How to break a plateu

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Babygi6003
Babygi6003 Posts: 356 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I have been stuck boucing around between 160-164 lbs for the past 2 months and I think I am in a plateau. What would you suggest to help me break it? I am eating 1200-1400 calories a day and working out 5x a week (burning 600-800 calories a day)
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Replies

  • IsaackGMOON
    IsaackGMOON Posts: 3,358 Member
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    1. Are you measuring accuaretly?
    2. Are you getting calorie burns from MFP or a HRM?

    OP, maybe you could try upping your calories a bit more; being stuck on 1200-1400 a day could be hindering your weight loss possibly.
  • earlnabby
    earlnabby Posts: 8,171 Member
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    Is the 1200-1400 total or net? If net, you really should consider upping them so you net 1200.
  • Babygi6003
    Babygi6003 Posts: 356 Member
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    I am getting my calorie burns from my Fitbit Charge HR and it is a 1200-1400 NET for me.
  • PeachyCarol
    PeachyCarol Posts: 8,029 Member
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    How tall are you? How old are you?

    Are you using a food scale? Are you measuring all your liquids?

    How long have you been dieting? How much weight have you lost?
  • malibu927
    malibu927 Posts: 17,565 Member
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    Can you open up your diary? Are you using a food scale?
  • juggernaut1974
    juggernaut1974 Posts: 6,212 Member
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    I would venture a guess you're not burning nearly that much, and you're eating more than you think.
  • Babygi6003
    Babygi6003 Posts: 356 Member
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    I am 5'6 and 27 years old. I have been dieting for 3 years and have lost 102 lbs so far. I do use a food scale when I am at home.
  • Babygi6003
    Babygi6003 Posts: 356 Member
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    I have calculated my BMR and it is 1728 and it is saying I should be eating around 2000 calories a day to lose but that seems insanely high!

    I am doing T25 in the mornings and cardio in the evenings (Ellipitcal, bike, treadmill). I am using a HRM to track my calories burned. I have my activity level set to sedentary since I am working a desk job.
  • arditarose
    arditarose Posts: 15,575 Member
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    Babygi6003 wrote: »
    I am 5'6 and 27 years old. I have been dieting for 3 years and have lost 102 lbs so far. I do use a food scale when I am at home.

    Have you been on a deficit for 3 years? I hope you have taken quite a few diet breaks.
  • Babygi6003
    Babygi6003 Posts: 356 Member
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    I have eaten around 1200-1500 calories a day for 3 years other than cheat days sometimes.
  • arditarose
    arditarose Posts: 15,575 Member
    edited April 2015
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    Babygi6003 wrote: »
    I have eaten around 1200-1500 calories a day for 3 years other than cheat days sometimes.

    That's a long time...


    https://youtube.com/watch?v=r0jqAXpjCV0

    The importance of diet breaks.
  • malibu927
    malibu927 Posts: 17,565 Member
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    Your diary is not reflecting that you use your scale consistently. Additionally, you have entries such as "Homemade - 2 scrambled eggs - 1.25 eggs". Did you enter that in yourself? Most likely you're eating more than you think.
  • ana3067
    ana3067 Posts: 5,624 Member
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    Babygi6003 wrote: »
    I am 5'6 and 27 years old. I have been dieting for 3 years and have lost 102 lbs so far. I do use a food scale when I am at home.

    Could be a potential case of metabolic adaptation, or something like that. I know there are some members who are better versed on this.

    How long have you been dieting, has it been consistent without any breaks?

    I'd suggest taking a few moths off and eating at your estimated maintenance needs. You're already maintaining your weight, might as well maintain a bit longer. I'm your height and although 160 looks a bit chubby on me it's not a terrible weight to be at for a while. I'd suggest slowly adding 100-200 calories every week (on top of your exercise calories, however much you currently eat back) until you reach your estimated net maintenance needs. Then eat that plus exercise calories for at least a month, maybe two. Then get back to eating at a deficit, although stick to 1lb/week or even half a lb a week.
  • ana3067
    ana3067 Posts: 5,624 Member
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    Babygi6003 wrote: »
    I have calculated my BMR and it is 1728 and it is saying I should be eating around 2000 calories a day to lose but that seems insanely high!

    I am doing T25 in the mornings and cardio in the evenings (Ellipitcal, bike, treadmill). I am using a HRM to track my calories burned. I have my activity level set to sedentary since I am working a desk job.

    i'm 154lbs (SW 188) and I eat 2050 to lose somewhere between 0.5-1lb week. This includes my exercise routine of ~4-5 hours max of moderate exercise a week (most of this is weight lifting).

    If you are eating back your exercise calories then your average intake would be close to 2000 calories anyways. Why would that seem high?
  • Babygi6003
    Babygi6003 Posts: 356 Member
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    I don't usually eat back my exercise calories but I guess if I did, I would be eating close to 2000 calories a day. I guess just the high number scares me. I am super scared to gain back weight.
  • ana3067
    ana3067 Posts: 5,624 Member
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    Babygi6003 wrote: »
    I don't usually eat back my exercise calories but I guess if I did, I would be eating close to 2000 calories a day. I guess just the high number scares me. I am super scared to gain back weight.

    Well you can't (or shouldn't) live on 1200 every day forever.. you eventually will need to learn how to eat greater quantities of food to maintain your weight, so I think a good time to learn how to do so would be now. Cleaning up your logging would also probably help.
  • _Terrapin_
    _Terrapin_ Posts: 4,302 Member
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    I'd recommend watching the video and the part where he says 'dieting sucks' is really at the heart of this. Take a break from 'dieting' meaning increase your calories for 2 weeks then recharge and find a goal where you can manage to eat enough to lose a little each week/month. When you get closer to goal the frustration sets in when the patience wears out. So, IMO, reset for 2 weeks and increase your intake, then re-evaluate where you want to go. You can continue to search threads where people speak about what was next when they stalled. Good luck.
  • IsaackGMOON
    IsaackGMOON Posts: 3,358 Member
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    Babygi6003 wrote: »
    I don't usually eat back my exercise calories but I guess if I did, I would be eating close to 2000 calories a day. I guess just the high number scares me. I am super scared to gain back weight.

    OP, eat at maintenance or 100~ higher for a while... eating such lower calories for that long of a time is not good.

    Your body could have adapted to the change, as Ana said.
  • PeachyCarol
    PeachyCarol Posts: 8,029 Member
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    I'm going to put in another vote for metabolic adaptation. Watch vismal's video, follow the advice to do a refeed, then go back to eating at a deficit.
  • Christine_72
    Christine_72 Posts: 16,049 Member
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    That video is really helpful. Concise, simple and straight to the point! No rambling for 20 minutes before getting to the point... :yawn:

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