Plateau

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joanny2877
joanny2877 Posts: 2 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I have hit my plateau and have not been able to overcome it for about a year now. I workout 5 days a week, I count my calories, eat 5 small meals a day. Nothing I do is helping. I've already lost 40lbs but still need another 15 to hit my goal. Any ideas on what I need to do or change to finally break out of this plateau? I would appreciate any advise.

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  • strong_curves
    strong_curves Posts: 2,229 Member
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    z1oryvths7n9.jpg
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,523 Member
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    Change the intensity of your workouts. Doesn't mean you need to change it completely, but adding sets, adding weight, less rest time, and faster tempo are just some of the things you can do. The body adapts quickly so it's not uncommon for it to adapt to a regular routine in a month or so.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
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  • DeguelloTex
    DeguelloTex Posts: 6,658 Member
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    You need a caloric deficit. Eat less or move more.
  • MCinBC
    MCinBC Posts: 41 Member
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    When this happens to me I feel like it's time to raise the bar. Instead of my usual 45-60 minutes run, I make it 1h30...so instead of burning 800-1000 calories, I would burn 1500-1600. I don't know what your "workouts" are made of, but 1 hour in the gym for about 400 calories against 1 hour cardio (run/bike) for about 800 calories, this should break your plateau. Beside, always good to change the routine, for the body and for the mind.
  • teddy9641
    teddy9641 Posts: 2 Member
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    I have hit my plateau around 185 and have not been able to overcome it for about a year now. I workout 7 days a week and lov to dance on weekends, I think i count my calories but thats real hard for sure, eat 3 meals a day. Nothing I do is helping. I've already lost 38lbs but still need another 10 to hit my goal.another problem is snacking late. Any ideas on what I need to do or change to finally break out of this plateau? I would appreciate any advise.
  • strong_curves
    strong_curves Posts: 2,229 Member
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    teddy9641 wrote: »
    I have hit my plateau around 185 and have not been able to overcome it for about a year now. I workout 7 days a week and lov to dance on weekends, I think i count my calories but thats real hard for sure, eat 3 meals a day. Nothing I do is helping. I've already lost 38lbs but still need another 10 to hit my goal.another problem is snacking late. Any ideas on what I need to do or change to finally break out of this plateau? I would appreciate any advise.

    Check out the flowchart above.
  • lorrpb
    lorrpb Posts: 11,464 Member
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    strong_curves wrote: »
    z1oryvths7n9.jpg
    EXCELLENT.
  • MCinBC
    MCinBC Posts: 41 Member
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    I think you got your own answer Teddy...if you have been doing the same for a year and nothing move, you have to scrap it and do something else. Just like a cold, the body get use to routine and spend less energy when you do it. Focus on more cardio if your workouts are not mainly about it, or do more strength exercises if you do mainly cardio...
  • BWBTrish
    BWBTrish Posts: 2,817 Member
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    When you dont lose inches or weight for about 6 weeks or longer, then you are not in a deficit anymore.
    But eating at maintenance level

    Weigh ALL your food on a food scale..dont use cups and spoons. Those are for liquids
    Create a deficit again and you will lose weight!
  • strong_curves
    strong_curves Posts: 2,229 Member
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    MCinBC wrote: »
    I think you got your own answer Teddy...if you have been doing the same for a year and nothing move, you have to scrap it and do something else. Just like a cold, the body get use to routine and spend less energy when you do it. Focus on more cardio if your workouts are not mainly about it, or do more strength exercises if you do mainly cardio...

    I disagree. He most likely has to tighten up his calorie counting and also the late night snacking that he mentions in his post. He could be eating more snack calories than he realizes.
  • MCinBC
    MCinBC Posts: 41 Member
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    For sure if you count to the last calorie to make it happen you doing it wrong. But if you plan to burn an excess of 1000 calories a day and miss it by 20%, you will still lose weight. I just feel sorry for people spending 1 hour at the gym burning next to nothing because they probably had a snack before while they could be burning real calories doing cardio and then not understanding why they do not lose weight.
  • joanny2877
    joanny2877 Posts: 2 Member
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    Thank you so much everyone. I will definitely take all of your advise into consideration. I think I need to change my workout routine and add some weights. I'm very hopeful that I can finally break out of this.
  • LivingtheLeanDream
    LivingtheLeanDream Posts: 13,345 Member
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    Try interval training / circuits / HIIT as that always worked for me but most of all tighten that logging, it's so easy to get complacent and guess portion sizes etc.

    Keep on keeping on and you'll reach your goal :smile:

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