Can't stop losing?!?

[LaceSleeve 76]

I am a little over a year post surgery now. I am 5'11. My beginning weight was 298lbs with a BMI of 41. My current weight is 164lbs with a BMI of 22. My goal weight was 180 and I have been trying to maintain my weight since I hit 175lbs. My weight isn't dropping quickly but it keeps dropping no matter what I do. My before and after photo the after photo is not my most recent. People are starting to say I'm losing too much weight and I am starting to agree with them sometimes. Has anyone else experienced this problem? Weird problem wanting to stop weight loss but it is something I am dealing with. Thanks.

[Bufflehead 6,358]

How many calories a day are you eating? What does a typical day's menu look like?

Edited December 17, 2013 by Bufflehead

[mistysj 1,939]

I have seen recommendations to add 100 calories from good fats and monitor weight for a few weeks, add 100 more and repeat until you find your happy place calorie-wise. 100 calories is not much and good fats won't add much bulk so you can still get your Protein. Peanut Butter, avocado, cheese, switching to 2% milk, having the occasional ice cream or chocolate are some suggestions. Just track, weigh, measure, and be honest with yourself about trigger foods and sliders.

By the way, a BMI of 22 seems right in the middle of the healthy range. Maybe your body likes it there. I hear that it can take a while after your weight stabilizes for your face to fill out again since most people lose in their faces first. So consider that you might be at your body's happy weight now and hopefully you will be able to stabilize. It is unlikely that you won't be able to stop if you can just add a few calories at a time.

[lsereno 2,525]

I added carbs (mostly whole grains), fats (Peanut Butter, avocado, oils and butter, fattier meats), and the occasional treat and it did the trick for me. I generally eat three small meals and two Snacks. My BMI is 21.8. Many prefer a higher BMI, but I like the long and lean look. I am small-boned and small-chested. I weigh17 lbs more than what I weighed in high school and my 20s.

Lynda

[Michellemo 161]

I'm having the same problem. I'm at 136 and that's the lowest I want to go. In fact I didn't want to even be this small so I'm slowly adding a little more food so I can maintain.

[LaceSleeve 76]

I have been at 1200-1500 cals a day. I have tried adding more recently with good fats and carbs but I still haven't been able to maintain.

[mistysj 1,939]

I have been at 1200-1500 cals a day. I have tried adding more recently with good fats and carbs but I still haven't been able to maintain.

At some point you will. You can get your metabolism tested too. Just remember to stay at a calorie target for a couple weeks to see what happens before moving up again. It seems like most people have a pretty narrow maintenance range. It's not possible for you to keep eating more and keep losing forever. If it was then you wouldn't have needed surgery. Just be patient. You won't waste away.

[No game 14,436]

I have been at 1200-1500 cals a day. I have tried adding more recently with good fats and carbs but I still haven't been able to maintain.

I know this sounds silly... But are you sure you are getting 1200 to 1500 a day? You might be over estimating the daily calories.

I agree with Lynda above, add some good fats. Peanut Butter packs a very high calorie count per tablespoon...

[feedyoureye 3,087]

I agree, just keep track of what you eat and methodically add more good fats. Nuts, avocado, and some whole grain carbs. How much do you exercise? If you are doing a lot of calorie burning, make sure to eat back the calories you are burning off. Myfitnesspal combiined with a fitbit can do that for you.

[Fiddleman 4,376]

What a nice problem to have. Eating an extra two meals should give you an extra 500 calories or so, depending on food choices. Good fat as others have indicated will help you. However, be careful about tipping the scale in the other direction. It is easy to do.

It does take a little trial and error in determine that balance point between calories in and out when considering BMR, activity level, insulin response, hunger, etc. there are so many variables to consider that is really becomes more of an art than a science.

As an aside, there is a branch of mathematics known as Linear programming that allows one to find an optimal solution given many different variables, many of which are unknown. If there were such a solution, I am sure someone would have found the equations already. maybe some of us more mathematically inclined folks can put our heads together and find the model and write the software that will answer the the optimization question like you (and many others) have.

What exactly are the right amount of calories and macro nutrient ratios to consume given an individuals BMR, age, weight, medical indicators, hormonal indicators, activity indicators, etc. all the existing models out there are too simple and do not adapt enough to an individual and their specifics.

Edited December 21, 2013 by Fiddleman

[brittu 42]

Yes, it happened to me as well but eventually things leveled out and I stopped losing. I was worried and started to track what I was eating. Wish I was back at that point again :-). At 3.5 years out now I actually have to watch what I eat and have gained some weight back.