Help - weight plateau - am I not eating enough?

santa_nethy
santa_nethy Posts: 34
in Health and Weight Loss
Hi,

I've been trying to lose a stone to 1.5 stones this year. In April I started a 'lose and shape up' programme at my gym. It was really good, I learnt about eating the right kinds of foods and about balanced meals. I started at 10 stone 8lbs and after the 12 weeks I finished on 10stone 1, so losing half a stone was great!

However, I'd only lost about 3lbs after 8 weeks, then I had a bout of anxiety and had to go back on medication (which I'm still taking) and this seemed to kick-start my metabolism or something like that because as I said, I finished at the end of the 12 weeks on 10stone 1lb.

I've been very active this past few weeks - spurred on by a holiday in October. I have even purchased a heart rate monitor and been using my phone to accurately track how many calories I've been burning. I exercise about 4 times a week, and this can be two spin classes, tennis and standard cardio and weight/strength training workout.

I've also been tracking my calories again and I add in how many calories I have burnt from exercise. My aim is 1260 calories a day and I generally come under this once I add in the exercise.

My question is, I have stayed the same weight, give or take a pound up and down for around 2 months, what am I doing wrong? I'd LOVE to get to 9.5 stone.

My diary is public so you can see what I eat if that helps. I have tuna salad for lunch most days, and granola and fat free yoghurt for breakfast most days (I checked with course tutor that this was a healthy granola and it is).

Oh and before I did the lose and shape course I had a thyroid test and that was fine, so its not hormonal. Do I just have the slowest metabolism ever?

Thanks for any help, I really need it. 5 weeks to go until my holiday!
Catherine (santa_nethy)

Replies

  • trixiemou
    trixiemou Posts: 554 Member
    I am fairly new to this and like yourself my weight is either stagnent or yoyoing, even though I have been really quite good. I must admit tho I can not have snack foods in the house as I will concentrate on eating them and not have a 'proper meal'. I also try to have as little bread as possible s it means having butter. My diary is up to date if you want to take a look for some ideas. Having said that I am just starting today on of an Intermitent fast and am hoping that it will get me under the 140 lbs. They do say its a bugga to get off the last few pounds. Mind you I am noticing a change in my shape and inch loss........ Are you?
  • santa_nethy
    santa_nethy Posts: 34
    Yeah I'm starting to get my cheek bones back! And because I was getting frustrated about all this today, when I got back from the gym I measured my waist and thighs and compared to my measurements at the start of the lose and shape up programme I did. Lost 4.5cm off thigh and 1.5 off waist. But scales aren't really moving much.

    I read an article on spark people about metabolism and eating enough calories so it makes me wonder if my body is getting enough 'fuel'.

    Do you go to the gym / exercise?
  • trixiemou
    trixiemou Posts: 554 Member
    I am just doing mine at home. Have started doing absolute abs, an app on my ipod, I swim ( a bit), I also have a row machine which has been resurrected from the store room. I really am not very fit so everything I do is an effort, even doing just 10 minute sessions. But I do expect these to increase. Trying to lose that pot belly as much as anything. Yesterday was a bit of a down day and really could not be bothered, but today is much better. I just took myself off to bed early yesterday....... it helped.

    Add me as a friend if you fancy catching up.
  • EBFNP
    EBFNP Posts: 529 Member
    In my experience people tend to plateau if they eat too much or exercising to little. If you are not eating at least 1500 calories though that may be your problem.
  • santa_nethy
    santa_nethy Posts: 34
    Thanks, I've upped my calories to 1400 to see where that gets me. I think it will help because I've felt a little run down over the past few days and wake up absolutely starving. I have been starving all day today but because I burnt 300 calories at the gym and have upped my intake to 1400 calories, I have 90-odd calories left and I'm not hungry. I'll let youknow how I get on! x
  • jesz124
    jesz124 Posts: 1,004 Member
    So your not happy even though you have lost 4.5 cm off each thigh because the numbers on the scale won't go downwards by 7 digits.

    That is an awesome achievement. It is visable. People can see that your thighs and waist are smaller. They can't see your weight, and most likely they don't care eiither. You don't go into a shop and think oh I can't fit into that size because the scale says i'm this weight. It's your size that matters, and yours is reducing!! Be happy!!
  • trixiemou
    trixiemou Posts: 554 Member
    So your not happy even though you have lost 4.5 cm off each thigh because the numbers on the scale won't go downwards by 7 digits.

    That is an awesome achievement. It is visable. People can see that your thighs and waist are smaller. They can't see your weight, and most likely they don't care eiither. You don't go into a shop and think oh I can't fit into that size because the scale says i'm this weight. It's your size that matters, and yours is reducing!! Be happy!!

    That is a good point and well worth remembering.:smile:
  • californiagirl2012
    californiagirl2012 Posts: 2,625 Member
    Only you can determine that. Eating more to lose weight? Makes no sense.

    There is no scientific evidence of men over 6% BF or women over 12% BF going into starvation mode.

    If you are not losing weight you are not in a calorie deficit therefore will not lose weight. You must eat at a calorie deficit to lose weight.

    Most people eat more calories than they think, or they under estimate calories (which are already just estimates).

    Ignore exercise calories and/or notch you calories down. You can always make changes in 100 calorie increments until you see how it effect you.
  • santa_nethy
    santa_nethy Posts: 34
    You are absolutely right! I did the measurements after posting this and it cheered me right up just got to keep at it and not put so much pressure on the scales! Thanks guys x
  • JeffTCole
    JeffTCole Posts: 140 Member
    I have found in my case that as my fitness and healthy eating improves my overall well being, my body seems to become more efficent. So I have to try harder and results come slower. It reminds me of the Pareto principle or the 80/20 rule. 80% of anything is easy, but the other 20% takes all the work.

    Dont give up, just keep going.

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