plateau

thutchy1977

I am at a plateau! I am 5' 3", 135lbs. I workout 4-5 times a week about 2 hours at a time, cardio and strength. Haven't dropped in 3 weeks. Any suggestions? Should I slow down on strength?

Branstin

Body fluctuations like bowels, water, sodium, TOM, exercise, stress, etc. affect the rate at which your body burns fat from week to week. Three weeks time isn't a plateau. This is normal and should be expected. If you don't then start taking measurements because sometimes you will see inches drop and the number on the scale remain the same.

DrJenO

What is your goal weight?

What is your daily calorie goal?

What are your weight loss goals (1/2 lb, 1 lb, etc) per week?

diannethegeek

First and foremost, I suppose it should be said that three weeks is still within the possibility of being water weight from increased exercise, TOM, sodium, etc. A plateau is generally considered something like 4-6+ weeks with no change on the scale and no changes to your routine.

Setting your diary to public might help to get you more specific advice. Would you be comfortable doing that?

You're logging everything you eat? Including condiments, cooking oils, veggies, cheat days, etc? Are you using a food scale, measuring cups, or eyeballing your portion sizes? Most people can be off in their estimates by a whole lot when they eyeball portions. Measuring cups are better, but a food scale is always going to be the most accurate.

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

And make sure that you've calculated your calorie goals appropriately. Remember that these are just estimates. You may need to play around a little to find what works best for you.

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

If you're exercising and eating back your earned exercise calories, be sure that you're using accurate estimates of your burn. MFP and gym machines have a tendency to overestimate certain activities, which can cause you to eat back more calories than you need to. Even a heart rate monitor isn't 100% accurate. If you're eating those extra earned calories it might be a good idea to eat only 50-75% of those.

mayfrayy

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mWstBwOUOVc

thutchy1977

At this point it is all about turning fat into muscle for me, but I know that I can be at 123-126 and still not look to thin.
I will turn my activity into public.
I eat about 1350 calories a day and burn about 500 if not more. I eat healthy. I weigh in at the gym today so I will give an update. Thanks everyone!

diannethegeek

At this point it is all about turning fat into muscle for me, but I know that I can be at 123-126 and still not look to thin.
I will turn my activity into public.
I eat about 1350 calories a day and burn about 500 if not more. I eat healthy. I weigh in at the gym today so I will give an update. Thanks everyone!

If you're trying to build or retain muscle then this seems to me like the wrong plan to do it. This seems like a really large deficit to me.

diannethegeek

Your diary looks like it has a lot of missing and half-logged days. In the last month you're missing over 15 days. Are you tracking those somewhere else?

thutchy1977

I went on vacation for a week and afterwards I have been lacking on journaling. I mentally log and am very aware of what I eat but I know I need to step up my journaling.
I weighed in yesterday and I actually am at 137 lbs so I have only lost 1.2 lbs since May 16.
But my fat percent dropped 4%, I'm at fat 25.5%, bmi 24.7, and have lost over 5 lbs of fat, so I have gained 4 lbs of muscle.
So that makes me feel good. I just have to watch my journal.

SezxyStef

I went on vacation for a week and afterwards I have been lacking on journaling. I mentally log and am very aware of what I eat but I know I need to step up my journaling.
I weighed in yesterday and I actually am at 137 lbs so I have only lost 1.2 lbs since May 16.
But my fat percent dropped 4%, I'm at fat 25.5%, bmi 24.7, and have lost over 5 lbs of fat, so I have gained 4 lbs of muscle.
So that makes me feel good. I just have to watch my journal.

Sorry to tell you but you haven't gained 4lbs of muscle...esp at such a large deficit...what are you doing for strength training as I see none logged...

depending on how you got that BF number will define if it's accurate or not..if anything but a dexa scan or hydrostatic testing it's off. Esp if it's a scale at home.

And you can't turn fat into muscle...you lose fat to show the exisiting muscle..they are two different types of tissue.

As well since you don't weigh your solids and you don't eat back your exercise calories a lot of days and I see absolutely no strength training logged for exercise this entire month....those items themselves need watched as well.

thutchy1977

I do 1 1/2 hours at the gym of strength training daily, I do not log it. I am on a different site for that. And yes actually I did gain the muscle, I was in at the gym which breaks down everything. I work with a personal trainer. But thank you very much for your imput steph.

Aaron_K123

Here OP
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1337292-plateau-no