Long time MFPer in a really discouraging plateau. I'm getting frustrated.

LaurenAOK

Hi all! I'll try not to make this a novel but I'm frustrated. A little background: I'm 5'4", 26yo, and been into fitness (both lifting and cardio) for a few years now. I have at least a little muscle at this point and I look and feel my best at about 125-130lbs. I have struggled with weight since my late teen years with my highest weight being around 150. I have managed to lose it and for the most part keep it off with some occasional fluctuations.

Since starting a sedentary job last fall I put on some pounds. At the beginning of March I decided to get back on track and get back to a body I was comfortable in. I've been tracking everything with MFP, working out (no gym right now but I do home workouts and run), and generally just doing everything that has worked for me before. I use Fitbit to measure my TDEE and it has always proved accurate enough that I have seen the results I wanted in the past.

Here is my libra chart of my progress since March: https://imgur.com/ao8hUb4

For those not familiar with the app, the bold red line is my actual progress trend, the thin lines are my individual weigh ins, and the faint red line is my projected progress (keeps changing up and down daily).

As you can see, the first month I lost five about pounds right on track. Since then, the past two months have been incredibly frustrating! I just keep losing and gaining the same two pounds. I don't understand, I haven't changed anything about my strategy. I track my calories accurately and weigh and measure everything. I come in well under my calorie goal almost every single day (and I have it set to lose a pound a week).

I know the scale isn't everything, but my measurements aren't changing lately either. I just took some pictures and they don't look any different than the ones I took a month ago.

I don't consider myself a fitness or weight loss novice, at all. I've researched this stuff for years. I've lost weight. I've (intentionally) gained weight. I've seen awesome strength gains. I've learned a lot about health and nutrition. And yet I'm at a total loss here.

I'm trying to stay positive, but I'm getting really discouraged. I literally just want to lose 5-10 more pounds. Which I've done before, pretty easily! Why isn't it happening? Has anyone else pushed through something similar? Any suggestions?

Thanks for reading.

Further info: Here are Fitbit charts of my cals in vs cals out for the past couple of weeks as an example. Even if Fitbit is overestimating my burn, I should be losing...
https://imgur.com/a/XROhQ

And since people will ask, yes I truly do weigh all my food. Sometimes something in my dairy will be listed by measurement or "serving" but that's just me being lazy and choosing the first option available. I always weigh and check the weight against the calories for the listed measurement. I also weigh and input a lot of my own recipes. The only exception is the occasional prepackaged food like greek yogurt.

StaciMarie1974

The trend is downward, even if just barely.

I'll take your word that you weigh accurately. (Your diary is closed fyi.) Try paying attention to your diary entries, to make sure they have accurate information. Since the database is user generated, there could be errors. And for the general tips: do you enter your own recipes? Account for cooking oils, beverages, condiments? Weigh even single serve items like bread slices, fruit?

Other than that, is there anything that might be causing excess water retention? Newly increased intensity workout routines? High sodium?

Beyond that, time... More than likely you'll be down a pound or more this time next month and so forth.

Last keep in mind the calorie burn estimates are all estimates. Your body may not work exactly like the average specimen.

cheryldumais

I understand your frustration. I was stuck for 3.5 months! It sounds like you are very close to your goal and it seems like the body hangs on at that point. For me I used a very unscientific way to force my body to start losing again. I went to maintenance calories for a week. It makes no sense but that seemed to get things going again. I admit I am losing much slower now but it's moving at least. Good luck and don't give up.

PAV8888

@StaciMarie1974 put forward valid points.
Also connect trendweight.com to fitbit.com: gives you another trendline and since it is automatic no data entry necessary.
Your trend is down -- slow; but down.
Your food intake does not seem to be very high. You do not have lots of fat to lose. Realistic deficits will be of the order of 10% to 15% of your real TDEE.
Adaptation from repeat dieting may have taken place.
Patience.
You should also try to multiply out the macros (Carb, protein, x 4, Fats x 9, alchohol x 7) and compare the difference between the purported calories and the macro calories. product manufacturers take advantage of laws to try and present their products as lower calories than they are. Even "calorie free" products have SOME calories.
Patience
Your actual deficit is/should be based off TDEE. If tdee is low.... deficit will be low too.
If you think your fitbit is not accurate, you may find some benefit to using a spreadsheet similar to this one that I use.
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/14k_zGWeklpl05lNqSWN_SK1XzuwnmVHtUfW8Eao5kIE/edit?usp=sharing

Also you can export data off Fitbit for free: https://www.fitbit.com/premium/export