Plateaus

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EEAngelina
EEAngelina Posts: 1,208 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
How do you break a plateau without reducing your calories? Every time I reduce I really get stuck my body thinks it’s in starvation mode. Also I’m in a tough situation haven’t been able to exercise for a long time due to major back surgery. The Dr. did say this week I can take slow walks with my brace on, I’m happy about that!!
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Replies

  • kimny72
    kimny72 Posts: 16,013 Member
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    How many calories are you eating?
    What's your height, weight, goal weight?
    How long has it been since you lost weight, and how much were you losing before that?
    Are you using a food scale?
    Do you have days you don't log?

    Sorry for the third degree, but it helps :smile:
  • malibu927
    malibu927 Posts: 17,565 Member
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    Starvation mode isn't a thing

    How long has it been since you lost weight? Are you logging all of your food as close to 100% accurately as possible?
  • BBum69
    BBum69 Posts: 35 Member
    edited October 2017
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    You should tell your doctor about your concerns and follow his/her advice. Your body will need proper nutrition to heal from the surgery, and this may not be the best time to be in a calorie deficit. You will also have more options for how you create a calorie deficit when your rehabilitation is further along.
  • buffalogal42
    buffalogal42 Posts: 374 Member
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    Nope. Starvation mode isn't a thing. The questions above will help folks give you real answers.
  • Ready2Rock206
    Ready2Rock206 Posts: 9,488 Member
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    Nope to starvation mode. How accurate is your logging? I personally have never seen a plateau that couldn't be fixed by more accurate logging.
  • EEAngelina
    EEAngelina Posts: 1,208 Member
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    kimny72 wrote: »
    How many calories are you eating?
    What's your height, weight, goal weight?
    How long has it been since you lost weight, and how much were you losing before that?
    Are you using a food scale?
    Do you have days you don't log?

    Sorry for the third degree, but it helps :smile:

  • EEAngelina
    EEAngelina Posts: 1,208 Member
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    I’m 5ft 2 1/2 inches goal weight 100 maintained 100 for over three years and gained 20 lbs after a back surgery in 2015 couldn’t keep it back to 100.... 4 th back surgery a month ago I went in at 126 and I’m 117 now. I really don’t care to share my caloric input, I’m sorry no offense. I’m
    Eating healthy things fruits and vegetables. Protein shakes tuna fish.
  • EEAngelina
    EEAngelina Posts: 1,208 Member
    edited October 2017
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    Oh and the days I drastically cute I don’t lose- that’s what I’m calling starvation mode. My log is accurate to a T, I save all my wrappers and do it a few times a day. It’s supposed to be private though...,,
  • Nony_Mouse
    Nony_Mouse Posts: 5,646 Member
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    If you're not willing to share your calorie intake, we can't tell if you're overeating or undereating (and 9 lb in a month would suggest the latter). You either want our help, or you don't. So let's try this again:

    What weekly weight loss goal did you set MFP to - 0.5 lb, 1 lb, 2 lb?
    Are you eating the calories MFP set for you?
    Do you use a food scale to weigh your food? It doesn't matter how 'healthily' you are eating, calories are king for weight loss.
    How long since you've lost weight?
  • Nony_Mouse
    Nony_Mouse Posts: 5,646 Member
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    Oh, and 100 lb is underweight for your height, FYI.
  • kimny72
    kimny72 Posts: 16,013 Member
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    angelstarr22 wrote: »
    I’m 5ft 2 1/2 inches goal weight 100 maintained 100 for over three years and gained 20 lbs after a back surgery in 2015 couldn’t keep it back to 100.... 4 th back surgery a month ago I went in at 126 and I’m 117 now. I really don’t care to share my caloric input, I’m sorry no offense. I’m
    Eating healthy things fruits and vegetables. Protein shakes tuna fish.

    No offense taken! But unfortunately, if you aren't willing to discuss your calories or your logging, you're kind of on your own, because that is what matters. It doesn't matter if you are eating "healthy" food or not, it's your calories that count.

    You are already at a healthy weight for your height and are actually aiming to be slightly underweight, so your progress will be slow and will be easily hidden on the scale behind water weight fluctuations. Set your goal to lose half a lb per week and use a food scale for all solids and semi-solids as often as possible. It is perfectly normal to go a few weeks with no change sometimes. Your weight will not react immediately when you have a good or bad day, you have to trust the process and be patient.
  • dustinjbrock
    dustinjbrock Posts: 49 Member
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    If you've gotten stuck and working out is not a option. (Just a normal walk can help) if your calories are good and you still can't make it over the hump, you could try limiting starches and sugars.
  • collectingblues
    collectingblues Posts: 2,541 Member
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    dustinjbrock wrote: »
    Nony_Mouse wrote: »
    Oh, and 100 lb is underweight for your height, FYI.

    According to whom? You do not know this person or what muscle percentage they may or may not have.

    BMI, for one.

    And who the person is and what the muscle percentage is doesn't matter. Muscle percentage and body fat don't matter for underweight -- especially not when the BMI in question is right in between what is already clinically underweight, and what is seen as a diagnostic marker for anorexia. And, if the muscle percentage is high, that almost makes it *worse* considering that minimal healthy levels for women are in the ballpark of 13-16 percent.

    It's not like people who justify being above the "normal" BMI range by saying that they're muscular.

  • collectingblues
    collectingblues Posts: 2,541 Member
    edited October 2017
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    Maybe if you're super muscular, *and* overweight, or an extreme outlier for height. For most of the population, they're at least a reasonable range.

    But, to play your game. Since you obviously know all, what's your metric for determining whether someone is at an unhealthily low weight? Has it been replicated? Any science behind it?
  • timtam163
    timtam163 Posts: 500 Member
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    angelstarr22 wrote: »
    Oh and the days I drastically cute I don’t lose- that’s what I’m calling starvation mode. My log is accurate to a T, I save all my wrappers and do it a few times a day. It’s supposed to be private though...,,

    If you're only cutting for a day or two at a time you won't see any change. Weight loss is slow and requires consistent deficits. Furthermore, if you cut for one day and don't see a change, then get frustrated and eat more the next day, you might be undoing your efforts. Try finding your maintenance range, keeping it up for a week or two, and then start introducing a deficit again, but one that you can live with. Hope that helps. :)

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