Diet plateau

[CleaningAngel]

Firstly this isn't an AIBU thing but can't find a 'diets' section
Iam 52, on hrt patches (just for context)
I decided I needed to lose weight just after Xmas, iam 5ft 2 was 9 st 11
My clothes were tight, and couldn't get in a size 14 dress, well got it on could hardly move and got stuck in it!!
So started 1st January with a goal of 1 stone, doing my own thing 1200 cals a day, fast forward to march 1st I have lost 12 pounds so now 8st 13, not been in the 8s for about 7 years!! Now I've hit a plateau, can't get the last 2 pounds off, I have a manual job 3.5 days a week so exercise isn't the problem, any ideas? 10 years ago I was stable at 8st 4.

Omg OP - I’m 5ft 1 and 13 st 13 🤣

Congratulations OP - I’ve found what’s worked for me in the past is this -

FAST 800
2 litres water a day
30 mins of cardio every day and weights every other day ❤️🙌

Good luck 💪

Well done! I am also 5.2, I'm 41 and weigh around 8st. I've been maintaining for about 2 years now, but back when I was losing weight I was on 1200 cals a day. I plateaued just before the last few pounds were off and couldn't shift them. Apparently my metabolism had got lazy on 1200 cals, so I started doing the 5:2 fast (5 days on 1750 cals, 2 days on 800cals) which kickstarted my metabolism again and I lost the final pounds quickly. And even now I do 2 fast days a week to maintain. And it's much nicer eating 1750 cals on the other days than 1200!!
You'll have to calculate your own non-fast day calorie allowance. I use Nutracheck to calculate and keep track of mine.

You might need to give your body a bit of a break and go onto maintenance calories for a couple of weeks. Then you can drop back down to 1200 and hopefully it will kickstart the loss again. Are you drinking plenty of water, exercising / walking?

I’m envious tbh

im more or less you’re height and that’s my ideal weight

last time I weighed that was 2016!

The problem with having a weight loss goal is that you've no idea if it's achievable. And if you don't lose that entire stone then it feels like a failure and the focus shifts to "must lose those last few...."

Look at what you have achieved, how many inches have you dropped from waist, thighs, arms etc? Do you feel better in yourself, more energy?

I don't have any advice beyond targeted exercise, have you tried weights/resistance exercise like a rowing machine?

Thank you, that's interesting advice. Yes I have the nutrition check app xx

What is fast 800?
I don't do weights as such, but 3 days a week I work in an animal feed shop, I lift 20kg and 25k bag all day!! I should be ripped !

Sorry predicted text ment to say nutracheck not nutrition

You're a healthy weight. Why do the 'last 2 pounds' matter?

Sorry to jump on your thread OP, but this is really helpful @ItsyourSamI’m also 5ft2, aged 41 and trying to lose around 6 pounds to get to 8 stone but I’m completely stuck. I’m tracking every calorie on Nutracheck and frustrated to be stuck. How quickly did you see results by doing 5:2? Do you have any other tips?

Also (before I get the comments from people telling me I don’t need to lose weight) I’m aware that my current weight is a healthy weight but it is too big for me, my small frame and my ‘happy weight’.

I lost 1lb after the first week of 5:2 after weeks of not losing anything! And about half to 1lb every week after. But apparently it can take a couple of weeks for some people and you might even see a pound or 2 go back on before you start losing again.
(On the Nutracheck app, go to the three lines at the top right of screen, tap on 'Nutrient Goals', then '5:2 diet' and pick your days.)

Download Nutracheck! It's easy to follow and very encouraging to see the weight coming off every week!

Thanks - will do!!

It’s following the guidelines of the Michael Mosley book - 800 calls a day - which I know is very strict for some but it does work - for example it helps diabetics lose weight quickly and those going for weight loss surgery and need to lose weight beforehand

I don't know if I could physically do my job if I dropped to 800 cals

I get what you're saying I know 2 pounds won't make a huge difference but I had a stone to lose as my goal so feel like I've not seen it through

Fair enough . To be fair I did do it successfully for 7 weeks - but at a time I wasn’t working

I struggle to drink water, but I have loads of tea, no sugar and 1 tsp milk

Thanks for replying. Just looked at the setting on Nutracheck. It’s giving me 1750 calories on non-fasting days. That seems so high?! (I guess I’ve got so used to restricting calories, it feels a bit scary to increase my calories so much.)

But I’m encouraged by your success (especially as our stats are so similar), so maybe I should try it, as what I’m currently doing isn’t working.

Yes, 1750 is the same for me too. 1200 really is too few cals to be having every day and I'm sure your metabolism has got used to it and slowed down. It's important to eat the full 1750 cals and then not go over 800 cals on your fast days. Also maybe spread your two fast days out (I usually do Mondays and Thursdays) because it's hard to do two fast days together. And I weigh myself every Friday morning after a fast day (and a wee!).