ate, particularly if I was going to be active or workout so much. Hmmmm... I spent two weeks mulling this over. Paid zero attention to working out, spent zero attention to what I ate...never stepped on the scale... and at the end of the two weeks I gathered up the nerve to talk to someone about 'low carb'. Funny thing is...I also was down another pound. When I stepped on the scale two weeks later to record my starting weight w/ 'low carb' ... I was down an additional pound from my frustratingly slow losses w/ calories and exercise. Only I hadn't counted calories or exercised for a full two weeks. I believe at first you will gain...but you will reset your overall metabolism to a higher amount of calories for your overall needs. You're 250 lbs! There's no way you can continue to exist on 900, 1100, 1300 calories...and think your body isn't well convinced at this point that you are crazy. My best advice to you is to use some of the online calorie / BMR counters and take an average. Add in your regular activity - if sedentary then make a commitment to changing that just a little - But only reduce your food calories by 1/2 your calorie burn and use exercise to burn the other 1/2. For example: BMR: 1800 + sedentary = 2000 Goal: burn 500 calories a day (1 lb / week loss) 250 calories reduced from food = 1750 calories/day...and 250 calories from exercise/activity burned. BUT don't try to just reduce the calories by the whole 500 w/ no activity...it'll backfire. Keep up the good work...and know that you are not alone!!! There's a whole community here to support you! 

That you for your kinds words, info, and encouragement! I know I will figure this out at some point. I'm too stubborn not to! ;) Food isn't really the issue with me. If I knew that eating 500 calories a day would push me towards my goal, I would do it. But, the extreme low calorie intake just isn't working. I've lost over 170lbs and it's frustrating to stall like this for so long. It hasn't stopped my resolve, just frustrated me. You mentioned low carb. How diligently do you adhere to that methodology? I try to keep meat at a minimum, (being a former vegetarian) so, it's tough for me to take in a lot of meat based protein. Any advice there would be greatly appreciated. Thanks again! Rich  

I'm awaiting her reply to. :) I also have a hard time eating lots of meat. Currently, I'm trying a low carb, high fat diet (for insulin resistance), though my carbs aren't super low (50-70ish a day). 

Just so we are clear...I am not saying eat only 500 calories! I was saying reduce 250 calories from food (from your BMR + activity level) and burn 250 from activity. I realize you would be willing...but your body is fighting you. So, I ended up changing to low carb, and for whatever reasons - it hit a hot button w/ my body and my metabolism. I don't personally eat a lot of meat. Well, I do love a good ribeye once in awhile - and I do enjoy chicken off the grill... I also eat fish or seafood a couple times a week. Whatever meat I eat - from meatloaf to an occasional porkchop, I generally have reduced my portions to 3-4oz. I will sometimes have peanut butter, or 2-3 times a week a snack that includes almonds, pecans or walnuts... but primarily I love salads, and I love veggies. So at least 3/4 of my plate is filled w/ those. I just don't believe that anything you eat that is natural and grown for food is necessarily bad for you. While I don't like some foods...like beets...they are apparently good for you. I eliminated everything WHITE. That's where I started. Got ahold of the 'Induction Foods list' from Atkins (although not following it at the time entirely) - crossed off everything I disliked. Then I went shopping and bought only what was left on the list. I learned to make my meals around what I wanted to eat that was considered 'low carb' on that list. It made a huge difference to eliminate 'processed foods' and artificial stuff. That totally wreaked my body and my metabolism. I couldn't lose a single pound once the water weight dropped off... because I was eating sugar free jello (filled w/ artificial stuff I can't pronounce). So, I decided I would eat what I considered to be 'healthy' while staying w/in the parameters of the 'low carb shopping list'...and it worked. I tracked my foods and made sure I kept my calories up around 1350-1500 no matter what. If they dropped too low, I would stall out again. It's a bit of a juggle to find the 'sweet spot'...but once you do you can make good progress again w/ that 1-2 lb a week loss. I would check your progress on a weekly basis... and I would add in that once a week 'indulgence' as a meal (to start with) instead of a full day. See how that goes for a few weeks. Let me know if I can help you in any way! I would be happy to try. 

Thank you for the info! I've been eating what I consider healthy for years now. Most of my carbs come from veggies. I try to keep bread, and starch at a minimum. My initial diet was purely caloric value based. The simple system of: Protein=4cal per gram, Carbs=4cal per gram, and Fat=9cal per gram. So, cut fat by at least half and you are reducing a lot of calories. I was a strict vegetarian for 7 years, so eating healthy is just part of my lifestyle now. I love tofu, veggies, and fruit. I haven't had red meat since 2000, and only started incorporating chicken, and fish since 2007. Eating that way kept me relatively healthy (aside from weight) for a decade. It was only in 2010 that I started to see the problems of weight starting to advance on me. Borderline diabetes, and high blood pressure. My last check up two months ago I came through with flying colors, not a single issue. My cardiac risk was even lower than the lowest range. So, my health is stellar. But, I want to obtain my weight goal and become as healthy as I can. I will see this happen! Thanks again for your advice and encouragement! Rich 

Jsfantome, its interesting to read that you had to keep your calories up or you'd stall. Rich, if this little lady could stall from 1300, surely you and I would stall too? Um, I just typed that sentence, but my mind is not believing it! lol. Paradigm shift! 

Congratulations on losing 170+ pounds that is awesome. Just so you know you don't have to be a huge meateater to be successful with low carb and it can even be done as a vegetarian. I looked through your food diary and I see that you eat more fruit then veggies and your grams of sugar that you eat each day is high most days. Remember that 5 grams of sugar = 1 tablespoon. Too much sugar can cause weightloss stalls and since you are borderline diabetic(?)sugar intake is definitely something to be watching. 

I've been in a Sisyphean cycle for so long I'd almost gotten used to it. It feels great and a bit scary to try something new. I suppose it's because I've had such success with my old formula. Of course there is no growth without risk, or so I say to myself as a daily mantra. ;) I'm not borderline diabetic. I was borderline diabetic before I lost weight. Right now I'm very, very healthy!  

I am so proud of you - 170+ lbs. WOW!!! And speaking as a daughter of a man who struggled with and died from diabetes - I am SO PROUD of you for making these changes successfully in your life!!! After eating low calorie for such a long time, please don't be alarmed if while raising your caloric intake you gain (in the short term). It could take 2-4 weeks for your body to readjust to these new levels of intake. Just make any changes methodical and strategic. Each week (for example) make a 200 calorie increase. Every day. All week. Then the next week go for 200 more. Etc. Until you reach the 1800 (or so) calorie mark. As a side note - I have always found I can minimize the carb 'impact' of fresh fruit by pairing it w/ a protein. Have your apple w/ a little almond butter... etc. Cottage cheese w/ your pears. Etc... It makes the overall impact on insulin spikes in the blood stream minimal. (you can still enjoy all the fresh foods you like anyway - and pair it with making small changes that are 'lower' carbs - simply by removing most processed foods anyway.) Keep up the great efforts, and let us know how things are progressing!!! Much Love. 

Glad to know that weightloss has helped with your health and that you have been eating more, very important to keep your calories up as they were too low. You just needed to tweak what you were doing to start losing again. :) 

It will take some time to find the right method that works for me. I do like the idea of adding the calories at an incremental pace. The last couple of days I've been struggling on what to add to my diet to up my calories. More "junk" than I would like to admit. But, I know I will find the right formula. I don't eat a lot of protein, so that's certainly an area I need to work on. I've see a lot of unhealthy life choices cause major problems in my family. I refuse to make my health choices be a product of my environment. When people ask me how I've lost so much weight I tell them I used my head. No gimmicks, no drugs, nothing but making smart choices and upping my personal responsibility. Nothing different than when I quit smoking in 2000 cold turkey. I decided not to be a slave to something that is in my control. It's just a matter of taking that control. Thanks again for all the support and words of encouragement! Rich