Plateau?

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xx_princess_wisdom_xx
xx_princess_wisdom_xx Posts: 3 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hi guys, this is the first time I have wrote on one of these, hoping I will get a reply or two :)
I'm 26, 5 ft 3.5 and currently weigh in at 125lbs. I have been trying all year (on and off) to get down to 119lbs but it just seems impossible :( I have two children under 5, so I am quite active most days, and I go to the gym three times per week. I have 1200 cals per day ( I log EVERYTHING) and I weigh my foods etc. I just seem to lose a few then maintain, gain a few etc. I have made my diary public if anyone can give me some tips as to where I'm going wrong food wise. I have started interval training on the treadmill hoping to boost my weight loss, upto now to no avail :( I was allowing myself half a crunchie and a can of diet coke at night, as a treat, but I've even stopped that now. As a rule, I try to never eat things with 5 or above % fat. I don't feel like I can push myself any harder as I really am pushing myself to the max. Any more and ill be exhausted, with the two boys its just not possible to work out any harder and I don't see how I can be any stricter with my diet and be able to maintain it for the long run. I always weighed a couple of stone heavier before I had children. But i have weighed less than I do now since having them. I was 120.5 lbs in February, and just can't seem to get back there at all. I know it's only a few lbs but its still my goal and not reaching it is getting me down :( hope that someone can give me some advice as to where I can make some changes.
Thank you
S
X

Replies

  • MsChrissyAnn
    MsChrissyAnn Posts: 102 Member
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    I'm 25, 5' 2" and 135 is my goal weight! So I think your doing amazing as is!

    But if you want to lose those pesky 8 lbs I say that you may need to decrease your intake and up your strength training.
  • ltl_leah
    ltl_leah Posts: 57 Member
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    After looking at your food diary, I would suggest eating less processed foods and eat as much fresh foods as possible. Processed foods have a lot of sodium and additives. Try to eat foods that can be picked, planted, caught, or hunted. I know it's difficult to prepare meals, especially when you have to care for children. I think if you eat healthier fats, like olive oil, avocado, and nuts, as well as, complex carbs and lean proteins, you'll see a change in the scale. Possibly consider adding weight training to your fitness program to increase your fat burning mode. Good luck with your efforts!
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
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    Hi guys, this is the first time I have wrote on one of these, hoping I will get a reply or two :)
    I'm 26, 5 ft 3.5 and currently weigh in at 125lbs. I have been trying all year (on and off) to get down to 119lbs but it just seems impossible :( I have two children under 5, so I am quite active most days, and I go to the gym three times per week. I have 1200 cals per day ( I log EVERYTHING) and I weigh my foods etc. I just seem to lose a few then maintain, gain a few etc. I have made my diary public if anyone can give me some tips as to where I'm going wrong food wise. I have started interval training on the treadmill hoping to boost my weight loss, upto now to no avail :( I was allowing myself half a crunchie and a can of diet coke at night, as a treat, but I've even stopped that now. As a rule, I try to never eat things with 5 or above % fat. I don't feel like I can push myself any harder as I really am pushing myself to the max. Any more and ill be exhausted, with the two boys its just not possible to work out any harder and I don't see how I can be any stricter with my diet and be able to maintain it for the long run. I always weighed a couple of stone heavier before I had children. But i have weighed less than I do now since having them. I was 120.5 lbs in February, and just can't seem to get back there at all. I know it's only a few lbs but its still my goal and not reaching it is getting me down :( hope that someone can give me some advice as to where I can make some changes.
    Thank you
    S
    X

    So, despite the math saying you have a deficit, if you have no measurement changes to indicate you are losing fat, and no weight changes to indicate you are losing other stuff you'd probably rather not lose, like muscle - then you are eating at maintenance for this level of activity.

    So the question is - do you eat less and/or exercise more to actually create a deficit?

    Or do you figure out why with a BMR estimated at 1284, which would be energy burned sleeping deep 24 hrs a day, and daily activity would be higher than that - it doesn't seem to be the case?

    I'll mention if you do the former, you may lose a couple and then plateau real fast again, because your body knows how to slow down and wants no more of this craziness.

    I'd suggest you've been eating well below what would be recommended for your level of activity for a long time, and your metabolism has slowed down such you are eating at maintenance now.
    Every splurge, every binge, above that, is now surplus, and stored as fat. Hence the weight increase despite eating so little.

    So you have to be willing to get your metabolism going again. Once it is, you'll be burning more all day long. Your workouts will actually get improvements from a body with enough energy to repair correctly.

    Been eating back your exercise calories as MFP is setup to do?
    Selected activity level of Lightly Active with the kids?
    Select the 1lb weekly weight loss goal recommended, especially since this close to goal weight?

    Might try this spreadsheet linked in the post and see what you could be burning each day, obviously at this point you aren't though.

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/717858-spreadsheet-bmr-tdee-and-deficit-calcs-macros-hrm

    And then checkout the group that post is in.
  • FlowmO
    FlowmO Posts: 6
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    Hi there!
    How long have you been on your plateau?
    Because I've been on mine for over 4 weeks before I started to lose weight again.

    And maybe you are pushing yourself too hard? Could it be your body is in what mfp calls 'starvation mode'?
    Try eating a little bit more for a couple of days/weeks, like 1440 cals a day and then go back to 1200...

    Also be kind to your body and yourself. Appreciate what you've already achieved.
    Take a break and then climb back on the horse.
    In my experience weight loss works best if you're not working too hard on it. Try to let go just a little. Don't hold on to an idea too tight... (does that make sense?) :smile:

    Good luck!
  • lizziebeth1028
    lizziebeth1028 Posts: 3,602 Member
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    You need to eat more. Up your calories, up your protein intake and strength train. Search the forums for threads on eating more to weigh less. Honestly it works!
  • xtrout
    xtrout Posts: 193 Member
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    Mayo clinic has a good article on plateaus. http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/weight-loss-plateau/MY01152
  • xx_princess_wisdom_xx
    xx_princess_wisdom_xx Posts: 3 Member
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    Wow, thank you all so much for your replies! And some great advice here too. I had wondered about the starvation mode thingy. I do also agree that I need to be eating less processed foods as well. I intend to check out all the articles you have mentioned and hopefully re educate myself a little about the way my body is working. To me it was always easiest to eat less to lose, but i guess it's eat more of the right things. The count on us range from m&s is just sooooo easy though! Thanks again guys, great work :)
    S
    X
  • xx_princess_wisdom_xx
    xx_princess_wisdom_xx Posts: 3 Member
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    Also, when I change my goal from 2lb loss per week to 1lb it only goes up by 20cals? Surely 20cls can't be the difference in a whole lb weight loss? Going to look into kick starting my metabolism again x
  • heybales
    heybales Posts: 18,842 Member
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    Also, when I change my goal from 2lb loss per week to 1lb it only goes up by 20cals? Surely 20cls can't be the difference in a whole lb weight loss? Going to look into kick starting my metabolism again x

    Since MFP stops the recommendation at 1200 for safety reasons, your 2lb deficit was never there anyway, not enough range to make it so.

    So you've been closer to the 1lb deficit amount anyway for probably some time. But still not seeing 1lb weekly.

    And now that I remind myself, 6 lbs to go, that's really better for 1/2 lb weekly goal.

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