Plateau? I'm going insane!

milkyskinn

I've only started myfitnesspal recently because I've been frustrated with my body for quite some time.

Ever since a few months ago I feel like the better I try to do things, I'm gaining weight. It's extremely discouraging. I don't have a scale as I don't believe weight is the absolute answer/number for everything, by my hips gained back 1-2cm and so did my waist. I don't get it!

I used to eat too little a year ago; 1000-1100 calories, working out 4 days a week. I DID lose weight. Was happy for a while. I started getting uncontrollably hungry though, so I figured I was eating too little and decided to focus on healthy eating, and upped my calories. I also was getting way too little fat, and since progress had stopped, I starting adding nuts back into my diet.

I now train 6 days a week, but I seem to only feel fatter every day. I've gone from eating 1400 a day back to 12-1300, because I feel I'm only gaining if I eat more. I try not to eat ridiculously low fat, and while I do love my carbs, they come from good sources (dark ryebread, whole wheat/bran cereals and the occasional bread.) I never eat white processed bread, eat potatoes maybe 1-2 twice a week, and I don't eat sweets except on birthdays/special occasions/etc.
I really am at loss what to. I'm only 5'2, so I really don't want to up my calories again in fear it's just too much for my height. I am going to invest in a HRM soon to see exactly what I am burning, but I do a lot of Turbofire/insanity and even for the 1-hr trainings I'm not guessing I'm burning more than 300-350calories.

I'm trying to do more weight training now. I want to try 2-3 times a week of weight training and 3 times a week cardio. Will doing more weights help? (Trying Chalean Extreme, occasionally some Jillian Michaels) Do I need to go back to low fat again? I'm having some trouble with my colon too, so I'm not sure if this is contributing to it...

Toddrific

Sounds like you might be exercising too much(body needs some time to recover) and eating too little.

Try upping your calories by 200ish for a week or two, see how that goes.

~random internet advice for the win~

BrokenBarbiexoxo

I hit a plateau last week and it's so frustrating!!!

People will tell you all different things to do, which is what you want, different opinions.

I got over my plateau by doing a 24 fast, I lost 2 pounds and have been losing since.

However, people will tell you not to do this, but I am merely voicing an opnion as asked

Good luck getting over it xo

surferfreak07

I train 5-6 days a week and I eat approximately 1800-1900 calories. I stopped losing at 1600 calories and couldn't figure out why so I invested in a HRM. I burn on average 400-500 calories at a time meaning before I was netting less than 1200 which is definitely a way to halt weightloss. Try upping your calories to about 1700 and leave it a few weeks before taking measurements to give your body time to adjust. I've never done insanity but from the friends I have on MFP their burns at least 400 calories with a hrm and from looking at their diaries now they are eating at least 1700 calories. I hope this helps, feel free to message me if you need any advice

tigersword

I've only started myfitnesspal recently because I've been frustrated with my body for quite some time.

Ever since a few months ago I feel like the better I try to do things, I'm gaining weight. It's extremely discouraging. I don't have a scale as I don't believe weight is the absolute answer/number for everything, by my hips gained back 1-2cm and so did my waist. I don't get it!

I used to eat too little a year ago; 1000-1100 calories, working out 4 days a week. I DID lose weight. Was happy for a while. I started getting uncontrollably hungry though, so I figured I was eating too little and decided to focus on healthy eating, and upped my calories. I also was getting way too little fat, and since progress had stopped, I starting adding nuts back into my diet.

I now train 6 days a week, but I seem to only feel fatter every day. I've gone from eating 1400 a day back to 12-1300, because I feel I'm only gaining if I eat more. I try not to eat ridiculously low fat, and while I do love my carbs, they come from good sources (dark ryebread, whole wheat/bran cereals and the occasional bread.) I never eat white processed bread, eat potatoes maybe 1-2 twice a week, and I don't eat sweets except on birthdays/special occasions/etc.
I really am at loss what to. I'm only 5'2, so I really don't want to up my calories again in fear it's just too much for my height. I am going to invest in a HRM soon to see exactly what I am burning, but I do a lot of Turbofire/insanity and even for the 1-hr trainings I'm not guessing I'm burning more than 300-350calories.

I'm trying to do more weight training now. I want to try 2-3 times a week of weight training and 3 times a week cardio. Will doing more weights help? (Trying Chalean Extreme, occasionally some Jillian Michaels) Do I need to go back to low fat again? I'm having some trouble with my colon too, so I'm not sure if this is contributing to it...

If you're doing Insanity, you should be eating based on their plan. Also, the number of calories you burn varies much more with weight than it does with height.

Based on your description, it sounds like you are seriously under eating and over training.

milkyskinn

Thanks for you input everyone, you're all so nice

milkyskinn

Sounds like you might be exercising too much(body needs some time to recover) and eating too little.

Try upping your calories by 200ish for a week or two, see how that goes.

~random internet advice for the win~

Do you think adding an extra recovery day (or day where I only do light weights/yoga) and add 100kcal a day more for now would help too? I do freelance work right now and it's computer work, so apart from exercising, house chores and walking up and down the stairs throughout the day I'm not getting a lot of intense movement

milkyskinn

I hit a plateau last week and it's so frustrating!!!

People will tell you all different things to do, which is what you want, different opinions.

I got over my plateau by doing a 24 fast, I lost 2 pounds and have been losing since.

However, people will tell you not to do this, but I am merely voicing an opnion as asked

Good luck getting over it xo

It's extremely dissatisfying when you're working hard, isn't it?
Maybe this has worked well for you because you've 'shocked' your body somehow? Did you only drink water during those 24 hours? I've recently done a 3-day detox (ate clean and cut out meat, dairy and processed food) and while I did help to ease things down with my colon and digestion, weightloss/progress wise it hasn't done much, haha.

I might consider this, but it'd take so much willpower! I'm always hungry :")

UrbanRunner81

definitely increase your calories, above your BMR. Your body needs time to rest, too.

Don't be discouraged if you gain weight like the first week or two. Give it a month and you will see results.
If you don't see weight loss, definitely keep track of your measurements!

tigersword

You're only trying to lose 8 pounds according to your ticker. At that low a goal, you should be looking at a pound a month rate of loss, you are definitely not eating enough, you should be eating at least maintenance, with all the e refuse you do.

Calculate your maintenance calories, and subtract 250. That's what you should be eating. Without knowing your weight, nobody else can calculate it for you.

milkyskinn

I train 5-6 days a week and I eat approximately 1800-1900 calories. I stopped losing at 1600 calories and couldn't figure out why so I invested in a HRM. I burn on average 400-500 calories at a time meaning before I was netting less than 1200 which is definitely a way to halt weightloss. Try upping your calories to about 1700 and leave it a few weeks before taking measurements to give your body time to adjust. I've never done insanity but from the friends I have on MFP their burns at least 400 calories with a hrm and from looking at their diaries now they are eating at least 1700 calories. I hope this helps, feel free to message me if you need any advice

May I ask which HRM you decided to buy? I'm leaning to a simple Polar because I don't need extensive training support/other functions, but just my heart rate and calorie burn. I've read so much mixed opinions about its accuracy though!

1700 calories seems like so much to me. I'm not doing Insanity every day (1 or 2 times a week) and I'm only 108 pounds, so to burn that much sounds like an awful lot to me. From everyone's input I'm going to try up my calories gradually to start with It's scary, but maybe the reason I gained (or feel like I did) even when I ate a bit more a while ago was because my body might not have had enough time to adjust right when I started doing heavier workouts like Insanity, and I gained more muscle over time, too!

milkyskinn

You're only trying to lose 8 pounds according to your ticker. At that low a goal, you should be looking at a pound a month rate of loss, you are definitely not eating enough, you should be eating at least maintenance, with all the e refuse you do.

Calculate your maintenance calories, and subtract 250. That's what you should be eating. Without knowing your weight, nobody else can calculate it for you.

I always get confused about this! According to myfitnesspal my maintenance is around 1500, various other calculators I used indicated about 1330 cals, because the work I do during the day is mostly sedentary and only my exercise requires a lot of energy! I'm sorry if I seem stubborn; I've head trouble with eating and my overall body image in the past, and I'm really trying to change it to something healthier, and give my body what it needs, and try to be happy with it I am extremely insecure when it comes to deciding what to do health and fitness wise for this reason, so all the input I can get is really helpful at this point!

Right now my weight is around 108pounds I used to be 105 last year but part of that weight gained is probably muscle mass since my arms definitely have more shape and my legs are stronger, but I still look rather 'fluffy', haha. I'm not putting too much thought into my weight since I'm only weighed in the middle or in the late afternoon when I visit my doctor, I have no idea what it's like without clothes in the early morning.

Based on 108 pounds, do you think upping to 1360-1400 a day would be a good start with my activity level?

sandown12

he Group Eat more to weight less join it your not eating enough I did 1200-1300 calories a day for 12 weeks felt so tired I once felt really ill Im now on 1700 calories which I had to make myself up as Ive always be taught eat little to lose but upping them gradually shouldnt get to a gain say 100 cals week on each day then up thm again

tigersword

Ok, so you're at a healthy weight, and based on the information you've given, your basal metabolic rate is 1312 calories per day. Based on 6 days a week of high intensity training, that would put your maintenance needs at right around 1800 calories per day.

Add to that the fact that 108 pounds is on the lower end of healthy for your height, and 1200 calories is way too low.

If you didn't exercise at all, and we're completely sedentary every day, you'd maintain weight on 1600 calories a day.

If you're unhappy with your body composition, I'd recommend eating 1800-2000 calories a day, and doing heavy strength training. Yes, you might gain weight on the scale, but you will improve your muscle and bone mass, while reducing fat mass.

milkyskinn

he Group Eat more to weight less join it your not eating enough I did 1200-1300 calories a day for 12 weeks felt so tired I once felt really ill Im now on 1700 calories which I had to make myself up as Ive always be taught eat little to lose but upping them gradually shouldnt get to a gain say 100 cals week on each day then up thm again

I shall look it up later today, thank you!
This sounds very similar to how I've always been thinking. Making this switch is really hard. This is the reason for me joining MFP and also being active in the fitblr community over at Tumblr, so I can hopefully change this with the help and input from people who understand where I am coming from.

If 100cals a week is a safe way to go, I'm going to start eating a 100 more starting today!

milkyskinn

Ok, so you're at a healthy weight, and based on the information you've given, your basal metabolic rate is 1312 calories per day. Based on 6 days a week of high intensity training, that would put your maintenance needs at right around 1800 calories per day.

Add to that the fact that 108 pounds is on the lower end of healthy for your height, and 1200 calories is way too low.

If you didn't exercise at all, and we're completely sedentary every day, you'd maintain weight on 1600 calories a day.

If you're unhappy with your body composition, I'd recommend eating 1800-2000 calories a day, and doing heavy strength training. Yes, you might gain weight on the scale, but you will improve your muscle and bone mass, while reducing fat mass.

This numbers almost seem alien!

To start with, I am slowly going to add 1-200kcals every week until I'm at 1600. It seems like so much food!

How much of this should come from protein if I'm going to do more weights? I've always been more of a cardio person, and most of the workouts I did have gotten too easy. I've recently slowly started adding some strength in with 30 day shred, and now starting Chalean Extreme 2 days a week to get used to it : )

I know muscle weighs more than fat, but takes less space. There's still definitely fat left on my legs and hips, so I might never get to 100lbs, but a visible difference will be far more rewarding than the number on the scale.

cmurray234

Have you tried taking a 2-week break from your weight-loss routine? Now, I'm not suggesting that you go out and eat 4000 calories a day or anything, but find out what maintenance calories are for your weight, eat at that for 2 weeks, and keep your workouts light.

Maybe all you need is a system re-set, so to speak.

KathleenIves

muscle weighs more than fat. try boosting your metabolism. one day eat 2000 calories. I am not a doctor, but 2 years ago triying to lose wieght dieting and exercise and gained...turned out it was my throid and I have hyperthyriodism.. After 2 years the meds are where they shoudl be and I am losing again. Lastly, plateau as in nature sometimes have sudden and steep drops!

CindyCountingCalories

Ugh plateau sucks, hope you get out of it :flowerforyou:

Here's some great info I found that sounds like a fast way to break a plateau:

Haven't tried this but will next time

http://www.weight-loss-health.com.au/bust_weight_loss_plateau.htm

Will paste it here

"You're losing weight at a nice clip when all of a sudden the scale stops moving. And it seems like there's nothing in the world you can do about it. Weeks go by and the needle hasn't budged. You've hit the moment every dieter dreads: a plateau.
When you're on a weight loss journey, the question isn't whether or not you'll hit a plateau, it's when. Plateaus are like bad weather on a long hike: it's inevitable that you'll run into it, but knowing that in advance doesn't make it one bit less frustrating or annoying when it happens. However, cheer up. Because plateaus are as common as rain, we have a pretty good idea what to do about them. There's an excellent chance that at least one of the following techniques will help you break through."

1. Be a calorie detective.
When someone tells me she's stopped losing weight, the first thing I ask is this: how many calories a day are you eating? While calories are not the whole story- far from it- they are still an important component of weight loss, and they have a way of creeping up while we’re not paying attention. Be brutally honest with yourself- what are you eating and how much? Using a food diary for a while is a great way to monitor this. And yes, sodas and alcoholic beverages count! Good rule of thumb: for weight loss, aim for calories close to your target weight [in pounds] times 10. [or, if your weigh by kilograms, times your goal weight in kilos by 22 for average daily calories - WLH Editors].

2. Change it up.
The classic advice when you're not making gains in an exercise program is to change your routine. Same holds true here. Low carbers might try a higher carb diet for a few days, high carbers might switch to Atkins or South Beach. At the very least, vary your ratio of protein to fat to carbs. Even varying calorie intake may have a positive effect: if you're average intake is 1500 calories try dropping to 1200 for a day, going up to 2000 and then dropping back to 1500. You get the idea- your body’s gotten comfortable. It’s time to shake things up.

3. Exercise a temporary ban.
Food sensitivities can cause us to hold on to weight and bloat, and the frustrating thing is that most of us don't always know which foods cause us to do this. So play the odds: highest on the list of "usual suspects" are grains (wheat in particular), dairy and sugar. Put a temporary ban on all three and see what happens.

4. Kick it up a notch. Or three.
There's been a lot of rumble in the exercise community over the best way to work out for fat loss and the consensus is moving towards high intensity intervals. Forget the "fat burning zone" and go for broke. High intensity intervals- 30 to 60 seconds- are the wave of the future. If you're used to going at level three, ramp it up to level 6 for a minute then slow back down, catch your breath and do it again. Ever see a sprinter with love handles? Training like a sprinter will lower your body fat faster than any technique I know of, plus it’ll boost your metabolism and lower your weight. Bye bye plateau.

5. Revisit strength training.
If you're not strength training, start now. And if you are, ramp it up a notch. Muscle is your greatest ally in breaking a plateau. Unfortunately many women train with weights too light to produce the metabolic boost we're looking for. Don't be afraid of heavier weights- you should reach the point where you can't do another rep sometime between reps 8-12.

6. Up your protein.
Study after study shows that a higher ratio of protein to carbs makes losing body fat easier. Protein boosts the metabolism (in one study as much as 100 percent for 24 hours), and it also increases satiety, making it more likely that you won't overeat. A higher protein diet could be just what you need to break that plateau.

7. Try a gentle detox.
While fasting for weight loss unsupervised is a really bad idea, the idea of giving your system a rest makes sense. One way to do it is with a "smart fast" of nothing but fruits and vegetables for a couple of days. The added fibre is always helpful, and the massive amount of nutrients and phytochemicals is like "spring cleaning" for your metabolism.

8. Do a personal inventory.
Believe it or not, other things besides diet and exercise could be stalling your weight loss. Stress, for example. Or lack of sleep. Or medications. Take a look and see what else is going on in your life that might need attention. Sometimes when you clean up the problems in one area of your life, problems in other areas just naturally take care of themselves."

BrokenBarbiexoxo

I hit a plateau last week and it's so frustrating!!!

People will tell you all different things to do, which is what you want, different opinions.

I got over my plateau by doing a 24 fast, I lost 2 pounds and have been losing since.

However, people will tell you not to do this, but I am merely voicing an opnion as asked

Good luck getting over it xo

It's extremely dissatisfying when you're working hard, isn't it?
Maybe this has worked well for you because you've 'shocked' your body somehow? Did you only drink water during those 24 hours? I've recently done a 3-day detox (ate clean and cut out meat, dairy and processed food) and while I did help to ease things down with my colon and digestion, weightloss/progress wise it hasn't done much, haha.

I might consider this, but it'd take so much willpower! I'm always hungry :")

Yes! I had about 12 cups of water.

And 3 cans of diet coke. But that's all.

I think the shocking helped. Just do what is right for you I'm sure you'll find something that works!