Help me break this weight loss plateau :)

[Slache]

Background: I've changed my diet and have been working out for almost 5 years. I've lost about 100 pounds and am significantly healthier, but I stopped losing weight about a year ago and I'm still about 40(?) pounds overweight. It's hard to tell just how overweight I am because I started lifting about 3 years ago and gained almost 60 pounds in a year while I continued to decrease in size. I just know that I still have a lot of fat to lose.

 

What I've done: I've gone low gluten, low dairy, stopped drinking juice and soda, and stopped eating candy. :crying: I've also done P90X twice, P90X3, Insanity twice, T25, the first half of Insanity Max 30 and we've started hiking/walking 3-5 miles a day. Recently I've incurred 3 injuries in a row resulting in my not working out and I've been depressed so I've had a lot of ice cream, pizza, and general garbage.

 

The plans: In a few weeks after I've recovered from my most recent injury I plan to begin a whole 30, begin P90X, and return to our daily hikes. What would you add or do differently? I've never done a whole 30. I drink plenty of water.

[Guest]

As someone who has lost a significant amount of weight, if a plateau doesn't break on its own after several months and you're down near a healthy bodyweight, it is often very difficult to get lower and stay there. A reduced obese body isn't the same as one that was never obese. Your plan sounds solid. See what you can do and don't sweat the scale if it stays stuck.

[milovany]

Welllll, I'd recommend the Master Cleanse as discussed in the other thread (website is http://themastercleanse.org/, but I like the book better).  Here's my background:  Was at my highest weight Christmas 2013 (about 165-170) and then lost about 20 pounds mostly through eating less.  A year ago, I started working out at the gym three days a week (resistance training). I also power-walked a couple of times a week or more, sometimes. With that effort,  I held it steady at about 142-145 for more than a year. Sometimes I would dip into the high 130's and sometimes I'd be in the high 140's.  I'm still working out at the gym and walking but my daughter's a great cook and her food (and my willingness to eat more of it than I really needed!) kept me at about 142-145. This past May I did 14 days on the first lemonade cleanse session and dropped to 133.  In the three weeks after that, I did gain back (which I expected) to 138.  Then I started the cleanse again and after 12 days, I was in the 120's for the first time in 20 years. 

 

I know I now have to learn to keep the weight off and that's my focus, but doing the two sessions did help me to lose 20 pounds in about 50 days. I plan on doing another cleanse in August or September and then I plan to continue doing one 3-4 times a year (or if I hit 132 again). The cleanse is not good just for weight loss; it's not even meant for weight loss.  It gives the body a rest from the stress we put on it with poor food choices.  I feel great when I'm on the cleanse and once several days into it, it's not too super hard to keep going (at least not in my experience).  I know some people think something like this is nutso, but the results have been what I'd hoped for and my health has not suffered (I just had my annual and everything looks really good). 

 

[Slache]

A reduced obese body isn't the same as one that was never obese.

I never thought about this. I'm too overweight. I need to lose more. I will keep this in mind though. Thanks.

 

I don't know if this is really what you're looking for, but I read that the average person who did this Dr. Schulze cleanse lost 15 pounds.  I did it for health reasons (not really to lose weight) and I lost exactly 15 pounds and had no trouble keeping it off until my next pregnancy.  If you don't mind doing an easier cleanse for five days, I think it's worth a try.

How pleasant. Can you eat during the cleanse?

[Slache]

Welllll, I'd recommend the Master Cleanse as discussed in the other thread.  Here's my background:  Was at my highest weight Christmas 2013 (about 165-170) and then lost about 20 pounds mostly through eating less.  A year ago, I started working out at the gym three days a week (resistance training). I also power-walked a couple of times a week or more, sometimes. With that effort,  I held it steady at about 142-145 for more than a year. Sometimes I would dip into the high 130's and sometimes I'd be in the high 140's.  I'm still working out at the gym and walking but my daughter's a great cook and her food (and my willingness to eat more of it than I really needed!) kept me at about 142-145. This past May I did 14 days on the first lemonade cleanse session and dropped to 133.  In the three weeks after that, I did gain back (which I expected) to 138.  Then I started the cleanse again and after 12 days, I was in the 120's for the first time in 20 years. 

 

I know I now have to learn to keep the weight off and that's my focus, but doing the two sessions did help me to lose 20 pounds in about 50 days. I plan on doing another cleanse in August or September and then I plan to continue doing one 3-4 times a year (or if I hit 132 again). The cleanse is not good just for weight loss; it's not even meant for weight loss.  It gives the body a rest from the stress we put on it with poor food choices.  I feel great when I'm on the cleanse and once several days into it, it's not too super hard to keep going (at least not in my experience).  I know some people think something like this is nutso, but the results have been what I'd hoped for and my health has not suffered (I just had my annual and everything looks really good). 

This is your lemonade diet correct? I'm hypoglycemic. I don't think I can do that.

[Guest]

Where are you now, Slache? What is your build? What is overweight on one body is healthy in another, and muscle mass and frame size matter very much.

[AnnE-girl]

I don't have experience with trying to lose a lot of weight, but I have tried (and failed) a couple Whole 30s. I think it might be better to start the Whole 30 while you are still recovering from your injury so that you can get over the more difficult part sooner before you are adding more exercise too. I did lose weight and eventually felt really good while following the plan, but I gave into too many temptations to finish the complete 30 days. Good luck!

[milovany]

This is your lemonade diet correct? I'm hypoglycemic. I don't think I can do that.

 

Yes the lemonade diet.  Here's some info. I found on hypoglycemia (but of course you'd have to work with your doctor on this; I know next to nothing about issues with hypoglycemia).

 

- - - - -

 

FAQ:

I am hypoglycemic. Can I do the cleanse?

 

Yes. Blackstrap molasses is recommended. If you make sure to regulate your intake of the lemonade mixture (atleast one glass every two hours), you should not have an issue with this diet. Many hypoglycemics have done this diet successfully and most even feel that their sugar levels are more stable AFTER the cleanse. Find out how to do the master cleanse with hypoglycemia here.

 

- - - - -

 

Quote taken from: http://thelemonadesite.com/faq.html

[Love]

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Edited November 19, 2015 by Love

[Love]

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Edited November 19, 2015 by Love

[Slache]

Where are you now, Slache? What is your build? What is overweight on one body is healthy in another, and muscle mass and frame size matter very much.

 

I'm 5'10", large build (very strong) and weigh about 240. I don't have a scale, but I weighed 243(?) at the doctors fully clothed. (leaves to get notes...)

 

 

Summer 2011: Pants size unknown (elastic waste band/too depressed when I couldn't get 23s over my thighs) 272 pounds.

 

Summer 2012: Pants size 23, 240 pounds

 

Summer 2013: Pants size 18, 210 pounds

 

Summer 2014: Pants size 14, 260 pounds (lots of weight training, serious muscle gain)

 

Summer 2015: Pants size 14, 240 pounds

 

 

Ok, so apparently I've lost 20 pounds this past year. That's not bad. I know there's only a 30 pound difference between the first and last weight, but my doctor says I've lost between 100-120 pounds of fat. If you saw me you'd believe it.

[Slache]

When I was 17 I was 160 pounds, wore size 10 and was a total babe. So I'm not a small. ;)

[Guest]

Yes, with your build it does sound like its a plateau as opposed to the bottom range of healthy bodyfat for your size. I wouldn't do a whole thirty, I'd just focus on getting quality protein and fat within a calorie allotment that suits your exercise requirement. Nutrient dense, energy controlled. Time and persistence will likely break through this, not anything extreme.

[Slache]

Yes, with your build it does sound like its a plateau as opposed to the bottom range of healthy bodyfat for your size. I wouldn't do a whole thirty, I'd just focus on getting quality protein and fat within a calorie allotment that suits your exercise requirement. Nutrient dense, energy controlled. Time and persistence will likely break through this, not anything extreme.

 

Why?

[Rachel]

20 pounds is still weight loss even if it is slower than you would like.

 

I don't have any solutions for you but here are a few things to think about: What if you changed to some sort of totally different exercise for a month? Maybe spin class, swimming, Jazzercise, Zumba, a trampoline class?

 

How strictly do you track your food intake? What does a typical week of food look like (prior to getting frustrated)? Do you eat out regularly?

 

I have personally found that not all calories are created equally. My friend can lose weight eating all sorts of one and two point processed foods on Weight Watchers and she doesn't have to exercise. I need an almost no processed food diet to get the scale to budge even if I eat the same number of calories. Plus I have to exercise 4+ hours per week and walking doesn't work for me.

 

ETA: I missed your plans the first time, I think it looks good. Is there any type of exercise you can do while injured?

[Slache]

20 pounds is still weight loss even if it is slower than you would like.

 

I don't have any solutions for you but here are a few things to think about: What if you changed to some sort of totally different exercise for a month? Maybe spin class, swimming, Jazzercise, Zumba, a trampoline class?

 

How strictly do you track your food intake? What does a typical week of food look like (prior to getting frustrated)? Do you eat out regularly?

 

I have personally found that not all calories are created equally. My friend can lose weight eating all sorts of one and two point processed foods on Weight Watchers and she doesn't have to exercise. I need an almost no processed food diet to get the scale to budge even if I eat the same number of calories. Plus I have to exercise 4+ hours per week and walking doesn't work for me.

 

ETA: I missed your plans the first time, I think it looks good. Is there any type of exercise you can do while injured?

I'm in a lot of pain and very drugged so I don't really want to do anything. I've been walking and playing with the kids.

 

I track my food with my Jawbone (like a fitbit) and I agree with you about diet. I intend to use the whole 30 as a reset after slipping little by little into old habits.

[LucyStoner]

Please don't fall into the fad diet trap. I am sorry but anything that tells you that a "lemonade" diet is good for someone with hyperglycemia is just flat up woo. Sorry, milovany but that link is, IMO, bordering on dangerous. Black strap molasses is not a substitute for actual food. Nor is lemon water. Intermittent fasting is an ok thing but juice this, detox that, eliminate random foods you are not allergic to type diets are all UTTER NONSENSE. The best way to give your body a rest from poor food choices is to not make poor food choices. Or make 18-19 good choices for every 1-2 junky treats. Unless you are ill and your liver and kidneys are not able to do their job, your body is already more than adequately "detoxing" itself.

 

I am posting the same link I always post. Her advice is spot on especially for us tall girls with lots of muscle.

 

https://gokaleo.com/stop-dieting/

 

What is your goal? A size 10-12 is as low as a lot of tall, muscled girls can go.

[Slache]

Please don't fall into the fad diet trap. I am sorry but anything that tells you that a "lemonade" diet is good for someone with hyperglycemia is just flat up woo. Sorry, milovany but that link is, IMO, bordering on dangerous. Black strap molasses is not a substitute for actual food. Nor is lemon water. Intermittent fasting is an ok thing but juice this, detox that, eliminate random foods you are not allergic to type diets are all UTTER NONSENSE.

 

I am posting the same link I always post. Her advice is spot on especially for us tall girls with lots of muscle.

 

https://gokaleo.com/stop-dieting/

 

What is your goal? A size 10-12 is as low as a lot of tall, muscled girls can go.

I don't think the lemonade diet is right for me, but I do intend on looking into the benefits of the drink and might incorporate it into my diet(lifestyle). I haven't looked into it yet.

 

My goal is to be healthy. After 2 kids, ten years, and a new found love of lifting I don't know what that looks like. I just know I'm fat.

[LucyStoner]

The founder of Go Kaleo (those are her awesome progression pics on the top bar and she's a mom of 2) has a Facebook group called "Eating the Food". I also recommend that.

 

I'd keep lifting in new and different ways. Eat a decent number of healthy foods, stay hydrated, address any lingering depression issues (sounds like you eat when feeling low).

 

Also love yourself. A size 14 on a tall, big frame with a lot of muscle is probably a lot less fat than you think. You probably look a lot better than you think you do. Try to see yourself the way people who love you see you. Your husband and your kids probably don't think you are fat.

[wintermom]

I'm not sure what all the exercises you've been doing actually are, but some of them sound like a lot of high impact, aerobic stuff. This, coupled with your injuries, makes me think that your joints may need a rest from bouncing. Keep up with the strength training, especially for muscles around the joints you have had injuries to prevent future problems, and perhaps do some low-impact exercise using both upper and lower body (e.g., swimming, pole walking, nordic skiing).  Eat healthy, wide variety of foods, lots of veggies and protein. No fad diets. Think long-term health with your eating and exercising, and what you can see yourself eating and doing weekly for the next 50 years. 

[mamaraby]

I'll second the GoKaleo link and the caution against cleanses, detoxes, and anything that masquerades as it.

 

You lost 20lbs this year and that in and of itself is fantastic! Not only that, but you've kept the initial weight off and from the looks of it seriously changed your body composition! That's cause for celebration. Way to go!! I think you have to give up on the number the scale gives you. Stop letting it determine the value of your hard work. It discounts all the progress you have made. Don't let that number define what you've done as something less than.

 

I lost 24 lbs last year, 20 this year. It's slow, it sucks, but unlike the time I lost 40lbs in 6mos, this time I can keep it off easily. Losing huge amounts of weight quickly ala the big weight loss shows, fad diets, etc is neither healthy nor sustainable. Not to mention that you could lose a lot of muscle that way, too.

 

My motto is to keep on, keeping on. Small goals, over the longterm, can add up to something huge.

[ExcitedMama]

Have you heard of the 5:2 diet? I agree with the previous post that a complete "cleanse" is absolutely not healthy, not sustainable and will burn muscle which you don't want. The 5:2 diet is a restricted fast of 500 calories twice a week. For me total focus for 2 days a week is sustainable long term whereas really great clean eating for a week is not. Plus it's been shown to have real health benefits long term to the body. I've been struggling with injury and illness which has been hard so I really sympathize with you being hurt and in pain. Congrats on making such great changes! Don't let being down right now get to you. Look forward and you will be feeling better when you are healed.

[milovany]

You're more than welcome to your opinion on this, Katie!  This is something that has really worked for me after struggling with the same 10 pounds for more than a year (and with my weight overall for 30 years).  I've tried woo fad things that come and go a handful of times, things that people "swear by," and they rarely, rarely do what is claimed for me -- this one has and so I mentioned it if it would be something Slache or someone else wants to consider.  I do feel better when I'm drinking the drink. I have tons of energy, it works on my mental attitude toward food (which I now have to continue when not drinking the drink), and it has kicked the weight off quite effectively.  It's the post-cleanse period that provides plenty more hard-work opportunity, and I'm glad for it. 

 

I'm not solely doing this, as I said. I have been in a year plus time of realizing I'm hitting 50 relatively soon and I want to go into mid life and old age healthy.  I'm hitting the gym (am building, not losing, muscle), I'm walking more, I'm standing more throughout the day, I'm trying to make better food choices, I'm trying to wait until I'm hungry to eat and to stop when I'm satisfied, etc. I also just happen to do a monofood cleanse once in awhile, too.  In my situation and state of health, it won't hurt anything. 

 

P.S. I will admit the website re: hypoglycemia I linked to is one I know nothing about.  I just googled "master cleanse" and "hypoglycemia" and saw that FAQ page.  I did put a disclaimer in my post that I know next to nothing about hypoglycemia and that one ought probably to consult with their doctor and not go solely by the information I posted.

 

P.P.S. I also believe in the 5:2 approach to eating and my intent is that on the two days a week when I limit my calories, I'll often have the lemonade drink throughout the day to provide my 500 calories.  :)

[Slache]

The founder of Go Kaleo (those are her awesome progression pics on the top bar and she's a mom of 2) has a Facebook group called "Eating the Food". I also recommend that.

 

I'd keep lifting in new and different ways. Eat a decent number of healthy foods, stay hydrated, address any lingering depression issues (sounds like you eat when feeling low).

 

Also love yourself. A size 14 on a tall, big frame with a lot of muscle is probably a lot less fat than you think. You probably look a lot better than you think you do. Try to see yourself the way people who love you see you. Your husband and your kids probably don't think you are fat.

I'll check it out. Yes, Mother, I do eat poorly when I'm depressed. And I do love myself, which is why I want to continue the journey to health. The issue is that we want another baby soon and I would like to lose as much weight as possible before we do because I believe the fatter I am the worse my pregnancy is. Not to mention I can't lose much weight pregnant.

[Slache]

I'm not sure what all the exercises you've been doing actually are, but some of them sound like a lot of high impact, aerobic stuff. This, coupled with your injuries, makes me think that your joints may need a rest from bouncing. Keep up with the strength training, especially for muscles around the joints you have had injuries to prevent future problems, and perhaps do some low-impact exercise using both upper and lower body (e.g., swimming, pole walking, nordic skiing). Eat healthy, wide variety of foods, lots of veggies and protein. No fad diets. Think long-term health with your eating and exercising, and what you can see yourself eating and doing weekly for the next 50 years.

It takes me about twice as long to finish a program than it should because I take lots of breaks and add in extra yoga and light cardio. I refuse to be one of those people who loses all the weight but is broken because of it.

 

I want to do a whole 30 to set a habit of not eating sugar and bread the way I have been. The diet calls for lots of protein and good food. I'm not concerned about what it will do to my body.

[Slache]

I'll second the GoKaleo link and the caution against cleanses, detoxes, and anything that masquerades as it.

 

You lost 20lbs this year and that in and of itself is fantastic! Not only that, but you've kept the initial weight off and from the looks of it seriously changed your body composition! That's cause for celebration. Way to go!! I think you have to give up on the number the scale gives you. Stop letting it determine the value of your hard work. It discounts all the progress you have made. Don't let that number define what you've done as something less than.

 

I lost 24 lbs last year, 20 this year. It's slow, it sucks, but unlike the time I lost 40lbs in 6mos, this time I can keep it off easily. Losing huge amounts of weight quickly ala the big weight loss shows, fad diets, etc is neither healthy nor sustainable. Not to mention that you could lose a lot of muscle that way, too.

 

My motto is to keep on, keeping on. Small goals, over the longterm, can add up to something huge.

I agree. Slow and steady. My issue is not the number, it's that I'm fat and not as healthy as I thought I'd be by now.

[Slache]

You're more than welcome to your opinion on this, Katie! This is something that has really worked for me after struggling with the same 10 pounds for more than a year (and with my weight overall for 30 years). I've tried woo fad things that come and go a handful of times, things that people "swear by," and they rarely, rarely do what is claimed for me -- this one has and so I mentioned it if it would be something Slache or someone else wants to consider. I do feel better when I'm drinking the drink. I have tons of energy, it works on my mental attitude toward food (which I now have to continue when not drinking the drink), and it has kicked the weight off quite effectively. It's the post-cleanse period that provides plenty more hard-work opportunity, and I'm glad for it.

 

I'm not solely doing this, as I said. I have been in a year plus time of realizing I'm hitting 50 relatively soon and I want to go into mid life and old age healthy. I'm hitting the gym, I'm walking more, I'm standing more throughout the day, I'm trying to make better food choices, I'm trying to wait until I'm hungry to eat and to stop when I'm satisfied, etc. I also just happen to do a monofood cleanse once in awhile, too. In my situation and state of health, it won't hurt anything.

 

P.S. I will admit the website re: hypoglycemia I linked to is one I know nothing about. I just googled "master cleanse" and "hypoglycemia" and saw that FAQ page. I did put a disclaimer in my post that I know next to nothing about hypoglycemia and that one ought probably to consult with their doctor and not go solely by the information I posted.

 

P.P.S. I also believe in the 5:2 approach to eating and my intent is that on the two days a week when I limit my calories, I'll often have the lemonade drink throughout the day to provide my 500 calories. :)

I just wanted to say that I respect your opinion and experience on this matter, I just don't want to do this diet. :P I'm sure I'd lose weight, but I'd also be very cranky, and I don't want to lose muscle.

 

And as far as being hypoglycemic, I could always try the diet and decide after I started that it wouldn't work out. Bodies are good at making their needs known.

[Guest]

I'll second the GoKaleo link and the caution against cleanses, detoxes, and anything that masquerades as it.

 

You lost 20lbs this year and that in and of itself is fantastic! Not only that, but you've kept the initial weight off and from the looks of it seriously changed your body composition! That's cause for celebration. Way to go!! I think you have to give up on the number the scale gives you. Stop letting it determine the value of your hard work. It discounts all the progress you have made. Don't let that number define what you've done as something less than.

 

I lost 24 lbs last year, 20 this year. It's slow, it sucks, but unlike the time I lost 40lbs in 6mos, this time I can keep it off easily. Losing huge amounts of weight quickly ala the big weight loss shows, fad diets, etc is neither healthy nor sustainable. Not to mention that you could lose a lot of muscle that way, too.

 

My motto is to keep on, keeping on. Small goals, over the longterm, can add up to something huge.

I agree. I haven't seen any real success with detoxes or cleanses. Consistency with a solid plan gains much more than a week of dietary weirdness to 'cleanse'. The science of this is dubious. Tonics like kvass and other fermented foods or bitters are a much better bet if cleansing the body's system of toxic load is what is desired. For dropping weight, real weight, they suck. An Atkins Fat Fast (Google it) is fairly effective at breaking a true stall, but those are quite rare and it's arguable that patience doesn't achieve the same thing.

 

If you're eaging sugar and starch and want to stop, by all means do the whole thirty. But it tends to be higher carb than many obese or overweight bodies can handle for weight loss, especially when you're many pounds into those losses. A 180 pound woman losing 30 pounds in mid life like my stepmother, is a whole different animal than a 270 pound woman losing 130 in the prime of life, like myself. Her metabolic situation is worlds away from mine, and what works for a fairly healthy energy utilization system doesn't work as well for a dysfunctional energy utilization system. The hormonal states are very different. Nourishing your body intensely on as few calories as possible is a much better stall breaker than a cleanse. It discourages energy conservation and metabolic stress, it preserves muscle, and it encouraged the body to utilize stored adipose tissue instead of chewing up your lean mass. A fat fast is muscle sparing. A cleanse, especially a longer one, isn't.

 

I've been on this horse a long, long time. I'm struggling now. You know why I'm struggling? I had to add back in more starch in place of protein and fat, due to issues beyond my control with my immune system. I did essentially a whole 30, whereas I'd been doing low carb before. I put on thirty pounds in four months. Super.

 

I've been stalled 80 pounds down in weight loss, and I've hit the bottom of what I can maintain to lose at 130 pounds in weight loss. They're a bit different, and call for different solutions. But one thing that has NEVER worked is adding in sugar in the form of fruit or starchy veggies, and cutting protein and fat. Whole 30 can be great, but I cannot say the same for a juice fast or detox.

 

In the end it's up to you, this is just my experience :)

[Guest]

I'm in a lot of pain and very drugged so I don't really want to do anything. I've been walking and playing with the kids.

 

I track my food with my Jawbone (like a fitbit) and I agree with you about diet. I intend to use the whole 30 as a reset after slipping little by little into old habits.

Go for it and report back on how it goes. Just be careful to not add in too much honey and sweet potatoes and expect fast losses :). To break a habit it can be awesome!

[milovany]

I just wanted to say that I respect your opinion and experience on this matter, I just don't want to do this diet. :p I'm sure I'd lose weight, but I'd also be very cranky, and I don't want to lose muscle.

 

And as far as being hypoglycemic, I could always try the diet and decide after I started that it wouldn't work out. Bodies are good at making their needs known.

 

Thanks, Slache.  Your words are very much appreciated.  I'm not a wackadoo looking for an easy out.  ;-)  Like almost everyone else posting in this thread, I've struggled with my weight for many years and this is helping me overcome some of the issues.  I don't see it as a magic pill.  I see it as one tool among many that I'm using in aiming for victory.  Part of the reason it works pretty well for me, I think, is because fasting (limiting food in a pretty extensive way for a certain period of time) is already part of my lifestyle due to my faith.  So it wasn't such a shock to me to give the master cleanse a 10-day period of time (in fact, I did it for 14 days the first time and 12 the second time).  For others, they -- like you describe -- might have things that will mean it won't work for them at any given point in time.  I respect that.  Thanks again. 

[LucyStoner]

I agree with intermittent fasting like 5:2 as a technique that can work for a lot of people- it has for me for sure. That said, on those low calorie days it is so important to get nutrients. From actual food.

 

On 500ish calorie days I was packing in veggies to feel sated. It sure doesn't look like 500 calories loaded up on a plate. The other days I was eating a solid amount of real, good food and not worrying about a cookie here or a birthday dinner there. So long as my activity level was high and I am not over eating the crap foods, I lost weight and inches.

 

Detoxing/cleansing is a pricey and all too often dangerous dieting myth. Constant, continuous excessive restricting messes with one's metabolism, requiring one to eat less and less to get the same results.

 

The other thing to bear in mind is that what is workable sound advice for a 50 year old woman is very different from a 30 year old woman who is wanting to have more children soon. You don't want to start a pregnancy in a nutritional deficit. No reputable midwife or obgyn is going to pitch an extreme cleanse type diet to a woman pre-conception.

[LucyStoner]

I'll check it out. Yes, Mother, I do eat poorly when I'm depressed. And I do love myself, which is why I want to continue the journey to health. The issue is that we want another baby soon and I would like to lose as much weight as possible before we do because I believe the fatter I am the worse my pregnancy is. Not to mention I can't lose much weight pregnant.

I get that. It sucks when it takes a long time. It also sucks when you are wanting it to go faster because you are waiting to have more kids. I have a 5.5 year gap between my sons and my younger son will be a minimum of 7 or 8 when (if) we have a very much wanted third child. The wait is really hard and caused by a lot of factors.

 

I've read your diet threads since you asked about lifting the first time. Honestly, I've heard a heck of a lot of little jabs at yourself and I have also heard a lot of hard work, persistence and determination. What I don't hear too much of is joy or enthusiasm. I am not sure you are aware of how much you run yourself down about your size on these types of threads. Do you have something active that you do because you love it and not because it's necessary? That can be key to staying on track during lower energy or more depressed periods.

 

Yes, all this sounds like yet another a motherly annoying lecture and you are more than free to disregard every word I have said but I've BTDT in so many ways and if you listen to nothing else:

 

it really isn't doing you any favors to be so hard on yourself.

 

You have lost 100 plus pounds of fat.

 

That bears repeating.

 

In 4 or so years, while bringing two whole people into the world (if your siggie is updated), you sucessfully lost 100+ pounds of fat. After/around TWO pregnancies.

 

You.are.amazing.

 

You have dropped 20 pounds in a year, after your results slowed.

 

You.are.amazing.

 

I assure you that pregnancy over 200 with less body fat and lots of muscle is a whole 'nother ball of wax than pregnancy over 250 with a lot of fat and minimal muscle. You make it sound like you are terribly fat but you aren't that much bigger size wise than you were at 17. After 2 kids. I don't doubt you still need to and want to lose weight. But remember that you have lost so much already and that you have added a tremendous amount of lean body mass.

 

Consider seeing someone for preconception care. They might have some great ideas for you to get you ready.

[Laura Corin]

I agree with Katie on healthy 5:2. I eat masses of veg and a good amount of fish on my 2 days.

[Slache]

I get that. It sucks when it takes a long time. It also sucks when you are wanting it to go faster because you are waiting to have more kids. I have a 5.5 year gap between my sons and my younger son will be a minimum of 7 or 8 when (if) we have a very much wanted third child. The wait is really hard and caused by a lot of factors.

 

I've read your diet threads since you asked about lifting the first time. Honestly, I've heard a heck of a lot of little jabs at yourself and I have also heard a lot of hard work, persistence and determination. What I don't hear too much of is joy or enthusiasm. I am not sure you are aware of how much you run yourself down about your size on these types of threads. Do you have something active that you do because you love it and not because it's necessary? That can be key to staying on track during lower energy or more depressed periods.

 

Yes, all this sounds like yet another a motherly annoying lecture and you are more than free to disregard every word I have said but I've BTDT in so many ways and if you listen to nothing else:

 

it really isn't doing you any favors to be so hard on yourself.

 

You have lost 100 plus pounds of fat.

 

That bears repeating.

 

In 4 or so years, while bringing two whole people into the world (if your siggie is updated), you sucessfully lost 100+ pounds of fat. After/around TWO pregnancies.

 

You.are.amazing.

 

You have dropped 20 pounds in a year, after your results slowed.

 

You.are.amazing.

 

I assure you that pregnancy over 200 with less body fat and lots of muscle is a whole 'nother ball of wax than pregnancy over 250 with a lot of fat and minimal muscle. You make it sound like you are terribly fat but you aren't that much bigger size wise than you were at 17. After 2 kids. I don't doubt you still need to and want to lose weight. But remember that you have lost so much already and that you have added a tremendous amount of lean body mass.

 

Consider seeing someone for preconception care. They might have some great ideas for you to get you ready.

OK, you can keep posting. ;) I do jab at myself too much. I'm setting a bad example for my kids. I have a yucky sob story about childhood abuse and how my mother truly hates me that really explains it all, but I'm too tired for that now. (She has a lot of problems that predate my existence)

 

I know I've done something awesome, and more importantly I've done it the right way. I've changed our lives as a family and inspired others to similar achievements. God gave me the strength and my husband encouraged me every step of the way or it never would have been possible.

 

How should I word this? I hate exercise with every fiber of my being. That sounds right. I don't like lifting, I hate cardio and I think Satan invented yoga. I do love the way it makes me feel. I'm a better mother, wife, worker and more of a babe. Feeling better is what keeps me going. Recently I had a stress fracture followed by a dental catastrophe followed by a strained lumbar, otherwise I would be half way through month 2 of insanity max 30. I never stopped working out. I've taken breaks, and recovered from injuries, but I've never stopped. I don't think I ever will. The Rachel that works out and the Rachel that doesn't are two different people, and I like the one that works out better. She's more disciplined, sleeps better and extends more grace to her family.

 

Thanks for the advice and cheerleading.

[Guest]

I hate exercise too. I chose Ttap because it was the most effective for my shape for the shortest amount of time and pain. I also like swimming and cycling for the same reason.

 

If it makes you feel any better, I lost all my weight with pretty much no appreciable exercise. It never impacted my losses. The only time I exercised with any consistency was 180 down to 161, and even then it didn't seem to do much. I got down to 145 with almost zero exercise. It was all food. I have a mesomorphic body type and maybe that lets me get away with no exercise and not being skinny fat, but for fat loss it never did much.

 

What it did do, however, was make me look firmer and more shapely at every weight. Ttap helped my core actually cinch in, which is impressive because I have a very short torso and didn't start losing weight until after baby 2 was born. It helped me drop two pants sizes while *gaining* three pounds. But did it help with weight loss? No. Did it burn fat? Not really. It just acted like an internal corset.

 

There are a lot of good reasons to suck it up and exercise. But for me, at least, fat loss has never been one of them.

[Guest vertenaotne]

It gives the body a rest from the stress we put on it with poor food choices. 

[Chris in VA]

Gosh I'm so in awe of you!

 

I think it says a LOT about your body composition (fat vs muscle) if you can weigh 240 and fit in a size 14. I am about 206 right now and fit in a 20W!

Talk about muscle taking up less space than fat! Holy Batman. Or Catwoman. Or whatev.

 

I'm just starting to see how carbs (processed carbs--bread, crackers, etc) don't love me. I get more hot flashes and crave more junk when I'm over the 21 Day Fix allotment of carbs (which is generous). I don't know a lot about Whole 30, but it seems to be on a similar page as what I'm doing currently.

If you are going to eat mostly vegs, protein and fruits with a bit of dairy (yogurt/cheese mostly) and healthy fat (avocado, olive, coconut oils), and severly limit processed carbs (but still eat about a cup of whole grains), I'll bet you will get over the plateau. The painkillers could be tricking your body's metabolism, or helping you retain extra water, or something else screwy. So heal up and eat healthfully, and I'll bet things will start moving again.

 

What you've accomplished is amazing. <3

[Soror]

Well, I totally agree with loving that body, although I entirely understand that is sometimes hard when it isn't the size you like.

 

Last week I watched a weight loss show and they had a big frame girl, who like you put on muscle easily. What they did is have her bodyfat checked so they could so how much of that weight was actual fat and then set a goal based on getting her in a good range of body fat, she got down to 18% which is pretty damn low for a woman but most would be happy much higher than that. So, I suggest perhaps getting that body fat actually tested so you know what you are dealing with and make a goal on that, I bet you are a lot closer than you think and I would guess that a size 10-12 is probably as low as you can reasonably go.

 

Also, when I'm working out hard I have a hard time losing, my body fights me to feed it more. So, to break through plateaus I cut down the exercise for a bit, keeping the low level stuff but not the rest. It is hard to maintain a calorie deficit and push yourself real hard, for me I don't like doing that so I don't ever keep with it to long but a few weeks here and there is good and the body needs rest sometimes anyway. I dropped my carbs recently for my blood sugar and it knocked the last few pounds off, but that isn't realistic for some, it works well for my body as I need to eat less for my own needs. IF works well for a lot of people. As they say if what your doing is not working try something entirely different. 

 

Good luck and kudos to you, you're a badass :)

[Laurie4b]

Things other than diet and exercise affect weight gain/loss. 

 

How much quality sleep do you get? 

 

How is your hydration? 

 

How are you managing your stress levels?

 

Have you had your thyroid levels checked? 

[Slache]

Gosh I'm so in awe of you!

 

I think it says a LOT about your body composition (fat vs muscle) if you can weigh 240 and fit in a size 14. I am about 206 right now and fit in a 20W!

Talk about muscle taking up less space than fat! Holy Batman. Or Catwoman. Or whatev.

 

I'm just starting to see how carbs (processed carbs--bread, crackers, etc) don't love me. I get more hot flashes and crave more junk when I'm over the 21 Day Fix allotment of carbs (which is generous). I don't know a lot about Whole 30, but it seems to be on a similar page as what I'm doing currently.

If you are going to eat mostly vegs, protein and fruits with a bit of dairy (yogurt/cheese mostly) and healthy fat (avocado, olive, coconut oils), and severly limit processed carbs (but still eat about a cup of whole grains), I'll bet you will get over the plateau. The painkillers could be tricking your body's metabolism, or helping you retain extra water, or something else screwy. So heal up and eat healthfully, and I'll bet things will start moving again.

 

What you've accomplished is amazing. <3

I know! If you grip my stomach while I move you can feel my muscles flexing. I keep saying that if I could just lose the fat I'd be one of the sexiest women alive. It's also amazing how small my muscles are to weigh so much. I do have a bicep, tricep, and shoulder bump, but they aren't big at all.

[Carrie12345]

I'm still in wake-up mode over here, so this may have been answered.

What is the calorie deficit you're working with now?  I watch so many of my friends try to burn off inadequate calories while refusing to believe they're throwing their metabolism into survival mode.

[Slache]

Things other than diet and exercise affect weight gain/loss.

 

How much quality sleep do you get?

 

How is your hydration?

 

How are you managing your stress levels?

 

Have you had your thyroid levels checked?

I sleep about 7 1/2 hours a night and nap occasionally. There's a long story there, but things are going well.

 

I drink more than the recommended amount of water, but I think my body likes that. I'm freakishly proud of my clear pee. :leaving:

 

I don't have much stress and I'mnot stressed out when I exercise which is part of the reason I can't wait to get back to it!

 

My thyroid is fine. I do have a gluten allergy that I think plays a role in slowing my progress.

 

I assume those were rhetorical questions, but I think everything aside from my recent injuries and the return of a few bad dietary habits I'm as healthy as a horse.

[Carrie12345]

Adding, there's also a lot of evidence that the body can't sustain simultaneous muscle building and fat loss at a certain (undefined) point.  For newbies and the extremely overweight, yes, but that there comes a time to choose.  Going on maintenance-only lifting and "regular" cardio for a period of time may very well be a plateau breaker.

[Slache]

I'm still in wake-up mode over here, so this may have been answered.

What is the calorie deficit you're working with now? I watch so many of my friends try to burn off inadequate calories while refusing to believe they're throwing their metabolism into survival mode.

I don't really concentrate on a calorie deficit. Maybe I should. My Jawbone tracks my activity and food. I'm usually 300-500 calories short at the end of the day. I definitely eat enough when I work out. I start every morning with a protein rich breakfast, have a shake after working out, fruits and veggies for lunch, and a healthy dinner. Lately I've had a lot of pizza or burgers for dinner. We are rectifying that.

[Carrie12345]

I don't really concentrate on a calorie deficit. Maybe I should. My Jawbone tracks my activity and food. I'm usually 300-500 calories short at the end of the day. I definitely eat enough when I work out. I start every morning with a protein rich breakfast, have a shake after working out, fruits and veggies for lunch, and a healthy dinner. Lately I've had a lot of pizza or burgers for dinner. We are rectifying that.

 

Well, numbers-wise, that's just about perfect!  Content-wise, you seem to know what needs to be done.  :D

[JustEm]

Go for it and report back on how it goes. Just be careful to not add in too much honey and sweet potatoes and expect fast losses :). To break a habit it can be awesome!

Honey is not whole30 compliant.

 

Slache, I think a whole30 would be great for someone like you. I've used it to get me back on track and away from my bad eating habits that resulted from depression. I eat when I'm depressed and it sabotaged me greatly at one point after a miscarriage. Whole30 was the only thing that help me get control of those bad habits again. I do recommend starting it before you heal. The beginning can be hard and most people don't have the energy to exercise anyway

[wintermom]

It takes me about twice as long to finish a program than it should because I take lots of breaks and add in extra yoga and light cardio. I refuse to be one of those people who loses all the weight but is broken because of it.

 

I want to do a whole 30 to set a habit of not eating sugar and bread the way I have been. The diet calls for lots of protein and good food. I'm not concerned about what it will do to my body.

 

It sounds like you are definitely on the right track for long-term health. I've had many, many sports related injuries and over-use issues over the decades, and "broken" is a relative term. You can have much pain and suffering from being too sedentary, and you can rip up your joints by trying to do too much. It's really tricky to find a perfect balance, and when you do it changes when you get older anyway. ;)  I've found that staying active, going to a dr, massage therapist or a physiotherapist when injuries pop up really help keep the ol' body rolling along.

[Guest]

Honey is not whole30 compliant.

 

Slache, I think a whole30 would be great for someone like you. I've used it to get me back on track and away from my bad eating habits that resulted from depression. I eat when I'm depressed and it sabotaged me greatly at one point after a miscarriage. Whole30 was the only thing that help me get control of those bad habits again. I do recommend starting it before you heal. The beginning can be hard and most people don't have the energy to exercise anyway

Yes, you're right. I was speaking of paleo more generally, I'm not a huge fan. I just go Atkins induction to break cravings, as it works for me with with less budget struggle and more ease. But I can do dairy and cured meats in small quantities and they help me not go nuts, just like diet coke.

[Slache]

Yes, you're right. I was speaking of paleo more generally, I'm not a huge fan. I just go Atkins induction to break cravings, as it works for me with with less budget struggle and more ease. But I can do dairy and cured meats in small quantities and they help me not go nuts, just like diet coke.

I have had great success with the grapefruit diet. Unfortunately I can no longer eat eggs or grapefruit. I am worried about the cost of a whole 30. I wasn't that worried before, but I watched a review on YouTube last night that said their whole 30 cost them $800. That's just not in the budget.

[JustEm]

I have had great success with the grapefruit diet. Unfortunately I can no longer eat eggs or grapefruit. I am worried about the cost of a whole 30. I wasn't that worried before, but I watched a review on YouTube last night that said their whole 30 cost them $800. That's just not in the budget.

Budget wise here is my advice. Skip nuts and seeds entirely. Veggies should fill half of your plate at every meal. Try not to snack. Eat enough at each meal that you don't need to snack. If you are hungry don't snack, instead have another small meal. Your body should adjust to just needing 3 meals if you are feeding yourself enough at each meal. I have a family of 5 that eat and never get close to spending 800 a month even when on whole 30.