I don't know if I'm eating too much or not enough...

syrcaid

Hey guys. I am 26 years old, 5'7" and 165 lbs, female. I have a job that requires me to be walking/standing/doing activities all day, and exercise 2-3 times per week. My Basal Metabolic Rate should be around 1550 calories per day. I started my journey with Weight Watchers in January and successfully lost about 27 lbs before getting stuck at a plateau for two months. Then I found MFP, started tracking my normal meals and realized I was probably not eating enough for my build--it was probably around 1,100-1,200 calories per day---but I didn't know that because I wasn't counting calories, I was counting WW points.

Any way, I dropped WW and started using only MFP. I upped my calories to a range of 1,300-1,800 calories. I started cycling calories, mixing it up, eating low end some days, high end other days. This worked amazingly well for me...for about two weeks. During that time I was consistently losing weight every day and quickly lost an additional 4 lbs! For the past week and a half, however, I have stalled again. I am gaining and losing the same pound.

Now I'm not sure if I'm eating too much, or too little, or if my body is just taking a break and nothing is wrong... just disappointing that I had two weeks of success and then stalled again so quickly. I will be the first to say that I try to keep my sodium intake down, but it is still probably an average of 2,100 mg daily, which I know is still high.

I track calories like a hawk--nothing slips by. Thoughts for me?

MelissaGraham7

Having come through a 6 MONTH plateau with Weight Watchers despite running 20 miles a week, cross training, etc. and logging every morsel faithfully, I saw sometimes the body just stalls. The most important thing, though, is to KEEP GOING at doing everything right. Your body will re-sync itself and you reset your body's set point, and then you will lose again. But don't get frustrated. You are doing all the right things hopefully not solely for the number on the scale, but to be fit and healthy and that is what matters. Just don't let it make you a non-believer in what you are doing. You have to make it a lifestyle FOREVER change and not just when the going is easy. You can do it!

funkyspunky871

The only thing I can think of is you might want to try switching up your exercise routine or eating your exercise calories back.

Anyways, I just wanted you to know I'm in the same boat. I was stuck for about a month, had a miracle week where I lost 2 pounds, and then have been stuck again (AND slowing gaining those 2 pounds back) for the past 3 weeks. :sick: Hope you and I figure this out!

Amy_B

Is your TOM approaching? That might be the culprit as well. I think you should keep doing what you're doing for a few more weeks. If you are still stalled, then try changing up something...exercise routine or calories. I found that I broke through a plateau (or more than one) by upping my calories. Good luck!

syrcaid

I'm a day 21 out of a 32 day cycle for me, but I've been stalled for a week and a half, so I don't think that's it.

slp2112

After such a successful two weeks, I wouldn't worry about 1.5 weeks at the same weight. A bunch of things could be happening - your body could still be adjusting to the new amounts of food (in a GOOD way, as evidenced by your dropping weight), your body could be adjusting to the fact it just dropped 4 pounds, it could be that you haven't gotten enough sleep this week, and the list goes on. If you find yourself stuck for weeks on end (I'm just starting to crack a four month plateau; you'll see others on here that plateau for six months or more) then it's time to start looking at things like changing up your workouts, changing up your meals, and maybe eating more or less (assuming that your body composition has changed and you've either dropped enough weight that it doesn't take as much food to power your body, or you've put on lots more muscle and need to be eating more because your metabolism has gone up).

drgregdc

2 Thoughts: either
1. Plateau: Your body is getting used to your routine and you need to switch things up. Try jogging instead of walking. or lifting instead of jogging. Jog or walk morning vs evening.
or
2. Big car / little car: Just as a big car eats up more gas than a little car; your body, when weighing more, eats up more calories than you do being lighter. You may need to recalculate the calories you consume on a daily basis to a slightly smaller amount.

I would try 1 first for a week or two and if nothing happens switch to #2. Good Luck.