Need some advice regarding Plateau!

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fevermaps
fevermaps Posts: 162 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hello! I am 25, 5'4 and now 123.6 lb. I have been exercising and dieting now for nearly a two months. I know that seeing as i am small anyway i will lose weight slowly and have been aiming for 0.5lb a week which has been working so far. I was 128.6lb to start with!

However it has been two weeks now and i have stayed at 123.6lb. Could someone take a look at my diary/ see if i need to up my calories or something to start losing again? I do elliptical every other day and strength training every other day.

Any advice would be appreciated!

Replies

  • sylviatx
    sylviatx Posts: 156 Member
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    I'm not a nutritionist.
    But look at your macros. Your sodium is over. Some days, way over. Salt retains water, water = weight.

    Can you eat a little more protein and a lot less salt for a week or so, and see how it goes?

    Oh, also, my weight tends to come off in chunks. Plateau for a few weeks, then boom, 3 lbs down. It might just be that.
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
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    you have very little to lose, and your goal is very small... maybe you need to be looking at more 'toning up' rather than losing scale weight.

    i agree that your protein is a little low some days, and you could possibly try to get a bit more fruit & veg in. make sure you net your daily goal, as with such a small amount to lose you only want a very small deficit.
  • fevermaps
    fevermaps Posts: 162 Member
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    I'm not a nutritionist.
    But look at your macros. Your sodium is over. Some days, way over. Salt retains water, water = weight.

    Can you eat a little more protein and a lot less salt for a week or so, and see how it goes?

    Oh, also, my weight tends to come off in chunks. Plateau for a few weeks, then boom, 3 lbs down. It might just be that.

    My sodium is only at about 1200mg a day. I reduced it way under the mfp set goal.
  • fevermaps
    fevermaps Posts: 162 Member
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    you have very little to lose, and your goal is very small... maybe you need to be looking at more 'toning up' rather than losing scale weight.

    i agree that your protein is a little low some days, and you could possibly try to get a bit more fruit & veg in. make sure you net your daily goal, as with such a small amount to lose you only want a very small deficit.

    I do struggle getting my protein up to what it needs to be! Maybe will work on that. Thanks.
  • mallen404
    mallen404 Posts: 266 Member
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    Up your calories for a couple weeks.. 1200 isn't enough. I did and I am starting to lose again.

    Calculate the TDEE and go by that. what MFP suggests is usually low.
  • Dani_wants_to_be_fit
    Dani_wants_to_be_fit Posts: 550 Member
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    Up your calories for a couple weeks.. 1200 isn't enough. I did and I am starting to lose again.

    Calculate the TDEE and go by that. what MFP suggests is usually low.

    This. I had a lot more success on upping my calories and the plateau I had been stuck in for many weeks was broken and continued to lose every week after so far.
  • fevermaps
    fevermaps Posts: 162 Member
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    Okay will do thanks a lot!
  • fevermaps
    fevermaps Posts: 162 Member
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    How do i work out my tedee? Does anyone know?
  • fevermaps
    fevermaps Posts: 162 Member
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    How do i work out my tedee? Does anyone know?

    Nevermind figured it out!
  • MoparMatt
    MoparMatt Posts: 15 Member
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    Up your calories for a couple weeks.. 1200 isn't enough. I did and I am starting to lose again.

    Calculate the TDEE and go by that. what MFP suggests is usually low.

    This. I had a lot more success on upping my calories and the plateau I had been stuck in for many weeks was broken and continued to lose every week after so far.
    +1 looking at a few days of your diary, you are eating too little working out 5 days a week means you should be eating about 2070 calories a day, according to a BMR calculator then adjusting for your activity level. This may slow the weight loss initially but then you can lose it in a more sustainable way, without losing muscle mass.
  • keshiabug1
    keshiabug1 Posts: 150
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    I am 5'4 also and 125 lbs is PERFECT for your height! I am 154 and at 115 lbs (before I gained) I looked sick! Try toning up instead. I think you will be more happy with yourself if you are toned, rather than bones. No offense... I have just been there before.
  • juliefaas
    juliefaas Posts: 2
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    What would be the max intake of salt per day?
  • bizco
    bizco Posts: 1,949 Member
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    What would be the max intake of salt per day?
    No more than 2,300mg per day. If you have underlying health issues like diabetes, high blood pressure, etc. then 1,500mg per day.
  • Acg67
    Acg67 Posts: 12,142 Member
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    What would be the max intake of salt per day?
    No more than 2,300mg per day. If you have underlying health issues like diabetes, high blood pressure, etc. then 1,500mg per day.

    There really is no max ceiling on sodium intake and no reason to limit unless you have underlying conditions like hypertension
  • Mcgrawhaha
    Mcgrawhaha Posts: 1,596 Member
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    maybe your body is happy at its current weight? anyhoo, i just came out of a 3 week plateu, and the only think that worked for me was waiting it out, continue with eating right and exercise. finally, after 3 weeks of not 1 ounce lost, i saw movement again, lost 2 pounds over night pretty much!

    as for sodium, i dont even pay attention to my sodium intake because i have no underlying health conditions.
  • diannethegeek
    diannethegeek Posts: 14,776 Member
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    Just to add to what everyone else said (there's some really good advice up there): two weeks really isn't long enough to worry about no loss. Our bodies will retain water due to hormones, salt, exercise, stress, and any number of other things. You may still be losing but water retention and general body weirdness is just masking the loss.
  • makieo
    makieo Posts: 16
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    I know it is wierd to say but healthy fat will help you drop fat. And agreed with everyone else protein, protein, protein. You really have to focus on eating protein at every meal. Any focus on eathing healthy fats between morning and 2 pm. Your body needs the fats to control hunger as well as process unused body fat. Lastly remember your scale is only one of many tools you can use to measure your body. Your wieght is only a small factor of the overall picture. Keep up the good work.
  • fevermaps
    fevermaps Posts: 162 Member
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    I am 5'4 also and 125 lbs is PERFECT for your height! I am 154 and at 115 lbs (before I gained) I looked sick! Try toning up instead. I think you will be more happy with yourself if you are toned, rather than bones. No offense... I have just been there before.

    I used to be 114lb before i had my daughter and i didn't think i looked too skinny but i am trying to tone up too. I would be happy with my weight if i didn't look flabby around the middle.
  • fevermaps
    fevermaps Posts: 162 Member
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    What would be the max intake of salt per day?
    No more than 2,300mg per day. If you have underlying health issues like diabetes, high blood pressure, etc. then 1,500mg per day.

    There really is no max ceiling on sodium intake and no reason to limit unless you have underlying conditions like hypertension

    I always assumed sodium was bad as it holds onto water?
  • Mcgrawhaha
    Mcgrawhaha Posts: 1,596 Member
    Options
    What would be the max intake of salt per day?
    No more than 2,300mg per day. If you have underlying health issues like diabetes, high blood pressure, etc. then 1,500mg per day.

    There really is no max ceiling on sodium intake and no reason to limit unless you have underlying conditions like hypertension

    I always assumed sodium was bad as it holds onto water?

    yeah but water weight and fat weight are 2 different things... your water weight will always fluctuate, regardless... but fat is fat...

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