plateau--HELPP!!

jaci232
jaci232 Posts: 48 Member
edited September 21 in Health and Weight Loss
hi everyone,
i'm writing because i need some opinions on how to break my plateau. i've been at the same weight for about 4 weeks and can't seem to "break through" 158 lbs. my mfp journey started at 181 lbs, and i've been eating 1300 calories (plus most of whatever exercise calories i have gained that day). i consistently have lost about 1-2 lbs each week, until this past month. this is my first "plateau" and i'm wondering how to approach it. should i up my calories? decrease by 100 calories? also another tidbit, i've been working out a lot more in the past month so maybe that's why i've been staying the same//gaining??
any advice is welcome, thanks!

Replies

  • bchgrl
    bchgrl Posts: 10 Member
    What kind of exercise are you doing? Maybe try bumping up the intensity? Or try to not eat all your exercise calories that you earn? Good luck!
  • 4lafz
    4lafz Posts: 1,078 Member
    I agree with bchgrl. Your body is saying "OK I am used to this" Change it up!
  • bjberry
    bjberry Posts: 665 Member
    I agree--eat your allotted food calories, but not all the exercise calories--some but not all.

    Drink lots of liquids.
    Ensure sodium is kept low.
    Check fat levels in your foods. Are the fat calories at 30% or less in your eating plan?

    All of those might help--they help me. :drinker:
  • AriesGrl
    AriesGrl Posts: 174 Member
    I had the same problem....I would try bumping your calorie intake to 1500.....your body may just need more fuel to burn more fat!!
  • Mookz0r
    Mookz0r Posts: 143
    You could be me!

    I'm around 155lbs at the moment and think I'm just coming off my 4 week plateau. For the last couple of weeks, I upped my calories a bit, so aimed for around 1550 per day and my body seems happier for it. I've lost a couple of pounds over the last week again, which takes me to just below where I was 4 weeks ago - I had somehow managed to put some back on again!
  • Herewego
    Herewego Posts: 49
    Hi,
    Might not be the best advice but it worked for me. In the past when I lost some weight (yep, this is not my first time of course), when I hit a plateau for over 4 weeks, I was increasing my calorie intake to the level of maintenance for 10 to 15 days and then going back to whatever number of calories you are allowed.
    It aways seemed to work.
    Hope that helps.

    HWG :happy:
  • jaci232
    jaci232 Posts: 48 Member
    thanks everyone! just curious, when you say to bump up the calorie intake to 1500 is this including any exercise cals?
  • reneelee
    reneelee Posts: 877 Member
    Have you measured yourself? You might not loss pounds , but you could be lossing inchs. If you are lossing inches the good news is you aren't in a plateau.
  • LotusF1ower
    LotusF1ower Posts: 1,259 Member
    hi everyone,
    i'm writing because i need some opinions on how to break my plateau. i've been at the same weight for about 4 weeks and can't seem to "break through" 158 lbs. my mfp journey started at 181 lbs, and i've been eating 1300 calories (plus most of whatever exercise calories i have gained that day). i consistently have lost about 1-2 lbs each week, until this past month. this is my first "plateau" and i'm wondering how to approach it. should i up my calories? decrease by 100 calories? also another tidbit, i've been working out a lot more in the past month so maybe that's why i've been staying the same//gaining??
    any advice is welcome, thanks!

    If you want my opinion and it will not be the opinion of a lot of people, what I would do would be the following:

    DOWN your calories by 100 per day, up your exercise by one more session. Give it a chance to see if it takes effect.

    I have always done that in the past and so far it has never failed. Ensure you eat all your nutrient though as you are now moving into another phase xxx
  • AriesGrl
    AriesGrl Posts: 174 Member
    Most of the time your body reaches a plateau because it has adjusted to your eating and workout routine....the problem with downing your cal intake and upping your excersize is your not giving your body enough cals to burn during that excersise therefor you still wont change anything. If you up your intake 200-250 cals more you can still excersise more, but at least you are giving your body more fuel to burn...try it for a month and see what happens. And as far as excersise cals its up to you,....if you've been doing 1200 I would keep your daily total below 1550..... But that's just my opinion, Ive only lost almost 100 lbs doing it=)
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