Plateau, BMI near 25 - anyone with similar experience?

mauryr

If you've had an experience like what I'm about to describe, and worked through it, I'd really like to hear how you did it - I'm quite frustrated, and I would appreciate some guidance!

I've been on a plateau for waaay too long now, about 90 days - and I'm looking for help. I've tried lots of the usual plateau busters - upping water, upping cals, eating back more exercise cals, lowering cals, zig-zagging cals etc.

I lost lots of weight - about 65 lbs - across the first 6 months or so, by sticking to a 1200 cal/day diet, and regular cardio. As I approached my goal of BMI at 25, the weight loss changed from a nice steady 2 lbs per week to 0, though. I now hover at BMI between 25.3 and 24.8, with a net cal intake of 1430/day. (I'm 5'7", 160 lbs, 50 yrs, male)

A couple of notes: Early on, when I was at BMI of around 35, I was able to consume only 1200 cals, and still do 400-800 cals of exercise, without eating back cals, and I was still never hungry. As I approached BMI=25, I noticed that I got hungrier, and started eating back some - then most of my exercise cals - this is coincident with the plateau.

A couple of weeks into the plateau I tried upping my cals to 1420/day, and eating back most of the exercise cals (usually a few hundred under - was over for the first time in many months yesterday, but only by about 50 cals).

I had also started doing resistance training at about the same time as the plateau started. I probably gained a little muscle mass, but surely not the 15+ lbs that MFP predicted I would have lost over the duration of the plateau. I have taken the last week or two off, to see what would happen, and nothing significant did.

The only other thing I can think of is that my meal timing is pretty bad. I eat a small breakfast, small lunch (more like a snack or two during the daytime ) and the majority of my intake is in the evening - at about 8:00 pm. I usually consume under 500 cals before dinner time, then I have a big meal, frequently of lean protein with some - but not too much - carbs. (Occasionally, I'll have a carb-y dinner, like pasta, but not too often).

I'd really like to hear from you, especially if you've had a similar experience - going from high to (relatively) low BMI, then plateaing - and then getting through the plateau!

BTW, my logs are public (and accurate), so please feel free to look, if you're inclined.

Help a fellow out!

Thanks in advance!

hydrosmak

I believe you are thinking along the right lines. Your eating schedule might be something to try. Maybe even going to a 5 small meals system where the calorie's are spread out throughout the day.

BeautifulScarsWECHANGED

bump! Similar boat but my plateau has gone on for 6 months now and have done all the usual plateau busters too.

kdiamond

Ok, no dudes should eat 1200-1400 calories a day....up your calories! I would say at least 1800 if you're exercising...

Crimson21

Hmmm, well what I can tell you is that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. It should be your biggest meal, with lunch following, and supper being the smaller meal. Also try eating 2 or 3 small snacks in between those meals....Your metabolism naturally slows down after 7pm, so eating at 8 (also if that's your biggest meal), you can't burn it off as much as you'd like to. Hit a plateau that lasted about a month, and then I unfortunately had to stop all physical activity because of an injury. During that month, I didn't exercise and I actually ate pretty badly, consuming many calories, and for some odd reason, it allowed me to overcome that plateau and lose more weight. Try increasing the intensity of your workouts. If you do cardio for a half hour a day, go for 60 mins from now on. Also try different activities that your body isn't used to. i.e. rock climbing, canoeing, hiking. Something you're not used to. I hope this helps!

Chefbaby

Hello there!

First note: high calories in the evening are not so good. I was told to try my best to avoid carbs and extra calories after 4 pm, which is when our bodies begin to shut down based on natural light decreasing in our environments (dependent, of course, on your location). Try consuming more of your calories around lunch, and much less around dinner. That is from a body builder friend of mine who also owns and runs "The Gym" locations here in MN.
Also, are you consuming much fiber? Your body may need assistance removing food waste and fat from its cells, and the best way to assist is with fiber, either as a supplement or actual food intake. Bran muffins, if you can tolerate them, are a great way to start adding in the fiber. Otherwise, Fiber Choice has a chewable strawberry flavored fiber supplement that is pretty tasty and helps keep me full in the waning hours of the day. Be sure to progressively add fiber to your diet, or you will experience bloating and discomfort.
Keep up the good work, and let me know if this helps. Good luck!

sunshine__angel

I haven't experienced a plateau yet, but do know that they occur as you get closer and closer to your goal weight. Also, if at one time in your life your weight was regularly where you are right now, that also could cause a plateau. Before I go on, Congratulations on your loss so far!! You have done an amazing job, and you will get through this stall.

Here is a pretty informative link, hopefully it can help:

http://www.thatsfit.ca/2010/04/08/10-tips-to-break-through-a-weight-loss-plateau/

From looking at your diary I can't see any tracking/logging for sodium. Have you looked into that? If your sodium intake is too high and you aren't getting in enough water, that could cause a stall. Some of the weight that would come off would be water weight.

Also, are you weighing yourself under the same circumstances each time? For example, every Monday after you use the bathroom, in your birthday suit? The best time to weigh yourself is at the same time each week/day.

You might also want to give yourself measurements - even when the scale isn't moving, the inches still often come off.

Good luck with everything, you will overcome this obstacle too!!

Chefbaby

Everyone has different intake needs. I personally can not eat 1200 calories in a day or I gain weight. It's the unfortunate fact of the matter. There are many people struggling with what their doctors tell them is "necessary" for dietary intake, when in reality, the numbers are more of a guideline than an actual set of rules. I think we should each do what's right for ourselves, not follow what is considered the norm.

sak90027

bump! Similar boat but my plateau has gone on for 6 months now and have done all the usual plateau busters too.

i thought i was the one one! i've been plateauing forever and have done all the plateau tricks. i quit WW after losing around 20 lbs but started to plateau right when i hit 25 BMI which has been for about 4 months. personally for me i think it's age and breast feeding hormones that's keeping the weight on.

Sherbog

Maury....great post and I am struggling with much the same thing. I started a diet on 12/2/2010. I was loosing weight when I discovered MFP. I started at 209 and currently at 162.

I have went through my diary, had stern discussions with myself and tried to evaluate why I seem stuck. I believe I have tuned into the challenge I am finding.

As the weight came off I started getting attention and noticed. Strange how invisible we can be when we are so big. At any rate I went down 10 sizes and currently love the way I look right now. I am not totally convinced that my goal weight is one that I want. My BMI is 26. I have been basically the same weight for six weeks.

Today I made the decisiion that I WILL get down to my goal weight of 155. Looking over my food diary I see where I have started to get lazy and snack on empty food items high in negative calories. I have increased my exercise. I live in Oregon so have access to some of the best hiking trails ever.

Reflecting back I remember days when I actually felt hungry and struggled to stay within calorie limits. These past few weeks I have not been disciplined and do not remember having the hungry feeling.

As I got comfortable in my new body my discipline went out the door. Not sure if this babbling will be of help but I know that with your weight loss you probably have all the exercise -calorie intake knowledge. Take a look back at your food diary and reflect back on your discipline.

Congrats....you look great.

ilikeflowers

If you like oatmeal I would say have old fashion oatmeal with some almonds and fat free milk or almond milk to get your metabolism going early. I try to eat within 30 minuets of waking up. I do coffee but that's a personal preference. I agree with others, breakfast should be the biggest with the meals getting smaller later, and also having 4-5 meals plus snacks to keep the burn. Are you eating plenty of fresh fruits and veggies?

I would look into high interval training, if you go to the gym make use of the eart rate monitor I just learned about that from a fellow MFP member and wow it made a difference! Mix up your workouts and try new and harder exercises. For a male I think 1400 cals is too low, your body may be in starvation mode which is arguable if it exists or not, but maybe try slowly upping your calories 100 a week, or maybe one day every week or two with most of the cals at breakfast go up to 1800-1900 to give it a jump start?

I do that but I go up to 2200 cals soemetimes. Hehe. Not on purpose, but if I'm hungry I eat! My body naturally zig zags, so I usually 1200-1700 total not net and once a week or so go up to 2000 or 2200 and usually workout like crazy that day. I'm not a trainer that just what I do. My BMI is 18.9 I'm not losing weight just toning each body works differently.

mom23nuts

I am stuck just like you but I did look at your diary and was wondering what happened to breakfast? I know most of us are too busy but maybe hardboil some eggs the night before and have them and a high protein chobani yogurt and some blueberries.

I am trying to low carb my way out of a plateau and trying not to go over 100 net carbs which is carbs -fiber grams

I think maybe spreading out the calories more evenly throughout the day will help you too to keep your body feeling satisfied and keep the blood sugar from spiking or plummeting.

I am no expert but mabye 400cal for every meal and 200 for snacks

also don't be shy about eating protein and healthy fats...they fill you up and keep you going after a workout.

bluebird321

More green veggies at each meal (a lot more) and less grain, corn, wheat or flour based carbs. Reverse the food schedule to eating the majority of calories in the morning.

I'm the same age as you and I think you are doing great with the weight you have lost.

mfpchris

I can relate. I haven't had it as blatantly as you.

In the last year I've dropped my BMI from 35 to 24. (Breaking through 25 was great) I"m about the same height/weight/age as you.

I haven't had a long term plateau in the face of all my efforts. What's funny though is mental noise I'm dealing with. Initially I want a maintenance BMI of 22.5, about ten pounds from where I am now. For me it feels like my motivation, persistence, strength are all sort of slipping away

I've made pretty consistent 1.5/week losses over the last year. You would think I could just keep it up and I'd hit goal six or seven weeks. It just feels more difficult to keep my consistent routine. I basically just took a whole week off.....the first time since I've started last year.

For you, not to nit-pick but I really believe this, you and I know exactly what the formula is."The Twinkle Diet:" works, it ain't healthy but it works. So, get enough sleep, do some mindfulness relaxing stuff, keep up a healthy activity routine throughout the week, and, most importantly, redouble your effort to accurately track your calories. Don't make a single estimate, and don't use a heaping mound of anything when you enter 1 (1/4 cup, when it is really mounding over and probably closer to 1/3 of a cup)

If you are perfectly accurate with your calories count and just lead a someone happy, rested, and active life....the formula will get you to the number you want.

(Even though the above is primarily cheer-leading for me, I think it does apply to you too.)

Good luck.

melsinct

You are the older male form of me, lol! I am 34, 5'7" and started MFP at 175 and plateaued at 160 pounds. My story is exactly like yours. I was eating 1200 cals until the plateau. It lasted almost 2 months and I finally broke through it when I set MFP at a 0.5 lb/week loss. If you look at my last blog post I went into more detail about my ordeal (I would link but am typing from my phone and can't). Bottom line is I had to eat more to lose.