Weight loss plateau

[Ranunculi]

I’ve been eating 1300 calories and have steadily lost 1lb per week for approx 3 months. I still have another two stone to lose but the diet isn’t working any more! I’m eating the same, weighing my portions, but the weight isn’t coming off. I’ve been stuck at the same weight for two weeks now. What’s going on? I don’t think I can reduce my calories much further and still be able to function.

Have you been taking measurements of arms/waist/hips/thighs? Quite often there could be no shift in the number on the scales but the tape measure tells a different tale.

What is your exercise routine like? Could you incorporate some strength training into it? There's an image on a google search '5lbs of fat vs 5lbs of muscle' which shows you how working out and building muscle could keep you at the same weight, but you'd be smaller.

What is your current weight and height?

Is 1300 your basal metabolic rate of below?if it is below then try a few days of eating above your BmR but below your TDEE. Sometimes your body joust gets too used to the routine and adjusts to the calories, if you change it up it restarts the weight loss.

There are free calculators online showing BMR and TDEE. You really shouldn't eat below your BMR as that is the amount of calories your body needs to just function, if you eat less than you are more likely to have brain fog, tiredness and such.

My BMR is 1400. So I’ve been aiming to eat 1300 because I know there’s a tendency to underestimate what you eat. I’m 169cm and 147lb, but I have a very slight frame so I’m actually quite overweight (35% body fat). Before pregnancy I weighed 126lb and that was a good weight for my frame.

I don’t get any formal exercise because due to lockdown I can’t have people round to babysit, so basically I’m with DC all the time. No chance of going to a gym etc. I do housework, ironing, push DC round the block in the pram, etc.

Could you look into getting a basic fitness tracker like FitBit so you can track your food against exercise? Then look at more exercise. An hour of walking will burn 300 to 400 calories.

Ok, I would aim for 1500 for 3 days, that's below your TDEE.

I've been doing the Couch to Fitness videos through Our Parks who have a website and you tube channel.

Completely free, no equipment needed, 3 workouts a week, starting easier and getting progressively harder over 9 weeks. You do cardio day 1, core day 2 and Glutes day 3 with a rest day in between each workout. Because it's at home and only 30 minutes long I find it really easy to slip into my day. My 6 yo thinks it's bloody hilarious watching me do it too so is more than happy to just sit on the sofa giggling for that 30 minutes.

There are also lots of bodyweight strength training exercises you could do at home and without any equipment:
Dips
Press ups
Leg raises
Planks
Pike press
Lunges
Squats
Glute bridge