Weight Plateau

[Soozeei]

I have been workout for about 2 years. 1st year easing along with Fitbit 15-30 min workouts and treadmill hikes 3-4 times a week. Started a year ago working out 6-7 times a week and just this month I am running 40 minutes a day at average rpe 4 or 5 keeping my HR in cardio range. I vary the runs from tempo , long run and intervals. I layer on a 30 minute hike, weight training or cardio studio workouts 2 - 3 times a week. I lost 30 - 35 lbs but in the last 3 month I have hit a plateau and just the last month starting a steady trend climbing up in weight by a few lbs. Body measurements have also started to trend up. I average 1600-2000 calories a day. Other than lower my calorie intake (which by the way I love food and is more difficult than you would think) Is there anything else, suggestions????? I am 50 years old and I was 180 and I want to reach 135 and The lowest I got was 142 and now I am trending up.

[Glenda]

How tall are you,  and which sex?    Age is the least of it!

[Soozeei]

5 feet 4 inches femaie

[Glenda]

@Soozeei  Losing 30 - 35 pounds is GREAT !  Congratulations.  I think you could stop focussing on exercise and work hard at finding some new favorite foods that you can eat lots of that have fewer calories,   Most studies show that people who exercise to lose weight eat more and don't lose weight.  It is a miracle that you have been so successful.  It is also very hard work to change habits.  What you eat involves lots of habits.  Most people eat about 10 things over and over,  Have you figured out the calorie counts of you 10 most favorite meals?  Could you find some new favorite that you like just as well .  It has to be something you really enjoy or you will probably not be able to change.  All that exercise sounds like a real drag to me but I only walk on my treadmill 30 0r 40 minutes a day on a grade of 7.  A grade uses calories with less effort than going faster especially for short people. Best wishes. 

[emili]

I feel you @Soozeei . When I turned 50 it became more difficult to keep weight at the low point where I am comfortable. I lost a bunch of weight when I turned 44 and have stayed consistently at 130 pounds until I hit 50. I think there are 2 things that happen, your body changes and your mindset changes. I love my weekends and the fun things I get to do with my friends and hubs. I am not willing to give them up because life is short. Where I watched more before, I find myself enjoying myself in the moment and worrying less about the impact. Maybe in a subconscious way you are enjoying yourself more than all the work you are doing can't overcome and maybe that's OK. I workout every day except Sunday. I watch what I eat every day except Friday evening, Saturday evening and Sunday evening. I drink water and take multivitamins. I go to bed at a reasonable time. I destress myself through cooking shows and sitcoms. I laugh. I don't overthink things. And I gave up the scale. My 130 pound clothes fit well enough and if I don't like the fit, I go back to the closet. If you are happy, if you are generally healthy- whether you are 135 pounds or 142 - if you are doing good things, find joy in that. 

[HilaryF]

Hello Soozeei! I am very inspired by your story, hope you can stay positive and reflect back on how far you have come and keep a clear focus on your future.

One comment about perimenopause and menopause for women, I found that the changes our body AND our lives experience had a profound effect on me personally. Perhaps look at stressors, your sleep patterns/night routines, and mix up your diet. As we age, we can become somewhat set in our ways with regards to foods and meals, and with this our microbiome becomes complicit! Mix it up, different fruits and veg help as pre-biotics and help to nourish the microbial community within us. Try out different probiotics? Mix it up and give it time, will not change overnight.

Keep us updated with your progress so that you can help others (like me!) caught in a plateau!

[charleskn]

Congratulations on your initial weight loss. Plateaus and small reversals are normal, and (IMO) should be expected. The scale is not the final word on our bodies and health. Here is a link to my response, that I posted on a similar question:

https://community.fitbit.com/t5/Manage-Weight/Getting-discouraged/m-p/5069761/highlight/true#M76727

Good luck, and hang in there