Weight loss stalling - cortisol?

[Mishka]

Hi all 🙂

I've been reading up on a heap of forum posts, and I think I have the same issue many people are having, but I'll set the situation for you nonetheless. Any help or sugggestions would be SO appreciated.

I've been using my Fitbit for six weeks now. Initially, I went at this challenge hard. I exercised seven days a week, and aimed at a 1200 calorie intake. I even got below 1200 on many days, and I was always happy, because it helped me get the loss I needed. It was a beautiful time of happiness and laughter.

Alas, around week three I noticed something was wrong, very very wrong. I was losing weight from my limbs, but my stomach was ballooning out in the most awful way. And by ballooning, I mean it looked like I had a balloon under my skin, like I was pregnant or something (don't even go there). I kept hoping it would go away - my stomach is now the largest it has ever been, despite the rest of me being the smallest I've been in my adult life. Reading through the forums, I discovered this might be a result of increased cortisol levels.

Understandable, given the abrupt stress I'd placed on my body. I wish people talked more about cortisol, so I would've known pre-weight loss journey.

I'd lost a kilo a week for three weeks, nothing week four, another kilo week five, nothing week six. And my stomach is STILL THERE.

Now, don't think I didn't change what I was doing. I followed most of the advise the helpful Heybales provided about reducing cortisol levels. I dropped my exercise back to five days a week - this should be fine, as earlier in the year I had been exercising this frequently and the body didn't mind. I stopped letting my calorie intake drop below 1200, and a few times a week I let it get to 1400. I completely cut out caffeine - I'd started taking metabolism booster tablets and green tea, both of which contained caffeine, so I stopped taking them. I also have a Pepsi Max addiction I've been trying to kick for years. For five days, I didn't have a single drop, but still no change. Yes, I know, only five days, but I'm weak when it comes to Pepsi Max. Yesterday, I just had to give in. And I swapped my iron tablets for iron tablets with Vitamin E.

Still no change.

I am very reluctant, especially so close to Christmas, to take my calorie intake back up to maintenance (+/- 2000 calories), as I fear I would not calculate my intake correctly and end up putting weight back on. Plus, I'd like to lose as much pre-Christmas, because something tells me I'm going to be putting on some weight that week....

So. Long story short: can anyone advise what else I can do to rectify this problem? I must admit to getting quite depressed about it on some days, to the point I burst into tears. Pretty sad for a 24-year-old. My body is itching to hit the exercise harder (not more days, just more intense on the five days of the week) to get those kilos to move again, but I'm so scared of my abdomin ballooning even further.

I'm desperate. Help?!?!

[mbailey18]

Your story concerns me. I am new to the forum and I do not see any responses to your question yet. This is probably not the answer you are looking for, but if I were you, I would visit a doctor. Yes, cortisol is definitely a hormone that can wreak havoc to our bodies in many ways....and yes, can cause our bellies to grow. However, from your description, this growth is sudden and somewhat pronounced. I don't think cortisol could cause you to "balloon" in this way this quickly. It would happen over a period of months. Also, you would most likely not be able to lose weight in your limbs if cortisol was the culprit. I am not a doctor. I do have experience in the medical world and have never heard or read of this. Hopefully someone more knowledgeable will be able to help. But I definitely think you should check with a physician about your situation. I wish you well.

[trainer]

I also think a trip to the doctor is in order. You can have tests done to measure your cortisol. You can also talk to a medical professional about your diet to see if you are in fact reacting to some food. For example there is a fad called 'wheat belly'. If you are bloating in response to some food you are allergic to or sensitive to, you might get this type of reaction. Only medical tests should be done to determine if this is the case as there are other reasons you could be reacting this way and they could be more serious.

[Heybales]

So no switch to just eating a set amount below what you burn?

I mean, the way Fitbit was designed to work.

It estimates your daily burn (correct it of course for non-step based workouts), takes off a deficit, and then you are always eating below what you burn.

And if you select a reasonable deficit, then while it may change, it shouldn't be too bad of a stress.

How much left to lose?

Now, frequent intense exercise that never lets the body fully recovery is still a stress on the body, especially if you have an unreasonable deficit, which actually impacts recovery anyway.

So how do you structure your weekly workout routine, what is the workouts on what days?

And remember, if what you've been doing isn't fixing it, lots of exercise and little eating, don't hope that more of the same will do anything different.

You may have been eating more, but 200 cal more than average sedentary woman recommendation while working out 7 days a week isn't that much more, not really. Unless you are merely walking 30 min daily.

Because you have just proved out, as most do, what happens when you go full bore.

[Mishka]

Since I've changed my routine to take into consideration the stress I originally put on my body, my two rest days (Saturday, Tuesday) fall after my two high intesity workout days, to allow my body to recover.

I generally accomplish a 600 calorie deficit average, which doesn't seem too extreme to me, but maybe I am wrong. This gives me a 100 calorie leeway from the daily 500 calorie deficit goal, as my weighing and estimating calories is not perfect.

I believe I may have to visit a doctor and see what they have to say, but in the meantime, is there some other practical method I should try implementing? 🙂

[Heybales]

I'd start by removing the diet stress, since you love the exercise.

Besides, exercise done with less deficit means better performance improvement, and better body transformation, even if not as much weight lost. And since you are talking about body look mainly, much better idea.

With lifting, should see strength increases. With cardio, should see speed increases.

If doing classes - well, hard to improve intensity when limited by the beat of the music and instructor, so that should just feel easier.

So if doing 600 cal deficit now, make it 500 for a week, then 400 for a week, then 300 for a week, ect.

Perhaps you'll hit the big eating week with maintenance being the goal, making that easier to accomplish.

Eventually I'll bet you'll hit a point the lack of stress is a enough, and you'll get a whoosh effect.

In fact, at the end of each week you've increased, prior to next week's increase, have a stiff drink that night, and slightly more carbs than normal that day.

This whoosh effect seems to be water carried in fat cells, finally released when enough carbs are eaten.

Won't explain the stomach effect though, but if that's where a lot of fat cells are, could help.

Also, is that 600 cal deficit decently accurate?

Meaning you are manually logging non-step based workouts to for better calorie estimate, because Fitbit is badly underestimating them.

Swimming should be obvious, but lifting, rowing, biking, elliptical - are burn much more than the steps that are seen and calories calculated for walking/running.

So if not manually logging - you are creating much more deficit than you think with the workout routine you have.

So valid weigh-in day is Sun and Wed morning, hopefully eating normal sodium levels on Sat and Tue, and not sore from last workout.

Keep track of stomach measurement each of those days too.

But for those calorie increases, you should gain water weight in all your muscles with the increased glycogen you are going to store, so it'll be spread out and probably not noticable.

And 500 cal deficit reasonable for 4.5-11 kgs to lose. Do you have more or less to lose?

[Mishka]

Okay, thanks! As the best method does appear to be taking the calories steadily back towards maintenance, I'll give that a shot 🙂

My 600 is a close figure, but not perfect. I am manually logging my spin class, but the Fitbit naturally doesn't pick up the calisthenics during my boxing class and functional fit class, so perhaps you are right, and that my deficit is larger than I believe it to be.

I only have three-ish kgs left to lose, I think. I'm a terrible estimater, but I think that's about right. So perhaps I should be aiming for a smaller deficit altogether? Slow and steady wins the race?

[Heybales]

Purposeful decision to make it slow and steady wins the race trying to keep body as stressfree as possible.

Body very stressed forcing it on you because of other decisions drags it out way longer than it needs to be.

With that little to lose, then indeed, once you got a healthy body back with full burning metabolism, I'd bet the normal underestimating of Fitbit on daily burn will actually cause weight loss even when you think you are eating at maintenance.

But if it doesn't, you head back in to a 250 cal deficit after couple weeks eating at maintenance, you'll likely drop it so fast you won't know what happened.

I did my last 5-10 lbs eating at maintenance on 2 rest days weekly, 10% deficit on 3 light workout days, 20% deficit on 2 big workout days. Lost no problem, full burning system, fed the hunger or recovery days when I needed it. Of course I got to last 5-10 totallly charged up.

I also needed as accurate as possible workout calorie burns, because that could have introduced a very bad extra deficit, as it actually has in prior attempts during training.

[frednsuzi]

Ask your Dr about food sensitivity testing.  Its amazing the strange reactions your body can have to foods you've eaten your whole life when you make big changes.

[Mishka]

Thank you so much for your help, everyone! ^_^ Just knowing that there are people willing to help in situations like this really boosts my mood.

[mbailey18]

I also forgot to mention that while you are waiting to see a doctor, I would eliminate any new foods, supplements, etc. from your diet. As someone mentioned above the problem could involve a food allergy. Often when we are trying to improve our health, we try new foods and/or eat too much of a certain food item. This may be the cause of your problems. It could even simply be a reaction to more fiber in your diet. I know when my husband was losing weight a few years ago, he tried many supplements available on line and in the store that promised weight loss support or increased metabolism, etc. I would be highly suspect of anything new that you have introduced into your diet or regime. It seems like you are leaning on visiting a doctor, which is best. However, I know the frustration of wanting to do something in the meantime. You can either try eliminating all new products..or if there are several, try one at a time for several days to see if this does anything to resolve your issue.

[tkdgirl]

I am not a doctor in any way shape or form. I have been dealing with weight loss for a long long time.. 

What I do know. Medication can interfere with weight loss.. so always check with your doctor first before starting any weight loss or fitness program. 

Second - if you eat below your caloric range.. that causes bloating. it also causes weight gain.. because you put your body in a starvation mode. 

Third.. if your doing cardio such as running.. your going to lose muscle.. that is what cardio does. you not only lose fat .. but you lose muscle also. That is why weight lifting program is usally combined with cardio. 

From my own experience being pre-diabetic and having a hell of time losing weight... I learned.. to go at it slowly... burn more calories then I eat.. but eat healthy.. never eat under 1200 calories. 

Drinking lots of water as it works to heal your body.. and that means your muscles .. and washes out the toxins in your body. 

Eat clean.. meaning .. eat as little processed foods as possible and eat as little sugars as possible. Increase your fibers. 

High protein breakfasts

healthy lunch and healthy snacks

and Dinner must be eaten at least 6 hours before bed. 

Fitbit Charge has encourged my wanting to walk or workout and lets me know how many calories I am burning.. Love that feature.. for me .. mentally it helps. 

Good luck and check things out with your doctor* 

[Heybales]

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@tkdgirl wrote:

Second - if you eat below your caloric range.. that causes bloating. it also causes weight gain.. because you put your body in a starvation mode. 

Third.. if your doing cardio such as running.. your going to lose muscle.. that is what cardio does. you not only lose fat .. but you lose muscle also. That is why weight lifting program is usally combined with cardio. 

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While the other personal opinions may indeed be useful to someone with same issues, I thought I'd address these 2 myths stated as fact. While not eating late and eating whatever for breakfast have not been shown in studies to have any impact on weight loss strictly by themselves, but merely personal preference to adhere to a diet, these 2 are different.

First, cardio doesn't cause muscle loss. Being in a diet can. The cardio may or may not make that worse. Lifting can indeed help retain better though, so maybe considered a fail-safe method. But even with lifting, make the deficit big enough, you will lose muscle mass, least used first gone.

http://fampra.oxfordjournals.org/content/16/2/196.full

First study in the list they talk about, no loss of LBM (which includes muscle mass among even water weight) or metabolism by those doing cardio only, or cardio and resistance training. Thought to be because they had a smaller deficit than what studies usually force on participants to lose weight faster.

Study further down showed enough protein helped too by itself, again with reasonable deficit.

Second, while starvation mode is a real state, aka adaptive thermogenesis (as others studies above point out), the myths that go with it make many just reject the whole thing, which is not good.

If you are eating less than you burn, by big or small amount, you can NOT gain weight, except normal water weight fluctuations. Unless you are talking about stressing out your body so much that elevated cortisol causes massive water retention up to 20 lbs. But temp water isn't really weight gain.

Just like eating 8 ozs of cake causing 2 lb increase the next morning on the scale isn't real weight that is staying around.

Now what people will do is cause a big enough deficit the body finally adapts and slows down and you find your eating level is maintenance daily burn, no weight loss.

Now, every binge and cheat day eating more because of discouragement of not losing is indeed excess, and added as fat, and can cause fat gain. But that's because of eating more than the suppressed amount they burn, not because of a change in laws of physics.

But even there, you eat low enough, your body can only suppress so much (20% in studies), and you will start losing again eventually.

It is a terrible state to be in for adherence though eating so little, and talk about a deficit big enough to cause muscle mass loss, and that will make maintenance suck when you finally reach goal.

Others myths there is your body stores everything you eat as fat and burns the muscle - but that's when reaching the end of actual starving, not eating at all on measely 300-500 calories and not moving.

Or that starvation mode can happen between meals or when skipping a meal. Another myth, since studies have actually shown an increase in metabolism even for those fasting for up to 72 hrs, after that metabolism takes a nosedive, usually because you don't do much fasting for 72 hrs, can't hardly.

Just think it's good for advice not have myths and marketing speak associated with it. I know there are several commercials for diet plans right now that talk about going in to starvation mode if you miss a 4 hr meal - what a bunch of bunk.