Slowly losing my mind (weight loss)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I wish I could find this blog post that stuck with me. Basically your weight loss will be a graph with peaks and valleys. Keep doing what you are doing as it's obviously working. Seriously you should be so proud of yourself and not let this bother you. Play the long game.

I am impressed you can walk 8-10 miles per day. How do you manage to fit this in? That's really impressive.

Many many shorter walks most days! I aim for at least 20,000 steps. I try to do a morning walk when I get up, post lunch and dinner walks and then usually a mid-afternoon walk. Also do things like some laps around the office, walk vs drive when possible, bought a walking pad for rainy days etc.

Thanks for the encouragement.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I wish I could find this blog post that stuck with me. Basically your weight loss will be a graph with peaks and valleys. Keep doing what you are doing as it's obviously working. Seriously you should be so proud of yourself and not let this bother you. Play the long game.

I am impressed you can walk 8-10 miles per day. How do you manage to fit this in? That's really impressive.

+1
I go bonkers just trying to take a walk every day. I can't fathom taking a full hike every day. Maybe treadmill? But I get so bored after 6 minutes, it's a mental push to keep at it for 10, let along 15 minutes!

[Anonymous]

Try lifting weights instead of cardio.

I assume you’re tracking your food but make sure you are hitting 90 or more grams of protein and 25 grams of fiber.

[Anonymous]

I think almost everyone who goes through weight loss or body transformation (people who are competing or something) hit plateaus.

Fat people, people trying to get the last two abs of their six pack and those of us somewhere in between.

Are there people who have a perfect steady decline of weight loss to perfect body mass?

Sure…odds are they are the same people who won the genetic lottery and married Tom Brady or are Tom Brady.

The rest of us mortals have to endure the journey and frustrations that come along with it. Hang in there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My high weight is 275. I am currently 223. I went from 275 to 240 without intense efforts. Just being more active and a bit more thoughtful about diet. It happened over a long period though. 3 months ago I realized the diabetes I always knew was on the horizon had finally happened. (Long family history and obviously the weight piece)

So I made huge major lifestyle changes. I walk 8-10 miles a day, walk after every meal, drastically reduced carbs for the first time in my life, get some exercise, cut way back on eating out, don’t ever eat after dinner. Cut way back on calories. Eat no desserts or fruits, alcohol pasta etc. I prioritize sleep in a way that I never have my whole life.

The first two months I lost about 1.5 pounds a week. It felt very slow but was progress.

Then five weeks ago it stopped entirely. I have not lost anything in a month. How is this possible when I drastically cut calories and increased movement? I am so beyond frustrated. I want to cry every morning when I step on the scale. Giving up isn’t an option because reversing the diabetes is my primary goal and that is happening - my a1c has dropped a lot already. But how can it be possible not to lose something with such huge lifestyle changes?

I am the opposite of you. I am a skinny man who has tried to bulk up the past 20 years without success despite seeing nutritionists expensive personal trainers etc

Anyways just keep at it you will reach your goal. Those of us on either extreme of weight know the challenges to get to our ideal.weight.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You may be gaining muscle while losing fat, so the scale doesn't change much, but your composition does.

Have you taken measurements?

She’s not gaining muscle just walking

[Anonymous]

So happy that you’ve lost so much this far! That is not easy.

I would stop stepping on the scale every morning and take some tape measurements instead.

Incorporate weight lifting. Lots of YouTube videos to help teach you. Start with 3-5 lb weights then when you’re ready go to 5-10lb then 10-15lb.

Make sure you’re getting enough sleep.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You may be gaining muscle while losing fat, so the scale doesn't change much, but your composition does.

Have you taken measurements?

Walking and dramatically cutting calories is not now you gain muscle

[Anonymous]

While you have made big changes, which is awesome, are you counting calories? You have to be consuming significantly fewer calories than what you are burning, consistently, to have weight loss.

Perhaps track the calories of what you are eating over a few days and take an average, then try to lower that number by 500 calories

[Anonymous]

Also remember that the number of calories to maintain or lose weight depends on your weight. It takes fewer daily calories to maintain a weight of 175 than 250, etc. It's possible that your calorie reduction was enough to lose weight up to this point, but now you've reached a weight where that same number of calories is sufficient to maintain your current weight, and you may need to further reduce caloric intake to have further weight loss.

[Anonymous]

I would decrease exercise and increase calories for 3 days . Nothing crazy but add 600 or so calories. Enjoy them too!

Whoosh effect is real. You want to counter metabolic adaptation.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would decrease exercise and increase calories for 3 days . Nothing crazy but add 600 or so calories. Enjoy them too!

Whoosh effect is real. You want to counter metabolic adaptation.

Um..no. Do not eat 600 more calories per day.

[Anonymous]

Op, all that walking! You are amazing and I am going to try your strategy of the shorter walks/getting steps in.

I agree your body might be plateauing for a bit of a rest. This may be a good time to get a check up to make sure your thyroid is working or nothing else is going awry medically. Also do something nice for yourself--get a massage; go on a small road trip somewhere you would like to go; read a book. Take a moment to celebrate before moving forward.

[Anonymous]

I know it felt slow but a pound and a half a week is FAST.