Plateau!

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Hello!

I have joined MFP to try and get some help on what I can change in my diet to actually lose weight.

I have never felt like I over eat - except on the few occasions that I eat out - and since I actually looked at my food intake on a daily basis I have come to realise that, generally, I eat around 1200-1400 calories. When I signed up to MFP a couple of days ago, it suggested I eat 1200 cals - I have inputted 2 hours of cardio per week as a realistic figure (this is what I do already) with a view to do more.

I haven't lost any weight for around a year now, but then I haven't been dieting as such. But how can I lose weight if my goal intakes for the day are what I'm already consuming? Is it just a case of upping my exercise or are there other things I can do to move things along?

Any help will be much appreciated!

Emma x

Replies

  • xraychick77
    xraychick77 Posts: 1,775 Member
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    first off..if its been over a year..its NOT a plateau.

    more than likely you arent keeping good enough track of your calories..plus if you do the same thing over and over, your body adapts and becomes very effiecent. you need to change things up.

    start off by recalculating your BMR..you can google the formulas and calculate yourself. then from there reduce in small amounts..if you reduce too much when your body stalls (as we all do), you'll have wiggle room to reduce more. also change up your workouts. add some weight lifting into that routine. try biking instead of running..etc.

    remember its all about adaptation..you need to change things up every few months to lose weight.
  • registers
    registers Posts: 782 Member
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    Hello!

    I have joined MFP to try and get some help on what I can change in my diet to actually lose weight.

    I have never felt like I over eat - except on the few occasions that I eat out - and since I actually looked at my food intake on a daily basis I have come to realise that, generally, I eat around 1200-1400 calories. When I signed up to MFP a couple of days ago, it suggested I eat 1200 cals - I have inputted 2 hours of cardio per week as a realistic figure (this is what I do already) with a view to do more.

    I haven't lost any weight for around a year now, but then I haven't been dieting as such. But how can I lose weight if my goal intakes for the day are what I'm already consuming? Is it just a case of upping my exercise or are there other things I can do to move things along?

    Any help will be much appreciated!

    Emma x

    1 thing that causes weight gain, it's a higher level of insulin. What causes raises in insulin? Too many calories, or too many carbs. So reduce your carb intake while maintaining your calories the same. Increase protiens and fats(healthy fats). And of course, exercise... You can just exercise more and lose weight on your current caloric intake without changing your diet.
  • emmarose1990
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    first off..if its been over a year..its NOT a plateau.

    I didn't mean a dieting plateau as such, seeing as I haven't been dieting - I just meant I've been the same weight for a long time now!
    start off by recalculating your BMR..

    What's a BMR? :) x

    Thanks asmcriminal x
  • registers
    registers Posts: 782 Member
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    BMR calculators are inaccurate. I have used a body bugg, it tells you how many calories you burn per day (you wear it all day on your arm). The BMR calculator was a lot higher, than my actual BMR.

    BMR = basal metabolic rate calculator. There are calculators online that you enter your height, weight, etc... It supposedly determines how many calories you burn per day. If you layed in bed all day. You supposedly use that info to calculate how many calories you need. to lose weight
  • emmarose1990
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    Thank you! I would be interested to use something like that, a body bugg looks pretty expensive though.

    I will definitely up my exercise for the next couple of weeks and see if that helps, and go from there. I'm in the middle of moving house and my meals are pretty much the same at the moment because of it, hopefully once I'm settled in the new place I can vary my food intake better.

    Thank you for your help x