Need Help Breaking Year Long Plateau
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cookiecat91
Posts: 20 Member
Hi everyone! This is my first post ever here. I know people will get on me because my story kind of honestly makes me sound really stupid, but I've been stuck at a weight loss plateau for over a year and desperately need help.
I lost weight during the summer of 2010 before my freshman year of college, and I went from 205 pounds to around 175 in about three months. During my freshman year, I lost around ten more and was happiest around 165.
My problem is that I for some reason never thought to up my calories and have been eating at 1,200 (eating back exercise calories) since June 2010. Naturally I've felt deprived and struggled pretty badly with Bulimia as well. The Bulimia seems to be under control, but I'm worried I've completely ruined my metabolism but am afraid to up my calories after so many years at 1,200.
I'm really afraid that 1,200 has become my "maintenance" level somehow because whenever I do overeat I tend to gain. Can anyone give me advice/share stories of breaking plateaus by upping calories? Thanks so much!
*Also: I tend to eat really well and binge every 7 days or so, usually around 5,000 calories in a given day. I know it could be avoided if I just ate a little bit more each day, but I would still like your advice!
I lost weight during the summer of 2010 before my freshman year of college, and I went from 205 pounds to around 175 in about three months. During my freshman year, I lost around ten more and was happiest around 165.
My problem is that I for some reason never thought to up my calories and have been eating at 1,200 (eating back exercise calories) since June 2010. Naturally I've felt deprived and struggled pretty badly with Bulimia as well. The Bulimia seems to be under control, but I'm worried I've completely ruined my metabolism but am afraid to up my calories after so many years at 1,200.
I'm really afraid that 1,200 has become my "maintenance" level somehow because whenever I do overeat I tend to gain. Can anyone give me advice/share stories of breaking plateaus by upping calories? Thanks so much!
*Also: I tend to eat really well and binge every 7 days or so, usually around 5,000 calories in a given day. I know it could be avoided if I just ate a little bit more each day, but I would still like your advice!
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Replies
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Bump - really need help with this!0
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I messaged you!
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Okay so, if you eat 1200 calories a day for 6 days a week that's 7,200 calories. Then you have one day of 5,000 calories, for a total weekly average calorie intake of 1,743 calories per day (7200 + 5000 divided by 7) and you haven't lost or gained in a year. Congratulations, you've found your maintenance level.
If I were you I would start eating 1,500 calories a day, and of course skip the weekly binge which will hopefully be easier because you're not starving. That would be 10,500 calories per week or a deficit of 1,700 calories which should result in a half pound loss per week.0 -
You should definitely try looking at eatmore2weighless.com :bigsmile: it's a little scary, but don't be afraid!0
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Okay so, if you eat 1200 calories a day for 6 days a week that's 7,200 calories. Then you have one day of 5,000 calories, for a total weekly average calorie intake of 1,743 calories per day (7200 + 5000 divided by 7) and you haven't lost or gained in a year. Congratulations, you've found your maintenance level.
If I were you I would start eating 1,500 calories a day, and of course skip the weekly binge which will hopefully be easier because you're not starving. That would be 10,500 calories per week or a deficit of 1,700 calories which should result in a half pound loss per week.
/\ This.0 -
Hi everyone! This is my first post ever here. I know people will get on me because my story kind of honestly makes me sound really stupid, but I've been stuck at a weight loss plateau for over a year and desperately need help.
I lost weight during the summer of 2010 before my freshman year of college, and I went from 205 pounds to around 175 in about three months. During my freshman year, I lost around ten more and was happiest around 165.
My problem is that I for some reason never thought to up my calories and have been eating at 1,200 (eating back exercise calories) since June 2010. Naturally I've felt deprived and struggled pretty badly with Bulimia as well. The Bulimia seems to be under control, but I'm worried I've completely ruined my metabolism but am afraid to up my calories after so many years at 1,200.
I'm really afraid that 1,200 has become my "maintenance" level somehow because whenever I do overeat I tend to gain. Can anyone give me advice/share stories of breaking plateaus by upping calories? Thanks so much!
*Also: I tend to eat really well and binge every 7 days or so, usually around 5,000 calories in a given day. I know it could be avoided if I just ate a little bit more each day, but I would still like your advice!
You've damaged your metabolism. Another poster factored in your cheat day and estimated your maintenance at 1700, unless you are extremely tiny there is no way that is a normal number for maintenance. Look up Layne Norton's video logs on metabolic damage.0 -
Hi everyone! This is my first post ever here. I know people will get on me because my story kind of honestly makes me sound really stupid, but I've been stuck at a weight loss plateau for over a year and desperately need help.
I lost weight during the summer of 2010 before my freshman year of college, and I went from 205 pounds to around 175 in about three months. During my freshman year, I lost around ten more and was happiest around 165.
My problem is that I for some reason never thought to up my calories and have been eating at 1,200 (eating back exercise calories) since June 2010. Naturally I've felt deprived and struggled pretty badly with Bulimia as well. The Bulimia seems to be under control, but I'm worried I've completely ruined my metabolism but am afraid to up my calories after so many years at 1,200.
I'm really afraid that 1,200 has become my "maintenance" level somehow because whenever I do overeat I tend to gain. Can anyone give me advice/share stories of breaking plateaus by upping calories? Thanks so much!
*Also: I tend to eat really well and binge every 7 days or so, usually around 5,000 calories in a given day. I know it could be avoided if I just ate a little bit more each day, but I would still like your advice!
You've damaged your metabolism. Another poster factored in your cheat day and estimated your maintenance at 1700, unless you are extremely tiny there is no way that is a normal number for maintenance. Look up Layne Norton's video logs on metabolic damage.
I dunno. My sedentary maintenance is 2,150 and I'm a 5'8, 186lb. dude..
1,700 could easily be sedentary maintenance for a 5'4 woman, depending on age.0 -
Hi everyone! This is my first post ever here. I know people will get on me because my story kind of honestly makes me sound really stupid, but I've been stuck at a weight loss plateau for over a year and desperately need help.
I lost weight during the summer of 2010 before my freshman year of college, and I went from 205 pounds to around 175 in about three months. During my freshman year, I lost around ten more and was happiest around 165.
My problem is that I for some reason never thought to up my calories and have been eating at 1,200 (eating back exercise calories) since June 2010. Naturally I've felt deprived and struggled pretty badly with Bulimia as well. The Bulimia seems to be under control, but I'm worried I've completely ruined my metabolism but am afraid to up my calories after so many years at 1,200.
I'm really afraid that 1,200 has become my "maintenance" level somehow because whenever I do overeat I tend to gain. Can anyone give me advice/share stories of breaking plateaus by upping calories? Thanks so much!
*Also: I tend to eat really well and binge every 7 days or so, usually around 5,000 calories in a given day. I know it could be avoided if I just ate a little bit more each day, but I would still like your advice!
You've damaged your metabolism. Another poster factored in your cheat day and estimated your maintenance at 1700, unless you are extremely tiny there is no way that is a normal number for maintenance. Look up Layne Norton's video logs on metabolic damage.
Show your work. She said she's eating back exercise calories. So the actual consumption is more like an average of 1700 + exercise calories, whatever those are.
That'd be pretty close to maintenance for a 20 yr old, 5'5 165 lb female0 -
You haven't ruined anything, you're at maintenance for your body.
Losing nothing/gaining nothing over a YEAR IS maintenance.
For some people, it sucks they have slow metabolisms, which means that they will have to hit the gym a few times a week and work out, just to maintain while eating more than 1200.
My sympathies, I'm pretty sure I'm in that club too..
At this point, BMR cannot be guessed by internet calculators, find a bod pod near you and have your bodyfat and BMR directly MEASURED in real life to get your true numbers, and work off of them.0 -
If you open your diary people will be able to give better advice.0
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Okay so, if you eat 1200 calories a day for 6 days a week that's 7,200 calories. Then you have one day of 5,000 calories, for a total weekly average calorie intake of 1,743 calories per day (7200 + 5000 divided by 7) and you haven't lost or gained in a year. Congratulations, you've found your maintenance level.
If I were you I would start eating 1,500 calories a day, and of course skip the weekly binge which will hopefully be easier because you're not starving. That would be 10,500 calories per week or a deficit of 1,700 calories which should result in a half pound loss per week.
This would depend if the binged food is purged or not - note the OP has struggled with bulimia.
I would second the recommendation of the Eat More to Weigh Less. It's helped loads of (mostly women) increase their metabolism back to where it should be after years of abuse with restrictive diets.0 -
Hi everyone! This is my first post ever here. I know people will get on me because my story kind of honestly makes me sound really stupid, but I've been stuck at a weight loss plateau for over a year and desperately need help.
I lost weight during the summer of 2010 before my freshman year of college, and I went from 205 pounds to around 175 in about three months. During my freshman year, I lost around ten more and was happiest around 165.
My problem is that I for some reason never thought to up my calories and have been eating at 1,200 (eating back exercise calories) since June 2010. Naturally I've felt deprived and struggled pretty badly with Bulimia as well. The Bulimia seems to be under control, but I'm worried I've completely ruined my metabolism but am afraid to up my calories after so many years at 1,200.
I'm really afraid that 1,200 has become my "maintenance" level somehow because whenever I do overeat I tend to gain. Can anyone give me advice/share stories of breaking plateaus by upping calories? Thanks so much!
*Also: I tend to eat really well and binge every 7 days or so, usually around 5,000 calories in a given day. I know it could be avoided if I just ate a little bit more each day, but I would still like your advice!
You've damaged your metabolism. Another poster factored in your cheat day and estimated your maintenance at 1700, unless you are extremely tiny there is no way that is a normal number for maintenance. Look up Layne Norton's video logs on metabolic damage.
Show your work. She said she's eating back exercise calories. So the actual consumption is more like an average of 1700 + exercise calories, whatever those are.
That'd be pretty close to maintenance for a 20 yr old, 5'5 165 lb female
Whoops did not pay attention to that, and assumed OP was a male.0 -
Thanks for all the responses!
Yeah, since I've been trying to get my bulimia under control, the binges within the past few months have not been purged. So I guess it would be advisable for me to just up my calorie intake to like 1500 or so? I feel like I really have noticed my metabolism slow down, from the low calories and the couple of years of purging.
Also I haven't opened my diary because I just joined the site and was using another app to count calories- still trying to figure this site out! I'll definitely check out the eat more 2 weigh less site.
I'm a little nervous about upping my calories but I'm guessing going up to 1,500 would be better, or should I go up to something higher for a few months and then come back down?0 -
thanks for this- wish I had read this site before I had started calorie counting.
stupid of me to reduce to such low cals but I was younger and didn't understand all this. 0 -
You're not doomed though. You can boost your metabolism by eating more, but you'll probably gain a bit of weight in the process.
Personally, I'd increase your calories by 400 or 500 for 3 months (you will probably gain), then decrease again by 400... then you should lose.0 -
You're not doomed though. You can boost your metabolism by eating more, but you'll probably gain a bit of weight in the process.
Personally, I'd increase your calories by 400 or 500 for 3 months (you will probably gain), then decrease again by 400... then you should lose.
Okay that sounds like a good plan, I was considering a metabolic reset approach but that seems too extreme for me.
Unfortunately I'm currently on a binge streak right now 0 -
Okay so, if you eat 1200 calories a day for 6 days a week that's 7,200 calories. Then you have one day of 5,000 calories, for a total weekly average calorie intake of 1,743 calories per day (7200 + 5000 divided by 7) and you haven't lost or gained in a year. Congratulations, you've found your maintenance level.
If I were you I would start eating 1,500 calories a day, and of course skip the weekly binge which will hopefully be easier because you're not starving. That would be 10,500 calories per week or a deficit of 1,700 calories which should result in a half pound loss per week.
/\ This.
Yup. ^^ This.
Put away the scale for a couple of weeks just in case your body has a shift when you change up your routine.0 -
Immediate weight gain is likely glycogen and assosciated water retention - not fat. It doesn't matter how screwed up you are; 1 pound of fat is still 3500 calories.0
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