Stuck on a plateau

timhoch50

I did pretty well losing the first 20 lbs, now I'm stuck on a plateau. What advice do you have on overcoming this plateau? I don't have tons of time to workout as being a teacher takes up most of my day and to do anything outside is hard being in Wisconsin. Thanks for any advice you can give.

callsitlikeiseeit

please know that i say this with all love and hold absolutely NO judgment.

scrolling through your diary for the past month, I see a lot of over days, a lot of take out and a lot of convenience foods.

i would bet that is your answer.

I'm a firm believer in 'if it fits, its fair game' but that has to come with a level of common sense and self-control. The calorie count on all of these things that you eat regularly are estimates only (even more so than regular logging and estimations). I can calculate the calories in a burger I make at home FAR more accurately than a menu item at a fast food place. When you are looking at those, they can have a margin of error of up to 20%. so that 500 calorie burger may be 600 calories. a 1000 calorie meal may be 1200. combined with all the other food .... you are likely eating way more than you realize.

AndreaTamira

Hey there,

being stuck can be frustrating, but it happens to many, so don't feel too bad.

How long have you been atuck? And what are the things you have tried to get out of it?

There are a few tips the community can give, but with what little information you have given it is possible we tell you things you already have tried.

OK, have you continously recalculated your calorie goals every 5 pounds or so? Just told MFP to do that for you? Because, how much you can eat and stay in a deficit changes when you lose weight. - And it is possible you just found your maintenance calories for your current weight.

Are you tracking truly accurately? Weighing solid foods, measuring out fluids? If not you may be eating more calories than you think you are.

Have tour routines and activity level changed recently? If you were running around a lot with the kids before but now are mostly sitting behind your desk or something like that this may have influenced how many calories you can eat.

If you are sure you are tracking right, have recalculated your daily caloriebl goals, and had no changes in daily routine that would have cut out how many calories you are burning a day ,you could try something a bit counterintuitive. Many people report that, if they are stuck at a plateau, it helps them to take a diet break for a few days (maybe a week). That doea not mean eating anything one wants, but eating on naintanance. Apparently often, when going back to a deficit, weight starts to come off more easily. - Maybe that is something you could try.

That's the things I can think of. Maybe something helps.

Fit_Happens_2021

@timhoch50
I hope this comes across the way it is intended, I would not comment on a person's diet unless they are asking for help but I think you can see the reason for the plateau in your diary. Take-out foods are notoriously high in simple carbs, fat, sodium, and sugar, but low in protein, and on quite a lot of days, you are over your calorie goal.

I know it is difficult to find the time when you have a demanding job and a family, but maybe you could try to add in a few easy to make home-cooked meals that can help you balance your macros and get more nutrient-dense foods for fewer calories. The meals can be simple and don't have to be absolutely from scratch.

For example, a quick bolognese made with a jar of sauce using ground turkey breast and eaten with wholewheat pasta is an easy fast nutritious meal. Maybe you could try some more nutritious options for take-out with Subway sandwiches, and Freebirds for high fiber and protein bowls
Also, some people have a lot of success by prepping on the weekend with make-ahead meals that go in the fridge or freezer and are ready to warm up fast when you get home. I know the last thing I want to do when I get home at the end of a long day is start cooking.
Good luck!

JuanSLOjourney

As a person who has an office job and taught at the college level in the evening, one of the first things I did was stand up. I installed a stand up desk and I never sat down when I was teaching. I found that threw out the course of a day, i would walk about 3-4 miles as I walked up and down my classroom.