Health & Family PropertyChat "Biggest Loser" Challenge

I'd be curious to know who is counting calories. I've been 58kg since November(ish), up or down half a kilo or so in that time. But that is 1.5kg heavier than when I initially lost weight the year before that, using Optifast (because nothing else was working - so VLCD at least did work).

I'd kept to 56.5kg(ish) for well over a year when suddenly, with no change to anything, I just put on 1.5kg in a week, and it has stayed there.

I record everything on the FatSecret app and home computer (linked). Sometimes I miss a meal or a day but there is enough recording to know that I'm eating an average 990 calories each day. I eat good food, might have a bit of chocolate or something sweet if I want it, but I record it all.

Obviously if we go out for lunch and each something that isn't easy to record, I try my best and I always overestimate what I've eaten rather than underestimate.

Using the other site The Lose Weight Diet I should be aiming to eat 500 calories less than the following -

Sedentary - 1524
Lightly active - 1746

So I will say I'm sedentary, then even sitting on a couch all day and only eating 990 calories I "should" lose weight. But at less than that daily average calorie intake I'm staying stable at what I weigh now.

If I say I'm lightly active then at 1246 calories I "should" lose weight. Looking at my recorded intake, when I eat too much, I'm still only eating about 1500 per day. And those days are not common for me. Clearly, if my average is 990 then some days I'm eating less. I'm never going to bed hungry though.

According to the site, I should be able to eat those calories above and not put on weight. I'm eating the suggested calorie deficit just to stop putting on more weight. That site does suggest if the weight isn't shifting with 500 calorie deficit from the figures, that I take off another 100 calories.

I'm going to try that this week. I'd rather eat good food and record it than start Optifast again. I feel like I should be able to do this myself. I'm avoiding white bread, potato (but will have some if I really want, and count it all).

I'm happy to put out a typical day's food if that helps me understand why I cannot lose these few kilos. I think I'm just going to have to be careful for the rest of my days, unless I am happy to just get fatter and fatter. (I'm not fat now, but I am heavier than I'm comfortable with).

So, what is wrong with me? My daily average for the month is 980 calories. But I'm NOT losing weight. I'm exercising. Not a lot, but HIIT for 10 minutes on an elliptical (and according to Dr Mosely, that is enough for general fitness) and lifting light weights. We walk a few times a week at a decent pace.

I tried the 5/2 diet and that didn't work at all, even with two 500 calorie days per week, and I didn't lash out on the other days either. His book suggests those who eat what they like on the five days did better than those who calorie counted those days. Everyone on the forum who said the 5/2 diet didn't work were women in their mid 50s.

Is this just menopause?

 

@EN710 I did have thyroid checked last doctor visit. I am drinking two litres of filtered water daily but don't think I'm retaining. I'm not sure how to tell?

I don't have much muscle and no change in body measurements since the shrinking overall I had when initially losing the 9 kilos I did lose 18 months ago.

It shouldn't be this hard, should it?

 

I have fluctuated since my early 20s from about 48kg to probably 55kg after baby number two and then crept up to 60 (shock, horror and... do something NOW!). Those baby years were hard with no time to exercise, tired all the time, washing, cooking, blah, blah (anyone who has been there will understand). When my mother and father both passed away, I think I put on weight. I know I sat in a hospital for nearly four months, just sitting in uncomfortable chairs and the weight just crept on without me really doing much about it. When I hit 60kg (again) I was horrified (again), but it crept to 65 before I did Optifast. I'd tried other things, and tried very hard, but nothing worked except VLCD.

I'm just really annoyed that now it seems my calorie intake happy "should" see me losing, but I'm just treading water at that intake.

So I guess that, yes, I've fluctuated over the past 30 years and I guess that means I'm a yoyo dieter. I wouldn't have called myself that, and thought a yoyo dieter would have fluctuated from tiny to very big, and back, and again and again.

I guess I'm really having to face I may have stuffed up my BMR. I wonder how many women or men don't ever put on weight, take it off etc. Everyone seems to be dieting at some time.

Is there a fix? I really don't want to have to eat like a bird and watch what I eat for the rest of my life, but I'd rather be aware and watch my weight closely than be uncomfortable like I am even at this weight. When I was 65kg I was so miserable. It permeated my every waking moment (or so it seemed).

 

I thought it was this morning. I had put on weight over the week and by this morning I was back to starting weight, but tonight we had visitors and I've overeaten. Bugger!

Tomorrow isn't likely to be good news on the scales.