seem to be stuck

emmabeckemeyer1

In the past year I have lost 49lb and I now seem to be stuck. I joined MFP in hopes this would help me get "unstuck." I am exercising like a crazy women and still the scale will not move. Any suggestions? My exercise consists of running 3-4 miles, biking, and swimming (I am training for triathlon. I also do weights almost every day.
My goal is to have lost 50lb by August 4th. I don't think it is going to happen.

papastu

mix it up a little, shock your body , by now I bet it is used to the exercise you do.

try swimming?

brisk walks?

cycling?

emmabeckemeyer1

mix it up a little, shock your body , by now I bet it is used to the exercise you do.

try swimming?

brisk walks?

cycling?

I do all that in my weekly exercise routine. Shock my body...good idea but by doing what?

Losing2Live69

Maybe you're exercising too much. Our muscles retain water after we exercise. Are you giving yourself rest days? Also don't do cardio and strengthening on the same day. I have been on a plateau too and I know how frustrating it can be. Hang in there. You have come a long way!

bovbjerg

Are you eating enough? I've never had that problem (haha) but I've seen time and time again on here that people up their calories a bit and low and behold, they start losing like crazy! Seems weird I know but worth a try??? Also, are you drinking enough water??

SeaChele77

What does your daily menu look like? (You may want to open your diary) Make sure you are getting *at least* 1200 calories a day, but if you are exercising a lot, you may need to up your calories to a minimum 1500!

-Drink lots of water (take your weight divide by 2 and that is how many oz you *should* get)
- Up your macro nutrients (lots of green veggies)
- Get more protein
- Min 6hrs of continual sleep at night
- Lower your sodium intake (under 2000 per day)


You are gaining muscle - keep that in mind. So while the scale may not move you will lose inches. Try the above and good luck to you!!

GinaSmash

mix it up a little, shock your body , by now I bet it is used to the exercise you do.

try swimming?

brisk walks?

cycling?

I agree. Mix it up and try to get at least 8 hours of sleep. Your body needs to complete its daily process.

emmabeckemeyer1

Maybe you're exercising too much. Our muscles retain water after we exercise. Are you giving yourself rest days? Also don't do cardio and strengthening on the same day. I have been on a plateau too and I know how frustrating it can be. Hang in there. You have come a long way!

I keep my weekends as my 2 rests days a week but maybe I need to spread them out so they are not back to back!
Thank you for your support!

emmabeckemeyer1

Are you eating enough? I've never had that problem (haha) but I've seen time and time again on here that people up their calories a bit and low and behold, they start losing like crazy! Seems weird I know but worth a try??? Also, are you drinking enough water??

I really think I am eating enough but as you said it is worth a try! I think I am getting enough water but I can always up that too!
Thank you for your suggestions!

TS65

To make this easy on yourself, check your settings. I didn't lose at 1200 calories (even if I ate my exercise calories). I had been set at sedentary, but was working out 3-4 days a week for an hour - which meant I was really ACTIVE. Once I re-set myself for active AND started eating my exercise calories, the weight started coming off.

Because you've lost weight, make sure your settings are updated. With that much activity, you need to be set at ACTIVE.

PLUS... you only have 19 lbs to lose, so make sure your settings are only for 1/2 lb per week.

**It goes against everything we THINK we know, but to lose weight, you HAVE to fuel your body (in other words, EAT).

I didn't realize settings would make a HUGE difference.

Then, I found this post: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/61706-guide-to-calorie-deficits


Here's a paraphrase:

-1200 calories is a generic number. It's not right for everyone. It's a baseline minimum given out as a floor by MFP based on prior research by the medical community. NOT everyone will need a minimum of 1200, very small people can go under, and bigger people need more.

...

If you have a desk job, and do very little walking throughout the day and don't really perform any sports or physical activities, then you are sedentary.

If you do some walking every day (or at least 4 days a week) or other light activity for at least 30 minutes cumulative at least 4 times a week, you are lightly active.

If you do 60 minutes of light activity 5 days a week or do some kind of sport that requires walking or light jogging (say swimming or mailman or warehouse employee) then you are active. (THIS IS YOU)

If you do a physically demanding activity (one that makes you sweat) for 4 days a week or more and for more than 1 hour a day, you are very active (like a coach that runs drills or you play volleyball).

When in doubt, go down 1 level, you'd rather burn more than you think than less.

~ ~ ~

Also...

Generally someone with a BMI over 32 can do a 1000 calorie a day (2 lbs a week) deficit

With a BMI of 30 to 32 a deficit of 750 calories is generally correct (about 1.5 lbs a week)

With a BMI of 28 to 30 a deficit of 500 calories is about right (about 1 lb a week)

With a BMI of 26 to 28 a deficit of about 300 calories is perfect (about 1/2 lb a week) THIS IS YOU

and below 26... well this is where we get fuzzy. See now you're no longer talking about being overweight, so while it's still ok to have a small deficit, you really should shift your focus more towards muscle building, and reducing fat. This means it is EXTRA important to eat your exercise calories as your body needs to KNOW it's ok to burn fat stores, and the only way it will know is if you keep giving it the calories it needs to not enter the famine response (starvation mode).

emmabeckemeyer1

What does your daily menu look like? (You may want to open your diary) Make sure you are getting *at least* 1200 calories a day, but if you are exercising a lot, you may need to up your calories to a minimum 1500!

-Drink lots of water (take your weight divide by 2 and that is how many oz you *should* get)
- Up your macro nutrients (lots of green veggies)
- Get more protein
- Min 6hrs of continual sleep at night
- Lower your sodium intake (under 2000 per day)


You are gaining muscle - keep that in mind. So while the scale may not move you will lose inches. Try the above and good luck to you!!

I am eating at least 1300 cal a day when I work out. Lowering the sodium is a good suggestion but I have health issues that need me to increase my sodium (crazy right). I will try getting more greens and more sleep! Also I know the my water intake could always improve!
Thank you for the suggestions and I hope they help!

emmabeckemeyer1

To make this easy on yourself, check your settings. I didn't lose at 1200 calories (even if I ate my exercise calories). I had been set at sedentary, but was working out 3-4 days a week for an hour - which meant I was really ACTIVE. Once I re-set myself for active AND started eating my exercise calories, the weight started coming off.

Because you've lost weight, make sure your settings are updated. With that much activity, you need to be set at ACTIVE.

PLUS... you only have 19 lbs to lose, so make sure your settings are only for 1/2 lb per week.

**It goes against everything we THINK we know, but to lose weight, you HAVE to fuel your body (in other words, EAT).

I didn't realize settings would make a HUGE difference.

Then, I found this post: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/61706-guide-to-calorie-deficits


Here's a paraphrase:

-1200 calories is a generic number. It's not right for everyone. It's a baseline minimum given out as a floor by MFP based on prior research by the medical community. NOT everyone will need a minimum of 1200, very small people can go under, and bigger people need more.

...

If you have a desk job, and do very little walking throughout the day and don't really perform any sports or physical activities, then you are sedentary.

If you do some walking every day (or at least 4 days a week) or other light activity for at least 30 minutes cumulative at least 4 times a week, you are lightly active.

If you do 60 minutes of light activity 5 days a week or do some kind of sport that requires walking or light jogging (say swimming or mailman or warehouse employee) then you are active. (THIS IS YOU)

If you do a physically demanding activity (one that makes you sweat) for 4 days a week or more and for more than 1 hour a day, you are very active (like a coach that runs drills or you play volleyball).

When in doubt, go down 1 level, you'd rather burn more than you think than less.

~ ~ ~

Also...

Generally someone with a BMI over 32 can do a 1000 calorie a day (2 lbs a week) deficit

With a BMI of 30 to 32 a deficit of 750 calories is generally correct (about 1.5 lbs a week)

With a BMI of 28 to 30 a deficit of 500 calories is about right (about 1 lb a week)

With a BMI of 26 to 28 a deficit of about 300 calories is perfect (about 1/2 lb a week) THIS IS YOU

and below 26... well this is where we get fuzzy. See now you're no longer talking about being overweight, so while it's still ok to have a small deficit, you really should shift your focus more towards muscle building, and reducing fat. This means it is EXTRA important to eat your exercise calories as your body needs to KNOW it's ok to burn fat stores, and the only way it will know is if you keep giving it the calories it needs to not enter the famine response (starvation mode).

Thank you for the information! I will go check my settings now!!
You are right about eating more goes against the grain when losing weight!!

CARNAT22

...

If you have a desk job, and do very little walking throughout the day and don't really perform any sports or physical activities, then you are sedentary.

If you do some walking every day (or at least 4 days a week) or other light activity for at least 30 minutes cumulative at least 4 times a week, you are lightly active.

If you do 60 minutes of light activity 5 days a week or do some kind of sport that requires walking or light jogging (say swimming or mailman or warehouse employee) then you are active. (THIS IS YOU)

If you do a physically demanding activity (one that makes you sweat) for 4 days a week or more and for more than 1 hour a day, you are very active (like a coach that runs drills or you play volleyball).

Interesting - can I ask where you got this info?

MFP puts you at lightly active if you are a nurse or work the shop floor but in your description above I would fall into lightly active (and get an extra 120 cals per day?)

Onesnap

Log every bite, log every workout. MEET your calorie goals each day (in order to lose a pound/week). Don't fall under your calorie goals for each day. Since you have had so much loss already, the 1lb/week goal makes a lot of sense to keep going down a good path.

TS65

...

If you have a desk job, and do very little walking throughout the day and don't really perform any sports or physical activities, then you are sedentary.

If you do some walking every day (or at least 4 days a week) or other light activity for at least 30 minutes cumulative at least 4 times a week, you are lightly active.

If you do 60 minutes of light activity 5 days a week or do some kind of sport that requires walking or light jogging (say swimming or mailman or warehouse employee) then you are active. (THIS IS YOU)

If you do a physically demanding activity (one that makes you sweat) for 4 days a week or more and for more than 1 hour a day, you are very active (like a coach that runs drills or you play volleyball).

Interesting - can I ask where you got this info?

MFP puts you at lightly active if you are a nurse or work the shop floor but in your description above I would fall into lightly active (and get an extra 120 cals per day?)

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/61706-guide-to-calorie-deficits