I can't believe it worked!!....but now what????

shellgib

Okay, so I hit a plateau a couple weeks ago for a few weeks. So I increased my calories by about 200 per day to get out of it. Which was really against my thinking, lol! But it worked! I maintained that calorie goal for about a week and lost a little over a pound in that time. So now I'm down to my last 10 lbs to lose and don't know if I should continue this 'higher' calorie goal or go back down to the ~1200-ish goal?

How long did you "eat more" to lose more? I know some people only do a couple of days here and there, but are there others out there that did it like me?

questionablemethods

My first hunch is to keep going with it if it keeps working for you. I mean, why NOT eat more if you can and still lose? (But I am a foodie at heart, so I am always plotting my next meal.)

If it stops getting you the results you want, then figure out how to tweak it.

chronosfire

At first I wasn't eating my exercise calories, but after seeing all the posts on here about how you really should, I smoked my plateau and I'm down another 3 pounds! You said you added an extra 200 calories, was it just snacks and stuff? I'm trying to find healthy ways to add my exercise calories back in.

baggins706

HERE IS AN INTERESTING WAY TO BREAK A PLATEAU- Zig-Zag Calorie Intake Zig-zagging, or calorie cycling is the process of varying daily calorie intake, while maintaining the same weekly intake. Instead of consuming (for example) precisely 1800 calories each day - you can mix it up. Eat 1500 calories one day, and 2100 calories the next. This can be as simple as halving then doubling a portion size, or adding a post-workout shake into the plan. Just keep your body guessing.

Sounds like this is what you did but if not this info may help you in perfecting what you already have done...hope this helps!

anu_6986

I am new to this site, and just started following it properly.
I thought it was a good thing if i further left out some calories!!

funkyspunky871

You've got a good question here: Hmmmm.... Personally I would try lowering my calories again. As your body gets smaller the less calories it needs. Then, if I still wasn't losing weight, I'd bump them up again.

Oh! And zig-zagging your calories is a great idea too.

I hope you get lots of answers, because I'll be asking this same question when the time comes.

slcobb001

I'm glad the adding extra calories worked for you....

However, I'm of the mind set that your body needs to get use to lower and lower weights. That is why you stop losing and then
start again. By doing your best to relax and stick with the plan you will get to where you want to be. You didn't put the weight on overnight and you won't take it off overnight. Let your body reset once in awhile and your chances of keeping it off will be greater.

There are LOTS of fast weight loss plans out there but this one is slower and has a greater chance of success (keeping it off).

Make sure you are eating healthy, following the plan (trust it), and don't fret about the breaks your body takes, and then enjoy the weight loss!

Steven

needamulligan

Zig-zagging has worked for me, too. I have sssooooo far to go that you'd think that the weight would just melt off if I stick to the plan - but it doesn't! Sometimes, my best results happen right after I've had a "bad" day (nothing like the old days, mind you!). Go figure.....it's not just a simple "eat less move more" equation. Even I have to "trick" my body and I have the weight of a whole human to lose!

bonnienm

Even after you have lost weight your calories won't go below 1200 a day at least not in my experience.

After I would break a plateau that way I would decrease back down to the 1200 plus exercise calories to continue to lose but whatever works for you.

lilchino4af

I am new to this site, and just started following it properly.
I thought it was a good thing if i further left out some calories!!

Depending on how you told MFP to set up your account, it's already got you on a deficit. By further reducing your calories every day, you're increasing that deficit. If you also don't eat back your workout calories, you increase that deficit even more. This can backfire, because your body needs fuel (food) to burn to get through your workouts and to function properly every day. if you don't give it enough it will start holding on to the food you do feed it, and will be counterproductive to losing weight.

cutmd

Well. How long have you been dieting? If it's been 3months or more, I say take a week to eat at maintenance, THEN try zig-zagging. Here's a good article on taking diet breaks to keep your metabolism pumped:

http://figureathlete.tmuscle.com/findArticle.do?article=07-001-diet

shellgib

thank you all for your responses. to be more specific, i was down to the 1200 cal daily limit with a goal of 1 lb per week, i would generally eat between 1180 - 1250 net calories. then, last week i increased to 1400/day net, with about a 0.5 lb/week projected loss. I guess I could just keep doing what i'm doing right now and see what happens, as long as it's going in the right direction i really don't care how long it takes. I have a completely different mindset this time around and i know it is not a "diet" it is a way of life!

chronosfire: basically to get the 'extra' calories in from what i've been used to, i just added something extra to my snacks. like instead of just a yogurt and almonds, i would have a fruit as well. or i would add a banana to my cereal. i never increased portion sizes, just ate a little bit more often or an extra fruit or something like that. hope that helps.

mworld

My first hunch is to keep going with it if it keeps working for you. I mean, why NOT eat more if you can and still lose? (But I am a foodie at heart, so I am always plotting my next meal.)

If it stops getting you the results you want, then figure out how to tweak it.

yeah, what she said, ride that baby to the next plateau!