exumfats's Journal, 24 July 2016

Everything works for a while - then we need to adjust in some way. More activity, different foods, etc. 

You may need to reconsider what you're eating and how you're exercising. As long as there is a deficit overall you should be losing weight, but it may be masked by water weight caused by various factors. I've hit multiple plateaus and adjusted my diet and exercise regimen to break through, but sometimes all that was needed was patience as the next weigh in showed the weight I "should" had lost and then some. If you show a stall for more than two weeks, then there is a good chance that you may need to change something. 

Have you considered tracking 100% of your intake every day? and weighing in every day? #letsGO! #grindtime 

I track 100% of everything I eat & drink daily. I've been told I don't eat enough. I've tried eating more, but gain weight fast when I do. Today I had a fruit smoothie for breakfast, Two grilled chicken tenderloins, & cheese stuffed mushrooms for lunch. Plan on eating a piece of small pork rib with southern slaw, and a slice of toast for supper. Drank 1 cup coffee with half & half, 1 bulletproof coffee, & about 64 ozs. water. Total will be about 1600 calories. I bet I'll gain 1 to 2 lbs tomorrow. When I go over 1200 cals I gain. I've walked a mile, rode stationary bike, & replaced boards on my front porch in 97 degree temp.  

I stalled for a week while sticking to plan then had a nice drop. It's frustrating for sure but as long as you eat less calories then you use..you will lose : ) You got this! 

I peeked at your food diary, and you've been doing really well, overall. It looks like you've been doing LCHF, so I wonder if the fruit smoothie and toast today are an effort to change things up? The only thing I would say is add more veggies and cut back a bit on the fats. Your body has 2 choices on LCHF...to burn the fat you eat, or the fat on your belly. The less you eat, the more it will burn. A big old salad at lunch with a chicken tender on it will help your macros and won't add too many carbs. Your exercise is on point, too. I went through the same thing about a month after I started, and it was maddening! Then all of a sudden, it started a nice, steady downhill march. You're having to overcome where your body thinks it WANTS to be, and the longer it's been there, the more it will resist. Hope this helps. 

Maybe my body has grown used to what I eat. I've tried Weight Watcher's ( Gained about 12 lbs in a month) Meditteranean Diet, Grapefruit, etc. Gained wt on all of them. All that works for me is LC, Paleo, Keto. Have to stay between 800 & 1200 calories. I've been on low carb for years, lose wt & then eat "normal". Within a month I have to go back to LC. But the good thing is I have Type II diabetes ( off medication now, normal readings )had high chlorestrol, Now normal, no more meds, had high BP, perfect now, off meds. But I'm stuck between 195 & 200. Can't seem to get below that. I have degenerative arthritis, but the more I exercise the less it hurts. I ate more than normal yesterday & did not gain any, nor lose. An experiment. Trying it today as well. I'll see what happens.  

I was pretty stuck bouncing around in the same ten pound range for 2 years! The fix for me was raise fats, but lower all over calories. You've already got the calories very low, so what about adding fats, while making sure the the other macros stay in their places. 80% fat. I know that's the opposite of what ms K said. Fruit smoothies and toast don't fit into my LCHF, so maybe there's room to tighten up the foods. Aother thought is to Watch Dr. Jason Fung's video on breaking through plateaus with Intermitent Fasting. A fast can reset your biological set-point. Well, that's my 2 cents. You've done amazingly well on the long arc, and I know how frustrating it is to get stuck. You'll figure it out. Best wishes. 

You're so close to goal, another option would be to just consider it maintenance and wait until the time seems right for another grindtime. 

I have gained .8 pounds too but We Got This! 

Listen to me or don't. Do a three day fast to break homeostasis. And if you are eating more than one time a day, stop. See if it works. Because at 1200 calories you should not be stalling unless you are cheating, or letting your insulin creep too high. Im not casting accusations at all. Im just stating facts. What you are describing is usually insulin related. You really need to cut out ALL SUGAR WITHOUT EXCEPTION!. NO MORE FRUIT OR BREAD!!!. Not till you reach your goal. Seriously man. As I stated originally. Take it or leave it. 112 pounds down. I know a bit about this. :) 

Ohhh on a lighter note. If you no longer take meds for diabetes and blood glucose is normal guess what that's called. NOT DIABETES!!! Yeah, uhh your normal again and NON DIABETIC. Dare I say CURED? YAY YOU!!! Diabetes isn't a disease. Its a Body out of balance. 

Knuckles, you just don't mince words. I find it refreshing! I agree with you and especially celebrate the not diabetic part! 

Exum, just an observation; you mention that you've lost weight on LC, but when you go back to "normal" eating you gain and have to go back to LC. Maintenance doesn't mean going back to the way you used to eat, of course you're going to gain weight, you WILL reach your goal weight, and when you do you need to redefine what normal eating means, I'm in maintenance and I've switched from low-carb all the time to having a day every month where nothing is off-limits, so far it's working great, I've even continued to lose weight so I'm going to have to make it a twice a month thing, or, ideally, once a week thing. Just food for thought, good luck, you've done well, temporary stalls are nothing to worry about.  

Unfortunately I don't think diabetes can be "cured". Part of it is genetic which you can't change. I like to say it's in remission. I know if I go back to where I was it will come back. You're doing great. When you come off any diet and add calories back you will gain some weight. It's just your body trying to get to a balance. It's normal but it can mess with you psychologically. Go by how you look and feel. 

Exumfats Losing weight is a mathematical equation - you have calories ingested, calories used, and calories stored. Don't let anyone talk you into anything else. If you're living at a calorie deficit then you will loose weight, BUT it can be very inconsistent. For example if your body shifts to burning fat you can lose fast, so you feel good and start to move more,maybe build some muscle (muscle is heavy) you may still be losing fat but building muscle and for a time your weight will hover. Keep in mind it's math, your body is going to adjust, fight back and try to talk you into increasing your calories or reducing your activity. If you stick to it, it will work. BTW building more muscle will increase your metabolism, and in the long run help you maintain weight loss better than any other method.  

I've been doing low carb since Atkins first came out with his 1st book in the '70's. I lost 100 lbs in 3 mos. 1st time I tried it. But I've messed up, gotten off it & gained it back in the past.A few yrs. ago I got up to 340 lbs. I've lost 140 of that, sticking to low carb. My point is I'm at a point where no matter what, how much, how little, I eat, I either gain or stay where I am. My health is a lot better than it's been in 25 yrs.I have lots of people tell me I don't eat enough. I'm doing a 3 day experiment. Eating things I haven't in a very long time, like bread of any kind. If I want bread I make my own out of almond flour, etc. I do not eat anything made out of wheat. I walked a mile in 97 degree temp today. I ride stationary bike, lots of exercise. Some I can't do because of arthritis. I never cheat. Except the last 3 days as an experiment. I've gained two lbs. Thanks for all the comments & advice, it really helps me.  

Keep us posted, man, we're rooting for you!