Plateaued-Tell me what I need to do...

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Jonna13
Jonna13 Posts: 288 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
So I think I've hit the dreaded plateau and I'm not really sure what I should be doing to break through it. I go up a 1/2 pound and down a 1/2 pound and it's been going on for 3-4 weeks now. I try to eat well, but often I am on the run and grab something quick on the way. Currently I'm eating around 1400 cals per day. MFP has me set at 1370 to lose 1lb per week.

I'm 29, 5'5 and 146lbs and I would say I'm lightly active (stay at home Mom with a 2yr old and a 2month old) mostly on my feet running around or up and down the stairs several times per day. I'm also doing the 30DS on day 3 of level 2.

Please help me move the scale! Any advice would be greatly appreciated :)

Thanks!

ETA-My diary is open if you want to take a look!
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Replies

  • YoungDoc2B
    YoungDoc2B Posts: 1,593 Member
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    You may need to eat more and/or switch up your exercise regimen
  • Shange_Gully
    Shange_Gully Posts: 106
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    you have been eating too little (as most people seeking to lose weight tend to do)

    and cos ur body has adapted ur maintenance level calorie requirement is real low.

    what u have to do is raise ur cals again, GRADUALLY. then restart but this time cut slowly
  • arlenem1974
    arlenem1974 Posts: 437 Member
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    try this web site freedieting.com
  • Jessie544
    Jessie544 Posts: 127 Member
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    I've plateaued plenty of times, and each time i've tried some new cardio (just recently started running, ew... but it's working!) and i've upped my calories. I'm up to ~1800 cals a day now while doing insanity and c25k.

    Good luck, hope you find something that works for you!
  • Correy88
    Correy88 Posts: 4 Member
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    2 boiled eggs in the morning, 140 cals
    1 can 185g tuna for lunch, 300 cals
    1 banana for snack 150 cals
    Salad prawn or chicken apporx 200g meat only. 400 cals use olive oil on salad this will help (100cals)
    1 mango and 150g of greek yogurt 2 hours before bed. 120 cals

    Stay away from too many carbs for a week or so

    This will kick it off again. Then go back to 1400 cals per day but monitor the carbs

    Sounds like your not very active to me.
  • Correy88
    Correy88 Posts: 4 Member
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    just a quick note

    Your not drinking water. 8 cups a day min. This helps with burning the fat
  • Jonna13
    Jonna13 Posts: 288 Member
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    just a quick note

    Your not drinking water. 8 cups a day min. This helps with burning the fat

    I drink 6-8 bottles of water a day I just don't log it. It's the only thing I drink besides coffee 1-2 cups per day. And the activity thing-I am rarely sitting down so I didnt think "sedentary" explained my activity level which would give me even less cals.
  • Jonna13
    Jonna13 Posts: 288 Member
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    2 boiled eggs in the morning, 140 cals
    1 can 185g tuna for lunch, 300 cals
    1 banana for snack 150 cals
    Salad prawn or chicken apporx 200g meat only. 400 cals use olive oil on salad this will help (100cals)
    1 mango and 150g of greek yogurt 2 hours before bed. 120

    This doesn't seem like much food-I don't think my 2yr old could live off this little.
  • Correy88
    Correy88 Posts: 4 Member
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    Its not much but i have been doing this when i don't loose for a week or so. I am 5.10 and 82 kilos. I struggle to eat all this some days. Although i don't do any activity. (Account manager)

    This should kick start your loss again. then go back to what you were doing.

    I have been on 1200 cals for 5 months.
  • stephross88
    stephross88 Posts: 846 Member
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    Get a 10-15 pound kettelbell, go to youtube and search for fitness blenders beginner kettelbell workout, do it for a week, watch the scale go down. Trust me. It works. :) You're Welcome.
  • ChristyRunStarr
    ChristyRunStarr Posts: 1,600 Member
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    Have you checked out helloitsdan's post? http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/654536-in-place-of-a-road-map-2-0-revised-7-2-12

    Can you switch up your workouts a bit? Maybe get to the gym and do some resistance training/weights? Also, do you take pictures and measurements or just go by your scale? If just the scale, start taking pictures an measurements, there have been weeks when I haven't lost weight but have lost 2-3 inches.

    I do my own goals instead of going by what MFP says-it helped me through my plateau that I went through

    Edited cause I couldn't see your original post while I was doing my reply so wanted to add some things in.
  • PikaKnight
    PikaKnight Posts: 34,971 Member
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    If you want, check out this link by MFPer Heliotsdan - http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/654536-in-place-of-a-road-map-2-0-revised-7-2-12

    It'll give you a detailed walkthrough (with pictures even) on finding your TDEE and calculating what you should be eating.

    Also, if you are worried about the calorie intake, I also suggest you read this thread that has numerous people who met their goals and are maintaining. Some for years and they also provide their calorie intake and how often they work out.

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/816542-let-s-hear-it-for-maintainenance
  • PikaKnight
    PikaKnight Posts: 34,971 Member
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    hahaha..Christy beat me to it :P
  • now_or_never12
    now_or_never12 Posts: 849 Member
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    Its not much but i have been doing this when i don't loose for a week or so. I am 5.10 and 82 kilos. I struggle to eat all this some days. Although i don't do any activity. (Account manager)

    This should kick start your loss again. then go back to what you were doing.

    I have been on 1200 cals for 5 months.

    1200 cals is far too low for most women .... let alone a man.

    OP, I think you do need to eat more. With a baby and a 2yr old I doubt you are truly sedetary. Also, are you measuring yourself? Wih 30DS most people lose inches over weight.

    Try to plan ahead for meals ... when you have a few hours free cook and prepare a bunch of food so you have things ready and you don't have to eat out. If you are eating out often the sodium can mask your losses. Sodium may be something for you to add to the tracker. Also ensure you are weighing/measuring everything you eat and drink as well as ensure you are double checking NI on the packages you eat to what you are counting from the database.... there are a lot of them that aren't correct.
  • petstorekitty
    petstorekitty Posts: 592 Member
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    changing things up a bit will help. Zig zag your calories, eating more one day and less the next but of course, be sure to eat enough.

    since what you need to do to lose weight is different depending on how much weight you need to lose and how much you weigh, I found this post helpful.

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/61706-guide-to-calorie-deficits
  • Melo1966
    Melo1966 Posts: 881 Member
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    Your net is too low you need to eat your exercise cals every delicious one. Also increase your protein the default amount is very low and track your fiber, increase that slowly. I plateaued recently and this is what helped me.
  • shabl
    shabl Posts: 5
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    To plateau is perfectly normal. I've had at least 5. Stuck, stalled, nothing happening! They can be frustrating but is is part of the process. it's a good sign, your body is reacting to what your doing!

    You have to re-evaluate and adjust your daily energy equation (calories in/out) to jump start the loss again (Fat, Carbs, Protein, Exercise). You must adjust something to send your body a signal. More cardio would be my first choice, even and extra 10 minutes per session which would add up at the end of a week. Resistance training is very important as Christy said. It is what truly boosts your metabolism and keeps your body in calorie burning furnace mode. You need to lift weights. The cardio effect leaves a few hours after you quit. However your body expends calories constantly repairing muscle fibers intentionally damaged during resistance training.

    As another gent mentioned, you have to be mindful of your calories. He is correct in that many people consume to few calories thinking this is the key. It can be but it has to be set just right. Too few and your body goes into starvation defense mode and will store everything it can get and hold on to every calorie like grim death. I actually began to loose again when I increased my intake a little and added some additional cardio. Remember to log exercise (calories burned) so you are reading NET calories at the end of the day.

    Eat frequently to let your body know it's being fed and in no danger of starving. Most if not all fitness models and body builders eat 6-7 times per day. Try to eat something healthy every 2-3 hours, even if it's just a Greek yogurt, hand full of almonds, a banana or a tblsp of natural PB on a rice cake. Eat lean protein (chicken salmon, tuna, turkey) to fuel your muscles and complex carbs for energy (brown rice, Sweet Potatoes, Steel cut oats). It's 70 percent in the kitchen, 30 percent in the gym. Great job! You can do it! No Surrender!
  • 86rollyb
    86rollyb Posts: 72 Member
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    I don't have any advice but I'm trying the road map that the others posted about... I've switched to maintenance for the time being & will cut 15-20% in the new year. I'll letcha know if it helps!!
  • Sarauk2sf
    Sarauk2sf Posts: 28,072 Member
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    How long have you been eating at a deficit for?

    How accurately are you measuring, weighting and logging your food?
  • MimRob
    MimRob Posts: 24
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    Eat an extra 200-300 calories. I am on 1460 a day and since dropping to that I have plateaud for 4 weeks and even gained 0.5kg despite increasing my activity. My energy levels are through the floor and I'm struggling to keep up with such a low intake. My GP told me today to increase my cals by 200-300 per day as of today and I should start seeing things move again and start to feel like "myself" in no time. Worth a try :)

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