Why does weight loss slow down?

[john937]

I went to a local medically supervised "Health Risk Management" program,
and joined their weight loss class, consisting
of eating powdered shakes, small packaged entree's etc.
The diet works out to roughly 1000 calories a day,
4g fat, 160g carbo, 100g protein.
I tolerated the diet very well, never hungry.
I lost 35 lbs in 8-9 weeks, and then weight loss slowed dramatically.
For the next 2-3 weeks I lost only another 1-2 lbs.
I've gone off that diet but would still like to lose another 20
using salads, tuna fish, etc, real food.
CKD / Atkins type diets drive me absolutely crazy.
I get fuzzy brained and can't think at work.
I can't use anything with ephedrae but tolerate appetite depressants like Bontril/Adipex.
My access to anything illegal is very limited.

Any ideas? Why did a 1000 cal diet stop causing weight loss?
What can I do to kick it up again?

 

[Senior Woonaki]

1000 calories is waaaaaaaaaaaaaayyyyyyyyyy to little.. if your body thinks it is starving it will not relase fat.

Help us out a little - how much do you weigh, estimated bf%, how tall are you and what does your workout routine look like.

 

[MrMakaveli]

Leptin levels fall and fat-loss will slow, halt then fat-gain will increase.

Refeeds will help boost leptin up, search leptin on the net. Avant Labs had a great series of articles on it.

 

[Cl117]

I second that. If you are not carful, you will def gain it all back. By now, ur metabolism is shot to shit. Go with a CKD or even , im sure u didnt give it a chance the last time you did bc once you get used to eating low carb, it becomes less stressful mentally and physically.

 

[Millie]

1000 calories and only 4g of fat???

do you by any chance have brittle nails now, cold hands, and falling hair?

your metabolism and hormones must be out of whack right now.

 

[crmdogg]

it is hard to keep on burning fat because your body reaches a plateau-a sticking point were it just wants to cling on to the fat. At first your receptors are very open to losing fat but eventually it becomes harder and harder to get the fat off-josh

 

[MrMakaveli]

Check our Lyle McDonald's Bromocriptine book, After such drastic fat-loss I think it's use is warranted

 

[john937]

Thanks for your responses. I think you're right.
I think I've crashed my metabolism, though when
I say that to the doctors they dismiss it. They say that only happens after months of extreem fasting,
say at 500 cal per day, and they think my 1000-1200 cal/day is sustainable.
I've been keeping better records, and now that I'm in their maintenance program I'm adding in salads, vegetables and a little fruit and my calories are up to 1400-1500.

I'm 5'10, 230 lbs, somewhat well muscled from previous weightlifting, but my size is way down.
Right now, I'd probably have to drop down to 180-185 to get bodyfat into single digits.
So let's say I need to drop another 40 lbs to get clear abs, though I'd be happy to just loose another 20 by late September (booked a cruise ship).

My exercise program dropped way off during this diet, cause my energy levels just weren't there. Ok,that could also be self deception bullshit to allow myself to be lazy, but there were mornings I'd just sit in a chair and stare at the ceiling from lack of energy. At my current 1500 calories I'm beginning to get the kind of energy needed to go back to the gym again.
I hate most aerobics, but the chain driven rowing machines are ok cause it distributes the aerobic workout all over the body.
I have a pattern with weightlifting: I get fat, so then I train, I get strong, I drop fat, I get looking good, I train some more, I get hurt, I stop training to heal, I get fat, repeat cycle.
Maybe it's time to learn to love aerobics.
Being both lean and muscular would be nice, but right now if I had to choose I'd rather be lean.

I remember reading somewhere that dieting depletes some specific nutrient (in the liver ?) that benefits from supplementation. Does that ring any bells? As I understand it you can't supplement leptin? I'll do the search you recommended.
I'm taking full spectrum vitiamins but not anything special.
Would flax oil help? Is it worth all those calories?

Know of anything that boosts thyroid output? I see a lot of GNC thyroid products but they're expensive if they don't work.
I remember a few years ago I took a supplement that was a thyroid byproduct (thyroxin ?).
It raised my metabolism, but I wasn't sure it was safe. Does anybody still sell it? Any experience with that? I think it was taken off the market by the Feds.

It's good to hear your alternative input, cause increasingly I don't trust the advice I'm getting from these doctors. I think I'll continue with their maintenance program simply cause going to class once a week forces me to do record keeping and keeps me on track and committed, even if they aren't giving me the best advice.
Any and all input appreciated. again thanks for your responses.

 

[Babyfaced Assassin]

metabolic adaptions

 

[MrMakaveli]

No cant supplement leptin.

Bromo mimmics leptin the brain and can reverse some of the adaptions that have taken place so thats probably your best bet along w/ refeeds.

 

[Millie]

Know of anything that boosts thyroid output? I see a lot of GNC thyroid products but they're expensive if they don't work.
I remember a few years ago I took a supplement that was a thyroid byproduct (thyroxin ?).
It raised my metabolism, but I wasn't sure it was safe. Does anybody still sell it? Any experience with that? I think it was taken off the market by the Feds.

FOOD! this will boost your thyroid output. you should be eating 1000 cal more. this doesn't mean that starting today you should start eating 2500 cals. you should increase them gradually - something like 100-150 cals more per day every week or 2.

trust me this is what will help raise your metabolism.
OTC supplements are pretty useless for you right now.

you could also go to your doctor and get your thyroid tested. if your T3, T4 etc levels are too low, maybe he will give you prescription medication temporarily to boost them. but again, you need more food. this is the only long term solution.

 

[john937]

Thanks. I think you're right.
I just talked to my program's weight loss coach,
and we revised my plan increasing target calories to 1800/day Monday-Fri and 2000-2100 on weekends.
She says I should only expect about .8 lbs loss per week, slower than I would like, but it will be healthier in the long run.
I just don't know how people continue to loose 2 lbs a week for a long time, but looks like it won't be me. Oh well, slow is better than none.

 

[MrMakaveli]

If I were you I"d invest in some r-ALA to handle the insulin response that accompanies large weight lossses. I have found carbs are usually the main problem with rebounding at least for myself.

 

[Shark01]

I agree you scewed up your metabolism. 12 years ago, my Mom paid for me to go to Nutrisystem. I went from 367 to 308 in 6 months on like 1000 calories per day. I was doing aerobic stuff but not weight training at the time, so I lost 50% fat 50% muscle like all the studies say. My metabolism just slowed to a halt, because I depleted my active muscle tissue. I was smaller but fatter. Over the next 5 years I ballooned up to 410 lbs.

14 months ago, I started again this time using a modified Atkins plan to get a decent amount of calories, aerobic & weight training. I've lost 85 lbs in that time, and my losses have stayed pretty consistent while I have gotten stronger.