Stuck at a Plateau

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951heather
951heather Posts: 75 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I know I can cut calories and exercise more. I am at the gym all the time. I am still fat. I can't get under 200 pounds. It is very frustrating. People are telling me lately that I have lost a lot of weight, but honestly, my weight stays around 204-207. I think I have lost some inches but I have such a negative view of myself I just don't see it
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  • libbydoodle11
    libbydoodle11 Posts: 1,351 Member
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    How much weight have you lost since you began MFP?
  • 951heather
    951heather Posts: 75 Member
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    48 pounds
  • libbydoodle11
    libbydoodle11 Posts: 1,351 Member
    edited December 2014
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    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1296011/calorie-counting-101/p1



    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1080242/a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants/p1
  • janetteluparia
    janetteluparia Posts: 318 Member
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    readjust your net goal. Try some intermittent calories to hit your weekly net to shake it up a bit. we all hit plateaus and they require a lot of patience.
  • malibu927
    malibu927 Posts: 17,565 Member
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    How long has it been since you lost? How long has it been since you updated your calorie goals? How do you keep track of the calories you eat/burn?
  • libbydoodle11
    libbydoodle11 Posts: 1,351 Member
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    How long have you been at your plateau? BTW: a 48 pound loss is awesome!
  • 951heather
    951heather Posts: 75 Member
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    I can't get under 200 pounds. It has been like this since August. I use the app everyday and log everything. I still have fat arms. Some blouses fit better, but my legs are big. I use the elliptical 4 or 5 times a week
  • Mr_Knight
    Mr_Knight Posts: 9,532 Member
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    Open your diary.
  • malibu927
    malibu927 Posts: 17,565 Member
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    You're most likely eating more than you think. How do you measure your food?
  • LadyLots2Lose
    LadyLots2Lose Posts: 110 Member
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    Congrats on dropping 48 lbs. There could be a number of reasons for your plateau so, it's hard to say what will kick start you back into a losing streak. I had a similar frustration when I started exercising more last year. The number on the scales didn't seem to budge at all in spite of all my efforts but my measurements changed dramatically.
    Muscle takes up less space for the same weight of fat so, I'd start by keeping track of your measurements if you aren't already doing that. It was the only thing that kept me motivated to work out when my frustration was near unbearable.
    It might also be a good idea to have a check up to rule out any hormonal imbalances that could be affecting your weight loss efforts.
  • Liftng4Lis
    Liftng4Lis Posts: 15,150 Member
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    Can you open your diary?
  • lollitakennedy
    lollitakennedy Posts: 33 Member
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    you have to eat to drop the weight
  • Makterbro
    Makterbro Posts: 101 Member
    edited December 2014
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    I feel the same way. I have been stuck at 150 for the past 2 weeks and thanksgiving definitely didn't help. Don't worry though. You can do it! Just keep pushing through.
    I remember being stuck at 175 for about 2-3 weeks. I switched up my exercise routines(nothing too much harder, just something different) and switched up my diet(started eating different types of meals instead of the same thing over and over again). That seemed to do the trick.

    When I first started my weight loss journey I weighed about 220lbs and I am only 5'3 so I can relate.
  • AnthonyThrashD
    AnthonyThrashD Posts: 306 Member
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    You've created equality calories in/calories out probably due to a bad value somewhere. I'm not criticizing your ability to track. For example, I stayed the same weight for weeks last June/July. I was trying my hardest to drop pounds! My old HRM was giving me too many calories (almost x2) for doing my run mostly up hill. I was burning 900 calories in 42 min, I thought I was awesome! :D
    It should have been 400 to 450 cal tops :(
    good luck
    63227838.png
  • 951heather
    951heather Posts: 75 Member
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    Thanks. I wonder if I shouldn't trust what the elliptical is saying I burn? When I go to log it on here, this site always wants to give me more calories than the machine, but still maybe the amount is off?
  • 951heather
    951heather Posts: 75 Member
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    I opened my diary
  • ardysedwardsmcgrath
    ardysedwardsmcgrath Posts: 120 Member
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    THE LAST 2 1/2 mos me too being stuck@a plateau.. im trying working out &trying to eat better.. &more water.. i want to have a goal of excersing in a.m&Pm..
  • xsmilexforxmex
    xsmilexforxmex Posts: 1,216 Member
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    Might be best to measure vs weigh? Especially if you're finding you're smaller but the number isn't. The scale can lie.
    After checking the totals on your diary - you might be over estimating calorie burns and eating at about maintenance - especially if you haven't readjusted since your loss. (amazing job btw!) There are several days you're close to 2000 and personally at 1700ish I gain (I'm 5'4" and 153lbs)... Maybe try re-doing your goals on MFP and see if that helps? Lower by about 100/150 a day and keep it there for a few weeks... readjust as necessary. And as far as elliptical vs MFP, I always go with the lower number but I TRY to only eat half back.
    - Good luck!
  • 951heather
    951heather Posts: 75 Member
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    Cool, thanks!
  • Mr_Knight
    Mr_Knight Posts: 9,532 Member
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    Unless you can run 6 miles in one hour, your calorie burns on the elliptical are massively over-estimated. I would cut those by two-thirds (ie, from 800 to 300).

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