How long was your longest weight loss slump? page

[tallengnr]

I started Primal in Feb '11 at 6'9" and 425+ pounds (scale didn't go any higher...). The first 3 months I lost a crazy amount of weight, 80lbs...and then nothing for at least 4 weeks now. I've been within a couple pounds of 350 for awhile now. I still have over 100lbs more to go so it's not like I'm getting close to "normal".

I haven't changed anything, and hardly cheat at all (maybe one meal a month)...Fitday.com says my caloric intake to maintain my current weight is around 3700, and I regularly am eating about 2000-2200 and below 100gms of carbs per day and have a fair amount of fat content in my diet. I haven't varied from the regimen that I lost 80lbs with. I've tried the fasting routines to try and break through, but no results yet. I have no intention of giving up, I've seen and felt the progress and I want it back

So how long was your longest slump?

[john_e_turner_ii]

Normally, if my weight loss stalls for more than 2-3 weeks, I find something to change. I don't change my exercise all that much, since my opinion is that fat loss has most to do with diet.

In your case, you are a big guy, meaning in stature. Depending on your activity level, you could probably eat at around 2500-2800 calories per day and still see gradually loss. Try eating a little more for 3-4 weeks to see how you do. If no movement, then back off a few hundred calories every two weeks until you see progress. You could try lowering the carbs even further, but I can't say that it will make that much difference based on my experience.

[TheDarkMistress]

80 pounds in 3 months IS crazy. Maybe your body is adjusting to that huge change. Great job!!

I lost 20# in about 3 months, then stayed same weight for a month now. I took a 1 week vacation this month; I didn't go nuts but I was looser with the carbs and I did not exercise at all for a week (giving a bad knee a rest). But the belt is on a new notch and I'm not gaining, so I am being patient right now. I will change something if I don't lose any more weight in another month.

In my mind, it is all about permanent changes. This isn't a diet, this is a permanent way of eating and moving for me. I am focused not only on losing weight, but also on keeping off the fat I've lost so far and improving my fitness level.

[quelsen]

Congrats and my n=1 says you need a rest. possibly a much longer rest than you desire.

Stay primal and thanks the gods you have not gained. Use this rest period to rest. eat well and sleep whenever you feel slightly inclined to.

When your body has taken care of this cycle she will start up agian.

[camel]

My last month long slump was followed by a huge whooshing loss of pounds. Sometimes I think your body just needs time to adjust and rearrange!

[ChocoTaco369]

I would try a low fat, high carb refeed for 48 hours to see if that jumpstarts your fat loss again. For each meal, eat a chicken breast cooked in a dry pan or with wine or vinegar - no fat - or grilled or baked, and eat it with a sweet potato or two and some fibrous vegetables. If you eat three meals a day, for two days, I'd eat the same damn meal - one lean chicken breast, 2 sweet potatoes with a little cinnamon (NO BUTTER OR ADDED FAT) and some veggies sauteed in water.

Then, after those 6 meals, dive back into low carb primal. That may reset your metabolism and get the fat loss going again. It works for me, but my metabolism is normal. It may work for you and you have nothing to lose by trying a low fat/high carb refeed with sweet potatoes - and I chose sweet potatoes for you because they don't spike blood sugar that much compared to other starches.

[kmc]

I lost an easy 15 in my first month and have been in a plateau for quite a while. I'm near my goal weight, so I'm not too worried about it, but I always try changing around different variables to see what works for me.

At the end of the day, if you have been doing something for a long time without a result, doing that same thing for another 3 months probably won't get you where you want to be. Try something new to get your body over that sticking point. Recently I upped my calorie intake slightly to see if that would help me lose my last few pounds, and a few pounds came off in the first few weeks (I must have been in a cortisol fueled survival mode.) Only through diligence and experimentation will you find what truly works for your body.

[quelsen]

I would try a low fat, high carb refeed for 48 hours to see if that jumpstarts your fat loss again. For each meal, eat a chicken breast cooked in a dry pan or with wine or vinegar - no fat - or grilled or baked, and eat it with a sweet potato or two and some fibrous vegetables. If you eat three meals a day, for two days, I'd eat the same damn meal - one lean chicken breast, 2 sweet potatoes with a little cinnamon (NO BUTTER OR ADDED FAT) and some veggies sauteed in water.

Then, after those 6 meals, dive back into low carb primal. That may reset your metabolism and get the fat loss going again. It works for me, but my metabolism is normal. It may work for you and you have nothing to lose by trying a low fat/high carb refeed with sweet potatoes - and I chose sweet potatoes for you because they don't spike blood sugar that much compared to other starches.

With respect choco, have you been in the 400 pound range? I ask becasue if you have not you cannot know the complexities of a body THAT heavy. I would respectully submit that carb refeeds are for people who are within normal BMI's not someone whos own stored insulin and estrogen is the size of an additional person.

[ChocoTaco369]

With respect choco, have you been in the 400 pound range? I ask becasue if you have not you cannot know the complexities of a body THAT heavy. I would respectully submit that carb refeeds are for people who are within normal BMI's not someone whos own stored insulin and estrogen is the size of an additional person.

That's why I said try a 48 hour refeed. I didn't ask him to construct some complicated carbohydrate cycling and exercise plan. His metabolism is probably wrecked. Incorporating a low fat, starchy refeed isn't going to hurt him, especially using sweet potatoes since they're so low GI. He's been eating high carb meals his entire life. Six somewhat starchy meals using a low-GI primal tuber won't do any damage. However, he may see results. Don't be phobic about carbs. It may be just what he needs, but how will he know unless he tries?

[Antmuzic]

Weight loss implies a caloric deficit - and I think you're body adjusts to the "new normal" relatively quickly.

I can't say this and point to any authority so take this with a grain of salt (unless you are watching your sodium).

I started somewhere north of 230 and am down almost 30 lbs. Most of this was on the 4 Hour Body (now I've adjusted to Primal as a lifestyle). So I'm a little biased toward 4HB. So here's what I say:

I am a big fan of "cheating" once a week. Spike your calories for a day or a meal (whatever feels good to you). Some call it a carb refeed, I just call it a day off. Go crazy if you must, you won't do much damage in a day. You may go up a couple pounds but you'll be back to your pre-cheating weight within a day or so. Try it and see happens. Or try choco's suggestion and see what happens. It's your body and you're allowed to conduct experiments to see what works. Go with small changes and observation.