Diet Day 116

[darkemeralds]

I guess it's fair to say that at about 35% of the way into my planned weight loss, I'm in the middle phase. The thrill of starting is over. The excitement of conquering initial obstacles (like hunger) is over. I'm not yet to another major milestone in clothing size or number on the scale.

Right now, it's just the long, long slog. And on top of that, I've been stuck on an annoying plateau for almost two weeks. All the science and logic says that I'm still burning fat at at least a pound a week, but the scale isn't yet concurring. Bloat, water, inadequate "throughput"--these are the likely explanation.

Tonight, for the first time in the nearly four months since I started this project, I've had the following Bad Thoughts:

• Maybe this isn't worth it
• Maybe it's stopped working
• Maybe I'm secretly cheating, or eating in my sleep, or lying to myself about my food (Note: I'm not.)
• Maybe my body defies the laws of physics or has a special kind of metabolism that prevents any further fat loss no matter how carefully I stay under my calorie limit
• Maybe there's some "catch," some trick I haven't learned yet, in the absence of which I will never get off this plateau
• ...and so on

Well, it is worth it--and it's not as if this diet is any trouble or causing me any discomfort. I'm in the groove, and it's easy. I don't feel deprived--just a little disgruntled that the same efforts which were burning off fat at a nice steady rate throughout late December and January should suddenly seem to stop working.

I need some perspective. This is a very large project. It's an organic, biological process. It doesn't proceed in straight lines. I don't yet know all there is to know about it, and there's a long journey ahead. If I leave the chosen path after so small a test, I just return to the wilderness.

I like the path. It's way too soon to think of quitting.

Comments

[verilyvexed]

The last time I was doing The Hacker's Diet, I lost about 15 pounds in something like a couple of weeks, then abruptly the scale refused to move. My brother suggested what he says the Army used when he was in basic training in instances when someone hit a plateau losing weight: increase your calories significantly for just a few days, then cut back. I did 500 extra for two or three days. It worked, and I've researched it online and found evidence to support it, though I still don't understand the phenomenon. Something like your body readjusts your metabolism to your current intake, so shifting things about confuses it. I've read varying your daily intake but keeping the weekly deficit the same is helpful in the same way (i.e., doing 1000, then 1400, then 1000 for a 1200 daily allowance).

It isn't in The Hacker' Diet, but if you get desperate you may want to try it. I would warn that I dropped my diet about a week after that, but I wasn't even trying to be healthy then - I was eating too little, exercising too much, losing too fast, and eating mostly junk food, so our situations were entirely different. After a few days of normal calorie intake, I wasn't so keen to go back to constantly being hungry and exercising excessively just so I might look good in skinny jeans months down the line!

(Happy to report this time my experience is similar to yours, though I've only been at it about a month. It's just a habit rather than a hindrance.)

[darkemeralds]

Your comment has got me looking over my charts (yay data!), and three things are clear:

• my average caloric intake since I started has been steadily declining (on purpose--I'm lowering the bar gradually as I lose weight so that I keep the same deficit for as long as I can)
• I've had no over-the-bar calorie spikes since mid-January
• my weight loss has effectively stalled in the same period

Interesting!

I'm scared of calorie spiking for exactly the reason you mention--it actually takes more discipline than just keeping low. I've never stuck slavishly to my limit--it's too unnatural--but I have adhered very closely to a 14-day average, and the simple fact is that a 2000 calorie day has to be balanced by an 800 calorie day (or several 1000 calorie days), which can be tough.

Still, with all that in mind, if this plateau continues, I may try it. I appreciate the perspective!

[verilyvexed]

the simple fact is that a 2000 calorie day has to be balanced by an 800 calorie day (or several 1000 calorie days), which can be tough.

I was unclear on part of that, apologies -- this is what happens when you go back and randomly rearrange sentences without paying attention.

The 500 increase for a few days is to be done on its own to help break the plateau. The other variation I mentioned is what I do daily, and generally no more than a 200 or 300 calorie difference. This is silly, but on the Lose It app there's a weekly bar graph and I treat it as a sort of game. My bars need to adhere to a certain pattern each week. Probably my body will eventually get wise and I'll plateau anyway, but it doesn't require much effort and I get some warped sort of enjoyment out of it. XD

Completely agreed it's more difficult to indulge or increase sensibly than to limit oneself!

[darkemeralds]

I understand. I do the same thing with the bar graph on Livestrong. I keep so many records, and look at them from so many different angles that it's just nuts--but I feel I have a very clear handle on what I'm doing that way.

I'm not defeated yet by this plateau, but I pumped up the protein and the calories a bit yesterday and a bit more today, and changed my exercise routine from biking to walking (sore feet!) and if I don't see a change in the next day or two, I'll consider something further.

One interesting outcome of this is that it has given me a view on what I used to eat daily. Well, I ate more than this daily, but today has reminded me of what it feels like to be over-sated. I'm happy to report that I didn't enjoy it very much and am actually looking forward to cutting back again. But if I don't cut back again right away, I can see where this would become a habit again very quickly.