How to push through the 'plateau'??

princessnatalia

Fellow dieters!
I have reached a weight plateau and really am struggling to get out of it.
I am 8.3 and 5'2.
I desperately want to get back down to 7.7 at least...but simply can't shake the lbs.
I have tried excersizing a lot, then excersizing less - different forms of excersize too, i keep it really varied but make sure i always go to spinning class 2 x a week.
I eat a lot under 1,200 cals - but this is because i cannot dare to eat more than 600ish cals or i gain weight and i gain it so fast.
I have definately slowed my metabolism completely through yo-yo dieting but really dont know what else to do next.
Is there anything anyone can suggest other than keep going??
i am open to all suggestions (apart from drinking green tea, try as i might, i really really hate it even with honey!)

thank you

lilchino4af

If you're consistently under 1,200 calories you need to EAT MORE! You're essentially starving your body and not giving it enough fuel to burn so it's holding on to what it's getting. You need to eat at least 1,200 calories and at least half your workout calories. Do this for a week or so and your body will respond and you'll start losing weight again. And, don't get discouraged, because you WILL gain weight initially by eating more. But once your body gets what it needs and your metabolism wakes up, the weight will start coming off again. Just be diligent and you will see results!

Case in point - read this article. It will explain it all very well: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/3047-700-calories-a-day-and-not-losing?hl=700+calories

scrappy11

It sounds to me like you need to eat more. You don't have that much weight to lose (16lbs) based on your ticker. When I started on here and wanted to lose 2lbs a week I was at 1200 calories and when I got down to 151 I had to change my goals to 1lb week and than I got down to 1/2 a pound a week (which I am on currently) and I am eating 1630 cals a day at 141lbs. When you eat more your metabolism quickens which helps you lose weight faster. Eating under 1200 calories at any weight is not good for you. If you exercise make sure you eat your exercise calories as well as your daily calories, this will increase your metabolism. Just eat healthy and make sure to hit all of your calories for a day. You might need to change your goals too so your calories increase because I personally, don't think you are eating enough right now to lose any weight. Good luck and I wish you nothing but the best! :bigsmile:

mvl1014

Time and time again, the thing I've seen work most for people trying to get through a plateau is to eat more cals for a few days to a week. Seems the change up gets your body moving again.

kwardklinck

I know it sounds crazy but it works. I increased my cals by 150 per day and I lost weight. It's not going to be as fast but some is better than none.

katie192

Try monitoring yourself by inches lost, rather than weight loss for a while. You may find that you are putting on weight because you are gaining muscle which can weigh 4 times more than fat especially if you have been doing lots of exercise.

anthea1989

I think you need to heed all this advice. I reckon by eating more for a week you might gain a few pounds initially but then once you body is in a new routine the pounds will come off again and you can stick to eating more but still losing weight. Seems like a win win situation!! xx

princessnatalia

thank you everyone. i do appreciate many people will consider eating such low cals as "stupid", its just that the 1,200 i need seems a hell of a lot and i really dont want to have to gain weight, at all. even though it might help in the long run.
i have read that article lilchino4af posted (its a very very interesting and comprehensive read, thank you!) and it suggests the process of upping cals before losing weight could take 3-4 weeks... its my birthday in 3 weeks and i just so wanted to look fabulous that i will have to wait until after then to take this on board.

i am going to though. and in the meantime i will try to up my cals by 100/200 a day, eating little and often and hope it helps in time for the birthday outfit unveiling!

i just cant get my head around the 'eat more to lose more' concept.
thank you for your comments, i'm new to this site and everyone is so helpful