Strict with my calories amd stalled weight loss?

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matteonl
matteonl Posts: 3
in Motivation and Support
I have been using MFP since December and lost a total of 30 lbs. I recently went on vacation and gained 10 lbs but I worked really hard to get rid of it when I got home and I've lost 12 lbs in 7 days. However, I cut my calories down to 1,200 for the past 5 days and haven't lost ANYTHING in 3 days.

I'm really discouraged and looking for an explanation but haven't seen anything online. Has this happened to any of you and if so, how did you get over the hump? I am headed to the gym now, hopefully that helps :sad: :sad:

Replies

  • CuteAndCurvy83
    CuteAndCurvy83 Posts: 570 Member
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    you could be eating to little..Or your body is prepping to lose, You should only weigh yourself once a week otherwise you will get frustrated when the scale doesn't move.
  • registers
    registers Posts: 782 Member
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    I have been using MFP since December and lost a total of 30 lbs. I recently went on vacation and gained 10 lbs but I worked really hard to get rid of it when I got home and I've lost 12 lbs in 7 days. However, I cut my calories down to 1,200 for the past 5 days and haven't lost ANYTHING in 3 days.

    I'm really discouraged and looking for an explanation but haven't seen anything online. Has this happened to any of you and if so, how did you get over the hump? I am headed to the gym now, hopefully that helps :sad: :sad:

    Exercise more.
  • registers
    registers Posts: 782 Member
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    you could be eating to little..Or your body is prepping to lose, You should only weigh yourself once a week otherwise you will get frustrated when the scale doesn't move.

    haha, sometimes you weigh yourself once a week and it still doesn't move.
  • xNightguestx
    xNightguestx Posts: 75 Member
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    I recently had a period of nothing happening but I think I got too obsessed with the scales! I just carried on as usual and weighed in a week later and lost 2lbs. You could be retaining water or something, I wouldn't worry unless it didn't change for weeks.
  • Thriceshy
    Thriceshy Posts: 707 Member
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    Some folks swear by the "zig zag" rule, where you alternate maintenance calorie days with restricted calorie days. I just lost a pound after going almost a week with no loss. My advice, and others may have other ideas, is to just keep doing what you're doing and wait it out. Keep working out, keep watching what you eat, don't go below 1200 or so calories, and it willl start coming off again.

    Kris
  • breskittle
    breskittle Posts: 75 Member
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    your body goes into starvation mode if you're getting less than 1000 NET calories a day. So if you're working out alot and only eating 1200 calories, you need to up it to accommodate for your cals burned
  • CuteAndCurvy83
    CuteAndCurvy83 Posts: 570 Member
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    you could be eating to little..Or your body is prepping to lose, You should only weigh yourself once a week otherwise you will get frustrated when the scale doesn't move.

    haha, sometimes you weigh yourself once a week and it still doesn't move.

    Yes, but many times when you weigh yourself every day it's more frustrating when you don't see the scale move, especially if you aren't weighing in at the same time,or you have just eaten, or things like that. Sometimes you don't see the scale move for a couple weeks then BOOM if jumps..
  • martyc91
    martyc91 Posts: 55
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    However many caloires your burning at the gym - you need to replenish your body with those calories. Say for example, your burning 500 calories/day at gym - your total calorie consumption per day would be 1,700 (1,200 from your original diet and replenishing the 500 you burned at the gym) - I find that I was not losing as well, but when I followed this plan - I am sheding lbs. now - also, try to lift 3 days a week as muscle burns more calories! Hope this helps!
  • Elzecat
    Elzecat Posts: 2,916 Member
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    I went about 3 weeks without any loss and even gained a bit during that time...mixed up my workout routine, cleaned up my food (I'd gotten a bit lazy and ate out alot over the memorial day weekend), drank a lot of water, and just carried on...finally starting to see some progress. It'll happen. You may need to shake up what you're doing for exercise, maybe your body's gotten too used to the routine (that was part of my problem).

    Good luck!
  • craft338
    craft338 Posts: 870 Member
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    i was at a month long plateau after i hit 45 lbs. i was being really strict and having less than 1300 calories a day and exercising, so i couldn't figure out what i was doing wrong.

    i raised my calorie goal to 1600, and i would do a couple days of that, a couple at 1300, and a couple in between. it's not exactly zig zagging, there's more specific rules for that i think, i kind of just ate more when on the days that i was hungry, and less when i wasn't.

    anyway, after an entire month stand still, as soon as i started doing that, i started losing 2lbs a week again (knock on wood!!)

    good luck!!
  • matteonl
    matteonl Posts: 3
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    Thank you all SO much for your input! I'm really glad someone mentioned the zig zag thing. I was just telling my mom today that maybe it's because I haven't cheated in two weeks! I always notice that a cheat day followed by a strict day results in more weight loss. I thought maybe it was just a quirky thing with my own body :smile:

    My boyfriend is returning in two weeks from 14 months in Afghanistan so I'm trying to get my short term goal accomplishes at least - I'm only 3 lbs away.

    Thanks again and I hope everyone is having a wonderful weekend!
  • registers
    registers Posts: 782 Member
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    Thank you all SO much for your input! I'm really glad someone mentioned the zig zag thing. I was just telling my mom today that maybe it's because I haven't cheated in two weeks! I always notice that a cheat day followed by a strict day results in more weight loss. I thought maybe it was just a quirky thing with my own body :smile:

    My boyfriend is returning in two weeks from 14 months in Afghanistan so I'm trying to get my short term goal accomplishes at least - I'm only 3 lbs away.

    Thanks again and I hope everyone is having a wonderful weekend!
    I was to tired to leave a good comment. I am feeling better now. My comment was "exercise more." Cheat days are very important, they keep your metabolism up. Your metabolism will slow down in 72hrs. So every 3rd day, increase your calories.
    On the other hand, we should work on "eating more calories." Some would say "that is bad/crazy advice" IF you're not eating at your AMR(TDEE) your metabolism is supressed. To unlock it, so it's more efficient. You need to eat at your AMR(TDEE) and still burn fat. HOw can you eat at your AMR and burn fat? do more exercise.
  • registers
    registers Posts: 782 Member
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    your body goes into starvation mode if you're getting less than 1000 NET calories a day. So if you're working out alot and only eating 1200 calories, you need to up it to accommodate for your cals burned

    would this apply to a 100lbs woman? no, that entire starvation mode theory is... not very good.
  • nicolehatter
    nicolehatter Posts: 5
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    I didn't really know where to post this, and this this seams as good a place as any. I've hit a 2 month platue! Baaaa soo frustrated! I went from consistently losing 10pounds a month for 4 months, then... Bam! 1 pound in the past two months? Really? I get that the last 10 pounds is supposed to be harder to lose and that it takes longer, but this is ridiculous. I have been really good about keeping to my daily goal eating back my workout calories, and then I did a few zigzag weeks of eating ( upping my calories) hopeing that would help kick it back in to gear, but, nothing! At all! I'm so very frustrated. Any one else out there have this happen? And did you ever figure out a solution? And advice would be great, thank you so much.

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