Plateauing early? 2 months in 16:8

Hey y’all, I started IF 16:8 two months ago and thankfully shed the 5 lbs I gained last semester. Now I seem to be stuck around 149lbs at 5’8”. I don’t count calories because of a history with disordered eating, but I do eat pretty dang healthy every day, and an occasional treat here and there. I weight lift 3x per week and run once a week. I also have a fairly active job I will say my eating window shifts day to day depending on what I’m scheduled for work and school. Not sure if that’s a factor? Day to day I usually have some unsweetened oatmeal with berries or apple, protein bar, and a salad for dinner. Snacks usually include yogurt, dried mango, grapes, granola, etc. Is this a common thing and I just gotta keep going or should I be changing something up?

Answer

Your scale may not be telling you the whole story. If you don’t already have one, get a scale that also tracks your body composition ( fat, bone, and lean body mass). Also, take measurements. If you’re already eating lean and doing regular strength training, any fat you’re losing is being replaced by muscle.

Answer

As a fellow non-counter it can be hard to narrow down what’s just normal plateauing and fluctuations and what’s habits slipping a bit. I usually think of it like a spectrum from meticulously counting and unrestricted eating, and then I swing the dial a bit. Whether that’s trying to make certain substitutions, being more mindful of when I’m full, etc.

Based on what you’re describing, you might be a little low on protein. It might help to add some more for muscle building to bring up your resting metabolism and the satiety of it might help to curb some unnecessary snacking.