Stuck!! Please help!

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Stormchasegrl
Stormchasegrl Posts: 61 Member
in Motivation and Support
Is it common to plateau for a month? I have not lost a lb in a month! I've stayed at or under my goal cals of 1200 and exercised 3-6 days per week, for at least 30 mins each time. I've tried to stay motivated but this is seriously discouraging. Yes, I am trying to eat my calories back when I exorcise as well. Given my height (5') and weight (176), 1200 calories says it will only allow me to lose 1.2 lbs/week so I really, really don't want to raise that goal. Is this common? Any suggestions?

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  • Dulcemami4ever
    Dulcemami4ever Posts: 344 Member
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    I'm at 1200 calories as well, what helps me is that I have a cheat ,meal every week which I think boosts my metabolism. Try not to stick UNDER 1200, eat 1200 and above. And eat back your workout calories. Your metab might be in a rut. I know it's hard, sometimes I have days where I am under 1200 as well. But the cheat meal really seems to help. Just make sure its only one meal and not the whole day haha.
  • willieswenson
    willieswenson Posts: 31
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    Upping calories may work and something else that works is upping your fats. Most people cut calories on a linear progression, which makes sense, less mass requires less maintenance calories. Most people cut out fats first because they are most calorie dense but this can be VERRY counter productive. Fats help the body absorb Vitamins A, D, E, K and helps regulate HORMONE function, which is key while changing body composition. Eating too little fats can cause a lack of Vitamin D, which causes MORE hunger (less leptin released) and turns your body onto fat storage by increasing the release of parathyroid hormone and calcitrol. That would be my recommendation, try increasing your fats, and slightly increase your caloric intake. It worked for me, I cut out too many fats and stopped losing, added them back...more eggs and peanut butter and a few less carbs and when right back into full on shred mode. Hope this helps!
  • nrsratchett
    nrsratchett Posts: 3 Member
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    Are you doing any strength training. Building some muscle can help raise your metabolism. Make sure you take your measurements as well. Sometimes the scale doesn't tell the whole story. A friend recently lost 3 inches off her waist and the scale only went down 1 pound. I'd take the 3 inches any day!
  • Brokecoffeeaddict
    Brokecoffeeaddict Posts: 21 Member
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    You need to up your calories. That simple. 1200 is wack on ur body. and try spike meals (roughly 2500 for the whole day>) to boost ur metabolism.
  • amnsetie
    amnsetie Posts: 666 Member
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    yes you can stay the same weight for a month, even go up and down a bit in a 4 pound range.
    But yes you should lift the calories just a little
  • spicacio
    spicacio Posts: 33
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    Your body has gone into starvation mode. It's starting to hang on to every last calorie because its not getting enough. Listen to the others, up your caloric intake (Smartly) and change up your workout routine to confuse your body a bit. You'll start to see the pounds come off again. STICK WITH IT!! Dig deep and don't quit, when it gets hard... You go HARDER!
  • Markwells01
    Markwells01 Posts: 11
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    Yes to all the above posts...your body is "starving" and in all probability you are doing more longer term harm than good. Up the cals, reduce the carbs, increase the weights...dont forget it is almost impossible for a women to gain major muscle mass by pushing weights alone because you do not have enough Testosterone in your bodies so no real fear of bulking up by doing that but definately a way of increasing yout metabolic rate. - ..."Keep the Faith"
  • Stormchasegrl
    Stormchasegrl Posts: 61 Member
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    I do weight train, but it's mostly in using my own body as resistance, calisthenics and what not. I'm not on one of those fad programs like P90X and I am trying to do this without having to get a gym membership. My approach is simple and hopefully more sustainable. I'm just trying to be more active. I guess I have to up my cals and don't have a choice that it will take me even longer to reach my goal weight. So frustrating, but if it's what I have to do, I'll do it. I will also try to increase my healthy fat intake. Thanks for the advice all!

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