Should I do a reset?

SpazzyMal

My weight loss has been slow since I have joined MFP, mostly because I have hit plateaus what seems like every other month. When I started out on here I was eating (not netting, but totaling) around 1,500 calories a day, and then I upped it a bit, and then I found EMTWL, and did a calculator which put me at needing to eat around 1,700-1,900, depending on how active I am that week. I've been doing this fairly religiously for months now, but I've still kept hitting plateaus.

I've never done a reset before, but I'm guessing I might need one? I guess I'm a little scared of doing one for some reason. I feel like I should be losing more than I have been so doing something that will definitely cause me not to lose anything is a bit of bummer.

My stats for anyone who needs them: I am 62 inches (5'2"), 170 pounds, 24, and female. I exercise a minimum 30 minutes of cardio a day (running, biking), 5 times a week, and 15 minutes of bodyweight exercises for my strength training 4 times a week, but am otherwise fairly sedentary aside from walking around the house to clean and cook.

autumnk921

You may not need a whole 8wk reset....Most of us after upping calories for 6-8wks will take a 'diet' break by eating at TDEE for 1-2wks - whichever one you are more comfortable with...Try this out & then go back to your cut amount after that...This may kickstart your body back into high gear....Also, don't forget to recalculate your numbers for every 5-10lbs lost...I hope this helps!!

What activity level are you using? With the workouts that you have listed - I would say that you are a little above light activity & more at the low end of the moderate level of exercise....Try moderate for a bit & see how that works for you.

SpazzyMal

Hey Autumn!

I go by the Scooby calculator, generally using the 1-3 hours of exercise a week setting, which puts me at needing to eat 1725 calories a day as my cut value. If I use the 3-5 hour estimate it gives me a cut of 1944. Since I exercise about 3.5 hours a week, I tend to hover somewhere towards 1,700-1,800 mark on my intake.

I'll consider doing the 1-2 weeks at TDEE, but I just remembered another part of my question (whoops!): Should I do it now, or wait?

I have a vacation coming up in early October, where I don't plan on restricting my diet. I likely will be eating somewhere around my TDEE, give or take a bit, but I will be walking... probably off and on all day for 12 hours. I mean, subtracting the times I will be sitting down to eat (let's say -3 hours for that) and the time I might be standing around and waiting (let's just say -3 for that too, just to estimate) that puts me at a solid 6 hours or so of walking every day, which is a pretty significant burn of around 1,200 calories or so, give or take. Should I go ahead and do this mini-reset now, or wait until I get back?

rachmass1

Good topic SpazzyMal!

I wish I had something to add, but you know I am struggling with the same thing. How long have you been at your current plateau and have you tried mixing anything up with your workouts?

SpazzyMal

Rach, I've been plateaued for about a month and a half. I do vary my workouts a bit, as far as what I do for strength training (and I step up my intensity there whenever my body is capable), and I alternate running and biking for my cardio. I'm limited to what I can do at my house or in my neighborhood, and I've tried doing videos before but after a while they just bore me, so I gave them up in favor of being outside a couple months into my diet.