Weight Loss Plateau Already?

[hotlikemexico]

Today is the start of week three on the LE Diet for me. I'm 5'4" and was just over 132lbs when I started. I lost four lbs the first week and started the second week at 128.3 lbs. Today I started week three at ... 128.3 lbs!

Is it normal to hit a weight plateau this early on?! I was eating WELL over LE Diet limits before this (gained my covid 19 POUNDS in March/April ), so is it possible my body is like, in shock and trying to conserve fat or whatever?

I've been exercising 60mins a day, either Zumba, fast walking (~4 miles in an hour), or 60min of dance cardio videos on the Peloton app. The first week I took one or two rest days, but the second week I exercised every day.

I've been hitting the limits on fat and protein and aiming for 1800 cals. Should I be eating less? Also, does it matter if I hit the limits on fat and protein but am a little under 1800 on cals? For example, yesterday I was at about 1650 cals but hit the 60g fat limit and had 48g protein. Since I was under 1800 cals, should I have had less fat, since the 60g is more than the 30% of the 1650 cals? That part of the LE Diet book was confusing to me (I've never dieted EVER so this is all new to me!) so I've just been aiming for the limits, knowing that it's way less than what I was and always have been eating.

Also worth noting is that I am now on CD13 and nowhere CLOSE to ovulating. This is also my first cycle without the IUD, though. I'm not sure if it's because of that, or the diet/exercise, or both. I had consistent 26 day cycles with O day on CD 12/13/14 for YEARS before I got my IUD, which was actually the whole reason I got it in the first place! AF was so heavy and my cycles were so short, that it felt like I spent more time bleeding than not. So to be already at CD13 with totally negative OPKs and not even a hint of EWCM has me like This is also why I wanted to get my IUD out at the beginning of my sway, so I could get all the cycle weirdness out of the way early on, so at least there's that!

My thinking with starting higher was that the weight would still come off and I would have a much less risk of stopping ovulation. To be totally honest, I expected to have lost a few more pounds this past week. It's slightly frustrating to see that same number again. I'm hoping my body is just in slight shock mode. Part of me wants to cut down more diet wise, but the other part of me is saying that's a bad idea and to just hold out and see if I can push past the plateau. Any thoughts or advice, anyone?

[atomic sagebrush]

Losing 4 lbs in 2 weeks is PERFECT. We don't want the weight to come off super fast. Plus, IDK if you've ever watched a weight loss show like the Biggest Loser or whatever, but it is incredibly common to get into this alternate pattern where you lose weight one week, then little to nothing the next, then lose more weight the following week.

I've mostly done away with the fat percentages as they were too confusing and didn't appear to be necessary anyway. Just aim at 50-60 g fat and protein and that works. I keep it in the mix for the people who have to increase calories (quite a few people end up losing tons of weight on that type of diet and end up more lik 2500 cals by the end) but it's not necessary for most, just aim at 50-60.

I think your delayed (possibly)cycle is from the IUD removal as you haven't yet lost enough weight to get my "Spidey Sense" tinging. Just keep testing and see how it goes.

Now, to answer your original question yes it is always possible to hit a plateau (although I expect this to be more of a stairstep pattern like I described). I agree with your reasoning that you started off higher (that is my very great preference) . What I would have you do instead is up fat and protien by 5g each and keep cals the same. IT may be this was just too many carbs, or it may be that it's just a garden variety plateau and no big deal, but either way that can help snap you out of it. Once weight starts coming off then we can probably adjust back.

I do want you to keep in mind that the LE Diet is NOT just or even mostly about weight loss. Don't get discouraged, remember the goal here is to sway successfully and not lose a set amount of weight very quickly. It's actually good not to lose too much too fast for the sake of your ovulation, so I'm happy with how it's going!

[hotlikemexico]

Excellent! Thank you, as always, for the reassurance! I must confess I have not watched the biggest loser or any of those shows. I would be fine with an every other week weight loss pattern too, I hope that’s it! And when you put it that way (don’t want too much to come off too fast), that makes even more sense. So I guess looking at the big picture it’s not a bad thing! But it sure was dang frustrating to see that same number again!

Very glad to hear about not having to worry at the fat % though! I tried that a couple of days but math is N O T my thing and I left it and just aimed for the limits. Then of course wondered if not calculating % messed up the weight loss but I am more than happy to throw the % calculations out the window!

Now for the GOOD news update, seems my body is working properly, after all (at least in the ovulation department!). I was more afraid that the sudden increase in exercise had messed up ovulation as that’s happened to me in the past, BUT looks like it was just a little weirdness post IUD removal. I had watery CM with an almost positive OPK on Sunday afternoon, then the triumphant return of EWCM Monday morning with a blazing positive OPK that afternoon. Yay! I had a little more EWCM this morning but it had started to dry up by this afternoon... my OPK was positive again today, but I’m sure it’s on the way down now. Guessing today or tomorrow for O day. Today is CD 16 and I’m crossing all my fingers that my cycle will keep up with O day around this time, rather than reverting to CD 12/13 like all the years before. Shorter cycles are slightly more convenient for TTC but not worth AF coming sooner lol esp since we won’t be actively TTC until August! I’d rather have more days in between AF At the very least though I am happy that the diet so far as not affected 1) ovulation or 2) my CM, since I’ve read that diet changes can cause CM to dry up too!

Anyway back to my diet, I totally cheated on Sunday and had a clam boil. I ate a whole quart of clams dipped in melted butter plus 3 hot dogs! It was delicious and SO worth it though (even though it *LITERALLY* went right through me maybe from the large amount of fat after restricting fat for 2+ weeks?). BUT I would have been to a month’s worth of Food Truck events at this point if it weren’t for the pandemic and def would have had a couple of cheat meals already, so I’m not worried about one. That was just my breakfast/lunch for the day and I picked back up LE Diet style for dinner the same day.

I’m taking today as a rest day from exercising because I had 60min of exercise for the last 10+ days (I lost track LOL) and I’m so exhausted that I fell asleep on the couch last night! So taking it easy tonight. I’m going to stick with the regular diet limits tonight since I’ve only got one meal left for the day, and then tomorrow when I pick back up with the exercise, I will up the fat and protein by 5g each like you suggested and see if that makes a difference.

Thanks again for the reminder not to focus too much on the weight loss! I’ve been doing great with the exercise and sticking to the limits and 12-14hr fasting, along with daily coffee and alcohol, so I’m also happy with how it’s going. Just really was looking forward to the added benefit of weight loss LOL. But either way I’m very happy to see that I do appear to still be ovulating so overall I really can’t complain!


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[hotlikemexico]

Update: 1) I definitely ovulated so yay for that! 2) start of week four of LE Diet today and the scale moved down to 127.9! Not a whole lot, but I’m happy not to see the same number, at least!

I had two rest days this week, I wonder if that had anything to do with it? Hopefully pushing past that plateau now and on to more weight loss!

Unfortunately it’s straight rain all day here today, so no walking. I’m going to do some dance cardio videos on the peloton app and maybe some time on the Ring Fit for the switch.

Which brings me to my last question: what is the thought on Pilates for a girl sway? I just found out that the “ring” we use in Ring Fit is a Pilates ring! whoops! I did some research into it and apparently the Ring Fit game is a combo of Pilates and cardio, but heavier on the Pilates side. Should I avoid the game then and just stick to dance cardio videos on days when there’s no Zumba and I can’t go walking? I’ve only used the Ring Fit twice so far, but was pretty sore for two days after.


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[atomic sagebrush]

Agh I'm so sorry I remember clicking this to reply and it looks like I must have shut down before I did.

Yes that is very common when you've been dieting and suddenly eat a bit more - it's one of the reasons why cheating is ok, it because for the most part it goes right through you. And some of us even find that after we splurge our body lets go of some weight it had been holding on to.

BTW your chart looks great, absolutely ovulatory

[atomic sagebrush]

As long as you're losing weight on a lower protein diet (or have lost some weight and then dropped below BMI 21) I am inclined to think things like Pilates are ok. You just can't be growing muscle on a lower protein diet. A large minority of people have HAD to add in wegihts in order to get their heart rate up when they were very thin to begin with, and it did not seem to sway pink. So if you enjoy it is't probably fine to continue but as always if you'll live 1000 lifetimes of regret if you try and have a boy while doing that, you may want to drop it.

[hotlikemexico]

Thanks on both accounts! my chart was a little funky with a good amount of pre-o temps above the cover line (I know it doesn’t mean anything and is just to help see the biphasic pattern). Usually my pre-o temps are a lot lower. My guess is maybe from residual hormones from the IUD working their way out? Either way I’m not worried and happy to have gone right back to a normal cycle after getting the IUD out and crossing my fingers it stays that way!

And thank you for Pilates info! Makes a lot of sense. The only time I ever use the Ring Fit is on days when there is no Zumba class and I am unable to go walking due to the weather. I have Zumba twice a week and the weather is FINALLY starting to get better over here, so I can go walking more, which means maybe once or twice a week I would be doing the Pilates aspect with the Ring Fit, IF that. And even then I do it for about 30 mins and then change over to dance cardio videos. Such a minimal amount of time spent on Pilates combined with what you said about not being able to build muscle on the lower protein diet, I think it will be okay for the rare instance that I need to use it.


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[atomic sagebrush]

I agree!!! Keep up the good work!