see, he lost like 65 pounds last year- in just a few months- I just started counting his calories. THEN we hit a plateau- just the normal ones you hit- well it lasted for about 3 months- always within a 3-5 lb range for 3 months. he got frusterated. I got REALLY frusterated, cause I HATE diet food, and have to cook 6 meals a day- 3 for him (plus snacks) and 3 for the kids, -
anyway- we lowered his calories from 1600 to 1200. and he started gaining weight. so I lowerd to 1000. he gained MORe weight. and was starving. LOL
he is not quite as big as he was- and we switched over to the south beach diet. But we are simple country folks. I dont even know what mia mia is, or mika mika or whatever.. and salmon, and quiche, and all that is way out of my 'care to learn to cook' repritore.
He is on about 1300 calories a day, and is not loosing weight. plus he is getting SO tired of it. He hates it. and is starting to eat food he shouldnt. because he is tired of broiled chicken and baked fish. and I have lost so dadgum much weight I can fit into my 12 year olds overalls. and wear their jeans as capri's. LOL
and he works about 16-17 hours a day- there is not alot of time for energy output. He used to work out all the time- but that was with a differnt job, and even when he could bench 350 he was what some considered overweight.
You have to feed the body once the metabolism is reset and when you start burning that energy regularly. If the body gets a limited input for a sustained period of time, it thinks it's not going to get any input, so it saves it in fat reserves. Age plays a factor too, simply put, we don't have the metabolism like our teenage years that we do in our 30s, 40s and 50s.
I gained a substantial amount of weight after my last back injury, I couldn't lose weight because I couldn't exercise. Sure, I maintained my trim, fighting figure for a while, but eventually the lack of activity took it's toll. Two surgeries later, I can move and do stuff without constant nerve pain. Simply parking further from a door, or taking steps instead of elevator, etc; can do a lot to increase activity if schedule doesn't permit a 45-60 minute workout session. Some activity is better than no activity.
Caloric intake can be tricky and easy, I know that's not a great answer. Anything lower than 1000 calories is starving the body. Runners, high activity sports types, etc take in an enormous amount of calories/food. Even when sedentary, they burn that food off because their metabolism is high. It's use to getting a lot of food and burning energy, so it knows it doesn't have to "save" anything. Sodas, sugars, etc are ok in moderation, but too much of it and it can be disastrous on a body. You can trim down intake of foods and food types to lower caloric intake, but eventually that intake has to come back up, if you are exercising. Small meals or snicky-snacks is another way to kick start a metabolism. If the body knows it has constant input, even in small doses, it doesn't "save" anything.
Women and men store things differently. For example, women retain water and salt differently and in greater percentages. I don't recall the exact reasons why, I'm not a nutrionist, just a sports coach/former athelete/military guy. Weight control can be difficult, but like vaping, it can be simplistic for some and a trial/error thing for others. Also like vaping, there are common basic principles that apply generally, regardless of individuals though.
Stay motivated (you and/or him), these things take time. There isn't any overnight or one month/two month solution to weight loss.