Plateaus -Breaking with extra calories, but how many extra?

Tilly1285
Tilly1285 Posts: 36 Member
edited November 23 in Health and Weight Loss
Hi Everyone -

As the topic says, how many are too many to be used to break a plateau? What is a good rule of thumb if in fact eating extra calories is the correct way to beat a plateau?

Thanks for your input . . .
Tilly
«13

Replies

  • diannethegeek
    diannethegeek Posts: 14,776 Member
    A cheat day or calorie increase wouldn't be how I would recommend breaking a plateau. I know that some people swear by them, but there are a lot of things that I would look to first. If you've been at a calorie deficit for a long time, there's something to be said for taking a diet break for a week or two where you eat to your maintenance calorie level if you want.

    Other than that:

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  • XavierNusum
    XavierNusum Posts: 720 Member
    If you have been the standard yo-yo dieter with calorie levels at or near 1200 for a long period of time that plateau is probably due to metabolic suppression. So a "cheat meal" won't do. You will have to go through a metabolic reset. Then reduce calories to a healthier level.

    EM2WL group
    EM2WL periscope
  • BWBTrish
    BWBTrish Posts: 2,817 Member
    edited August 2015
    If you have been the standard yo-yo dieter with calorie levels at or near 1200 for a long period of time that plateau is probably due to metabolic suppression. So a "cheat meal" won't do. You will have to go through a metabolic reset. Then reduce calories to a healthier level.

    EM2WL group
    EM2WL periscope

    No just no
    reset? ...metabolic suppression...

    Just start weighing all your food OP ALL of it

    A plateau is nothing else than that you eat the same amount than you burn.

    But questions how long is this plateau you are speaking off?

    And please remember eating more calories is NOT leading to (more) weight loss or breaking plateau's

    Most of the time when there is no medical issue or just fluctuations and a short period...it is because you eat more than you think

    See this short video
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JVjWPclrWVY

    And the whole Eat more and lose weight "movement" is just that people start something new...They eat more calories but are suddenly more accurate with weighing or their intake...because of that they created their deficit and lose weight...and think ooooo look i eat more and lose weight...well no...they got accurate and created their deficit again...that is when you lose weight!
  • Tilly1285
    Tilly1285 Posts: 36 Member
    BWBTrish wrote: »
    If you have been the standard yo-yo dieter with calorie levels at or near 1200 for a long period of time that plateau is probably due to metabolic suppression. So a "cheat meal" won't do. You will have to go through a metabolic reset. Then reduce calories to a healthier level.

    EM2WL group
    EM2WL periscope

    No just no
    reset? ...metabolic suppression...

    Just start weighing all your food OP ALL of it

    A plateau is nothing else than that you eat the same amount than you burn.

    But questions how long is this plateau you are speaking off?

    And please remember eating more calories is NOT leading to (more) weight loss or breaking plateau's

    I've been at same weight level for a couple of weeks. Alway at or slightly below calorie goal everyday. It's just difficult to watch the sodium levels. It's in EVERYTHING it seems. So, there's possibly some water retention due to the salt. I want to lose that 2# every week, just like clockwork.
  • diannethegeek
    diannethegeek Posts: 14,776 Member
    Tilly1285 wrote: »
    BWBTrish wrote: »
    If you have been the standard yo-yo dieter with calorie levels at or near 1200 for a long period of time that plateau is probably due to metabolic suppression. So a "cheat meal" won't do. You will have to go through a metabolic reset. Then reduce calories to a healthier level.

    EM2WL group
    EM2WL periscope

    No just no
    reset? ...metabolic suppression...

    Just start weighing all your food OP ALL of it

    A plateau is nothing else than that you eat the same amount than you burn.

    But questions how long is this plateau you are speaking off?

    And please remember eating more calories is NOT leading to (more) weight loss or breaking plateau's

    I've been at same weight level for a couple of weeks. Alway at or slightly below calorie goal everyday. It's just difficult to watch the sodium levels. It's in EVERYTHING it seems. So, there's possibly some water retention due to the salt. I want to lose that 2# every week, just like clockwork.

    A plateau is generally considered to be more like 6+ weeks without a loss. No one loses weight like clockwork. There are just too many things happening in our bodies for that to be possible. A couple of weeks could just be a natural stall that you can wait out. Give your body some time to catch up.
  • BWBTrish
    BWBTrish Posts: 2,817 Member
    edited August 2015
    Are you really weighing all your food on a food scale..in grams..no cups and spoons
    Maybe opening your diary would help other members to support you
  • dbienz
    dbienz Posts: 188 Member
    As your size shrinks so does your ability to burn calories and research has found that these metabolic changes are evident up to three years after weight loss. I'm not sure about the eating more to break through a plateau, when I hit mine I kept my caloric goal but changed my macros, but your metabolism is changing as you lose weight.

    Also, I don't believe that weight loss is a one size fits all so what works for some may not work for you. Just keep that in mind every time you ask for advice :wink: I didn't change my calorie goal or work outs so technically my CICO was about the same, but changing my macros helped my body get over that hump. Now I'm on the downward slope of weight loss again :smile:
  • Bshmerlie
    Bshmerlie Posts: 1,026 Member
    I would not consider 2 weeks a plateau. As you lose weight you're body is going to burn less. So at some point you may reach your maintenance level. Either tighten up your food log or cut your calories by 100-200 and see where that leads you. But adding calories to lose weight is NO BUENO.
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  • weaver85
    weaver85 Posts: 1 Member
    dbienz wrote: »
    As your size shrinks so does your ability to burn calories and research has found that these metabolic changes are evident up to three years after weight loss. I'm not sure about the eating more to break through a plateau, when I hit mine I kept my caloric goal but changed my macros, but your metabolism is changing as you lose weight.

    Also, I don't believe that weight loss is a one size fits all so what works for some may not work for you. Just keep that in mind every time you ask for advice :wink: I didn't change my calorie goal or work outs so technically my CICO was about the same, but changing my macros helped my body get over that hump. Now I'm on the downward slope of weight loss again :smile:

    How much do you change your macros
  • SLLRunner
    SLLRunner Posts: 12,942 Member
    Tilly1285 wrote: »
    Hi Everyone -

    As the topic says, how many are too many to be used to break a plateau? What is a good rule of thumb if in fact eating extra calories is the correct way to beat a plateau?

    Thanks for your input . . .
    Tilly

    Plateau is another way of saying you are eating at maintenance. If you not losing weight, you don't increase your calorie intake, you try to find the errors in your intake or you lower your calorie goal.

    You only increase your calorie goal if you are losing but want to lose at a slower rate, but you still have to stay in a deficit.
  • SLLRunner
    SLLRunner Posts: 12,942 Member
    If you have been the standard yo-yo dieter with calorie levels at or near 1200 for a long period of time that plateau is probably due to metabolic suppression. So a "cheat meal" won't do. You will have to go through a metabolic reset. Then reduce calories to a healthier level.

    EM2WL group
    EM2WL periscope

    This is not true.

    Please read my reply to the original poster.
  • SLLRunner
    SLLRunner Posts: 12,942 Member
    BWBTrish wrote: »
    Are you really weighing all your food on a food scale..in grams..no cups and spoons
    Maybe opening your diary would help other members to support you

    And, this.
  • SLLRunner
    SLLRunner Posts: 12,942 Member
    Tilly1285 wrote: »
    BWBTrish wrote: »
    If you have been the standard yo-yo dieter with calorie levels at or near 1200 for a long period of time that plateau is probably due to metabolic suppression. So a "cheat meal" won't do. You will have to go through a metabolic reset. Then reduce calories to a healthier level.

    EM2WL group
    EM2WL periscope

    No just no
    reset? ...metabolic suppression...

    Just start weighing all your food OP ALL of it

    A plateau is nothing else than that you eat the same amount than you burn.

    But questions how long is this plateau you are speaking off?

    And please remember eating more calories is NOT leading to (more) weight loss or breaking plateau's

    I've been at same weight level for a couple of weeks. Alway at or slightly below calorie goal everyday. It's just difficult to watch the sodium levels. It's in EVERYTHING it seems. So, there's possibly some water retention due to the salt. I want to lose that 2# every week, just like clockwork.

    A couple of weeks is not a plateau. Weight loss is not linear so you will not lose 2 pounds every week, just like clockwork. I suggest patience.
  • sheldonklein
    sheldonklein Posts: 854 Member
    The answer to no weight loss is never too eat more or change your macros or add [fill in the blank] to your diet. There are two possibilities: 1. You are stalked for à few weeks for essentially random reasons or 2. You are eating more than you think you are. It is likely 1, so just be patient. If things don't change, go to 2.
  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
    2 weeks is not a plateau
    Weight loss is not linear
    Tighten up your food logging
  • Machka9
    Machka9 Posts: 25,690 Member
    rabbitjb wrote: »
    2 weeks is not a plateau
    Weight loss is not linear
    Tighten up your food logging

    This ^^

  • ASKyle
    ASKyle Posts: 1,475 Member
    rabbitjb wrote: »
    2 weeks is not a plateau
    Weight loss is not linear
    Tighten up your food logging

    This.

    Don't eat more. Most people aren't "undereating", they're eating more than they think they are.
  • XavierNusum
    XavierNusum Posts: 720 Member
    SLLRunner wrote: »
    Tilly1285 wrote: »
    Hi Everyone -

    As the topic says, how many are too many to be used to break a plateau? What is a good rule of thumb if in fact eating extra calories is the correct way to beat a plateau?

    Thanks for your input . . .
    Tilly

    Plateau is another way of saying you are eating at maintenance. If you not losing weight, you don't increase your calorie intake, you try to find the errors in your intake or you lower your calorie goal.

    You only increase your calorie goal if you are losing but want to lose at a slower rate, but you still have to stay in a deficit.

    So if someone is eating 1200 cal/day and exercising, but not losing they are at maintenance?

  • DeguelloTex
    DeguelloTex Posts: 6,652 Member
    SLLRunner wrote: »
    Tilly1285 wrote: »
    Hi Everyone -

    As the topic says, how many are too many to be used to break a plateau? What is a good rule of thumb if in fact eating extra calories is the correct way to beat a plateau?

    Thanks for your input . . .
    Tilly

    Plateau is another way of saying you are eating at maintenance. If you not losing weight, you don't increase your calorie intake, you try to find the errors in your intake or you lower your calorie goal.

    You only increase your calorie goal if you are losing but want to lose at a slower rate, but you still have to stay in a deficit.

    So if someone is eating 1200 cal/day and exercising, but not losing they are at maintenance?
    What else would it be?

  • ASKyle
    ASKyle Posts: 1,475 Member
    SLLRunner wrote: »
    Tilly1285 wrote: »
    Hi Everyone -

    As the topic says, how many are too many to be used to break a plateau? What is a good rule of thumb if in fact eating extra calories is the correct way to beat a plateau?

    Thanks for your input . . .
    Tilly

    Plateau is another way of saying you are eating at maintenance. If you not losing weight, you don't increase your calorie intake, you try to find the errors in your intake or you lower your calorie goal.

    You only increase your calorie goal if you are losing but want to lose at a slower rate, but you still have to stay in a deficit.

    So if someone is eating 1200 cal/day and exercising, but not losing they are at maintenance?

    Yes, because they're probably logging 1200 and eating 1700, due to poor logging.
  • BWBTrish
    BWBTrish Posts: 2,817 Member
    edited August 2015
    SLLRunner wrote: »
    Tilly1285 wrote: »
    Hi Everyone -

    As the topic says, how many are too many to be used to break a plateau? What is a good rule of thumb if in fact eating extra calories is the correct way to beat a plateau?

    Thanks for your input . . .
    Tilly

    Plateau is another way of saying you are eating at maintenance. If you not losing weight, you don't increase your calorie intake, you try to find the errors in your intake or you lower your calorie goal.

    You only increase your calorie goal if you are losing but want to lose at a slower rate, but you still have to stay in a deficit.

    So if someone is eating 1200 cal/day and exercising, but not losing they are at maintenance?

    Yes because when you asked them...most of the time 99.99% they dont weigh their food and they only guess they eat 1200 calories
    While they eat much more.

    Or dont log everything at all.

    Or have all kinds of wrong entry's

  • DeguelloTex
    DeguelloTex Posts: 6,652 Member
    From the first link:

    "Minimising exposure to toxins (ingested and environmental) including polyunsaturated vegetable oils (sunflower, soybean, canola, corn, etc), tobacco, diet soft drinks, artifical sweeteners, preservatives, gums, flavours and other additives."

    It's a clownshow. No need to waste time reading anything from the other links.
  • diannethegeek
    diannethegeek Posts: 14,776 Member

    Did I miss a post where we got any details about the OP's routine? I'm all for eating enough while dieting, but there's not enough information here to determine anything.
  • ASKyle
    ASKyle Posts: 1,475 Member

    Do you have any scientific studies or only articles from "A guide to being vegetarian and vegan in South Africa"?

  • daniwilford
    daniwilford Posts: 1,030 Member
    edited August 2015

    So if someone is eating 1200 cal/day and exercising, but not losing they are at maintenance?
    Some very short women, close to goal weight, could be eating at maintenance while eating 1200 calories a day. If this rarity were the case, a deficit would be achieved by exercise or muscle mass increase and would be very slow!
  • daniwilford
    daniwilford Posts: 1,030 Member
    What thing can you place more mass into, keep the mass and or energy converted from mass the same. and have it weigh less? The people who do this are not special snowflakes they are theoretical black holes, defying the laws of physics.
  • BWBTrish
    BWBTrish Posts: 2,817 Member

    Scientific studies please
    That's all i ask for.

    No [ersonla blogs/commercial working magazines blogs and people telling their experiences

    Just scientific peer studies

This discussion has been closed.