Weight loss stalled

[Midlifecrisisxamillion]

I'm 2 weeks and 4 days in. Had good weight losses in the first 2 weeks but 4 days into this week and I've not lost anything. I'm only weighing every few days as I know weight loss fluctuates but it's not looking likely that I'll lose anything this week which is a bit demoralising.

I'm eating between 900-1200 calories a day which is between 600-900 calories below my daily TDEE. I'm walking twice a day, swam twice this week and I've been to the gym once.

Today's meals as an example of an average day were: breakfast - porridge. Lunch - chicken and veg stew and an apple. Dinner - homemade veg soup and a few spoons of kefir. Snack - a handful of jelly beans. Around 1100 calories.

I'm basically eating 3 small meals a day with 1 snack.

Is there anything I can do to boost weight loss this week?

People have given you suggestions here and you just seem intent on shooting them down.
It's not a true stall - Yes it is
Weight loss is not always linear - I should be losing anyway
Your calories seem too low - no they are not
Try more protein - I'm having enough
Why ask for advice if you think you are right?

My view is all of the above -
You should not have a calorie deficit of over 500cals so, if your TDEE is 1800 you should be eating about 1300 a day. Going lower than this will slow your metabolism, aim for a healthy way of eating that you can maintain.
Aim for high protein as recommended by others upthread. I aim for about 100g per day, not enough risks muscle loss
Drink lots (and lots and lots)
Stop focussing on the scales. You should be looking for a long term trend, not just over a few days

I'm not intent on shooting people down. I'm just going through an awful time and then basically got called mental and my posts 'wild' and was told to 'get a grip'.

For context, whenever someone is saying to eat more protein I'm sat there thinking protein is expensive and I'm getting made redundant. As for low calories on some days, it's no different to lots of people who do 5:2 and swear by it.

I just came on for a bit of support but as usual Mumsnet pile on. You could say the grass is green and 10 posters would tell you you're mental and it's purple.

Hello - in an effort to bring the thread back to a more constructive conversation:

• I struggle with protein too and find eggs are the cheapest way to add it in. Can you think of or research some creative egg-based meals, or even just snack on a hard-boiled egg?
• I agree on not expecting a daily loss. When I stay the same or even gain mid-week, it has always then come good. That’s what posters mean when they say trust the process.

It sounds like you’re having a crappy time of it just now, and can appreciate it being tempting to over-focus on (as you say) the one thing you can control, but it might be worth trying to find a gentler way to speak to yourself. You are investing in your future health, and so need to take care of your body as you go. hoping you have an easier week this week.

Thank you 😊

I love tinned tuna mixed with some Greek yoghurt and plenty of pepper, that’s protein friendly. Baked beans and chickpeas are also good sources of protein.
Someone posted a recipe for ‘cowboy caviar’ on here which is full of pulses, looks delicious and I keep meaning to try it.
My favourite is bulgur wheat, I could live on the stuff.

I have just had my 3rd jab and have lost 2.2lbs this week, but for the first few days the scales showed a slight gain or no loss despite my calories being 1100 average (I am 5ft tall) I know now weighing daily is disheartening. Too little fluid the day before and too much un digested and poo in us can make the loss look like a stall. As a Pp said, this is a long haul as our weight losses will never be linear. I am going to weigh myself weekly now and not expect too much too soon as long as I stick to it.

Is it the week before your period ? I have been doing MJ for 7 months and have seen that sometimes you retain water one week and then have a bigger drop the next.
Don’t panic !

Try not to get caught up on a ‘stall’. Our bodies are not machines. I only weigh once a fortnight because the mental anguish of a slow week is too much for me.

You should really try to have more protein and water. Lidl do a great little packet of unflavoured mixed seeds that I sprinkle on any plain yoghurt or cereal. Half to a full teaspoon, so the packet lasts forever and it offers a small protein boost. Eggs are great and cheap as a pp mentioned and I buy a block of cheese (Lidl, Aldi etc do good cheap cheese) that I’ll cut a small portion from to snack on once a day. You can find big packets of cashew nuts (or similar) as well. I have a few of those if I’m having a fruit snack (I believe you should have some protein with every meal).
Drinking water is an easy fix that you should try to work on. There’s no real excuse not to. Not drinking is a mental wall you’ve created for yourself but it’s something you have complete control over. Good luck

No it's the week after.

It does sound like you are going through a hard time so I am sorry to add to your woes but it reads to me like you are desperate to lose weight in this 'last' month on MJ because then you will have to be off the drug.

I think that is deeply flawed and I am only calling it out because I fear it will lead to you become even more upset with yourself. This drug is not a crash diet and if you can only take it for a month or so, it's probably just a waste of money.

Your GLP-1 levels will plumit again as soon as you stop and this is likely to lead to you over eating.

I promise I am not trying to be doom and gloom but I think it's worth realising this so that you don't get mad at yourself for any post MJ weight gain. It's just too short a period for any lasting changes, I think.

What is worth doing is:

a) focussing your efforts on finding a new job to help with the redundancy stress and to give you an income again; that is something you can control now

b) looking at how much you spend on food you don't need when you are not taking MJ. Maybe use bank records to try and work it out. For me, it was close to £100 a month which meant MJ was actually a lot less expensive than it first seems - because I spent £150 but saved £100.

c) planning for the time you may be able to commit longer term to taking this medication so that you don't feel so time-limited and desperate to lose weight quickly

I started MJ with the intention of doing it for a least 6 months to be told a few days after starting it that I was getting made redundant. I didn't start it to crash diet.

I know you didn't OP. I am trying to say, please do not beat yourself up trying to dump weight quickly or get angry/upset if you regain just as quickly afterwards.

Be realistic and in being realistic, be gentle on yourself. You are putting too much pressure on yourself to lose weight (it seems to me) which is leading to this panic over a 4 day 'stall' which is, in reality, a normal part of weight loss.

I would throw in a day or two of intermittent fasting.

This is my last ditch attempt to kick start weight loss. I'm being made redundant so I'm off the MJ after this month (unexpectedly

So you will be stopping after the initial 2.5 dose @Midlifecrisisxamillion

Yes I've had to stop after the first pen finished.

A shame but hopefully you will find a new job soon

Thank you. I really hope so.

Guys, can we dial down the aggression.
Op, your initial weight loss will have been likely water weight. Now, real changes are happening. Make sure you measure yourself as well as weigh. The day you described us okay. I would swap the jelly beans for a hard boiled egg with a few cherry tomatoes or a few berries, whatever you have. I hear you, you are having a stressful time and are on a budget. The evening veg stew could have a frozen fish added. Or a tin of beans, or both - a batch cook.