Weight loss has stalled

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I’m 5.4ft and weigh 11stone, I have lost 8 pounds recently over the last couple of months or so by being in a calorie deficit, I would say my body has got used to this as I can no comfortably go without snacking and just eat main meals.
For example yesterday I ate -
piece of toast and a protein shake
Greek yogurt with flax seed and blueberries
for lunch I had a tuna salad
dinner was actually a bbq, I usually let myself have carbs etc for tea.
I’ll usually have another protein shake in the afternoon.

I haven’t been calorie tracking for a while now but I was trying to initially stay under 1500 but I found it miserable, so I’d say it’s around 1800 calories, some days less.

What am I doing wrong ? You would think the weight should be falling off but it’s definitely stalled.

If relevant I do have pcos and bloat terribly from carbs, even the good ones. I also take metformin for insulin resistance due to the pcos.

Even if you eat similar things each day, are you weighing it or eyeballing it each time?

Do you weigh the amount of butter/spread/topping whatever on toast, weigh the Greek yoghurt and any toppings, weigh the tuna or guess?

This is where you could be eating a lot more than you think.

What else is going in your protein shakes? I make one everyday but although it is nutrient dense it is high calorie. I have it as a meal replacement even on days I’m doing strength training. I wouldn’t have it as a snack let alone two in one day (well I would quite happily but I wouldn’t be able to lose any weight!)

You don’t need lots of protein, my mum is 63 and a size 6 and has never eaten meat in her life.
She doesn’t like meat but finds plenty of substitutes and eats a varied diet of fruits and vegetables, jacket spuds, pasta salads, wraps and soup with crusty bread etc.
She switches her meat for things like chick peas, lentils or different beans for things like lasagna or bolognaise and spends a lot less money that way.
I am not recommending a vegetarian diet as I couldn’t do that myself but I am saying you don’t need lots of meat in every meal to be a healthy weight.

OP I’m your height and was your weight - now 9.5 stone. 1,800 is maintenance for me (from experience not just calculator!).

Even if yours is 2,000, if you’re eating 1,800 then your margins are so small that all it takes is one blowout and you’re back to the start. I need a 500 per day deficit to lose 1lb per week, I imagine you’re similar.

I’d cut out one of your breakfasts and protein shakes and take it from there. You’ve done great so far - good luck!

I forgot to add I have lost over 4lbs in 2 weeks since changing how I eat.

I’m also 5ft 4, I had pre diabetes (insulin resistance) but I’ve lost weight now down to 10 stones. I don’t calorie count but I definitely eat less than you (sorry). I used the Fast800 and Fast800 Keto as a guide (I eat more than 800 but stick to lower carb). I also exercise, weight training is best as your muscles use up the excess insulin so reduces fat storage. Go for a walk for 10 or 15 mins after eating. I also agree with ditching the protein shakes etc. I dont eat breakfast either. Sorry it’s probably not what you want to hear. I don’t take metforim though.

Having a 200 calorie deficit doesn't give you much wiggle room (even if you were counting calories). It's virtually impossible to have such a small deficit without really accurate counting.

However, I applaud your 'slow and steady' approach, a small deficit will work eventually and is very sustainable. It's worth noting that if you're experiecing the same heat lots of us British women are, you might be retaining water.

I will cut out the afternoon shake. I usually have it to bridge that gap between lunch and tea as that’s when j din myself feeling hungry. I remember being told nuts are really high calorie that’s why I cut them out before as I did used to snack on them. Sometimes snack on hummus with carrot sticks too but again I was told it’s high calorie.
Any recommendations for a snack to keep me going in the afternoon ? I would like to cut all carbs out completely as they really bloat me but i do worry I’ll be absolutely starving !

Like I say IF stopped working. I eat healthily but do have a big appetite.

This is the nutritional info. I’m not great at understanding it all but I didn’t think it looked bad ?

I’m 41, 5’ 7”, 14 stone, and having to eat 1300 kcal to see any results. I do 3 strength training sessions a week and 3 cardio sessions. You’re highly likely to be in maintenance calories. What the TDEE calculators tell me just isn’t accurate - they claim I can eat 2500 kcal a day to maintain.

Thank you for that as I am also happy doing it slowly. I went on mounjaro a couple of years ago and lost 2 stone or so, I was barely managing 800 calories a day and it made me depressed, no energy to do anything, even having a conversation I got zero pleasure out of ! When I came off it I poked a stone back on, I didn’t learn any healthy habits to keep the weight off. This time I want to change my whole lifestyle and attitude to food rather than a quick fix.

If your meals prioritise protein and
fibre you probably wouldn’t need a snack.
I used to snack at about 4pm and have cut it out by sorting my meals out.
Currently I tend to have similar to :
B One slice of wholemeal toast from a 400g loaf with 100g beaked beans and a medium dry fried egg
L Very large salad (loads of leaves for bulk) with a measured portion of chicken or ham and low fat cottage cheese very lightly dressed. If I feel hungry I might add a hard boiled egg.
T Some sort of meal that consists of some meat or fish, steamed potatoes and a shit ton of steamed veg for bulk.

If I really want to snack in between it might be something like some berries or an apple or a babybel cheese.

Leaves me cals in the evening for maybe a Kit Kat or glass of wine.

I haven’t had breakfast today because I’m a bit too warm to eat so wouldn’t eat if I’m not bothered for it but I’ll maybe make a flat white in a while if I get a bit hungry before lunchtime.

I can bank a few cals this way and maybe have something a bit higher cal at weekend or have lunch out.

When the weather is cold lunch will become home made soup.

You don't say how long it's stalled for, but be aware that in hot weather, you're probably retaining quite a lot of water at the moment. For context... I've eaten around 1200 calories every day for the last couple of weeks, which is about 900 calories below 'maintenance' for me, and have gained 5lbs. I know that's definitely, definitely water weight.

Have you tried glucomannan? It's a natural substance that swells in your stomach. You don't absorb it but it really helps stop that hungry feeling.

Is that correct? I've weighed more this week than I have since end of 2024 so I am hoping it's something like this. I've not been able to get my rings on my fingers are that puffy!

Any recommendations for a snack to keep me going in the afternoon ?

I’ve started to keep a bowl of hard boiled eggs in the fridge and I often have one as a snack. Much better than a protein shake

Nuts as a pp suggested are also a brilliant filling snack and easy to take with you.

I eat vegetables daily but cannot afford any more than I already buy.

your total daily expenditure get lower when you loose substantial amount of weight. Try to do 20 min of cardio each day..

Weight loss can stall during hot weather as your body retains more water to prevent dehydration.

Also, the scales don't tell the full picture.

You're also probably not too far from your goal weight and that last stone can be harder to lose.

It's really mad how many women post things like this. Bodies are different. Age, activity levels, height and muscle mass all impact TDEE. So the fact that you may be on 1800 to maintain means absolutely nothing about what OP needs to eat to maintain.

Try cutting out bread completely, less brutal than going completely off carbs all at once. I’ve had success with that.

Thanks that’s interesting

I don't believe that it's healthy to try to remove carbs completely. I'm also taking metformin and have limited carbs, but for me that means avoiding things like potatoes, most bread, white rice, crisps, and of course processed, sugary snacks. I still eat fruit (in moderation), the occasional small portion of high-fibre 100% wheat bread, barley, legumes, etc combined with healthy protein, healthy fats (in moderation), and vegetables. The occasional 'splurge day' is also okay, but I'm strict about getting back to the usual diet again and not backsliding into old, unhealthy eating habits.

I want a way of eating that I can stick to for years to come, and giving up nearly all carbs would make me miserable. I haven't been calorie counting as such, yet I've managed to lose 1 stone 7 pounds and counting since late last year (when I started metformin and changed my diet). I'm down to about 135 now, at 5'5" in my late 40s. I try to take a brisk 30-minute 'exercise-level' walk every day. (Walking for at least 10 minutes just after meals is good for controlling blood glucose spikes, too. Even a moderate pace is enough to help.) Eventually, I want to add in resistance training and maybe a bit more aerobic exercise, but I'm already in much better condition than I was when I started.

It does seem to vary significantly from person to person what works and how long it takes to lose weight, but I just want to encourage you that you're doing it 'the right way' (in my opinion) and don't necessarily have to do anything too drastic (like never eating carbs again) to see results. Good luck getting where you want to be!

I’m 5 foot 4 and 1800 is my maintenance calories if Im exercising (a bit!)
I’ve recently lost 6 stone on Mounjaro as I needed to eat 1200 to lose weight at any sort of speed (averaged 1.4lbs a week) and WLI were the only possible way I could do this.
I’m now 9 stone, slowly reducing my dose but maintaining well. I’ve built good habits with food and exercise and am hopeful for the first time in a long time that I’ll manage to keep my weight off.