I seriously need help...please!

staclo

I've been doing MFP strictly for about 8 weeks. Since that time, I've lost 6 pounds and about 7 inches. I'm working out (burning between 200-500 calories) about 5-6 days a week, and I'm adding strength training to that. For the past 3 weeks, my scale hasn't moved at all (except that it went up one week by a little bit...my scale is not completely accurate). I drink more than 8 glasses of water a day, I'm staying below my allotted amounts on a regular basis, except for protein, fiber, and sometimes sugar. My net calorie average for the week was 1168. I guess that could be the problem, b/c my goal is a net of 1220, so I'm below that, which I didn't really realize until I averaged it this morning. I need someone with a good idea of how this works to look at what I'm doing and give me good advice. I'll take it, b/c I'm absolutely determined to lose this weight!!!

ravennati1

Your losing weight at a nice pace, sounds as if you are doing it the right way. A pound or two a week is the best way to long term results. I am no expert but that's the way I have always been told to lose weight. Any time I have dropped weight too quickly it came right back. With lifestyle changes that you are making you should have permanent and not temporary results. Keep going strong !

staclo

My average weight loss is .75 lbs per week, but the scale hasn't moved in three weeks. The other 2 lbs were lost between Jan and April before I got serious about this.

czewwhat

I am stuck on a plateau also, two months here 18 pounds down, nothing for over two weeks, you are not alone, I am watching your thread, hoping for the same answer! If I starve myself any more, my dog will hate me! I have 15 more pounds to reach my goal. If you get any answers, PM them to me just in case I miss them, please!

mfinney

Well, IMO, it's like this -- you either need to up your calorie intake. I really don't think you're eating enough. Secondly, if you're adding weight training to your regimen of exercise, what you should really do is alternate between days and i would recommend at least a couple days off during the week, or some other kind of split.

Perhaps you do cardio day 1, weights day 2, off day 3, and then repeat that cycle.

or do cardio day 1, 3, 5, weights day 2 and 4 and take two days straight off. your body does need some down time for recovery. you don't want to overtrain, and working out too much and not eating enough is not going to assist you in any way -- without enough calories, you will put your body in fat-storing mode instead of fat-burning mode.

if you'd like to get down to more specifics, you can PM me and i'll try to help the best i can.

good luck!

themetra

I personally wouldn't stress about it too much, it sounds to me like you're losing at a healthy pace. My scale hasn't moved in a little while, but I can see my body is getting tighter and my close are fitting better! I try to base it on that instead of what the scale says!


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debnu1

It sounds like you are on the right track. All the information I hear about plateaus is that you just need to change things up a little bit. I would add in that extra 80 or so calories to get your net intake up above 1200 and also adding strength training will help a lot. Be sure to give yourself a rest day, but if you just up your intensity that will help. As you lose weight your body gets used to what you are doing and you have to keep it guessing. Good luck you are doing great--don't give up!

sbennett23

This happened to me recently. I hit a 3 week plateau, was eating around 1200 calories and burning off 345. I don't think I was eating enough. Now I'm eating around 1400 calories and I've added strength training to my cardiovascular. I lost a pound last week and another this week. I have PCOS so it's really hard to lose but I'm slowly progressing! You may want to increase your calories a little.

msujdak

Have you taken your measurments lately? Try upping your calories every other day or two to give your body a metabolic boost.

LiMer

That happened to me 3 weeks in a row as well. Then finally, last week the scale went down over 6 pounds in one week. What I did was ate more then I was allow for one day (1800 net calories), I even went over on my fat intake then the very next day, went back down to 1200 calories. For some reason, by doing that and taking an easy on my workouts, help me. I think alot of that is water weight. I wonder if you can just take a water pill and see what happens.

firetuck

I've hit a plateau as well. Both in pounds and inches. I finally got a Polar heart monitor so I could track my calories better. I'm burning 500-750 a day - lifting twice a week and a mix of cardio on 4 others. I did just check after reading these posts and saw that my net calories were below 1200 so I guess I need to up my calories every day - but I'm scared!

staclo

Have you taken your measurments lately? Try upping your calories every other day or two to give your body a metabolic boost.

Yes, I took them this morning. I lost 2.5-3 inches last week. I knew that I must have lost some inches, b/c I'm down a size.

fjtcjt

I posted this link a couple of days ago, and not very many people took the time to read it. I think you will find it very informative and it might give you some good ideas of how you might be able change up how you are consuming food and what and when to consume.

http://www.supplecity.com/articles/howcaloriesbecomefat.htm

When things like this happen, it is usually related to your diet. Give this a read and let me know if it gives you any good recommendations.

staclo

I've hit a plateau as well. Both in pounds and inches. I finally got a Polar heart monitor so I could track my calories better. I'm burning 500-750 a day - lifting twice a week and a mix of cardio on 4 others. I did just check after reading these posts and saw that my net calories were below 1200 so I guess I need to up my calories every day - but I'm scared!

Yeah, me too. I don't understand how the metabolism works enough, I guess.

fjtcjt

[/quote]

Yes, I took them this morning. I lost 2.5-3 inches last week. I knew that I must have lost some inches, b/c I'm down a size.
[/quote]

And this is another excellent point. Just because the scale isn't moving doesn't mean you aren't making progress. The closer you get to your goal weight, the less you can count on your scale for real progress!

mrsyac2

my scale hasn't budged in 4 weeks i am not stressing it though it will start moving again but body just has to regulate- don't get discouraged if anything do more intense workouts- try something different don't do the same workouts your body will get bored

ABELL

I am on my second week. The first week I lost a quick 10 lbs which I am assuming part of was water weight. Anyhow I have been diligent in doing everything perfectly and not straying from the allotted calories and sometimes I am under. This week I have gained 1/2 lb so far but trying not to focus on that until Sunday my weigh in day rolls around. I would say just keep doing what you are doing and not to get discouraged. I have heard that sometimes you need to eat a bit more than your calories to get your metabolism back up. Good luck and I will be thinking about you. Let us know when you break the plateau.

staclo

my scale hasn't budged in 4 weeks i am not stressing it though it will start moving again but body just has to regulate- don't get discouraged if anything do more intense workouts- try something different don't do the same workouts your body will get bored

Thanks. I just want to make sure that I'm doing everything that I should do with the diet aspect. I'm up for increasing the intensity of my workouts. I also know, however, that 80-85% of weight-loss is diet.

staclo

I am on my second week. The first week I lost a quick 10 lbs which I am assuming part of was water weight. Anyhow I have been diligent in doing everything perfectly and not straying from the allotted calories and sometimes I am under. This week I have gained 1/2 lb so far but trying not to focus on that until Sunday my weigh in day rolls around. I would say just keep doing what you are doing and not to get discouraged. I have heard that sometimes you need to eat a bit more than your calories to get your metabolism back up. Good luck and I will be thinking about you. Let us know when you break the plateau.

Thanks for the encouragement. It's frustrating to work hard and not see the numbers once or twice, but by the third week, it's discouraging. I'm trying to stay focused, though. Seeing inches drop is good, so I'm glad about that at least.

staclo

Yes, I took them this morning. I lost 2.5-3 inches last week. I knew that I must have lost some inches, b/c I'm down a size.
[/quote]

And this is another excellent point. Just because the scale isn't moving doesn't mean you aren't making progress. The closer you get to your goal weight, the less you can count on your scale for real progress!
[/quote]

I feel pretty far from my goal. I have 30 lbs or so to go...ugh! :ohwell:

fjtcjt

I feel pretty far from my goal. I have 30 lbs or so to go...ugh! :ohwell:

Seriously, go to the link I sent and read it. It will give you some very good information. It isn't very long either.