on a plateau for over a month

[eldorado94]

Let me recap for a minute. I am a 74 year old male. When I reached 198 pounds, I decided it was time to take control. My health was going down hill and I was on too much medications for blood pressure, cholesterol, etc. I decided to diet, eating no junk food, no potatoes, pasta, white bread, no packaged foods. I try to stay around 1000 to 1200 calories a day which includes chicken breast, vegs and fruits. I walk a minimum of 1 mile a day and work out on my Weider exercise machine.

I lost 2 pounds per week and my body started to change. I see muscle definition and even my belly is way smaller. I've lost 4 inches from my waist and i'm down to 178 pounds.

Problem is I can't break that 178 mark. In fact I go up to 180 then down to 178 over and over but can't break that 178 mark. This has been going on for over a month. My doctor says to keep up what I'm doing and I will eventually start to lose again. My daughter is a fitness instructor and says that my body may know that my weight should be 180 and that is why I can't lose more weight.

Sorry to take so long but I'm really getting frustrated. I am 5' 9" tall My BMI is 26.4 All the charts say I should weigh 160 or less.

HELP PLEASE I REALLY NEED SOME FEEDBACK.

 

[eldorado94]

A little more info... for breakfast I have one cup of coffee and two pieces of 12 grain toast. Usually have no lunch. Dinner is chicken breast, grilled with vegetables. Snacks, blueberries or oranges. Sometimes toast and tea around 7 or 8 o'clock at night. This sounds like not enough food, I know, but I feel great. I tried adding oatmeal but no matter when I eat oatmeal I get really bad stomach cramps. Sometimes I eat lean beef but I don't feel good after I eat beef.

 

[Trusylver]

ABMI is not a good indicator if you have a good amount of muscle, have you had you bodyfat % measured ?

 

[PLB]

Hey and welcome to the forum! That's great to hear that you've already lost 20 lbs. Congrats!


Actually, for your age, a BMI of 26.4 might be a good thing... to lower your BMI too much at this point can actually put you at risk for some health conditions, which is what some studies have been looking at.


Here is a quote from the National Institutes of Health: (http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/007196.htm)

In the elderly it is often better to have a BMI between 25 and 27, rather than under 25. If you are older than 65, for example, a slightly higher BMI may help protect you from osteoporosis.

And here is a quote from a study in the Canadian Medical Association Journal: (http://www.cmaj.ca/content/172/8/995)

Interpreting the BMI and waist circumference in elderly patients requires caution. People aged 65 years or older who are overweight may not be at increased risk of health problems, whereas those who have a BMI in the low end of the normal range (between 18.5 kg/m2 and the low 20s) may be at increased risk. Thus, the normal-weight or low-risk BMI range may be higher and wider (e.g., 22–29 kg/m2) for elderly people than the range for younger adults (18.5– 24.9 kg/m2). Weight loss in elderly people, especially loss of fat-free mass, regardless of the baseline BMI, is associated with an increased risk of death. Consequently, screening for weight loss may be a more useful means of determining health risk in elderly people.

So it sounds like you're actually doing OK! It's important to keep up physical activity though, but be sure to discuss with your doctor whether or not you should lose more weight, or just focus on maintaining and staying consistently active.

 

[Mytabolezm]

Your diet sounds right on. I am impressed that you have been able to do what you are doing. The exercise sound like the opportunity. One mile a day is not much (about 2000 steps). A sedentary person is defined as walking less than 5.000 steps per day. An active person is walking 10,000 per more steps a day. You may have reached your equalibrium point and need to drive exercise up because going any lower in calories would be dangerous. Good luck.

 

[eldorado94]

Thanks for all of your feedback. I know one mile is not much. I walk with the dog which is a real pain in the neck so maybe I'll try leaving him home every other day. Also the mile I walk is uphill so that should help some. I think it's the walking that drops the weight and the workout on the machine that is building the muscle. I haven't had muscle definition like this in years. Thanks again, the encouragement helps.

 

[Gigas]

I have been teaching exercise since 1975 and have found that when my students hit a wall in weight reduction (or other goals) it is time to cross train. Losing weight and toning is not only a question of using more calories than you eat, but getting the body to work well on every level. For example, Tai-chi and Zookinesis Age Reversal exercise training strengthens the internal organs and improves the flow of blood and lymph. These exercises work on the muscles on a much finer level than resistance training. They also improve the breathing process so that the exchange of carbon dioxide and oxygen is more efficient. They strengthen the connection of the mind and body so your other workouts are more efficient.


Exercises like Pilates and Yoga also work on more "internal" aspects of health which are also important for overall exercise efficiency. So vary your exercise routines. It will not only lead to better results but will be more enjoyable and provide better overall health.