Help! I feel like I am plateauing

morf13

Hi, I need some advice as I fell I am plateauing. I started out at 353 lbs about 80 days ago. I have lost 34 pounds total and am at 319 now. The first 32 pounds came off really quickly,and easily. The last 2,not so much.

Here's what I am doing:

I have MFP calorie count set to lose 2 pounds per week. MFP indicates that for me to lose 2 pounds a week, I need to stay at 2280 calories a day.

Here's a typical day:

First thing in the morning Exercise, and weight training. Usually my workouts are between 35 & 60 minutes. Cardio is 4-5 days a week, and weights are 2-3 days a week. ( In all,I hit the gym about 5 days a week)My typical calorie burn during these workouts is between 225 & 300 calories.

Breakfast, 1 piece of buttered wheat toast and a cottage cheese 280 calories

Lunch, 2 lean pockets 600 calories

Dinner, 1 Wawa hoagie,foot long usually roast beef or turkey with spinach, cucumbers,onions lots of veggies, along with a small bag of baked chips. The total dinner calorie count is about 1100 calories

My total calorie intake a day is usually around 1980 which is about 300 under the MFP goal I have set to lose the 2 pounds a week. Add in the workouts that are 225 on the low end, and most days I am about 500 calrories UNDER my goal.

I have been sticking to this regiments hardcore, and have abandoned sugars,sweets, candy,etc and usually might have one of these snacks a week. I also have cut out late night eating,and I typically eat my last meal at around 4:30pm. Since it's my biggest meal, it usually holds me over well so that I dont cheat at night, although for the last week,i have been getting really hungry at around 3:30pm and eating my dinner early, which then leaves me getting hungry around 8pm,and I have caved the last few nights. One night I ate a handful of m&ms(about 300 calories) and last night,I ate abowl of potato salad (about 500 calories). Even with these late night cheats, I still am at my MFP goal every day for calories. All of this has added up to me only losing a pound for each of the last two weeks. That's dissapointing to be at my goal for losing 2 pounds a week, but only lose one.

What's worse is, Sunday I weighed in and had lost a pound (down to 319)and today the scale says 321. I certainly did NOT eat 7000 extra calories to make me gain 2 pounds,as I stated,I am always around the 2300 mark every day.

Now, today for example, my wife and i are taking our Daughter to the Zoo, and then we will stop at Friendly's or someplace similar.I know my number wont be good today, and I prepared by hitting the gym extra hard this morning. But I think everyone of us should be allowed a treat like going out to lunch with your Family, and eating a couple scoops of ice cream.

Before I started this weight loss Journey,I cant tell you how many calories I had a day. Maybe 3500 on a good day, or 5000 on a bad day. Fast food meals and grease filled breakfasts were an every day happening. Cookies,ice cream,etc for a late night snack was a no brainer. I have cut all of that out, and worked hard. I am proud of what I am doing,and people tell me they can notice I am losing weight. Sure that feels good to hear, and I have gone down a pants size,and my clothes fit well, but I just feel like I am not doing enough, or am doing something wrong. I know that even a pound a week is still positive,but wen I am putting in the work & effort to lose 2 pounds a week, 1 pound does not feel acceptable.I still want to lose 100 more pounds and get down to 220. Losing the initial 30+ pounds so quickly got me motivated.

Any help,ideas, or thoughts are much appreciated. Thanks!

concordancia

1) why are you purposely eating under your goal? Your body needs fuel. It pisses your body off to attempt to get all its fuel from fat and there are a number of nutrients you need to get on a regular basis.

2) how long has it been? A week or two with no weight loss is normal. Scale fluctuations are normal.

3) you have not abandoned sugars. Even without considering your recent breakdowns (likely due to under eating) the lean pockets have added sugars, as do most, maybe even all, breads. Breads and cheeses also have natural sugars.

4) we have these things called fruits and veggies.

5) are you hitting your protein goals? Between under eating and having few protein rich foods, I can't imagine that you are even close. You need protein to maintain, and if you are lucky build, muscle.

morf13

I agree, thanks. Maybe mix in egg whites,etc for protein. Maybe help with the muscle building. I probably thought that my steady weight loss would simply continue doing what I did for the first 30 pounds lost