Best way to break through a plateau?????????

Glissenklw

I need advice on things I can do to break through a weight loss plateau. I have been at this for 100 days now. I have lost 36 lbs, which I know, is great!! But the past 3 weeks have been very frustrating, because the scale hasn't shown a loss, but I'm still doing killer work-outs and eating pretty well. I know the whole theory about muscle weighs more than fat, but I still have enough weight to lose that I should still be losing, even if gaining muscle, right? I am currently on a 7 day cycle of low carbs to see if that helps, but so far, no change. Any ideas to shake things up where I am losing weight again??

psuLemon

If you are in a deficit, you aren't gaining muscle, so that is a non issue. The usual suspect is not eating enough, especially when doing crazy workouts. So how many calories are you eating?

Also, low carb won't make you lose any more fat over conventional calorie restriction, it just makes your body store less water.

KatyE213

Have you tried changing your exercise routine? As you become fitter and lighter, you will use less calories to do the same exercise. So you may need to try something different or maybe switch up the intensity or duration? Hope that makes sense and good luck in breaking the plateau

bitterbrownie

if you've lost 36 lbs (well done btw!!) have you readjusted your calorie intake?

you need to readjust it every 5 lbs are so because you are lighter so need to eat less...

also, try switching up your workouts to keep your body guessing OR some people find (i wish i did!) that a big "cheat" meal or a week off logging and just eating naturally (not binging haha) helps their body to readjust and start losing again

good luck xx

cmriverside

You may be undereating...can't see your diary nor do we know much about you..but, here:

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/952996-level-obstacles-lose-weight-target-fat-easy

Glissenklw

I am keeping calories under 1340 and I DO NOT eat back any exercise calories. I exercise 5 or 6 days a week, usually between 750-1000 calories burned during workouts (Zumba, elliptical, crosstrainer, weights).

ltl_leah

Try 2 things:

1. Take a one or two week diet break and eat close to maintenance calories during that time. You may gain some weight, but its mostly water and you lose it right away once you are back to a deficit.

2. Begin measuring all your food using a scale to be sure you're eating the portions you're logging. People tend to overestimate their calories, which creates less of a calorie deficit (or no deficit at all).

dlcuthbert

I am no expert but if you are eating under 1340 calories and are burning 750-1000 calories you are eating WAY to little. Boost up your calorie intake.

Read here: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/937709-in-place-of-a-road-map-ver-3-0

Glissenklw

I have been readjusting calorie goals periodically. When I started MFP in January, my calorie goal was 1590 I think. I eat as healthy as possible on my busy schedule, but have cut out fast food (except for salads and grilled chicken) and avoid sugar (except for fruit).

blood6338

Might consider taking a break from the killer workouts for a day or two. Overtraining can hinder weight loss too. Being too restrictive on calories can also send your body into starvation mode so it holds onto fat. Just thoughts...I'm certainly no expert. Just speaking from personal experience...I was stuck for a while and went on a retreat and they fed us so well and I couldn't work out for 3 days. I did gain during the retreat but it came off quickly and I was able to break thru the plateau I was on shortly thereafter. I wish you the best of luck!

mustgetmuscles1

Netting 340 calories per day? Your body is trying to protect you from yourself. That is why it is trying to hold onto weight. If you do not fix this you could end up hurting yourself.

psuLemon

I am keeping calories under 1340 and I DO NOT eat back any exercise calories. I exercise 5 or 6 days a week, usually between 750-1000 calories burned during workouts (Zumba, elliptical, crosstrainer, weights).

There's your issue. You barely fuel your body. Also, I would think you are not burning that many calories unless you are working out 2 hours a day. I am a 195 lb man and it's hard for me to burn that many calories. Most likely, you will need to eat another 400 ish calories a day so you can fuel your workouts. What are your stats? Height, weight, age.

Glissenklw

I appreciate all of the advice. It is scary to think about eating that many more calories though. Based on those calculations I should be eating about 1920 calories a day. How do I even eat that much? If I snack more frequently, can I eat more fruit? Is eating more sugar (even if staying in my calorie limits) going to be counter productive?

Glissenklw

I am 220lbs, 5'6", 31 years old. My workouts are around 1.5 hrs, 5-6 days a week. I do Zumba, crosstrainer, elliptical, weights, and just started kickboxing as well.

BamaBreezeNSaltAire

http://shouldieatmyexercisecalories.com/index2.html

bcattoes

I appreciate all of the advice. It is scary to think about eating that many more calories though. Based on those calculations I should be eating about 1920 calories a day. How do I even eat that much? If I snack more frequently, can I eat more fruit? Is eating more sugar (even if staying in my calorie limits) going to be counter productive?

Add more fat to your diet to increase calories. Fat has 9 calories per gram, carbs and protein have 4. Eat more nuts, seeds, avocado or use oil when you cook or as a dressing.

krissynicole787

I ate my exercise calories for 3 months and gained weight back. It does not work for everyone. A 3 week plateau is ok. It usually takes about a month to break through it.

AlyssaJoJo

I think we are really close in weight and in our goal - I eat as a vegetarian M-F and I'm still able to get in 1700-1800 calories a day (Work out wise I burn between 300-700 a day) Cheese has helped me a lot. I don't pig out on it, but I'll have an ounce of it or a cup of low fat cottage cheese to bump up my calories and get a boost of protein. Feel free to friend me if you want since we are so close to where we are and where we are going.

sarski77

I appreciate all of the advice. It is scary to think about eating that many more calories though. Based on those calculations I should be eating about 1920 calories a day. How do I even eat that much? If I snack more frequently, can I eat more fruit? Is eating more sugar (even if staying in my calorie limits) going to be counter productive?

Don't take this the wrong way but you must have eaten WELL OVER 1920 calories per day to find yourself overweight - nothing personal, this applies to you and 99% of MFP users
Remember that the "average" woman requires around 2000 to maintain a healthy weight - and that's not for someone overweight or someone who does as much exercise as you do.

I'm not telling you to pig out but, seriously, eating more will help you start losing again.

LivingtheLeanDream

Bump

WarriorReady

If you are eating fairly healthy meals that fall into your macros than do not sweat the increased calories. I am only 4'11" at 120lbs and I eat at least 1900 calories a day and still lose. Don't be afraid to fuel your body, especially with good proteins and whole fruits and veggies. Best of luck to you, I hope you break through your plateau quickly! :drinker:

conniemaxwell5

I am keeping calories under 1340 and I DO NOT eat back any exercise calories. I exercise 5 or 6 days a week, usually between 750-1000 calories burned during workouts (Zumba, elliptical, crosstrainer, weights).

You're undereating. You need to eat your exercise calories back. Your body is holding on to what it has left because it thinks you are starving (your net calories are only 340-590 a day, which is not enough to sustain you. Try a website that calculates your TDEE (including your exercise) and eat 20% less than that number. You'll see the weight start to go down again.

RedneckMomma77

You are not eating no where near enough for as much as you are working out. Add more fat to your diet. While you can eat a lot of fruit and veggies on few calories, fat is calorie dense, and will help you up your calories. Just add healthy fats, not just junk fat. Eat fish, nuts, avacado, what ever floats your boat, but eat more food.

cwolfman13

Netting 340 calories per day? Your body is trying to protect you from yourself. That is why it is trying to hold onto weight. If you do not fix this you could end up hurting yourself.

^^^This. Since you do not eat back exercise calories, you are neglecting to give your body the fuel it needs just for basic functions. You know how it says GOAL right next to your calorie number...because that's exactly what it is...it is a goal...it is something to be achieved.

MFP uses the NEAT (Non Exercise Activity Thermogenesis) method of weight loss. No exercise is technically required. Exercise is extra and a portion of those calories should be eaten back...my rule is at least 50% and up to 75%. I never went all the way to 100% to account for estimation error.

A deficit of calories is needed to lose weight, but your body does require a certain number of calories just for basic functions...for example, I would burn roughly 1,800 calories per day just laying in bed or in a coma...your organs require energy (calories) to function...breathing burns calories...etc. When you create such a huge deficit as you have, your metabolism goes into stall and stores everything you take in just to provide itself enough energy for you to breath, your heart to pump, and operation of your other basic functions.

Fabfitgirl5

I was going to say what one of the other posters stated, you likely need to change your routine. If you have been doing a lot of cardio, switch to weight training for three or four weeks and see what happens. My girlfriend hit a plateau when she lost like 75-80 lbs. No matter what she did she just could not lose more weight, and she had about 35 more lbs to lose. She changed up her routine and started running out doors, bought the book eat to live and almost like magic the weight came off. She has run several marathons now and she lost an additional like 36 lbs and went from a size 8-10 at her plateau to a size 4 now. It only took her three months to get there, that is what was crazy, but she looks awesome.

Ckbaby26

I went through the same thing about 2 months ago. I was eating 1600 calories a day, exercising 5/6 times a week and drinking my water. Then all of sudden for 5 weeks in a row I didn't lose any weight but mine wasn't because of anything I was or wasn't doing it was because I had ran out of blood pressure medicine and my doctor wouldn't refill it without seeing me and I had lost my insurance so I couldn't get in to see her. Long story short I went to the er with BP of 225/130 and the er Dr gave me my BP med and I've been losing 2-3 lbs again every week. Just thought I would share that story if anybody runs across a similar situation.

mustgetmuscles1

I ate my exercise calories for 3 months and gained weight back. It does not work for everyone. A 3 week plateau is ok. It usually takes about a month to break through it.

This is the most common response from people who undereat for a long time. It is totally normal to gain weight back while your body repairs itself and gets used to eating more calories. It can take just as long to repair your metabolism back to a healthy level as it took to lower it in the first place.

If you want to start repairing the damage you have done by severe under eating I would suggest slowly adding calories instead of just jumping straight to what you should be eating. Add like 50-100 calories per week to minimize weight gain and allow your body to adapt to eating healthy again. Also add in some resistance training instead of traditional cardio to regain some of the lean mass you have lost.

meadow_sage

I need advice on things I can do to break through a weight loss plateau. I have been at this for 100 days now. I have lost 36 lbs, which I know, is great!! But the past 3 weeks have been very frustrating, because the scale hasn't shown a loss, but I'm still doing killer work-outs and eating pretty well. I know the whole theory about muscle weighs more than fat, but I still have enough weight to lose that I should still be losing, even if gaining muscle, right? I am currently on a 7 day cycle of low carbs to see if that helps, but so far, no change. Any ideas to shake things up where I am losing weight again??

Need more information...what are you eating and what is a killer work out? I just overcame a three week plateau.
I didn't change anything up except for my activity level, which I had already been doing gradually. I think it just happens.
Just keep at it. Just make sure you are eating around your recommended calories and keep intensifying your exercise.
Your body will adjust.

psuLemon

I am 220lbs, 5'6", 31 years old. My workouts are around 1.5 hrs, 5-6 days a week. I do Zumba, crosstrainer, elliptical, weights, and just started kickboxing as well.

Based on your stats, I would you have eating 2200 calories a day total. That is total calories, not net. This would be a custom set up in the profile. In this case you do not eat back exercise calories as it's already built into the equation.

Glissenklw

What do you suggest for good foods to add additional healthy calories?

Glissenklw

I ate my exercise calories for 3 months and gained weight back. It does not work for everyone. A 3 week plateau is ok. It usually takes about a month to break through it.

This is the most common response from people who undereat for a long time. It is totally normal to gain weight back while your body repairs itself and gets used to eating more calories. It can take just as long to repair your metabolism back to a healthy level as it took to lower it in the first place.

If you want to start repairing the damage you have done by severe under eating I would suggest slowly adding calories instead of just jumping straight to what you should be eating. Add like 50-100 calories per week to minimize weight gain and allow your body to adapt to eating healthy again. Also add in some resistance training instead of traditional cardio to regain some of the lean mass you have lost.

What foods do you suggest to add more healthy calories?? I ask this because I don't feel like I am undereating as far as hunger goes, so there isn't anything I am craving. So I need good ideas on foods that I can snack on throughout the day in order to add more calories. I really appreciate you explaining everything the way you have, it makes sense. I am really trying to achieve great results and am determined to get to my goal.