Another plateau question

NareenaTheGypsy

I know it's been asked lots of times, and I have searched the boards and read several of such threads but I just don't see anything I haven't already tried so that being said, here's my question/situation:

I was losing approximately 1.5-2.0 lbs a week when I started on MFP last Aug up until Christmas. Christmas Eve i'd managed to get to 199.8. For the first time in probably 16 years, I was under 200 lbs!! I started in Aug at 240 . Anyway, I was exercising in Aug and daily in Sept and the start of Oct. But by mid Oct I'd lost interest and wasn't focused on it anymore. I stopped all exercise outside of the daily walking I do at work everyday (4-5.5 mi/day avg). I didn't exercise in Nov. In Dec I tried some Zumba DVDs but not daily, only 3 or 4 times a week, sometimes less. I was eating little bits of sweets here and there (a couple small candies a day maybe, 3-5..). I knew I had to get back into things though, so 1Jan, I started working out again. I started JM's 30DS in Jan again after really good results in Sept. I missed 2 days all month, but I was still walking and working out. For the month of Jan, I lost 3.4 lbs compared to the Sept loss of 12.2 lbs.
A week into Feb now, I am working out daily again (RI30 this time) and still not seeing the scale move. Measurements are moving downward yes, but only 0.5" in a couple of places since 1Jan.. Nothing like the drastic 3" in 4 weeks from 30DS, etc.
I have tried working out more, walking more, eating less, eating more (moved my MFP settings from 1290 down to 1200, then up to 1390). I will admit that I'm not drinking water *quite* as much as I was in Sept. I drank 8-9 glasses a day then. It was easier in the heat, of course. Now I average 6-7, but I make it to 8 at least 4 times a week.
I don't like cheat days, as I am apt to continue them and just not be food conscious again if I do that. I don't typically take a rest day every week from workouts,etc. But I am almost a lay-about on Sundays, my only day off from work. I don't walk but maybe 2 mi all day. So the "take a day off" idea is something I typically do anyway, at least from being full on active. Any suggestions please? I have a wedding of a close friend in 2 weeks and I really wanted to be a size smaller than I am (currently 14) before the 23rd.. this isn't something I just started. I've been aiming for this for the last 6 weeks, just to drop the last 8 or 9 lbs for that day.
Oh, and I forgot to mention... I am only 5'2".. currently 194.6 lbs. So keep that in mind for those who assume I am not eating enough at only 1390, etc. And yes, I eat back the majority of my exercise calories, putting me around 1500-1600 cals.. my MFP setting is to "Very Active".

cwolfman13

The only thing that works for me is taking a week long diet break. I do this about every 6-8 weeks and I eat to maintenance or just a little under...maybe 5% less. It seems to spike my metabolism and reset...then I bring it back to my 1 Lb per week goal when the week is over. Has worked like a charm for me.

BarackMeLikeAHurricane

First issue you need to address is hitting your macros. At least 1g protein per pound of lean tissue and at least .35g fat per pound of body weight. Do whatever you want with the rest of your calories. You can eat those from carbs, fats, protein, or some combination.

Second issue is that you need to start lifting. I was never able to get below 120lbs until I started lifting, then I even managed to get under 110lbs. Lifting is great for breaking plateaus if you've just been doing a bunch of cardio and other light stuff.

Do these two things and wait a month. I can almost guarantee you'll see some results.

NareenaTheGypsy

Thanks CWolfman13: I'll have to think about that. I really worry that a week wouldn't turn into 2 weeks, or a month, etc though..

From Aug until the end of Dec, I did so well.. workouts or not. But suddenly with Christmas, New Years and all the food that comes along with it, I just.. fell apart, I guess. I did eat over for Thanksgiving, not really watching my calories, only limiting the quantity of what I ate good and bad, etc.
It just seems crazy to have done well for so long and now.. it's a fight just to lose 5 lbs in a month, when I'm set to 2 lbs/week. At my size, 2 lbs a week shouldn't be impossible to do.