Totally plateaud

drea1029

I have been on this weight loss journey for 2 years now.... I didn't really take it seriously until this last year though because I changed up my diet and started going to the gym consistently. Overall I have lost 87 pounds but the scale is completely stuck now and is not and has not moved in weeks. To say I am frustrated is an understatement. How on earth do you break a plateau?! I have tried upping my cardio and adding C25K in the mix because I want to start running. I lift weights 2-3 days a week and do cardio about the same amount. I log my foods and watch everything I put in. Some days I am way below my allotted amount. I'm hitting a wall now

dubird

Have you recalculated your calories? When you lose weight, you will eventually get to a point of maintenance since the lower you weigh, the less calories you need.

drea1029

I just signed up for MFP so I haven't adjusted them. It's saying 1600 which seems high. And I was doing low carb before (mostly because I was dating a guy who was diabetic and I learned to eat like he did). I'm active and I do nothing but walk ridiculous amounts when I'm at work too. I'm new to all of this and really joined to learn from people who have the same kinds of goals I do.... I feel like all the science in this is so frustrating

StaciMarie1974

What are you stats? Height, weight and how many calories a day do you log? Do you use a food scale? Do you log every day, or do you have days/weeks where you estimate?

drea1029

5'9
196.4
I don't use a food scale so I should probably buy one. I log about 1200 a day maybe less some days. I search everything in the database that I put in my mouth and use that. I desperately need to up my water intake and I know that and have been working on it. The final goal is 165 so I have a ways to go

cee134

This advice has worked for me. Just remember, weight loss isn't linear, as long as your are eating well and in a calorie deficit, your health plan should be working. It sucks to not see movement after getting use to it, but that means you are doing a good job and your body is adjusting. Keep up what you're doing. It will work out in the end. (make sure to adjust your calories as needed)

How to Break a Weight Loss Plateau

bendis2007

Are you weighing your food? If you aren't weighing your food then you are most likely eating more than 1600 calories, which is very easy to do.
The recommended serving sizes can be inconsistent and grossly under-estimate what you are eating. If you want to lose weight you need to take the time and measure your food in grams everyday.

For example, I enjoy my Northwest cherries (high sugar - but delicious and cheap in the summer - also considered a healthy food). Per the fruit commission a serving size is 140 g /1 cup/ approx 21 cherries.
I weigh my cherries, and I hit the 140 gram mark about 10 or 11 cherries into it, so that's what I have. If I go off of the 1 cup measurement I can actually get 15 or 16 cherries ( which is now about 1/3 more calories without realizing it) and if I count out 21 cherries and put it on the scale it is easily double the grams and double the calories.
You can mark on MFP that you ate 1 cup of cherries and it'll tell you 92 calories for that, but if you didn't weight it then it's probably not 140 grams - it's usually an extra 30 calories. 30 calories here and there can add up throughout the day, even on healthy foods.

Get a food scale, weigh everything, and log everything. When I'm consistent and use the food scale everyday my weight decreases, but there are weeks where I am tired so I guesstimate and while I don't gain any weight I tend to stall and not lose anything either.
Adding more exercises into the mix won't necessarily help you lose weight if you aren't mindful of how much you are eating throughout the day.