How to break a plateau when you've tried everything?

lobo_a_gogo

Hi. I've been doing MFP since about June 2012. I lost about 25 lbs. between May and September of 2012. Since then I've lost about another 6 lbs. I have decreased my calorie intake as follows:

Beginning in June I was eating 1440 net calories, and would eat as much as MFP allowed for the calories I exercised off.
Beginning around November I stopped eating back most of the calories I exercised off, would only (generally) eat about 1600, and that was only if I had "earned" it.
Beginning in January I haven't really been eating back many calories at all.
Beginning in mid-February, I increased my workouts from 3-5 days/week to nearly every day. I have decreased my calorie allowance to 1330, and I rarely eat more than 1100.

I have tried having "cheat" days to keep my metabolism on its toes.
I have tried increasing my work outs
I weigh and/or measure ALL of my food (except occasionally lettuce/spinach) to make sure I'm not eating more than I think.
I have tried decreasing my calories
I have tried slightly increasing my calories (for fear of "starvation mode)
I have tried between-meal snacks (for fear of "starvation mode) even if I'm not hungry
I have tried low-carbing to the best of my ability (I'm a vegetarian, so all my protein also has carbs)


I still weigh over 200 lbs (5'8" female)
My BMI is 31.6
What else can I do? I am frustrated beyond belief. I have 7 months until my wedding, and I am completely clueless. Everything I look up tells me to do all the things I have done a million times.

lobo_a_gogo

bumping for HELP!

ThickMcRunFast

at 5'8, it sounds like you are eating far too little.

I'm 5'9 and net 1800. If you slightly increased, its likely that you just didn't give it enough time. Try upping your calories, and give it a while.

read this: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/912920-in-place-of-a-road-map-3-2013

lin7604

not sure why you have been decreasing your cals? have you tried upping them instead? maybe your just not eating enough? i had that problem, i upped mine and my loss started again..

seif0068

Agreed. You are reducing calories to break a plateau when in fact, you need to increase them.

Mads1997

I would go back and re-enter info you plugged into MFP eat the calories suggested and also eat back the exercise cals like you are suppose to.

Melo1966

You went too low and your body shut down, this happened to me. To break my plateau and get my metabolism working again I ate at maintance for a month most days over 2,000. Then went back down a bit first 1,500 for 4 weeks lost 6 pounds Figured my actual TDEE and then moved up to 1,650 and am contiuning to lose.

DavPul

You haven't tried everything. You've only tried one thing; reducing calories by too much, over and over. Let's try eating enough food that so that your body can respond properly.

If it was me, I'd eat maintenance* for two weeks and then start with a small deficit in the 300-500 Cal range. And I'd eat my exercise calories if you don't already have them figured in. After a couple weeks, check the scale. If it's moving the right way, stay the course. If not, lower calories by 200 and check again in 2-3 weeks.

*side note: maintenence, is not 1300 or whatever you've been living on for the last few months. It's like 2000-2200 or so.

3dogsrunning

You haven't tried everything. You've only tried one thing; reducing calories by too much, over and over. Let's try eating enough food that so that your body can respond properly.

If it was me, I'd eat maintenance* for two weeks and then start with a small deficit in the 300-500 Cal range. And I'd eat my exercise calories if you don't already have them figured in. After a couple weeks, check the scale. If it's moving the right way, stay the course. If not, lower calories by 200 and check again in 2-3 weeks.

*side note: maintenence, is not 1300 or whatever you've been living on for the last few months. It's like 2000-2200 or so.

This man is more than just a pretty face (or nice back). I'd listen to him.

pspetralia

You haven't tried everything. You've only tried one thing; reducing calories by too much, over and over. Let's try eating enough food that so that your body can respond properly.

If it was me, I'd eat maintenance* for two weeks and then start with a small deficit in the 300-500 Cal range. And I'd eat my exercise calories if you don't already have them figured in. After a couple weeks, check the scale. If it's moving the right way, stay the course. If not, lower calories by 200 and check again in 2-3 weeks.

*side note: maintenence, is not 1300 or whatever you've been living on for the last few months. It's like 2000-2200 or so.

Dave is the man...listen to him!

BarackMeLikeAHurricane

Everyone has their own methods for breaking plateaus, but I've found to be most effective is lower carbs, increasing protein, making sure your fat intake is adequate (at least .35g per pound of body weight), and varying your workouts (if you normally run, start lifting and vice versa). Give it at least a few weeks, but if it still doesn't work try eating clean for a while. Sometimes this helps. If there's still no change, eat less/move more.

karlalband

BUMP!

jemanji

Google INTERMITTENT FASTING. :- )

I was stuck for 6 weeks+ without the scale moving. Started IF eight days ago and have lost 11.5 pounds. It isn't water weight; I can see the difference in the mirror every morning.

Leangains.com starts you off with the idea of an 8-hour eating window, but you can reduce the window to 2-4 hours if you want to turbo things up even more.

... give it 3-4 days to get used to not eating outside the window and you stop getting hungry outside the window. Eat plenty of clean food during the window. Give yourself 3-5 hours between the close of your window and bedtime.

This "5 small meals" thing is a media invention, as contrary to the truth as is the USDA food pyramid. I mean it in a good way. ;- )

ashleab37

Everyone is right, up your calories. Do it slowly (200 cals a week over the next 4-5 weeks) and remember to expect the number On the scales to go up a few lb at first. IT'S NOT FAT, DONT WORRY

I'm your height and eat 1800-2300 cal a day to lose weight,

rpilon21

I had plateaued for about 2 months, and a friend loaned me her copy of a book called Shred by Ian K. Smith. I have done the first two weeks and have lost weight each week. I highly recommend it!

Capt_Apollo

strength training

lucyricky2

bump for later

Tiffers1759

TDEE works every time!!! Try it!!

DopeItUp

You haven't tried everything. You've only tried one thing; reducing calories by too much, over and over. Let's try eating enough food that so that your body can respond properly.

If it was me, I'd eat maintenance* for two weeks and then start with a small deficit in the 300-500 Cal range. And I'd eat my exercise calories if you don't already have them figured in. After a couple weeks, check the scale. If it's moving the right way, stay the course. If not, lower calories by 200 and check again in 2-3 weeks.

*side note: maintenence, is not 1300 or whatever you've been living on for the last few months. It's like 2000-2200 or so.

Do what he says, he looks dangerous.

My wife is trying this very plan right now in fact.

Ed98043

I've lost 10 lbs in the past month. I'm 46 years old, I don't exercise and I work a desk job. I am 5'7" and currently weigh 207. Here are my calories eaten starting with yesterday:

1640
1320
1640
1100
1586
436
1164
1514
2330
3548
1222
1473
1125
1675
969
954
1339
1498
1334
1473
1367
1165
1250
1221
1622
1686
1150
1488
2066
1377

Average: 1,458 calories per day.

This came after 3 weeks of eating 1200 calories a day religiously and the scale not moving at all. My body seems thoroughly confused by the variations in calories and happy with the overall increase, so it's finally letting some fat go. I'm also finding it much easier to only be hungry on some days instead of every day.

Learning2LoveMe

have decreased my calorie allowance to 1330, and I rarely eat more than 1100.
.

You need to eat more than 1100... try eating about 1500 for 3 weeks, see what happens.

4theking

Take a two week diet break. Take one week off from exercise. When you start exercising, do three times a week. Take calories to bmr for six days. One day a week eat 1.5 - 2 x bmr. You are in that in between area where your body fights against you. Unless you are having thyroid issues that need medication, I would suspect this will get you going. If you have any questions, just ask.

jennieth

Try fasted cardio. To keep your metabolism going eat every 3 hours whether your hungry or not. Not a snack, a meal. Add weight training. You need weight training. Cardio only gets you so far.

meeper123

I liked this video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lSrJUgkjoE0

it helped me a lot perhaps it can you as well if not best of luck

jennieth

Also be sure your food choices are smart choices. I have not looked at your log so I don't know what you normally eat but be sure you are choosing the right protein, carbs and fat. Just because something is low calorie does not mean it is a good choice. It can be low calorie and loaded with processed sugars.

dianesc67

As crazy as it sounds, you need to up your calories. I am 5'8 and 224 and am eating 1820 and losing weight. Its approx 20% below my TDEE. On exercise days, I can eat a bit more, which is at least 5x a week. MFP had me eating too little. I used the guideline as given above from this link : http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/912920-in-place-of-a-road-map-3-2013 Give it a try, it just tells you some info on exactly what your asking about....

tppchef

Great posts!

lobo_a_gogo

I have a fitbit and according to it my "resting" (non-exercise, normal work) day TDEE is about 2100-2300. On days I work out it is anywhere from 2500-3000.

I typically do a half hour of cardio and a half hour- 45 min of strength training each work out, sometimes more of either.

RoseDarrett

Plateaued as well for a month.I upped my protein intake and my calories.

Didn't know how it would all turn out,but I lost weight and keep losing.Try that