This can't be a plateau! What do I do?

gisele246
gisele246 Posts: 57 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I haven't lost a pound in months. I know that I've been a bit sleep deprived with 2 kids under 2 but I should have lost something. Here are my stats- 5'3" and 180 set to lose a pound a week at 1500. I lost my 1st 20 pounds of baby weight in 3 months (the summer). I looked at my nutrition since 90 days ago and it evens out to 1500-1600. I lift 60min 1-2 times a week, and aerobic almost everyday with longer (45-60min) workouts on the weekends. I vary them between elliptical, biking, running and do intervals. I eat my exercise calories back for the most part. I do occasionally indulge in alcohol but I measure it with a measuring cup. I also have a digital scale that I use for food.

The reason I'm posting is because I see so many people saying, eat more! They're saying 1200 calories isn't enough but I'm not losing at this setting even though it says I should lose a pound a week. So do I increase or decrease? Or ride out this insane plateau? The good news is at least my pregnancy belly has gotten smaller with my workouts so I fit in pre-preg clothes for the most part but I still can't get in my skinnier clothes because I'm not dropping weight.

Hope you can help! Thanks :-)

Replies

  • AmyRhubarb
    AmyRhubarb Posts: 6,890 Member
    Have you re-run your numbers since losing the 20 pounds (congrats on that, by the way!)? As your body changes, your needs have likely changed as well. It sounds like you do some pretty intense workouts, so it may be that you need more fuel, but can't see your diary or exercise calorie burns, so hard to say.

    Have you read this topic: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/654536-in-place-of-a-road-map-2-0-revised-7-2-12

    Goes along with the eating more crowd that you mentioned. There are links there for a site to run your stats through some calculators (grab a tape measure, you'll need it!), and help you set up your goals, find your BMR & TDEE, and setting your activity level. The topic gives guidelines on setting your calorie goals and macros manually here at MFP.

    Give it a read if you haven't yet, and run your numbers and see if you get a different goal than the 1500 you've been on. It's been very helpful for me and a lot of other MFP members. :smile:
  • MumOfADuo
    MumOfADuo Posts: 294 Member
    Make sure you are eating enough.....switch it up for a couple of days, not hog wild, but just enough to 'play' with your metabolism....trust me.....Ü
    PS With as much exercise as you are getting, you need to increase your intake, at least a few days a week.....it seems to go against everything we have been taught, but it works.....
  • marie_25m
    marie_25m Posts: 64 Member
    Have you taken measurements of your waist, hips, etc??? You may see the change there so technically it is not a plateau
  • Molly_Maguire
    Molly_Maguire Posts: 1,103 Member
    It probably is a plateau. I was stuck at the plateau from hell for three months and it absolutely sucked. Just ride it out. In the meantime, try upping your exercise a little, and double and triple check the calorie count on what you're logging to make sure you're not overshooting you goal by accident. Use a kitchen scale and weigh/measure everything, don't estimate anything. Good luck!
  • Leeann1979
    Leeann1979 Posts: 1,090 Member
    I was stuck at the same weight for over 2 months, I started exercising more but the scale would not go down, and it was driving me nuts. I was eating between 1400-1600 a day, rarely eating back exercise calories. I did some reading, and decided to listen to everyone saying to eat more, and eat exercise calories back . I upped my daily calories by almost 300 and I eat back all, if not most, of my exercise calories. I have lost 3.5 pounds in the past week, FINALLY. I have also started using weights. I'm rarely hungry now, I have better willpower with food than I have ever had, and most importantly, I feel better. The scale has dropped a little bit every day and its a great feeling, plus I get to eat more!!
  • CarrieStL
    CarrieStL Posts: 162 Member
    It would help if you open your diary. Maybe someone will spot something.

    The first 20 is always fast making subsequent loss PAINFULLY slow. Keep doing what you are doing: exercising, eating proper quality cals... the scale will jump!

    THat beings said, sleep may be your issue.

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