Inexplicable Plateau

hrobin77

Hi,

I am a 36 year old female. I weigh 144 pounds, and am 5'8".

I have lost 55 pounds with very little effort--simply cutting calories, and, when I plateaued there, I added exercise and starting losing 4-5 pounds per week again. I currently run 6mph 60 minutes 4 times per week, and I eat 1500 calories on run days and 1000 calories on non-run days. I missed a meal last week, and dropped 3 pounds in one day. Since then, I have returned to my normal calories and now the weight loss has stopped. I tried eating only 500 calories per day on run and non-run days but the scale won't budge!

Do I need to further cut my calories? I don't feel cutting them any more is safe and I am running like crazy. Any help is appreciated. Thanks.

Mcgrawhaha

our bodies have a weight they are content with. maybe yours is happy at 140-ish?

p4ulmiller

Do I need to further cut my calories? I don't feel cutting them any more is safe and I am running like crazy.

You can't outrun a bad diet, so they say.

Just stop panicking, take a step back and reassess. Check your daily calorie limit again (using the settings function above) and make sure your daily limit reflects your new weight.

Then make sure you are not eyeballing your food, but are continuing to weight and measure everything.

Check you are not overestimating your calorie burn from running.

With a combination of these, you should be back on track in no time. Plateaus don't really exisit - it's usually a sign that you are eating at maintenance.

Siansonea

How are you determining the calories you eat?

nm212

Is it possible you are not eating enough calories?? I've found in my experience that I actually lose more weight when I eat back some of the calories I burned through exercise. Your body might go into starvation mode if you don't eat enough and start retaining the fat, which is why you are not losing. I would eat more! Ofcourse, more healthy food though...I think you might see a difference.

WhiteRabbit1313

" I missed a meal last week, and dropped 3 pounds in one day."

Sounds like you're doing just fine losing weight to me? Less than a week is not a plateau. Try a month, or three! :ohwell:

Francl27

You need to go see a nutritionist, if you really eat less than 1000 calories some days while running for an hour! You need to weigh all your food and keep a REASONABLE calorie deficit.

kr1stadee

. I tried eating only 500 calories per day on run and non-run days but the scale won't budge!

Do I need to further cut my calories? I don't feel cutting them any more is safe and I am running like crazy. Any help is appreciated. Thanks.

umm.. no....

smc864

Is it possible you are not eating enough calories?? I've found in my experience that I actually lose more weight when I eat back some of the calories I burned through exercise. Your body might go into starvation mode if you don't eat enough and start retaining the fat, which is why you are not losing. I would eat more! Ofcourse, more healthy food though...I think you might see a difference.

:laugh: :laugh: :laugh:

hrobin77

Thank you for all your posts!!
To answer some of the posts, I measure the the calories by labels, and by what is found in myfitnesspal. I measure my servings with a food scale and measuring cups/spoons. I never eyeball! And my diet is almost exclusively lean protein and dairy ( I occasionally indulge in 50-100 calorie piece of chocolate or a 200 calorie latte), so I don't feel that bad diet is an issue.
I use myfitnesspal's determination of my calories from running, the treadmill readout, mapmyrun's, and choose the lowest, and then subtract at least 50.
The point is, I pretty much am doing the same thing I have always done, and up until now it worked.

hrobin77

I considered this, too. I am going to try upping my caloric intake--with more healthy stuff. Thanks.

rb16fitness

You lost 3lbs last week so why are you claiming to have plateaued?

Only 500 calories a day?!? :noway: Seriously, sort it out! Eat more woman! You'll only have yourself to blame should you collapse during your workout!

hrobin77

500 net calories, so around 1200 gross cals

kyleekay10

500 net calories, so around 1200 gross cals

Step 1) Make sure your calorie counting is accurate and you are not eating more than you think
Step 2) If you find out that you are in fact netting 500 cals/day, EAT MORE.


http://iifym.com/iifym-calculator/

skullshank

How are you determining the calories you eat?

quoted for visibility.

hrobin77

I use the labels on the food, and myfitnesspal. I am not counting them any differently than I did before, and I was losing lots of weight quickly. In fact, I still eat the exact same amounts of the same foods. I am a creature of habit.

skullshank

I use the labels on the food, and myfitnesspal. I am not counting them any differently than I did before, and I was losing lots of weight quickly. In fact, I still eat the exact same amounts of the same foods. I am a creature of habit.

are you measuring/weighing?

kr1stadee

I use the labels on the food, and myfitnesspal. I am not counting them any differently than I did before, and I was losing lots of weight quickly. In fact, I still eat the exact same amounts of the same foods. I am a creature of habit.

are you measuring/weighing?

She already said she did.

FitCurves444

And what's wrong with 144 when you're 5'8"?

Siansonea

How are you determining the calories you burn through exercise?

_Zardoz_

It's only been a week. Patience

LiftAllThePizzas

500 net calories, so around 1200 gross cals

Do you really believe that your remaining body fat is capable of supplying that many calories every day to make up the deficit?

(Pro-tip: the answer is no.)

Since they are not coming from body fat, where do you think all of those other calories are coming from? Is that result consistent with your goal?

dare2love81

I really think (and I mean this to be helpful) that you have become scale obsessed. I've been known to do it too. Stop, take a breath and re-assess. You're by no means overweight and while I get that you might want to lose more, you have to realize that it's a slow process, especially when you don't have much to lose. Put the scale away for a few weeks.

Also, you are likely not eating enough. You should be eating at least what your BMR is on a daily basis, never any less than that. And given that you're running so much, you likely need MORE food to fuel your body through the workouts.

itstimetoeat

U are doing great so far! I think you got way too spoiled with your weight loss! I am sooo jealous! I've been plateau'd since November last yr. it's been a freaking year! try that for some mean o plateau! I HATE HATE HATE it.

You are consistently losing something so I would not be worried. I think you are getting obsessed and impatient which I was too but then I just gave up bc it was way too much for any person.

I eat 1000 cals and I don't eat back my earned cals so it is always gross calories I go by and it didn't work. I even use to eat more before (at 1200) and it didn't work. I changed up my workouts. I use to just go gym and take classes but they were getting too routine. I tried bootcamp for something to shock my body and I am strict on diet but even after 7 wks of bootcamp (HIIT) workouts, I haven't budged so really, U are doing much better than a lot of us! You should be PROUD. I envy your status!!!


If i had extra 5 inches of height, I'd be happy at 144ish.


DO NOT give up and DO NOT get psycho with this. I know it is hard. Just keep doing it and make changes. Get sore! get crazy when you work out so you feel that ur really getting your bang for your workout!

I'd suggest doing more intense workouts. Like HIIT. It is that kind of workout to vomit type of workout hahah.

itstimetoeat

Oh and I would toss that stupid scale out the window bc it will drive u nuts. IT drove me nuts. I stop weighing. rely on inches as your measurement. of course its nice to say I weight XXX right now but some of us can't be represented by the scale. some progressed through loss in inches.

I did atkins before when I lost the majority of my weight. It allows for cheese but with my bootcamp and the trainers advice, they said no dairy so maybe try to drop that out? replace it with something else.

I know it sucks no dairy.

Try paleo diet too!

Koldnomore

Since you stated that you have a medical condition I would suggest speaking to your doctor.

If you have been doing the same thing and it has stopped working you are no longer in a deficit. Since your diary is closed we have to take you at your word. I don't know what medical condition you have but if you are actually netting 500 calories and not losing weight you need a doctor not some random strangers in an internet forum.

Iron_Feline

Ok. I'm going to be honest here. Feel free to ignore me.

1) 1 week is not a plateau

2) Your diet and approach to weight loss is horrible.

Netting 500 cals a day and losing 4-5lbs a week are not healthy at your weight and a recipe for disaster. Your body doesn't have the fat reserves to lose that much weight a week so you will be losing muscle at a very high rate. This means when you stop this ridiculous diet you won't be able to eat as much and you will more than likely put more weigh on in pure fat, unless you are happy eating very little for the rest of your life.

With such a small amount of weight to go now I would suggest upping your calories to 1500 EVERYDAY AT LEAST, adding in some carbs to help fuel the running and aim for about 1lb weight loss a week probably 0.5lbs a week is far more realistic. If you do add some carbs back into your diet your weight wil go up slight - but it is just water weight - not fat - do not panic. For this reason.

THROW AWAY THE SCALE.

Get a tape measure and take measurement, take photos - but just ignore the scale.

You are on a dangerous path eating so much less and exercising more and believing that 4-5lbs a week loss is good and normal at your weight. The comment about skipping a meal and losing the next day is also worrying. This is how eating disorders start.

If you can add in some resistance work - weight to help maintain the muscle you have left.

DO NOT DROP THE DAIRY - there is no need, utter nonsense unless you have an actual medical reason not to. It is a good source of protein and healthy fats, calcium and is yummy.

Please read this: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants

Please please do not drop you calories lower, I'd imagine your body is already starved of food.

as a reference I'm 34, 5'2 losing on 1600 cals a day and do not run 60 minutes 4 x a week. You really shouldn't be eating less that me.

diannethegeek

U are doing great so far! I think you got way too spoiled with your weight loss! I am sooo jealous! I've been plateau'd since November last yr. it's been a freaking year! try that for some mean o plateau! I HATE HATE HATE it.

You are consistently losing something so I would not be worried. I think you are getting obsessed and impatient which I was too but then I just gave up bc it was way too much for any person.

I eat 1000 cals and I don't eat back my earned cals so it is always gross calories I go by and it didn't work. I even use to eat more before (at 1200) and it didn't work. I changed up my workouts. I use to just go gym and take classes but they were getting too routine. I tried bootcamp for something to shock my body and I am strict on diet but even after 7 wks of bootcamp (HIIT) workouts, I haven't budged so really, U are doing much better than a lot of us! You should be PROUD. I envy your status!!!


If i had extra 5 inches of height, I'd be happy at 144ish.


DO NOT give up and DO NOT get psycho with this. I know it is hard. Just keep doing it and make changes. Get sore! get crazy when you work out so you feel that ur really getting your bang for your workout!

I'd suggest doing more intense workouts. Like HIIT. It is that kind of workout to vomit type of workout hahah.

1000 calories and working out until you vomit would seem to be very bad advice, in my opinion. Especially for someone looking to get fit instead of just losing weight.

I'm 5'8" too. You're already in a healthy weight range for our height. Your body isn't going to let go of the fat easily at this range. Slow it down! Aim for one to one half pound a week and concentrate on body composition rather than weight loss.

ILiftHeavyAcrylics

Ok. I'm going to be honest here. Feel free to ignore me.

1) 1 week is not a plateau

2) Your diet and approach to weight loss is horrible.

Netting 500 cals a day and losing 4-5lbs a week are not healthy at your weight and a recipe for disaster. Your body doesn't have the fat reserves to lose that much weight a week so you will be losing muscle at a very high rate. This means when you stop this ridiculous diet you won't be able to eat as much and you will more than likely put more weigh on in pure fat, unless you are happy eating very little for the rest of your life.

With such a small amount of weight to go now I would suggest upping your calories to 1500 EVERYDAY AT LEAST, adding in some carbs to help fuel the running and aim for about 1lb weight loss a week probably 0.5lbs a week is far more realistic. If you do add some carbs back into your diet your weight wil go up slight - but it is just water weight - not fat - do not panic. For this reason.

THROW AWAY THE SCALE.

Get a tape measure and take measurement, take photos - but just ignore the scale.

You are on a dangerous path eating so much less and exercising more and believing that 4-5lbs a week loss is good and normal at your weight. The comment about skipping a meal and losing the next day is also worrying. This is how eating disorders start.

If you can add in some resistance work - weight to help maintain the muscle you have left.

DO NOT DROP THE DAIRY - there is no need, utter nonsense unless you have an actual medical reason not to. It is a good source of protein and healthy fats, calcium and is yummy.

Please read this: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants

Please please do not drop you calories lower, I'd imagine your body is already starved of food.

as a reference I'm 34, 5'2 losing on 1600 cals a day and do not run 60 minutes 4 x a week. You really shouldn't be eating less that me.

This.

jimshine

Yes, try upping your calories. I have been stalling a lot lately. It appears that MFP's formula doesn't work for me anymore. When I up my calories for a week or so, my progress picks right back up. This is all a guide and it will not apply to all people. So try going up a bit, maybe 500 off what it says you need to maintain and see what happens.

p4ulmiller

Is it possible you are not eating enough calories?? I've found in my experience that I actually lose more weight when I eat back some of the calories I burned through exercise. Your body might go into starvation mode if you don't eat enough and start retaining the fat, which is why you are not losing. I would eat more! Ofcourse, more healthy food though...I think you might see a difference.