And I have PLATEAUED!

dakotababy

Alright...I was being patient with this, hoping it wasn't true. It has now been almost 2 months without any weight loss. I have measured - and I have lost a few inches, but no weight.

I am 5'7.
SW - 250lbs
CW- 222lbs

My calorie goal per day is 1400. I have done some research on plateaus, and I have heard things such as trying IF, and checking BMR/TDEE. I am starting to wonder if my calorie intake is too low. According to the calculators, my BMR = 1822 and TDEE = 2186.

My diet is fairly healthy, and I have been trying to incorporate different foods as I go along. I do have pizza on occasion, fast food once in a while, but most days - I eat fairly healthy...i think? (now i am starting to wonder!!)

I will leave my diary open until people who respond do so in a disrespectful/judgemental way, then I will need to close it up again! Please, any input would be amazing. I am willing to change things up.

OH yeah - I drink at least 5 cups of water per day - i never log it though. Water is the only thing I drink!

mockchoc

You should NEVER eat below your BMR, this is most likely why you have plateued. Your body needs 1822 just to keep you alive (if you have your figure correct) so you have to eat above that to fuel everything else you do. It's holding onto the fat because it can tell you are starving it.

Also there are lots of days as I look back through your diary you didn't log your calories or only part of days. Did you count calories then and were they similar or the same those days?

Edited to say BMR not TDEE as it did..

dakotababy

Soooo why did MFP tell me to eat less? I also do not feel "starved" or anything...1800 seems like a lot to me!

ladybrandy

MFP tells you how many calories to eat based on how fast you want to lose the weight. I think you generally eat healthy; maybe try more fruits and veggies. And eat back your exercise calories. I find that sometimes I lose weight when I eat more (although not overboard).

mockchoc

Soooo why did MFP tell me to eat less? I also do not feel "starved" or anything...1800 seems like a lot to me!

No idea why it does that but I'm sure someone that knows the reason why it does will fill us in. It's ruining your metabloism if you don't eat enough though so ignore it and do double check your BMR and TDEE. One of the ways you can work out what to eat is to find your TDEE and eat between 10-20% less than it. I eat 10% less since I'm close to goal.

FredDoyle

You should NEVER eat below your TDEE, this is most likely why you have plateued. Your body needs 1822 just to keep you alive (if you have your figure correct) so you have to eat above that to fuel everything else you do. It's holding onto the fat because it can tell you are starving it.

I'm guessing you mean BMR for the bolded...still
this is debateable. Twice I've been advised by doctors to eat at 1400 cals. I'm 5'-7" as well but I started at about 200 lbs. both times.
I successfully have lost over 30 pounds each time. The first time I put it back on over 8 years...
This time I'm down to 166 so far and have changed my lifestyle in order to maintain the lower weight this time.
I'm back to eating almost 2000/day.
Forgot to mention to the OP you might try lowering the carbs and upping the protein. Also try cutting back on sodium.

babickler

when i hit a plateau i found that increasing calories by 100-200 and increaasing the amount of water i drink really helped. Also, I noticed that you are high in sodium some days. I wonder if you are retaining fluid from the sodium since you say you have lost inches?

ChristineMarie89

i pleateaued for SIX MONTHS(AT LEAST) i started lifting lowered my sodium and sugar upped protein the scale AND the inches started dropping :P

DebbieLyn63

So far apparently no one else has actually looked at your diary. I just looked at the last 10 days, but 5 of those days didn't have anything logged in. I am assuming that you pretty much have 'free days' on the weekends? Most likely you are eating more on those days than you realize. Quite a bit more, and it is deleting all your calorie deficit for the rest of the week. Try logging everything you eat, everyday, Measure everything. Do this for 2 weeks without fail. No cheat days. I am betting that you break thru your plateau.
Hang in there, you can do it, just need to get back to what you were doing in the days you were losing.

dakotababy

OK - So i have just done like 5 different calorie calculator things. According to all of these, I am not eating enough. I am kind of shocked at this point. I plan to increase my calories to 1600 for now....should i expect to gain weight? will it come off? I am feeling nervous about it...anyone with experience in this?

I was thinking I will increase my calories a bit at a time, and see how it goes.

DebbieLyn63

How did you figure your BMR and TDEE? If you used the BMR calculator on MFP, it could be off. If you use the Katch-Mcardle calculator, your BMR is probably closer to 1400.

DebbieLyn63

How much exercise are you doing daily? Unless you are exercising at least 30 mins a day for 4-6 days per week, your TDEE is probably no where close to what you think it is. Raising your calories will most likely cause you to gain.

dakotababy

How did you figure your BMR and TDEE? If you used the BMR calculator on MFP, it could be off. If you use the Katch-Mcardle calculator, your BMR is probably closer to 1400.

seriously?...

I used just used a few that I googled. It asks for your current weight, height and age.

All of them have come out to around 1800 calories!

ndj1979

check out this site http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/654536-in-place-of-a-road-map-2-0-revised-7-2-12

how much do you work out?

IF is not a bad idea..I have been doing it for about seven weeks now and have lost about 1% body fat...of course I am trying to lose body fat and keep muscle gains so we are on different paths...and don't fall for any of that starvation mode stuff that people might be pushing....

Best advice i can give...find a plan, commit to it, make it a part of your daily lifestyle, and go with it...it normally takes six weeks for your body to adjust to new plan ...also, start working out!

dakotababy

How much exercise are you doing daily? Unless you are exercising at least 30 mins a day for 4-6 days per week, your TDEE is probably no where close to what you think it is. Raising your calories will most likely cause you to gain.

I do not exercise daily, more like every 2nd day for about 30 minutes of 4mph walking.
My job I am always on my feet, walking around...but i do not count this as exercise.

windycitycupcake

this is all very interesting

dakotababy

How much exercise are you doing daily? Unless you are exercising at least 30 mins a day for 4-6 days per week, your TDEE is probably no where close to what you think it is. Raising your calories will most likely cause you to gain.

I do not exercise daily, more like every 2nd day for about 30 minutes of 4mph walking.
My job I am always on my feet, walking around...but i do not count this as exercise.

I also do not always log my exercise. If i do not feel hungry - i won't. If i feel hungry, i will.

ndj1979

How much exercise are you doing daily? Unless you are exercising at least 30 mins a day for 4-6 days per week, your TDEE is probably no where close to what you think it is. Raising your calories will most likely cause you to gain.

I do not exercise daily, more like every 2nd day for about 30 minutes of 4mph walking.
My job I am always on my feet, walking around...but i do not count this as exercise.

start a total body work out regimen three days a week and off days do some light cardio. if you do this and properly adjust your calories the weight will melt off. even if you start with five pound dumbbells you will see gains. You really need to do some kind of exercise at least three times a week for an hour a session . Once you make it a part of your day you will not want to stop...

FredDoyle

At your weight you won't gain at 1600, especially if you have an active job. You could probably eat 1800-2000 but take it up a notch at a time and see how the scale goes...
You have to be serious about weighing and logging all your food or you'll never figure out your TDEE.
If you are anything like me, you should be losing >2lbs/week at 1400...

dakotababy

If you are anything like me, you should be losing >2lbs/week at 1400...

I actually was losing about 2 or 3 lbs a week for the first 30 pounds I have lost....I got down to 222 and now i am just stuck for the last 2 months. At one point I did weigh myself and I was 217 about 3 weeks ago...I weighed again, and I am up to 222 again and not moving at all now.

DebbieLyn63

How did you figure your BMR and TDEE? If you used the BMR calculator on MFP, it could be off. If you use the Katch-Mcardle calculator, your BMR is probably closer to 1400.

seriously?...

I used just used a few that I googled. It asks for your current weight, height and age.

All of them have come out to around 1800 calories!

The Katch Mcardle takes your BF% into account. The other calculators use an average BF% of around 25-30% for women. At your weight and height, you are probably around 50%, which would be around 1400 for your BMR. Body composition can make a huge difference in your BMR. For me, it was a 300 calorie per day difference. Every 10% increase in BF lowers your BMR about 150 calories per day.

tmauck4472

This never eat below 1200 and never eat below your BMR or only 500 Below what ever is the biggest crock I've ever read. I eat below 1000 since I've started this in January and I've only just now hit a stall and I've lost 143 lbs. I never eat back my exercise calories unless I'm hungry. (and I'm seldom hungry) I pretty much keep my food on track no devation and no cheating, if I want something log it and make it fit. It's a give and take, but you have to be willing to give and take. You don't have to exercise to lose weight but you do have to eat less. You exercise to help with weight loss, but IMO it's more for my heart health not the weight loss. When I started in January I was working and did no exercise at all until the end of April and I was steadily losing the same as I lost in June exercising everyday. But my heart rate has gone from 70's and 80's to 50's and 60's. I'm healthy I'm happy. My hair isn't falling out. I drink plenty of water. I get my fruits, veggies and meats in. I dont' eat junk, I don't eat processed food (with a few exceptions) You can eat low, eat clean, and still eat healthy. But you don't have to eat what I eat, but you certainly don't have to eat more. You'll be back crying that you gained weight. Stick with what your doing just cut out processed foods and add in clean foods. Don't eat your exercise calories back due to some things are entered in wrong in the database so you could be under estimating your calorie intake and over estimating your exercise calories burned. Don't cheat, if you want it make it work for you. I will not say I never cheat because I do, but it's few and far between very few and very far between.

Qskim

This never eat below 1200 and never eat below your BMR or only 500 Below what ever is the biggest crock I've ever read. I eat below 1000 since I've started this in January and I've only just now hit a stall and I've lost 143 lbs. I never eat back my exercise calories unless I'm hungry. (and I'm seldom hungry) I pretty much keep my food on track no devation and no cheating, if I want something log it and make it fit. It's a give and take, but you have to be willing to give and take. You don't have to exercise to lose weight but you do have to eat less. You exercise to help with weight loss, but IMO it's more for my heart health not the weight loss. When I started in January I was working and did no exercise at all until the end of April and I was steadily losing the same as I lost in June exercising everyday. But my heart rate has gone from 70's and 80's to 50's and 60's. I'm healthy I'm happy. My hair isn't falling out. I drink plenty of water. I get my fruits, veggies and meats in. I dont' eat junk, I don't eat processed food (with a few exceptions) You can eat low, eat clean, and still eat healthy. But you don't have to eat what I eat, but you certainly don't have to eat more. You'll be back crying that you gained weight. Stick with what your doing just cut out processed foods and add in clean foods. Don't eat your exercise calories back due to some things are entered in wrong in the database so you could be under
estimating your calorie intake and over estimating your exercise calories burned. Don't cheat, if you want it make it work for you. I
will not say I never cheat because I do, but it's few and far between very few and very far between.

I second this. Really sick of the crap on here. Here's an idea! Eat proper food when u r hungry and stop when u r not. Normal people who have never had a weight issue do this...they don't have a clue what calories they eat or their bmr or frig TDEE.

heybales

Since you aren't that intense on the real exercise, but active have active lifestyle, use the spreadsheet in this topic to get a better idea of TDEE.

Be honest with activity levels and time. Take the time for measurements to estimated bodyfat%, especially since you said you were losing inches, you are still at a deficit.

Suggest eating about 200 more per day, for a week, and then do that another week, until up at a reasonable goal level the spreadsheet suggests.

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/717858-spreadsheet-bmr-tdee-and-deficit-calcs-macros-hrm

It's located in that In place of a roadmap group suggested above.

Also, why did MFP give the suggestion it did?

Because you selected an activity level that was probably less than what it really was, and you selected a weight loss goal that was probably not the recommended.

If you logged and ate back the MPF exercise calorie burns as per design, while they may appear inflated, probably would have saved you from the days you were way under a realistic amount.

You sound like you have a steady schedule and amount of exercise you can do right now - the TDEE deficit method would probably work very well for you in retaining muscle.

Katbody10

Alright...I was being patient with this, hoping it wasn't true. It has now been almost 2 months without any weight loss. I have measured - and I have lost a few inches, but no weight.

I am 5'7.
SW - 250lbs
CW- 222lbs

My calorie goal per day is 1400. I have done some research on plateaus, and I have heard things such as trying IF, and checking BMR/TDEE. I am starting to wonder if my calorie intake is too low. According to the calculators, my BMR = 1822 and TDEE = 2186.

My diet is fairly healthy, and I have been trying to incorporate different foods as I go along. I do have pizza on occasion, fast food once in a while, but most days - I eat fairly healthy...i think? (now i am starting to wonder!!)

I will leave my diary open until people who respond do so in a disrespectful/judgemental way, then I will need to close it up again! Please, any input would be amazing. I am willing to change things up.

OH yeah - I drink at least 5 cups of water per day - i never log it though. Water is the only thing I drink!

The fact that you have lost inches speaks VOLUMES! Plateauing happens and at some point .. you'll move on. I think you are right on target here. You're doing great. I would be very pleased with the inches disappearing .. that means fat is melting and you might be gaining a little muscle (to burn more calories with) .. you're firming up.

Make sure when you do your BMR and TDEE .. that you are utilizing your current weight . .. not where you started :-)

I don't think eating more would make a difference.... especially if you go with IF (intermittent fasting .. or alternate day fasting) There are health benefits to fasting .. but there are also specific guidelines to follow for each type of fasting diet. Be sure to research before embarking on one of these :flowerforyou:

If you truly believe you are not eating enough (because you are always hungry, etc..) then increase your intake by 100 calories and stick with that for 2 weeks .. if that doesn't work .. add another 100 calories and wait out another 2 weeks.

I looked at your diary and even from what you've said .. I truly believe you are right on target here. Be patient .. the scale will move again. The inches speak for themselves. The tape measure will be more revealing than the scale here .. and trust me .. the scale will begin to move again very soon.

heybales

This never eat below 1200 and never eat below your BMR or only 500 Below what ever is the biggest crock I've ever read. I eat below 1000 since I've started this in January and I've only just now hit a stall and I've lost 143 lbs. I never eat back my exercise calories unless I'm hungry. (and I'm seldom hungry) I pretty much keep my food on track no devation and no cheating, if I want something log it and make it fit. It's a give and take, but you have to be willing to give and take. You don't have to exercise to lose weight but you do have to eat less. You exercise to help with weight loss, but IMO it's more for my heart health not the weight loss. When I started in January I was working and did no exercise at all until the end of April and I was steadily losing the same as I lost in June exercising everyday. But my heart rate has gone from 70's and 80's to 50's and 60's. I'm healthy I'm happy. My hair isn't falling out. I drink plenty of water. I get my fruits, veggies and meats in. I dont' eat junk, I don't eat processed food (with a few exceptions) You can eat low, eat clean, and still eat healthy. But you don't have to eat what I eat, but you certainly don't have to eat more. You'll be back crying that you gained weight. Stick with what your doing just cut out processed foods and add in clean foods. Don't eat your exercise calories back due to some things are entered in wrong in the database so you could be under estimating your calorie intake and over estimating your exercise calories burned. Don't cheat, if you want it make it work for you. I will not say I never cheat because I do, but it's few and far between very few and very far between.

Get ready for the fun now then.

You've really lucked out because when you have so much to lose (great job BTW) you have much bigger margin for error, meaning error in not doing it wisely for what is going to work until the end and be sustainable afterwards.

Stick to your plans and come back in 6 months when you've had no further weight loss for that time, and ask again about what you can do to your muscles by eating too little, and to your metabolism in addition to that.

BrittanyErica

honestly, i stopped reading at, "I have measured - and I have lost a few inches, but no weight" .. WHY are people so focused on weight. it's not like when people see you, you have a digital number over your head that states how much you weight. people see your inches, not lbs. please, stop worrying about the scale, and keep up what you're doing.

mockchoc

Bump!

Julicat6

I started with WW in Feb 2011, lost 35-40 lbs, plateaued then gained back about 5 lbs . My plateau was at almost the same weight as yours. I started actually weighing and measuring everything, amazing how our eyes start to trick us. I also had to really crank up the exercise. I started doing Zumba 1-2 times a week, in addition to a fairly active job(Respiratory Therapist at a fairly good-size hospital)I also walk and go to Curves(no haters, its transitional until I get enough muscle mass to move onto free-weights) I was losing again on WW at the point, then found MFP. I started MFP instead of WW Sept. 13, 2012 and have lost 13 lbs averaging about 1.5-2 lbs a week. I eat somewhere around 1600 most days and I don't feel hungry on that most days. I use a FItBit to keep track of how active I am just doing regular activity(work, housecleaning, etc) I log intentional activity, except walking a flat paved trail, I let FitBit figure that I have plenty of energy at that calorie level, I don't think I am murdering my metabolism anymore than I did all the years of eating crap and sitting on my butt. I have no intention of using a TDEE or BMR calculator, they can be pretty far off. It's working and I think plateaus are inevitable. They are your body's way of catching up to what you are doing, if the inches are still changing then so is your body. A scale change should be coming soon. I would add 10 more minutes of activity each day..be sure you get mildly out of breath, more like you are rushing to catch someone, not a stroll to look at the flowers.:flowerforyou: I bet you see a scale change in about a week or two.

Mads1997

Soooo why did MFP tell me to eat less? I also do not feel "starved" or anything...1800 seems like a lot to me!

No idea why it does that but I'm sure someone that knows the reason why it does will fill us in. It's ruining your metabloism if you don't eat enough though so ignore it and do double check your BMR and TDEE. One of the ways you can work out what to eat is to find your TDEE and eat between 10-20% less than it. I eat 10% less since I'm close to goal.

That's not what the doctors and dieticians have told me.

metacognition

It could be several things.

1. Underestimating food intake.

2. Your body has entered maintenance mode at 1400. Try 1200 and see how it goes. Eat more on exercise days.

3. Also try eating a lot more for a couple of days so you are staggering calories. Do this a couple days a week for a few weeks.

4. Add a lot of intensity to exercise.

I broke a slowed rate of weight loss by eating more on random days - up to 1800 calories - and exercising intensely with intervals. My body put all of those extra calories into glycogen stores and lean muscle tissue, and I noticed a difference in my workouts immediately. Try circuit cardio with weights, or jogging - do something so intense that it will challenge you.

Never put up with a plateau. Some people are fine to wait it out, but it would drive me nuts. Use every tool at your disposal to break a plateau. I am still losing 1.5 lb / week, down from 1.8 lb / week the first two months.