Plateau Already?!?!

hmp1130
hmp1130 Posts: 45 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I started working out and eating healthy about 3 weeks ago... I lost 18 lbs in the first 12 days and felt great... Since then I've been stuck... I was eating only 600 calories and working out daily, but then I plateaued so I moved up to 1200 calories and alternating cardio & weight training. Well I've been stuck for nearly 7 days... I lost .2 lbs the other day but this morning it was back. What am I doing wrong. I do 30 minutes of cardio and do low weight/high rep... I started at 263 and am down to 245... I'm only 5'4"... Can it really be a plateau or am I doing something wrong?!?!

Replies

  • baja572
    baja572 Posts: 94
    not eating enough! 1400 cal.
  • myfitnessval
    myfitnessval Posts: 687 Member
    you arent eating enough. plain and simple. many people (including myself) have found success using this calorie calculator to determine your daily goal http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/ but if you are dead set on restricting your calories i would at the VERY LEAST eat your BMR #,
  • hmp1130
    hmp1130 Posts: 45 Member
    It was MFP that told me to only consume 1280/day and I was trying to get close to it with healthy calories, but I just can't eat anymore, the only thing I can think of is having some "bad" calories.
  • RobinvdM
    RobinvdM Posts: 634 Member
    First guess, you aren't eating enough. What do you consider "bad" calories? Unless youre under medical orders to do so, there's no good reason to be so restrictive of yourself. Can you really see yourself living like this for the rest of your life? Forever? Then why start now? Good luck!

    ETA: i eat 1600 and find it hard to keep it under :P

    Also ETA: Please see this link http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/654536-in-place-of-a-road-map-2-0-revised-7-2-12
  • oohmercyme
    oohmercyme Posts: 279 Member
    Why can't you eat any more?

    If, for whatever reason, you can't eat more in quantity, you can eat more calorie/nutrient dense foods like nuts, beans, guacamole.
  • eyeshuh
    eyeshuh Posts: 333
    It was MFP that told me to only consume 1280/day and I was trying to get close to it with healthy calories, but I just can't eat anymore, the only thing I can think of is having some "bad" calories.

    MFP is not telling you to only consume 1280. MFP is telling you to consume 1280 WITHOUT exercise. If you log your exercise, the number goes up, because MFP wants and expects you to eat back your exercise calories so that you don't under eat. You have to fuel your exercise.
  • AJ_Pete
    AJ_Pete Posts: 863 Member
    I started out at 274 lbs. I ate at 1200 cal a day and plateaued for 9 weeks at about 25-30 lbs lost. I upped my cals to between 1800-2100 cals a day and I'm still losing 2 lbs a week. I should've been eating at a higher calorie intake all along.

    Up your cals.... your body needs fuel.
  • angel_north
    angel_north Posts: 51 Member
    At least 1200 calories! If you are going to have carbs make it in the morning, lean high protein the rest of the day. Lots and lots of water. If you are eating fruit, check the sugars some fruit is higher than others......
  • Capt_Apollo
    Capt_Apollo Posts: 9,026 Member
    I started out at 274 lbs. I ate at 1200 cal a day and plateaued for 9 weeks at about 25-30 lbs lost. I upped my cals to between 1800-2100 cals a day and I'm still losing 2 lbs a week. I should've been eating at a higher calorie intake all along.

    Up your cals.... your body needs fuel.


    girls that eat 2000 calories are hot.

    just saying.
  • Sarauk2sf
    Sarauk2sf Posts: 28,072 Member
    A week is not a plateau - weight loss is not linear as it is masked by water weight.
  • darlilama
    darlilama Posts: 794 Member
    It was MFP that told me to only consume 1280/day and I was trying to get close to it with healthy calories, but I just can't eat anymore, the only thing I can think of is having some "bad" calories.

    1) What do you have your activity level set at? Assuming, for example, you have a desk job, you could set it to "sedentary" or "light activity" if you move around a lot. In that case, you would log and eat your excercise calories. Or, you can set your activity level to include your normal activity level, including exercise. In that case, MFP will set your calorie goal higher..

    2) Every 10-15 lbs, you need to go through the process of setting your goals in MFP. Give it your new weight, adjust activity, etc. It will reset your goals based on this.

    3) Try to not just meet your daily calorie goal, but your macro-nutrient goals as well (Protein, Carbs, Fat)... others nutrients if you'd like. Be sure you're consuming the foods your body needs during this period of adjustment, especially with your level of exercise.

    4) Be realistic and be patient! :flowerforyou:
  • brownshuga30
    brownshuga30 Posts: 106 Member
    Your calorie intake is way too low and your body is probably in "starvation mode". Try to eat at least 1200 calories a day. Like someone said eat foods that are calorie dense if you find it hard to eat 5-6 times a day.
  • tndejong
    tndejong Posts: 463
    your problem is your not eating enough. change your setting to active and start with that. if you dont eat enough, your body stores fat and causes the plateau. make sure you have plenty of protein as well. i had this problem. the first day i started to eat more, i dropped 2 pounds the next morning.
  • AJ_Pete
    AJ_Pete Posts: 863 Member
    I started out at 274 lbs. I ate at 1200 cal a day and plateaued for 9 weeks at about 25-30 lbs lost. I upped my cals to between 1800-2100 cals a day and I'm still losing 2 lbs a week. I should've been eating at a higher calorie intake all along.

    Up your cals.... your body needs fuel.


    girls that eat 2000 calories are hot.

    just saying.

    Guys that find girls hot that eat 2000 calories are hot.

    Just saying.
  • hmp1130
    hmp1130 Posts: 45 Member
    girls that eat 2000 calories are hot.

    just saying.
    [/quote]

    ^^Motivation to eat more... LOL...

    I get full easily since I was so restrictive at the beginning... like for lunch today I made 3oz chicken, a small salad, and a serving of tri-colored pasta and couldn't finish the salad or any of the pasta because I was stuffed. I'm trying to eat a lot of smaller meals to try and get there... I think my new goal will be as close as I can get to my BMR which is 1885.
  • Allyice
    Allyice Posts: 122 Member
    A week is not a plateau - weight loss is not linear as it is masked by water weight.

    I agree. I've learned on my weight loss journey that nothing would happen to my body for 2 weeks and then after that I'd lose little bits of weight for a few days and then nothing again for 2 weeks. Everyone's different, but 7 days is really not enough time to see any difference.

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