Have I hit my plateau?

lindsayh87

So it seems I'm feeling a little stuck and starting to wonder if maybe I set my goals too high (or low really!). I'm 27 yrs old, 5'3" and down to 130lbs. My goal was 120lbs but now i upped it to 125. Last year I went through this - strict diet and hard work outs - and once I hit 130 I couldn't get any lower. I backed off for a while and gained back a few lbs so now I've been back to 45-90 minutes of exersize 5-6 days a week and sticking close to 1200 calories a day for the last month. I have cheat days, yes, but not in so much excess to account for a whole week of doing good! I've lost 23lbs since I started this over a year ago and I'm stuck! Am I now gaining too much muscle from work outs to lose weight? Are some people just not built to get a certain weight (without starving and malnourishing myself)? I feel pretty good about what I see in the mirror so I know I shouldn't care so much about what the scale says but gosh darn it, it makes me mad that I haven't reached that ultimate goal!! Any advise? Thanks!!

jabx1962

What's the difference with the tape measure if you are @ 120, or @ 130? I have the same measurements weighing @ 220 as I do @ 230.

I hit a plateau around October and did not drop or gain for 2 months. Then, I changed my routine from Evening to Morning workouts, and dropped 12 lbs. in 16 days. Also increased my whey protein intake. Another thing I did was stop working out on the Machines, and went strictly to barbells, dumbbells, and body weight resistance/core workouts.

Also try increasing your calorie intake. 1200 may be too low to support those guns you have working...

malibu927

Can you open your diary?

raemckee

I'd consider it maintenance and as you know, keeping the pounds from creeping up is hard. At some point the plateau will ease. It may only be an ounce at a time but I'd feel great about not gaining.

RoxieDawn

I did the same thing. My last 5 pounds would not budge! I stayed at "maintenance" and the amount of calories I was eating was right around 1100 to 1200 and no matter how much cardio I did it would not budge.

I forgave those last 5 pounds (LOL) and decided to recomp. What I mean is that although I still do cardio 3 times a week, I have added lifting weights (barbells, dumbells, body strength exercising) another 3 days a week and now I am losing fat (not weight).

My body wants to stay at a particular number period.. I thought I would go insane until I switched it up and it is the best thing I could have done. Being female, do not give up the cardio, just add strength training (light until you get stronger) and you will see changes..

Good luck! I you want a MFP, please feel free to add me...

berz82

sounds like youre cals are rather lowup them a little and lift weights and be patient then after a certain time drop them ever so slightly again, but to be honest they sound rather low in the first place. what will happen is you will just become a smaller person ( same shape but smaller)then you already are all over if youre not eating right, hope this helps