For people with less than 10 lbs to lose and are around 5'3"

Kissxx
Kissxx Posts: 99
edited September 28 in Health and Weight Loss
What is your caloric intake and your exercise routine? I seem to have hit a plateau for the past 3 weeks and I don't know how to tackle it. Is it still possible to lose 1 lb a week or I have to up my calories to 1/2 lb a week weight loss?

Replies

  • fteale
    fteale Posts: 5,310 Member
    I am a bit taller - 5' 4 or 5". I was stuck at 10lbs off my goal weight for 5 weeks recently. I dropped another 3lbs by getting more sleep, which I have utterly failed at recently, so have probably gained again.

    I am on 1200 basic plus I eat back about half my exercise cals.
  • possessed
    possessed Posts: 12
    After hitting that plateau i'mt trying to exercise more and keep my diet calorific intake the same to prevent my metabolism reducing. I am also considering combining more exercise with eating enough calories to remain the same weight for a couple of weeks to give my body time to get back up to speed before the last 10lb blitz !
  • tandroes
    tandroes Posts: 163 Member
    i changed mine to 1/2 lb a week because i was the same for 3 months! and nothing has really changed still... but i've been a little lazier with my eating, especially on weekends... and night time snacking. but for exercise i'm doing... sun, tues, thurs: c25k then mon,wed, fri: 30 day shred... my intent was to do my elliptical saturdays, but i have been busy the last 2 saturdays since i came up with this idea, but i'm hoping this breaks up the exercise and helps
  • Kissxx
    Kissxx Posts: 99
    I just started the c25k and I do the 30 day shred on and off which makes me so sore for 2-3 days. Ive been experimenting with 1300 cals and eating back exercise cals. I cant really tell this week cuz its that time of the month. I just want to break this plateau so badly!
  • vichick20
    vichick20 Posts: 96 Member
    I am 5'4.5 and currently weight 124 lbs. I just changed my new goal to 115 instead of 120 so now I have 9 lbs to go!! I eat 1300-1350 cals per day (I also eat most if not all of my exercise calories back). My breakdown of nutrients is 40% Carbs/ 30% fat/ 30% protein. Hopefully this helps :)

    6097076.png
    Created by MyFitnessPal.com - Free Weight Loss Tools
  • cutmd
    cutmd Posts: 1,168 Member
    Joining for tips!

    I'm 5'3 and about 123 at this point. I was down to 116-118 not long ago, but since I started lifting heavy my weight went up and hasn't gone back down, so I am working on that. I started off with 30 day shred and beach body programs, now I do graduated weight training 3x a week, and turbo fire/elliptical/spinning/walking inclines. I was sticking to 1200 and eating exercise calories, but was stuck for several weeks. I then increased my calories to 1350 for almost 3 weeks with no improvement. So now I am trying eating 1350 but not eating my exercise calories, zig zagging, and IF. Probably I just need to stop eating dairy, though :embarassed:
  • amberaz
    amberaz Posts: 328 Member
    I'm 5'3" exactly and 111 lbs. I would like to lose about 3-4 more lbs, but I have been at the same weight for months. I have tried it all: zig zagging, less exercise, more exercise, eat to lose .5 lb per week, etc etc. I just decided to start lifting and go to maintenance calories plus exercise calories. I do Chalean Extreme 3 days per week and whatever cardio I feel like doing 3 days per week, usually 30-45 minutes. I eat high protein and try not to over the suggested carbs. I eat very little grains and processed foods, I also eat tons of fruit and veggies. I actually weigh in at 110 half of the time, which I wasn't before, so maybe I am actually losing. I have lots more muscle definition and I know I am getting stronger. I have decided to try to reshape my body and not worry about lbs lost anymore. I'm not saying that this is what you should do, it's just what seems to be working for me.
  • Kissxx
    Kissxx Posts: 99
    as long as you have muscle and look hot! :) thanks for the tips ladies! more tips are appreciated.
  • I am 5'3" and I weight 128.5.
    I currently eat 1350 cal.
    My exercise is 20 minutes of HIIT (High Instensity Interval Training) cardio and 20 minutes of pilates. : ) it works for me : P

    Honestly, All you have to do to get out of your plataeu is plain and simple. Eat more calories! : P Up your calorie intake and it will spike your metabolism like THAT! : ) worked for me too (again) lol
  • Hi I have been at a plateau for a long time also and I am currently trying to up my calorie intake. How long does it usually take until your body gets used to it? I feel really full and bloated by the end of the day. Also, why do I keep reading about cutting out dairy to lose weight? Is it because it makes you bloat?

    Thanks,
    Jamie
  • @journey- I was reading in other forums on here that it took some people a week to a month to notice changes when you 'up' your calories. Personally, it showed for me in a matter of a week and a half and then I went from 131 to 128.0 (as of this morning) : ) I havent heard anything about reducing dairy though. But about the bloating issue, I learned that if you drink enough water you can flush out anything in your system causing you to bloat : )

    @kiss- So True! We have pretty simular stats and goals. Pretty cool : )
  • Thanks for your responses. :-) I have upped my water intake from 8 cups a day to 10. I think since my bodies not used to it it's adding to me feeling bloading, but I'm sure I'll adjust quickly.
  • Kissxx
    Kissxx Posts: 99
    @SoniaRaeCordova you still lose about a 1 lb a week?
  • cutmd
    cutmd Posts: 1,168 Member
    bump
  • @kiss-
    I generally lose about 1-1.5. Like recently on 06/14/2011 I weighed 129.5 and as of yesterday I weighed 127.5. So in about a week my metabolism freaked out and lost about 2 pounds : P
    As of yesterday, I am doing the zig zagging method. The link below is what I got from another forum about this topic : )
    Hope you like it : ) Let me know what you think of it : )

    http://www.freedieting.com/tools/calorie_calculator.htm
  • cutmd
    cutmd Posts: 1,168 Member
    I am 5'3" and I weight 128.5.
    I currently eat 1350 cal.
    My exercise is 20 minutes of HIIT (High Instensity Interval Training) cardio and 20 minutes of pilates. : ) it works for me : P

    Honestly, All you have to do to get out of your plataeu is plain and simple. Eat more calories! : P Up your calorie intake and it will spike your metabolism like THAT! : ) worked for me too (again) lol

    Do you eat exercise cals too? I am stuck like kiss but have similar stats and goals as well, tried 1350 with exercise cals for 2 weeks (though under goal), then tried not eating exercise cals, now trying to go back to at least eating cardio cals
  • Just because you have your goal set to 1/2 lb a week doesn't mean that is all you will lose. I manually upped mine to 1300 and that puts me around .6 lb per week and I'm averaging about 1.2 a week right now. Sometimes you just have to eat to lose weight.
  • Eskimopie
    Eskimopie Posts: 235 Member
    bump...reading for replies since I'm 5'3 and have exactly 9.2 lbs to lose!
  • I just started the c25k and I do the 30 day shred on and off which makes me so sore for 2-3 days. Ive been experimenting with 1300 cals and eating back exercise cals. I cant really tell this week cuz its that time of the month. I just want to break this plateau so badly!

    I'd say give the 1300 a chance. I was doing just C25K and as I got further into the training that's when I upped my calories and I broke a plateau.

    I haven't read or seen what you're eating, but I would also suggest manually changing your macros to up the protein % and lower the carb% a bit.
  • I hear you about the plateau! Im 5'3 and down to my last 7-10 popunds! I've been stuck for the last close to three months....and I have tried everything from zig zagging calories, upping my calories to maintanence, eating my BMR calories, lowering my calories to shock my system, upping my exercise, lowering my exercise, eating back my exercise calories, eating back some and none.....you name it lol.

    Right now, I set my goal back to my basal metabolic rate and currently exercise six days a week, five days a week of going for an hour hike in the morning, three days a week of strength training. On the days I exercise I eat 1600 calories total, usually this works out to about half my exercise calories.

    I figure something is bound to break the plateau eventually!
  • Kissxx
    Kissxx Posts: 99
    yay scale moved! although a little early to say, Im just happy that it moved a little bit after a 3 week halt! I will keep zig zagging and eatin maintenance or close to it for at least 1-2 days a week. I think my body just needs a break. Ive been on a calorie deficit for about 3 months now.
  • keiraev
    keiraev Posts: 695 Member
    Earmarked for later when I have time to post :smile:
  • keiraev
    keiraev Posts: 695 Member
    Ok I was waiting til I weighed in before I posted on this today :)

    I am 5ft 3.5 and I started my weightloss using MFP exactly 8 weeks ago!

    To begin with my cal goal was relatively high- around 1450, then I moved it down to 1280 in the last 2 or 3 weeks to give myself a boost. I have just literally today changed my goal to 1335 so it now says 0.9 lb a week loss instead of 1lb as I figured that I don't want my body getting too used to eating so few calories in case I plateaued.

    I exercise about 4 times a week - usually Body Pump twice (to get my strength training in- I am useless without someone yelling at me!) and cardio twice usually running and swimming.

    I have lost 10lb so am over half way to my final goal- it has been hard though I get hungry all the time. I have pretty much cut out bread, pasta and white rice but definitely not all carbs. I still eat plenty of fruit I couldn't live without it- and I still have bread/pasta maybe once a week max. I also have potatoes about once a week (trying to eat sweet potatoes now instead though).

    Just have to wait and see what the next few weeks bring really- although I am expecting it to slow down at some point.

    Oh yeh- and sometimes I eat back all of my exercise calories, sometimes I don't- all depends on how I feel and what I have planned. Sometimes I will deliberately exercise loads so I can go out and have a big meal that night. Also if I am under my goal one day I will go over it slightly the next.
This discussion has been closed.