metabolism

[depsnap]

Hello,

I'm having problems with my metabolism.  I'm a very big man, over 300 lbs, but very active.  Most people can't believe how much i weigh when we talk about size, most people think I weigh about 250. I have been dieting for about a year and have lost over 30 lbs.. But in the last 3 or 4 months, my weight has moved up and down.  I'm at 329 right now and it has moved as low as 315 to as high as 335.  I have not changed my diet and have even tried exercising a little bit more.  I have even eaten less but nothing.  I seems that my metabolism is weird.  My goal is to get under 300 lbs. All advice is welcomed

[Barb135]

I agree with lucinda - sounds like you aren't getting enough calories.  A banana is not enough for breakfast; and depending on what's in/on the salad you probably aren't getting enough for lunch either.  

I don't see much in the line of protein and fiber and there's a good chance you aren't getting the nutrients you need either so I do hope you take a good multi to make up for that.  

[twehner5]

Yep, exactly what lucindamartinez said...  You have to eat enough...or else your body will start burning muscle.

[lucindamartinez]

Sounds like you might be a bit like me in that the diet you have described for your day is not enough calories to keep yourself out of starvation mode.  I fight this myself all of the time.  When I don't get in enough calories, I absolutely do not lose weight at all.  I find that when I make myself eat a bit more during the day....all day through....I do a great deal better with the weight loss.  

[depsnap]

I completely stopped working out this week...no treadmill, no weights, just running around with the kids....start up again monday...My meals are like this:  morning: banana  lunch: if anything, salad  and supper is what ever my wife makes and she is always on a diet so most of the time its low cal stuff.

I think I just hit a low plateau...thanks for all your help

[twehner5]

Fasting has its place rarely, BUT weigh tloss is NOT one of them!  You will actually slow down your metabolism more by fasting.

I agree with Barb, I would start to wonder if you have a medical issue behind the stall.  OR, maybe you are just hitting a long plateau...

How much are you changing your exercise routine?  It's weird, but I have actually taken a week off from exercise (EAT LIGHT THAT WEEK!!!) and when I go back to it, I lose weight.  Try some new form of exercise you've never done - cycling, pilates...

Don't give up!

[Barb135]

Have you looked into medical issues that might cause you to retain weight.

Also, look at the number of calories you are eating.  Maybe it's not enough??  If you don't eat enough, your body will think it's starving and will hang onto excess weight.  Maybe you need to vary your calorie intake a bit?  

I'm not real fond of fasting and I wouldn't recommend it.  That has to be a personal decision.  

[depsnap]

Thank you for responding Barb.

I have been monitoring my intake and exercise routine and I use a couple of websites to help with it...this one being one of them.  I also do change my workout routine so that I won't get bored...before all this, I was losing weight fine, but since about december, I've notice it has been hard to lose weight.  I know it isn't good to do, but i was wondering if I fasted for a day or two, maybe that may work kick starting my metabolism again.  I'm very conscious about my health and have been trying to watch what I do know that i'm over 40 now.  I don't drink, except for special occasion, i don't smoke, I don't drink sodas, I limit my breads, and I take supplements.  I've notice that I feel a lot better but still want to loss more weight.    

[Barb135]

Welcome.  

There are some things you can do, but first, please make sure that you don't have any medical conditions that might cause weight gain/retention, such as hypothyroidism, insulin resistance, etc.  

I don't know how often you weigh yourself but it is normal for weight to fluctuate at times, depending on different factors.  

That said, the next thing I'd recommend is that you calculate the actual # of calories you need daily to maintain your current weight (you can do a google search for a web site to calculate calories), then create a calorie deficit.  Once you've figured out the number of calories, set up a food diary.  It's easy to eat a lot more than we think we are unless we keep track of what goes into our mouths.  There are several web sites where you can set up food journal and once you put in WHAT you ate and the serving size, they will tell you how many calories it was and the nutritional value.  Spark people and live strong are 2 good sites.  But it's also a good idea to vary the # of calories and types of foods.  

I'd also recommend that you set up the weight and exercise trackers here on MH to keep track of the amount and intensity of your exercise also.  In addition, keep changing your exercise around too because if you do the same thing every day, whether it's with your exercising or eating, your body will begin to know what to expect and stop responding.  

Hope you find this helpful.  I'm sure others here will have some more ideas too!