Plateau or Eating Maintenance Cals?!

sheils8

Hi
I know this topic has been covered in great length on many different threads, but I am really struggling and would appreciate any feedback.
I have been stuck at 151.2 for about 2 weeks now. In this time I have increased my calories so that my net calories are usually about 1300. Before this, I was eating 1000 net calories and found my deficit to still be too high.
So now that Im stuck, I am wondering, am I now eating too much? Am I eating enough to be in maintenance mode, or does the body take time to figure things out?
Before I was eating 1000 net calories I was eating about 500-800, which I know is way too low, and when I increased to 1000 net I lost another 1.5 pounds...but am not stuck again!
It is so frustrating. I feel like I spend most of everyday trying to find answers online, reading forms, blogs etc.
In case it helps:
I am 5'4'. I am 151.2 now.
I wore a bodybugg for a few weeks and found on rest days I burned about 2014 calories. So to calculate my deficit I use
2014+ (calories burned during exercise, which I get from HRM) - calories consumed = calorie deficit.
Is this right?
Example:
2014+417-1719=712 (deficit)
Does this look right? Am I eating too much now? I heard a Jillian Michaels podcast that said your deficit should be between 500-700 if you have under 25 lbs to lose. I am so tired of working hard and seeing the same number on the scale every day. Its really getting me down!

Christine1110

it's only been a couple of weeks....Have you tried changing up your exercise...or doing more? You body gets used to what your doing.

bjohs

Check out my blog from this morning at http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/bjohs/view/plateau-vs-chocolate-who-won-116497. It may not be the answer to your plateau... but it may give you some insight. I just moved off my 5-6 week plateau after making all sorts of adjustments. I still couldn't figure out what my body wanted. I did an experiment with chocolate and lost 2.4 lbs in the last 7 days. I don't have an answer for you, but there really is no ONE answer. Your body obviously needs something to rev it up again... have fun with trying to find out what it is. Good luck!

sheils8

Thanks for responding! I really appreciate it.
I have tried changing things somewhat in my workouts, but generally they are pretty similar. I added an extra day of strength training and took out 1 day of cardio. I tried to change my running to run in intervals so I wasn't at the same pace the entire run.

That chocolate thing is so crazy! I also read someone commented that they did the same thing with carbs. That is really interesting!

On a side note, how much fibre do you guys get a day? I feel like I eat alot of fibre, but am still not totally 'regular'.

crisanderson27

Check out my blog from this morning at http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/bjohs/view/plateau-vs-chocolate-who-won-116497. It may not be the answer to your plateau... but it may give you some insight. I just moved off my 5-6 week plateau after making all sorts of adjustments. I still couldn't figure out what my body wanted. I did an experiment with chocolate and lost 2.4 lbs in the last 7 days. I don't have an answer for you, but there really is no ONE answer. Your body obviously needs something to rev it up again... have fun with trying to find out what it is. Good luck!

That blog is HILARIOUS lol!!

Wanna hear a funny story? I just broke MY six month plateau...and the absolutely mind blowing part of it is, I've had to eat taco bell for lunch this week lol...3lbs over the last 5 days....and I was STUCK dead at 189-190 for over a month =p. I did all the same things...increased intake, double checked my intake (particularly fiber)...but I think the taco bell did it!!

By the way, to the original poster...your new formula looks good to me...500-700 seems safe as your intakes are high enough. One thing I will say though...don't be terrified of going under a couple days...or over a couple days either. Just try to keep things balanced over the entire week. I think this is what finally helped me with my plateau (along with the taco bell!) as well. I switched from my rigorous zig zag schedule to 2-3 days WAY under (I'm talking 1500cal or so at 190lbs and male)...and a day or two at or over maintenance.

I'm now 186lbs and losing steadily again =D.

Cris

Jenscan

At 1300 net, I'm not thinking that you are eating at maintenance. Your body is probably trying to figure things out right now.

I wouldn't base your metabolic rate on what your HRM says from wearing it all day. Those things aren't meant to really do that - they are meant to measure stuff while you're exercising. Look at the BMR calculator here if you're curious. MFP will build in your deficit -- what does it say you should be eating right now?

Good luck.

sheils8

Hi!
I didn't use my HRM to track my metabolic rate, I used a body bugg. I wore it for about 3 weeks so I think it was a decent indication of what I burn in each day......however I also used the BMR calculator and the results were pretty similar to the body bugg.

MFP says that I should eat 1200 to lose 1.5 a week. Then on top of that you are supposed to eat exercise calories, right?
However, if that is the case and I eat 1200 + exercise calories (say 400) = 1600 net calories. Then my deficit would be 814....isn't that too high, or is that okay?!

sheils8

sorry...forgot to ask @crisanderson27, with the zigazag, do you mean 1500 net calories consumed, or is that what you consume not counting the workout? sometimes this whole concept of net calories really confuses me!
maybe i could try zigzagging a little.....thanks for the tip!

crisanderson27

sorry...forgot to ask @crisanderson27, with the zigazag, do you mean 1500 net calories consumed, or is that what you consume not counting the workout? sometimes this whole concept of net calories really confuses me!
maybe i could try zigzagging a little.....thanks for the tip!

I mean net...I eat back my workout calories for the most part. I also did ZERO additional 'exercise' at all last week...and have done zero this week as well...so for me it was 1500 calories total (I was usually a little over). My body is seeming to appreciate the rest, but it'll be time to shake it up again starting Monday.

For you...if MFP is recommending 1200cal for 1.5lbs/wk, I'd use that as your lower limit, then bump it up to maintenance on your 'regular' eat days.