That said, it's getting a little old. Again I seem great at maintaining. I've been hovering between that one little kilo 84.9 to 84.2 for weeks now and each time I get on the scale with a hopeful gleam in my eye it gets dashed again. Usually I shrug my shoulders and get on with things. I'm still not horribly annoyed but I sure would like to see some loss coming to me soon.
So this got me thinking. Okay.. I have tried in these past few weeks to have a day or two where I eat my normal foods but I try and eat a little more of it .. this succeeds in upping the calories. Then for the next few days I will lower the calories back down to where I figure I should be. All these are rough guesses mind you because I have so far refused to track my calories... but as we all know.. if we are eating properly (which I pretty much have been doing) then I shouldn't overshoot the mark too much, if at all. I have upped my exercise, varied it, had a day where I don't do any but even then, I'm pretty much constantly on the move. Still, the scale refuses to budge.
TJ left me a message on my "I think my scale is broke" post saying that some people hit their 'set point' and usually this is when your BMI hits around 30. Well, I am exactly on 30.1. Does this mean my body has come to the conclusion this is a great weight for me? That is doesn't want to lose any more? I figured I could trick it by doing the above but still no luck. So this lead me to investigate just how much I was consuming calorie wise per day. I buckled.
My Bandita http://mybandita.blogspot.com did a great post just recently. She added some links to a site that helps you figure out how many calories for your weight - where you are right now - you should be consuming. So I got curious. I tried it.. mucked it up, and asked for help on how to do it correctly. She sweetly posted again explaining in more detail. Second time I worked out correctly (it's not hard, it's just myself being mathmatically challenged and not reading what she wrote correctly.. I thought she said put in my BMI.. but you need to work out your BMR.) This gave me - for a 44 year old woman who exercises 1 - 3 times a week... (I shot for the middle of the road, sometimes I do more)... who's five foot five and 185.9 pounds, a calorie intake per day of 2148. This is just to maintain my weight right where I am now. Doesn't that sound like a lot? I have to say I did raise my eyebrows in surprise. If I want to lose 2 pounds per week, I should lower that by 500 calories a day.. which still takes me to around 1500 - 1600 calories. Now, I don't know about you guys, but no way can I get that much in on an average day. I did a couple of days worth of what I had been consuming on a calorie counter and I'm lucky to get 800 - 1000 calories. And this is normal eating with our band sized portions. I also take in around 2 litres of water a day - which is a fair bit.
So whats a girl to do? How exactly do I get more calories in when my hunger is not horrible right now and I'm happy eating a smallish amount at any one sitting (which is perfect for the band.) And does anyone else think this still seems like a lot of calories to consume in a day? If I am eating under the alloted amount, then obviously my body will shut down and hang onto the weight, but I can't figure out how to get more in without resorting to slider foods or high cal drinks (which I really, really don't want to do.. that just plain doesn't make sense to me.) If anyone can come up with some suggestions, I'm all ears. I'm a little perplexed. I will give a quick list of the kinds of food I'm eating so you can tell me if I'm going ok there, too.
Pce of grain toast, with an egg and sauce
3/4 cup of pasta bake (this is mince, tomato based sauce and pasta)
Palm size pce of chicken, salad, small toasted bread roll
1/2 toasted muffin, 1 tbspn peanut butter, 1/2 banana
One banana
Apple or grapes
Chicken terriaki skewers (2)
3/4 cup Greek yoghurt
3/4 cup low fat yoghurt
Slices of polony wrapped around a slice of cheese
1/2 toasted muffin with vegemite, or jam and a little margarine
1 Ryvita (wholegrain) with deli ham slice, tomato, and/or cheese slice or lite cream cheese
Handful of nuts
1- 1/2 savory pancake - made from vegetables, flour, egg and cottage cheese
One small burrito (I can't eat the burrito so I have the spicy chicken and eat the salad from the middle.)
So as you can see, my diet while boring at best is not too bad, at least I hope not. Obviously, I don't eat this in one day, this is a mix of things I might have for breakfast, lunch and dinners. And this was just a weeks worth of different things plucked from my food journal. I sometimes have a little blow out.. that might be bbq chips or some of my favorite dip and crackers, a small mini chocolate bar and occasionally my 200 ml lite iced coffee. I guess what I'm asking of you is, is this the kind of foods you guys eat, too? Am I on the right track? If I am.. then I just keep continuing what I'm doing and it HAS to shift sooner or later. If I'm not - maybe I can figure out some other way of tackling things. I'm open to all suggestions :)
I also have to add here that if this is where my body is going to stay weight wise - and I never lost another kilo well, I wouldn't be too devastated. Compared to where I was almost 8 months ago, I feel and look 100 percent better. No ifs or buts.That said, I am trying to move the scale down for a few reasons: I don't feel I have finished losing all the weight I can. While I am now in the 'overweight' category' (and not morbidly obese like when I started) I want to see, normal weight for height. I want to finish that big goal I set myself which is to weigh 73.3 kilos (or around160 pounds.) I want to get into a size 12 (a size 8 US)... and I know all these are now within my reach. It makes me want to try even harder because I am three quarters of the way through these goals now and while 75 percent is ok.. it's not 100 percent which is what I want even more.
Bye for now
Cara xxx
Even if your body has a certain BMI or weight set point, you can absolutely bypass it. You can do that through calorie deprivation (diet) and/or calorie burning (exercise). The difficulty will be in maintaining a weight below what your body set point is. If watching the scale while you are waiting is driving you nuts, then don't weigh yourself for awhile. But, you can definitely break the barrier.
ReplyDeleteHey Cara. I have this happen every once in a while where I stall (as you know from reading my blog) and find that it often happens when I'm not eating enough calories (e.g., 800-1000). I find that when I up it to 1200 especially when I'm exercising, that I lose. I haven't changed the amount of food I'm eating, but instead make higher calorie choices. (SOUNDS SO ODD!) I eat a handful of nuts (190 calories) instead of a string cheese (80 calories) for a snack. I eat 2% greek yogurt instead of 0% to get a bit more calories. I do find that when I'm consistent about the 1200 and not eating below that, that my scale tends to move more regularly. Maybe track your calories for a few days and try to get them up a bit? Hope it begins to move for you!! xoxo
ReplyDeleteHave you given any thought to cutting back on the carbs?
ReplyDeleteI second what others have said. I saw a few people on LBT say that they broke through plateaus by upping calories to about 1200 per day for about a week. It may be worth a shot. Good luck!
ReplyDeletePoor Cara. I'm sorry you are struggling with this. :( But I know you will have a scale breakthrough in the future.
ReplyDeleteOh my sister from another country starting with A....I feel for you don't know what to tell you! I like Jenny's advice. I do believe that body's have set points and agree with band babe that they can be passed. I would say just breathe and give yourself time...but Lord knows I would be having the same worries that you are. Who knows though...you know with the band and the scale that everything could be better tomorrow. You know what else is odd? When I lost 75 pounds on my own once, I did it buy calories in, calories out, and doing math. I could know exactly what the scale was going to say on weigh in day bc it was a simple formula. I have NOT found that to be true after the band and I dont know why!
ReplyDeleteCara, this must be so frustrating. And you've done all the things you're supposed to do! Sounds like some good suggestions here from others; since I'm just starting out I don't have much to offer. But I'm cheering you on, from all the way around the world.
ReplyDeleteI agree set point can be broken, but from what I understand it can take time - painful I know. My body has been acting strange too. I hit a plataue for a couple of weeks, then drop suddenly, and plataue again. I am thinking it is because my calories have fallen. I am EXPENDING around 2500 calorie each day and only taking in 1000-1100. I should be losing 3lbs a week (500 calories a day = 1 pound a week loss).
ReplyDeleteYour food looks good, but here are some suggestions (from what my nutrionist has said not personal experience).
1. salads don't have a lot of nutritional value so substitute something else.
2. Instead of pasta which typically fills us up but doesn't have a lot of nutrition try something else (I have seen people use spaghetti squash and I used slices of eggplant instead of lasagna noodles the other day.. yummm)
3. Breads once again don't have a ton of nutrients. (although for me I LOVE the muffin/pb/bannana combo - it works great for me). Instead of having a roll try another complex carb with an added protein.
I am going to be trying some of these myself this week. The substitutions are supposed to help with good calorie choices versus more "empty" calorie choices, but I think that maybe they will help me up my calories too. Another thing my dr. said is to use full fat items (like cheese) since we don't eat much of them. It seems like it might get too fatty if I get carried away, but I am going to try it in a few places.
Good Luck!!!
Hmm..maybe a call into the nutritionist may help. My nutritionist likes me to write down everything I eat in a typical daily diet. Of course right now I am barely getting in 500 to 600 calories a day. I always try to get on the scale at the same time every day as well. I notice that if I do it in the evening, it is almost a 2 lb difference.
ReplyDeleteI do hope you are able to figure this out!
Oy honey, this is so rough, and I am so sorry. I certainly support upping the calories. I know I'm young and very active, but I aim for 1400 a day and that's what keeps me losing. I get the extras by having 2% or sometimes even whole milk lattes, and by eating an extra yogurt (Activia - the keep ya regular type) whenever I feel a bit peckish. See if that'll do it... And ride it out, be patient, because it WILL happen!
ReplyDeleteCara, I have been stuck on 180 for TWO MONTHS! I have a fill on Monday, which I hope will help get things moving. I like to think that staying at one weight for awhile is good because you are keeping all the previous weight off and the longer you keep it off the more likely it will stay off. Plus your body is resetting the "set point" to your current weight. I, like you, would think this journey was completely worth it even if I stayed at 50 pounds down. But we WILL start going downward again soon! Good luck! :)
ReplyDeleteI'm at a super plateau right now. The same weight for 3 weeks. I just saw on Alexis' blog that she's stuck too. We were all banded around the same time, so maybe it's just our bodies saying of it a freakin rest, but it sucks after being so consistent with our losses.
ReplyDeleteWe'll get through it sister.:)
xxxxLinda
Hey Cara .. a quick way to use up calories that have good protein values is peanut butter, perhaps cheese. To break through that weight loss barrier I have read you need to up the cardio and change up the routine with different routines (easy to say). From what I have read on the other blogs.. some people hit these plateaus, and then all of a sudden the scale moves downward. I really hope you get to figure this out.. but you certainly have us all thinking for you.. be well. hugs
ReplyDeleteWish I had some answers for you :( Will you take hugs instead? (((Cara)))
ReplyDeleteHey Lady !! Well frustrating to say the least !! You're eating probably around what most of us eat I would say. On a daily average I eat about 1100-1200 calories !! I had posted this on another blog dealing with this stalling issue that my nutrionist reccomends a "shock & awe" approach when your metabolism just refuses to budge. There are several ways:
ReplyDelete1- Stop excercising for a week and then ramp it up ( like 5 days) the next week
2- Either up or lower your calories by 300 -400 for a couple of days. I agree tht eating more than you do is hard, but have you thought about adding milk to your diet. A couple has about 110 calories so that might be one way to get in some extra nutritious calories ( 10 g protein and tons of calcium)
3- Do a liquid only diet for 2 days then back to normal diet
Hope this thing gets moving soon..you've done super but I totally get that you want that satisfaction of hitting goal. I'm rooting for you !!
archghghghh I feel for you and am with you Cara. My answer up to this point has been to get another fill. It does sound like you can still eat quite a bit but I am not sure how you feel about taking things any tighter. I am feeling stuck just now because I do feel tight enough but am still not losing. Since I have used the fill to create a sudden and drastic change to my diet I assume that I can do the same on my own (although it will be by sheer will!). I have stopped believing in the up your calories routine-it never worked for me but dropping always has as had exercise. I am trying this anyway. I will let you know if it works.
ReplyDeleteTina
I honestly don't eat any 'diet' foods - that means whole milk, whole yoghurt, tasty cheese - think about the amount you eat - it isn't a lot so there is no real need to have the 'low fat' stuff.
ReplyDeleteIn saying that of course you don't go overboard :-)
Wow, great advice above! Cara, I feel for you...
ReplyDeleteWhile I am a bit incredulous, it seems the majority is saying UP your calories to around 1200 or 1400 ish per day. This makes sense for a plateau since your metabolism may be slowing down b/c your body is perceiving 'starvation.'
I am going to actually try to get in some more calories too-- b/c I am so new with my band and the scale seems to be only inching along.
Anyway: you also got some great suggestions like consider the types of foods and maybe change those up. There have been studies that calcium rich foods promote fat loss. Also: I like Sally's idea of cutting back on carbs and focusing more on your proteins.
So, maybe a typical day could be more like:
Yogurt, nuts for breakfast
Turkey chili for lunch
Iced latte (with skimmed milk or lowfat) for snack
Roasted chicken for dinner with veggies with a sprinkle of grated cheese
Ricotta cheese with a spoonful of peanut butter for dessert
I have to admit, I didn't CAREFULLY scan your whole list for whether these are exactly the right protein choices for you-- but I hope it makes sense. Just some thoughts based on the great advice above...
And finally: yes, I agree with everyone who advocates for giving a go of writing it all down. I know it is a gigantic pain the arse-- but it might give you a sense of where to add some quality calories and give the scale a big shove.
This TOO SHALL PASS. Hugs!!!!
Sweet Cara, here's a thought...HIDE THE SCALE for a week. That's right..DON"T get on and stress out about it every day. Maybe a week away will be helpful and the new number will surprise you and be less...just a thought. Hugs!
ReplyDeleteHi Cara,
ReplyDeleteI got this info from my surgery centre group regarding plateaus. It asks you to re-evaluate 4 areas: Nutritional; Behaviour; Activity and Attitude. It sounds like you're doing a lot of this, but it's a checklist of sorts. Hope you find it useful.
1. Nutritional Adjustment
60 to 70 grams of protein
30 grams of fibre
1-2 tablespoons of fat daily (olive oil, almonds, avocadoes)
3 fruits and 3 vegetables
6-8 glasses of pure water
calcium, essential fatty acids, multi-vitamins
do not skip meals or go for more than 4 waking hours without eating
do not drink during mealtime or up to 1 hour after
eat your protein first
a meal should be 1 cup of solid foods
meals shouldn't be longer than 30 minutes
avoid artificial sweeteners that make you crave more sweet
Watch Out For Foods That….
go down easily
are high in calories
poor in nutrients
don’t fill you up
2. Behaviour Adjustment
how do I eat my food?
am I chewing enough?
am I taking small baby bites?
am I eating 3 meals a day with little snacks?
do I take more than 30 minutes for each meal?
am I grazing despite not being hungry?
am I drinking with my meal?
am I listening to my feeling of fullness?
am I doing 30 minutes of physical activity 3 times per week?
am I taking advantage of different opportunities to increase my level of activity?
3. Activity Adjustment
am I doing at least 20 minutes of physical activity, at a minimum of 3 times per week?
am I taking advantage of different opportunities to increase my level of activity?
am I challenging myself and setting goals to achieve?
am I adding different exercise routines to mix it up and add variety?
4. Attitude Adjustment
self confidence
using family & the clinic for support
setting realistic expectations
setting realistic goal – 5 lbs at a time
are you honest with yourself?
can you tell yourself one compliment a day?
keep a food journal
Wow...so much good advice....I agree about upping your calories. Enough said above so how about a big (((HUG)))) you look great by the way
ReplyDeleteDamn! Sounds like you've tried everything! I don't know what to tell ya. Just keep doin' what you're doing and stay patient! *hugs*
ReplyDelete