I'm curious if other people have this problem; That they only lose fat when they use extreme diets that cause constant hunger, fatigue, and deprivation.

I read a lot that you shouldn't look at the scale.

That you should only cut a moderate amount of calories.

That you shouldn't deprive yourself too much.

That Low Carb (100-50 carbs a day) is too extreme.

That fat is good for you.

Everything in Moderation.

I totally agree.

The problem is I've found that moderation doesn't work for me.

I can't lose fat.

Here's my situation.

I'm a 30-year-old female. I weigh like 145 and I'm 5'5'.

I'm healthy and strong.

I know a lot of my weight is muscle and I'm fine and proud of that.

I know the difference between my fat weight and muscle weight.

But I do have a very visible amount of extra fat. No body dysmorphia just literal extra folds that I want to remove. I am a workout-aholic I want to be able to see my muscles a bit.

I want to lose 10 lbs of Fat. Only 10 lbs.

I've literally REALLY tried for YEARS to no avail.

Okay, so I know the math. I've read all the advice.

Lose 3500 a week = about a 500 calorie deficit.

(I've read it's not about calories in versus out but let's be real you want to lose fat YES you need a calorie deprivation.)

Simple right.

But I wore a working fit bit HR for a year. I know that with say 8k steps and a strength training workout I burn about 2100 calories a day. (a balanced moderately active day.) 1900 is I have a less active day.

So that 500 calorie deficit looks like 1600 calories a day.

Moderate right?

But I've found that that much is actually very strict.

Inevitably very low fat and low carb and Small meals.

1600 calories look like avoiding sugar, extra carbs and any extra fat like the plague.

I eat 90% clean eating, 80g of clean protein and lots of veggies and when I do 1600 calories I am constantly hungry. I'm talking constantly distracted or extremely tired.

And I try intermittent fasting to try and get that 500 calorie deficit but again I have this crazy hunger and worse extreme fatigue.

So I rarely get in a calorie deficit each day. I work out every day but I only burn like 1900 calories if I'm at my desk job the rest of the day.

And of course, I don't lose fat. I am able to gain strength and muscle but the fat does not leave. People are always like muscle weighs more. Yes, I know the difference. I just can't lose the fat. I know it's harder the closer you are to healthy fat ranges.

I have succeeded in losing a lot of fat but it was by extreme deprivation and Juice fasting. But I just can't do that anymore.

Maybe I just have annoying hormones.

Or is it just that the only way to lose fat is actually extreme deprivation. Like forcing oneself to be hungry most of the time and eating a very low carb (100g a day) and low fat. AND doing an extra bit of cardio like an hour walk or a 30 min job every day to burn an extra 300 calories.

So I'm curious, do other people follow all the smart healthy weight loss rules and have a really hard time losing fat.

Are all these moderate diet blogs written by people who are already very thin and only have to maintain?

Is this a problem common to smaller females?

Is it only men or people with magic hormones that can lose fat (lose a lb a week) without major daily sacrifices. (2 hours of working out. Strict low carb and low fat and small meals.)

Thanks for listening to my rant.

Peace!