This is my plan...please help!!!

I have lost around 60lbs in the past 17 months. I have recently hit a plateau and the scale barely moves. I go up and down 4lbs with in days. Just wondering if someone can review my plan and let me know how it looks?? I have recently started doing pretty intense spurts on my elliptical and upping my intensity a lot and have added weights to try to get me past this plateau. I don't know if I should lower my calories or make them higher? I basically keep them pretty low and do not eat most of my excersize calories back. MFP has me eating around 1230 but since I workout so long and hard I eat 1500. I do NOT eat all t hose excersize calories back, but I enjoy a free meal on Saturday nights. I would like input from anyone that might now.

Workout 100 minutes elliptical M, T, W, TH, F, Sun
Weights and Abs- M, W, F, Sun
Monday-Thursday 1500 calories
Friday-1700 Calories
Saturday- Free Day/ no workout/no counting calories for dinner

Replies

  • Mels707
    Mels707 Posts: 101
    Too much slow cardio. That works at first but your body adapts, and as you get closer to goal it really can stop working.

    I would change it to 30 minutes of interval training 4-5 days/week
    Do you use machines or free weights?

    That's off the top of my head
  • camisetgo
    camisetgo Posts: 27 Member
    Just free weights. I do intense intervals on my elliptical, but I just started doing that the past week and a half.
  • Mels707
    Mels707 Posts: 101
    Do you do intervals for 100 min? I really think that might be too long. But if you are you should definitely up your calories
  • Great job on losing 60lbs! From what I've read our bodies adapt to doing the same exercise all the time, and that can cause a plateau. Maybe you could do a different cardio exercise a couple of days a week to change it up a bit.
  • camisetgo
    camisetgo Posts: 27 Member
    I do intervals for the first hour. I do kind of splurge on Saturday nights with a nice meal out and dessert, so I figured I was making up on those calories I wasn't eating back during the week. I still want to be able to enjoy a night out...it usually includes some wine too. :-)
  • camisetgo
    camisetgo Posts: 27 Member
    Thanks for the input ...I would like to do some different kind of expersize, but I find the elliptical is the least high impact. I have some back issues and can't do a lot of high intensity. So that is why I just increased my intensity and added weights.
  • How much do you have to go? Have you taken a break at all? You should probably switch to maintenance for 2-4 weeks and start up again.
  • camisetgo
    camisetgo Posts: 27 Member
    Just 9 lbs to go!!!! So close but so far!!! These last few pounds are really tough!
  • camisetgo
    camisetgo Posts: 27 Member
    No, I haven't taken a break at all. I am so afraid of gaining if I go to maintenance. Not sure how to get over that fear.
  • Mels707
    Mels707 Posts: 101
    The elliptical can be great for intervals! Also the stair mill if you can do it.

    But I really still think 100 min is too much! It can put a strain on your body.

    One indulgent meal a week probably won't make up for under fueling the rest of the week. Can you open your diary? What do you net each day? I'm not going to get into the "you must net 1200" discussion, but if you are way under that it might be a big issue.
  • camisetgo
    camisetgo Posts: 27 Member
    I don't really enter in everything I eat, just put in the quick calories. Today I burned 1275 calories on my elliptical and it says I still have 900 more calories, but I never eat them back. I am set at 1220 calories per day before my work outs but I tend to stay right around 1500 daily. So I eat back about 300, but leave the rest.