Plateau after only 4lbs?
Long_and_Lean
Posts: 175 Member
Fellow MFPers, help me out here. I've lost about 4 lbs so far, and I'm guessing it's probably just water (since that's what you lose first, right?). I'd say I have about 30 to lose (I'm 5'9", started at 189. Would like to be at a very reasonable and well-muscled 160). I have my goal set at 1lb/week and hit that for the most part (weekends are a little tough, but I get right back on the horse). I have been stalled at 185lbs for 2 weeks now. And no, I don't think I'm recomping because the measuring tape still says the same thing and my clothes fit the same. Has this happened to any of you folks at such an early stage? How did you get past it?
0
Replies
-
Open diary.
For 9 years I'd try dieting 3 to 6 times a year. ALWAYS stalled at 1.5lb loss. After adjusting my diet based on information here, I have been losing.
So, yeah. OPEN!1 -
I am at about 170 and the same height. I have been stuck at this spot for...... oh....... 3 months now. BOO!!! You, however, look much smaller than I am and FAR more toned. I find that when I get stuck, skin is getting normal-er, hormones are evening, etc....... I get stuck about ever 5 lbs now.
0 -
Open diary.
For 9 years I'd try dieting 3 to 6 times a year. ALWAYS stalled at 1.5lb loss. After adjusting my diet based on information here, I have been losing.
So, yeah. OPEN!
It's not? Let me remedy that.
*edit* remedied.
Disclaimers: I have an overwhelming addiction to those bottled frappuccino thingies. A girl's gotta have her vices. I measure and weigh my food whenever possible in an attempt to not underestimate calories. I often don't log my exercise because, well, MFP drastically overestimates calories burned. On days when I'm significantly under, I just wasn't hungry. I don't starve myself.0 -
2 weeks is a pretty short time frame, usually a plateau is defined as 6 weeks. I'd first be patient.1
-
Your protein is pretty low at 15% or less usually. Given you are trying to lose weight, AND you exercise a lot, definitely suggest you bump it to 25% or even 30%.0
-
Your protein is pretty low at 15% or less usually. Given you are trying to lose weight, AND you exercise a lot, definitely suggest you bump it to 25% or even 30%.
You're probably right, and I am currently attempting to do that without feeling woozy or nauseous (when I've tried to do that in the past, I just felt sick and hungry the whole time). Although after reading numerous clinical studies I am under the impression that at this stage in the game, it shouldn't make that much of a difference (there was recently an excellent thread about this not filled with a bunch of broscience, I can link it again if need be).0 -
She's right. It's normally for your body to plateau for a few weeks. Just keep eating well and working out and you'll get past it.
If you love your Fraps, keep drinking them! Though, eating breakfast is key to get your metabolism going for the day. Aim for something with high protein and low calories, like plain greek yogurt or hard boiled eggs paired with a banana , strawberries or bluberries. Countless studies have shown a strong link between weight loss and eating breakfast. Might be worth a try.0 -
She's right. It's normally for your body to plateau for a few weeks. Just keep eating well and working out and you'll get past it.
If you love your Fraps, keep drinking them! Though, eating breakfast is key to get your metabolism going for the day. Aim for something with high protein and low calories, like plain greek yogurt or hard boiled eggs paired with a banana , strawberries or bluberries. Countless studies have shown a strong link between weight loss and eating breakfast. Might be worth a try.
Thanks! Yeah, if I don't drink them I really feel "deprived", so I feel like it's a reasonable compromise. I have to get up really early, and drinking them as I get ready just feels like a nice treat for getting my butt out of bed at 5am to go to work. As for breakfast, I love me some greek yogurt with honey or steel cut oatmeal. I don't eat them every day, but I do eat them especially on days when I am dancing A LOT.0 -
I agree with the increased protein, and don't worry so much about carbs. You work out a lot. You need them. Try to make them healthy ones, and not like a giant platter of rice. Also, a couple of weeks could just have to do with hormone fluctuations, water weight, just the body resting. You may get on the scale to see 6 lbs down. Or, 2 lbs up. But it WILL even out and start going back down. For your height and body tone, it will take you longer. You are not in BAD shape, you dont have a LOT to lose (I know it feels like it...... it does to me too...... but, it's not that much), so you are gonna go slower now....... It is ok. It is healthy. The time will pass either way. I have 20 to go and have said I want it gone by my 30th b-day in January, and I am concerned that I wont be able to.0
-
I noticed you don't track your sodium intake in your food diary, alot of the things your eating MIGHT be high in sodium, that will cause you to retain water, and not seeing the scale move. Maybe check that?0
-
work harder. push your limits.1
-
I agree with the increased protein, and don't worry so much about carbs. You work out a lot. You need them. Try to make them healthy ones, and not like a giant platter of rice. Also, a couple of weeks could just have to do with hormone fluctuations, water weight, just the body resting. You may get on the scale to see 6 lbs down. Or, 2 lbs up. But it WILL even out and start going back down. For your height and body tone, it will take you longer. You are not in BAD shape, you dont have a LOT to lose (I know it feels like it...... it does to me too...... but, it's not that much), so you are gonna go slower now....... It is ok. It is healthy. The time will pass either way. I have 20 to go and have said I want it gone by my 30th b-day in January, and I am concerned that I wont be able to.
Yeah, I've come to terms with the fact that it'll be slow because like you said, I don't have that much to lose and I've also never been thin (I've observed that people who gained the weight due to a particular circumstance in their life, like inactivity due to injury or pregnancy, tend to lose the weight more quickly). It's just that stalling out this early in the game is disconcerting. I was expecting it once I got to the 10 more pounds to go point, not after only 4 lbs!0 -
I noticed you don't track your sodium intake in your food diary, alot of the things your eating MIGHT be high in sodium, that will cause you to retain water, and not seeing the scale move. Maybe check that?
That doesn't explain why I started losing weight and then it stopped, even though nothing changed.0 -
I looked at your diary, I will be the mean one.. you need to stop with the quick add calories and start tracking everything that you eat, cause the quick add is probably something your grabbing from the cafeteria and what not, and thats probably way over your estimates.. You might want to start eating healthier and not having starbucks for breakfast.. plus you probably need to eat a bit more on days you exercise your netting around 1000 calories.0
-
work harder. push your limits.
Yeah, sound advice there...cause I don't do that already :noway: :explode:0 -
I lost 8 lbs super fast in my first month, then didn't lose a pound for 3 weeks. It just kind of happens sometimes. It's hard for me to give advice though, I have a way under-active thyroid, so that puts me behind 'normal' functioning people lol. I just take what I get and just be glad I'm not gaining.0
-
I looked at your diary, I will be the mean one.. you need to stop with the quick add calories and start tracking everything that you eat, cause the quick add is probably something your grabbing from the cafeteria and what not, and thats probably way over your estimates.. You might want to start eating healthier and not having starbucks for breakfast.. plus you probably need to eat a bit more on days you exercise your netting around 1000 calories.
I was thinking the exact same thing. You have to eat breakfast and enter every food item you eat. Then ask for help.0 -
I don't think two weeks qualifys as a plateau, I would 4 weeks to 6 months.
Too many people seem to expect results too quickly.2 -
I looked at your diary, I will be the mean one.. you need to stop with the quick add calories and start tracking everything that you eat, cause the quick add is probably something your grabbing from the cafeteria and what not, and thats probably way over your estimates.. You might want to start eating healthier and not having starbucks for breakfast.. plus you probably need to eat a bit more on days you exercise your netting around 1000 calories.
Actually, re: quick add calories: it isn't. The quick add is things I cook at home or things I looked up the actual nutrition info (like a subway sub, not estimates from other people here on MFP). Like last night, my multigrain pasta and veggie sautee. Today, my sub sandwich I plan on having for lunch. Everything was measured and weighed before I entered it. I do not overestimate my calories, trust me.
With the exception of my starbucks vice and the occasional skinny cow ice cream treat, my diet consists primarily of vegetables, lean meats and whole grains. How is that unhealthy?
That whole "net calories" business assumes that the MFP exercise calculators are accurate. They're not.
And none of your points explain why I started losing weight and then stopped. If what you said was true, I wouldn't have started losing weight to begin with.
*edit* I do enter every single thing that passes my lips.0 -
I looked at your diary, I will be the mean one.. you need to stop with the quick add calories and start tracking everything that you eat, cause the quick add is probably something your grabbing from the cafeteria and what not, and thats probably way over your estimates.. You might want to start eating healthier and not having starbucks for breakfast.. plus you probably need to eat a bit more on days you exercise your netting around 1000 calories.
^^ I agree with this one.0 -
work harder. push your limits.
Yeah, sound advice there...cause I don't do that already :noway: :explode:
Not to attack you or be negative.....but what he said was sound advice and you brushed it off. You don't eat enough......You eat a lot of "junk". Your protein is WAY too low. And in looking at your diary for the last week I saw ONE day where you burned over 300 cals. I would definitely say you could work harder........But then again different people have different expectations of themselves.1 -
I agree with the above poster greenrun, the quick add is not helping you at all. I would also agree with upping your protien to 30%, watch your sodium intake, it can cause water retention which will make the scale stick for a little bit, drinking lots of water will help level out that intake. I am just speaking from experience as I have a problem with retaining water from my sodium intake. 2 weeks is also not that long, you just have to be patient you did not put the weight on in 2 weeks, it is not going to come off that quickly either.
I would also suggest finding out your BMR/TDEE and stick closer to those calories, 1540 seems a bit low for the level of acitivty you are doing. fit-fatradio.com is a good site to figure all of this out.
best of luck.0 -
work harder. push your limits.
Yeah, sound advice there...cause I don't do that already :noway: :explode:
hey, do what you want. i have a triathlon this weekend to go rest up for.0 -
work harder. push your limits.
Yeah, sound advice there...cause I don't do that already :noway: :explode:
Not to attack you or be negative.....but what he said was sound advice and you brushed it off. You don't eat enough......You eat a lot of "junk". Your protein is WAY too low. And in looking at your diary for the last week I saw ONE day where you burned over 300 cals. I would definitely say you could work harder........But then again different people have different expectations of themselves.
Please read what I said above. I often don't log my exercise. You wanna know what I do daily? One hour dance rehearsals. Pilates twice a week. Ballet twice a week. P90X and insanity to build muscle.0 -
I agree with the above poster greenrun, the quick add is not helping you at all. I would also agree with upping your protien to 30%, watch your sodium intake, it can cause water retention which will make the scale stick for a little bit, drinking lots of water will help level out that intake. I am just speaking from experience as I have a problem with retaining water from my sodium intake. 2 weeks is also not that long, you just have to be patient you did not put the weight on in 2 weeks, it is not going to come off that quickly either.
I would also suggest finding out your BMR/TDEE and stick closer to those calories, 1540 seems a bit low for the level of acitivty you are doing. fit-fatradio.com is a good site to figure all of this out.
best of luck.
Thanks for the input! I've visited that fit-fatradio website, I really like it. I'm really hesitant about adding more calories as I've tried it in the past (I've tried to lose weight on about 1700/day) but was unsuccessful. My thinking is that these estimators are just that -- estimators. Every one has to probably play around a bit to find what works for them. That being said, I definitely don't think that eating less is an option, don't want to starve myself!0 -
What you are eating is probably the main problem that you are having. Many people benefit greatly from eating healthy, whole foods and reducing the carbs (doesn't have to be drastic, if you are overall healthy and have no food addictions/binging/hunger issues) and increasing healthy fat and protein.
My diary is open, and my goals are set specifically for what makes me healthy and lose weight.0 -
Actually, re: quick add calories: it isn't. The quick add is things I cook at home or things I looked up the actual nutrition info (like a subway sub, not estimates from other people here on MFP). Like last night, my multigrain pasta and veggie sautee. Today, my sub sandwich I plan on having for lunch. Everything was measured and weighed before I entered it. I do not overestimate my calories, trust me.
You can enter in your own recipes, the quantity of pasta then mfp will tell you how many carbs it is. That's what you're missing out with the quick add. You can verify the estimates that other people put into the database. It seems that you're saying you're smarter than everyone else so you're doing the quick add, yet it's not working for you because you're not losing any weight.1 -
Not to attack you or be negative.....but what he said was sound advice and you brushed it off. You don't eat enough......You eat a lot of "junk". Your protein is WAY too low. And in looking at your diary for the last week I saw ONE day where you burned over 300 cals. I would definitely say you could work harder........But then again different people have different expectations of themselves.
She *also* said that she doesnt generally log her exercise because MFP greatly exaggerates the number. And it is true. It RARELY corresponds with my HRM. Protein is low. Calories could be a bit higher due to activity level. She dances somewhat professionally from what I understand. She works her *kitten* off. I think there may be a lot of hidden sodium and the quality of foods is not always the best. She is learning here....... not a pro....... not many of us are here because we know everything about losing weight.1 -
Up your protein intake! I find when I eat more protein, the weight falls off easier.0
-
work harder. push your limits.
Yeah, sound advice there...cause I don't do that already :noway: :explode:
Not to attack you or be negative.....but what he said was sound advice and you brushed it off. You don't eat enough......You eat a lot of "junk". Your protein is WAY too low. And in looking at your diary for the last week I saw ONE day where you burned over 300 cals. I would definitely say you could work harder........But then again different people have different expectations of themselves.
Please read what I said above. I often don't log my exercise. You wanna know what I do daily? One hour dance rehearsals. Pilates twice a week. Ballet twice a week. P90X and insanity to build muscle.
OK, Great job working out......crappy job eating. What I said before about not enough......too much crap......not enough protein.........That's all doubled now. Diet is made in the kitchen not in the gym.0
This discussion has been closed.
Categories
- All Categories
- 1.4M Health, Wellness and Goals
- 393.4K Introduce Yourself
- 43.8K Getting Started
- 260.2K Health and Weight Loss
- 175.9K Food and Nutrition
- 47.4K Recipes
- 232.5K Fitness and Exercise
- 426 Sleep, Mindfulness and Overall Wellness
- 6.5K Goal: Maintaining Weight
- 8.5K Goal: Gaining Weight and Body Building
- 153K Motivation and Support
- 8K Challenges
- 1.3K Debate Club
- 96.3K Chit-Chat
- 2.5K Fun and Games
- 3.7K MyFitnessPal Information
- 24 News and Announcements
- 1.1K Feature Suggestions and Ideas
- 2.6K MyFitnessPal Tech Support Questions