Confusing mantainance

Jtriestodoit

Hi, I'm a 19 year old, 62 kg, 1.59 user, and I have been using mfp for almost a year. So far, I've lost 14kg, but I need to lose 2 more to be on the upper side of a 'healthy weight's for my composition.
Initially, I ate 1,350 kalories and lost weight quickly while eating well and doing cardio and circuit training. Now, mfp calculates 1,200 calories a day, and I've been sticking to it quite religiously. I workout between 3-5 times a week, eat plenty of fruits and veggies and keep proteins in mind too, and yet I haven't been able to lose these last two KGS. It's been weeks since I've had a loss, always creeping up and down the same grams on my scale.
My clothes do fit looser, but idk how accurate that is. I've begun some arm strength training this week to try and change up my routine, but I'm becoming frustrated by it all.
Any tips?

KickboxFanatic

The last few lbs are always the hardest and slowest to lose. Have you been in a deficit for the entire time? Have you given yourself any refeeds at maintenance? If not, maybe eat at maintenance for a few weeks and then go back into a small deficit. Is MFP giving you the 1200 calorie goal for a 2lb weekly loss? Are you eating back any of your exercise calories?

janejellyroll

How long has it been since you've seen a loss? I know you said "weeks," but how many?

Jtriestodoit

It's been four weeks of no loss, and yeah I had a period of two weeks mantainance due to holidays.

fjmartini

You're over trained and eating way too few calories. You're carbs are incredibly high with all the fruit you eat, which makes you retain water. If you train that often I would suggest increasing your calories while decreasing your carb intake. Try to limit your carbs and increase your protein and fat along with water intake.

KickboxFanatic

Under recovered is a possibility, overtrained is doubtful based on only working out 3-5 days a week doing cardio and circuit training.

You did a 2 week cycle of maintenance over the holidays so you've been back in a deficit for ~3 months?

Is MFP giving you the 1200 calorie goal based on wanting to lose 2 lbs per week?

KickboxFanatic

At 62kg and 30% body fat your BMR is 1300. Your BMR increases as body fat levels drop. 25% body fat BMR at 62kg is 1375. Your TDEE at 25% body fat at sedentary (desk job, no exercise) is 1650. This close to goal weight you will want a smaller deficit such as TDEE minus 10-15%.

KickboxFanatic

If you have 75+ lbs to lose 2 lbs/week is ideal,
If you have 40-75 lbs to lose 1.5 lbs/week is ideal,
If you have 25-40 lbs to lose 1 lbs/week is ideal,
If you have 15-25 lbs to lose 0.5 to 1.0 lbs/week is ideal, and
If you have less than 15 lbs to lose 0.5 lbs/week is ideal.

1% of total body weight per week is another rule of thumb.

Jtriestodoit

I have 2kgs to lose for my next goal, and I have mfp set to lose .5kgs a week which I guess is 2lbs?

KickboxFanatic

.5 kg is 1.1 lbs. You'll want to set it at .25 kg.

Jtriestodoit

What's the logic, is 1200 too few calories? Do you think I'm in starving mode? My mind just doesn't wrap around how more calories could mean less weight

KickboxFanatic

yes, 1200 calories is too few calories to keep your body working at maximum levels. Starvation mode is a myth but the body will slow down and not burn calories optimally if left in a severe deficit for too long. Hence my questions as to how long you had been in a deficit and if you had the settings set to 2lbs per week.

Consider determining your TDEE and eat at 10% less than that or set your MFP settings to lose .25kg a week, eat that and about half of your exercise calories.

Jtriestodoit

Okay, I'll definitely keep that in mind! Still feel nervous about it, but eating like that for a week wouldn't make me gain a lot if it wasn't the problem either so I guess it could work. Thank you!

Francl27

I would not eat more... if you're not losing with what you're eating, you won't lose with more calories.

When is your period due? Do you weigh your food? My guess is that either your period is due soon and you're retaining water, or you're eating more than you think.

Jtriestodoit

I track my period and keep it in mind when weighing myself, so it's not that, plus I have been maintaining for about two cycles now. And yes, I weigh everything that I can, including fruits and snacks. The loosest of measures are when I eat out, but that's less than two meals a week.