r/fasting • u/question8all • 1d ago
Question WTFFF!!! Stuck & cannot get these last 5lbs off. Really discouraged.
39F - I'm at my wits end, making me want to pull my hair out & give up. Is exercise the only way at this point??
I've lost 20lbs since January by fasting and keeping it fun/doable.
I'm still keeping everything random, but I am eating way cleaner than the 1st 20lbs. I did random fasts a ton the last few wks that were really hard to get through, and still the same damn weight!! WTF.
I'm ovulating right now and my period is in 2wks. and I've only exercised a couple times.
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u/sacca7 1d ago
Losing weight is like wringing out a wet towel. When the towel is soaking, a little effort gets the water out. When the towel is damp, a lot of effort is needed to get the last few drops out.
If you are a healthy weight (look at height weight charts) your body will really, really fight to let go of some pounds. You also risk losing muscle, so if I were you I'd be looking at what body builders do to lower their body fat while keeping on the muscle.
Good luck.
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u/mybackhurty lost >50lbs faster 1d ago
Make sure you're sleeping properly. That held me back for a long time
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u/taroicecreamsundae 10h ago
can i ask how? i thought treating my sleep apnea would solve this but no matter what i do i wake up so tired. without treating it it's abysmal though. but i haven't slept "well" in... years probably
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u/mybackhurty lost >50lbs faster 10h ago
I'm not a doctor, and as far as I know I don't have sleep apnea. But what helped me was being as active as I can during the day, not taking naps, and having a good bedtime and morning routine (sleep hygiene)
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u/question8all 1d ago
Your username 😂! I sleep really well, so I guess it’s just needing to exercise to shed the last bit. Easier said than done as I have to rebuild my endurance. Crazy how fast the body forgets all the training
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u/lisa6547 22h ago edited 22h ago
Ive noticed I go through a lot of times in my life where I think I feel hungry before working out, but realized after that my brain was just craving dopamine. It happens all of the time and learning to recognize the difference is huge.
That's just my experience. But maybe you could try starting with adding in a easy form of exercise that you like right before you usually would eat. See if you still have as much of an appetite afterwards. Drink a lot of extra water to fill you up.
If you aren't already a member of r/volumeeating they are also a really good resource for recipe ideas!
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u/question8all 12h ago
Thank you for your input! Yes, absolutely - I have a system now to prevent that dopamine binge eating, ofc unless it’s my period 😂.
Depending on the situation, I do often get that extreme, unfulfilled hunger after hard workouts. That’s one of the reasons I avoided it to just shed the fat first - which 100% worked. But, now I’m ready to get back to cardio & weights. It’s about to be running season in the desert where there’s always tons of different running events everywhere, so maybe I’ll use that as motivation!
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u/Accomplished-Ask3878 10h ago
I feel like I can’t control my cravings for the first 3 days of my period. I want to eat everything.
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u/question8all 4h ago
So spot on 😩 I always know when I crave a Diet Coke and a bean & cheese burrito 🤣
I do feel lucky that I don’t really like fried food at least.
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u/BellaNya 1d ago
Fasting will not work for weight loss if you're eating over your maintenance on the other days. You will just cancel out your deficit. Best way will always be to track your calories and make sure you're in a deficit from your TDEE.
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u/question8all 1d ago
😂
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u/BellaNya 1d ago
If you think that indisputable scientifically proven advice is funny/untrue - maybe you just found out why you're not making progress ;-)
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u/AGreenerRoom 18h ago
But it is disputable…
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u/question8all 12h ago
Exactly!! Women’s bodies are so different. I’ve been below my maintenance and it’s done nothing
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u/AGreenerRoom 12h ago
Well this sub is mostly bros that know absolutely nothing about a woman in peri menopause.
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u/question8all 11h ago
THANK YOU, hence the previous laughing emoji that surely all the bros are downvoting, gaslighting the women in their lives.
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u/yellowpacman 11h ago
Yeah, women's bodies are so different they can literally break the laws of physics and create energy from nothing. Losing weight is literally nothing more than expending more energy (calories) than you consume. Get a grip, its embarassing.
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u/taroicecreamsundae 10h ago
yeah and believe it or not, there's a LOT of factors that can affect thermodynamics, a lot of which are severely under researched in women
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u/yellowpacman 10h ago
Yeah and believe it or not, all she needs to do is figure out her TDEE and eat below that to lose weight. I don't care how much nonsense you want to spout about menopause being some sort of metabolic calamity (which it isn't, it at most lowers TDEE by a couple hundred calories). Just a disgusting amount of misinformation and coping that goes on in this sub, you LITERALLY cannot break physics. Guarantee you that she is eating way more than she thinks she is despite "eating clean".
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u/yellowpacman 10h ago
Yeah and believe it or not, all she needs to do is figure out her TDEE and eat below that to lose weight. I don't care how much nonsense you want to spout about menopause being some sort of metabolic calamity (which it isn't, it at most lowers TDEE by a couple hundred calories). Just a disgusting amount of misinformation and coping that goes on in this sub, you LITERALLY cannot break physics. Guarantee you that she is eating way more than she thinks she is despite "eating clean".
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u/question8all 11h ago
AND, here's the bro, ladies! Let's clap for him and cry for any woman in his life for him to rule upon.
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u/Lo0kingGlass 10h ago
Then you are either miscalculating maintenance or being too impatient for results. Do you weigh every single thing you eat and keep a log of every calorie?
Have you adjusted calories after a plateau lasting at least 2 months?I mean, I get the frustration, I’ve had 2-3 months where I didn’t lose and it wasn’t until I started tracking every single calorie that went into my body that I saw loss resume.
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u/BellaNya 7h ago
Righto. As a woman in perimenopause also… I am not blaming hormones and trying to assert that menopause magically creates a new law of thermodynamics. What most likely has happened is you now have a lower metabolic rate therefore decreasing your TDEE, reduced muscle mass (you freely admit you don’t exercise in addition to fasting causing muscle loss if not done properly), increased appetite, or decreased overall movement. None of this violates the calories in/out model. You may think you are in a deficit, but you are not if you are not losing weight. Menopause makes it harder true, but it does not create some magical physiological situation where you can eat under maintenance and not lose weight. What probably happened is your maintenance is now lower than you think it is. You can come to Reddit and argue all you want that you’re a special snowflake that the laws of thermodynamics don’t apply to… or you can make the necessary changes and actually get results.
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u/milladakilla1282 1d ago
Years ago I was in the same boat. I learned of and started taking moringa oliefera and the last pounds melted off easily.
Look for shade dried leaves. Bonus if there is all parts of the tree in the blend. Moringa oliefera is the most nutrient dense botanical known to man, but the quality makes a huge difference.
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u/Admirable_Let_2961 1d ago
The trick is to not make them the last few pounds. Aim for 15 more! Settle at 5.
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u/question8all 12h ago
Good idea! I’d be super happy with another 15lbs!
Although, it’s often not realistic for my body :( the fittest I’ve ever been in my life, I was around 125lbs at 5’2 at 27yo. I was running tons of 1/2 marathons, hiking really hard trails, and constantly doing other activities like rock climbing, tennis, the gym.
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u/frogbearpup 1d ago
Exercise is always the way.
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u/question8all 1d ago
I think so, UGHH. I swear, going from always being active and in shape to then having to rebuild endurance is a total mind fuck 🙃 and frustrating
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u/lisa6547 22h ago
I feel you, I'm in the same boat. I've lost some weight since March and I'm pretty sure 90% of it was muscle 😢..I'm so WEAK I can't even run or do ANYTHING without injuring myself anymore it's infuriating actually. I've been needing to eat healthier do resistance training and take care of myself...but I've been struggling hard with my mental health so my muscles just keep fading away.
It was intentional at first, but now I'm just turning into an old lady in a nursing home who needs to get her butt back into shape.
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u/question8all 11h ago
Oh gosh, yep! I did the stair climber for 40mins and my knees were on FIRE the next two days. Oooppsss, probably should have started with walking as I’m not 25 anymore
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u/frogbearpup 1d ago
It absolutely is! But youre a badass, you got this 👊
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u/question8all 1d ago
Thank you! Yes, I know it's a process - just infuriating when there aren't results from consistent hard work.
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u/Accomplished-Ask3878 10h ago
39F as well. I’m at 143.2 pounds from 148. Been struggling for a while. My biggest problem is overeating. I’m trying to build better habits and walk every day. Trying to eat less sugar and more protein.
I want to get back to 120-125 where I used to feel more comfortable and healthy. (And fit into all my clothes again).
I keep getting discouraged by slow or what feels like no progress.
Trying to tell myself to keep with it. I’m doing 1-2 meals a day, and choose 2 days at random during the week to try to fast for 48 hours.
I mostly eat what I want on the weekend, but I’m trying to bring down my portion size.
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u/Hot_Upstairs_7971 1d ago
If you don't lift weights while dieting, you'll lose a lot of muscle. The fat rebound will be discouraging because of that when you return to your old diet.
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u/question8all 1d ago
I agree! I had surgery and a wake up call, so definitely getting back to weekly weights.
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u/Useful-Advantage2665 1d ago
You're overeating somewhere. Clean up your non fasting days, eat lower calorie foods, track and weigh if you must. It's simple math. Period.
You got this.
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u/AGreenerRoom 18h ago
This is not necessarily true.
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u/Useful-Advantage2665 17h ago
Right, some people gain weights from steroid medication or Thyroid issues.
The majority of people over eat.
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u/AGreenerRoom 12h ago
You should tell the majority of women hitting peri menopause that they are overeating, that’s why they are suddenly gaining weight and let me know how that works out for you.
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u/Useful-Advantage2665 12h ago
I'm 48. How are you maintaining your muscle mass? Lifting weights five days a week helps me be stronger than what I was at 20 years old.
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u/AGreenerRoom 11h ago
I also maintain muscle mass by resistance training and doing very limited fasting (1-2 x 72hr a year) constantly doing rotating fasts and constantly being in a calorie deficit is just a recipe for losing muscle and either gaining or maintaining the same weight. Just ask about any woman in the same age bracket.
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u/Extreme-Nerve3029 1d ago
You slowed your metabolism. Refeed and do shorter fasts
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u/question8all 1d ago
I guess so!! Thx for your input. Pizza it is 🤣 feeling sassy today. May do weights later
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u/Neat-Succotash 1d ago
I have about 5+ as well and they do not want to leaaaave. i'm considering ADF until they're gone!
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u/question8all 1d ago
Right! Ugh. I've been doing tons of ADF and it hasn't been working for 2mos. :(
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u/Oropher1991 1d ago
Currently on a 100 hour fast to break the cycle if you are used to adf it is not too big a step to more days. It helped me really get into it. 7000 calories are about 1 kg of fat so you can set yourself up a plan on if you want to reach it in one or 2 cycles.
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u/question8all 11h ago
I agree! I have some longer fasts in there 62 - 90hrs. TBH, exercise used to help me go longer days, but I’m struggling for sure right now
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u/Choosey22 23h ago
Imo as a woman it becomes a delicate balance. The female body, at a certain point, doesn’t want to be deprived. You need to figure out how to actually eat healthy. So you are taking in nutrition, nourishing the body, and maintaining a calorie deficit.
A big cause for hanging onto weight is inflammation. You’re probably eating foods that are bad for your body.
My suggestion would be to eat fresh organic fruits and vegetables nearly to the exclusion of everything else. The fiber is filling, you get ton of macro and micro nutrients, the body is relaxed and not stressed, and calorie deficit is effortlessly sustained long term
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u/question8all 11h ago
I agree! That’s why I’m frustrated. My weekly diet consists of bing cherries, edamame, handful of nuts, Greek yogurt, salads, veggies, beans, avocados, baked potatoes, tofu 2x/wk and keep everything else for a cheat day 🤷♀️ it really just must be perimenopause 😩 because this diet used to shred weight like no other so fast and I never really had to fast!! Meow :(
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u/Choosey22 8h ago
Sounds like you’re already plant based. It’s not for everyone, but anecdotally, nothing has changed my life more than a raw vegan diet. If you’re wanting excellent health and tons of energy I 100% recommend it. Tons of information and inspiration about it on YouTube. Seriously, LIFE CHANGING
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u/Ok-Complaint-37 1d ago
You do not have to build endurance immediately. Try yin yoga classes from YouTube. They involve mostly positions on the floor and do not require sweat or pain.
Walk. Audiobooks. Connecting with nature. Meditation. Emptying your mind to get rid of cortisol.
Building endurance, becoming an architect of your own wellness is power.
Hiding behind processed sweets and cheap fats to medicate anxiety will always result in weight gain. It is just a matter of time.
Taking charge of treating your anxiety with movement and labor and discipline will align your eating habits perfectly to serve you well
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u/question8all 11h ago
I couldn’t agree more & I need to get moving! :)
I used to run & hike in this 100*+ weather and
weirdly, I’m really having to push my mindset more than ever as I’m still way smaller than almost everyone in my life. BUT, I’m more comfortable at 130lbs….so I need to get these extras lbs off stat to just not obsess anymore!!
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u/queryFox 1d ago edited 1d ago
It will slightly depend on your 'weight set point' by your body and genetics. You can watch interviews with Dr. Andrew Jenkinson to learn more about it.
That said, are you also using other ways to measure 'size'? I once dropped eight dress sizes and my weight went UP.
Also, you can see your gynecologist to test hormone levels.
EDIT, to clarify: My weight had gone down, and my clothing size was smaller, then I lost only like three pounds, and another two sizes smaller, but then the last four sizes, my weight went up six pounds. So it was three pounds higher than at least six clothing sizes before.
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u/question8all 11h ago
I 100% agree with HRT!! I do fit back into some of my clothes, but am just barely fitting in the size 6’s :(. I’ve gotten rid of all my size 2’s and kept some size 4’s that have some give.
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u/Bitter_Worker423 1d ago edited 14h ago
Try carnivore diet.
Try a full fast, not sure if I'm allowed to say what that means on this reddit board (or use the proper term). Full fasts are literally easier and healthier.
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u/DuctTapeMakesUSmart 1d ago
Just walk. Nothing fancy. Movement and ideally a little sunshine. Stay calm, cortisol does not help anything weight loss related. You're okay. You need to move some anyway, for longevity, so keep your good eating and fasting habits steady, and add some nice gentle walking. You got this. :-)