Major Plateau--Need help! :(

awomanduh
awomanduh Posts: 4
edited January 18 in Health and Weight Loss
Hi all,
I've been eating 1200 calories a day for a month now and exercising 5 days a week for an hour, including spin and body combat classes. My first week I went from 150 to 145 pounds. Since then, every weigh in I either weight 144 or 145. I started using myfitnesspal a week ago because I was concerned that I wasn't counting all of my calories and possibly eating too much fat or sugar, but I'm not. And my weightloss still won't budge. I feel as though I look more toned, but it's really frustrating to see the same number for 3 weeks. I'm 5'3", so I don't think 145 is my stopping point and I'd still like to lose 10+ more pounds. Please help! :(

Replies

  • awomanduh
    awomanduh Posts: 4
    After reading around here, I'm wondering if I'm not eating enough. On days I don't exercise, I net 1200. On days I do, I net 600-800. Am I supposed to eat back the calories I burn? That seems kinda counterproductive...

    Thanks for any suggestions!
  • Danielle_Style
    Danielle_Style Posts: 90 Member
    I think you answered your own question. Your net calories should be above 1200 after exercise, unless you are seriously overweight (which you aren't). You will see an initial drop (water weight mostly) when you switch to a extremely low calorie diet, like the one you've been on...but it will peter out eventually because your body's metabolism changes to make up for the extreme calorie deficiency (what some like to term "starvation mode").
  • Danielle_Style
    Danielle_Style Posts: 90 Member
    As a side note, I am eating between 1500 and 2000 calories per day so that I am netting around 1600 after exercise. I didn't think I'd lose much weight on that amount, but it's starting to pay off. It was slow getting started...mostly due to getting used to the change in habits, but when I stick to that, I'm definitely losing my 1 pound per week.

    I think two pounds per week is an ambitious goal. Some are successful eating that way, but personally I'd rather consistently lose 1/wk than fall off the wagon trying to lose 2/wk. At any rate, even with how much I've been eating, I've lost more than 1 pound per week. I've been at this for a month, and I've lost 5 pounds total so far, including one week that I gained because I overate at some family events.

    Also don't forget that muscle is denser than fat, so if you are gaining muscle, chances are the number on the scale might plateau a bit, but your body could still be changing.
  • Django1977
    Django1977 Posts: 73
    After reading around here, I'm wondering if I'm not eating enough. On days I don't exercise, I net 1200. On days I do, I net 600-800. Am I supposed to eat back the calories I burn? That seems kinda counterproductive...

    Thanks for any suggestions!

    Hey there,

    you answered your question. 1200 calories is not enough for you when you do 5 times !!! a week cardio. The weight loss comes from what you eat and what you burn. BUT when you go on starvation (with eating much less than you burn) your body will store that.

    I would suggest this site to recheck your calories. Don´t go under your Basal Metabolic Rate !!!!
    http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/


    Also I found today a good article about starvation. Check -> http://www.burnthefatblog.com/archives/2012/12/starvation-mode-revisited.php

    Cheers...
  • awomanduh
    awomanduh Posts: 4
    Thank you for the advice! I will try that this week and see how it works! :)
  • awomanduh
    awomanduh Posts: 4
    And thank you for the article! I'm reading it!
  • Django1977
    Django1977 Posts: 73
    And thank you for the article! I'm reading it!

    Yeah no problem.

    Feel free to add me if you want.

    Tom Venuto is the most expert on the web. His book "burn-the-fat-feed-the-muscles" was a real eye-opener for me

    Cheers

    Django
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