Hitting a plateau

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armymom5
armymom5 Posts: 115
in Fitness and Exercise
I know it's been posted here hundreds of times, but I'm going to do it again. I seem to have hit a plateau and am feeling very frustrated. I run 2-3 miles 5 days a week and keep my calories under 1200. Help!?!?!? I had a big loss 3 weeks ago and now nothing and actually have gained .5 lb :(

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  • ValerieMomof2
    ValerieMomof2 Posts: 530 Member
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    Are you eating back your exercise calories? 1200 is too low for someone exercising regularly so:
    1) eat more
    2) Mix up your routine--do interval training with your running, add in some strength, add mileage....
  • jriehl08
    jriehl08 Posts: 157 Member
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    EAT!
  • chels0722
    chels0722 Posts: 465 Member
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    EAT ALL DA FOODZ!!
  • armymom5
    armymom5 Posts: 115
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    LOL Thanks everyone!!! Any suggestions on caloric intake?
  • nmb0717
    nmb0717 Posts: 130 Member
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    You're eating way too little! Check out this site to help you figure out how much you should be eating... up your calls 100-200 per week until you hit you TDEE -15%. http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/

    Also, in the meantime, search for EM2WL group on here and go read some threads!
  • dangerxbadger
    dangerxbadger Posts: 396 Member
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    Yes. Use this:
    http://scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/
  • transgeek
    transgeek Posts: 5 Member
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    Ummm...eat. Since you are running a lot and not eating enough, your body thinks it is starving...therefore will hold onto everything. Try raising your caloric intake. There are plenty of calculators out there that can help. :smile:
  • dangerxbadger
    dangerxbadger Posts: 396 Member
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    Are you eating back your exercise calories? 1200 is too low for someone exercising regularly so:
    1) eat more
    2) Mix up your routine--do interval training with your running, add in some strength, add mileage....

    This too. Once your body gets used to an exercise, it stops being effective.
  • 007FatSlayer
    007FatSlayer Posts: 132 Member
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    You definitely should eat more; you can actually stall weight loss if you eat too little. Also, what Ms. Valerie said, mix up your routine. Distance isn't best for weight loss, High Intensity Interval training is. For instance, sprint 30 seconds/walk or slow jog for 60 seconds OR sprint 60 seconds/ slow jog for 120 seconds. You can do this on the elliptical and do level 6 for 2 mins, level 10 for 1 min, etc.
    Your .5 weight gain shouldn't worry you..that's a very small amount and once you gain muscle (so you can look fit and not just skinny) you will gain weight. Focus more on how you look and feel vs. how much you weigh.

    Good Luck Army MOM!
  • babynun
    babynun Posts: 120 Member
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    I'm was in the same boat. I lost 12 lbs fairly easily with calorie counting and regular exercise. But then the plateau hit and no weight loss for 2 months. I decreased my calories thinking maybe that would help but it didn't. I was tired and irritable (Surprise, surprise). My workout didn't change, just my calories.

    The right thing to do is EAT! You may be burning too many calories and your metabolism is slower trying to conserve what little energy it can from the food you take in. That doesn't mean you can consume foods that aren't good for you. Still chose healthy snacks/meals.

    I meet my alloted daily calories and going over slightly is ok, don't feel bad. But if I'm going to burn 500 calories during an exercise, I make sure I've eaten enough that day. Also, change up your workout routine just to give variety.
  • rduhlir
    rduhlir Posts: 3,550 Member
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    Eat back your exercise calories.

    Put it this way....not sure who it is that is in the army, but I will put it easy to understand on that element. You think that those over-weight people who go into the army are being fed less than 1200 to lose weight? No! They are fed the same exact grub that the 150 lb grunt next to them is fed...stuff higher calorie with all the nutrients built into one dish that you can shove down your throat in 10 minutes or less.

    Now, remove the boot camp part, but it is pretty much the same thing. You need to fuel your body for your daily routines. If you are following the MFP way then you should be eatting back your calories, period. Even if you are eating back only half (some do because they don't trust the calorie counts on here) it will still be more than 1200.
  • rduhlir
    rduhlir Posts: 3,550 Member
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    This too. Once your body gets used to an exercise, it stops being effective.

    Not true, you can do the same thing for 6 months, as long as you are creating a calorie deficit you will still lose.
  • dangerxbadger
    dangerxbadger Posts: 396 Member
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    This too. Once your body gets used to an exercise, it stops being effective.

    Not true, you can do the same thing for 6 months, as long as you are creating a calorie deficit you will still lose.

    Hmm. Well, I was at a deficit for 3 weeks and the scale didn't budge until I increased the intensity/duration of my exercise, so. There's that. I'm not saying it's a maxim, though, maybe I should have been clearer there. Sorry. Also editing to add that I think the reason it CAN become less effective is because when you start something new you have to work harder to maintain form? When you get used to it, it can become just going through the motions, maybe. I dunno! Changing things up seemed to work for me!
  • LittleMissRainey
    LittleMissRainey Posts: 440 Member
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    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/937712-in-place-of-a-road-map-ver-3-0
  • armymom5
    armymom5 Posts: 115
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    Thank you everyone!

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