Wife stuck at weight loss plateau for 4 months!!

BeckaT79

Congrats on your wife's weight loss first of all. I would think that she may try to switch up her routine every once in a while... Instead of her regular classes maybe she can take zumba, maybe lift some weights and along with a change in her exercise routine maybe she could increase her calories for a couple months just to change everything up a little bit. Good luck to both of you in your weight loss journey. Tell her to hold strong because that plateau has a tendency to suck :-) Keep being supportive :flowerforyou:

drmerc

if she is not losing weight, she is eating too much and needs to eat less*

unless there is some undiagnosed medical condition

KatrinaG2012

OP sounds like a compassionate and caring spouse. Good for both of you. With support like that and the good information you are getting as a result of his request, you will break that plateau in no time.

devil_in_a_blue_dress

if she is not losing weight, she is eating too much and needs to eat less*

unless there is some undiagnosed medical condition

:noway:

Broscience at its finest.

jcoco

I have gone through the same frustrating thing your wife is going through. I also was having a major plateau for months losing and gaining the same 2lbs. I tried the Spike diet which I found on here, there is a group. It basically has you zig zag calories like others have suggested then you have a Spike day. For 3 days you will eat your BMR, 3 days of BMR minus 500 calories (NOT going under 1200) and then on your Spike day you double your BMR & eat whatever you want. There is a book, but if you go to the group page & read all the posts, you will get the idea. Russell B is the author of the book & is on MFP. It helped me break my plateau & I have currently lost 21lbs without feeling deprived.

Lennox497

I concur with the lot; eat more. Also add strength training. Added muscle will burn more calories throughout the day.

The body is a furnace; fuel it up and burn hot!

drmerc

if she is not losing weight, she is eating too much and needs to eat less*

unless there is some undiagnosed medical condition

:noway:

Broscience at its finest.

eating less to lose weight is broscience?

_VoV

In March, after 5 months on MFP and 29 pounds lost, I started to get discouraged. It was harder to keep to my desired calorie deficit. So, upon the advice of a friend here, I took a full diet break. I ate my maintenance calories, mostly, though some days I ate more, and other days I ate less. I gained around 4 pounds initially, but eventually lost it. At this point, I am doing part 2 of the weight loss portion of my program. My goal is to lose the next 23 pounds, and then stay there for at least a couple of months. The nice thing is I'm coming back to this weight loss effort revitalized. BTW, my maintenance calories are 1900, and I am currently eating 1250 calories.

secretlobster

Edit: Double-posted from browser timeout...

secretlobster

eating less to lose weight is broscience?

Maybe not broscience so much as dumb advice that indicates you didn't read the part where she's normally consuming less than half her TDEE

devil_in_a_blue_dress

if she is not losing weight, she is eating too much and needs to eat less*

unless there is some undiagnosed medical condition

:noway:

Broscience at its finest.

eating less to lose weight is broscience?

Broscience, to me anyway, is saying the most obvious answer to a weight loss inquiry without any critical thought to health or situation, so yes, in this instance saying eating less to lose weight to somebody eating 1,200 a day and working out 5 days a week is complete and utter broscience.

iWaffle

My aunt had the same problem (she is on this site). She told me that her secret was to take 2 days out of the week and eat less than 50 carbs in those two days. She suggests eating those carbs in the morning/ afternoon.

Eat those carbs with protein for the best response from your body. That helps to keep you out of the insulin response loop that people get stuck in.

http://inthezonefitness.com/Bodyfat.htm

drmerc

Broscience is saying the most obvious answer without any critical thought so yes, in this instance saying eating less to lose weight to somebody eating 1,200 a day and working out 5 days a week is complete and utter broscience.

I did not say she should eat less than 1200 calories, I said she should eat less than she is currently eating

dobarber

She may need to eat more or try zigzag her calories as someone else suggested. Also, have her check her sugar & carb intake.

She's doing very well, first of all. Second, her exercise is building muscle, which is denser than fat so I bet she looks better than those 35 pounds. Third, people are right when they say all that exercise and 1200 calories at her weight is too little.

MOST importantly, that splurge is really bad for her. Her insulin levels are going to spike and that locks all those calories into storage (to get her blood sugar down). And it will make her hungrier. She doesn't want to get locked into that cycle.

Finally, research suggests most 'plateus' come from eating more and exercising less than you think you are. It's so easy to do (and don't I know it).

Higher calories every day and drop the 'treat' day. It's a bad habit and is counterproductive.

I'll have to agree with the splurge day. Up til this week I was doing a splurge day though with not as many calories. This week I decided to level everything out and eat between 1500-1600 calories per day and not eat my calories back. This week I dropped weight. I also increased my water intake from 8 cups per day to 12-15 cups per day. This basically eliminated soda completely for me since I have no time to drink soda. I think this combo may have done the trick for me. So far I have lost 2 pounds. Oh BTW I was stuck between 285 and 280 since May. I'm now at 278.

dkweathington

i am reading "Skinny Chicks Don't Eat Salads". It has really helped me and is full of helpful information about the way the body works. There is also "Skinny Chicks Eat For Real". One thing it talks about is eating enough to support your workouts. You have to think about losing fat and not muscle. If you aren't eating enough, then your metabolism is going to drop and start storing the little bit of calories you do consume.

fiveohmike

if she is not losing weight, she is eating too much and needs to eat less*

unless there is some undiagnosed medical condition

:noway:

Broscience at its finest.

eating less to lose weight is broscience?

She is eating 1200 calories a day. How much less should she eat? 400 calories a day? **** why not just never eat? I am sure that will work.

devil_in_a_blue_dress

Broscience is saying the most obvious answer without any critical thought so yes, in this instance saying eating less to lose weight to somebody eating 1,200 a day and working out 5 days a week is complete and utter broscience.

I did not say she should eat less than 1200 calories, I said she should eat less than she is currently eating

Dude, she's eating 1,200 calories a day most days. Try reading.

fiveohmike

Broscience is saying the most obvious answer without any critical thought so yes, in this instance saying eating less to lose weight to somebody eating 1,200 a day and working out 5 days a week is complete and utter broscience.

I did not say she should eat less than 1200 calories, I said she should eat less than she is currently eating

Yes you did, she is already at 1200 calories, and you just told her to eat less....way to promote eating disorders!

islandmonkey

I agree with the other posters:
* calorie intake of 1200 is far too low, especially with a TDEE of 2600! Is that a recalculated TDEE after the weight loss?
* splurge day of 3000 calories is excessive. You're probably starving from not eating enough the other 6 days! Up the calories the other days, and scale back on the splurge day.
* assess what calories are going in - processed foods? sugar?
* build in some additional weight lifting
* REVISE your routine! If you're doing the same routines your body is getting more efficient, and burning less fuel (fat) to perform it. Try shaking things up with a new DVD or new routine.

* Don't (necessarily) go to a trainer for food advice! They are NOT trained for that. See a dietician or nutrionist.


Congrats on the loss so far, good luck with busting that plateau.

and Freyja2023 thanks!!! That gives me some hope and motivation.

cheshirechic

It's wonderful that you two have such a supportive relationship

I'd add more strength/weights, and check out the kind of foods that you're eating. Some say that it's just calories in versus calories out, but I think (and have experienced) that it's the quality of food that makes a big difference. Granted, you don't want to eat a whole jar of almond butter, but try to stick to whole foods (the fewer ingredients, the better-- or at least make sure you know what all of the ingredients are). Make sure you're eating enough, and drink lots of water. I hope this helps!

sheila569

Eat a little more (1,400 or so). And loose the cheat day. I hate when people say cheat day... who are you cheating? Yourself. Go a little over yeah but 1,200 to near 3,000... that's one serious cheat. Hope that helps.

taralc1

She could try changing up her exercise routine..to shake things up a bit...and eat a bit of fat (not ff cheese, milk, yogurt etc). And congrats on her success so far!

drmerc

Broscience is saying the most obvious answer without any critical thought so yes, in this instance saying eating less to lose weight to somebody eating 1,200 a day and working out 5 days a week is complete and utter broscience.

I did not say she should eat less than 1200 calories, I said she should eat less than she is currently eating

Dude, she's eating 1,200 calories a day most days. Try reading.

I did read it, I also read she binges once a week

Fact of the matter is, if she is not losing weight she is eating too much, perhaps she is eating more than she claims unintentionally

devil_in_a_blue_dress

:noway:

devil_in_a_blue_dress

Broscience is saying the most obvious answer without any critical thought so yes, in this instance saying eating less to lose weight to somebody eating 1,200 a day and working out 5 days a week is complete and utter broscience.

I did not say she should eat less than 1200 calories, I said she should eat less than she is currently eating

Dude, she's eating 1,200 calories a day most days. Try reading.

I did read it, I also read she binges once a week

Fact of the matter is, if she is not losing weight she is eating too much, perhaps she is eating more than she claims unintentionally

Even if her "cheat day" was spread out over 7 days, that is still 1450ish calories per day -- probably still too low given her work outs. Really, 1,600ish would be where I would start with off days occasionally -- maybe not every week.

devil_in_a_blue_dress

Broscience is saying the most obvious answer without any critical thought so yes, in this instance saying eating less to lose weight to somebody eating 1,200 a day and working out 5 days a week is complete and utter broscience.

I did not say she should eat less than 1200 calories, I said she should eat less than she is currently eating

Dude, she's eating 1,200 calories a day most days. Try reading.

I did read it, I also read she binges once a week

Fact of the matter is, if she is not losing weight she is eating too much, perhaps she is eating more than she claims unintentionally

Even if her "cheat day" was spread out over 7 days, that is still 1450ish calories per day -- probably still too low given her work outs. Really, 1,600ish would be where I would start with off days occasionally -- maybe not every week.

3,000-1,200 = 1,800 -- NOT A BINGE --- not even close. But please continue saying dumb things.

secretlobster

Fact of the matter is, if she is not losing weight she is eating too much, perhaps she is eating more than she claims unintentionally

I'll ignore your "fact" because it doesn't really hold water, and it illustrates why men shouldn't usually be giving advice to women on weight loss. But to take the latter part of your response seriously, it's very possible that what she's logging (or conveying to the OP) is very different from what she's actually eating. That's why I really wish we could see her diary first hand, or talk to her directly.

devil_in_a_blue_dress

Fact of the matter is, if she is not losing weight she is eating too much, perhaps she is eating more than she claims unintentionally

I'll ignore your "fact" because it doesn't really hold water, and it illustrates why men shouldn't usually be giving advice to women on weight loss. But to take the latter part of your response seriously, it's very possible that what she's logging (or conveying to the OP) is very different from what she's actually eating. That's why I really wish we could see her diary first hand, or talk to her directly.

She commented early on -- I am sure she'll come back and read the responses which is why I feel like it is worth wasting my breath to argue with the "eat less" idiots.

drmerc

Fact of the matter is, if she is not losing weight she is eating too much, perhaps she is eating more than she claims unintentionally

I'll ignore your "fact" because it doesn't really hold water, and it illustrates why men shouldn't usually be giving advice to women on weight loss. But to take the latter part of your response seriously, it's very possible that what she's logging (or conveying to the OP) is very different from what she's actually eating. That's why I really wish we could see her diary first hand, or talk to her directly.

Explain to me how someone can violate the first law of thermodynamics

Please cite sources

devil_in_a_blue_dress

Fact of the matter is, if she is not losing weight she is eating too much, perhaps she is eating more than she claims unintentionally

Also, do you frequently walk around saying "I reject your reality and substitute my own" Dungeonmaster?