Unbreakable Plateau

Moogann

I need some serious help. I've plateaued at 140 pounds. I've made sure to only eat 1200 cals; I even tried 900. I added 25 mins of elliptical workout but absolutely nothing is working. And I didn't cheat on my diet. What do you think is causing this? I should note I still have about 5 pounds of excess fat left to lose so I feel so frustrated. I'm literally doing everything I'm supposed to but it's not working.

diannethegeek

How long have you been plateaued?

How accurately are you logging? You're not skipping veggies or cooking oils? Are you using a food scale?

Are you eating back any of your earned exercise calories? If so, what method are you using to estimate your burn?

snowflake954

How long have you been plateauing? As you get close to goal it gets really tough and perhaps you just need patience. Give a bit more information and someone who knows the answer will help out. I'm plateauing also, but I'm 59 with 10lbs to go and I'm just planning on plugging away. I'm so pleased with my results so far, and am in no hurry. Best of luck to you.

Julzanne72

Ummm.....900 calories is definitely not enough food for starters, 1200 is the bare minimum you need if you are not working out to lose weight, if you are working out you should be eating back your exercise calories too.....

ChristinaOrtiz23

I need some serious help. I've plateaued at 140 pounds. I've made sure to only eat 1200 cals; I even tried 900. I added 25 mins of elliptical workout but absolutely nothing is working. And I didn't cheat on my diet. What do you think is causing this? I should note I still have about 5 pounds of excess fat left to lose so I feel so frustrated. I'm literally doing everything I'm supposed to but it's not working.

You might want to up your calories a little bit! There's prob 101 forums on why upping your calories with help and a million success stories on how people broke there plateau with upping their calories! I know it sounds scary but i seen it work! Just a suggestion!! good luck :bigsmile:

dannatona

Your body needs more than those calories to run correctly... eat more calories and lift more weights. You won't get 'bulky', you'll gain some muscle, but muscle burns more fat in your body! It's also EXTREMELY difficult to lose those last few lbs, try other workouts besides ones your body might be used to.

ms179q

kudos on the effort and discipline.

However, you need to be eating every 3 hours. You don't need to eat a lot, but taking in only 900 calories a day is training your body to hold onto that stored fat as a reserve because it doesn't think it is going to get enough. Keep pressing a head, keep doing what your doing, just up your calorie in take and mix your work out up. Make sure your weight training as well as cardio. consistency is the key - routine is the killer.

diannethegeek

kudos on the effort and discipline.

However, you need to be eating every 3 hours. You don't need to eat a lot, but taking in only 900 calories a day is training your body to hold onto that stored fat as a reserve because it doesn't think it is going to get enough. Keep pressing a head, keep doing what your doing, just up your calorie in take and mix your work out up. Make sure your weight training as well as cardio. consistency is the key - routine is the killer.

Eating every 3 hours has no effect on metabolism or weight loss. It may have an effect on mood, energy levels, gym performance, hunger, etc, but that is highly variable and people should find what works for them and their own schedule.

diannethegeek

I need some serious help. I've plateaued at 140 pounds. I've made sure to only eat 1200 cals; I even tried 900. I added 25 mins of elliptical workout but absolutely nothing is working. And I didn't cheat on my diet. What do you think is causing this? I should note I still have about 5 pounds of excess fat left to lose so I feel so frustrated. I'm literally doing everything I'm supposed to but it's not working.

You might want to up your calories a little bit! There's prob 101 forums on why upping your calories with help and a million success stories on how people broke there plateau with upping their calories! I know it sounds scary but i seen it work! Just a suggestion!! good luck :bigsmile:

This, of course, assumes that the OP's logging is accurate and they actually are eating only 900 calories a day. Way too many people are eyeballing portions, not logging veggies, ignoring cheat days, or whatever and aren't actually in a deficit. Which is why I like to ask a few simple questions to be sure before advising someone to change their calorie levels.

Moogann

How long have you been plateaued?

How accurately are you logging? You're not skipping veggies or cooking oils? Are you using a food scale?

Are you eating back any of your earned exercise calories? If so, what method are you using to estimate your burn?

I log everything accurately. I don't skip anything. I only eat my 1200. I don't have a foods scale. Is that enough information? I will be happy to provide more. Thanks for helping.

RobPA1

For the past three weeks I was stuck at 226lbs - despite at least a 900 cal deficit per day. I bumped my cals up to 1600 from 1300 and did nothing else different (same workouts, etc) and this week I have lost 2 lbs. I also ate back most of my excercize calories, something that I was afriad to do, but obviously helped.

NancyKhuu

I don't need to lose any but a friend was in the same situation with you, hanging at the plateau for months. She decided to try intermittent fasting and that helped to break her plateau. I'm not exactly 100% sure about the whole techniques because I haven't needed it. Basically she skipped breakfast and dinner but allows herself to eat a humongous lunch. Her daily calories intake didn't change (because her lunch is so big she didn't starve herself, and because she can't possibly eat too much in one meal she didn't starve herself either). I think the idea is you starve yourself most of the time to force your body to use up the fat, but by eating one big meal it's not only satisfying, but also to make sure you don't go into starving mode.

I thought there was more than one method to plan a intermittent fast. You could look ion that and see if it's for you

douglasedward

I log everything accurately. I don't skip anything. I only eat my 1200. I don't have a foods scale. Is that enough information? I will be happy to provide more. Thanks for helping.

Maybe try getting a food scale? They're really not very expensive -- less than $20.

diannethegeek

How long have you been plateaued?

How accurately are you logging? You're not skipping veggies or cooking oils? Are you using a food scale?

Are you eating back any of your earned exercise calories? If so, what method are you using to estimate your burn?

I log everything accurately. I don't skip anything. I only eat my 1200. I don't have a foods scale. Is that enough information? I will be happy to provide more. Thanks for helping.

You still haven't answered how long you've been plateaued. I ask because if it's been less than 3 weeks then it's possible you're just retaining some water weight (hormones, TOM, stress, changes to your exercise routine, sodium, cheat days, etc. can all cause water retention) which can mask any weight loss that's going on in the background.

Some people are very good at using measuring cups or estimating portion sizes, but most of us kind of suck at it. No, it's not absolutely essential for weight loss. Since we can't see your diary I have no idea if this will help you or not, but when you're stalled out it's one of the easier methods to try and see what might be going wrong.

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1234699-logging-accurately-step-by-step-guide
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1290491-how-and-why-to-use-a-digital-food-scale

I would also recommend double-checking your calorie goal to be sure that 1200 is the best for you. That's not about faster weight loss, but about general health and not burning out on your diet. 1200 calories is the least that the site will recommend, but for some people that's too aggressive.

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/819055-setting-your-calorie-and-macro-targets

Another thing that causes some people problems is eating out. Again, I don't know whether or not this is applicable to you, but if you eat out a lot you may have to accept that your weight loss is going to be slower. Restaurants tend to be liberal with the butter, oil, cheese, sauces, etc. and the calories can be quite a bit more than their nutrition info estimates.

Derpes

Troubleshoot.....

1. Are you logging food correctly?

2. Are you overestimating calories burns?


There is an answer

diannethegeek

I don't need to lose any but a friend was in the same situation with you, hanging at the plateau for months. She decided to try intermittent fasting and that helped to break her plateau. I'm not exactly 100% sure about the whole techniques because I haven't needed it. Basically she skipped breakfast and dinner but allows herself to eat a humongous lunch. Her daily calories intake didn't change (because her lunch is so big she didn't starve herself, and because she can't possibly eat too much in one meal she didn't starve herself either). I think the idea is you starve yourself most of the time to force your body to use up the fat, but by eating one big meal it's not only satisfying, but also to make sure you don't go into starving mode.

I thought there was more than one method to plan a intermittent fast. You could look ion that and see if it's for you

Intermittent Fasting is great for some people. You're right that there are different forms of it. The one you're describing is usually 16:8, where you fast for 16 hours (including the time you're asleep) and eat your calories for the day in an 8 hour window. It won't help with weight loss if you're still eating more than your TDEE, so you still need to be tracking your calories. But if it's something that you want to look further into I know there are a few IF groups here on MFP that you can look up.

Rogiefreida

So you don't have a food scale. If you aren't weighing everything then you can't know if you're logging accurately. I got a food scale at walmart for $18. Go get one, weigh everything. Weight loss comes from a calorie deficit.

Also, FWIW, 5 pounds isn't very much. Most people's weight will fluctuate by 3-5 pounds daily anyways. If you want to change your appearance, then I would suggest looking into weight lifting and not worrying so much about the scale.

ASKyle

How many cals are you recording for your exercise burn?

IMO 30 minutes of elliptical won't cut it.

diannethegeek

Also, FWIW, 5 pounds isn't very much. Most people's weight will fluctuate by 3-5 pounds daily anyways. If you want to change your appearance, then I would suggest looking into weight lifting and not worrying so much about the scale.

^Quoting for Truth! The last 5 pounds are hard and slow and the OP might benefit more from something like body recomposition instead of weight loss.

I'll leave the obligatory link to Staci: Your New Powerlifting Hero here: http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2011/07/21/meet-staci-your-new-powerlifting-super-hero/

StaciMarie1974

If you don't have a food scale, you're not able to accurately log your food in the exact quantities you're eating. What you think is only 3-4 ounces of meat could easily be 5-6. The 'serving' of rice, veggies, etc. could be 1.5 'servings'. You just don't know because calories for solid food is based on mass and mass is based on weight.

Make sure you're eating enough, but get a food scale. With only 5 pounds to lose accuracy is the only way to make sure you have a deficit. Accuracy & patience.

DamePiglet

did i miss how long this plateau has been going on?