Seem to be stuck in Plateuville, Need Help & Idea's Please..

Calif_Girl67

Well I seem to be stuck in Plateuville and the scale is not going down. In fact this morning the scale
showed I had gained 2 pounds. Not sure what is going on but I am not happy!! I don't know why the scale is
not budging. Need idea's and tips to get the scale to start moving again. I am exercising everyday and drinking
water. For some ppl it is so easy to drop the weight and then for others,it takes forever!!!

pyro13g

It's a carbohydrate issue. Both quantity and type.

krisnshan

I am having the same problem...I am trying zig zagging my calories. I don't know what the guy meant by carb problem a little explanation would help. I imagine he is assuming you are eating too many carbs. I don't know your diet, but I can tell you I am not getting in too many carbs. Try looking up zig zagging your calories and see if it helps you. I am just starting so I can't say. Best of luck to you. I am also seriously considering investing in P90X seems to really work!

eagles0080

change up your exercise routine... ex: if you're walking try interval training alternating running for short spurts and walking...mix up your calories...go higher one day and lower the next...the key is to "trick" your body so it doesn't adapt to a particular routine...that's when the plateau sets in. Good luck!

Melinda1987

Hi there! I read the message boards here quite a bit and have been on & off diets since the 3rd grade so I totally understand! By any chance is it TOM? That, of course, causes all kinds of body weirdness for women. I think the best ideas I've seen to break a plateau is to throw yer body a curve-ball. Zig-zag yer calories for a week or two. By that I mean if (for example) you normally eat around 1400 cals a day, one or two days of the week bump it up to 1650 or so. I know it's weird and sounds totally counter-productive, but it seems to work! Also - what do you do for exercise? Because I've read that your body gets used to a certain type of exercise after a while and you need to change it. So if you've been walking, try doing an aerobic video for a while. If you can afford it - take a class at the Y. Just throw your body a curve-ball and you'll start losing again.

mlemonroe2

Change your workouts. If you surprise your muscles, you get a better calorie burn. Eat over your calories by 500 or so, it will give your matabolism a boost. These things work for me when the scale isn't cooperating! Good luck!

Calif_Girl67

Ok well if its a Carb issue then what do u suggest? I tried zigzagging and it didn't help either. I always change up my exercise routine by doing a different exercise type everyday, 1 day treadmill,1 day step areobics,etc etc.

No its not TOM because I had major surgery on Jan 3rd so TOM will never be an issue again

pyro13g

Ok well if its a Carb issue then what do u suggest? I tried zigzagging and it didn't help either. I always change up my exercise routine by doing a different exercise type everyday, 1 day treadmill,1 day step areobics,etc etc.

No its not TOM because I had major surgery on Jan 3rd so TOM will never be an issue again

Things like 71g of carb muffins, and 144g of carb bowls of ice cream, and upwards of 300g of carbs a day are not helping your cause. Processed refined carbs on top of it. Try something easy. Cut your carbs to no more than 100g or even start at no more than 150g and keep moving towards 100g. Don't even change the type of carbs right now, but keeping the processed and refined ones out will only help. Keep your carbs fixed 150g for a week, 140g, the next, 120g, 100g, even lower. Use protein and fat(no veggie oils) for the rest of calories. Don't cycle calories or carbs for now. Any strength training? If not, add it if possible, best and needed tool at a calorie deficit. Barring anything medical in the way, your weight should drop. If your diary is complete than there are days you've been under 150g carbs.

You need strength training with that walking. No strength training at a calorie deficit is causing unnecessary muscle loss that is slowing metabolism.

DrBorkBork

What pyro said!

Muscles are sexy. Grow some. It's important to focus on carb quality as well as quantity. Scale back under 150. Eat less processed foods and more whole ones (especially those with single ingredient lists or no ingredient list at all). If it comes from the earth or has a mama, eat it. If the ingredient list has words you don't recognize or can't pronounce RUN AWAY.

mocha76

What Pyro and DrBork said. I cut my carbs back to 50-100g last week and I feel amazing and the lbs are coming off steady. It won't hurt to try it. :-)

fcrisswell

I have to agree with the processed carbs. Cut them out. Not all carbs are evil or created equal. Veggies and fruits are good for you (if you are carb sensitive fruits may need to be limited too). White sugar, flour, corn syrup, things like that...cut them and see what happens.

MissKim

What Pyro and DrBork said. I cut my carbs back to 50-100g last week and I feel amazing and the lbs are coming off steady. It won't hurt to try it. :-)

What Pyro, DrBork, and Mocha said

Looking at your food diary, you are eating alot of processed carbs, and your carbs are set way too high!!! but like pyro said, focus on amount and then focus on quality.

golferd

Your doing great job of being in your calorie limit. I thought I was doing a good job of eating well.

However, what most are saying is you have to "clean it up". I saw this easy explanation: You should be looking at food on the outside isles of the store vs inside. If it is on the inside it is processed usually.

Here is also some facts I received from a food chemist: Frozen Waffles, chocolate of any kind, oj, fruit juices, are out, because of processing and sugars.

Here is what I am trying stuck since (3-5-2011) Last 2 weeks: I have increased my calorie intake, boosted protein and lowered carbs: low sodium turkey ground and bacon, Boars Head low sodium roast beef, chicken (watch sodium), quit using sauces such as ketchup and bbq sauce (high fructose corn syrup HFCS), quanities of fruits (can be lots of hidden sugars/carbs), watching dairy intake.

Frozen Yogurts or ice creams gone.

Granola Bars (TLC) gone. Replaced with Almonds and occasional peanuts (non salted)

Review your calorie levels, and what you have inputed into MFP as far as activity level.

You have to eliminate anything with HFCS. Just bad news for diets and our bodies

melsinct

I just broke my six week plateau and posted about it this morning:
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/248810-six-week-plateau-busted-yay

martinah4

What Pyro and DrBork said. I cut my carbs back to 50-100g last week and I feel amazing and the lbs are coming off steady. It won't hurt to try it. :-)

What Pyro, DrBork, and Mocha said

Looking at your food diary, you are eating alot of processed carbs, and your carbs are set way too high!!! but like pyro said, focus on amount and then focus on quality.

martinah4

What Pyro, Dr.Bork, Mocha and Miss Kim said.
Also, make sure you're getting plenty of water, and watch your salt intake!

Grokette

It's a carbohydrate issue. Both quantity and type.

I agree.

What are you eating as far as vegetable carbs and starchy or sugary carbs?

If your eating more than 1 or 2 small servings of fruit per day, cut back - add more vegetables in place.

How much processed food are you eating?

Grokette

Ok well if its a Carb issue then what do u suggest? I tried zigzagging and it didn't help either. I always change up my exercise routine by doing a different exercise type everyday, 1 day treadmill,1 day step areobics,etc etc.

No its not TOM because I had major surgery on Jan 3rd so TOM will never be an issue again

Things like 71g of carb muffins, and 144g of carb bowls of ice cream, and upwards of 300g of carbs a day are not helping your cause. Processed refined carbs on top of it. Try something easy. Cut your carbs to no more than 100g or even start at no more than 150g and keep moving towards 100g. Don't even change the type of carbs right now, but keeping the processed and refined ones out will only help. Keep your carbs fixed 150g for a week, 140g, the next, 120g, 100g, even lower. Use protein and fat(no veggie oils) for the rest of calories. Don't cycle calories or carbs for now. Any strength training? If not, add it if possible, best and needed tool at a calorie deficit. Barring anything medical in the way, your weight should drop. If your diary is complete than there are days you've been under 150g carbs.

You need strength training with that walking. No strength training at a calorie deficit is causing unnecessary muscle loss that is slowing metabolism.

I agree, great suggestions Pyro!!!

That chronic amount of cardio your doing is not going to help either............except for make your body age faster.

hpsnickers1

Ok well if its a Carb issue then what do u suggest? I tried zigzagging and it didn't help either. I always change up my exercise routine by doing a different exercise type everyday, 1 day treadmill,1 day step areobics,etc etc.

No its not TOM because I had major surgery on Jan 3rd so TOM will never be an issue again

Things like 71g of carb muffins, and 144g of carb bowls of ice cream, and upwards of 300g of carbs a day are not helping your cause. Processed refined carbs on top of it. Try something easy. Cut your carbs to no more than 100g or even start at no more than 150g and keep moving towards 100g. Don't even change the type of carbs right now, but keeping the processed and refined ones out will only help. Keep your carbs fixed 150g for a week, 140g, the next, 120g, 100g, even lower. Use protein and fat(no veggie oils) for the rest of calories. Don't cycle calories or carbs for now. Any strength training? If not, add it if possible, best and needed tool at a calorie deficit. Barring anything medical in the way, your weight should drop. If your diary is complete than there are days you've been under 150g carbs.

You need strength training with that walking. No strength training at a calorie deficit is causing unnecessary muscle loss that is slowing metabolism.

I agree, great suggestions Pyro!!!

That chronic amount of cardio your doing is not going to help either............except for make your body age faster.

I have to agree with Pyro, Grokette and all the others that agree with them. It took my 6 months to lose 10lbs doing it the "normal" way (high carbs and low fat). When I dropped carbs (and cut out flour, sugars, and grains and dairy - milk mainly) and increased my fat intake (through meats and healthy fats) I dropped 4.6lbs of pure body fat (who said it was hard to lose body fat when you are already at a healthy weight!). My muscle mass is intact due to my strength training and my metabolism is still going strong - can tell this by my BodyMedia Fit Armband.

Calif_Girl67

Wow, lots of good advice here, Thank you all very much. Why is it then that MFP has my Carb number way up
at 226? makesno sense if I need to ony be eating 100 Carbs a day. I never use to like Yogurt but now I am hooked
on Chobani Pomegranate and i am not a milk drinker but I do like to make fruit smoothies. I have just started using
JMichaels Whey Protein but I am not using it everyday. Should I?

I will try to change some things and see if it helps from the advice you have all given me. Won't be easy but I will try.
Keep sending me some ideas and tips

rachpiper720

I think that MFP is based on the government's food pyramid, which is heavily carbohydrate based. I think there are a lot more of us out there who are sensitive to grains (refined or unrefined) and sugar (either natural or processed) than we think and just can't handle so much of it. If you are having trouble with a plateau, then what could dropping your carbs hurt?

Looking at the JM whey protien, there is 7 gram of carbs/serving, which isn't bad so I wouldn't worry too much about that. Having fruit smoothies is better than fruit juice because it has fiber, but it also has a lot of natural sugars so be cautious. I would focus on what Pyro said. Make sure you get lots of healthy fats, moderate protein, and reduce your carbs.

I did this, and within a few days I notice I naturally ate less calories, my energy went up, and my stiffness in my joints and muscles went away. As a result of eating this way for a couple months now, my muscle mass has increased, my weight has dropped, and now I have enough energy even for sprinting. Best thing of all...my sugar cravings are almost gone! It is hard at first, but the results definitely make up for it. Best of luck!

Calif_Girl67

Ok I am not sure what happened but since starting this thread, I have lost 1 pound. I stopped eating the Eggo Waffles
and I am watching my Carbs and Sodium levels alot more. Glad its working Just thought i would share this, Thanks
for the tips.

Geminieve24

I am having the same problem...I am trying zig zagging my calories. I don't know what the guy meant by carb problem a little explanation would help. I imagine he is assuming you are eating too many carbs. I don't know your diet, but I can tell you I am not getting in too many carbs. Try looking up zig zagging your calories and see if it helps you. I am just starting so I can't say. Best of luck to you. I am also seriously considering investing in P90X seems to really work!

I was at a plateau for awhile and cutting back on carbs really do help! I do have fruit, but I try and stay away from breads and pastas. I will have a half a cup of brown rice. I also steer clear of carbs at dinner time. I also add fiber powder to my protein shake so that I do get in enough fiber.
Changing up your workout routine can help too.

Geminieve24

Ok I am not sure what happened but since starting this thread, I have lost 1 pound. I stopped eating the Eggo Waffles
and I am watching my Carbs and Sodium levels alot more. Glad its working Just thought i would share this, Thanks
for the tips.

Ahh it could have been the waffles! For breakfast I will eat 2 egg whites and half a grapefruit in the morning. Or a protein shake and half a grapefruit. Also eating every 2 hours helps.
The sodium can make me retain water weight BIG time! Keep up the good work!
Alicia

pyro13g

First thing that happens when dropping carb levels is you lose some water weight quickly. If you up carbs you get a quick jump in weight due to water.

melsinct

I just broke my six week long plateau, though I did zero adjustments relating to carbs. I posted about it on this thread:
http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/248810-six-week-plateau-busted-yay

Calif_Girl67

I always eat about 3hrs a part and I change up my exercise everyday, when I woke up yesterday morning and saw that I had lost another pound I decided to do a different work out dvd so today I will do a different workout as well. I am trying to keep my carbs
low as much as I can handle until I can get it under control. Check out my diary for the last 3 days and you can see the changes
in Carbs and food. My plateau had only been for a 3 weeks.

I weighed again this morning just for curiosity and had actually lost a little more weight but unless I lose 1 pound or more i
don't log it normally.

Mel, I tried looking at your diary but its closed for viewing I try too look at what other ppl eat so I can get new ideas.

Also, I looked in the store for that Air pop popcorn and never found it, were do u buy it?

srp2011

Along with cutting back on the processed carbs, try increasing your lean protein intake - I try to have protein at all meals, particularly lunch and dinner - for example, a typical day would include some cottage cheese (non-fat) for breakfast, a salad with grilled salmon or imitation crab for lunch, and steamed fish and veggies for dinner (I'm not into chicken, but you could certainly substitute that) - shoot for at least 7 oz of protein a day. You need protein to build muscles.

Calif_Girl67

Thanks SRP, I just recently started using Jillian Michaels Whey Protein but I am not using it everyday, Maybe I should?
I use it as a smoothie for either breakfast or lunch mixed with frozen fruit and almond milk or water.