Serious plateau

SCoil123

So this is more of a vent to see if anyone else can relate than anything else. I'm seriously stuck now. I've been bouncing in the same 4lb range since November. I lost 20lb before that with weighing and tracking.

Since November I have readjusted calorie goals, changed my work outs by joining a gym, and even attempted a 2 week refeed out of desperation upping my calories - nothing! I didn't even gain when I went from 1600-1800 cals a day to 2000+. Now while I'm not complaining about that part I am officially frustrated.

I'm tracking inches as well and I have gained about .25" on my biceps (started lifting in January) and lost 0.5" on my waist 1" from hips. It just doesn't seem like much is happening.

I am attempting a recomp so I knew it would be slow going but I still expected some scale movement. It has been months. I'm at the top end of my healthy range and 10-20lbs away from where I would like to be.

PixelPuff

How are you tracking calories? Even if someone has been going at it a while, it is always good to first ask if someone is using a scale.. xD

SCoil123

I've been at this since May and have lost 20lb before stalling. I use my food scale when home and when I go out I use the best database entry I can find to match the order.

I didn't gain when I increased either and I was having an extra protein shake (326 cals) every afternoon and eating out large portions for dinner. If I hadn't tried that experiment I'd re-evaluate my logging but there is no way I wasn't eating substantially more during that time and yet still no change.

Unknown

This content has been removed.

vlexias

Have you thought about giving yourself a diet break or looking at other options such as changing the meals/foods you're eating/changing exercise program/increasing/reducing cardio + changing what you're doing with resistance training? Or even removing certain things out for a period of time to trial and see how that works i.e. dairy or perhaps even changing your macronutrients around?

Not too sure if that helps a little! Used to work as a personal trainer for a few years and dealt with clients who had gone through similar things and could always get them out of a plateau but I'm not too sure of your history so that's why I'm throwing out multiple ideas!

CharlieBeansmomTracey

SCoil123 wrote: »

So this is more of a vent to see if anyone else can relate than anything else. I'm seriously stuck now. I've been bouncing in the same 4lb range since November. I lost 20lb before that with weighing and tracking.

Since November I have readjusted calorie goals, changed my work outs by joining a gym, and even attempted a 2 week refeed out of desperation upping my calories - nothing! I didn't even gain when I went from 1600-1800 cals a day to 2000+. Now while I'm not complaining about that part I am officially frustrated.

I'm tracking inches as well and I have gained about .25" on my biceps (started lifting in January) and lost 0.5" on my waist 1" from hips. It just doesn't seem like much is happening.

I am attempting a recomp so I knew it would be slow going but I still expected some scale movement. It has been months. I'm at the top end of my healthy range and 10-20lbs away from where I would like to be.

if you are doing a recomp you should not be trying to lose. when you recomp,you eat your maintenance calories and it sounds like you found your maintenance calories(hence staying in the same lb range)

recomps take awhile to see results. if you want to build more muscle you need to eat in a surplus. if you want to lose weight/fat you should be lifting in a deficit.if you want to gain a little muscle and lose fat,you recomp.

nowine4me

@SCoil123 We must be related. I too have been bouncing around in a 4-5 pound range and upping and lowering my calories with no significant gains or losses. I also wish to lose 10 pounds of fat and build muscle.

But, I decided last week that losing fat needs to be the priority. So, I've cut calories back to 1700 with lower carbs (40/30/30) and increased cardio to 3 five mile runs per week. I'm still lifting 3x per week, but will not be as aggressive about increasing my lifts. I've now lost a pound, which surprisingly I can feel in my jeans and plan to continue at .5 per week until I hit 135, which is midrange BMI for me. More importantly, I'd like to get to 20% BF and see how I look. Then re-start recomp.

I'm sending you a FR. Maybe we can help each other get it done.

SCoil123

CharlieBeansmomTracey wrote: »

SCoil123 wrote: »

So this is more of a vent to see if anyone else can relate than anything else. I'm seriously stuck now. I've been bouncing in the same 4lb range since November. I lost 20lb before that with weighing and tracking.

Since November I have readjusted calorie goals, changed my work outs by joining a gym, and even attempted a 2 week refeed out of desperation upping my calories - nothing! I didn't even gain when I went from 1600-1800 cals a day to 2000+. Now while I'm not complaining about that part I am officially frustrated.

I'm tracking inches as well and I have gained about .25" on my biceps (started lifting in January) and lost 0.5" on my waist 1" from hips. It just doesn't seem like much is happening.

I am attempting a recomp so I knew it would be slow going but I still expected some scale movement. It has been months. I'm at the top end of my healthy range and 10-20lbs away from where I would like to be.

if you are doing a recomp you should not be trying to lose. when you recomp,you eat your maintenance calories and it sounds like you found your maintenance calories(hence staying in the same lb range)

recomps take awhile to see results. if you want to build more muscle you need to eat in a surplus. if you want to lose weight/fat you should be lifting in a deficit.if you want to gain a little muscle and lose fat,you recomp.

I'm aimed to eat 200-300 cals below maintenance per my trainer. It is slow going though. While my arms are growing and waist shrinking its so slow that it is hard to stay focussed...hence the rant post lol

I also have hashimotos and while my last labs were perfect I wonder if it is making the process even slower.

Thanks everyone who replied. There is no real answer here other than keep going and keep following up with my doc. I just needed to vent and wanted anyone else feeling the same way to know they werent alone.

SCoil123

nowine4me wrote: »

@SCoil123 We must be related. I too have been bouncing around in a 4-5 pound range and upping and lowering my calories with no significant gains or losses. I also wish to lose 10 pounds of fat and build muscle.

But, I decided last week that losing fat needs to be the priority. So, I've cut calories back to 1700 with lower carbs (40/30/30) and increased cardio to 3 five mile runs per week. I'm still lifting 3x per week, but will not be as aggressive about increasing my lifts. I've now lost a pound, which surprisingly I can feel in my jeans and plan to continue at .5 per week until I hit 135, which is midrange BMI for me. More importantly, I'd like to get to 20% BF and see how I look. Then re-start recomp.

I'm sending you a FR. Maybe we can help each other get it done.

Yes! I would love to add more friends who relate. I'm alsi considering switching focus to lose this last weight before recomping.

TimothyFish

Since we're venting: I lost over a pound last week and I wasn't trying to. Back in October I started tracking calories again because my weight had gone up. I stopped tracking after I got back to my goal weight. Now I'm farther under than I intended to get and I've got the whole Summer in front of me. I usually lose weight during the Summer.

CharlieBeansmomTracey

SCoil123 wrote: »

CharlieBeansmomTracey wrote: »

SCoil123 wrote: »

So this is more of a vent to see if anyone else can relate than anything else. I'm seriously stuck now. I've been bouncing in the same 4lb range since November. I lost 20lb before that with weighing and tracking.

Since November I have readjusted calorie goals, changed my work outs by joining a gym, and even attempted a 2 week refeed out of desperation upping my calories - nothing! I didn't even gain when I went from 1600-1800 cals a day to 2000+. Now while I'm not complaining about that part I am officially frustrated.

I'm tracking inches as well and I have gained about .25" on my biceps (started lifting in January) and lost 0.5" on my waist 1" from hips. It just doesn't seem like much is happening.

I am attempting a recomp so I knew it would be slow going but I still expected some scale movement. It has been months. I'm at the top end of my healthy range and 10-20lbs away from where I would like to be.

if you are doing a recomp you should not be trying to lose. when you recomp,you eat your maintenance calories and it sounds like you found your maintenance calories(hence staying in the same lb range)

recomps take awhile to see results. if you want to build more muscle you need to eat in a surplus. if you want to lose weight/fat you should be lifting in a deficit.if you want to gain a little muscle and lose fat,you recomp.

I'm aimed to eat 200-300 cals below maintenance per my trainer. It is slow going though. While my arms are growing and waist shrinking its so slow that it is hard to stay focussed...hence the rant post lol

I also have hashimotos and while my last labs were perfect I wonder if it is making the process even slower.

Thanks everyone who replied. There is no real answer here other than keep going and keep following up with my doc. I just needed to vent and wanted anyone else feeling the same way to know they werent alone.

Im not saying a thyroid condition cant have an effect,but if you are eating 200-300 below maintenance then you are in a deficit. 250 calories is a half lb deficit.also with 10-20 lbs to lose then,200-300 calorie deficit is fine.but you arent going to grow much muscle if any,if you are new to lifting,getting back to lifting or were athletic in the past(or have really good genetics) then you can gain some muscle but it will taper off and wont be a big amount in a deficit.

Even a bulk takes time because we women,dont have the testosterone to build muscle as fast as men.so the half inch on your bicep may be all you see until you either eat at maintenance or bulk. you arent really recomping right now. you are just lifting in a deficit which is good and can change how your body looks.But you have to pick if you want to lose weight or gain muscle. its very hard to do both,which is why most people do cut and bulk cycles.

SCoil123

TimothyFish wrote: »

Since we're venting: I lost over a pound last week and I wasn't trying to. Back in October I started tracking calories again because my weight had gone up. I stopped tracking after I got back to my goal weight. Now I'm farther under than I intended to get and I've got the whole Summer in front of me. I usually lose weight during the Summer.

Losing more than you'd like can be just as frustrating as not losing as much as you want.

SCoil123

CharlieBeansmomTracey wrote: »

SCoil123 wrote: »

CharlieBeansmomTracey wrote: »

SCoil123 wrote: »

So this is more of a vent to see if anyone else can relate than anything else. I'm seriously stuck now. I've been bouncing in the same 4lb range since November. I lost 20lb before that with weighing and tracking.

Since November I have readjusted calorie goals, changed my work outs by joining a gym, and even attempted a 2 week refeed out of desperation upping my calories - nothing! I didn't even gain when I went from 1600-1800 cals a day to 2000+. Now while I'm not complaining about that part I am officially frustrated.

I'm tracking inches as well and I have gained about .25" on my biceps (started lifting in January) and lost 0.5" on my waist 1" from hips. It just doesn't seem like much is happening.

I am attempting a recomp so I knew it would be slow going but I still expected some scale movement. It has been months. I'm at the top end of my healthy range and 10-20lbs away from where I would like to be.

if you are doing a recomp you should not be trying to lose. when you recomp,you eat your maintenance calories and it sounds like you found your maintenance calories(hence staying in the same lb range)

recomps take awhile to see results. if you want to build more muscle you need to eat in a surplus. if you want to lose weight/fat you should be lifting in a deficit.if you want to gain a little muscle and lose fat,you recomp.

I'm aimed to eat 200-300 cals below maintenance per my trainer. It is slow going though. While my arms are growing and waist shrinking its so slow that it is hard to stay focussed...hence the rant post lol

I also have hashimotos and while my last labs were perfect I wonder if it is making the process even slower.

Thanks everyone who replied. There is no real answer here other than keep going and keep following up with my doc. I just needed to vent and wanted anyone else feeling the same way to know they werent alone.

Im not saying a thyroid condition cant have an effect,but if you are eating 200-300 below maintenance then you are in a deficit. 250 calories is a half lb deficit.also with 10-20 lbs to lose then,200-300 calorie deficit is fine.but you arent going to grow much muscle if any,if you are new to lifting,getting back to lifting or were athletic in the past(or have really good genetics) then you can gain some muscle but it will taper off and wont be a big amount in a deficit.

Even a bulk takes time because we women,dont have the testosterone to build muscle as fast as men.so the half inch on your bicep may be all you see until you either eat at maintenance or bulk. you arent really recomping right now. you are just lifting in a deficit which is good and can change how your body looks.But you have to pick if you want to lose weight or gain muscle. its very hard to do both,which is why most people do cut and bulk cycles.

See I tried telling my trainer I should be at maintenance for that very reason. I knew I was right!

I have a few newbie gains for sure but I know it wont last. I'm going to think about it and decide which I want to prioritize. Long term I'd like to lose 10-15lb of fat and gain around 5lb more muscle but it may be better to do the two separate...or maybe I am doing it right and just have no patience for the recomp process. I suspect my burn is lower than calculated due to the thyroid stuff.

CharlieBeansmomTracey

SCoil123 wrote: »

CharlieBeansmomTracey wrote: »

SCoil123 wrote: »

CharlieBeansmomTracey wrote: »

SCoil123 wrote: »

So this is more of a vent to see if anyone else can relate than anything else. I'm seriously stuck now. I've been bouncing in the same 4lb range since November. I lost 20lb before that with weighing and tracking.

Since November I have readjusted calorie goals, changed my work outs by joining a gym, and even attempted a 2 week refeed out of desperation upping my calories - nothing! I didn't even gain when I went from 1600-1800 cals a day to 2000+. Now while I'm not complaining about that part I am officially frustrated.

I'm tracking inches as well and I have gained about .25" on my biceps (started lifting in January) and lost 0.5" on my waist 1" from hips. It just doesn't seem like much is happening.

I am attempting a recomp so I knew it would be slow going but I still expected some scale movement. It has been months. I'm at the top end of my healthy range and 10-20lbs away from where I would like to be.

if you are doing a recomp you should not be trying to lose. when you recomp,you eat your maintenance calories and it sounds like you found your maintenance calories(hence staying in the same lb range)

recomps take awhile to see results. if you want to build more muscle you need to eat in a surplus. if you want to lose weight/fat you should be lifting in a deficit.if you want to gain a little muscle and lose fat,you recomp.

I'm aimed to eat 200-300 cals below maintenance per my trainer. It is slow going though. While my arms are growing and waist shrinking its so slow that it is hard to stay focussed...hence the rant post lol

I also have hashimotos and while my last labs were perfect I wonder if it is making the process even slower.

Thanks everyone who replied. There is no real answer here other than keep going and keep following up with my doc. I just needed to vent and wanted anyone else feeling the same way to know they werent alone.

Im not saying a thyroid condition cant have an effect,but if you are eating 200-300 below maintenance then you are in a deficit. 250 calories is a half lb deficit.also with 10-20 lbs to lose then,200-300 calorie deficit is fine.but you arent going to grow much muscle if any,if you are new to lifting,getting back to lifting or were athletic in the past(or have really good genetics) then you can gain some muscle but it will taper off and wont be a big amount in a deficit.

Even a bulk takes time because we women,dont have the testosterone to build muscle as fast as men.so the half inch on your bicep may be all you see until you either eat at maintenance or bulk. you arent really recomping right now. you are just lifting in a deficit which is good and can change how your body looks.But you have to pick if you want to lose weight or gain muscle. its very hard to do both,which is why most people do cut and bulk cycles.

See I tried telling my trainer I should be at maintenance for that very reason. I knew I was right!

I have a few newbie gains for sure but I know it wont last. I'm going to think about it and decide which I want to prioritize. Long term I'd like to lose 10-15lb of fat and gain around 5lb more muscle but it may be better to do the two separate...or maybe I am doing it right and just have no patience for the recomp process. I suspect my burn is lower than calculated due to the thyroid stuff.

yeah, its possible your burn is lower than calculated, but then calculators are just estimates too. But either way its still going to take time to lose fat or gain muscle. in a surplus I think its stated that a woman can gain possibly 1/2-1lb a month of muscle? it all depends too on if you are eating enough calories,getting enough carbs and protein,etc.

as for gaining muscle or losing fat both are going to take time.how are you measuring fat? and yeah it would be better to do the 2 separate if you have no patience for a recomp. I have a metabolic disorder so I know the struggle too.


@usmcmp may be able to help you out further with this one

dejavuohlala

OP I was in a plateau fir 9 months, now it is moving again slowly, I have set smaller goals now for the last of the weight I want to lose, increased my daily activity. I hope you find the answers, plateaus are the very things that make people give up but you need to stick with it. Good luck

lauren3101

Lifting can do strange things to the body!

Firstly, I have to ask, is the final 10-20lbs important? I know you said you're at the top end of your healthy weight, but BMI doesn't account for muscle. Is it just the number you're interested in, i.e, are you generally happy with your body?

2 weeks isn't very long to attempt a refeed. You need to work out your TDEE and sometimes that can be trial and error. I would try increasing your calories slowly, start with an 100 a day for the first week, then up another 100 for the second week, etc. When you start to regularly gain, then you'll have an idea, and can cut from there. I know that seems like a long process, but if you've been waiting since November it can't do any harm!

tomteboda

If you are keeping a steady weight , but experiencing a reduction in your measurements, then you are clearly eating at maintenance but succeeding in recomposition (losing fat, gaining lean mass).

I wouldn't be overly concerned that you're eating on average 250 calories less / day than predicted to be at that point. You're sitting at only 1 standard deviation from the norm (which is the predicted intake amount). 32% of people are outside 1 standard deviation. Congratulations, you're one of them, and I'm sorry, but you're on the more efficient end. For what it's worth, I'm on the low end as well. I could get frustrated or angry about it, but I think its one of those things I simply have to accept, like my weird size 10.5 shoe, because I can't really change it.

If you want to lose weight, rather then recomp, you will have to drop your calorie intake further.

SCoil123

Thank you all again for letting me vent and for some good advice. I'm still frustrated that I don't feel my results reflect the effort but on the other hand I feel great in my skin today more often than not. I'm a lot stronger than when I started and my endurance has improved 10 fold. I started this journey because I wanted to be fit again and I am. I will keep plugging away and slowly but surely reach all of my goals.

CharlieBeansmomTracey

SCoil123 wrote: »

Thank you all again for letting me vent and for some good advice. I'm still frustrated that I don't feel my results reflect the effort but on the other hand I feel great in my skin today more often than not. I'm a lot stronger than when I started and my endurance has improved 10 fold. I started this journey because I wanted to be fit again and I am. I will keep plugging away and slowly but surely reach all of my goals.

you will get there.its a marathon not a sprint and be proud of what you already accomplished.you improved a lot of things and thats wonderful.

SCoil123

After reconnecting with my trainer I am switching calories to cycle. I will eat at maintenance on lifting days and increase my deficit to 500 on cardio and rest days. I'm optimistic.

BodyByYouChicago

SCoil,

Can you tell me a little bit about your meal plan? What do you usually eat training days and non-training days? How many calories, and if you calculate macros how much protein, carbs, and fat?

[Edited by MFP Mods]

RedheadedPrincess14

Half an inch off your waist is solid proof that you are gaining muscle and losing fat. Keep going. Progress can slow but you will break through your plateau if you just stay fit, motivated and enjoy the process

CharlieBeansmomTracey

RedheadedPrincess14 wrote: »

Half an inch off your waist is solid proof that you are gaining muscle and losing fat. Keep going. Progress can slow but you will break through your plateau if you just stay fit, motivated and enjoy the process

you can still lose fat and not gain muscle and not lose weight. Thats whats happening with me atm(and what happened in the past when I took a break from lifting). now if she is eating in a surplus/maintenance then yes,its possible its muscle. But there are no guarantees unless she had a scan done before and after to gauge if she gained any lean mass

SCoil123

CharlieBeansmomTracey wrote: »

RedheadedPrincess14 wrote: »

Half an inch off your waist is solid proof that you are gaining muscle and losing fat. Keep going. Progress can slow but you will break through your plateau if you just stay fit, motivated and enjoy the process

you can still lose fat and not gain muscle and not lose weight. Thats whats happening with me atm(and what happened in the past when I took a break from lifting). now if she is eating in a surplus/maintenance then yes,its possible its muscle. But there are no guarantees unless she had a scan done before and after to gauge if she gained any lean mass

Using only calipers and measuring tape I'm supposedly at 2lb LBM gain and down 20lb...but most of that happened prior to November. I had a scan but that was when I started and since they aren't cheap I wasnt planning on getting another until I hit a year in May.

I wanted to be down 30lb with a 5lb LBM as my goal by then. Owell...I'll get there eventually

SCoil123

BodyByYouChicago wrote: »

SCoil,

Can you tell me a little bit about your meal plan? What do you usually eat training days and non-training days? How many calories, and if you calculate macros how much protein, carbs, and fat?

[Edited by MFP Mods]

It changed this week. Maintenance cals with at least 100g of protein on weight training days and 250-500 cal deficit on other days without stressing on macros. I work out 6-7 days a week. I do weights 4 days with 2 devoted to upper body and 2 devoted to lower, Insanity max 30 twice a week, then once a week I do yoga if I'm home or take it off if we go out as a family.

I had been on LCHF plan with a 300 cal deficit every day regardless of routine.

CharlieBeansmomTracey

SCoil123 wrote: »

CharlieBeansmomTracey wrote: »

RedheadedPrincess14 wrote: »

Half an inch off your waist is solid proof that you are gaining muscle and losing fat. Keep going. Progress can slow but you will break through your plateau if you just stay fit, motivated and enjoy the process

you can still lose fat and not gain muscle and not lose weight. Thats whats happening with me atm(and what happened in the past when I took a break from lifting). now if she is eating in a surplus/maintenance then yes,its possible its muscle. But there are no guarantees unless she had a scan done before and after to gauge if she gained any lean mass

Using only calipers and measuring tape I'm supposedly at 2lb LBM gain and down 20lb...but most of that happened prior to November. I had a scan but that was when I started and since they aren't cheap I wasnt planning on getting another until I hit a year in May.

I wanted to be down 30lb with a 5lb LBM as my goal by then. Owell...I'll get there eventually

calipers and measuring tapes arent accurate there is still a percentage error. the only real way to know is dexa scan or something like that. there still were be a percentage it may be off but it will be more accurate.since before november its possible you could have gained 2 lb of LBM. but 2 lbs is not a lot per se and its hard to gauge that little of muscle.

just keep doing what you are doing. but if you are in a deficit by now its going to be hard to gain muscle.if not doing a recomp(eating in maintenance) its going to take a while to lose fat and gain muscle. its a really slow process which is why most suggest bulk/cut cycles.

SCoil123

Follow up:
Feeling more encouraged about this process. I have had a few people this week ask me about what I'm doing and how much weight I've lost recently. I have only lost 3lb since my plateau (whoosh last week). Them asking lets me know though that even though the scale isnt moving I am getting results and people are noticing which feels great.