@lt11 If you don’t already, try weighing your food on a food scale for a few weeks. I know it’s annoying if you’re not in the habit, but it can be the fastest way to see if you’re eating the calories you think you’re eating. You could literally solve the mystery in a single day. It’s so easy to eyeball something a couple times a day and erase all deficit without even realizing it.
I don’t mean to sound harsh but if you were actually eating at a deficit or under maintenance, you’d have lost weight. That’s literally the definition of eating at a caloric deficit. Fewer calories than your body needs to maintain its current weight.
@lt11 Tbh if you’ve been doing that exercise routine for a year and eating 1800 calories a day you have likely gained muscle and most fat and that’s why the scale hasn’t changed. Do you think you look different?
@lt11 I had some success skipping breakfast. This month I'm calling it Fast and Pray month. But I feel your pain. I'm 62 and it's almost impossible to get the scale to move. I'm guessing you're also more "seasoned."
I've also discovered that eating home cooked meals works WAY better than eating out. So much hidden salt, fat and sugar...ugh.
Another issue...getting good sleep. It seems to make all the difference. Weird but true.
@buddysmumoz I am doing a GF diet right now and I wouldn’t recommend it unless it’s recommended by a doctor for a medical condition. There’s so much scrutinizing over ingredients you have to do, and decline certain foods when you eat out (flour burritos, ramen, sandwiches, soy sauce!!). I also cut out milk a while back and highly regret it because I developed intolerance to lactose for the first time, making it hard to consume dairy later on. I know some people are ok with not consuming dairy but it’s not for everyone!
@pollyjetix Gluten is very inflammatory for many people though. Not everyone can tolerate gluten but everyone’s bodies are different so just listen to your body
@buddysmumoz I think recommending a GF diet for someone who's just asking about general weight loss advice, is way too specific. There are certainly benefits to it- I've been advised by my doctor to do so to alleviate a health condition, and there are people who straight up cannot tolerate gluten. There are many lifestyle changes that can have a higher impact for weight loss for OP, without having to resort to a restrictive diet. Just the past month has opened my eyes to how much food contains gluten.
@lt11 Not sure how you’re eating, but IIFYM is not exactly the best way to go.. try to eat healthy foods, not processed, no dairy, low sugar (except I don’t count fruit as sugar since it’s natural), I’ve been eating better and have already lost a little bit. High protein helps burn fat and build muscle. Try working out more days, even if it’s 10-15 minutes of your day at home.
@lt11 Read the book Sleep Interrupted by Dr. Stephen Park. It is about Upper Airway resistance syndrome which is a type of sleep apnea that is under diagnosed in petite women. I have it and wasn’t aware of it until this year. We assume we are tired because we work hard but it might not be the case. Poor sleep makes it very hard to lose fat. Even if you don’t have sleep apnea optimizing sleep makes a huge difference in fat loss vs muscle loss when on a calorie deficit. The book Why we sleep by Matt Walker phd was really eye opening.
@lt11 Get your thyroid checked. If that comes back normal, try calorie cycling. It's helped me break through plateaus in the past, because my metabolism quickly adapts when I'm eating the same low calories every day.
@lt11 It also depends on your height ofcourse, I would gain eating 1500-1800. I also have trouble losing. What seems to work for me:
lots of water everyday 3l minimum for me, also helps with bloathing
low salt, you need salt but this made a big change for me. When holding on to water weight and some bloath from intestine irritation/infection from eating the wrong foods, salt and low water.. I just can not lose! Eating non processed foods, so a protein source and fruit+vegetable does wonders
to add to the above I take magnesium and pottasium, huge change
IF sorta, when I don't eat after 7 pm and I try to not eat before 11 am, also leaving more time inbetween eating, has helped my body digest way better. Resulting in flatter stomach and fatloss
eating below maintenance
Additional tips:
protein, I recently lost weight doing some raw vegan days and about 1 egg/cheese mono day a week, but protein is needed for muscles and metabolism
fat: high in calories but great for fixing digestive problems (i recommend unrefined coconut oil). Full fat milk is sometimes recommended by doctors also for digestive issues
goes for saying but no sugar except for fruit and no refined carbs
Everything else is totally doable. Do you mind giving me an idea of what you eat most days?