Ten pounds away from goal and not losing

LisaUlrey

I need some advice. I have lost 20 pounds and I am 10 pounds away from my goal weight. I am not losing anything. I have been at a stand still for over a month. Would this be a good time to switch things up and go to maintanance and continue lifting and cardio? I know doing this will allow me to gain muscle and lose fat. I was thinking of doing this for a month or so and then cutting my calories again to drop some more weight. Anyone have this issue or have any suggestions? Thanks in advace.

sunsetzen

I was going to suggest upping your calories to maintenance, then going back down a bit, or just focus on weights.

kristen6022

So, by looking at your food diary I figured that without exercise your goal is 1420. Is this what MFP gave you to lose 1b a week? If so, reduce it to .5lb a week and I'm pretty sure you'll start dropping again in a few weeks. Have you ever calculated your TDEE and BMR? You may want to try eating at a reduction of 10% from your TDEE (don't eat back exercise calories) for a few weeks also to see if that helps. I'm pretty sure eating at maintance won't be necessary! Good Luck!

lesliev523

I have been at a plateau too... it has been frustrating. But I decided I am going to commit to clean eating for awhile... I will admit that I have not been good.

LisaUlrey

So, by looking at your food diary I figured that without exercise your goal is 1420. Is this what MFP gave you to lose 1b a week? If so, reduce it to .5lb a week and I'm pretty sure you'll start dropping again in a few weeks. Have you ever calculated your TDEE and BMR? You may want to try eating at a reduction of 10% from your TDEE (don't eat back exercise calories) for a few weeks also to see if that helps. I'm pretty sure eating at maintance won't be necessary! Good Luck!

I was eating at 1200 calories for quite a while and not losing. I was recommended to up my calories to 250 below my maintanance weight. This was an attempt to jumpstart my metabolism. This is not working at all. Everything is just staying the same.

Mcgrawhaha

there has been 2 or 3 times where I stop losing for a few weeks. I eat at 50% above maintenance for 2 days, then drop back down to a deficit. that always does the trick for me!

loriq41

I am having the same problem so at this point i dont know what to do..up? lower? I am about 10 lbs away...havent lost in a month..frustrating but I am not giving up.

psuLemon

Lets start simple. What is your height, weight, age and workout routine? Also, do you use a food scale to weigh and measure your foods?

ON a side note, i would recommend dropping your carbs and upping your protein/fats.

BeachGingerOnTheRocks

Take a couple week break and stop thinking about it. Eat at maintenance, keep working out (not going to say you will gain muscle and lose fat because in a short time frame, that is negligible). Obviously don't overdo it, but give yourself a break.

Then get back to it. Up your water if you haven't, weigh and measure everything, and adjust accordingly.

What do you weigh? That is a factor to consider with how much you are eating. Your TDEE will change for every 5 pounds gained or lost. You've lost 20 pounds, have you readjusted your calorie intake to take this into consideration? Are you eating back exercise calories? are you using the TDEE method? what's your activity level, etc.?

bill_i_am

http://www.acaloriecounter.com/blog/why-am-i-not-losing-weight/

it really is this ^^^^ simple

LisaUlrey

Lets start simple. What is your height, weight, age and workout routine? Also, do you use a food scale to weigh and measure your foods?

ON a side note, i would recommend dropping your carbs and upping your protein/fats.

I am 5'1" and I weight 138 pounds. I go to the gym 4-5 days a week doing cardio and weights. I measure EVERYTHING. I am very stringent about it (drives my hubby nuts).

LisaUlrey

Take a couple week break and stop thinking about it. Eat at maintenance, keep working out (not going to say you will gain muscle and lose fat because in a short time frame, that is negligible). Obviously don't overdo it, but give yourself a break.

Then get back to it. Up your water if you haven't, weigh and measure everything, and adjust accordingly.

What do you weigh? That is a factor to consider with how much you are eating. Your TDEE will change for every 5 pounds gained or lost. You've lost 20 pounds, have you readjusted your calorie intake to take this into consideration? Are you eating back exercise calories? are you using the TDEE method? what's your activity level, etc.?

I check my TDEE all of the time. I am currently at 138 pounds. I eat back most, if not all of my exercise calories. I Have a desk job, three kids and I go to the gym 4-5 days a week.

Swissmiss

All of these are good advice. But, I was wondering if you are doing what I do. Every time I get within 10 pounds of my goal I will basically give up. I am sure that this is mental. Maybe thinking that if I actually reached goal then I would have nothing to go for.

snejkaxo

http://www.acaloriecounter.com/blog/why-am-i-not-losing-weight/

it really is this ^^^^ simple

Awesome article! I am going to bookmark it and share it with everyone else with similar issue. #3 is my favorite: Maybe You Didn’t Hear Me: YOU’RE EATING TOO MANY CALORIES!

Great post!

SLLRunner

I don't have an answer as to what you should do, but I found when I was staying the same I found my logging was a bit inaccurate when it came to exercise calories. I stopped using MFP calculations and started using the ones form the gym machines that asked for weight and age input, as well as my pedometer on my Iphone (it also asks for weight, height, stride). It was after this that the weight began to come off again. It's been steady progress since.

My goal was to lose 33 pounds. After i lost the initial 16 or 17 pounds at 2 pounds a week, I adjusted my profile here at MFP to lose 1 pound per week. Now that I have only 10 pounds left to lose, and this morning I adjusted my profile to lose .5 pounds per week. Knowing how much I can take it, how many calories my exercise burns, really gives me a sense of ownership about my own eating habits and how to have control over my own weight.

What it all came down to was that I was burning about the same amount of calories I was consuming, therefore I was maintaining.

I suggest reading that wonderful article posted a bit up stream form me too.

SLLRunner

http://www.acaloriecounter.com/blog/why-am-i-not-losing-weight/

it really is this ^^^^ simple

Awesome article! I am going to bookmark it and share it with everyone else with similar issue. #3 is my favorite: Maybe You Didn’t Hear Me: YOU’RE EATING TOO MANY CALORIES!

Great post!

I've read that article more than once. It's EXCELLENT.

Sabine_Stroehm

http://www.acaloriecounter.com/blog/why-am-i-not-losing-weight/

it really is this ^^^^ simple

And yet so unhelpful.:drinker:

psuLemon

Lets start simple. What is your height, weight, age and workout routine? Also, do you use a food scale to weigh and measure your foods?

ON a side note, i would recommend dropping your carbs and upping your protein/fats.

I am 5'1" and I weight 138 pounds. I go to the gym 4-5 days a week doing cardio and weights. I measure EVERYTHING. I am very stringent about it (drives my hubby nuts).

Any medical conditions such as hypothyrodism, pcos, etc..? Based on your stats, I would suggest eating 1700 calories daily; macro's around 40% carbs, 30% protein and fats.

SLLRunner

http://www.acaloriecounter.com/blog/why-am-i-not-losing-weight/

it really is this ^^^^ simple

And yet so unhelpful.:drinker:

Why do you say that?

socajam

http://www.acaloriecounter.com/blog/why-am-i-not-losing-weight/

it really is this ^^^^ simple

Thank you for the link. I shall print and keep for future reference.

pauljsaunders

I plateaued for 6 weeks, and the advice I got was to stick with it and then the weight will drop, and so it did, and was I pleased....
Another thing I have done over the last week was to take a week off and eat at a maintenance diet on cals, I wanted to ease up a bit because I thought my body had got to used to the level of exercise, today after starting a new routine my weight had dropped 1.5 lbs and it was hard work and had to put more effort into it.... you need to try a few things out ( if things are still the same after two months then check what, when and how you have been doing things, it may be time for a change, your body isn't a constant so nor should your routines) that suit you and your needs and not to give in too early.... all the best... Paul

LisaUlrey

Lets start simple. What is your height, weight, age and workout routine? Also, do you use a food scale to weigh and measure your foods?

ON a side note, i would recommend dropping your carbs and upping your protein/fats.

I am 5'1" and I weight 138 pounds. I go to the gym 4-5 days a week doing cardio and weights. I measure EVERYTHING. I am very stringent about it (drives my hubby nuts).

Any medical conditions such as hypothyrodism, pcos, etc..? Based on your stats, I would suggest eating 1700 calories daily; macro's around 40% carbs, 30% protein and fats.

None. I have been set at 40, 30 & 30 from day one. 138 seems a lot for my height but a lot of it is in my chest. Lol

proboho

6-7 lbs to go and in the same boat! Taking all the above suggestions on board and trying to relax about it!

howardheilweil

http://www.acaloriecounter.com/blog/why-am-i-not-losing-weight/

it really is this ^^^^ simple

Great article... Highly recommended!

BeachGingerOnTheRocks

At 5'1", you can eat below 1420. You can drop to 1320 and be fine. You can even get away with 1200. You are VERY petite, and what would apply to 5'7" me does not apply to you.

If you take a break and it doesn't work, then reduce your calories slightly or up the cardio by 20 minutes or so a day.

I still say take a diet break before getting back to it. That tends to work for me pretty well.

LisaUlrey

Lets start simple. What is your height, weight, age and workout routine? Also, do you use a food scale to weigh and measure your foods?

ON a side note, i would recommend dropping your carbs and upping your protein/fats.

I am 5'1" and I weight 138 pounds. I go to the gym 4-5 days a week doing cardio and weights. I measure EVERYTHING. I am very stringent about it (drives my hubby nuts).

Any medical conditions such as hypothyrodism, pcos, etc..? Based on your stats, I would suggest eating 1700 calories daily; macro's around 40% carbs, 30% protein and fats.

None. I have been set at 40, 30 & 30 from day one. 138 seems a lot for my height but a lot of it is in my chest. Lol

So, 1700 calories? Eating back my calories? That is a big jump

AllonsYtotheTardis

Lets start simple. What is your height, weight, age and workout routine? Also, do you use a food scale to weigh and measure your foods?

ON a side note, i would recommend dropping your carbs and upping your protein/fats.

I am 5'1" and I weight 138 pounds. I go to the gym 4-5 days a week doing cardio and weights. I measure EVERYTHING. I am very stringent about it (drives my hubby nuts).

Any medical conditions such as hypothyrodism, pcos, etc..? Based on your stats, I would suggest eating 1700 calories daily; macro's around 40% carbs, 30% protein and fats.

None. I have been set at 40, 30 & 30 from day one. 138 seems a lot for my height but a lot of it is in my chest. Lol

So, 1700 calories? Eating back my calories? That is a big jump

I think he meant 1700 without eating back exercise calories.

I'm roughly the same height and weight as you, and I'm eating 1400 plus exercise calories, and I'm still losing, slowly.

LisaUlrey

Lets start simple. What is your height, weight, age and workout routine? Also, do you use a food scale to weigh and measure your foods?

ON a side note, i would recommend dropping your carbs and upping your protein/fats.

I am 5'1" and I weight 138 pounds. I go to the gym 4-5 days a week doing cardio and weights. I measure EVERYTHING. I am very stringent about it (drives my hubby nuts).

Any medical conditions such as hypothyrodism, pcos, etc..? Based on your stats, I would suggest eating 1700 calories daily; macro's around 40% carbs, 30% protein and fats.

None. I have been set at 40, 30 & 30 from day one. 138 seems a lot for my height but a lot of it is in my chest. Lol

So, 1700 calories and eating my calories back. Seems like a big jump but it is worth a try.

Deborah100660

Do this only if you have no health issues. You are probably on a plateau, a set point in your weight. You can increase your exercise, or you can try to keep all carbs between 20-30 per day for a week. You must have fiber. Fiber doesn't count in your carbs. Look at net carbs. This can start your weight loss again. Do not do this for more than a week as this is a very high protein diet. Your weight loss slows down as you get closer to your ideal body weight. You should also look at your weight and re-evaluate if your goal is realistic for your body.

TonyStark30

Patience and drop your Calories.

All other suggestions are cool and all, but they don't actually deal with the problem, they are just doing something else while you can't get any further, there are no tricks, the last 10 pounds is just hard.

tracieangeletti

Bump to read later! :-)