My weight loss is stalled....

needamulligan

If you never exercised before and you are now, and doing great by the way, your muscles are probably storing water and glycogen as they repair which masks any weight loss...it's still there if you check your measurements you might still see a change but it will take time for your muscles to get used to your new active life.

I would suggest eating some of your exercise calories back if you're at 1200 chances are not eating them back puts you well below your BMR.

I haven't read through all of the posts yet....but this happens to me, too. Every time I increase my activity level. The last stall/plateau I put on 5 lbs and it took 2 weeks to level out. I did eat back most, if not all of my exercise calories, too. Don't get discouraged! Just keep eating right, exercising, eating enough, logging and drinking plenty of water. It will come off! This is the point that I usually get frustrated and quit..NOT THIS TIME! I've learned from all the good people on MFP that this happens and why. I am prepared to wait (trying to make the pun there) it out!

Be patient and don't give up!!

needamulligan

Perhaps you're overestimating your calories burned through exercise?

I'm beginning to think that, too. I go by what MFP says I'm burning.

Just started using a HRM (yesterday) and one of my exercises burns HALF :frown: :huh: as many calories as MFP said it does! Good thing I didn't believe those MFP numbers and underestimated! Can't wait to see how the rest of my exercises add up!

Akimajuktuq

Some good advice on here so far but the question I have not seen asked, is what type of Calories are you taking in. I would follow the meter to a T and double check you are measuring calories burned right. But back to the Calories. I am not saying this is what you are doing, but If your 1200 Calories consists of refined Carbs, Saturated Fats and Sugar with little Fiber and Protein you are fueling your fat and it doesn’t matter how few Calories you take. In this case, the earlier comment that stated you may have lost a portion of your 35 lbs in muscle may be accurate. You have to watch all of the metrics that MyFitnessPal provides not only the calories. Which ones are you focused on? I would change it to track sugar and trans fat along with the Carbs and Protein. Then keep the sugar and trans fat completely out, keep the carbs slightly low and keep the protein slightly high. Once I did this I broke my plateau weight which I hadn’t been able to get below in 10 years.

Oh, believe me, I wanted to mention the benefits of eating healthy fat and protein and lowering carbs, but just get tired of getting attacked by the "it's only calories in and calories out" crowd. I'm living proof that that is NOT the case for everyone. I have a good, steady weight loss, am shrinking, feel awesome, have no more health issues... all while eating a diet based on FAT, moderate protein and very low carbs.

barkervision

Oh, I'm new. I guess I didn't know a "it's only calories in and calories out" argument would be pending. Like I said, counting the types of calories helped me and countless other people I know break through some big barrier so I'm ready to defend the concept. Besides, being off the sugar and breaking free of the glucose cycle has given me a lot of extra energy I have to use somewhere.

robin68562

Perhaps you're overestimating your calories burned through exercise?

That seems to be a running theme. But even if I'm only burning half as many calories as MFP says I am, I would still be breaking even, which means I should be losing weight.

robin68562

Definitely eat more! You're doing too much exercise for so few calories.

This exactly. Bump up your daily average to 15-1800 and the rest will fly off with how much you're exercising. Your weight loss stalled because your body stopped breaking down muscle (which is some of that 35 lb you lost) because you're using them now and since you're not eating enough, your body is clinging to what fat stores it has left.

You can also insert generic "muscle weighs more than fat" comment here as well. Just because the scale isn't changing doesn't mean you aren't getting thinner and looking better.


Lastly, introducing exercise, even moderate stuff like you mentioned, can be quite the shock on your body since it's not used to it. This takes some time to adjust to. Once it gets over the panic mode of being thrown in the pool 3 days a week, it will relax and it's stress levels will go down.

"Thrown in the pool three days a week" --- I like that.

Feisty_Red

I would advise you measure and weigh everything you eat.. You may think you eat 1200...but once you start checking..you will be surprised how much you actually intake...once I started measuring...I was off..example? I thought I was eating 2 oz of meat for sandwiches? It was actually 4... it was like that for many things...

This is from a 5 month stall on weight loss person....

No weight loss plan works for everyone...some can eat more to lose...others can not.

Sarauk2sf

Not sure if this has been asked - so I may have missed it. How long has it been since you have seen no weight loss?

love4fitnesslove4food_wechange

Perhaps you're overestimating your calories burned through exercise?

I'm beginning to think that, too. I go by what MFP says I'm burning.

considering you're not eating back ALL of them anyway, this is kind of a moot point.

Robin_Bin

Do you plan to "diet" for the rest of your life? Or are you going to learn how to eat right?