kattay's Journal, 30 July 2014

Well if you are getting close to goal, weight loss can slow to a crawl for many people. I know many people who took 6 months to lose the last 10 lbs. Just keep on keeping on. You can try switching things up. Kicking up exercise. Upping protein and fiber. Zig zagging calories. Remember when you eat out, you can retain water from all the sodium in the food. You are doing amazing!!! 

I think you have to up your caloric intake. With your exercising, and little food, your body is thinking you are trying to "starve it." Try to get in at least 1300 calories. 

I feel for your frustration. But you have the right outlook when you said that at least you didn't gain. You're moving in the right direction and that's awesome! It means you're doing something right. Maybe you're not eating enough. Maybe you need to eat cleaner or add in some healthy carbs. I know most people avoid carbs, but that might be why your weight loss is slow, because the same thing happened to me when I was around 200 lbs. Then I added in one serving of starchy veggies or whole grains and my weight loss picked back up again. I'm not advocating eating carbs. I just know, for me, my body thinks it's starving when I have too few carbs. Just something to consider. Like Suzi said, try different things until something works. Just don't get frustrated to the point of giving up. You can do this! 

You are definitely NOT eating enough! I think when you do the calorie calculator it says if you get less than 1200 calories, set your rdi at 1200. Eat girl! 

Another thing to think about is that all the exercising could be putting on lean muscle; and that weighs more than fat. So it's possible that you're losing the fat and gaining muscle, therefore staying close to the same weight. Only a thought. As you said, your measurements will tell. 

Thank you all for your comments, advice and support. It is wonderful to have people who are willing to support and help you through a difficult journey. After going back and doing some research, I did lose 12 pounds in June which must have spoiled me. Sigh. One difference was my fat % was in the 40s and June it was in the 30s. Just a few calories difference. That is one of the great things about FS ... so many tools you can use. I just have to move on.  

I've maintained weight on a deficit as my body is recomping. Putting on muscle while shedding fat. The mirror is the best judge. People put too much emphasis on the scale. If you're in a deficit it is guaranteed that you're losing fat. 

It's great how we share everything with each member. It sort of warns us about things that can happen along our journey that we might not expect, but thanks to sharing we have a heads up and some ideals on how to fix it. Never give up on being the Best you can be. 

EXCELLENT JOB!! I agree wholeheartedly about what everyone else says so I will leave the aforementioned advice that they all gave. You are doing a wonderful job and commend you for your positive outlook and good energy. Keep it up!  

Kattay, if your food journal is accurate for what you are eating every day, I'd say your main issue is that you don't eat enough. Less than 1,000 calories is not a good idea. You are putting your body into "famine mode" and it is trying to hang on to everything you do eat. You need to figure out your current body fat percentage and use that with your weight to figure out your lean mass is. Then use a good, scientific formula like the TSPA program from MuscleHack.com to determine your protein, carbs, and fat needs for the day. Losing weight is 95% diet and only 5% exercise. If you don't eat enough of the right combination of those 3 macros, you will never make the progress you seek. I can't give Mark's TSPA formula's away, but if you'll email me your body fat%, I'll run the numbers for you and give you the initial starting point. Give it a couple of weeks and if you see progress, you can go buy the program for yourself. It's working wonders for me. 

Hang in there! You are aware that possibly you need to up calories but you will discover what works best for you and sometimes you just need to change something up.. God Bless.....  

Wonderful job there is so much great advice here. I only have to add one more thing. I am a long way from goal but I also workout almost daily. What I have noticed I have to stay in the range of 1100-1350 range with at least a gallon of water if I don't I dont' loose weight and if I do it will only be a .4 maybe if I am lucky 

Again, I thank everyone for their input and support. I really was hoping to be at goal by November, which means I need to lose 9 lbs a month. After that time I planned to lower my goal. When I started, 98 pounds ago, my current goal seemed out of reach. So I am going to make adjustments to see if that helps. I revisited the Carson Chow calculator and went to the suggested MuscleHack.com site. This will just take more time than I want, but I don't plan on giving up.  

Do you weigh all foods? If so, and you're not showing weight loss on scale it could be muscle gain if you're lifting which is awesome. It can also be waterweight masking fat loss. Go by the mirror. Keep it up. 

Amazing job on your weight loss and being close to your goal! I love your approach of lowering your goal weight as you reach your goals :) I'm planning on doing that. I started at 270 and my goal weight was 160 (which I increased to 168, because I had stopped losing), but I'm going to reduce it to 150 if/once I reach my 160 goal :) Keep up the great work. You'll get there. You might have to make some adjustments as you go along. I plateaued after each 50 lb loss and made some adjustments to keep losing. I'm guessing some people need to do it that way. Good luck! And don't worry about slow losses or how far you have to go. Just focus on making good choices today. 

Yes, I do weigh and measure everything at home. And I log everything except my black coffee, unsweetened tea, water and unsweetened lemon water. I don't drink diet drinks, sodas, smoothies (yet, because I like eating my food) or juices. I don't use sugar. I use spices and MsDash instead of salt. Even when I eat dairy, which I also measure, I keep it under my RDI. When I do eat out I try to eat at Applebees so I can order the 7 oz or 9 oz steak depending on the calories I saved up for the occasion :)FS has the restaurant dish numbers. The measuring tape did show inches lost, Thank goodness!! Yeah Muscle!! When I eat at our family celebration dinners I usually fix and pick at the the veggie tray or fruit tray, not dips. My worst was helping the kiddos eat that PopSecret Popcorn that one day and the Chinese restaurant food one day! I love fixing my family and friends favorite dishes that I don't eat now, but they all know I am really watching my intake so no pressure there. I do work out daily but I still can't do everything I want,(pain from scar tissue from cancer surgeries), such as walking distances, standing lengths of time, or running. I do work out with my small weights,low impact exercises, wii tennis, etc. On an average I usually lose 9 to 10 lbs a month so you can imagine how frustrating last month was. Thanks again everyone for your comments and support. I definitely am going to use some of the info. Special thanks to those who usually, or always comment, on my posts. It is so appreciated when someone takes the time to comment, share and tries to help. 

take a deep breath and relax ,,,, from what I ssee from this side of the road ya have lost 53 lbs if not more ,,,,, yazaaaaaaa ... wow ,,,, it well happen again ... you will get there Im sure of it ,,,, fustraed I get it ,,, with all that your doing and not losing ,, I do get it ,,, but I know you will begging to drop in know time <3 thumbs up <3 sweet dreams <3 I LOST 5 lbs that was my secret... just when I go with the flow and Relax ,,, which some times I just don't ,,,,, I forget Im not in control ,,,,, when I take a deep breath something amazing happens ,,, life falls into place God amazing ,,, he hates it when we get to independent ,,, sweet dreams <3 chine up <3  

oh PS I LOVE to rant too <3 giggling <3  

"Famine" mode, please. You should eat more than 1k calories but only because if you're getting less than that it is hard to get the vitamins, minerals and fiber your body needs. Don't listen to people believing in myths. Only athetes that are at dangerously low bodyfat levels for too long go into this "famine" mode. 

Maybe you are carbohydrate sensitive? Maybe cut back 25g on them and see how it goes? Because you are determined don't let "patience" stand in your way...grab on to "endurance." You have loss so much weight up to this point and your body is just getting acclaimated to the "new you." Don't change a thing, because "GOAL" is around the corner. Hold on! The scale is about to do a major move.