Inexplicable Plateau

LVCeltGirl

I'll repeat a lot of what I've read today. First off, you're NOT on a plateau.

The 2nd point - get to a nutritionist or doctor you'd trust with giving you the information that's right for your body. I'm 1" shorter than you, and your 144 would be perfect for my body. I've got a large bone structure and anything below 140 for me personally will look like I'm anorexic. To give you a reference, the ideal range for my height is between 123 - 163, I can't drop below 140 without it looking bad and possibly being unhealthy for me. Everyone is different in this respect.

Lastly, it really doesn't sound like you're eating enough calories. As everyone else has stated when they've pointed this out, you drop below your BMR and your body starts to hold onto the fat because it thinks you're starving. Up your calories.

Throw out the scale, or at least hide it for a few weeks, do everything on measurements. I've always said, I don't care if I weigh 300 lbs as long as I look like I weigh 128. Let's be realistic, that's not going to happen on a 5'7" frame but you get the picture, the scale is a number it does not dictate who you are.

Good luck with your journey to a healthier you.

Francl27

Sorry but if she's eating 500 calories she's definitely not eating enough.

I haven't seen how long she's been stuck, but stalls of a few weeks are a normal part of weight loss. You just have to stick through it.

twinketta

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

This for sure.

Maybe it is not about losing more weight but just getting to a shape that you want to be?

Siansonea

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

This for sure.

Maybe it is not about losing more weight but just getting to a shape that you want to be?

Bollocks. Our bodies stop losing weight when we eat at maintenance. You can lose as much weight as you want, as long as you maintain a deficit. This "our bodies want to be a certain weight" nonsense is completely unsupported by any science I've ever seen. Like a lot of the paradigms that are thrown around here. :huh:

gamesandgains

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.

Best response I've read on this thread. Listen to this person^^^

DopeItUp

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.

SLLRunner

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.

What? I think I'm misreading this.

You are really running an hour four times a week and eating only 1,500 on run days and 1,000 the rest of the time? Then you ate only 500 miles per day on a run day?

Let me be blunt here:.you have already cut your calories to less than safe. 1,000 calories and 500 calories are unsafe.

Besides this, 144 at 5'8" is a healthy weight.

Do not cut your calories, and stop playing Russian roulette with your calories. Find out what you calorie allowance is to maintain and stick to it. Or, if you really feel you must lose a few extra pounds, set your allowance to lose .5 pounds per week, and stick to it. Weigh you solid food, measure your liquid foods, and accurately log calories consumed and calories burned.

I also suggest that you talk to someone about your approach to weight loss. I suspect underneath all this you have some body imagine issues as well.

Ang108

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.

With all due respect, there are so many statements in your post that really concern me that my only advise I can give you is to see a nutrition specialist to get some good info and a sustainable diet.
5'8" at 144 pounds, a 4-5 pound loss a week, 1500-1000 calories lowered to 500 to lose more.....to all I can only say; no, no, no, no, no......plus what you are going through is not a plateau.
[/quote]

Olivia

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