Finally the weight starts to drop again...

CocoNuttie

Hi,

I've never started a topic before but I just want to share some recent experience regarding the famous plateau.

I'm one of those girl who despite using the MFP for a while and reading many advices from well wishing members...I was eating under 1200 calories most days. I've never eaten any exercise calories back, to make it worst, I tend to eat very little and very lean on the exercise day. I think it's sort to psychological thing...I seem to have more motivation to exercise if I have been good all day.

The first 2 months were a bliss where I saw weight dropping regularly (around or over 2lbs/week)...until 3 weeks ago it sort of came to a stop. I knew that it is harder because I have become quite lean (121lbs at 5'4) and also I possibly had hit a plateau. Many advices said to eat more and to change my exercise routine. As I didn't want to risk gaining any weight with holidays looming ahead, I ate even less and did even more exercise. I went from 3 times a week (10k run each time) to 5 times a week (10k run still but even faster!). Notthing seem to work. How de-motivating!

Last week however, I was constantly starving and craving even though I was eating the same amount (I now suspect that i really wasn't eating no where enough -_-"). As a result i lost control a bit and started to e snack more (got to admit it wasn't particularly healthy snack....chocolates and cakes). Then I ate out over the weekend, had dessert and everything...really enjoyed myself (I kept up with the exercise though). For once, I was hitting 1200-1300 net each day. I was practically given up.

To my surprise...after all the binge, at this week's weight in....I have lost 1.5lbs!! Hoo-ray!!

Dont get me wrong, it could have been other reason as well....(we all know weight seem to have it's own mind sometime) But as far as i know...I ate decently for once and thing seems to start working right again.

So, to other member who's struggling with plateau, if you're eating under, do take a bit of a risk, eat more and see how it goes. Dont' get stress out, don't give up, u r on the right track, just eat well, be patient and don't lose hope!

Rae6503

Good to hear! It always surprises me when people reject the "eat more" advice. I love food. If someone tells me I can / SHOULD eat more, I'd be excited!

albayin

Good to hear! It always surprises me when people reject the "eat more" advice. I love food. If someone tells me I can / SHOULD eat more, I'd be excited!

Is that you in the picture? You look great there!

albayin

"For once, I was hitting 1200-1300 net each day. I was practically given up. "

You call that "all given up"? LOL. when I gave up, I don't even want to look at the numbers.

Rae6503

Good to hear! It always surprises me when people reject the "eat more" advice. I love food. If someone tells me I can / SHOULD eat more, I'd be excited!

Is that you in the picture? You look great there!

Yes. Thank you.

CocoNuttie

"For once, I was hitting 1200-1300 net each day. I was practically given up. "

You call that "all given up"? LOL. when I gave up, I don't even want to look at the numbers.

Lol I can't be sure...I couldn't really log the restaurant meals and all the snacks properly (they weren't the kind that easily match in the database)...so I prob had more!

mark03264

You would be surprised how many posts I have answered telling people to they need to eat close to what MFP gives them for calories AND to eat back most of their exercise calories.

I'm sure you know but I will say it again for others that may read this thread; If you set up MFP right in the beginning, the calorie goal that MFP gives you already has a calorie deficit built in in order to lose weight. If you are not eating your goal AND not eating back exercise calories than you are likely to cause your body to horde fat because you are not eating enough. Just the way it is whether it makes sense to you or not.

I'm sure I will post this again dozens of more times in the future.

albayin

"For once, I was hitting 1200-1300 net each day. I was practically given up. "

You call that "all given up"? LOL. when I gave up, I don't even want to look at the numbers.

Lol I can't be sure...I couldn't really log the restaurant meals and all the snacks properly (they weren't the kind that easily match in the database)...so I prob had more!

Yeah....if you ate the whole plate, the number would have been doubled, at least...LOL
but enough joking, good work well done!

Rae6503

You would be surprised how many posts I have answered telling people to they need to eat close to what MFP gives them for calories AND to eat back most of their exercise calories.

I'm sure you know but I will say it again for others that may read this thread; If you set up MFP right in the beginning, the calorie goal that MFP gives you already has a calorie deficit built in in order to lose weight. If you are not eating your goal AND not eating back exercise calories than you are likely to cause your body to horde fat because you are not eating enough. Just the way it is whether it makes sense to you or not.

I'm sure I will post this again dozens of more times in the future.

Me too. When someone posts "Why am I not losing?" I could almost just go in blindly and post "eat more" without ready a thing and be right 90% of the time.

CocoNuttie

You would be surprised how many posts I have answered telling people to they need to eat close to what MFP gives them for calories AND to eat back most of their exercise calories.

I'm sure you know but I will say it again for others that may read this thread; If you set up MFP right in the beginning, the calorie goal that MFP gives you already has a calorie deficit built in in order to lose weight. If you are not eating your goal AND not eating back exercise calories than you are likely to cause your body to horde fat because you are not eating enough. Just the way it is whether it makes sense to you or not.

I'm sure I will post this again dozens of more times in the future.

and I have read many posts like that too. I understood the science behind it completely..but I WAS one stubborn girl Thanks for member like you kicking our butt into the right way....

shanmont

Funny, I was just telling a co-worker today that I do not feel like I am eating enough. I usually end each day with close to 200 extra calories after adding exercise calories back in and i feel (for the past week or so) as if I am starving all of the time. I decided to pick it up a bit and eat all of my calories. If I go a few over I am good I think.

mark03264

If I go a few over I am good I think.

If you want to know what calorie deficit MFP gave you go to the "My Home" tab then "Goals". On the right hand side your calorie deficit is listed among other things. As long as you don't eat more than this deficit you will not eat enough to add to your weight.

Now, this isn't an OK to eat up to that point every day because then you won't lose any weight you'll just maintain.

shanmont

I don't think I could eat up to that every day if i wanted to.

shanmont

as it shows right now it is at 1,040 calories