Hey everyone. Been doing IF for a few months now and I’m about 35lbs down and just can’t break past that. I’m still nowhere near at a healthy weight so that isn’t it.
I drink sugar free energy drinks every day. Bad I know, but I have a job that requires high focus so it’s that or about 4 black americanos every day. The drinks list 10 cal per serving (1can) so at most I’m having ~20 cal during the day. When I get home, I’ll often have a few beers or a shot or two before eating, but I always focus on staying below about 1500 - 1700 calories. Does alcohol overtly hurt this diet?
I also smoke, which I know is another thing that is unhealthy, but I’ve gotten off cigarettes for about 2 years now and mainly vape for nicotine. In the future, I hope to be completely done with that.
Additionally, I do my best to work out at least 30 minutes every day. This includes squats, curls, presses, mostly upper body stuff.
Any suggestions on why I might not be able to break past 35lbs down?
Sorry to be the bearer of bad news but Alcohol has priorty when it comes down to fat burning!
Besides the calories, it’s the sugar in alcohol!
Maybe try some cardio instead, or perhaps have your workout before dinner?
Trying walking in the morning. I start my day by making a cup of coffee and doing a quick 1 mile loop around my neighborhood (only takes 15-20 minutes).
Also try calculating your BMR based on your height and weight. 1500-1700 calories might be too high of a calorie intake.
Last thing is cut the alcohol out. It will affect how well you sleep at night and could slow your metabolic rate.
Cardio, cut out booze, and instead of energy drinks (even sugar free) try to stick to black tea or black coffee!
Best of luck! You can do it!!
Small changes add up! What if you trade 1 energy drink for plain caffeinated tea and reduce alcohol to weekends or social gatherings only. Before IF I had a glass or 2 of wine each weeknight + more on the weekends. Now I have alcohol very sparingly. It’s worth it if you can give it up!
Congratulations on down 35. Celebrate that. Don’t lose sight of how much you’ve done to get here.
I would quit the alcohol completely until you get past your plateau. The beer needs to go permanently plus any sugary mixers. Remember, even tonic water has a fair amount of sugar in it. After you start to lose again you can try adding a small amount of hard liquor back and see how it affects you. Straight ethanol usually isn’t a huge deal if you drink it towards the end of your eating window. I will drink a dram of scotch about every other evening and it seems to have no negative impact.
I would try quitting the exercise for a couple weeks. It can have a reverse effect on weight loss. If you are adding exercise calorie burn to your TDEE estimates, stop doing that. Those estimates are way too optimistic and I’ve found my rate of loss actually slows when adding exercise even with the exact same calorie intake. Dropping the exercise for a while gives your body a different look on the calorie burn and that’s what you’re trying to do, shake it up a bit.
Longer fasting windows is something to try. I would not lower the calories at all. I’ve found that rarely works. Your body has already gotten good at making do with 1,700 calories. It will find a way with 1,600.
If you have any simple carbohydrates in your diet, try dropping them. Not just sweets, but bread, white rice (especially the fast-cook kinds), regular pasta, are all simple carbohydrates. Replace with whole wheat bread and tortillas, whole wheat pasta, long cook whole grain rice. Try keeping carbs down to 30% or less of total calories. This will potentially have the effect of keeping insulin levels calmer and more stable and allow your body to go into ketosis more readily.
Plateaus are a reality in this business. The idea is to start changing things until you find something that knocks your body off the stasis it’s in. Your body’s biological imperative is to preserve the remaining fat reserves and if it can find a way to do that, it will. This is why we have plateaus in the first place. Certainly frustrating, but there are things you can do.
>I drink sugar free energy drinks every day. Bad I know, but I have a job that requires high focus so it’s that or about 4 black americanos every day.
I don’t know your life or circumstance, ultimately you do you. But downing multiple energy drinks is hardly a necessity, or at least shouldn’t be. It’s not like brain surgeons are knocking back Sugar Free Red Bulls mid operation.
It’s a little concerning that you need multiple energy drinks to get through the day and then multiple alcoholic drinks to wind down. How’s your sleep?