5'5" & 146lb women...plateau busting experiment

clrrrr

So I've been hovering around (actually, just above) 146 for several weeks now after dropping about five pounds rather quickly. I know it has a lot to do with building a pretty legitimate amount of muscle to replace the fat I must still be losing (I can see the difference), but I'm looking to switch it up for some serious results before the end of the summer. I have formulated a plan to get my metabolism going and I'm wondering if anyone has any advice or is in a similar situation and wants to join me! The plan (which I'm going to test-drive for a week; I'm a student and I can't really do anything that is so extreme that it will affect my schoolwork) is on a week-by-week basis, as follows:
1 major cheat day with cardio (eating a lot but clean, maybe a meal out; walking hills, treadmill C25K, Zumba)
2 extremely lean days with the same or light cardio (eating mostly poached chicken or fish, small amounts of nuts and avocado, steamed or raw vegetables, sweet potatoes, fiber/vitamin supplements, and black coffee/tea--no or minimal dairy, fruit, grains)
4 of what I consider normal days (ideally, at least an hour of serious cardio and/or circuit training; eating clean but netting at or just below 1200 cals)
Thoughts?

spacecase76

I had to start eating more to break my plateau. I switched my goals to maintenance, and have been losing, I haven't even bothered to switch it back, because I truly struggle to eat that much, even on an average day I am only between 1200-1300 cals.

GL, I tried so many different things, and nothing broke through til I tried eating more, and increasing fiber and protein.

(FTR, I am 5'5", and currently 145.5)

and, if you are still losing inches, I don't consider that a plateau. My body has lost pounds, then inches, then pounds, then inches from the beginning. I didn't start counting my stall as a plateau til I stopped losing either.

stormieweather

To me, it sounds like a reasonable plan to shake some fat loose. As long as you are eating adequately, why not try different things. I know some people that call that major cheat day a "spike" day, and some people call it zig-zagging.

What has helped me is eating at maintenance for 1 week. Keep working out, but eat all of your calories without a deficit. Then, after a week, drop back down to a deficit for a while. This helps resore your leptin levels which helps your body feel safe enough to release the fat. You will likely gain 1-5 pounds of water weight from carbs and waste, but within a day or two of dropping back down, they'll disappear. Try it!

clrrrr

Okay, that helps a lot, thanks! I'm pretty much going to be trying everything in the next few week haha. I'm making something of a drastic move at the end of the summer and what I end up doing for maintenance has to be REALLY adaptable/I can't really count on losing any more in the fall. Although I might by accident, in line with what you both have suggested.

emmajane_2288

I am rubbish at keeping on track with food for particular days. I work in an office, where the amount of food I have access to varies to day by day. Sometimes I am faced with loads of treats, sometimes i dont have any time to eat!

I am very interested in finding out your results though. Im 5"6 and currently 147lbs.. My weight loss has been extremely slow - only losing 8lbs in the last 2.5 months, so I would like to know if there is anything that could speed it up a little!

lmaharj

Any change in what you're doing now will break your plateau as long as you do something that is full body and in cardio intervals.

zmlc32

I wouldn't recommend doing the major cheating part. Instead you should switch up different exercises to maximize weight loss. I'm a student too and therefore I have a limited amount of time also. This is what I do and it help me lose 8 pounds in one week.

1.) Alternate exercises. For example: Do 3 cardio workouts every other day (MWF) and 2 strength workouts in between the cardio (TR). Doing the same exercises everyday causes your body to get used to it and thus, causing a plateau. I try to workout early in the morning so I will have my day free for school/work. Of course, you will be tired during the first 2 weeks but don't give up! It does get easier the more you do it!

2.) Stay away from soda! Soft drinks causes your body to retain water making you feel bad and eventually, look bad. I didn't think I could quit soda until I tried Sobe's LifeWater. There is a wide variety of flavors and best of all, there is a zero calorie version so you don't have to worry about losing calories like most flavored waters.

3.) Try walking more. Walking actually helps makes your heart strong and healthy! Walking also reduces stress (which we students need less of!). I started walking to school last Spring and I feel so energized!

4.) Indulge! At the end of every week, if I found myself achieving my weight loss goal of losing a pound a week, then I would reward myself with a small treat. I love donuts so if I reached my goal, I would eat and enjoy one donut.

I just want to wish you good luck on achieving your weight loss goals!

clrrrr

I wouldn't recommend doing the major cheating part. Instead you should switch up different exercises to maximize weight loss. I'm a student too and therefore I have a limited amount of time also. This is what I do and it help me lose 8 pounds in one week.

1.) Alternate exercises. For example: Do 3 cardio workouts every other day (MWF) and 2 strength workouts in between the cardio (TR). Doing the same exercises everyday causes your body to get used to it and thus, causing a plateau. I try to workout early in the morning so I will have my day free for school/work. Of course, you will be tired during the first 2 weeks but don't give up! It does get easier the more you do it!

2.) Stay away from soda! Soft drinks causes your body to retain water making you feel bad and eventually, look bad. I didn't think I could quit soda until I tried Sobe's LifeWater. There is a wide variety of flavors and best of all, there is a zero calorie version so you don't have to worry about losing calories like most flavored waters.

3.) Try walking more. Walking actually helps makes your heart strong and healthy! Walking also reduces stress (which we students need less of!). I started walking to school last Spring and I feel so energized!

4.) Indulge! At the end of every week, if I found myself achieving my weight loss goal of losing a pound a week, then I would reward myself with a small treat. I love donuts so if I reached my goal, I would eat and enjoy one donut.

I just want to wish you good luck on achieving your weight loss goals!

I appreciate the advice and support, but the thing is I already do all these things. That's why I feel the need to do something more extreme. I don't drink anything but water, coffee, iced tea, 1% milk, and skim lattes. I have a small piece of dark chocolate every day. I walk the hills around my house at least two times a week. And I exercise almost every day but it's kind of a random assortment of the aforementioned walking, elliptical, Zumba, kettlebell strength/circuits, yoga, and C25K. So my exercise is pretty much in high gear (I'm going to try P90X and street running soon, that might make a big difference) and I just want to switch up my food routine a bit. I doubt I'll actually end up cheating much because seeing a red number in my "calories left" box gives me serious guilt and I usually end up on the elliptical at 10PM, working it off.

clrrrr

Wow, that sounded so defensive. I'm really sorry. That is very good advice; we think alike!