Best way to hold steady with weight?

[hotlikemexico]

Today is the start of week 16 for my sway, standard LE diet and 60+ min of cardio 6-7 days a week. I am also doing fiber as well, one pill ~30min before meals containing fat.

I had unfortunately gained 17-19lbs in March in April thanks to covid stress and DH getting fired. I was 132lbs on April 30th when I got my IUD out. My normal weight prior was 110-115lbs. I started my sway on May 2nd.

I started out on the higher end of diet macros, closer to 1800cals and 55-60g fat daily. As I got used to eating less, I gradually (naturally) cut down on cals and fat, purely because I was full on less food. I’ve had to make myself have a third “meal” before bed for a while now just to meet the minimums. I’ve been at about 1600-1650cals and in the range of 45-55g fat for quite a while now. (I always get in the protein range no problem.) I also have one cheat meal a week.

I’ve been pretty steady with weight loss, about a pound a week, sometimes a little more, sometimes a little less. I am now at the point where I really need to STOP losing weight and hold steady. I’m down to 116lbs as of this morning, which is pretty much right where I was before I gained a ton in the spring. My BMI is also 19.9; that’s about my normal BMI, I know you recommend to stop losing and hold steady at BMI 21. I didn’t intend to get down to this point, it kind of just happened, even though I’ve been eating the same and keeping up the same with exercise. I haven’t decreased anything in a while (in fact I had a couple extra cheats on my vacation last week!) but for some reason this week in particular I lost even EXTRA — I’m down 2lbs since last weekend! I haven’t lost that much in a single week this whole time, I think.

Also, we had our first attempt this cycle, last weekend. I believe I O’d sometime on Sunday (chart in signature) and so I’m 6dpo today. I also stupidly decided to do some Google research and found an article that listed “weight loss” as one of the things that could prevent implantation. I don’t entirely see how that makes sense? So I’m trying not to worry about that.

Anyway, that’s my long story. What’s the best way to STOP weight loss and hold steady where I’m at? Should I tweak diet, exercise, or both? Diet wise, should I increase calories, fat, or both? I did make sure I ate little more last night to be just over 1700cals and almost at 60g fat. What range should I am for to hold steady without gaining?

As for the exercise, I do zumba toning once a week (we have 1lb shake weights added to the dances — it really just increases the intensity for me, I definitely have not built any arm muscles, LOL). The rest of the week, I do a combo of fast walking with running intervals for 70-80 mins basically every day. I did take Thursday off this week as it was raining and I was exhausted and annoyed from work anyway, LOL. Do I need to cut back on the exercise at all? I’ve actually come to really enjoy it, and would like to even keep it up if I get pregnant too, as much as I can. Can I keep up the exercise if I just increase the diet macros a bit? Or would I need to cut out some exercise too?

And the fiber — keep taking it and just up the fat? Or drop it completely? OR, just drop the fiber and keep the fat the same?

Thanks so much in advance! Fingers crossed that we were successful this month and I won’t need to keep up with diet much longer. I know not likely we’ll be that lucky the first month trying though, so I def want to STOP the weight loss now to make sure I’m still able to ovulate again next month if needed!!


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[atomic sagebrush]

do not worry about "weight loss" preventing implantation. there is a cottage industry of people out there causing terror about implantation but the truth is the human body knows how to implant babies in all sorts of dire circumstances and if it didn't we'd have died out long ago.

The answer is deceptively simple. Eat more. Eat more of whatever you want, and if you need to up macros slightly to do that (as high as 65 g) that's ok. I cannot give you a set amount of cal intake because that is different for every person based on metabolism and body structure. let the weight loss be your guide.

As a general rule I think err on the side of eating more and keeping exercise, but you're actually exceeding the recommendations. I would have you reduce at least to 60 min a day.

Drop fiber till we get this sorted.

[atomic sagebrush]

do not worry about "weight loss" preventing implantation. there is a cottage industry of people out there causing terror about implantation but the truth is the human body knows how to implant babies in all sorts of dire circumstances and if it didn't we'd have died out long ago.

The answer is deceptively simple. Eat more. Eat more of whatever you want, and if you need to up macros slightly to do that (as high as 65 g) that's ok. I cannot give you a set amount of cal intake because that is different for every person based on metabolism and body structure. let the weight loss be your guide.

As a general rule I think err on the side of eating more and keeping exercise, but you're actually exceeding the recommendations. I would have you reduce at least to 60 min a day.

Drop fiber till we get this sorted.

[hotlikemexico]

do not worry about "weight loss" preventing implantation. there is a cottage industry of people out there causing terror about implantation but the truth is the human body knows how to implant babies in all sorts of dire circumstances and if it didn't we'd have died out long ago.

The answer is deceptively simple. Eat more. Eat more of whatever you want, and if you need to up macros slightly to do that (as high as 65 g) that's ok. I cannot give you a set amount of cal intake because that is different for every person based on metabolism and body structure. let the weight loss be your guide.

As a general rule I think err on the side of eating more and keeping exercise, but you're actually exceeding the recommendations. I would have you reduce at least to 60 min a day.

Drop fiber till we get this sorted.

Thank you!!

I already took the fiber with my first meal this morning, but I will put it away now.

Weirdly enough I have been hungrier these past couple days so eating more should not be a problem! I woke up to temp at 630am and had stomach growling hunger, even though I had my bedtime “last meal” at 1130pm last night. I haven’t had that happen in a while. I know too early for pregnancy symptoms — I’m sure just from the progesterone being in the LP.

Today is grocery day anyway, I’m going to pick up a couple higher calorie/higher fat type things, so that I can get more without eating a ton more food. Even though I am feeling hungrier more often, I still get full after not a lot of food. I have already added in one full fat yogurt per day for the last couple weeks just to help me get more calories and fat, but I’m going to grab some full fat salad dressing, crackers, etc to help also. I’m assuming it would be okay to move to four meals a day if I need to?

I will bring the exercise back to 60min. That kind of also just naturally happened — I throw on my “On Repeat” playlist on Spotify and just go until it’s done. I will set a timer on my phone for 60min instead and just finish up then.

Thank you again!


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[atomic sagebrush]

Yep it's completely normal to experience increased hunger during the 2WW (and even impulse buying!)

if you need to go to four meals to keep weight on, do, but if there's any way to NOT go to four meals, give it a good college try as they say.

I completely understand, I do that sometimes too with exercise. Just a nice break to listen to some tunes and be alone with my thougths and if i'm not careful it stretches beyond what I intended.

[hotlikemexico]

Okay, thank you! I stuck with only three meals yesterday and I was okay. Upped cals and fat and put away the fiber as I said. If at the end of this week I’ve still lost more weight despite all this, I will maybe consider a 4th meal, but hopefully the increase in the macros will be enough

And yep that’s exactly it with the exercise! I actually look forward to getting out there every day now. Never in my life thought I would enjoy jogging, but here we are. will make sure to stick to the 60mjn going forward though


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[hotlikemexico]

Hi atomic, I just wanted to follow up on this real quick!

Now that I got my bfp (!!! still can't believe it ), I know I DEF need to stop the weight loss. I feel like this is a super stupid question but, -- it is okay to stop the LE diet and go back to normal now, right? AF isn't even due until Sunday so I am early still, but everything I've read on here says to stick with the diet until BFP. So I think'm I'm good to stop but just wanted to confirm, I guess?? (Maybe that will actually make this feel like real life?! LOL)

I'm thinking it might be better to ease into it? I still get full very quickly so I'm thinking a couple smaller meals per day instead of going all out so that I don't make myself sick. The hardest part for me has been no snacking so I will be very happy to welcome that back!

How about the exercise? Everything I can find online says that you are fine to keep up your normal exercise routine when you become pregnant. I have been walking almost daily since May and the jogging/running intervals from June on. I should be okay to continue with this then, right? Maybe not daily and no more than the 60mins when I do go, but okay other wise? And finally how about Zumba? It's aerobic dance stuff basically and I have been doing that once or twice a week for 18 months. Still okay?

Thanks again so much for all your help!

[atomic sagebrush]

Huge congrats!

yes once you get BFP normalize on diet and start prenatal. You dont' need to ease into it per se (back in the day when people were limiting sodium I did that but now people aren't doing that any more) and maybe don't eat a whole side of beef in one sitting just to keep yourself from getting an upset stomach, but otherwise it's fine.

YOu're fine to continue exercise at the same amount if you want.

[hotlikemexico]

Huge congrats!

yes once you get BFP normalize on diet and start prenatal. You dont' need to ease into it per se (back in the day when people were limiting sodium I did that but now people aren't doing that any more) and maybe don't eat a whole side of beef in one sitting just to keep yourself from getting an upset stomach, but otherwise it's fine.

YOu're fine to continue exercise at the same amount if you want.

Thank you so much!! Sounds good! I remembered the prenatal last minute before going to bed last night haha but I did take it. I’ve kept up with the extra folic too. I didn’t realize the ease into it advice was related to sodium restriction but I def didn’t limit sodium at all so I’m good there too.

And very glad to hear about the exercise too. Thank you again for all your help!


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