Hit a Plateau

AllisonConnell1301

I started out at 148 pounds. I lost the first 15 pounds within about 8 weeks. However, for the last month or so, I have been pretty much at a plateau. I have lost less than 2 pounds.
I have been eating more sweets lately, but I still remain under my calorie goal. (Not TOO many sweets by the way).
Can someone help me!? I still want to lose another 12 pounds or so!
Is there a way to get my metabolism going faster again?
I'm sure there's someone here who has had this happen to them!
Thanks!
PS. I haven't been working out a ton because I had a procedure done on my toe and I can't wear gym shoes (grr). I can do other exercises though.

1ConcreteGirl

Have you figured out your TDEE? With only about 12 lbs to go, you should be eating about 10% below your TDEE, trying to lose about half a pound per week so that you preserve as much lean muscle mass as possible and look "toned" when the weight comes off.

I can run the numbers for you, if you like. How tall are you and how much do you currently weigh?

AllisonConnell1301

I read about it once, but I don't really understand it.
Yeah, if you could do it that'd be GREAT!
I currently weigh 126.6 pounds and I am 5' 3".

1ConcreteGirl

Ok, basically, your TDEE is the number of calories it takes for you to live your life on a daily basis (ie, the calories you would have to eat on a daily basis to stay at your current weight). You want to eat slightly below that, so that you don't strain your body by eating at too low of a deficit, but you still lose weight. If you hit a plateau, the most common cause is that you are eating too little and your body doesn't want to let go of the weight at such a steep deficit.

The answer is to slowly increase your calories, staying under your TDEE.

At your height, losing .5 lbs per week for a slow, sustainable loss, you will need to eat about 1500-1550 calories per day. This does not include exercise calories. If you are not working out, just eat this number. If you do work out, figure out approximately how many calories you burned and eat back about half of those calories as well (since machines and MFP tend to overestimate burns).

At that rate, you will be at your goal weight by August 20, or very near it. Just remember, slow and steady is the weight loss that is most sustainable and that will last the longest.

When you hit your goal, slowly increase calories to around 1750 to maintain.

AllisonConnell1301

Okay great! Thank you SO much!!!