Help! How to break this neverending plateau

pinkmotels

I need some advice/suggestions.

I'm 5"2, 145lbs and have been stuck at this weight for quite a few months. I saw a nutritionist and had a metabolism test done, my RMR was 1320, and she calculated i needed to eat 1500 calories + exercise for weight loss (this was calculated for my activity level 'lightly active') note my maintenance calorie level at this lightly active was 1848.

I workout 3-4 times a week, burning 400-500 calories on average a session, giving me a total daily deficit of between 700-800 calories. I should see some loss right? BUT my weight just will not budge. It won't go up or down, I'm totally plateau'd and at a loss of how to break this.

I dont track my calories on MFP but eat the healthiest I have in years, drink a lot of water and no soda/pop, I track my calories diligently and weigh out all of my food, I mix my workouts up at different intensity and speed levels and wear a HRM with a strap to keep track of calories burnt.

Eating around the 1200/1300 calorie level leaves me cranky and feeling faint and my weight does not budge, but it seems eating at 1500 calories makes no difference.

What should I do? Do i need to be eating (dare I say) more? I emailed the presenters of fat2fit radio who suggested upping to 1600 calories and not eating back exercise calories, which could be an option. I just have no idea what to do at this point.

Also I don't keep track via a tape measure, but I'm fairly certain I haven't lost any inches, my clothes all fit the same regardless Because of a back injury atm I'm not able to lift weights but I do intend on making them a part of my workout regime.

Please tell me someone else has been through this frustrating experience and found some way to break it?

bennyevs

Hey there,

I know you say you don't log your calorie intake and diet on MFP and that you DO weigh your food etc (which is a good thing to do by the way). It could well be down to the kind of things you're eating. You may well be very strict with the amount of calories you're eating but if it's all carbs forr example then you wont be losing any weight. Give me a run down of what you eat on the average day and I'll have a look at your diet and make a couple of suggestions for you. Hope that helps.

Ben

pinkmotels

My ratios are around 30% fat, 30% protein/40% carbs (give or take, I always make sure I hit 100g protein) - I'm gluten intolerant and for this reason don't eat a lot of breads etc, but I do get at least 2 servings of grain based replacement carbs a day (a piece of quinoa bread or a serving of gluten free pasta) plus carbs from vegetables.

Protein sources come mostly from lean meats, baked or grilled as I'm lactose intolerant but have a little goats cheese for alternate dairy. My healthy fats come from a tsp of olive oil on salads, or avocado or hummus. My sodium levels are within normal range because I don't eat a lot of processed or packaged foods.

E.g. yesterday I ate 1500 or so calories, burnt 500 on a high intensity cross trainer workout, and this mornings weigh in there was zero change-as there haven't been for months (and there are no hormonal/TOM reasons) had blood work done a few months ago and no abnormal thyroid or hormonal imbalances that both a doctor and naturopath could see.

Hey there,

I know you say you don't log your calorie intake and diet on MFP and that you DO weigh your food etc (which is a good thing to do by the way). It could well be down to the kind of things you're eating. You may well be very strict with the amount of calories you're eating but if it's all carbs forr example then you wont be losing any weight. Give me a run down of what you eat on the average day and I'll have a look at your diet and make a couple of suggestions for you. Hope that helps.

Ben

RyanEParker

A terrible "sticky" situation you have there But on a serious note, I had that problem too some time ago when my weight just refused to go down. The amount of calories I consumed simply dictated how much energy I had in the day and how cranky I was. Little calories meant I was cranky, had no energy and no concentration at all. If I had more calories I was fine but still the weight never went down.

I battled this problem for a good month before I started a new program in the hopes that it might help. The new program actually asked me to up my daily calories by 300. It was kinda weird and I was expecting to put on weight at that level. The strange thing is, after 3 days with the +300 calories, the scales actually moved for the first time. It actually went down! Go figure eh?

Anyway, I've personally lost 180lbs since Dec 2009. My blood pressure was 160/110, now its 120/80. My cholesterol was 256 mg/dL, now its 176mg/dL. I'm no longer Pre-Diabetic and I'm in the best shape of my life. It wasn't easy but I can say that everyone can do it if they have the right program.

If you're interested in my story please head over to Zdiets.net

Cheers.

Ryan E. Parker