Tips on Breaking a Multi-Month Plateau?

00trayn

I've been trying to deal with my plateau for a few months, and I figured it wouldn't help to have my MFP pals chime in on anything that might help me break it. Food diary is public, FYI. I've lost 65 lbs so far and I'm hoping to get down into the 130s as a goal, so at least 10 more lbs left.

- Been stuck right around 150 since Christmas, and I was losing incredibly slowly for the 2 months prior to Christmas (5 lbs in 2 months lost). And I do measurements monthly, I did lose inches between Dec. and Jan. but NONE between Jan. and Feb. I'm going to measure again the week to see if I've lost any more, but I'm not expecting much. I haven't dropped a clothing size since Christmas when I was fitting into size 6.

- I'm definitely not undereating. I have 1530 calories per day and I try to eat at least 1300, usually I'm close to that 1500. I've been focusing on getting more protein with lean meats, dairy, fish, and protein shakes. My trainer at the gym has me on very low carb after 5pm or my evening workout. I don't really eat empty calories on a regular basis. I drink lots of water.

- I work out 4 days during the week for at least an hour, usually 600+ calorie burn. I do intense cardio like a cardio machine, but lately I've been running on the treadmill or doing walk/run intervals that get my heart rate into the 180s. On the weekends I'm fairly active with walking around, I don't sit on my couch for 2 days.

- Yes, I drink. Only one night a week and it's usually 2 beers, rarely more. Yes, I eat take-out lunches but I'm incredibly picky. So it's Wegmans, Chick Fil A salads, salads from the salad bar, etc. Sodium can be a bit high, but they're definitely healthy choices.

So... I'm really at a loss what to do. Keep up with my routine and hope something starts working (I've only really been running regularly since the beginning of March)? Try and change something up? I'm pretty much at a max for how much protein I can handle in a day, I'm not willing to go to a higher percentage because I won't be able to keep it up. Anyone have any advice based on all of this info? Thanks!

shaunshaikh

I am assuming that you don't "eat back" your exercise calories. Can you please post your maintainance calories?

00trayn

I have my activity level set to active to account for my workouts, so it says 2030 for maintenance, but it's likely a bit lower since I have a desk job.

shaunshaikh

If I were you, I would set my activity level to sedentary and then just log your workouts as calories burned. I believe Active is for people who are up and moving around all day.

My guess is that will take your maintainance calories down to around 1800? Let's assume that you average 700 calories burned per workout 4 days a week. Spread out over the week, that is like 400 extra calories a day you should be eating. Therefore, that means your new maintainance calories would be 2200 on a week where you workout 4 times for ~700 calories. I would suggest that you set your goals to losing 1 pound per week at your current weight, because that is roughly a 25% deficeit based on your maintainance calories. Therefore, I would say that with your current activity level and your workout plan you should be averaging 1,650 calories per day. If you are cycling your calories, that might mean 1,350 some days and 1,950 some days.

I know it sounds like a lot, but this message board is full of people close to their goal weight who don't eat enough who have plateued because they are trying for too high of a deficeit.

countrygirl_717

Do you lift weights? You mentioned you have a trainer at the gym, but what are you doing with him there? Any weights at all?? Free weights? Weight machines? If you do lift, at what intensity do you lift? Heavy or light?
Sorry for the mass questionaire...lol, just wanted to know where you're at with resistance training

00trayn

My trainer has me working on strength and resistance training for pretty much our entire 30 minute session each week. I'll do circuits on different weight machines and do 10-12 reps per exercise at fairly high weights, just heavy enough that I can complete that many. Plus lunges, squats, leg raises, ab stuff, etc. And when I do cardio machines that aren't running, I'll dial up the resistance as much as possible to really work my leg muscles. I've been meaning to ask him if I should be adding in more weight training without him during the week.

emadigan

I'm stuck on a multi-month plateau as well! I lost 20 pounds incredibly fast and now my weight has barely budged since late November.

Someone suggested that I try to calculate my net calories separate from MFP, because MFP only goes as low as 1200 and once you get down there in weight, it go can below 1200. That person was right. For me to lose on dieting alone, I'd have to eat about 900 calories a day. I don't suggest actually eating that much and I refuse to. I have kind of accepted that the weight loss will just have to be slower.

However, its really hard. I only weight myself every two weeks (sometimes less often) and I'm always really disappointed. My boyfriend suggested that I might be building muscle instead of losing fat, which doesn't make me any happier. I would like the tummy fat to disappear!

00trayn

I adjusted my calories like suggested, so that I'm at 1390 base calories. I'm going to try calorie cycling, since that's the one thing I haven't tried yet and I rarely do eat back my exercise calories. So on days I workout, I'm gonna eat more and on the days I'm resting I'll eat less.

I'm also training for my 5K so I'll be running probably 4-5 times a week. I'm planning on alternating between running a 5K at a constant pace, and running intervals of like walk at 4.0 mph and run at 6.0 mph. Plus some strength training with my personal trainer. I really hope something starts working, it's incredibly difficult to keep trying things and not having them work at all.

Jena_72

You are awesome Sara I am pretty sure I have mentioned that before! :bigsmile: If anyone can figure it out it's you! Can't wait to see pics from your 5K. Looking forward to seeing a LOSS from you very soon! :drinker:

SHBoss1673

Sara, you're pretty close to your goal right? It's a really slow burn when you get down there. It took me almost 4 months to lose my last 10 lbs, and I had multiple weeks where I didn't lose a pound. And that was me being supremely strict with my diet. And watching my exercise calories like a hawk. At some point I said screw it, concentrated on my fitness level, developed a boot camp, stopped checking my weight, and focused on how clothes fit, and the level of my physical fitness. That was the last piece of the puzzle. When I started focusing on how my body worked instead of what I could and couldn't eat (I was still logging, but I was concentrating more on food that would help my workouts as opposed to food that would keep me in my calorie range) I lost those last few lbs without even paying attention.

Do you know your body fat %, that would help to know whether you can afford the deficit you have set. If you don't, I'd probably do that first, ask your trainer, if they don't do callipers, then look around, most met labs have the ability.

00trayn

I've been keeping track of body fat using the handheld device at the gym. It says I'm 28.2% body fat (it's been the same for a month now) so I'm in the healthy range for body fat, but I'm 10 lbs overweight for BMI. I know those aren't as accurate as calipers or a BodyPod or something, but it at least gives me an idea where I'm at.

And yes, I'm 10 lbs from my initial goal of 140, I'd like to get into the 130s so I have a bit of a cushion.

I've been slowly switching over to the mindset that fitness is a priority over weight. I think running is going to be a big factor in losing the last 10 lbs. It pushes me way past my workout comfort zone. It gets my heart rate into the 180s and I keep it there, my calorie burn for a sub-40 minute 5K is nearly 500 calories.

Now the question is what sorts of food should I be eating to help with my fitness and running? I've been concentrating on protein more and not eating carbs in the evening (well, low carb in the evening at least). I'm trying to front load my day with calories so that I eat a light dinner and a snack after my evening workouts and that's it.

eating4balance

I would suggest eating more protein, more fiber, and less sodium.

SHBoss1673

I've been keeping track of body fat using the handheld device at the gym. It says I'm 28.2% body fat (it's been the same for a month now) so I'm in the healthy range for body fat, but I'm 10 lbs overweight for BMI. I know those aren't as accurate as calipers or a BodyPod or something, but it at least gives me an idea where I'm at.

And yes, I'm 10 lbs from my initial goal of 140, I'd like to get into the 130s so I have a bit of a cushion.

I've been slowly switching over to the mindset that fitness is a priority over weight. I think running is going to be a big factor in losing the last 10 lbs. It pushes me way past my workout comfort zone. It gets my heart rate into the 180s and I keep it there, my calorie burn for a sub-40 minute 5K is nearly 500 calories.

Now the question is what sorts of food should I be eating to help with my fitness and running? I've been concentrating on protein more and not eating carbs in the evening (well, low carb in the evening at least). I'm trying to front load my day with calories so that I eat a light dinner and a snack after my evening workouts and that's it.

if you haven't been running, and are starting, yeah, it's gonna do some good things, but don't do it exclusively, make sure you keep going with resistance, and heavy resistance at that, things like circuits of 4 to 8 reps to technical failure, hypertrophy sets, things like that at least once, but ultimately twice a week would be best.

Also, starting a new routine could very well stall weight loss for a month or two, you're changing your body, and the body doesn't like change, it'll resist at first, give it some time to settle. You're doing it right girl, be confident in that knowledge.

As to food, you don't need to change very much for 5K, but in general, before a hard run, eat a decent good carb (something with 20 to 35 grams of carbs in it) meal about 1 and a half to 2 hours before, and if you run for more than an hour, have something with electrolytes and a LITTLE carbs after (gatorade is not my favorite choice though, to much sugar in that junk).

00trayn

Thanks for the tips! I suspected that it's just a matter of time for everything to fall into place. I'll ask my trainer today about doing a second strength training session on my own during the week in addition to what we do on Tuesdays each week. I use other cardio machines too, I don't run every time I go to the gym, or I'll use the treadmill and something else like the elliptical or stair climber.

Sigh, I guess it's just a waiting game at this point. At least I know that I won't gain weight, I just need to start losing it!

CherylYMerritt

bump

tristahenry

Check out www.runnersworld.com. It's a great website for new and experienced runner for training plans, food recommendations, injury prevention. I would encourage you to look at your fiber intake, not sure where you are but fiber keeps you full and helps your body process everything else you put in it better. Also, try interval training, it sounds like you need to switch up your exercise routine, especially your cardio. Remember if it's much easier than when you started, you aren't working hard enough. Try to find something that makes you feel like you did when you first started working out (sore, tired, etc.) Ask your trainer for something new to try, maybe boxing if your gym has it .

00trayn

Nice, I'll definitely look at that website. I get at least 20g of fiber a day, I only eat whole grains and such so I tend to get a lot of fiber. I've been doing interval running as well as just running as a constant speed. I'll run at like 6.0 and walk at 4.0 and keep repeating for 5K. The running is still pretty new, I was just using cardio machines and it really wasn't challenging me. With the running, I'm totally spent after I'm done and my HR gets pretty high, so I hope it's pushing my body. I started it about 2 weeks ago.