"Plateau" advice and opinions

staplebug

Hey everyone! I started my weight loss journey 2 years ago. I am 5'4" and I was 176 and miserable, so I got motivated, exercised every day and counted calories, and lost 20 pounds (woo hoo!). Since, I have been busy finishing my degree and gained back 5 of those pounds. Now that my degree is finished, I've had more time to work out and I really want to lose another 15-20 pounds before I start having children. So, I've been counting calories and working out diligently for the last month and a half, but haven't seen the results I want yet. I keep thinking that I'm doing everything right (calories in, calories out, right?) but nothing changes! Don't get me wrong, I love exercising again and I feel great, but I would really like to lose these last few pounds and be healthy before I get pregnant and bring children into the world, you know?

Here is some more info about me:
Female
Music teacher
23 years old
5'4"
29" waist, 40" hips

And here's what I've been doing--

For 2 weeks: I ate 1500 calories and burned 500-600 through exercise 4-5 times a week, strength and cardio circuits. I did not eat my exercise calories back. When I saw no results (scale or measurements), I decided to make a change.

For another 2 weeks: I reduced my calorie intake to 1200 and did the same exercise, still without eating my exercise calories back (the most miserable 2 weeks ever). Still no change!

The last 2 weeks: I reduced my exercise a little bit (300 calories a day instead of 500-600) and have started to eat back my exercise calories. I have yet to see that stupid scale budge.
(At least I'm not gaining, right? ... sigh)

But seriously...This has been really discouraging. Anything you can do to help (advice, opinions), I would greatly appreciate!

trogalicious

calculate your BMR/TDEE, eat at a deficit of the TDEE number.

You may not be eating enough for your body to lose.

also, use the [ and ] instead of < and >

http://www.fat2fitradio.com/tools/

Lalouse

I'm not an expert, and hopefully some expert will reply, but I would say repeat the first 2 weeks of eating 1500 and burning 500, but eat them back or eat them back until you net 1200. (so if you ate 1500 and burned 500, you must eat at least 200 back).

heybales

No, you need a deficit to whatever would maintain your weight.

How do you have any idea if those low calories amounts are wayyyyyy below that figure?

Bigger deficit is not better. At least not for long term.

I think you just proved that direction is the wrong way - want to keep going and see where you end up, besides the muscle mass you have likely already burned off?

Since most have absolutely no idea of calorie levels, like what you were eating before dieting, you might not find it scary that you are eating 1200 calories, taking 500-600 off the top to power your exercise, and leaving your body all of 600-700 for everything else you do, besides the basic metabolic functions it would like to do.

But it should concern you to think you've been leaving your body 600-700 calories, and i suppose hoping the exercise can have some positive effects on your body.

Since you don't want to follow the MFP method which is eating back your exercise calories, you are just starting to run your metabolism into the ground. Don't expect your body to be willing to give up much, until more muscle is burned off.

Anyway, do it smarter if you have an well established exercise routine that you hit.

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/813720-spreadsheet-bmr-tdee-deficit-macro-calcs-hrm-zones

firstsip

My first question would be, "Are you taking measurements throughout your progress?" You mentioned your waist/hip measurements, but do you take other measurements? A plateau is an absolute stall--no progress in weight, body fat % (measurements), etc.

My second question would be: why are you doing that to yourself? OP, you can't expect to healthfully lose weight by netting 500-700 calories a day. As others said, you're most likely (after two years of steadily trying to lose weight) reaching the point where weightloss will be less frequent as you get closer to your goal weight. Netting even LOWER calories is going to put you at a stall; as others said, look up your BMR and TDEE; at LEAST eat your BMR to fuel your body's basic functions.

Third: When you do eventually figure out your next step (which, from reading what you say, I'd suggest upping your calories to your TDEE-20% with adding in weight lifting to fuel body fat % burn while helping maintain muscle mass at a deficit), you HAVE to keep at it longer than two weeks. Your body is a very adaptable thing, but two weeks is not nearly long enough for your body to adjust to calorie changes, water retention, hormone fluctuations, etc. Wait at least six weeks before reevaluating your plateau again.

You mention you do strength and cardio circuits--could you be more specific?

staplebug

Eating 1200 without eating back exercise calories worked when I had twice as much to lose, but now I can tell that it is hindering my progress as I get closer to my goal. I feel a lot better that I'm eating them back as well. I try to net at least 1200 a day now.

As for measurements, I didn't do body fat percentage or anything, just a scale and tape measure for waist, hips, bicep, and thigh. Is there an easy (inexpensive) way to calculate body fat?

heybales

Eating 1200 without eating back exercise calories worked when I had twice as much to lose, but now I can tell that it is hindering my progress as I get closer to my goal. I feel a lot better that I'm eating them back as well. I try to net at least 1200 a day now.

As for measurements, I didn't do body fat percentage or anything, just a scale and tape measure for waist, hips, bicep, and thigh. Is there an easy (inexpensive) way to calculate body fat?

Not really, only estimates. But even if not accurate figure, if consistent figure you can see direction.

Probably good to measure more spots too, because just as you can't spot reduce, can't spot measure either, may be losing where not measuring.

That spreadsheet uses 2 BF calcs considered the most decent, and they use different measurement sites mostly, so gives a decent range.

If you want an idea what your body would like to burn daily just sleeping, use MFP's Apps - BMR Calc to see.

And you are right, you have more margin for error the more to lose. Though at that point you'll still lose muscle mass, it's just the body doesn't feel so threatened as to mess up hormones and slow you down in general, as it will later.

Selecting 1 lb weekly goal is of course recommended too. If you do that and eat back exercise calories, you'll likely lose more than 1 lb weekly, because body is stressed so bad.