Not losing weight

[DebC2015]

I just completed my 5th month of being WFPB. I have had great success with getting off my BP and cholesterol meds and I have incredible energy. However, I don't understand what is going on with my weight. I had recently regained 20 lbs after being at a goal weight of 159 (5'6 1/2 " , 62 years and BMI of 28!) for several years. The weight gain is what precipitated my year of sickness and having to start meds.
Here's the thing....I have been on a "diet" since I was 10 years old. The first being the "grapefruit, hardboiled egg, and spinach" diet my mom put me on one summer. Since 1982 I was off and on Weight Watchers, with the years between 2000-2010 me working as a "leader" and maintaining my weight goal. Two of the foods I have "deprived" myself of for my entire diet history is corn and potatoes. So what I am wondering....is my body trying to adjust to these carbs that I have always thought were evil?? I sure don't now, though!
I lost about 1/2 pound a month...yeah that was tough...and several inches where I could move back to smaller sizes in underclothes and a few pairs of pants I wore last in 2012-2013. I did break the 170 mark and have kept it below that but it varies! I have dropped as low as 166, and then a few days later I will be at 169! I have maintained a stretch of 167 for about a week.
I am totally WFPB, do all the cooking and have not used oil or salt in my cooking since February 2nd. If and when we go out I really restrict myself and will not eat it if there is oil added.
As far as exercise...I was hooping every day, and recently I have started yoga stretches. I am very active during the day, but have not been able to get in 30 minute walks because of the heat. I rarely sit down...During the hooping days there was no difference in weight or inches and I don't mean I just did a little...I have been hooping daily for a few years now.
So back to main question: Is my body so not used to potatoes and corn and other starches that it is having a hard time adjusting??
Any suggestions and help would be grand. I get very discouraged because I really really want to get back to a comfortable weight of around 157!

[scooterpie]

You didn't mention how you sleep. If you're not getting 7-9 hrs of restorative sleep/night you're not going to lose weight. Pretty simple. Perhaps you have undiagnosed sleep apnea. Your age is perfect for sleep apnea onset.

Perhaps you need vitamin D (actually a hormone). Beyond that--I'm sure someone will chime in and ask you to give chapter and verse of EVERYTHING you eat. Not helpful IMO if you already know you're compliant.

I hope you figure it out!

[DebC2015]

Thanks! I do get 7-9 hours and definitely do not have sleep apnea. Also I get 10 minutes a day of sunshine, minimum! I am hoping one of the docs will respond!

[Crider]

Eating more vegetables in relation to the quantity of starches on your plate will reduce your caloric intake while keeping your appetite satisfied.

[LeahCorbett]

When my weight loss stalls, its almost always because I'm not drinking enough water. I know it sounds overly simple, but water is what carries out the fat cells. Tell your body systems its ok to flush out the fat! I live in Tucson, so it's hot enough here that we always have ice water handy. Except our monsoon which is muggy, then it somehow makes me forget to drink, and bam! The weight loss plateaus. Try some decaf green tea with hibiscus tea and stevia. Marvelous!

[glabate]

I'm in the same boat and need your help. I've been on the WOE for 15 months. I went from a BMI of 30 down to 22, with a weight loss of 40 lbs, the last 10 of which were hard fought. I've been stuck between 135 and 140 for months and have now started to add weight. I'm up to 143 and scared. I will take your suggestion to add more water to my regime; I am definitely not paying attention to that. I slacked off running in the last 3-4 weeks, due to vertigo and bronchial infection. The only thing that I cheat with is allowing sugar in my tea and oatmeal. My usual routine is Oatmeal with flaxseed, cinnamon, molasses, and tea with 1-2 t sugar for breakfast. Lunch is leftovers from the previous dinner. Dinner is a starch, ie, sweet potato or potato or brown rice, multiple steamed or water sauteed vegies, beans or legumes, maybe a salad with lemon juice or balsalmic vinegar. I often have a snack of raw vegies or rice cakes or a piece of fruit in the afternoon and before bed.

[MINNIE]

It is normal for weight to fluctuate by a few pounds from day to day. It can be just a lot of fiber moving through your digestive tract, and water as well.

This does not mean you are necessarily gaining body fat.

[NightFlight]

I'm not losing either; in fact I've gained a few. Very discouraged here. I'm even considering going back to low-carb, since my two month or so experiment with veganism has been disappointing.

[Tatterhood]

Honestly, what finally did it for me with this WOE was to measure my foods. I know that sounds like a pain in the butt, but it worked. I also eat zero processed foods. I mean, zero! So, no sugar, no flours, no pasta, etc.

A typical day:
BF
1/2 cup oats
1/2 peach
1/2 banana

Lunch
1/2 cup no fat refried beans
chopped tomatoes/chopped romaine/chopped red cabbage (raw with apple cider vinegar and maybe some salsa on it)
1 steamed corn on cob
1/2 plate mixed steamed veggies

Snack
Some kind of fruit

Dinner:
1 cup brown rice
2 cups mixed steamed veggies
topped with fresh lime and tamari

Dessert: sometimes more fresh fruit. Sometimes I'm too full to eat any more.

All adds up to about 1200 calories per day, which is roughly what I had to do to get the weight to come off. I also had to start exercising. It's not rocket science. I make sure to get lots of water in as well. I've been walking about 45 mins to an hour every day. I've lost about a pound a week since June 15th.

Listen, I tried this a couple of summers ago. I was eating way too much starch for my size. I was also eating too much processed food, like occasional pasta, breads, cereals, and plant milks. My weight didn't really budge all that much. I, too, gave up and remained 20 pounds overweight for another two years. This summer, I decided to dig in and give it another try.

Read ALL of Jeff Novick's threads before you give up. They are so helpful. If you are really motivated and serious about getting the weight off without going hungry and feeling great and energetic, this can work.

[NightFlight]

I was losing too when I was eating between 1000 and 1200 calories a day. I wish I could just relax and eat when I'm hungry and not have to do all this work.

[omethatswho]

Tatterhood I think I would be hungry all the time if that is all I had to eat. I have just been considering jumping in with both feet into this way of eating...just started reading the Maximum Weight Loss book. I dropped 20 lbs on Weight Watchers but really admire Dr. McDougall and his work so I would like to follow his program. I have just finished 13 days of juicing for breakfast & lunch and eating a modest dinner and dropped another 5 lbs. I have 10 lbs to go and thought I would finally adopt this program, but now I'm not sure that is such a good idea!

[Tatterhood]

Tatterhood I think I would be hungry all the time if that is all I had to eat. I have just been considering jumping in with both feet into this way of eating...just started reading the Maximum Weight Loss book.

I totally understand. I didn't think I could manage life at 1200 cals per day, but when most of my calories are coming from a combination of low density veggies (as much as you want to fill you up throughout the day) and higher density starches like beans, potatoes and rice (some fresh corn)--but in measured portions, I found that I'm really satisfied...so much so, that sometimes I can't even finish what I dished up in one sitting!

Psyched that you're into the MWL Book. I never read it, but I know there are lots of folks who do it here and lots of support for it.

Honestly, it took about two weeks to become acclimated to this WOE. I had to ease my way in. In the beginning, I still had corn tortillas with my beans, tofu with my steamed veggies, and plant milk on my oats. I began to pull away from those things and to add in more straight up whole foods instead, and felt even more full from those.

Also--I used to have a big smoothie in the mornings (kale, banana, apple, 1/2 cup plant milk, 2 tbsp peanut butter) all of which was a whopping 500 or so cals! I would be hungry in 2 hours. I now have that 1/2 cup of oats, with 1/2 a peach and half a banana and I'm good for twice as long.

Chewing the food is a big deal. There are reasons why that's true--having to do with digestion of carbs in the tongue. Who knew? I've learned so much from all of this.

Also, I was vegan before starting this WOE, so it wasn't THAT big of a switch for me. Losing the oils from my salads, dropping all the nuts and avocados was hard, but losing ten pounds in roughly five weeks has been AWESOME! So, I'm singing the praises.

Anyway, I wish you well whatever you decide. I know this works. Like I said, I half tried and failed two years ago, thinking this was not easy, but it is. I thought it was only for people with A LOT of weight to lose. I only had 20 to lose (which is still a lot when you're 5'3". However, I've already lost 1/2 of that, so I know it can work if you really put your heart into it. It's not a hard WOE to follow. Jeff Novick makes it super easy!