Weight maintenance--an unexpected problem

[ETeSelle]

Hi Jeff--As you know, I lost 90 pounds 11+ years ago with this plan. I did gain back a little during COVID, but lost if again quickly. It's all in my Star story (link below).

So I am really adamant this time about staying ON PLAN. The problem is that I am also a big hiker. I regularly do 12-15 mile hikes and average about 30 miles a week. I am having trouble not LOSING too much. At 5'-6", 120 is a good weight for me. Right now I'm at 117.5, and I've been eating a LOT (as you know, the lower-fat food on this plan means you can take in a LOT of bulk without massive calories). During weight loss I was doing intermittent fasting (eating between about 10:30 AM and 5:30 PM), which worked great. But I cannot eat enough during that period of time--at least, not without adding in high fat foods or feeling sick from overeating--to avoid losing more weight. So I added breakfast back in. But I'm still having trouble. I use Cronometer religiously and am taking in about 1500 cals a day, which should be enough except for the exercise. On hiking days I am often running a 400-500 calorie deficit.

I obviously don't want to add in oil or junk food (processed vegan meals, etc.). And I am worried about having things like nuts or avocado in the house b/c I have a history of overeating massively on things like that. So it's a Catch-22.

Do you have any advice?

[JeffN]

Hi Jeff--As you know, I lost 90 pounds 11+ years ago with this plan. I did gain back a little during COVID, but lost if again quickly. It's all in my Star story (link below).

Good to see you! I see they featured your Star McDougaller story last week.

So I am really adamant this time about staying ON PLAN. The problem is that I am also a big hiker. I regularly do 12-15 mile hikes and average about 30 miles a week. I am having trouble not LOSING too much. At 5'-6", 120 is a good weight for me. Right now I'm at 117.5, and I've been eating a LOT (as you know, the lower-fat food on this plan means you can take in a LOT of bulk without massive calories). During weight loss I was doing intermittent fasting (eating between about 10:30 AM and 5:30 PM), which worked great. But I cannot eat enough during that period of time--at least, not without adding in high fat foods or feeling sick from overeating--to avoid losing more weight. So I added breakfast back in. But I'm still having trouble.
I use Cronometer religiously and am taking in about 1500 cals a day, which should be enough except for the exercise. On hiking days I am often running a 400-500 calorie deficit.

A couple points. There really is no advantage to Intermittent Fasting or Time Restricted Eating especially if you are already eating health. If anything, if you are trying to gain weight and/or are volume eater and/or eating lots of low fat, lower calorie dense plant foods and/or doing 12-15 mile hikes, it can be a real detriment as you are seeing.

Just remember, those numbers you see in cronometer,, whether calories in or calories out, include variances, errors, averages, lee-ways, so even the best ones can be up to 20% off. The good news, on a simpler consistent diet, the numbers can still be off, but they are consistent, which smooths out any error in accuracy The real "measure" of your metabolic equation is the scale.

I obviously don't want to add in oil or junk food (processed vegan meals, etc.). And I am worried about having things like nuts or avocado in the house b/c I have a history of overeating massively on things like that. So it's a Catch-22.

Here are a few things you can think about and see if any of them will work for you....

1) shift the basic calorie density of the plate upwards which will give you more calories per plate. So make the plate more like 75/25 to 90/10 starches/non starchy veggies by volume.

2) look for the starches that are naturally somewhat higher in calorie density. Oatmeal is 325, Potato is 425 while Whole Wheat pasta is 675, Garbanzo beans are 630. A 200 calorie/lb increase on an averages 3-4 lbs of food/day is 600-800 more calories a day.

3) You can increase the calorie density of some of the starches by how you cook them (ie, use 1 cup water to 1 cup oats like for overnight oats instead of 2 cups water to 1 cup oats). Use the same ratio of 1:1 to make baked oatmeal squares. Turn potatoes into fries or chips. Roasted beans (ie, garbanzos nuts), etc. These are all great for hikes too because they are drier.

4) If they are not a problem for you, add in more of the compliant but higher calorie dense starches like whole grain tortilla's, puffed grains, air popped popcorn, crackers, Ezekiel bread, dry rolled oats, etc or dried fruit. Make a granola from rolled oats and dried fruits and puffed grains. Mix rolled oats with mashed bananas and a few raisins and bake them.

5) and then there is the higher fat, higher calorie dense foods.. If nuts and avocado don't work for you, I get it, but what might work is adding some plain seeds (like sesame seeds) sprinkled on your food ground or whole. Or a spice blend that is mostly ground seeds.

Hope some of this is helpful.

Let me know
Jeff

[ETeSelle]

OK thanks. Most of that I knew, but it helps to be reminded.

I thought you didn't eat breakfast yourself? That is basically intermittent fasting, no? I actually found that it really worked well for me, after years of being a "Gotta have breakfast!" girl. That surprised me. So I actually have to sort of nag myself to eat breakfast now LOL, but it helps a lot with not losing too much. I actually had a huge baked potato this AM--I will try to do more of that.

It's a strange problem to have after all these years of being super careful (and paying for it when I was not). In the past, even eating "too much" of foods that were very much on plan caused weight gain when I was thin. It's really the first time I've ever enjoyed a form of exercise enough to do so much of it that it results in weight loss LOL.

Thanks! As always, you are the guru!

[JeffN]

OK thanks. Most of that I knew, but it helps to be reminded. !

That is what I am here for.

I thought you didn't eat breakfast yourself? That is basically intermittent fasting, no? !

No. We can save this discussion for another day or you can read the thread on "Eating Between Meals & Meal Frequency"

Full thread
https://www.drmcdougallforums.com/viewt ... 22&t=26337

Summary statement (which I repeat though out the thread)
https://www.drmcdougallforums.com/viewt ... 30#p568241

"However, some people just can't maintain a meal plan with fewer meals and some just can't maintain a meal plan with more frequent meals. I am one of the latter, and so, I keep a more limited meal plan but would not insist on that for someone who felt more comfortable with more frequent meals as long as the overall dietary and nutritional pattern is the same. What you eat is way more important than when and how often."

It's a strange problem to have after all these years of being super careful (and paying for it when I was not). In the past, even eating "too much" of foods that were very much on plan caused weight gain when I was thin. It's really the first time I've ever enjoyed a form of exercise enough to do so much of it that it results in weight loss LOL.!

You have a new metabolic equilibrium and are just finding your new sweet spot while sticking to the healthiest foods.

Thanks! As always, you are the guru!

My pleasure.

Thanks
Jeff

[ETeSelle]

I can't believe I am having this problem, but despite all efforts to increase calorie intake without resorting to anything with oil in it, I am still losing weight! I'm healthy as a horse, but last weight was 114.6, which is just too thin for 5'-6". I am eating like a COW, I swear. I've added in avocado (which I never thought I'd eat again LOL), go through tons of potatoes, eat lots of pasta, and added nuts to my breakfast and I grab small handfuls through the day. I even added back bread. I considered peanut butter but (1) it's hard to find one without added oil and (2) when you do, it is still awfully fatty and it's always been such a trigger for me, so I admit it scares me a bit. Should I do that?? I would love PB&Js but am worried, I guess, that I will love them TOO much. There is obviously a psychological component here, as with everyone who has experienced major weight loss.

I really don't want to scale back my hiking--I am training for some big hikes and I love it. But short of either stuffing myself to sickness or eating things like fake cheese and ice cream, I'm really stuck as to what to do.

[JeffN]

I am sure there is a psychological component.

You mentioned in your first post that you were logging info into Cronometer. If you are still doing that, how much has your caloric intake changed, if any?

When was the last time you have a physical exam and/or complete blood work done?

If you are more comfortable, we can continue this via email

Jeff

[ETeSelle]

I am sure there is a psychological component.

You mentioned in your first post that you were logging info into Cronometer. If you are still doing that, how much has your caloric intake changed, if any?

When was the last time you have a physical exam and/or complete blood work done?

Bloodwork about 6 mos ago and everything great. I am SUPER healthy. Literally never sick.

Calorie intake has gone way up, but so has exercise as I get more into hiking. I am contemplating some long-distance hikes and am gonna be pissed if I can't do it b/c I can't eat enough cals. "Normal" people would just start wolfing down the Snickers--that's what thru hikers do. And it works, of course. And I could easily do the vegan version of that. But then I'm putting my arteries at risk and it just seems like a very bad habit to get back into after all this work!

I'm taking in close to 2,000 cals a day right now according to Cronometer. Hiking 25-30 miles a week. I am going to add peanut butter sandwiches to my long hiking day lunches (along with 700 cals of freeze-dried backpacking meal) and see if that helps. I do try to eat more on the days on either side of a long hiking day, since I know I can't actually eat 3500 cals in one day without going for vegan cheese and things with oil and such. I am also now adding guac (no oil kind) to my rice/veggie bowls, which is yummy and adds considerable cals.

[ETeSelle]

OTOH . . . there is this: https://www.drmcdougall.com/misc/2003nl ... weight.htm

Maybe I'm NOT too thin?? Maybe I shouldn't worry about it unless it gets much lower? I'm certainly strong and healthy and hiking 12 mile days easily.

[JeffN]

OTOH . . . there is this: https://www.drmcdougall.com/misc/2003nl ... weight.htm

Maybe I'm NOT too thin?? Maybe I shouldn't worry about it unless it gets much lower? I'm certainly strong and healthy and hiking 12 mile days easily.

It seems that this was about you thinking you were losing too much and wanting to stop that and were happier at 120. I was not concerned with the specific BMI number as I know you are in range.

A few comments...

1) We go by BMI and a range as there is no one single number for weight for a specific height. The healthiest is between a BMI of 18.5 to 22/23. At your current weight, your BMI is around 18.5 and so unless you feel better at 120, 115 is fine.

2) I ran some numbers based on some rule of thumbs and I would say your deficit is probably more like 500-700, depending on certain variables about you and your hikes that I don't know, and that is what is accounting for the continued loss, the deficit created by your hikes.

So, yes, while BMI is only a screening tool, and just one number, I would have no worries for most healthy people at a BMI of 18.5

As an FYI, I am also 5'6" and my BMI is around 18.5.

3) remember, there is no reason to have to consume unhealthy foods to maintain a healthy weight. There are plenty of higher calorie dense foods that are healthy.

Jeff

[ETeSelle]

OK. I will keep doing what I'm doing, having added in the avocado and occasional peanut butter (I got natural, so no palm oil). Plus bread and pasta and nuts and more taters and such. I won't worry unless I drop much more weight.

I totally get it that we are all so used to seeing fat people that our view of "normal" is now totally off kilter. I'm so tired of people telling me I'm too thin when in fact I look great and I weigh what a woman my height SHOULD weigh. I can't help it that 90% of the rest of the country is at least overweight.

Thanks, Jeff.